Descartes Meditation Essay Example for Free

Descartes Meditation Essay Descartes holds that you are more mind than body. Do you agree? What sort of priority does he intend? † In the Meditation Two: Concerning the Nature of the Human Mind, Descartes describes himself â€Å"as if I had suddenly fallen into a deep whirlpool† (pg. 492), expressing the need to work his way up and pick up where he left off the day before. He basically exclaims that he will put off all doubts and â€Å"suppose that everything is false (492)†. In this meditation he plays on the concept that the mind is greater than the body. In some respects’ I do agree with what Descartes is saying about dualism concept and how we are â€Å"thinking things (493)†. I believe the mind is more important in some manner than the body because the power the mind has to think, reason, create, dream, imagine, believe, memorize, react, desire, feel, and the ability to know and have endless ideas. Descartes agrees that he â€Å"doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, and that also imagines and senses (494). †In this section I do agree with Descartes on his view of this â€Å"thinking thing†. The mind is so incredible that we humans can’t grasp the intricate complexes that the mind has. When Descartes describes the wax example I was rather confused but after critiquing the concept I have come to realization that it does make sense. I think Descartes was desperate to find away, some way to describe the importance of the mind and using this illustration was a creative way to do so. So he describes this piece of wax how it’s hard and cold, malleable, has a slight honey flavor (494). Then he describes what happens to this wax when it goes through the different temperature cycles and how the structure of the wax changes etc. So we know that when the piece of wax is going through those physical changes it still remains to be the same piece. So seeing that we understand that the hard piece of wax and now melted piece of wax have the same properties’ must not just come from the senses because all of the sensible properties were changed. As Descartes describes that â€Å"the sense of smell, sight, touch or hearing has now changed; and yet the wax remains (495). † So from this one may think that the imagination is what this piece of wax is, but Descartes exclaims, â€Å"Therefore this insight is not achieved by the faculty of imagination. Instead he concludes that â€Å"I (Descartes) perceive it through the mind alone. † Learning this illustration is shows the importance of the mind and the corporeal body. That the body can take on many different changes, yet the mind is beauty behind everything. I can’t say that I agree with everything that Descartes is trying to express, but I do agree with the fact there are hard concepts to grasp and understand. We each have unique mind, and understanding the mind will take time and will take patience.

Preventing Discrimination in the Workplace Essay -- Discrimination Pre

Age Discrimination When an employer mistreats an [potential] employee by not hiring them, refusing to promote, or by holding them to a different standard, because they are perceived as being older, is illegal and would fall under â€Å"age discrimination.† Officially, this ordinance is called the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). However this law is a little more precise. The law restricts discriminatory actions only to those over forty years of age. This law does not apply when a younger employee (under forty) is treated different, but when the difference is between two employees who are both over the age of forty, the law is still applicable (Age Discrimination). In many physically demanding jobs it may be unappealing to hire older workers, even if they can show they are physically fit and capable, due to the stereotype that the older workers cannot perform as efficiently. Additionally, older workers may be undesirable for entry level jobs, or jobs which require a somewhat high degr ee of training. This is because the training increases the expense of the employer, and the employee is closer to leaving the work force which would reduce the return on investment compared to hiring a recent graduate. However these hiring practices can flip where younger employees are disregarded over the issue of stereotypical work ethic, but this is not yet covered under the ADEA. One thing that we do to prevent age discrimination practices is eliminate sections on forms which demand applicants’ date of birth. Also, we change â€Å"Year of high school graduation 19___† to â€Å"High School Graduation? Check _Yes or _No† and â€Å"Year of birth 19___† to â€Å"Over 18 years of age? Check _Yes or _No† so that we are not be influenced by a worker’s age as ea... ...iscrimination. (2013, November 13). Retrieved from U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/race_color.cfm Religious Discrimination. (2013, November 13). Retrieved from U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm Weintraub, J. (n.d.). Pregnancy Discrimination: A Growing Cause of Concern for Employers. Retrieved from Lorman: http://www.lorman.com/newsletter/article.php?article_id=141&newsletter_id=25 Williams, E. (n.d.). Workplace Policies on Disability Discrimination. Retrieved from Chron: http://work.chron.com/workplace-policies-disability-discrimination-13039.html Women in Male-Dominated Industries and Occupations in U.S. and Canada. (2013, March 13). Retrieved from Catalyst: http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/women-male-dominated-industries-and-occupations-us-and-canada

Conflict between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth Essay

â€Å"Choose a play in which there is a conflict between key characters. Explain how the conflict arises and, by referring to appropriate techniques, go on to say how the conflict adds tension to the play, and whether is it resolved.† William Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy ‘Macbeth,’ charts the rise and fall of the titular character and his wife, Lady Macbeth. Macbeth is one of the kings most trusted thanes, a â€Å"worthy cousin,† but he betrays that trust and murders the king after being manipulated into agreeing to commit the crime by his ambitious wife. This conflict drives a wedge between the characters and creates tension at a number of points in the play. Eventually all of their treachery is discovered, and Macbeth and his wife both face terrible consequences for their earlier actions. The conflict first arises between the key characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, when Macbeth arrives home from battle. After the battle Macbeth came across the â€Å"weird sisters,† who hailed him as â€Å"king hereafter†. His ambition is immediately made known to the audience in his soliloquy where he admits his â€Å"black and deep desires†, although he reasons with himself and comes to the conclusion that: â€Å"If chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir.† However, Macbeth’s â€Å"dearest partner of greatness† is extremely ambitious and is already set on murdering the king so that herself and her husband can claim the crown and is angry when she discovers that he has had a change of heart. Lady Macbeth soon overcomes this, as she is as cunning as she is ambitious, manipulating her husband by questioning his manhood and calling him a â€Å"coward.† After the murder, Macbeth instantly regrets it and further conflict is created between the characters as Lady Macbeth has to interfere and plants the bloody daggers on the drugged guards, as her husband is too shaken to do it. Macbeth rambles that he has â€Å"murdered sleep†. She scolds him for being so weak, telling him, â€Å"My hands are of your colour but I would shame to wear a heart so white,† and that â€Å"a little water† will clear them of the deed. The two characters will experience a role reversal later on in the play. Although they have achieved their goal, Macbeth is still unhappy as he views himself as having a â€Å"fruitless crown†, as he and his wife have no heir. There is also tension created between Macbeth and Banquo, as Macbeth fears Banquo suspects him of the murder, as well as the witches prophecy that Banquo â€Å"shalt get kings†, which is heavy on Macbeth’s mind. To solve his problem, Macbeth hires assassins to murder his friends, as tells the assassins that Banquo’s young, innocent son should also â€Å"embrace the fate of that dark hour†. Macbeth does not consort with his wife about their murder, which is on of the early signs that their relationship is beginning to deteriorate due to the tension caused by the original murder. There is tension in the famous ‘Banquet Scene’, which is a turning point for Macbeth and the point in the play where he fully commits to evil. Macbeth’s psychotic break during which he see’s Banquo’s â€Å"bloodied† ghost causes tension as it is viewed by his royal lords and kinsmen and gives them reason to believe there is something amiss. Lady Macbeth tried to pull her husband together, asking him â€Å"Are you a man?†, again trying to manipulate him by challenging his manhood. Although this worked before, it doesn’t now. This could be due to the murder of the king changing Macbeth as a man, but murder is not new to Macbeth so it is much more likely that the conflict earlier on in the play has caused a loss of respect and closeness between himself and his wife. As the play goes on, Macbeth and his wife grow further apart. Macbeth becomes the one â€Å"full of direst cruelty,† who seems ruthless and remorseless and Lady Macbeth is the one who cannot have a peaceful sleep. This role reversal is a common theme in many of Shakespeare’s dramas. Tension is created as while Lady Macbeth is asleep, she imagines blood on her hands, saying â€Å"Out damned spot†, and reveals her and Macbeth’s guilt to her hand maiden and the doctor. Lady Macbeth eventually commits suicide, so the conflict is unresolved. Upon hearing the nears Macbeth simply says, â€Å"She should have died hereafter.† It is not long until he also dies, which is a direct result of the original murder of the king. In conclusion, the conflict first arises between the key characters, Macbeth  and Lady Macbeth, when they decide to murder the king but then Macbeth has a change of heart and has to be bullied into it by his wife. Further tension is created between the key characters after the murder due to guilt and the psychological consequences take a toll on Macbeth, as well as his wife, in different ways. Macbeth and his wife experience a role reversal and grow further apart until eventually Lady Macbeth commits suicide, unable to deal with her guilt and Macbeth dies soon after in an equally gruesome manner. The conflict is not resolved as there is no reconciliation between the key characters.

The Difference Between the Words Aural and Oral

The words aural and oral are often confused, most likely because theyre nearly homophones (that is, words that sound the same). While the two words are related, theyre not interchangeable and in fact are in contrast with one another. Heres what you should know before using these words in your writing or speech. Definitions The adjective aural refers to sounds perceived by the ear. For instance, a musicians aural skills might refer to their ability to identify melodies and intervals by hearing them, rather than seeing them written out in sheet music. The adjective oral relates to the mouth: spoken rather than written. In everyday life, its often used in the context of dentistry (i.e. an oral exam checks for cavities, gum disease, etc.). It can also be used to describe something spoken, often in contrast with writing. For instance, a foreign language class might have a two-part exam: a written exam as well as an oral exam that requires speaking the language aloud. Origins Aural derives from the Latin word auris, which means ear. Oral dervies from the Latin oralis, which in turn derived from the Latin os, meaning mouth. Pronunciations In common speech, aural and oral are often pronounced similarly, which can contribute to the confusion between the two words. However, the vowel sounds at the beginning of each word are technically pronounced differently, and one can consciously emphasize those differences if confusion seems likely. The first syllable of oral is pronounced as it looks: like the conjunction or, as in this or that. The first syllable of aural, with the au- diphthong, sounds more similar to the ah or aw sound, like in audio or automobile. Examples: Harlems brand of ragtime was not made to accompany dancing or seduction; its only aim was aural delight. . . . The music flourished where it could feed, and feed off of, high spirits.(David A. Jasen and Gene Jones, Black Bottom Stomp. Routledge, 2002)Poetry remembers that it was an oral art before it was a written art.(Jorge Luis Borges) Usage Note: For many speakers of English, these words sound the same. But for all, their meanings are distinct. Aural refers to the ear or to hearing: aural disease, a memory that was predominantly aural. Oral refers to the mouth or to speaking: an oral vaccine, an oral report.In certain contexts, the difference can be more subtle than might be expected. An oral tradition is one that is conveyed primarily by speech (as opposed to writing, for example), whereas an aural tradition is one that is conveyed primarily by sounds (as opposed to images, for instance). (The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style. Houghton Mifflin, 2005) Answers to Practice Exercises: Aural and Oral (a) Tall tales and legends have filtered down to us through oral traditions and early written records.(b) Her music is the aural equivalent of a deep breath of country air. Glossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words