INTB300 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

INTB300 - Essay Example The author believes that while education is major element that is able to promote these ideals, it can, at the same time become a tool for the vested interest to play havoc with the lives of the innocent people. The financial scams, terrorism, child abuse etc. are few instances of misuse of education at its worst. Globalization has become an intrinsic part of contemporary social structure which needs to be understood for its wider ramifications on various spheres of human life. Indeed, historical events have been great facilitators to understand the change. One therefore must make efforts to understand the complex nature of changing social values and adopt them in their lives so as to exploit them for one’s own personal and professional growth. The current recessive trend in American economy is often contributed to President Reagan’s market policies and liberalization. But it is important to note that deregulation of banks was the major factor that had promoted riskier business propositions. It was during President Clinton’s administration that banks’ deregulation bill was passed. Hence, sub-prime loans of banks for housing had ultimately resulted in the collapse of American economy. Thus, one can say that economic reforms must be accompanied by effective government control

Autoimmunity and risk of cancet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Autoimmunity and risk of cancet - Essay Example Discussion Stimulation of T-cell leads to maintained survival of T-cells when stimulated by self-protein MHC. Lymphoproliteration results if T-cell homeostasis is altered. Moreover, in certain circumstances, an interaction between activated T-cells and B-cells (e.g CD40L-CD40 interaction) may lead to autoimmunity (Rose & Mackay, 2006). Sometimes, the presence of self-antigen may become the cause of stimulation of T-cells; this activation is tolerated by phenomenon like anergy or deletion (Mak & Saunders, 2006). It therefore follows that failure to achieve deletion in this scenario may cause an autoimmune process to flourish. Moreover, defectively matured dendritic cells might interact with T-cells to generate a class to T-cells that are directed against self-antigens. Upon infection by a foreign pathogen, T-cells are activated and various clones are generated. Some of these clones can possibly cross-react with self-antigens resulting in transient or permanent autoimmunity (Ohashi, 20 02). In normal cells, the process of production of cells is tightly regulated by a number of very important mechanisms. Moreover, the new cells which are produced become differentiated and specialized to perform the function for which they are produced (Sherwood, 2012). This controlled multiplication of cells when becomes defective leads to the production of cells which are uncontrolled; cells start producing in an uncontrollable fashion. Therefore, due to this type of defective mitotic process, the cells that are produced are 'de-differentiated' and unable to perform their desired function. This results in a neoplasm. Neoplastic tissue demonstrates a growth rate that exceeds the growth rate of normal healthy tissue of the body (Stubblefield & O'Dell, 2009). For this reason, it manifests as a mass which is often referred to as a tumor. Since cancerous cells are not the exact replicas of the normal healthy cells of the body, they fail to mask themselves from the functioning immune sy stem of the body (Brunner & Smeltzer, 2010). Certain signals are 'flagged' on the cell membrane of cancerous cells that invite cells of the immune system to target such cells; therefore in most cases they are destroyed prior to the formation of their clone; cancerous cells are monoclonal in origin (Tobias et al, 2010). Inflammation brings about a number of changes to the vascular and epithelial tissues. Moreover, it affects the function of immune cells. This is the result of a complex interplay of molecules like cytokines, growth factors and chemokines (Jabbour et al, 2009). Furthermore, chronic inflammation due to irritation or infection has been accepted as a cause of cancer. Persistence of inflammation has been related to tumorigenesis and progression of cancer (Coussens & Werb, 2002). Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays a vital role in mediating inflammation by causing tissue destruction as well as recovery. The actions of TNF result in fibroblast growth which can destroy blood ve ssels and at the same time contribute to angiogenesis (Kollias et al, 1999). As far as the etiology of cervical cancer is concerned, the causative organism has been identified to be Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Studies have shown that E6 and E7 oncogenes are incorporated into the genome of the host (Radosevich, 2012; Robertson, 2011; Stanley et al,

Act of Concern Essay Example for Free

Act of Concern Essay The average Filipino generates 0.3 and 0.5 kilograms of garbage daily in rural and urban areas, respectively. A recent Asian Development Bank (ADB) 2004 study showed that 6,700 MT of waste is generated daily in Metro Manila. Annual waste generation is expected to grow 40% by 2010 These garbage come in many forms: the styrofoams used by a fast food chain, a broken pair of slippers and wrappers of various snacks are just some examples. For the past decades, issues regarding disposal of these large amount of waste have been a primary concern. Landfill sites continuously blow as more garbage is generated. However, economists would say resources are scarce and limited especially in land. Thus in 2002, the Supreme Court decided to pass Republic Act 8749 or the Clean Air Act of 1999 making the Philippines the first country to ban burning or incineration of all wastes. Incineration is a waste treatment process which uses combustion. Waste materials are converted into ash, flue gas and heat. Incineration does not totally replace landfill sites but rather significantly reduces the volumes of wastes necessary for disposal1 (Wikipedia). But beneath this supposedly positive output lies the harmful effects of incineration to the environment. Environmentalists claim that burning waste materials result to numerous negative environmental, social and health effects. Some of these harms are: †¢ Poison to the environment, human body, and food supply with toxic chemicals. The release of gases like dioxin during the burning process is harmful to every human life. †¢ Production of toxic byproducts †¢ Undermining of waste prevention and recycling †¢ Contribution to global climate change †¢ Generation of waste energy and destruction of vast quantities of resources †¢ Violation of the principles of environmental justice When the ban of combustion was lifted, there went opposition from various groups that were directly affected. These groups were businessmen, firms and rich individuals involved in the business and industrialized sector, for the reason that they find incineration as the easiest and cheapest method of waste reduction. Such a self-centered way of thinking cannot be changed by any reasoning. And â€Å"nature’s revenge† has its means to get even. At the outset, www.hubpages.com reported that 377 people died, 32 still missing and Php 10 billion or over $200 million worth of damage to infrastructure, crops and properties were lost when typhoon â€Å"Ondoy† devastated the whole country last September 26, 2009. Even some parts of the Metro Manila had been temporarily removed in the map. It was noted as one of the most alarming catastrophes in the country’s history. Not only houses, buildings and establishments were destroyed but also families who have lost their beloved relatives. Indeed, the incident had left people nothing but sorrow. Other than this, the Payatas tragedy is also an alarming result of this garbage problem in the country. These incidences would not probably happen if the government has not failed to implement an effective and efficient waste reduction program. So, even though the government has its loop holes or shortcomings in terms of the full implementation process, everyone should be concerned in taking care of the environment. We must all be responsible for our actions. And to quote from one professor â€Å"even the smallest thing we do can make or break our resources.† In the end, if the state will not follow the rules and regulations those will be futile ones and should be abandoned.

Different Types Of Retaining Wall Systems Available Construction Essay

Different Types Of Retaining Wall Systems Available Construction Essay As a Construction Management Consultant of I-Consult Ltd appointed by I- Build Sdn Bhd, I am required to propose different types of retaining wall system available. My proposal focuses on the site investigation, importance of retaining wall, construction methods, design concepts and preventive measures to mitigate functional failures. I am required to propose an appropriate selection of the most suitable retaining wall system used to the Board of Directors, in which the project is located at hilly area which consists of 20 units of luxury bungalows. In this proposal, I am going to discuss: the importance of site investigation, the importance of retaining wall, the concept of retaining wall, types of retaining wall the most suitable retaining wall for this hilly project. The Importance of Site investigation Every man-made civil engineering structure is found on, in or with ground. The structure we put on the ground is man-made. We can control to design every item that goes into our structure, such as concrete, reinforcement, bricks and even the last wall plug. However, the ground below on which this structure will stand is not man-made. We usually have less knowledge about it and we undoubtedly cannot design or control its behavior. The ground below will determine the economies of how tall, how heavy, how safe the final structure is going to be and not the other way round. In short, the safety and economics of every civil engineering structure is influenced by the properties of the ground on which this structure will stand. These properties of the ground below or sub-soil properties are obtained via Site Investigation. In any site investigation work, the questions which should be resolved in determining the investigation program are: What type of investigation is needed, Why they are needed, Where the actual field works should be performed, How the work is to be done. Whether the investigation is sufficient or too much. Site investigation is normally crucial and carried out prior to the commencement of design of a construction project. Site investigation has been defined as investigation of the physical characteristics of the site and includes documentary studies, site surveys and ground investigation. It is also refers to the actual surface or subsurface investigation, including on site and laboratory tests. In broad sense, study of the site history and environment, interpretation and analyses of all available data, and making recommendations on the favorable/unfavorable locations, economic and safe design, and prediction of potential risks should also be included in site investigations. First and foremost, a desk study to reveal data which may already exist concerning the site, its geology and history, together with a site reconnaissance, is invaluable and can be done before purchase at minimal cost. This may be followed by trial pitting, probing or boring as appropriate to the conditions revealed by preceding studies and in the light of the development proposals. It is also a precaution to minimize damage that could be caused by these soils could also be communicated at this stage. At least home dwellers would be alerted to potential problems (and the associated costs) from the outset, thus enabling them to make informed decisions regarding the most appropriate foundation system for their homes. Site investigation is designed to identify the characteristics of soils or fill materials which lie beneath the site, the groundwater conditions and the existence and extent of other physical features or contaminants which may be present. This information influences the selection and design of an appropriate structural form for the proposed building. It is a process which should continue on an iterative basis throughout the design and construction phases. Post-construction monitoring can also be of importance in many instances as part of a validation process. The combined building loads indicated in figure 1 must be safely supported by the subsoil and also ensure that unreasonable movements of the building do not occur. If the supporting soil is sufficient resistant and its characteristics under load are likely to remain satisfactory, the problems of support and movement will be easily resolved. However, few soils other than rock can resist these concentrated loads and it is usually necessary to collect the resolved loads at their lowest point and transfer them to adequate bearing soil known to be available on a particular site (figure 2). Figure 1: Combined building loads Figure 2: Method of transferring combined building loads to supporting soil. The general distribution of soil types in the United Kingdom is indicated in figure 3; the soils include peat, clay, slit, sand and gravel. Corresponding safe bearing pressures are also given. Figure 3: simplified distribution of various types of supporting soils Lastly, site investigation should be undertaken by professional specialists, such as surveyors, geotechnical engineer and ground investigation contractor, and in a phased manner. The ground investigation contractor is responsible for providing reliable factual data. The geotechnical consultant should responsible for the planning execution of the investigation program, interpretation and analyses of results, and making appropriate design recommendations to avoid over design as well as unsafe design. Failure of Site Investigation Due to lack of or inadequacy of guide/code requirement regarding the extent as well as quality of site investigation work, geotechnical failures often occurred. These failures sometime led to catastrophic disaster and imposed serious threat to public safety. For the Highland Incident in Kuala Lumpur in 1993, the Architect appointed qualified civil engineer to be the consulting engineer for Highland Towers. Initially, civil engineers scope of works was restricted to the structural aspect of the three blocks. But subsequently, the civil engineer was engaged by the developer to submit proposals over the drainage of the area. His drainage plan was approved. He was also retained by the developer to design and supervise the construction of two retaining walls on the Highland Towers site. The Plaintiffs claimed that the civil engineer was negligent for the following reasons: (i) Designing unsuitable foundations; (ii) Lack of care and concern of the hill and slope; (iii) Issuing a notice to the authorities confirming the drainage works was completed when only a fraction of it was done. By the above acts of preparing, designing and supervising the construction of Highland Towers and the drainage system of the Highland Towers site, he was negligent and had caused nuisance to them. The civil engineer had used rail piles welded together as foundation to support the three apartment blocks. This type of piles, which was considered inferior to concrete piles, was accepted in the engineering and building industry to support high-rise buildings at the material time. Thus, no fault can be attributed to the civil engineer in using the rail piles as he was only adhering to the accepted professional practice at that time. However, there was lack of consideration by the civil engineer to the hill and the slope directly behind the three blocks. The court ruled that the civil engineer should have reasonably foreseen the danger of a landslide producing a lateral load against the foundation of the building. For this, he should have exercised care to either design or construct a foun dation to accommodate the lateral load or ensure that the slope was reasonably stable. Failure to do so is a breach of his duty of care he owes to the Plaintiffs since his duty was to ensure the safety of the buildings he designed and built. The civil engineers attempt to deny liability on the ground that he relied on the developer to ensure that other retaining walls were constructed properly was unsuccessful. The judge found that it was incumbent upon the civil engineer to enquire and ascertain whether the work was that of a qualified professional and what its impact might be on the safety of his own building. Figure 4: Highland Incident in Kuala Lumpur in 1993 What is Retaining Wall? A retaining wall is a stabilizing structure designed and constructed to retain soil at a slope that is greater than it would naturally assume, usually at a vertical or near-vertical position. Besides, the retaining wall used to prevent the erosion and the movement of soil. The function of retaining wall is to resist the lateral pressure of soil when there is a desired change in ground elevation that exceeds the natural slope taken by the soil which is called the angle of repose of the soil. The retaining wall is the wedge of soil resting on this upper plane of the angle of repose that a retaining wall has to support. It is also designed with weep holes which allow collected water to escape. This releases the additional pressure created by a accumulated water and helps in stabilizing the retaining wall. The walls are designed to offer the necessary resistance by using their own mass to resist the thrust or relying upon the principles of leverage. The terminology used in retaining wall construction is shown on figure 5: Figure 5: Terminology of Retaining Wall Constructing a retaining wall, several types of materials can be used. Stone and concrete are the most common materials used in constructing a retaining wall. Besides, there are also special retaining wall blocks crafted from aggregate materials and light concrete which are designed for this purpose. Because each block fits securely with the next, some styles interconnect, making building simpler, less costly and time required. These blocks do not require the addition of mortar due to the fit of these blocks is secure. A retaining wall can be tiers or a series of steps, which allow more efficient erosion control as well as a more sophisticated design. Different types of plantings, flowers or materials in each tier can be included in the design to bring more color, texture and interest to the area. By breaking down the amount of soil and pressure, a tiered design also give a better erosion control held by each division of the retaining wall instead of adding the aesthetic value. Today, there are several styles and types of retaining wall blocks, and most people choose preformed blocks. Unlike today, large stones and railroad ties were often used to construct a tiered retaining wall in the past. Performed blocks are affordable and user- friendly, making other methods out of date at all, except the look of rough stone or wood is preferred. The Concept of Retaining Wall DESIGN PRINCIPLES The design of any retaining wall is basically concerned with the lateral pressures of the retained soil and any subsoil water. The purposes to construct a retaining wall are shown as below: It is difficult to precisely identify the properties of any soil because they are inconsistent materials. The calculation of pressure exerted at any point on the wall is a task for the expert, who must take into account the following factors: Nature and type of soil; Height of water table; Subsoil water movements; Type of wall; Materials used in the construction of the wall. Design calculations related to the resultant thrust of retained material behind a 1m length of wall. There are two well-established methods can be used to determine the resultant thrust: Rankines formula; Coulombs graphical representation or wedge theory. EARTH PRESSURES The designer is mainly concerned with the effect of two forms of earth pressure: ACTIVE EARTH PRESSURE are those that tend to move or overturn the retaining wall, and are composed of the earth wedge being retained together with any hydrostatic pressure caused by the presence of groundwater. The latter can be reduced by the use of subsoil drainage behind the wall, or by inserting drainage openings called weep holes through the thickness of the stem, enabling the water to drain away. PASSIVE EARTH RESISTANCES are reactionary pressures that will react in the form of a resistance to movement of the wall. If the wall tends to move forward, the earth in front of the toe to counteract the forward movement. This pressure can be increased by enlarging the depth of the toe or by forming a rib on the underside of the base. Active earth pressures must equal to passive earth resistances in order to avoid overturning and circular slip. Typical examples of these pressures are shown in figure 6 and figure 7. Figure 6: Active and Passive Earth Pressures act on Mass Retaining Wall Figure 7: Active and Passive Earth Pressures act on Cantilever Retaining Wall STABILITY The overall stability of a retaining wall is governed by the result of the action and reaction of a number of loads: EFFECT OF WATER The design and stability can be affected by ground water behind a retaining wall whether static or percolating through subsoil. The pressure on the back of the wall will be increased. By reducing the soil shear strength, the bearing capacity of the soil can be reduced; it can reduce the frictional resistance between the base and the soil and reduce possible passive pressure in front of the wall. As a result, the issue of drainage of the water behind the retaining wall is the utmost important in the design. SLIP CIRCLE FAILURE Slip circle failure (shown in figure 8) is sometimes encountered with retaining wall in clay soils, particularly where there is a heavy surcharge of retained material. It takes the form of a rotational movement of the soil and wall along a circular arc. The arc commences behind the wall and passes under the base, resulting in a tilting and forward movement of the wall. Further movement can be prevented by driving sheet piles into ground in front of the toe, to a depth that will cut the slip circles arc. Moment due to weight of retained earth and wall above slip circle arc about O is greater than restoring moment RM. RM=permissible shear stress x length of arc ABC x arc radius OC Result: mass above ABC rotates about O. Wall tilts forward and earth heaves in front. Figure 8: Retaining wall failure due to rotational movement. The Importance of a Retaining Wall A retaining wall might be built on property for various reasons. Some level of dirt and soil will be held away from home, garden, pool or play area by building a retaining wall. The sheer aesthetics might also be added on it. A more usable land will be provided if there have a lot of rolling and slopping yard. The importance of retaining wall is stated as below: Retaining Walls Hold Back the Earth Buildings might be built on a hill or in a valley between several hills. Retaining wall will hold back the earth once the hillside has been dug out to construct buildings. Dirt does back in from the sides of the wall with each shovel full. The more you shovel, the dirt begins to fall back in. the sides are loose and weak, so they will crumble at the slightest provocation. The dirt which remains has to discharge when the side of a hill is dug out. If left alone, it will eventually comes tumbling down. The dirt will be held back and the safety will be ensured. Retaining Walls Provide More Usable Land A walk-out basement, patio, playground, garden, tennis court or swimming pool might be installed into proposed development. If the land is rolling or hilly, work cannot be begun until the ground is leveled off. A sort of cliff, where a part of the proposed land which is not dug out is higher than the lower flat land, will then be left out. Adding a retaining wall will have more usable land as well as will add structure and beauty to your new area. Retaining wall can be used as steps into the pool where pool equipments to be held. Retaining Walls Avoid the Ground from Washing Away If the area gets a lot of rainfall or near water such as lake, a retaining wall will keep the water from eroding the soil of your landscaping and around your foundation. This could be a safety measure to prevent landslides and river of dirt from floating towards the buildings. Types of Wall Mass retaining walls Mass retaining walls also known as gravity walls. They rely upon their own mass together with the friction on the underside of the base to overcome the tendency to slide or overturn. They are generally economic only up to a height of 1.800m. Mass walls can be constructed of semi-engineering quality bricks bedded in a 1:3 cement mortar or of mass concrete. Mass concrete could have some light fabric reinforcement to control surface cracking. Natural stone is suitable for small walls up to 1.000m high, but generally it is used as a facing material for walls up to 1.000m high, but generally it is used as a facing material for wall over 1.000m. Typical examples of mass retaining walls are shown in figure 9 and 10: Figure 9: Brick Mass Retaining Walls Figure 10: Mass Concrete Retaining Wall with Stone Facings Cantilever walls Cantilever walls are usually of reinforced concrete, and work on the principles of leverage. Two basic forms can be considered: a base with a large heel so that the mass of the wall with a large toe (figure 10). The figure shows typical sections and patterns of reinforcement encountered with these basic forms of cantilever retaining wall. The main steel occurs on the tension face of the wall, and nominal steel (0.15% of the cross-sectional area of the wall) is very often included in the opposite face to control the shrinkage cracking that occurs in in-situ concrete work. Reinforcement requirements, bending, fabricating and placing are dealt with in detail in the section on the reinforced concrete. Reinforced cantilever walls have an economic height range of 1.200-6.000m. Walls in excess of this height have been economically constructed using prestressing techniques. Any durable facing material may be applied to the surface to improve the appearance of the wall, but it must be remembered that such finishes are decorative and add nothing to the structural strength of the wall. Figure 10: Reinforced Concrete Cantilever Retaining Walls Counterfort Retaining Walls These walls can be constructed of reinforced or prestressed concrete, and are considered suitable if the height is over 4.500m. The counterforts are triangular beams placed at suitable centres behind the stem and above the base to enable the stem and base to act as slabs spanning horizontally over or under the counterforts. Figure 11 and figure 12 show a typical section and pattern of reinforcement for a counterofrt retaining wall. If the counterforts are placed on the face of the stem they are termed buttresses, and the whole arrangement is called a buttress-retaining wall. The design and construction principles are similar in the two formats. Figure 11: Reinforced Concrete Counterfort Retaining Wall Figure 12: Reinforced Concrete Counterfort Retaining Wall Reinforced masonry retaining walls Steel reinforcement may be used in brick retaining walls to resist tensile forces and to prevent the effects of shear. A brick bonding arrangement known as Quetta bond is used to create a uniform distribution of vertical voids. Vertical steel reinforcement is tied to the foundation reinforcement and spaced to coincide with purpose-made voids. The voids are filled with concrete to produce a series of reinforced concrete mini-columns within the wall when the brickwork is completed. Where appearance is not important, or the wall is to receive a surface treatment, reinforcement and in-situ concrete within hollow concrete block work provide for economical and functional construction. Figure 13 shows the application of standard-profile, hollow, dense concrete blocks lay in stretcher bond as permanent formwork to continuous vertical columns. Figure 13: Reinforced Concrete Block Retaining Wall The height potential and slenderness ratio (effective height to width) for reinforced masonry walls can be enhanced by post-tensioning the structure. For purposes of brick walls there are a number of construction options, including: Quetta bond with steel bars concrete in the voids; Stretcher-bonded wide cavity with reinforced steel bars coated for corrosion protection; Solid wall of perforated bricks with continuous voids containing grouted steel reinforcement bars. Some examples are shown in figure 14: Figure 14: Post-tensioned Brick Retaining Walls Conclusion Based on discussion shown on above, I would like to select Cantilever retaining wall as the most suitable retaining wall for the project where is located at hilly area which consists of 20 units of luxury bungalows. As shown as above, a cantilever retaining wall is a form of masonry installation that holds a large amount of earth in place. The cantilever design is just one of several variations on a retaining wall design, using various principles to manage earth loads. Cantilever retaining wall has an economic height range of 1.200-6.000m. This type of retaining wall is suitable for bungalows because the height is sufficient to support the bungalows. A concrete cantilever retaining wall uses a relatively thin stem of steel-reinforced, cast-in-place, concrete or mortared masonry. In a cantilever retaining wall design, an earth pressure vector acts horizontally against the side of the wall. The bottom part of the wall presents a gravity vector downward. That gravity vector produces an opposite force upward. The resulting vector counters the earth pressure vector, and pushes back against the earth load. This type of retaining wall is more stable compared to the other three types which stated on above in order to build 20 units of luxury bungalows because the loads are distributed equally. Retaining wall design is evaluated to moderate the effects of a landslide. Retaining walls can be helpful in protecting soil against the kinds of movement associated with these natural disasters. Looking at landslide risk and the risk of liquefaction, the water saturation of earth, is part of assessing how a retaining wall works. Cantilever retaining wall is one that consists of a uniform thickness wall which is tied to a footing. It located at the basement of bungalows. Thus, cantilever retaining wall will hold back the earth. Soil erosion, landslides and environment disasters are less likely to be occurred. In other words, cracking and collapse of 20 units of luxury bungalows are avoided. Weep holes are designed in the cantilever retaining wall to release the additional pressure created by a accumulated water and helps in stabilizing the retaining wall. This ensures the building will not collapse due to the fast flow of water on the hill. In conclusion, a suitable retaining wall is able to stabilize the soil and avoid overturning and sliding of building. Beside, a suitable retaining wall can also help in saving the construction cost. Therefore, cantilever retaining wall is the most suitable retaining wall for 20 units of luxury bungalows which are located on the hilly area.

An Explanation of Haunting Thoughts in Emily Dickinsons Poem 670 :: Emily Dickinson Poem 670 Essays

An Explanation of Haunting Thoughts in Emily Dickinson's Poem 670 Poem 670 is about the inner workings of your mind. The beginning of this poem addresses everyone. She does that by saying, "One need not be a Chamber....One need not be a House." This is saying whether you are small like a chamber or big like a house you will be haunted in your mind. The phenomenon of haunting thoughts, in your brain, exceed anything externally at that moment. Your mind becomes totally focused on the inner dealings that external people or actions are perceived as ghosts. It is literally an internal takeover of your senses. Anything external from there becomes warped and then a part of the haunting in the tunnels or corridors of your mind. We all know this as being scared or getting spooked. In life we've all been spooked! Regardless of our upbringing and/or size, we have all been caught jumping at that last moment. Why is this? Emily Dickinson addresses this in her poem. She says whether you are a small chamber room or a large house you will be haunted. The haunting comes from within...the corridors of your brain. When we sit in a movie, attend a haunted house, sitting in the dark, or just sleeping, our minds shift into creative mode. Stop and think for a moment about those times you have been spooked...okay times up! It's that moment your blood reaches a fast pumping pace, and you think you are about to jump out of your seat. All of this is created by the mental images you have formed regarding what your visual and aural senses have taken in as unknown or uncertain. Your adrenaline is pumping and you start to wonder what will happen next. Will the killer come from behind the door, under the bed, out of the bathroom? You start to anticipate the outcome and think you hav e figured out the next move, and then the storyteller brings the killer in from a totally different direction. We all know that there is nothing better than the feeling of adrenaline pumping through every "corridor" of your body. This reaction is not a result based on our surroundings in fact, quite the opposite. Dickinson says that our inner thoughts "surpass material Place." The spook is a direct reflection of how creative we let our brains become. Weaving together sections of complete thought to create other ideas, leaves us wondering what will be next.

Free Essay - Evil in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Evil in the Scarlet Letter One belief that people live by is that evil is the nature of mankind, yet there are others that feel man has good intentions but those intentions can be overrun by the devil. Nathaniel Hawthorne points out that the former is true of all people in the novel The Scarlet Letter. In this novel, there are three main characters who commit evil and sinful acts, but each act is at a different degree of sinfulness (i.e. the sins get worse as the story goes a-long). These three sinners, in the eyes of the Puritan community, are the beautiful Hester Prynne, the esteemed Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and the cold-hearted doctor, Roger Chillingworth. Like Hawthorne, I believe that evil is the nature of man but that there are different magnitudes of evil; some choose to fight it, like Hester, and some choose to give in, like Chillingworth. Hester Prynne, a strong willed and brave woman, in respect to the two additional people, has committed the least amount of sin in the novel. In the eyes of the Puritan community, though, she has committed one of the worst possible sins that can be imagined: adultery. They feel she is horrendously corrupt, yet it is not truly her fault. Hester is the victim of her husband, Roger Chillingworth's (formerly Roger Prynne) stupidity by sending her to New England by herself, while he remained in Europe. Chillingworth even admitted that it was his fault when he voiced, "It was my folly! I have said it. But, up to that epoch of my life, I have lived in vain."(Ch.4, p. 68) Hester is also a victim of fate. She has no way of knowing if Chillingworth is dead or alive when the Indians capture him after he arrived in North America. She still goes against the strict Puritan rules, and breaks Commandment 7, which was often punished by death. Arthur Dimmesdale is a strong pillar of the community and a very devoted Puritan. What could he do that is worse than young Hester Prynne's appalling act of adultery? Well he goes a little further into the same sin. First of all, he commits adultery with the abandoned Hester. Then instead of admitting his sin to the public, he keeps his dark secret in his heart, knowing it will eat at him for the rest of his life until he reveals it.

My Ethical Beliefs in the Light of Popular Ethical Theories

It is certainly of convenience to meditate on one’s ethical beliefs in the light of popular ethical theories such as the awesome Divine Command Theory, which grounds my ethical principles in godly thought; the simplistic Ethical Egoism Theory, which allows my (Freudian) Id-based, self-interests to dictate my behavior in all situations; and the Utilitarian Theory, which compels me to rethink in terms of the long-term good of all people in connection with my personal and/or pontential business practices.   I believe that my ethical concerns rest on a variety of ethical theories.   This belief is founded on the assumption that man’s mind and intentions are perhaps too complex to be understood by means of one ethical theory alone.This is the reason why philosophers have established an entire discipline to study the mind and intentions of man.   The ethical-philosophical area that fascinates me most, however, is one of ‘reason.’   I trust my ethical conc erns to rest on reason.   Apart from the above mentioned theories, therefore, I have observed myself trusting in the Categorical Imperative Theory of Kant at times, the Rights Theory at other times, and the Virtue Theory to boot – but, all in different situations concerned with ethical thought.   Is it possible for man to ever do away with ethics?   And, do I consciously choose which theory of ethics to apply in situations that call for my ethical principles to suddenly become a focus of attention?I believe that ethics are a component of virtually all situations of man, not just ethical issues that are manifest to all.   From sustainable food consumption to the culture of clothing – ethical theories apply in almost all human situations.   Only when the individual is deep asleep in bed, or in deep meditation perhaps, do ethical concerns comfortably vanish into thin air.   Which ethical theories do I trust at the time I wake up each day?   Although I have v aried reasons to believe in the ethical theories mentioned above, the only theory that never  leaves my mind is that of applying reason to all situations that require my ethical concerns to come in the light of my mind.Reason appears before I decide whether God would approve of a certain action of mine, or whether smoking another cigarette with my friends would truly serve my interests, etc.   No doubt, all ethical theories call for reason to be applied before the theories themselves can be applied by an individual.   The theory that I could apply most easily to all my situations, but only after applying reason, is the Divine Command Theory.   I believe that this particular theory incorporates the remaining ethical theories mentioned in this paper as well.God’s commands are often synonymous to all that should be ‘good’ in our world.   Based on an interpretation of the Bible, my own interests should be God’s interests, and the interests of my brot hers and sisters (all people) should also be my short term and long term interests.   Moreover, God’s commands automatically include the concept of ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’   I must be wishing my business associates and other, well.   I must be ‘loving my neighbor as I love myself.’The Rights Theory and the Virtue Theory must needs be incorporated as well into the Divine Command Theory, seeing that God calls for His vicegerents to protect His sheep (that is, the government should protect the rights of the people, as in the Rights Theory); and He also calls for the teaching of virtues to all people, young and old, and these virtues consist of justice, honesty, goodness, etc.   The virtues taught by the Divine Command Theory also incorporate kindness, compassion, love, and mercy – concepts that are essential to ‘being human,’ but are not touched upon by most ethical theories outside the realm of G od.The question that automatically emerges is: What are God’s commands?   Do they depend upon our whims, or are they based upon a single holy book?   The answers to these questions are  complicated in my case, given that I believe in various interpretations of divine commands that may or may not be mainstream Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu.   I have learned more from books than from family and my community, which happen to be the main sources of socialization for most people.   This sociological theory has important underpinnings in ethical beliefs, seeing that we learn ethics and principles from the sources of information that exist around us.   I also believe that we learn from a personal source of information, the God of Aristotle and Sir Thomas Aquinas, and therefore, it is important to know books of revelation to learn God’s commands and apply reason to apply the commands of God from myriad scriptures.Now, of course, there are a huge number of sc riptures that may be called forth to understand the commands of God.   Are the illustrious Ten Commandments the only commands, or should I also believe in the New Testament and the Qur’an?   Did Buddha leave any godly commands in the form of scriptures?   Such are the questions I have had to answer in my evolving understanding of God’s commands, even though there is a deep source of information that still exists and tells me what is right and wrong from the Highest Source.   Call it conscience – I believe that morality is ‘knowing right from wrong,’ in the view of everybody including myself and God.   What pleases God and also pleases society must certainly please me.What else are my beliefs in light of the Divine Command Theory, which, in my opinion, should incorporate the remainder of the ethical theories mentioned in this paper, and many more theories like so.   I believe that God is a synonym for the ‘Good’ that Plato ha d referred to.   At the same time, it is quite possible that my interpretation of the Divine Command Theory would be different from the interpretation of another soul.   After all, my understanding of God and His commands is different from the understanding of another soul.   I believe in many scriptures at  the same time; additionally, I feel confident that they come from the same Source.   I have learned about God in a separate way altogether.   I do not necessarily trust all people’s doctrines.   Moreover, I do not compel anybody else to believe in what I believe in.Does this mean that I could easily run into ethical conflicts with people? – Yes.   However, it does not bother me, provided that I understand that their ethical principles are different from mine, and based on separate ethical theories altogether.   Once again, reason comes to the rescue.   Without reason, I, too, would perhaps become as intolerant as the racists and the terrorists ( extreme racists) who cannot tolerate the differences in beliefs among people.   I know that God calls for such tolerance among the children of Adam.Therefore, when extremism (or, extreme racism) leads to bloodshed among people, and those that are responsible for the chaos throw the responsibility back on God by saying that such acts were committed ‘in the name of God’ – it is extremely sad and funny at the same time.   It is sad because the intolerant folks have not understood God’s message of love and tolerance, even if they think that they are killing in the name of God, who is Love.On the other hand, it is funny because they are doing the direct opposite of what they intend to do.   That is why it is of central importance to understand one’s ethical principles, and keep on understanding and improving upon them throughout one’s lifetime.   Furthermore, it is essential to align one’s behavior with one’s ethical principl es.   By saying one thing and doing something else, people can prove to be quite inconsistent and unreliable, if not dangerous to the extent of terrorism and other forms of psychopathy.I believe that ethics call for tolerance and good citizenship, and wherever God’s name is mentioned, as in the U.S. Constitution, there should be peace.   For the state, therefore, the Divine Command Theory mandates peace.   For business in general, and for the economy at large, the  Divine Command Theory entails distribution of wealth with a focus on income generation, economic growth, and prosperous living.   In personal life, I have found this theory to be most appropriate because it does not limit me to one theory.Nevertheless, I have one God, like the Christians and the Jews.   In addition, it is advantageous to me that I do not always have to think about myself and my own interests when the responsibility or the task at hand demands me to sacrifice my interests, at times, for the benefit of society in general.   Ultimately, I may realize that by serving society at the expense of sacrificing my own interests at times, I serve myself better.   I may become a happier person by serving society, and I may also increase in wealth.   God would be pleased with me.   What is most important, still, is the fact that I would be a peaceful person by being aligned with the interests of God, society, and myself.Naturally, in order to align my activities and behavior with the interests of God, society, and myself; I have to think before I leap.   It is of the essence for me to meditate on information that I gather from a huge variety of sources, including books, my professors, friends, parents, etc.   After absorbing the information thus gathered, I enjoy applying the Divine Command Theory to get to the depths of situations that often get me to think in terms of the other ethical theories as well.There are times when self-interests rule my ethical principles , or I think only in terms of the virtues of justice, integrity, trustworthiness, etc.   However, if I were to base my activities solely on the Id-based Ethical Egoism Theory, for example, I would perhaps indulge in misleading thinking, which would eventually be responsible for behavior on my part that is misleading unto others.   I am confident that the ethics of bribery in business rest in the appropriate or inappropriate use of the Ethical Egoism Theory.   The CEO of Enron, and many other corrupt businessmen in modern times, have equally shown extreme self-interest in their  business situations.   In my case, such extreme use of the Ethical Egoism Theory would never occur because I rest my principles on divine commands.   Honesty, in my case, is a virtue of necessity.Thus, I would only apply the Ethical Egoism Theory within the framework of the Divine Command Theory when the situation calls for nothing else except self-interest as a driving force for ethical behavior.    Also, in my case, self-interest would also translate into the good pleasure of God; the long term interests of society (as in the Utilitarian Theory); Kant’s Categorical Imperative or ‘doing unto others as I want others do unto me;’ obedience to the government in return for which I receive protection of my rights, as in the Rights Theory; and honesty, justice, etc., in light of the theory of Virtue.In the ‘Kingdom of God’ – or the businessman who applies the Divine Command Theory to rule his ethical behavior – the Rights Theory occupies a very interesting place, indeed.   The Rights Theory asks for the government to protect my rights.   In return for this favor, I show obedience to the government by following the laws in general.   The businessperson who follows the same laws of the government would not cheat the government as did the Enron CEO.   Neither would such a businessperson return the favor of the government by che ating the investors of his or her company.If a former U.S. Senator were to accept a Rolex from a constituent, the Divine Command Theory would not call this behavior unethical if the Rolex were a gift.   If the former CEO of Tyco were to use company bonuses to host a lavish party for his wife, I would consider it unethical under the Divine Command Theory, seeing that God never asked us to usurp the rights of many people in favor of a few.   Lifting verbatim a news report and presenting it as one’s own is similarly unethical.   Being messaged the answers to exam questions during an examination is  unethical to boot.As far as downloading music without paying a fee is concerned, I would not consider it unethical so long as it serves the interests of society in the long run.   I do not believe that downloading free music off the Internet serves to put the music industry down.   There are countless people around the world who still do download free music off the Interne t, because they do not enjoy the quality of that music as compared to hardy CD’s that music shops would like to sell.   Besides, they do not appreciate yet the technology behind free music and the IPod.   So, even though this ethical issue appears complicated to a huge number of people, I believe that it is simple to understand in the light of Divine Command Theory.I do not think that God would like students to suffer financial hardships because of their love of music.   Hence, it is perfectly ethical, in my opinion, to enjoy free music off the Internet on IPod’s – for those who would like to miss out on the quality of CD’s from BMG, Sony, etc.   Likewise, choosing between ethical theories is always a sacrifice.   Hence, I apply reason to believe that the Divine Command Theory must incorporate all necessary ethical theories for me to conduct myself as a good human being, businessperson, and citizen of my nation.   This theory does not confuse me at times that call for my ethical ‘instincts’ to show up.   I believe in God, and in service to humanity.Additionally, I do not discriminate between black or white, Chinese or Hindu.   At times when people are engaging in what I believe to be incorrect behaviors, I do not intervene unless my self-interests as well as the pleasure of God are at sacrifice.   At all times, however, I have kept to ‘reason’ as the force that leads me to apply the Divine Command Theory, which I believe to be most trustworthy.