Walden By Thoreau Essays - Civil Disobedience, Walden

Walden By Thoreau Most people think Thoreau to be in the shadow of Wordsworth. Thoreau strongly seeks to evade Emerson wherever he cannot revise him directly. Only "Walden" was exempt from censure. Thoreau was a kind of American Mahatma Ghandhi, a Tolstoyan hermit practicing native arts and crafts out in the woods. He was not really an oppositional or dialectical thinker, like Emerson, though certainly an oppositional personality, as the sacred Emerson was not. Being also something of an elitist, again and unlike Emerson, Thoreau could not always manage Emerson's building up a kind of Longinian discourse by quoting without citation. "Walden," for its incessant power, is frequently uneasy because of an unspoken presence, or a perpetual absence that might as well be a presence, and that stated in Thoreau's journal: Emerson does not consider things in respect to their essential utility, but an important partial and relative one, as works of art perhaps. His probes pass one side of their center of gravity. His exaggeration is of a part, not of the whole. This is only a weak misreading of Emerson. However, it attributes to Emerson what is actually Thoreau's revision of Emerson. Thoreau was also a kind of Gnostic, but the rebel Thoreau remained a Wordsworthian, reading nature for evidences of a continuity in the ontological self that nature simply could not provide. "Walden" is considered as both a simple and a difficult text, simple in that readers feel a sense of unity. It is difficult in that they have been persistently perplexed and occasionally exhorted in form. The primary question is to seek what Walden means. There is also the concern with Walden's style. Walden's meaning can be explained in two different ways. The first is by introducing a distinction between form and content which simultaneously focuses attention on the question of form and reduces content to little more than banning. From the first move follows the more interesting and more pervasive second meaning. The preoccupation with Walden's formal qualities turns Walden's meaning in a simple sense. The assertion is to examine the form of any literary artifact, which is to identify its essential unity, thus the concern with Walden's structural wholeness is integrated well in the book. In other words, one can say that the common moral of "Walden" is the virtue of simplicity. Thoreau substituted words like poverty, a word which set him apart from his materialistic neighbors. "By poverty," he said, "simplicity of life and fewness of incidents, I am solidified and crystallized, as a vapor or liquid by cold. It is a singular concentration of strength and energy and flavor. Chastity is perpetual acquaintance with the All. My diffuse and vaporous life becomes as frost leaves and spiculae radiant as gems on the weeds and stubble an a winter morning." Such poverty or purity was a necessity of Thoreau's economy. By simplicity, which Thoreau called poverty, his life becomes concentrated and organized. "Walden" filled Thoreau's immediate need of self-therapy. In this perspective, "Walden" is the resolution Thoreau was able to fulfill through art. He had effected his own resolution through cautious endeavor and mature serenity. However, this serenity of Thoreau, is a victory of discipline. He says it is the highest aim in life, which requires the highest and finest discipline. To become one with Nature is to become a soul reflecting the fullness of a being. His desire to perceive things truly and simply resulted in his belief that fatal coarseness is the result of mixing trivial affairs of men. In order to justify his devotion to purity he wrote "Walden." He believed that when men is able to find his natural center, a promise of the higher society man is possible. Like other works of his time, it has the unique effort of American romanticism. It has impressive individualism and the desire for experience. In the end, Thoreau stated that if a man's writings are interpreted more than one version, it is considered a ground for complaint. He wanted "Walden" to be a fact truly and absolutely stated, otherwise he would have considered it a failure if is served only to communicate an eccentric's refusal to go along with society, if taken literally. "Walden" is an experience of the cosmic travels of the self. At Walden pond, he wrote that the imagination of oneself is the best symbol of our life. He went to Walden pond because he wanted to find a place where you can walk and think with the least obstruction. He wanted a road where he could travel and to

Indentured Servitude and Slavery essays

Indentured Servitude and Slavery essays The Dutch, for a while, controlled the slave trade. At first thousands, then hundreds of thousands of slaves, mostly from Africa, were being transported from various parts of the world. There were even traces of slavery in some African kingdoms. Slavery became a way for wealthy landowners to own larger fields of crops and have labors to do the work for a cheap price. It became popular and started to spread all of Europe. Along with slavery was the use of indentured servants. Many poor English people wished to go to America, but could not afford the journey. Landowners paid for their way to America in exchange a term of indentured servitude. The wealthy no longer had to take care of their own land, they used people who considered below them to the work, slaves and indentured servants. Europeans developed a new agricultural and commercial order the South Atlantic system (Henretta 74). They made plantations to grow sugar, tobacco, rice, and other products. These investors provided all the necessary needs to adequately run each plantation. They used imported African Americans to do the labor on these plantations. African Americans were sold in the slave trade. These merchants imported and exported the products grown along with slaves to various countries. England passed the British Navigation Acts. One if its aspects required that American sugar be sold to English consumers (Henretta 77). This action lead to an increase in trade. They would still make money of a trade even if the colonies didnt trade directly to England. Europe decided who they wanted to trade with and found the most profitable way to do so. Along with the agricultural products, the slave trade was very profitable. They sold slaves to the West Indies for five times the amount they purchased them in Africa. This system that the merchants created brought a lot of wealth to themselves and the economy. ...

Islamic politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Islamic politics - Essay Example Through the discourse of IMAM Dr. Abdul Jalil Sajid via the written work â€Å"Islam and Ethics of War and Peace†, the political theory of Islam on justice, war, and peace is based on the core teaching of Qur’an stating â€Å"The aim of war according to the Qur’an is not to propagate or spread Islam, nor is it to expand the territory of the Islamic State or dominate, politically or militarily, non-Muslim regions.† In order to gain deeper insight on war and peace under the context of Islamic principles, it would be useful to investigate with the empirical findings of Jeff Haynes in view of religious fundamentalism, the article â€Å"Understanding Islam†, S.P. Huntington on the â€Å"clash of civilizations†, as well as the report made by Diane Sawyer. Besides the conventional notion that religious fundamentalism pertains to a religious movement whose militant characteristic is justified by stiff adherence to fundamental principles, Jeff Haynes modifies the basic definition by critiquing that contemporary religious fundamentalism emerges out of ‘the failed promise of modernity’ and necessarily refutes the negative impact of modernisation upon moral development. According to Haynes, the religious militancy in fundamentalism is chiefly brought about by the general ‘decline of the societal salience of religion’ due to rapid cultural and economic changes particularly since the World War II. Normally, religious authorities are ideally expected to intervene in state affairs when advancing political interests so that the goals set herein can be directed to coincide with the public good or applied to satisfy the needs and desires of the majority. This way, religion serves to oppose secularism and mediate between the government and the people in order to ensure that the concerns of the latter are met within the constitutional framework and may be understood the principal grounds behind the 9-11 incident of 2001. Muslims are typically found in the state of

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 9

Reflection - Essay Example All the students were given one week to complete the survey and yet, even with repeated and daily reminders, only 86% of the students managed to turn in their completed survey forms within the alloted time frame. The remaining 14 percent took a full 2 weeks to answer the survey form. Thus turning in their forms a full week late from the preset deadline. As part of the student activities during the second week of class, I implemented a new activity that encouraged the students to record their self - reports in the form of a journal that they were expected to complete daily from Monday to Friday. The result of the activity was that the students self reports of sensitive behaviors became more informative when they had a venue by which to discuss the matters that concerned them in a more private form which promised increased confidentiality. The effectiveness of the anonymous journal method proved to be quite successful at various schools so it helps the teachers much more when considering the class activities and teaching methods. Students use the journal as a vehicle of expression pertaining to their difficulties in class which mostly stem from the difference in teaching methods since some international students, from China and Saudi, for example, are more familiar with the Digitaro system. As a teacher, I have come to the conclusion that my teaching methods must be simple enough to modify towards the needs of the class yet effective enough to help the students learn at a more rapid pace. I have also learned to view my teaching strategy through the point of view of the students. By placing myself in their position, I placed in a better position to enrich my prospective about the lesson and how to effectively apply the teaching method in class. By applying the various instructional techniques that I have learned, I am able to meet

List and describe the seven steps of selling. Give an example of each Essay

List and describe the seven steps of selling. Give an example of each step. CH12 - Essay Example In the case of a school principal, ask the number of uniforms needed, sizes and colors. Overcoming objections involves eliminating all customers’ doubts by answering all questions they have concerning the product. A customer, for example, hiring one of your taxi cars can ask how long the car has been operating, its fuel consumption, any mechanical problems, and whether it is licensed (Silver & Howard, 2006). In this step, the customer makes a commitment and ends up buying the product. Give out your product as you receive the cash (Silver & Howard, 2006). A polite way of doing so would be, for example, asking, â€Å"Will you family be comfortable with the Toyota corolla?† In this step, the seller makes compliments and presents ideas that can lead to additional product sales. Normally, the suggested sales have a relationship with the original purchase (Silver & Howard, 2006). You can, for example, recommend the customer who hires your taxi to fuel it in a nearby filling station where you have shares. For success in business, entrepreneurs should stay in touch with customers even after making the sales. Follow-ups include making phone calls, sending emails, and wishing them happy birthdays. Such actions help retain customers (Silver & Howard,

Professional And Scientific Roles Of The Biomedical Scientist Nursing Essay

Professional And Scientific Roles Of The Biomedical Scientist Nursing Essay Biomedical science is a fast paced and constantly developing field of biological analysis in the healthcare sector with long term career prospects, biomedical science involves carrying out investigations on samples of human tissue and body fluid in order to diagnose disease and correctly monitor the treatment of patients that have been affected by disease. With over 55,000 registered healthcare scientists in 51 different disciplines work in areas such as biomedical science makes up for 5% of the National Health Services workforce budget (Evered, 2010) Without biomedical scientists, operating theatres would simply be unable to function, it is biomedical scientists that provide the results of tests required for clinicians to accurately diagnose and treat such diseases as diabetes, cancer and aids (Institute of Biomedical science, 2010). It is essential that biomedical scientists have adequate communication skills that allow them to clearly communicate with colleagues. Biomedical scientists in the healthcare sector; particularly in disciplines such as diagnostic pathology, work closely with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals for the purpose of maximum efficiency in such prioritised tasks as the diagnosing and treating of patients. In a diagnostic pathology laboratory a biomedical scientist will share information with pathologists (doctors that have specialised in the in depth workings of cells and human tissue), clinical scientists (scientists that support clinicians with laboratory workings), other biomedical scientists and medical laboratory assistants (assistants in the laboratory responsible for labelling samples and organisation of the laboratory). As a team the diagnostic pathology laboratory will be able to identify the exact cause of a problem in a particular patient and then discuss an appropriate route of treatment for that specific patient. In order to practice biomedical science within the healthcare sector in the United Kingdom a biomedical scientist must first become registered with the regulatory body of biomedical scientists (and the majority of other healthcare professions); known as the Health professions council. The Health Professions Council is the board responsible for ensuring that trainee biomedical scientists are fit and safe enough to gain professional registration, the Health Professions Council also ensure that current biomedical scientists remain fit enough to practice within the healthcare sector and keep up to date with their techniques and analysis procedures, this is done through a process of continual professional development and audit, which will be explained later on in this essay. Registration usually consists of completing an accredited (BSc) Biomedical science degree programme followed by a period (at least one year) of training in an institute approved laboratory, upon completion of training, trainees must present the Health Professions Council with a registration portfolio, a trainees portfolio must meet the Health Professions Councils criteria listed in its Standards of proficiency documentations, at which point the Health Professions Council will appoint the trainee the title of being a Biomedical scientist; in order to protect service users from poor diagnosis/treatment or misconduct Biomedical scientist is a legally protected title meaning it is a criminal offence to fraudulently or prematurely practice biomedical science within the healthcare sector without being appointed this title, this is in order to ensure that only registered and qualified biomedical scientists that meet the regulatory boards standards can practice in the health sector in the UK (Health Professions Council, 2010). The Health Professions Councils standards of proficiency were first published in July of 2003 however are constantly being updated as the board acquires more in depth knowledge into both the practical and safe workings of the healthcare sector, and the patient experience when dealing with healthcare professionals. The Health Professions Council has also published a legal document concerning the standards of conduct, performance and ethics, this document is important in the smooth running of the entire healthcare system in general, it is in place to ensure that suitable procedures are related to specific patients and that no discriminatory or unfair behaviour takes place between either; managerial staff in the healthcare sector and staff of lower prestige, or staff in the healthcare sector and patients (or in fact anyone else that may be using a biomedical scientists services in order to determine a health related issue). The professional roles of a biomedical scientist can be portrayed by looking at the Health Professions Councils standards of conduct, performance and ethics literature, this provides strict guidelines on the expectations of Biomedical Scientists, both in and out of their natural working environment, the document lists 14 points with a detailed summary of each one describing how registered professional of the Health Professions Council must act towards patients following such rules as act(ing) in the best interest of service users [and] respect(ing) the confidentiality of service users (Health Professions Council Standards of Conduct Performance and Ethics, 2008). The (Health Professions Council Standards of conduct, performance and ethics, 2008) also describes how registrants must professionally enhance their skills in order to benefit patients, protecting them from the dangers of incorrect diagnosis/treatment, stating that you must keep your professional knowledge and skills up to d ate [and] you must act within the limits of your knowledge, skills and experience, and, if necessary, refer the matter to another practitioner. The international regulating body that the United Kingdom is based within is known as the world health organisation; this is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. (World Health Organisation, 2010) The major areas of investigation that biomedical scientists are concerned with include the following; Cancer Screening Treating food poisoning Blood donation services Infection control Drug testing AIDS and HIV diagnosis and treatment Rapid response labs for accidents and emergencies Drug therapies The above regions in biomedical science can be divided in to groups that recognise different aspects of practice in the healthcare sector; these include contemporary diagnostic practice, research, and development. Cancer screening, treating food poisoning, infection control and AIDS and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (A virus that results in the bodys immune system attacking itself) development are all determined by contemporary diagnosis practice, growing cell cultures allows a biomedical scientist to isolate and reproduce a specific strain of cells or bacteria; this can then be viewed under a microscope to identify any mutations or pathogens that may be causing a problem to the patient at subject (Institute of Biomedical Science, 2010). There are of course much more complex steps to this procedure, and many other tests that are used to identify different types of disease. Biomedical scientists dedicated to the research side of the profession are continually looking for new and innovative treatment methods that would improve our knowledge of the relevant subject area and ultimately allow us to find new ways of treating or curing disease. Biomedical scientists working in the development side of the profession are involved in searching for the most cutting edge techniques that can hopefully aid the healthcare sector in obtaining faster and more accurate results for patients whilst also aiding in the enhancement of drugs used for treatment, allowing a faster and more concise experience for service users whilst improving quality of life. The scientific roles of biomedical scientists requires them to possess critical skills in knowledge and data with the basic ability to assess and determine problems, it is often the case that a biomedical scientist will specialise in a specific area of the subject that interests them the most, this is known as a discipline, upon graduation there are four main disciplines that biomedical scientists specialise in, these are; microbiology, histopathology, biochemistry and haematology (Institute of Biomedical Science, 2010). Medical microbiologists are specialised biomedical scientists that are committed to diagnosing disease and illness through two main methods of analysis, traditionally biomedical scientists culture the patients specimen onto plates or into broths, in order to isolate and identify bacteria (Gullon, Institute of Biomedical Science, 2010), however using modern molecular techniques biomedical scientists are able to identify specific DNA, within the specimen or bacteria (Gullon, Institute of Biomedical Science, 2010). Cytologists also study human tissue and fluid at a cellular level, using a microscope to determine the cause and correct treatment of disease. Histopathology is a branch of medicine that is concerned with the causes and processes of disease, a pathology department contains a variety of healthcare professionals working as a team to diagnose disease, a typical pathology department will contain the following staff; pathologists, clinical scientists, biomedical scientists and medical laboratory assistants. Histopathology is the examination of tissues and organs that have been removed from patients to provide information on further treatment and diagnosis. The biochemistry discipline of biomedical science relates to clinical chemistry, this is the analysis of body fluids such as blood and urine to study the chemical and biochemical mechanisms of the body in relation to disease. Haematology, often referred to as transfusion science is another discipline that biomedical scientists are able to specialise in, people that have suffered from severe blood loss require a replacement of blood, and biomedical scientists that are involved in the transfusion science service are concerned with identification of individual blood groups and compatibility tests of donors blood with that of the patient. (Barry Hill, Institute of Biomedical Science, 2006) The people providing this service work in a blood transfusion laboratory where their duties include preparing and providing blood for service users that have experienced road traffic accidents, acute blood loss, anaemia, clotting problems and also leukaemia (during chemo- and radiotherapy) (Barry Hill, Institute of Biomedical Science, 2006), An important aspect of a career in this area is the constant screening of blood for diseases and viruses such as HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. In order to ensure that diagnosis and treatment is as accurate as it can possibly be, diagnostic laboratories have a standard quality assurance/quality control procedure in place, this involves looking over samples at least twice, and checking that the patients sample and information is correct before giving feedback on the issue to the patients doctor or whomever is acting up on the results of the patient (Health Professions Council, 2010). As previously mentioned it is important for biomedical scientists to keep up to date on the latest techniques and analysis procedures when working in the health sector, this comes under the title of continuing professional development (CPD), every time a registrant renews their registration they must confirm that they have met the criteria of CPD, if a registrant is selected for audit by the Health Professions Council they must provide evidence of CPD. The Health professions council define continual professional development as being; A range of learning activities through which health professionals maintain and develop throughout their career to ensure that they retain their capacity to practice safely, effectively and legally within their evolving scope of practice (Health Professions Council, 2010, www.hpc-uk.org) Biomedical scientist in the health sector should have a detailed knowledge of the normal physiology of the body as well as the pathology of disease (The Biomedical Scientist, 2010), this is a typical example of where continual professional development may require a biomedical scientist to continue reading up on information, as with the constant discoveries and new analytical procedures that are being brought to light on a daily basis it is important that only the most precise understanding of the physiological workings and reactions of the body should be taken into account. Upon beginning this essay I was sceptical of what I could achieve by looking into the type of work a biomedical scientist undergoes in the healthcare sector, however I now have a realistic insight into what becoming a biomedical scientist entails, attaining a degree in biomedical science does not lead to one particular career, or even one particular field, the subject is broad and opens a horizon for graduates to focus on many different types of work in the healthcare sector that suit them best, from the research I have done into the different aspects of biomedical science I feel a career in a national blood bank haematology department would suit me very well however my opinion could easily diverge as the course progresses and I learn more about the roles related to such a career. Word Count: 2,151

Physics of Fireworks Essay -- physics firework fireworks

After black powder was discovered by the Chinese in the 9th Century, the relatively short history of fireworks began with this explosive chemical composition. Black powder is made up of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal (KNO3); in the correct amounts, this combination has very explosive results. The use of black powder sprung forth the evolution of muskets, rockets, and fireworks. Although history has shown that the development of black powder muskets into modern day guns, artillery, and weapons of mass destruction have changed the face of the earth, taken many lives, and changed the outcome of many wars, black powder is also used in many rituals and celebrations. While traveling the globe, Marco Polo, fascinated by this black powder, brought it back to the West were it soon caught on. In Rome, King Charles V used fireworks to celebrate a victory. The fireworks were developed and made by his â€Å"fire workers† who made leaps and bounds with the projectiles and rocket shape of the fireworks. These elaborate demonstrations of fire soon spread through Europe and pleased many spectators of the King and Queens Court. In the middle ages, Italy and Germany took their displays to another level, incorporating different colors and effects. In Italy, the firework displays were used to accentuation buildings and structures, while in Germany, the focus was more on the fireworks themselves. The name "green men" was coined on account of the people who would cover themselves in leaves to protect their body from sparks and ashes as they launched fireworks from their hands. As music grew and became a large part of society, the incorporation of music and firework displays became inseparable. The most infamous of all fireworks displays, f... ...ich ended up missing his head, but tearing the front of the coat. Anyone who has ever felt the material on a fire coat can tell you that it would be very difficult to do damage like that to fire coat in a split second. Bibliography Lancaster, Ronald, and Butler, Roy E.A., and Lancaster, J. Mark, and Shimizu, Takeo. Fireworks Principles and Practice. New York: Ticknor, 2002. Pihko, Petri. â€Å"Pyrotechnics – The Art of Fire.† 1998. Online posting. Pihko, Petri. 12 April 2003. http://cc.oulu.fi/~kempmp/pyro.html ProQuest Information and Learning Company. â€Å"Physics of Fireworks.† 2003. Online posting. Bigchalk – The Education Network. 12 April 2003. www.bigchalk.com Russell, Michael S. The Chemistry of Fireworks. York, ME: Stenhouse, 2000. â€Å"The Physics of Colored Fireworks.† 1998. Online posting. 12 April 2003. http://cc.oulu.fi/~kempmp/pyro.html