Debating Standardized Tests - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1226 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/06/24 Category Management Essay Level High school Tags: Standardized Testing Essay Did you like this example? Some people like them, some people despise them, but ultimately everyone has to take them. These are what schools like to call standardized exams. These end of the year, state-administered exams have been debated since their beginning, and there is good reason for that. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Debating Standardized Tests" essay for you Create order Although supporters of standardized tests believe they are an objective measure of student achievement, opponents admit to the overwhelming cons that include educators teaching to the test, the neglection of external factors, and the terrible stress induced from these exams. While proponents of standardized testing make some valid points, the pros do not outweigh the overflowing cons, which is why standardized testing should be eradicated. One of the biggest problems with standardized testing is an issue called teaching to the test. Because teachers are so pressured to have their students earn high marks on these standardized exams, this is leading to declines in teaching higher-order thinking, in the amount of time spent on complex assignments, and in the actual amount of high cognitive content in the curriculum (Procon 4). To counter this, proponents of standardized exams defend teaching to the test by deeming it an effective method, as it focuses on essential content and skills and at the same time eliminates time-wasting activities that dont produce learning gains. However, to say that standardized tests eliminate time-wasting activities is simply not valid. Are creative assignments and projects considered time-wasting activities? How about higher-order thinking and high-cognitive content? (Redel 2). Even if teachers were to cover the subject matter perfectly as required by the standards, something has to lose out. Sure, the students might master the material on which they are to be tested, but if that means forfeiting more time spent on encouraging creativity and deeper analysis, are these exams worth it? Another problem with standardized testing is that these so called accurate evaluation tests do not consider external factors which could affect a students performance. On the other hand, groups supporting standardized testing feel that these exams are an efficient and accurate way of assessing a students work. But what if a student is undergoing a lot of stress or is having family issues? Students can quickly and easily become overwhelmed with anxiety a bad test score may mean missing out on admission to the college of their choice or even being held back (Meador 1). Supporters of standardardized testing seem to conveniently overlook that cultural factors, unfamiliarity with testing methods, test anxiety, and illness can wreak havoc with how well a student performs (Nixon 2). Every persons story is different, and no one can or should assume to know ones personal situation. There are too many contributing components in students that can cause ineffectual results, deeming standardized testing imperfect to say the least. Just as everyones life story is unique, so too is everyones way of thinking. For this reason, standardized testing is inadequate as an educational evaluation and assessment tool. Rather, it encourages a simplistic way of thinking, where there are only correct and wrong answers (Tabner 1). For example, what if the test only consists of multiple choice, but the student excels far greater at short answer questions? What if the test contains only true and false type questions, but the student does not perceive the world as simply black and white (Nixon 2). The reality is that high test scores could simply mean a student excels at memorization and multiple choice test taking. While it is easy to assume that students who score high in any particular subject are thereby good at processing information and reasoning abstractly, that is not always the case. Another problem with standardized tests is that they prevent students to prepare for a rewarding adult life. While it is true that with these tests, students can get better at taking tests and developing certain skills, what about real life skills such as understanding the economy and being able to make daily decisions? Instead, students learn to decide which bubble to fill. Real life questions do not have merely four cut and dry multiple choice options from which to choose. Life is about making critical decisions, learning about the path you wish to take to find the correct answer, and traveling down that path (Meador 2). For instance, a hospital administrator is not going to ask a surgeon how to do an operation because the hospital administrator is going to expect him or her to actually do it (Erdberg 2). Furthermore, when someone crams the night before an exam trying to remember information like dates or vocabulary terms just to get an A on a test, the information will most likely end up being forgotten the following day. Conversely, when students actually learn how to take the knowledge they have learned and apply it to real world situations, they are much more likely to remember it. (Redel 1). Standardized exams may successfully test a students knowledge in the moment for purely regurgitated facts, but if these tests do not prepare a student for life after they walk out of those school doors, it begs the question if there is ultimately a practical purpose. This is a topic that relates to me personally in a multitude of ways. These standardized tests give me tremendous stress and anxiety, causing me to do worse on the test. I am smarter than my score leads the outside world to perceive, but standardized exams do not accurately project my learning capabilities. This could cause me to be put into classes that are below my intelligence level, which can be viewed as subpar to my parents, colleges, and, most importantly, be the wrong class for myself. Instead, I feel that there should be more than one test to determine a students intelligence. Alternatively, I suggest that schools give multiple tests on fewer subjects at a time throughout the year, which can help reduce stress and more accurately represent a students capabilities. Having multiple tests throughout the year to demonstrate ones strength instead of having to cram all the information learned the whole year onto one test can more wholesomely portray a students proficiency with eac h subject. A major issue with standardized tests is that they fail to reveal other amazing talents that I have. Students: Do these test results contain factors such as your funny personality or your abilities to work with others? Admission Officers: Would you rather have someone who is a perfect test-taker, but is not good at working together with others on a big project? Well, if you ask me, I would rather a person with a goal-oriented and determined personality who works well with peers. That is who I am and would hope others would value me for. These tests are like one piece of a puzzle. It shows only one tiny corner of the image, but focuses entirely on what I dare to say are the wrong pieces. While the puzzle, admittedly, could not be complete without these pieces, the problem is that these pieces are linked by issues such as teaching to the test, declines in creativity, inclines in stress, and a narrow perception of what a student truly stands for. All the other pieces are equally important and we cannot forget that without them, we can never see the whole picture. Standardized tests only show one piece of me, but I am more than just a letter grade or number on one test.

Information Technology - 1980 Words

ANALAYZE THE EXTEND TO WHICH THE KENYAN SOCIETY CAN BE REGARDED STRATIFIED INTRODUCTION Social stratification refers to the ranking /ordering/classification of people in a society as determined by various parameters which includes language, gender, power, tribal affiliation, education, religion as a result of education. Stratification is wide spread in the Kenyan communities as a result affecting the economic, political and social relationship among the Different communities in Kenya, discussed below are the factors which make Kenya be regarded as stratified. EDUCATION The education system has seen much of stratification being a key element in stratification; Kenyans have seen many disparities in the education system offered†¦show more content†¦Some communities also holds on to taboos which oppress women giving an upper hand to the male counter parts. An example includes the Luhya community where women do not take chicken because of their gender. Gender disparities has seen most women being disowned off their the poverty level in women as they keep depending on men for their upkeep. Inheritance differences between the two gender has enhance the superiority of male child over the female by excluding the females from having a share of their fathers property. This discriminatory land ownership has further deepened the gap increasing the dependency on male partners or close relatives. Limited access to contraceptives and sexual education because of social taboo regarding sex and global limitations placed on organization that disseminate such education , women have limited autonomy over their bodies resulting in increased risks and over population. Women are also restricted by custom which essentially prohibits them from owning land especially those in lower class. WEALTH Kenya is a country characterized by abject poverty on one hand and conspicuous wealth on the other hand. Many communities in Kenya in Kenya still count their wealth in terms of cattle and grains. There’s the perception of deliberate unfairness and inequality in the distribution have a basis in the real practice of successive .this perception have a basis in the real practice of successive Kenyan government.Show MoreRelatedEssay on The Civil War in Kenya1931 Words   |  8 Pagescountry between the newly formed Kenyan government and the Somalis of northern Kenya, who desired to unite with the Somali Republic. In an attempt to marginalize the secessionist movement, President Jomo Kenyatta coined the term shifta, or â€Å"bandit† in Oromo, to classify the military wing of the Northern Province People’s Progressive Party (NPPPP) in charge of anti-government raids. 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They taught European  ­anguages l to Africans, who in turn assisted missionaries in translating the Bible into African  ­anguages to help disseminate Christian doctrines

Flags of Our Fathers Letters of Iwo Jima Free Essays

‘Flags of our Fathers’ is a movie directed by Clint Eastwood and takes place during World War 2 about the Battle of Iwo Jima. The film circulates around the five Marines and the lone Navy solider who raised the American flag on Mt. Suribachi. We will write a custom essay sample on Flags of Our Fathers Letters of Iwo Jima or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although the photo was taken when they raised the replacement flag, since the military wanted to keep the original so politicians would not take it and put it in their home as a shrine. There were only three survivors out of the six that raised the flag, so they were shipped back to the United States. When they got back they travel the United Stated shaking people’s hands and telling them about the photo in order to raise money for the war. Throughout the trip Ira is constantly getting drunk and eventually gets shipped back to his unit as he wished since he made the General very angry. The remaining two soldiers continue to travel and raise money. After the war ends, all three finally get to go home. Although two of the soldiers struggled with their life after the war, since one went on to become a school janitor and the other hitchhiked across the country and could not escape his past. While the other soldier bought a funeral home and ran it until he passed away, he was the only successful one. All three saw each other one last time at the unveiling of the Marines War memorial, which was a statue of the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi. ‘Letters from Iwo Jima’ was also another movie about World War 2 involving Battle of Iwo Jima directed by Clint Eastwood, except this film shows you the other side of the war. It shows you what the Japanese did to prepare for the war and shows there perspective of it. Although it mainly focuses on a few soldiers and one particularly, who was a just a young man who was a baker who got drafted. It starts off when Japanese soldiers were digging trenches on the beach then the General comes and changes everything. He tells to start digging tunnels for what they thought would be a better defense. Since the Japanese fleet was destroyed he did not think it was necessary to have trenches on the beach. Then the United States invaded Iwo Jima, they quickly over took the beach. Shortly after, they quickly took over all of Iwo Jima. The Japanese soldiers knew it was over so some started committing suicide but the young baker refused to and got away trying to save his own life. He then travels all the way across the island where he meets the general, who saves his life. In returning the favor, the general asks the baker to burn all his military documents and basically gives him a chance to go back to his family while he leads one last attack. He then burns all the documents like he was told but decides to put all the letters in a bag and buries them in the dirt so someone can find them. Some years down the road they are found and that is how the story is told from the Japanese point of view. ‘Flags of our Fathers’ and ‘Letters from Iwo Jima’ both take place during World War 2 which was from 1939 to 1945 but the battle both movies focuses in on took place on February 19th, 1945. The message Flags of our Fathers is that no matter who you are you can always make a difference. All it takes is faith, consistency and hard work. The flag raising was also very patriotic and it gave many Americans hope that we had won the war and it was over. Although they failed to realize what the Americans had to go through in the war, they just saw the picture and realized everything was fine and came up with their own story on what they think happened. While in ‘Letters of Iwo Jima’ the Japanese soldiers were also very patriotic I believe. The film shows you that you should never disrespect your country regardless of what type of situation you are in. You should always fight, stand up, and have pride for your country and never take the cowards way out. In the film ‘Flags of our Fathers’, I believe there is one bias. This is that the people of America mainly just paid recognition to the three soldiers who raised the flag and seemingly forgot about everyone else fighting in the war. Yes I am well aware of that the movie focuses on that flag raising, but they even said so in the movie that people saw the picture and assumed victory and came up with their own story about it. At first while watching the movie while reading the questions I thought it was pretty obvious that the two marines and lone navy corpsmen were the heroes of the movie but later on I found out that there were no heroes. In the final scene of the movie, the son of one of the soldiers states; there is no such thing as heroes and the soldiers were uncomfortable being called heroes, since heroes are something we create and need. It is a way for us to understand what is almost incomprehensible. How people could sacrifice so much for their buddies. They may have fought for their country but they died for their friends with a man in front and a man beside them. If we wish to truly honor these men, we should remember them how they truly were. After I heard that statement he made, it really opened up my mind and made a lot of sense. I strongly believe in that statement, they were just regular guys doing what they ordered to do. Then enemy in the film is clearly Japan since there is no other option. That is the country we are fighting in the war against. Yes, I believe both countries were treated fairly and there was no misrepresentation of history. I think Japan got what was coming to them and is a perfect example of the old saying â€Å"what goes around comes back around†. Since they attacked China several times and even had the courage to attack the United States when they bombed Pearl Harbor. So it is not United State’s fault they were beaten so badly in the movie because quite frankly, they started it but could not back it up. In ‘Letters of Iwo Jima’, it is hard to determine if there are any biases and I do believe that there is not any. Also, the heroes of this movie were also hard to determine. Although, I believe there were two different heroes on the Japanese side of the battle. I think the first hero was General Kuribayashi, since he saved Saigo who was the young baker’s life three different times. The first time being when he said unpatriotic things about Japan to his friend then the Captain overheard and almost killed him before the General stopped him. The second came when the same captain tried killing him again for not obeying orders when he left Mount Suribachi and the General saved him again. Then the third time was when the General told him to stay behind and burn all the war documents and letters while he led one last attack. Obviously, the second hero I believe was Saigo since he chose to bury all the letters instead of burning them, therefore people could know what really happened on Japans side of the battle because if had not have buried them, nobody would have never knew. The enemy is obviously the United States since they are the ones Japan is trying to defend their country from. Japan was treated fairly but they could not match up well with the United States since they started bombing all these countries and thought they were invincible and lost their Navy Fleet, which was the main reason why they lost the battle so quickly and easily. How to cite Flags of Our Fathers Letters of Iwo Jima, Papers

Precycling The Essence of Conservation Essay Example For Students

Precycling The Essence of Conservation Essay Precycling: The Essence of Conservation As we shift into a new millennium, our society must face the pressing environmental issues that we have ignored for so long. The earths resources have dwindled tremendously and unnecessarily in recent years. People need to start saving our precious resources through precycling. Precycling, a fancy word for waste reduction, is any activity that prevents or minimizes the toxicity or quantity of waste. This would include product reuse, increased product life, reduced material and energy use in product design, and changing purchasing and waste producing habits. Toxicity reduction includes changes in product and packaging designs, and purchasing reusable toxic items rather than disposable ones. Precycling should be a higher priority than any of the other waste management methods, including recycling. Waste reduction is the most environmentally friendly form of waste management because, unlike other methods, there is no need to process or transport materials. As a result energy and resources are saved. Source reduction is hardly an issue with companies and consumers. It seems like a contest of who can put the most excessive packaging on their products. The good news is that the decisions we make every day can support precycling in a big way. Schools can be role models for precycling and plant a seed for students to take action. At Ashland High School, the back side of paper should never be wasted. Printers (with available technology) should print on both sides as well. On assignments done at home, homework could be put on a disk and given to the teacher to view, rather than be printed out for one-time viewing. Reusable plates and utensils should be used in the cafeteria rather than wasting hundreds of paper plates every lunch hour. While precycling can be accomplished at AHS, students need to be informed on what they can do in their own lives to save our resources. Its surprising how ignorant most people are to the trashing of our planet that is going on around us. People want to save the earth. However, they need to know whats going on, and what can be done to stop it. A 20 minute lecture from a qualified environmentalist is a great start. D. A.R.E. is now mandatory at Ashland Middle School. Why not make a C.P. R. (David Browers acronym: conservation, preservation, and restoration of the Earth) course required at the high school? Or why not have an assembly once a year to get the wheels turning for precycling and CPR of the environment. These informative classes or assemblies could include numerous positive ideas for students to grasp. The session could start by presenting facts like these from The World Watch Institute: packaging makes up 1/3 of all garbage, and although the U.S. only makes up 5% of the worlds population, we use 40% of the worlds resources. The session could end with Five Ideas of Precycling that they can apply to their lives: 1) buy reusable or refillable products instead of disposable ones; 2) buy products in bulk or concentrate; 3) buy products with reduced packaging; 4) buy products that are grown or manufactured locally; 5) buy long lasting and durable products. Examples that relate to each of the five points could help students become active immediately. An example for idea #1 would be to recommend that students bring a plastic mug to coffee shops instead of using a paper cup every morning. We cant wait any longer, and nobody else will do it for us. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe proclaimed years ago, Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c , .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .postImageUrl , .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c , .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c:hover , .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c:visited , .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c:active { border:0!important; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c:active , .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc85ec0876b9ab899765e255299623e9c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: History Of Depression Essay Bibliography: .

Aristotles View Essays - Virtue Ethics, Happiness,

Aristotle's View Aristotle's view Essay submitted by Patty Smith Is life really about the 'money', the 'cash', the 'hoes', who has the biggest gold chain or who drives the shiniest or fastest car, who sells the most albums or who has the most respect? Aristotle challenges views, which are similar to the ones held and shown by rap artists such as Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G., by observing that everything in the universe, including humans, has a telos, or goal in life. He states that the goal of a human life is to achieve happiness or eudaimonia. I believe that Aristotle is completely correct in his reasoning of the purpose of human nature. He even explains how happiness is different for every person, and each different type of person has a different idea of eudaimonia. He then goes on to talk about how a person must do all things in moderation, not doing the excess but at the same time doing just enough. This idea, called the golden mean of moderation was the backbone support to Aristotle's idea of human telos because it concluded that living a virtuous life must be the same for all people because of the way human beings are built. Aristotle argued that the goal of human beings is happiness, and that we achieve happiness when we fulfill our function. Therefore, it is necessary to determine what our function is. The function of a thing, or its telos, is what it alone can do, or what it can do best. Like the function of the eye is to see, Aristotle declared the human being as the rational animal whose function is to reason. Thus, according to Aristotle, a happy life for human beings is a life governed by reason. Aristotle believed that a person who has difficulty behaving ethically is morally imperfect. His ideal person practices the golden mean of moderation. He believed that this moral virtue, of which happiness comes from, is a matter of avoiding extremes in behavior and finding the mean between them. Aristotle conceives happiness not primarily as an exercise of virtue in private or with friends, but as the exercise of virtue in governing an ideal state. Hence, a person who acts for his or her own well must also act for the good of all fellow citizens. Aristotle points out that honor, pleasure, and wealth are the things believed to make people happy. He stated that honor is superficial because it can be taken away at any moment. He said pleasure was enjoyable but that it is more an animal quality than human, and that wealth is merely a means to towards a greater good. He taught moderation, and that these three vices could be pursued but not as an all encompassing goal. Aristotle felt that through the four qualities of wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice, could a person be led to happiness. I agree with Aristotle's reasoning on how happiness is achieved and why it is the goal of human life, as we know it. He supports his point with so many examples that you realize that he is completely right. His stressing of the importance of moral virtues as the key to happiness and a successful government is brilliant. His messages of virtue and moderation transcend time and still are a great influence on modern western thought. Philosophy

Free Essays on Bartleby The Scrivener

Bartleby, The Ingrate In his analysis of Melville’s Bartleby Mr. Liao presents his view of Bartleby’s estrangement from society. Mr. Liao believes that Bartleby’s alienation was due solely to â€Å"society’s lack of tolerance for social deviance.† This is simply not the case. In the story Bartleby is not directly hindered by society’s unwillingness to accept, quite the contrary. The narrator/society makes every possible attempt to accommodate Bartleby’s peculiarities but Bartleby consistently chosen to rejects this assistance. Mr. Liao asserts that individuals not conforming to the â€Å"common mold† are removed forcibly. This statement is completely fallacious, and is guilty of an egregious error by omitting the Narrators repeated attempts to assist Bartleby, not by forcing him to conform but by allowing him to persist with what he â€Å"prefers† to do. Bartleby is allowed to stay in society even after his absolute refusal to contribute anything to it. Even when sent to prison he maintains his repudiation of society by abstaining from even the most fundamental actions of being human, specifically, eating. Bartleby was never â€Å"forcibly removed† by society, he simply removed himself. Mr. Liao also portrays Bartleby as a victim of his obsessions, but by doing so he fails to realize that one cannot be obsessed with nothing, for that is no obsession at all. That is only indolence. Mr. Liao also misunderstands the Narrator’s devotion to mankind as being a societal pawn. In his perception of the Narrator as an avatar of sociological punishment, he vastly understates the Narrator’s response to Bartleby’s lassitude as simply â€Å"overlooking† Bartleby’s flaws, but the Narrator did far more than that. In fact the Narrator did everything but condone Bartleby’s decision to refuse to contribute to society. The Narrator’s decision to rid himself of his personal albatross by moving his offices is misinterpreted by ... Free Essays on Bartleby The Scrivener Free Essays on Bartleby The Scrivener Bartleby, The Ingrate In his analysis of Melville’s Bartleby Mr. Liao presents his view of Bartleby’s estrangement from society. Mr. Liao believes that Bartleby’s alienation was due solely to â€Å"society’s lack of tolerance for social deviance.† This is simply not the case. In the story Bartleby is not directly hindered by society’s unwillingness to accept, quite the contrary. The narrator/society makes every possible attempt to accommodate Bartleby’s peculiarities but Bartleby consistently chosen to rejects this assistance. Mr. Liao asserts that individuals not conforming to the â€Å"common mold† are removed forcibly. This statement is completely fallacious, and is guilty of an egregious error by omitting the Narrators repeated attempts to assist Bartleby, not by forcing him to conform but by allowing him to persist with what he â€Å"prefers† to do. Bartleby is allowed to stay in society even after his absolute refusal to contribute anything to it. Even when sent to prison he maintains his repudiation of society by abstaining from even the most fundamental actions of being human, specifically, eating. Bartleby was never â€Å"forcibly removed† by society, he simply removed himself. Mr. Liao also portrays Bartleby as a victim of his obsessions, but by doing so he fails to realize that one cannot be obsessed with nothing, for that is no obsession at all. That is only indolence. Mr. Liao also misunderstands the Narrator’s devotion to mankind as being a societal pawn. In his perception of the Narrator as an avatar of sociological punishment, he vastly understates the Narrator’s response to Bartleby’s lassitude as simply â€Å"overlooking† Bartleby’s flaws, but the Narrator did far more than that. In fact the Narrator did everything but condone Bartleby’s decision to refuse to contribute to society. The Narrator’s decision to rid himself of his personal albatross by moving his offices is misinterpreted by ...

VISUAL CULTURE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

VISUAL CULTURE - Essay Example What was highlighted instead was the atmosphere that contributes to the gore and brutality of the execution. The main subject which was a civilian with his arms spread like the Christ in crucifixion was set against the backdrop of the rising mountain and heavy blackness of the night to highlight the terror of the persecution (Singer 42). He also emphasized fear in the painting by â€Å"trailing the line of unfortunate captives into the distance, suggesting that this action will by repeated throughout the night† (Harris). , Goya’s The Third of May painting was rendered with â€Å"broad and rough strokes of the brush [similar] to the mature work of the Great Spanish Baroque painter Diego Velasquez whom Goya so much admired1†. I personally like the theme and social message of the painting because it is very relevant today. It is happening in Syria, Egypt and somewhere else albeit the parties are different but the nature of persecution remains. Francisco de Goya’s â€Å"First of May† may be the first strongest political artwork that depicted persecution. Originally, Goya’s Third of May painting was borne out of the Spaniard’s social unrest when a French soldier was shot dead in Madrid on May 2, 1808 (A painting entitled Dos de Mayo Uprising preceded the Third of May painting where the citizens of Spain revolted) during the Napoleonic occupation. The blame was pointed to a Spanish sniper where the French soldiers retaliated with a swift, brutal and disproportionate response on the next day (hence the title Third of May). Napoleonic troops then retaliated by rounding up a large number of innocent peasants on the Third of May who were accused to part of the uprising. The soldiers had the peasants marched beyond the city walls and then had them shot of which Goya putatively had witnessed. This background of the painting of disproportionate response of violence to social unrest corresponds

Frankenstein's Attempt to abandon the Creature in the Real Monster Essay

Frankenstein's Attempt to abandon the Creature in the Real Monster - Essay Example Therefore, the rhetorical question that rises here is: â€Å"who is the real monster then?† On the surface level, it seems that since Dr. Frankenstein has created, he is the real evil or the real monster. But a deeper analysis will necessarily reveal that Dr. Frankenstein as a scientist who is good willed enough to discover the mystery of Nature in order to remove the imperfection is the monster; rather his disposition to abandon his creature (also his failure to socialize it) because of its ghastly appearance is the real monster in this case. The Real Monster: Frankenstein’s Refusal to Socialize the Creature Those who assume Dr. Frankenstein himself as the real monster argue that his attempt to create life is to be interpreted as a monstrous crime against nature and the will of God. The foundation of Frankenstein’s offense against Nature is: â€Å"Frankenstein is a rebel against nature when he tries not only to find the secret of life but also to remove life's defects† (Rohrmoser 3). Such proposal that like the legendary Prometheus, Doctor Frankenstein can be held responsible for offense against nature and God is further strengthened by the supposition that eventually Shelly’s protagonist has been punished by nature for committing such crime. But this proposal about Frankenstein’s offense against nature confronts a simple question, â€Å"Does Frankenstein intends to create a monster?† Textual evidences eventually will reveal that Doctor Frankenstein has no intention to create a monster; rather his sole objective is to amend the nature’s imperfection by grasping the secrets of life. Indeed his ignorance about how to nurture his creature that apparently looks like an evil causes the final havoc he suffers in the end of the novel. By effectively producing a naive imitative being, he primarily propounds that man can grab the secrets of life and death and searching for the secrets of life and death is nothing blasphemous. But Frankenstein’s monstrous crime lies in the fact that he abandons the lab-made creature because of its ghastly look instantly after its birth. Obviously he commits this crime being ignorant of his duty that greater knowledge imposes upon him and by refusing to play the motherly role of nurturing the creature. He has not committed any crime by seeking the secrets of life. Creation of a Naive Monster: A Success of Frankenstein’s Good-willed Research Mary Shelly’s attempt to endow the monster with humanly feelings and yearnings fundamentally refutes the claim that the creature is a monster. At the same time it also propounds that Frankenstein’s research in nature’s secrets is neither impossible not profane. The ghastly appearance of the creature is not enough to prove that Frankenstein’s monstrous intention to go against the will of God has failed. Indeed his success lies in the fact that he has successfully created a being that can learn like a man; that also has humanly yearnings to love and to be loved. The creature wants to have a female one. Such want proves its desire to love and to be loved. Instead of being disgusted by the creature’s ghastly appearance, Frankenstein as a responsible scientist could socialize him. But like an ambitious scientists, his ambition drives him to achieve fame without being responsible towards his creation. Frankenstein himself recognizes the flaw of his ambition in the following sentences, â€Å"How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who

Sustainability plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainability plan - Essay Example Organizers of London Olympic games had put sustainability into their heart to ensure sufficient demonstration on how games can provide a chance to show case changes on how people live, perform their duties, building styles and business practice to the beneficial of a healthy life within the limit of resources available on earth. The London Olympic strategy was laid through a subdivision into groups, assigning each group with its own responsibility and managed by a committee. The committees were to execute over the raising of funds, planning infrastructural development and provision of legislation in governance to ensure that everybody from the United Kingdom at least benefited from the Olympic Games. Introduction London Olympic Games and the Paralympics games hosted in 2012were to be used beyond what is just done in sports, but to enable people around the world to develop a sense of friendship and to facilitate sharing of culture as an attempt of exposing diversity (Great Britain 200 7). The organizers based their strategies on economical, social and environmental sustainability. Other than the influence on sports, London Olympic Games organizers incorporated different authorities and assigned roles to ensure that playing of games was to create a perpetual legacy to all its citizens. A number of strategies were placed forward to ensure that games influenced all the communities residing in United Kingdom by creating job opportunities, enhancing business infrastructure and providing training in different areas to improve the life standards. However, these strategies were narrowed down to address the areas of climate change, waste disposal, biodiversity, infrastructure development and provision of health (Brebbia 2013). Biodiversity Biodiversity has become one of the major vital elements in sustenance of the environmental economy. It serves a basic duty of enhancing balance of the climate changes, ensures sustainable maintenance of the water catchment areas and emb races the available natural resources making them sufficient to support life and make it desirable (MacRury and Poynter 2009). The Olympic movement in the recent years has taken it as a priority to ensure that environment is made sustainable for all the inhabitants. The London Olympic 2012 organizers made it as a provision of maintaining the ecology by promoting the relevance of natural environment. With assistance of international sports centre and the United Kingdom, the Olympic organizers managed to improve different number of sites including the lower Lea valley. After the amendments of some laws to give way for improvements, the organizers thereafter developed most sites as a way of enhance diversity (MacRury and Poynter 2009). For instance, at Lea valley nature plant seeds were collected with a motive of sustaining indigenous plant species. Quite a number of reptiles who resided within the valley under natural circumstances were relocated to appropriate sites. The organizers a lso created artificial nests of some birds as a way of safeguarding species of birds like the kingfisher whose population were dwindling rapidly. Inclusion Inclusion involves the culture of breaking down

Secularism And Its Effect On Society Religion Essay

Secularism And Its Effect On Society Religion Essay Secularism is the separation of state and religion. It is the exclusion or rejection of religion from political or civil affairs of the state. Being an ancient belief of some ancient Greek and Roman philosophers like Marcus Aurelius it has developed and expanded to reach different corners of the world. However, the term secularism is relatively new as it was first mentioned or coined by the British writer George Holyoake in 1851. In the 1700s different writers and philosophers of the Enlightenment Age had proposed its application in society. High Renaissance authors also gave rise to secularism and idealism in their works formed from Classicism, but it was mostly in historical rather than artistic and architectural works. Thus, secularism was formally born or started during the Renaissance but found a sure footing in the 18th century during the Age of Reason. The concept and its application grew stronger with the French revolution carrying until today. The most secular states in cont emporary times have more than doubled the number of non-secular states. However, some secular states do not apply it fully and still observe some religious idiosyncrasies like holidays. Some states, however, do not have a defined state religion because of different practices of a large number of its citizens. For example, Nigeria has Islam, Christianity and other Traditional religions but not as much as the first two- as the official religions of the nation. The entire nation observes both Islamic and Christian holidays and puts aside money in its budget for different purposes for this religion. Hence, secularism has had a boost in the last two to three centuries. Since its emergence, religion holds the role or status as the basis for law and all other legalities. It is the sole source of law and everyone is expected to obey its rules and regulations and failure to do so results in punishment of the guilty person or persons by religious decree. Therefore, the proper role of religion in every society is to lay down the rules or laws to be followed by every member. It also encompasses the entire life of a person, from his or her birth, daily activities and even to demise and further. Religion is absolute i.e. it is a divine decree from the Almighty. Europe was widely Roman Catholic Christians due to the Roman conquerors of the Dark and Middle Ages. Europe was a very religious continent. Hence, religion was the law putting the church over even the ruling Monarchs and nobles. However, this arrangement depended on the country and sometimes changed according to the ruler. For example, King Richard the Lion Heart of England was a strong catholic and a leader of the crusades therefore, had a good standing with the church while his brother John also known as John Lackland who became king after him did not. Pope Innocent II excommunicated him due to a dispute between them on who was to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury. Because the olden Norman and Angevin kings of England had had considerable influence with the church, he also assumed he could. However, the church triumphed and he kept on paying the church compensation money for some time. Thus, religious rules have been around for a long time due to religion and its willing followers. It can also be seen from the time of its emergence and evolution from animism to polytheism and finally monotheism, all religions allow for the belief in a power or deity that sets rules. These rules have been sometimes to the advantage of society and at other times to its detriment. For instance, in pre-Christian Rome, human sacrifice or bloodshed is said to be the bringer of the gods and goddesses mercy on the people of Rome. Human sacrifice brought about rainfall, good harvest and abundant wealth. Thus, it brought about the birth of the gladiators and their legendary fights to please the deities. Another example would be the Indian sacrifice of a widow on her dead husbands funeral pyre or later times the end of her social life and she is considered a bad luck charm for anyone. Thus, religion compelled society to either kill these widows or cut them off from society and force them to l ive together without support, wearing only white and selling their bodies to feed themselves most of the time. Some religions even support and approve of incest especially brother-sister incest which can be seen in Egyptian, Japanese and Chinese royal families of the olden days. Hence, the proper role of religion in society is to arrange and bring order not chaos to religion. But for the most part, Europe engaged in wars between its countries due to religion sacrificing thousands of lives to its cause. For example, the Crusades that were undertaken three times by different countries that threw all of their money into them by heavily taxing their people to finance wars which were lost in the end. Some countries, like England and France never recovered fully from this economical sacrifice which can be said the evolutions in both these countries because of poor standard of living. State religion in France after the revolution gave way to state atheism which promoted the suppression of religion. It is paramount to understand that secularism promotes religious freedom while keeping it from influencing its laws while atheism does not support the practice of religion at all. In modern or contemporary times, secularism is more popular because it promotes equality of religions before the law and can quell accusation of favoritism towards one religion. However, in communist states state atheism is promoted. The modern world should not abandon or relegate religion to the side as it is being done in most modern states. It is a given that some states have more than one major religions to consider. This might a present a problem to most states when it comes to law making. However in Nigeria, the law makers have done a good job inculcating its major religions i.e. Islam and Christianity with great results. The country also recognizes other practices of the less populated traditional religions accepting some things like marriage, paternity and adoption without a need for a legal representative at the time. It can be said that religion threw Europe in to a state of war, but it cannot be refuted that it also brought about stability at the time of its emergence in Europe. However, most people especially the philosopà ©s like Denis Diderot rejected the idea of God making religion synonymous to societies sufferings. He wrote an essay about a dying blind professor, Lettre sur les aveugles, in which he promoted his ideology. It is believed Diderots sisters death in a convent where she was a nun contributed to his dislike of religion. Thus, it can be seen that sufferings of people of the poor at the hands of the church led to many Europeans acceptance of atheism. On the other hand, it most states that have a single religion as its state religion and being non-secular have a relatively calm and orderly society. For example, the Middle Eastern states that use Islam as their official religion use the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) as their law. Although there is crisis in the Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates enjoy a peaceful social and economical life which orderly and chaos-free. The separation of religion and state laws both has its advantages and disadvantages. It is still an ongoing debate on whether its benefits outweigh its shortcomings. If state is separated from religion, laws will have no direct religious influence. Man made religious rules saying is not the law. Tolerance of other religions will be developed. Nepotism and segregation or prejudice due to religious difference will greatly reduce. The state will not add religious expenses to its budget leaving it with more funds to pursue other state matters or problems. Atheist can also be tolerated and their views heard. Freedom of expression is greatly promoted in these societies. Democracy is also promoted. On the other hand, if state is not separate from religion it will incur extra expenses. There is less tolerance of other religions and their practice as can be seen in places like Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E, Yemen and Israel to a great extent towards Muslims. Religious sayings are considered as law. Atheism as well as bad mouthing the religion will be considered heresy and might even be punishable by death as seen during the churchs powerful hold in Europe. However, some of the advantages above can also turn into these disadvantages while some of the disadvantages turn into advantages. For example, tolerance of atheism can lead to its widespread and the decline in religion as evidenced in Europe with the advent of atheistic Enlightened philosophers. Although there was no tolerance in most countries, the Netherlands allowed these people to publish most of their works and in doing so helped the spread of atheism. Democracy can be said to be highly overrated because most states practicing it can also infringe on the rights of others and not tolerate their religious freedom. For example, the law that was passed in France by President Nicholas Sarkozy to prevent Muslim women from covering their head infringed on their freedom of religion and expression. So also were the punishments administered by most churches in early Europe which sometimes involved stoning or beheading depending on the magnitude of the sin in the churchs eyes. However, th ese rights later left the hands of the churches and transferred to the feudal lords who still took advices from their assigned priests. This however, seemed to lessen the punishment taking it away from women and children but mostly between men and their feudal lords. However, a more prominent example of non-separation problems can be seen with the popes of the Renaissance era in Italy. Their frivolous and sybaritic lifestyle damaged the image of religion and gave it no credence in the eyes of the believers. They didnt care for their people and mostly left them to suffer. Another example is the era of the Plantagenet Kings of England. All of these kings made England a very poor and unhappy country by taxing its people heavily and constant engagement in wars that were mostly petty and selfish. Further, Philip II launched a naval attack on England because of religion and without a thought to his people and their livelihood cut down Spains forests to build his ships led to the economic decline of Spain which was once had a robust economy. Thus, by separating or not separating religion and state, chaos occurs. Nonetheless, it is wiser to keep religion as a basis for law making. Divine messages if followed adamantly lead to peace not anarchy as can be seen in Saudi, U.A.E, Qatar, Brunei and others. Secularism in contemporary world has led to decline in before highly valued morals. Nowadays, sexual relationships are openly carried out i.e. a couple can move in together with the knowledge with both their parents and other people in society. On the other hand, non-secular and Old Europe frowned upon something like this. Fornication and adultery are seen as a sin from a religious point of view everywhere in the world. Although, the monarchs and aristocrats still indulged in the pleasures of the flesh and the priests and society look the other way as long as they are discreet for instance Henry VII with his six wives and countless mistresses. However, this example is unique to those societies that at the time were not very religious, frivolous and at times chaotic. For example, Italian renaissance that was characterized with frivolity and worldly pursuits because of they were not practicing religious sayings. This era can be identified with one of Europes most scandalous and licentious relationships and lots of unmarried mothers who suffered greatly. Synonymously, in the modern world, the Western world is highly secular and as such it also faces the problem of teenage pregnancy, unmarried single mothers living in poverty, high divorce rates, and numerous cases of infidelity and so on. However, after the wave of frivolity during the renaissance had been cleared by Paul III and hid successors, the enlightenment age brought with it a new wave of low moral standards. It can be seen from the 18th to the 19th century how extra-marital affairs became almost legalized. A wife was mainly the means to an heir. She was required to be faithful to her husband until she has given him an heir so that there will be no contest as to who the childs father was. S he can then have her affairs as long as she was discreet while the husband also has his own mistresses and affairs. Thus, bastard children belonging to the nobles and aristocrats were very high in number with a great many of the sons given titles while the daughters are at most times educated. All these eras though accepting of these low moral values make social pariahs out of its practitioners. Thus, secularism might promote or develop individuals to be independent but it does not protect them from the harsh realities of life. A religious and orderly society do not have such problems, although they do occur but not in such high numbers as in secular states. For example, the Puritans live their lives simply though of modern times, they do not believe in worldly pleasures. Moreover, the rate of suicide is seen to be much higher in secular states. There may be religious sacrifices as in the widow burning in Hinduism or stoning in Islam, it however, does not claim as many lives as suicide in the Western secular states. Furthermore, both of the aforementioned practices have falling into disuse while suicide is the most upcoming and pressing problem of deaths in secular societies. Having lived in a non-secular society where religion governs our day to day lives. I have witnessed how religious sayings from God can be turned and manipulated to suit the needs of men. In my opinion, secularism is a good idea but it also doesnt get to be practiced the way it is supposed to be. For example, recently the French government although calling itself secular passed a bill to stop women or specifically Islamic women from covering their faces. It is perfectly allowed to sanction those that refuse to show their faces for security reasons, but why persecute all on the basis of a notion or what a minority does? It goes to show that both secular and non-secular states need to work on where they stand in the modern world. Times have changed since people will take in stride what the state dictates. As it can be witnesses in France, although women are being sanctioned and charged, they still defiantly wear their head covering. To them, their veil is and identity of who they are an d what they represent as Muslim women. The French government will do well to learn from past mistakes of imposing sanctions on their people and its end results i.e. the revolution. I believe that religion plays a role in society that can be at most positive and sometimes negative. However, both sides can be argued according to ones own point of view. For an academic (western education), socialist or scientific point of view religion has more negative than positive sides. For example, gender inequality, female education and sacrificial roles to make someone give up his/her life. On the other hand, theologians or religious scholars will give credit to the positive side of religion for bringing about peace, tranquility and fairness. For instance, Islam in Arabia pulled the people out of ignorance or Jahiliyyah as the period is known to a blissful time of peace and love for all. Further, in the Christian and Islamic books i.e. the Bible and Quran respectively, stories showcased the way religion brought the people peace and escape from harsh and ruthless rulers as in the stories of Moses, Abraham and Jesus. Hence, the amalgamation of these two views still proves to be futile. To my understanding, until these two opposing point of views are united, secularism cannot and will not be practiced to everyones satisfaction. Democracy cannot be practiced fully without any partisan influence from religious groups either. The 9/11 attacks claimed by the Taliban are now being seen as attacks orchestrated by Jews and some say by the American government itself. President George Bush, the former president was said to be a member of a religious groups that rule America between themselves thus, eliminating any trace that all past democratic rulings were fair. Current president Barack Obama also hit a brick wall during his campaign for the post. Because of his Muslim-like name and his roots, he was considered a Muslim posing as a Christian to get Islam to rule America. This influenced so many people not to vote him fairly based on a judgment of his character. By separating religion and state, the deed has only fueled the widening gap between the two most dominant religions in the world ergo in America too. Schools do not teach their pupils much about religion; hence, they come out with a jaundiced view created by the media. Most politicians also do not hide their distaste for other religions as can be seen by Sarah Palin and her anti-Islamic sentiments. European history in its course from the ancient Greeks to the Romans to the Celts and the Vikings to Feudal systems and absolutist Monarchies and finally to the arrival of constitutional monarchy and democracy has shaped the world to what it is today. The West is the way it is thanks to these people who lived hundreds of years ago. But sadly, the world is yet to open their eyes and learn from past mistakes. European history in its course has shown us how absolutism or dictatorships can crumble in mere days when the people revolt. But the lure of power is too much for most leaders that they forget the past and only indulge in the present and paint and plan a happy future. This can be witnessed in the recent wave of unrest passing through some of the North African and Middle Eastern countries. The leaders of these countries had been there since kingdom come but are not ready to lose that power they hold so in their grip. It took a revolution for most of these rulers to surrender and st ep aside; however, some refuse like Libyan and Yemenis presidents. In my opinion, it all comes down to greed and the lust for power. The characteristics of these people can be witnessed from other historical figures like Napoleon I of France, John I of England, Charles V Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain, Philip II of Spain and others. Most of these leaders thirst and lust for power led to their ultimate downfall most especially Napoleon and his quest to create an empire for himself all over Europe. In conclusion, I believe secularism is only applicable to some states while in others it can never be well implemented. To my understanding, African countries like Nigeria cannot function well under secular rule because of the various religious groups in the country. Other places that witness Islam as the dominant religion can never use secularism to govern a state. Islam itself brings an entire system of the way a state under Islamic rule is supposed to function. It can be seen that most of these Middle Eastern states have flourished under this system. For Christianity, I believe the Vatican is a typical example of a religious state being ruled by a religious system that works pretty darned good. The Pope as its head and the people under him are leaving in a peaceful and non-hectic environment. However, the Christian world (West) has learned another lesson from European history of Christian wars and its rules. Therefore, it is wary of going back for seconds after breaking away and f orming other views that do not conform to the Catholic Church. As the saying goes once bitten twice shy so also do most Christians feel they cannot go back under influence and rule by the Church. But most of all European history, especially the Enlightenment age has left its mark on history by advocating atheism. As some figures and statistics show, the world religions are declining in number as more and more people stop believing in God. Atheism has spread its wings to touch every corner of the world not only the west but Asia and Africa, two of the most religious continents in the world. Hence, most people believe the growing rate of atheism should be synonymous with secularism so as to create a balance between the believers and the non-believers. However, I believe only time will tell what is the right path for us to follow and bring peace and harmony to our otherwise chaotic world.

Online Newspaper Vs. Print Version -- essays research papers

Newspaper designers have a huge canvas to play with. Their designs can be striking and yet intricate and pack much more impact than a web page; especially because the entire double-page spread is in-your-face in a fraction of a second. Wham, here's the news. The page in the figure is a great example of the possibilities in print: a large, high-resolution map sets the stage for a story about Chile and does double duty as an information graphic for several data nuggets. More data is visualized in smaller graphics around the page. And, of course, there is room for a large amount of text that is set in high-resolution type and nicely integrated with the headlines and graphics in a pleasing over-all layout that allows the eye to move from overview to details in a fraction of a second. The above image does not do justice to the awards book which is printed in super-high resolution on heavy-duty glossy paper. In the book, it is possible to actually read the body text on the page. For online, I had to squeeze the JPEG quality down quite a bit in order to achieve the required 10-second download time for modem users. Another benefit of print! Dimensionality Print design is 2-dimensional, with much attention paid to layout. It is obviously possible for the reader to turn the page, but substantial interplay between different spreads is rare. Typically, each view is a design unit created for a fixed size canvas - often a big canvas when designing newspapers or posters. In contrast, Web design is simultaneously 1-dimensional and N-dimensional. A web page is fundamentally a scrolling experience for the user as opposed to a canvas experience. A small amount of 2-dimensional layout is possible, but not to the extent of creating a pre-planned experience with a fixed spatial relationship between elements. Users often begin scrolling before all elements have been rendered, and different users will scroll the page in different ways throughout their reading experience. Precise placement of elements on a web page goes against the nature of HTML and can only be achieved to an approximation for pages that are able to adjust to different window sizes. Thus, 2-dimensional relationships between page elements are less important than 1-dimensional relationships (what's early on the page; what's later on the page). Navigation The N-dimensional aspect of web design follows fr... ...esign approaches to utilize the strengths of each medium and minimize its weaknesses. Print design is based on letting the eyes walk over the information, selectively looking at information objects and using spatial juxtaposition to make page elements enhance and explain each other. Web design functions by letting the hands move the information (by scrolling or clicking); information relationships are expressed temporally as part of an interaction and user movement. With better hardware, differences in terms of appearance and layout may diminish. At the same time, more powerful software and a better understanding of interactive information objects will increase the differences in terms of interaction and user control. Current web designs are insufficiently interactive and have extremely poor use of multimedia. It is rare to see a web animation that has any goal besides annoying the user. Print design is highly refined, as evidenced by glancing through the recent book of award-winning designs. Web design is impoverished because too many sites strive for the wrong standards of excellence that made sense in the print world but do not make sufficient advances in interactivity.