Allelopathy Paper Essay Example for Free

Allelopathy Paper Essay Introduction: Considering the beneficial properties of plants, not only to us, but the environment as well, it is important to understand the nature of Allelopathy and how it affects plant ecology. According to the Topics in Biology Laboratory Manuel, allelopathy refers to â€Å"the beneficial or harmful effects of one plant on another plant, by the release of chemicals from plant parts in both natural and agricultural systems. † By secretion of biochemical materials, allelopathy involves a plant’s ability to inhibit germination or growth of the surrounding germination. In our exercise, we tested for the presence of allelopathic chemicals in plant shoots and the effect of the allelopathic chemicals (our I. V. ) on the germination and growth (our D. V. ) on radish seeds. The question proposed became, â€Å"Does Rose seed extract affect the germination and growth of radish seeds? † Keeping the allelopathic effects in mind, our working hypothesis became, â€Å"If radish seeds get exposed to the rose leaf extract, then their percent successful germination and the average length will be less than the percent successful germination and the average length of the radish seeds which do not get exposed to the Rose leaf extract. Materials: For week 1 and week 2 the following materials were used: 10 grams of fresh leaves (rose), sandwich-type plastic bag, a scale, a blender, 100 mL of distilled water, folded cheesecloth, a funnel, one stock bottle, 3 pieces of filter paper, two Petri dishes, and 40 radish seeds. Methods: According to the Topics in Biolo gy Laboratory Manuel, the experiment was conducted as follows: First we needed to collect fresh leaves from one plant species, and fill up a plastic sandwich bag, which we were to bring with us to the lab. Next in groups we were to weigh 10 grams of leaves from the one plant species and place the measured sample in a blender. Next we added the 100 mL of distilled water to the blender. Holding the lid of the blender, we blended the mixture completely. Then we placed some folded cheesecloth into a funnel and sat it into a stock bottle. Finally we poured the blended mixture through the funnel/cheesecloth to filter the solution. To test the Allelopathic effects, we then needed to place 3 pieces of filter paper in each of the bottoms of the two Petri dishes. In one Petri dish (labeled with the leaf extract) we added 10 mL of the filtered solution, so that it soaked the filter paper layers. In the second Petri dish (labeled control), we added 10 mL of distilled water so that the water soaked the filter paper layers as well. Next in each of the Petri dished we added 20 radish seeds on top of the 3 pieces of filter paper, evenly spaced. Then we placed another piece of filter paper on top of the seeds in both dishes. Finally, we placed the lids on top of both Petri dishes to prevent excessive evaporation and stored them at room temperature, giving them a week to germinate, then be evaluated. Results: For our results, after careful observations and measurements, the percentages of successful germination were as follows: For the Experimental group, that is the group treated with extract, had a 70% success rate in which 14 of the 20 radish seeds had sprouts. However, the Control group, which had been treated with distilled water, had an 85% of successful germination in which 17 of the 20 seeds had sprouted. When comparing the seedlings length, the experimental group recorded 3. 0 mm being the shortest, and 13. 0 mm being the longest, making 4. mm the average length of the seedlings, all which is indicated on the following two pages by bar graph representations on average seed length and percentage rates of both groups. When looking at the control group, however, the shortest length measured was 12. 0 mm and the longest was 62. 0 mm, making their average 42. 0 mm. When observing each of the radish seed’s conditions, it was obvious that the control group produced healt hier, more vibrant seedlings with an extended root system and hair. However the experimental group contained more so dry, yellowish seeds with little to no root hair. Discussion: When observing the results of the Allelopathy experiment, it is evident that the results reflect and indeed support my hypothesis which stated that, â€Å"If radish seeds get exposed to the rose leaf extract, then their percent successful germination and the average length will be less than the percent successful germination and the average length of the radish seeds which do not get exposed to the Rose leaf extract. † So again when comparing the average length of seedlings between the control group and the experimental group, there really is no comparison; the experimental group had a mere 4. mm length verses that of the control group which had a remarkable 42. 0 mm length. Although noted both had a high percentage rate of germination, it really comes down to Allelopathy and the competitive â€Å"chemical warfare,† present in our experimental group. As for leaving room for error, a number of problems could have taken place, such as if small amounts of water needed to be added to re-saturate the filter paper, or if fungus appeared due to the high temperatures, etc. Over all I believe the experiment did a good job of explaining and demonstrating the Allelopathic effects on plant economy.

Orientalism And The Depiction Of Arabs Through Media Media Essay

Orientalism And The Depiction Of Arabs Through Media Media Essay I am half Egyptian, but was raised in a non-Arab society; therefore I can relate personal experiences into the concept of Orientalism. I connect to the Arab culture, in this case the other, but since I grew up in a Western society, I also express outlooks molded by this environment. Upon visiting Egypt for three weeks in 2001, I was able to contrast the two portrayals and create my own image of Arabs through direct observations. My paper will approach orientalism, specifically dealing with Middle Eastern people, and how the media has altered the Western image of the orient to exaggerate Arabs as a villainous race. Through political speeches, movies, cartoons, video games and news reports in the media, orientalism in the Western world, primarily being the Americas along with Europe, falsifies the Arab image and validates the barbarically threatening notions seen within Western societies. When asked to define an Arab person, people immediately bring forth a specific sketch. It is where these specific images come from that anti-Arab racism and, in this case, orientalism exist. Orientalism is defined as a framework that includes symbols, signs, language, and images to depict the East, and determine how they act differently than the West (Glyn, Meth and Wilis 2009). In othering the Arab population, Orientalists [have] created a stereotype image of the [Middle] East in order to better manage it (Salaita 2006: 248). This categorizes the Western culture as normal, above the abnormal Arab culture which, according to the orient, is habitually in need of being helped. Orientalism unreasonably brings millions of individuals together in one simplified image to which it is wrongly assumed applies to all people of the Arab race. Although I was able to visit an Arab country and note characteristics first hand, orientalism first began through images which were in no way based off of immediate observation, but through the fabricated representations told by others. Without various media sources widely available in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the portrayal of the Arab race developed through European artists and travel writers who conjured ideas and fabricated art with their thoughts of what the people represented (Glyn, Meth and Wilis 2009). Many never witnessed the culture first-hand and worked predominantly off imagination and exaggeration of learned details (Sut 1998). Embellished characteristics that have been inherited in the West through time to represent Arabs include seeing them as: highly sexualized, mysterious, evil spirited, thieving, terroristic, exotic, needy and untrustworthy (Earp and Jhally 2006). This distorted image has been growing in peoples perception ever since the early paintings , and has only strengthened with new forms of media being introduced in the world. Images and media now reach the Western people with increased frequency and efficiency, thus allowing no chance for the dated depictions to dissolve. Edward Said, who is famous for his studies with orientalism, claims the barbaric Arab image is timeless as it was created outside of history. It is eternal as the images created within the colonial era are those same portraits we see today (Glyn, Meth and Wilis 2009). Presently, these colonial images are constantly reinforced through numerous media sources, whilst viewers in society subconsciously take in the commercialized image without question. Moving into the media, the government in the West is an institution that holds the highest power to directly influence the lives of individuals, controlling and deciding what the ideas and images of Arabs their citizens are accustomed to believe in and trust. Political elites thus hold the responsibility in transmitting international issues so that the public may stand informed about what is happening half way across the world. As demonstrated with the Bush-Era and his view on Arabs post September 11th, the United States took to their presidents speeches on the entire Arab race and allowed the media to form their ideas for them. In 2006 George Bush stated, We face an enemy that has an ideology. They believe things. The best way to describe their ideology is to relate to you the fact that they think the opposite of what we think(Kumar 2010: 259). He then later said: Since the horror of 9/11, weve learned a great deal about the enemy. And we have learned that their [the Arabs] goal is to build a radical Islamic empire where women are prisoners in their homes, men are beaten for missing prayer meetings, and terrorists have a safe haven to plan and launch attacks on America and other civilized nations. (Kumar 2010: 260). Bushs remarks are only one example of how a political speech can falsely characterize Arabs and cause countless societies to use the skewed form of media as their source for learning about the other. The media is controlled by the most influential people who can successfully impose specific ideas on those willing to accept them as truth (Sut 1998). In stating the Arab race as a whole to be the enemy, millions of ordinary Arab individuals have their lives, which do resemble Western lives in many senses, being distorted within the Western image. Pinning every single Arab as the enemy is unrealistic and robs the larger part of the race, which is trusting and simply living an average life with no intent of harming the West, of ever being respected. Furthermore, politics is connected to Hollywood as the two rely on one another to formulate images pushed into societies. Therefore Hollywood cinema incorporates Arabs into productions where they are not needed and of no help to the stories. As American producers are the power holders in the movie industry, it is in their authority to determine how the Arab image is intentionally warped and presented (Earp and Jhally 2006). Over three hundred movies today, or 25% of the film industry, demean Arabs with racial slurs and static characters, usually added solely for comic relief or to bring a barbaric presence (ibid). The seemingly innocent Disney shows through the classic Aladdin, stereotypes of those with Arabic decent. With a song in the film it is said that the Middle East is a place where they cut off your ears, if they dont like your face, its barbaric, but hey its home. The video influences young children to grow up with preset images of an Arab who is purely violent and malicious , based off the Arab characters numerous evil actions. Another example of the distorted image is in the Gladiator, where slave traders were, for no reason, Arabs (ibid); In True Lies Arabs were made out as incompetent (ibid); Never Say Never and Jewel of the Nile both show Arabs as prominently imprisoning and oppressing women (Shaheen 2000); Navy Seals justifies the tang and bang of Arabs; and 24 justifies the torture of innocent people because of the idea that Arabs are suspicious and dangerous despite the fact they live in an American community (Earp and Jhally 2006). Film after film, Arabs are robbed of their humanity, yet the repetition in these Western created films recycles the images to the point where the stereotype is transparent and the depictions are expected. In reality, however, many Arab women work outside the home, men are in trusted occupations, families are not secretive and violence is not tolerated (Salaita 2006). The consistent images in the media refuse to show Arabs in the previously mentioned positive light, and thus with never seeing favourable images in the media, the public is hesitant to believe such characteristics are true. Falling in close line with the original European portraits of the other, cartoons today are a form of media where the Arab origin is vastly exaggerated and exploited through harmful humour. One controversial cartoon was published in a Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, in September 2005 which caricatured Islam and presented the Muslim Prophet Muhammad in twelve intended satirical affairs (Kumar 2010). One of the images shows him with a lit bomb on his head instead of a turban, while another has him with a sword ready to fight, accompanied by two women dressed with only their eyes visible (ibid). The comic was drawn with humour as the objective, however, offended many and caused much debate due to the obvious attached portrayals. Looking once again to Disney, even in the well-known show Looney Tunes, Daffy shoots at three winsome Mexican mice. The mice call Daffy, among other things, Arab Duck!' (Shaheen 2000). The children watching Daffy Duck would have otherwise associated the shoot er with any bad person, but with the comment they learn to connect people who shoot others as Arab (ibid). Because cartoons are colorful images with few words, it is easier for them to slide by as a joke or pun, when in reality the oppressed woman, terrorist men and villainous personas are brought into orientalism as real tags to the Arab nations. Cartoons bring direct ideas, which are simply put, causing readers to instantly absorb the offered stereotype, as they are easier to bring forth when characterizing others than ones own ideas. As children get older they tend to switch from cartoons to video games for immediate amusement, and once again, orientalism is found within the media form. Game makers have the power to create games in any manner they desire, thus in distorting portrayals of the Middle East to suit existing Western ideas, they reel in their desired capital whilst leaving audiences with self-satisfying yet incorrect images. Research done on 90 European and 15 Arab made video games with Arab people holding a key role in game-play have shown that the identities of the Islamic world have been flattened out and reconstructed into a serious of social typologies operating within a broader framework of terrorism and hostility through video games (Sisler 2008:203). Games such as prince of Persia (Broberbunst, 1989), Arabian nights (Krigalis, 1993) and Al-Qadim: The Genies Curse (SSI 1994) are all examples of video games which solidify the image of the orient where Arabs are dangerous, aggressive, untrustworth y and live only in the desert (Sisler 2008). As the video games above have quests, many require the player of the game to save a girl or princess who has been kidnapped by an Arab man (ibid). As well the Arab tend to raise their guns above their heads after a kill and mockingly laugh while adding nothing to the games purpose (Sisler 2008: 209). The idea that the Western player has to save the girl from the Arab and be the hero up against the villain character reinforces the stereotypical image of the Middle East as barbaric. As stereotypes can lower self-esteem, injure innocents, impact policies and encourage divisiveness the images of orientalism need to be removed from society so that people of the Arab race are not faced with deeply rooted prejudices which lack valid ideas about who they are as people individually (Sisler 2008: 204). Additionally videogames based in Arab settings are one-dimensional with little to no variety in scenery. Even though each Middle Eastern nation is unique, the in-game surroundings and setting are rendered frequently by iteration of a limited number of textures and schemes, most often the desert, so that an idea is assumed that no other landscapes or appearances of the nation exist (Sisler 2008: 206). Although video games are often a neglected source of media, the problem behind video games is that most of them are foreign made [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] and bear enormous false understandings that habituate teenagers to violence, hatred and grudges which add to the racist issues within the world (Sisler 2008: 211). With the youth of today absorbing one sided false perceptions of a race at such a young age, the individuals reach adulthood with the ideas often so heavily embedded that one becomes blind to accepting the true image and allows the orientalism depictions to influence actions and jud gments towards the other. Not aimed for purpose of comedy or entertainment, still photography acts similarly to cartoons in creating an imaginative geography [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] which unambiguously divides the world into two unequal parts the known world of the Occident and the larger, different part called the Orient (Trivundza 2004: 489-490). Images used in the media are strategic in that certain absences are intentional to the pictures. This refers to three main factors that ensure that stereotypes remain. First is the absence of diversity, which deals with showing coverage of only specific events and ignoring others (Trivundza 2004). The second fact is the absence of unveiled women, which leaves spectators believing all women of the Arab race are oppressed and forced to cover (ibid). As an Arab myself, I am one of the thousand underrepresented women to prove this image wrong, yet only one in ten photographs in Western Media shows an unveiled Arab (ibid). Third, and finally, is the absence of active subject who are working. Images show them as passive, grieving, and incapable of creating value (ibid). All three absences add to the idea that Arab women are oppressed, the race is lazy and that what applies to one individual applies to all. The absences collectively provide the audience with portrayals that only stand true to a certain extent, and ignore the other realities of the race. In short the media pushes to produce photographs completed with images of backwardness and irrationality (Trivundza 2004: 489-490). Although Orientalism has existed since colonization, it is upon the September 11th bombings of 2001, where many argue the image of the Arab other exploded in news reports, and the characteristics of Arabs as terrorist and savage were highlighted. Since the bombings took place in the United States, the West felt that the attacks [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] provided an ostensibly empirical pretext to legitimize anti-Arab racism, but in no way did 9/11 actually create anti-Arab racism (Salaita 2006: 251). This means that 9/11 did not create anti-Arab racism but instead validated it (Salaita 2006). Upon watching the news on television, the most barbaric images with high violence and extremists are shown to evoke emotions within the audience, and solidify the images orientalism generates. Even when it had been proven Saddam Hussein was in no way linked to the actions of Al-Qaeda, the public continued to rely on embedded conceptions through the news to believe Iraq posed as an immediate threat to th e US (Glyn, Meth and Wilis 2009). As well, in certain cases voiceovers are done so that the English Western viewers can make sense of situations, yet, the translations are at times improper and edited by Western stations to only present specific words (Sut 1998). The news adjusts story details because they have the control to do so, and because they know that communities are powerless as to what they are shown. In maintaining their own Western image, news of how the US has killed innocent Arabs, or how their soldiers abused those held captive by leaving them naked in compromising positions to the entertainment of soldiers, rarely, if ever, hit TV screens (Sut 1998). The news is presented so that harm on the Arab communities is deserved and justified, while harm to the Wests is for no apparent reason. Additionally, videos on the news are specially selected to include mass amounts of people to appear as though the evil and negative emanation gives off a frightening and threatening imp ression that can be applied to the race as a whole (ibid). The images of rallys and swarms are not representative of the entire race, but as it primarily what is shown in the West, it is clear why the image is believed. Between Arab countries vast differences exist, for example Egypt compared to Algeria shows immense lifestyle differences and culture, but with Western news, Arab unites all the Arabian countries as identical. One specific example of where orientalism wrongly accused Arabs through the news was in 1995 with the Oklahoma City bombings (Sut 1998). Immediately after the attack, countless news reports aired which forcedly claimed the Arabs were behind the attack and that it was linked to a Muslim plan. The bombing, unlike any media claims, was actually performed by a Caucasian male within the state itself (ibid). Audiences were told to be aware of Arab citizens who looked suspicious, and even Edward Said had been contacted personally, when he had no personal connection to anything of the matter (ibid). After the white male had been convicted, he was in no sense labeled a terrorist, where as the Arabs had attracted the allegation without one piece of actual proof. The bombing revealed that the portrayal of Arabs within Western news jumps to conclusions based on the stereotypical images that the Global North has been bred to believe. With such generalized depictions of the Arab peoples, many struggle to understand how the images have remained in the media. Unfortunately almost all Arab countries have no democracy and therefore require Western patronage to function (Sut 1998). The Arabs have given way to the power of money and allow the images to be presented because if they were to stand up and protest or enforce policies, the West would be quick to threaten dropping all assistance (ibid). Money sadly pays off the the other to allow the images to continue, and the West, as capitalists, continues to do just that. As James Baerg, Director of Program Practices for CBS-TV in New York City said [Arab stereotyping] is the same thing as throwing in sex and violence when an episode is slow, implying that insulting humour it is a quick fix to boost sales (Shaheen 2000: 22). Middle Eastern countries are aware of how they are seen by the West, but are currently faced with too many other issues to focus on changing the image . In imagining speeches, news, movies, or cartoons without the exaggeration or unnecessary use of Arab characters, it is possible to conceptualize a true image, which would not distort how the majority of Arab individuals live. Through my paper it is evident that media has the power in displaying images they know most Western citizens will be unable to experience themselves, and therefore impose Orientalism. As it is easier to carry on the false image from history to the present than recreate and adjust how people see Arabs, few have found success in changing the representations. So will the image of the orient ever dissolve? And if so will it be in the medias hands? Or will Arabs stand as a race to change the image of the orient? Only the future will answer the questions, but it is still unusual how many people today believe in the phrase seeing is believing, but when seeing is done through anothers eyes (the media) before our own, the phrase seems to lose no value.

Comparing Satire in 100 Years of Solitude and The House of the Spirits :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Use of Satire in 100 Years of Solitude and The House of the Spirits A major preoccupation with contemporary South American novelists, as seen with Gabriel Marquez's "100 years of solitude" and Isabelle Allende's "The house of the spirits", is the traditional and long lasting conflict between the Liberals and the conservatives. Although a common preoccupation with Marquez, Allende, and various other Latin American novelists the manner in which this preoccupation is expressed varies considerably depending on the author. In "100 years of solitude", Marquez looks to satire in all it's forms, to express this preoccupation. This is contrasted with Allende's "The House of the Spirits" in which she uses conflict in ideologies between generations as her method of exposition, as seen for instance in the conflict between Esteban Trueba (a true conservative) and his grandaughter Alba. To see how Garcia and Allende treat political issues we must first examine why they chose to examine them. When Marquez wrote his first works Colombia suffered the second greatest American fratricidal war of the twentieth century, as a result of the assassination of the popular Liberal leader Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, in 1948. His novels examine in his words "... motives for that violence." The importance of politics in the Novel is reflected in the choice of title 100 years of solitude which correspond to the 100 years between the formation of Colombia, in 1830 to 1930 when Conservative homogeny ended. Allende on the other hand was the niece of the first Socialist president in Chile who was killed following the Coup. The Oxford Dictionary defines satire as a piece "...in which prevalent follies or vices are assailed with ridicule or serious denunciation." This is exactly what Marquez has done. Hyperbole is well used in the novel in the form of 'Magical realism'. Marquez believed that ' Magical Realism' "...provides a magnifying glass so readers can understand reality better..." (as quoted in Playboy interview). We first see this used in the opening pages of the novel where Marquez describes the world as "...so recent that many things lacked names, and in order to indicate them it was necessary to point." This parallels the political naivety of the newly formed Colombian republic. Macondo is a garden of Eden ".

Neuropathology Of Downs Syndrome Essay -- Medical Disease Health Essa

Neuropathology Of Down's Syndrome Down’s syndrome is the most commonly identified cause of mental retardation occurring in 1 out of 700 live births. In addition to mental deficiency, characteristics of the disease include epicanthic folds of the eyes, flattened facial features, unusual palm creases, short stature, open mouth, protruding tongue and poor posture. A twenty-two to fifty fold increase in risk of the development of leukemia along with congenital heart defects in forty percent of these individuals is also seen. The increased level of purines often found can lead to mental retardation itself. Neurological impairment and immune system deficiencies make these individuals more susceptible to infection. Also noted are increased risk for cataract development and vision impairment due to defects in the lenses of the eyes. Evidence for the disease can be found as far back as the nineteenth century with many theories for the etiology of the disease. Early hypotheses include links to endocrine gland malfunction, tuberculosis, syphilis and "uterine exhaustion". The idea of uterine exhaustion was based on the observation that many children with Downs Syndrome (DS) tended to be the last born members of large families. This was later accounted for as mere coincidence. The first formal reference to the anomaly came in 1866 in England by a physician at the Earlewood Asylum noting the distinct physical characteristics of this group of individuals. In the 1930’s, Adrian Bleyer hypothesized that the condition was caused by a failure of the chromosomes to separate but could provide no proof for this since an accurate human chromosome count had not yet been obtained by anyone. The correct number of 46 chromosomes was obtained in Sw... ...rebrain Cholinergic and Pontine Catecholaminergic Nuclei in the Brain of Trisomy 16 Mouse, an Animal Model of Down’s Syndrome. Brain Res. Devop. Brain Res.:50(2), 251-264. LeMay, M. and N. Alvarez (1990) The Relationship Between Enlargements of the Temporal Horns of the Lateral Ventricles and Dementia in Aging Patients with Down’s Syndrome. Neuroradiology: 32 (2), 104-107. Patterson, D. (1987) The Causes of Down Syndrome. Scientific American: 255 (8), 52-60. Pearlson, G. D., et. al. (1990) Brain Atrophy in 18 Patients with Down Syndrome: a CT study. AJNR: 265, 811-816. Plioplys, A. (1987) Down’s Syndrome Precocious Neurofilament Antigen Expression. J. Neuroscien.: 79, 91-100. Sacks, B. and S. Smith (1989) People with Down’s Syndrome Can be Distinguished on the Basis of Cholinergic Dysfunction. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry: 52(11), 1294-1295. Neuropathology Of Down's Syndrome Essay -- Medical Disease Health Essa Neuropathology Of Down's Syndrome Down’s syndrome is the most commonly identified cause of mental retardation occurring in 1 out of 700 live births. In addition to mental deficiency, characteristics of the disease include epicanthic folds of the eyes, flattened facial features, unusual palm creases, short stature, open mouth, protruding tongue and poor posture. A twenty-two to fifty fold increase in risk of the development of leukemia along with congenital heart defects in forty percent of these individuals is also seen. The increased level of purines often found can lead to mental retardation itself. Neurological impairment and immune system deficiencies make these individuals more susceptible to infection. Also noted are increased risk for cataract development and vision impairment due to defects in the lenses of the eyes. Evidence for the disease can be found as far back as the nineteenth century with many theories for the etiology of the disease. Early hypotheses include links to endocrine gland malfunction, tuberculosis, syphilis and "uterine exhaustion". The idea of uterine exhaustion was based on the observation that many children with Downs Syndrome (DS) tended to be the last born members of large families. This was later accounted for as mere coincidence. The first formal reference to the anomaly came in 1866 in England by a physician at the Earlewood Asylum noting the distinct physical characteristics of this group of individuals. In the 1930’s, Adrian Bleyer hypothesized that the condition was caused by a failure of the chromosomes to separate but could provide no proof for this since an accurate human chromosome count had not yet been obtained by anyone. The correct number of 46 chromosomes was obtained in Sw... ...rebrain Cholinergic and Pontine Catecholaminergic Nuclei in the Brain of Trisomy 16 Mouse, an Animal Model of Down’s Syndrome. Brain Res. Devop. Brain Res.:50(2), 251-264. LeMay, M. and N. Alvarez (1990) The Relationship Between Enlargements of the Temporal Horns of the Lateral Ventricles and Dementia in Aging Patients with Down’s Syndrome. Neuroradiology: 32 (2), 104-107. Patterson, D. (1987) The Causes of Down Syndrome. Scientific American: 255 (8), 52-60. Pearlson, G. D., et. al. (1990) Brain Atrophy in 18 Patients with Down Syndrome: a CT study. AJNR: 265, 811-816. Plioplys, A. (1987) Down’s Syndrome Precocious Neurofilament Antigen Expression. J. Neuroscien.: 79, 91-100. Sacks, B. and S. Smith (1989) People with Down’s Syndrome Can be Distinguished on the Basis of Cholinergic Dysfunction. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry: 52(11), 1294-1295.

The Gay Science,by Friedrich Nietzsche :: The Gay Science, Friedrich Nietzsche

1) Nietzsche could have written The Gay Science differently. What justifies the style of composition he chose? More importantly, is his style of writing effective? What relation do you see between the style of his writing and the content of thought it expresses? Nietzsche's style of writing was a deliberate stylistic choice meant to hide the meaning of his work and philosophy from those who would not be able to understand it, and through there misunderstanding would abuse it. This writing style was also meant to help support and give meaning to Nietzsche's arguments on the nature of language and how language is, at its root a metaphor describing an object that is disconnected from us. Nietzsche's work broke down language to its metaphorical roots and explored the nature of how our language is disconnected from the objective reality around us. Nietzsche uses the metaphorical roots of our language to show that words and language our fundamentally disconnected because of the subjective nature of language. Nietzsche shows these metaphorical roots by showing how simple words and phrases that we use in our everyday life are really disconnected or at least removed by the barrier of language. Language is a serious of metaphor's all describing ho w an object subjectively appears to the individual. No language can describe what it is like to "be" that object, nor properly describe what it is that makes the object what it is. All language can do is provide a vehicle through which man can communicate what he is subjectively experiencing and relate it via a metaphor to another individual who will only get a idea of what is being described rather than an actual concrete description. 2) In sections 124, 343, and 377, Nietzsche claims that, following the death of God, human beings find themselves "in the horizon of the infinite," on the "open sea," and "homeless." What are the consequences of the death of God? With reference to section 347, discuss the ambiguity of this new found freedom. How might it terrify some people and empower others? The consequences for the death of god are far reaching and and many in Nietzsche's work. Christianity sparked the death of God as most of us know him through the actions of Martin Luther. Luther's desire to give the common man the ability to understand and read the bible brought a end to the churches monopoly on morality and brought the "divine" to the common man making the common man "divine".

Quote of the mind Essay

Some people think that the mind is the brain or some other part or function of the body, but this is incorrect. The brain is a physical object that can be seen with the eyes and that can be photographed or operated on in surgery. The mind, on the other hand, is not a physical object. It cannot be seen with the eyes, nor can it be photographed or repaired by surgery. The brain, therefore, is not the mind but simply part of the body. There is nothing within the body that can be identified as being our mind because our body and mind are different entities. For example, sometimes when our body is relaxed and immobile, our mind can be very busy, darting from one object to another. This indicates that our body and mind are not the same entity. In Buddhist scriptures, our body is compared to a guest house and our mind to a guest dwelling within it. When we die, our mind leaves our body and goes to the next life, just like a guest leaving a guest house and going somewhere else. If the mind is not the brain, nor any other part of the body, what is it? It is a formless continuum that functions to perceive and understand objects. Because the mind is formless, or non-physical, by nature, it is not obstructed by physical objects. It is very important to be able to distinguish disturbed states of mind from peaceful states. As explained in the previous chapter, states of mind that disturb our inner peace, such as anger, jealousy, and desirous attachment, are called ‘delusions’; and these are the principal causes of all our suffering. We may think that our suffering is caused by other people, by poor material conditions, or by society, but in reality it all comes from our own deluded states of mind. The essence of spiritual practice is to reduce and eventually to eradicate altogether our delusions, and to replace them with permanent inner peace. This is the real meaning of our human life. The essential point of understanding the mind is that liberation from  suffering cannot be found outside the mind. Permanent liberation can be found only by purifying the mind. Therefore, if we want to become free from problems and attain lasting peace and happiness we need to increase our knowledge and understanding of the mind.

Huckleberry Finn: Hypocrisy in “Civilized” Society Essay

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a sequel to the Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain illustrates the Southern states and slavery. Published in 1884, the novel focuses on the important issues that affected America. These issues included racism, slavery, civilization and greed. The book has become one of the most controversial books ever written. The controversy has grown to the point that the novel became banned in several states due to its racial and slavery context. Various symbols, quotes and events have been used in the novel to show hypocrisy in the civilized society in the novel. Hypocrisy in the civilized society is chosen by the recognized rules and regulations by the society. The regulations and rules disregard reason since they favor a particular group and at the same time obtain unfairness against other groups. One example that illustrates the hypocrisy in the civilized society is the instance where the judge who arrives in the town, who is apparently new, allows Huck ’s father Pap to gain custody over Huck (Twain, 25). In the same instance, Jim, a fugitive slave, does not receive custody over his children under the same legal system. Hypocrisy and ridiculousness is indicated when the judge awards custody of Huck over Pap regardless of the danger that Pap, who is a drunk, is to his son. However, the judge awards custody to Pap based on his position as Huck’s biological father. However, the same law does not apply to Jim who does not gain custody of his children despite him being the biological father of his children. Another example that illustrates the hypocrisy in the civilized society in the novel is the feud between Grangerford and Shepardson. The dispute between the Grangerford and Shepardson families is based on reasons that are worthless to both of them. However, both families engage in violent murders of the family members in an effort to maintain family honor. The families are deemed extremely educated and civilized. The reason that led to the dispute between the two families resulte d from the elopement of Sophia Grangerford, Buck Grangerford’s sister and Harney Shepardson. However, the families have always been in a dispute that has lasted for 30 years for reasons that are unsure. The two families after learning of the elopement bring weapons to church. However, both families, using their guns, kill their family members at the growth of the feud. Regardless of the families’ civilized status, hypocrisy is shown where both families kill each other over a meaningless feud. Another example that indicates hypocrisy in the civilized society in the novel is the biased punishment of crimes according to the society’s rules and regulations. This is shown by the non-judgment of the Duke and the King regardless of the fraudulent schemes that both con artists involved in the community. Huck and Jim rescue the Duke and the King and offer them their raft. The first scheme begins when both criminals present fake identities to Huck and Jim. The Duke introduces himself as the English Duke’s son, also known as the Duke of Bridgewater whereas the King presents himself as the Lost Dauphin as well as Louis XVI’s son and France’s designated King (Twain, 144-145). Additionally, one of the con artists, the Duke, takes advantage of Jim’s race and position as a runway slave and prints leaflets that offer $200 reward to any person that manages to catch the runaway slave. The Duke is able to do this by occupying an abandoned printing shop in which he was able to print the handouts (Twain, 156). The con artists use the tactic as a way of buying them time and unrestricted travel for a day. However, most of these crimes that the two commits go unpunished regardless of the statement that the society is civilized and enlightened. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a controversial novel that includes the racial prejudices that characterized conventional America during the civil war. Regardless of the novel narrating a fictional story on actual events, the novel also highlights the current issues that affect the present society. The issues of slavery and racism are still obvious in the world today. Works Cited Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Random House, 1996. Print.