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The Physics Of An Object Essay - 2575 Words

This experiment is about obtaining data that express the acceleration obtained when the force applied to an object varies. Thus, different hanging masses will be hitched to a cart to observe the impact on the acceleration. As the mass of the cart will remain the same, the purpose of the procedure is to verify the relation between the applied force on an object and its acceleration which is, according to Isaac Newton, F=ma. The results of this experiment are useful because it has an impact on all calculations about dynamic motion. For instance, the force exerted by a car’s motor on the wheels will influence the velocity of the car. To keep the car safe, an engineer will have to calibrate the throttle and to do so, the relation between the force applied and the acceleration has to be known. Another example is the conveyor. A lot of them are made with a mechanism using air pressure. To move the objects on those kind of conveyor, air is projected on the mobiles so they have an acc eleration. Thus, Newton’s second law has to be known and proved so all the component of the conveyor keep synchronised. Identification of variables: Independent variable : the traction force applied on the cart (N) Dependent variable: the acceleration of the cart (m/s2) Controlled variables: - Mass of the cart - Type of surfaces - Angle of the linear track - Temperature At the beginning of the experiment, a hanging mass is measured and hitched to the cart. As the experiment progresses,Show MoreRelatedPhysics Lab Ib Acceleration of Free Falling Object2079 Words   |  9 Pages  the   acceleration   of   gravity   (ï ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½Ã¯ ¿ ½)   of   free   fall   of   a   body   on   earth.    Apparatus   Required:    †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Light   gates    Ruler(   Ã‚ ±0.001   m)    String    Free   falling   object(cylindrical   tube   taken)    Stand       Weight   to   support   the   string    VARIATION   OF   LENGTH   WITH   TIME    S.No.    1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10       Read MoreExamples Of Physics In Physics881 Words   |  4 PagesWherever and whenever possible, our group intends to use Unity engine’s built-in physics. This is because we have determined it to be the easiest way going forward. No member of our group has a heavy physics background, and we are confident that Unity can handle most of the heavy lifting. Details of all the major physics we believe are needed for our game are detailed below. 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I selected this topic because I never paid much attention to all of that work engineers have to do in order to make a roller coaster successfulRead MoreEssay On Applying Physics To Gaming797 Words   |  4 PagesApplying Physics to Gaming Germain Mendoza The article â€Å"Teaching introductory undergraduate physics using commercial video games† talks about a course that was offered to college students at the University of Texas at Brownsville that would last from December 2010-January 2011. Many games were used to demonstrate how developers of the video games used real world physics laws and applied them to the basis of the game. In the article only four were mentioned these were: â€Å"Little Big Planet†, â€Å"ShaunRead MorePhysics: Is It Really Genuine Knowledge? Essay1244 Words   |  5 PagesIn a present day conference on whether physics can provide valuable, genuine knowledge of the world, two people sit, listening attentively. Both people are deep in thought about their own theories on the subject. One, David Hume, shakes his head in outright denial. While most those in the conference are in agreement that physics can, indeed, provide genuine knowledge, he contends that physics and mathematics provide nothing a t all. In fact, he thinks to himself, only things that can be divvied upRead MoreThe Coaster Of The Roller Coaster1462 Words   |  6 Pagesthe jump into the second funnel. PHYSICS Now that we know the engineering aspects of Marbolous, we can look at the aspects of physics behind it. Along with the physics, we will be briefly explaining the average speed of the marble, as well as some information about our simple machine: the pulley. This write-up will include a labeled roller coaster diagram, highlighting the physics affecting both the structure, as well as the marble. What is Physics? Physics are around us all the time. At the playground

Analysis of the Video Game Console Industry free essay sample

Rivalry among competing sellers There are lots of game console companies all over the world, but the main competitors who dominated the industry is only three: Nintendo? Sony? Microsoft. The switch cost of buyers is low because with the maturing of the industry, the main competitors are competing by innovating and offering service similar to competitors. And there are only three main competitors in the industry; the limit of choice reduces the switch cost of buyers. The fixed cost is high. The operating cost associating with the industry is high and it will reduce the revenue of the industry. The existing cost is higher than entering, because the investment of the industry, the number of gaming companies, the high requirement of update technology and the changing of customers’ demand. According to that the rivalry among competing sellers is high. b. Threat of new entry The cost of entering this industry is high, especially the investment and RD expanse. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of the Video Game Console Industry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Customers’ loyalty is moderate to low. Because if a well-known company enters into the industry, the threat of switching is high, for example: Apple. Access to distribution channels is moderate, because the industry has already existed the well established online and retail distributers. So the threat of new entry is low when the market player is strong, like Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, but when a well-known company enters into the industry, the threat will increase to moderate. c. Threat of substitutes The Mobile and personal computer will be considered as a high threat of the industry because of the attractive price, performance, and they can involve more functions more than entertainment. Customers will switch if there is a new development of performance or the technology. The switch cost is low as we mentioned before. So, the threat of substitutes is high. d. Bargaining power of suppliers There are few hardware manufacturers but they can meet the demand of the industry successfully like IBM, NVIDIA, and ATI. The switching cost of changing suppliers is high because of the complicated technology involved. The cost of industry members to integrate backward is high. The console industry is an important customer of the supplier, but in the main competitors, they have controlled the core technology themselves. It can reduce the power of suppliers. So the bargaining power of suppliers is moderate to high. e. Bargaining power of buyers The buyers are in all ages and in all jobs. But in the console industry, there are 3 main competitors that dominated it, it almost an oligopoly, so the power of buyers is low. The switch cost is not very high but because the limit choice of company, it’s difficult to switch in the whole industry. The cost of integrating backward is high. Usually the companies will be highly protective and secretive of the information of their own products, the buyers can’t access to the information about sellers and their products, price and costs easily. So the bargaining power of buyers is low. According to the analysis, the competition in the video game console industry is moderate to high.

Social Stratification and Politics Essay Example

Social Stratification and Politics Essay Name: Instructor: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on Social Stratification and Politics specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Stratification and Politics specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Stratification and Politics specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Social Stratification and Politics Introduction Social stratification is a concept that encompasses classifying members of the society into various groups based on common socio-economic status (Owen 3). This sociological concept involves relational sets of inequalities that have political, social, ideological and economical origins. Social stratification is a system that divides society into various hierarchies. This system is based on the principles that view social stratification as a generational inheritance, societal trait and societal belief. Social stratification is also considered not only a universal principle but also a variable principle. There are various system s used in social stratification. These systems are caste, class, slavery and estate systems. The estate system was predominant during the medieval time and consisted of the clergy, serfs and nobility. The slavery system was based on the ownership of individual s by others. The caste system encompassed ascribed status. This was popular in India. The hierarchies were scholars and priests, warriors and nobility, skilled artisans and merchants and finally there were the unskilled labor. The class system is a stratification based on occupational and economic roles. Different theories define different hierarchies in the class system. The concept of social stratification is synonymous to inequality as it segregates members of the society allowing others an easy access to resources. The implication of this is that societal stratification affects the political structures of society. Politics refers to the activities that surround the authoritative distribution of an entity’s resource (Tansey 4). National politics refers to exercising authority over the distribution of a country’s resources. Politics in its self is a study that involves an analysis of the factors that affects an individual’s ability to possess society’s resources and to have control over the ability of others to gain the same resources. It is a power concept. Social stratification is the basis for defining relational power. This is because the actions of man are dictated by their economic and social positions in society. Therefore, social stratification remains to be an important aspect that influences distribution of political power among members of a society. Theories Relating Politics to Social Stratification Theorists who talk about the relationship between social stratification and power are Karl Marx and Max Weber. Both Karl Marx and Max Weber approach the concept of social stratification using the class system. Karl Marx defines class based on the ownership of means of production. The stratification gives rise to class struggle. The basis of the class struggle is the political inequality that exists in society. Weber on the other hand, talks about class from the perspective of economic, political and social status. Karl Marx on Social Stratification Introduction Marx analyses the history of class struggle in his theory of social stratification (Owen 18). In his analysis, he looked at those who own the means of production. He also talks about those who participate in the production process and the relationship between labor and work. Karl Marx also looks at the members of society who not only produce but also control the surplus produce. Control of the society’s resources is what gives rise to political segregation and struggle. The ownership of property allowed particular members of the society to control the distribution of these resources. According to Marx’s theory, political power is allocated based on basis of one’s ranking on the social hierarchy. Theory Karl Marx’s analysis is of a capitalist society and the main classes are the proletariat and bourgeoisie. Other subclasses like the peasants, proletariats, property owners and petty bourgeoisie but they do not have a major impact on the theory. The bourgeoisies are the capitalist who own the means of production. The means of production are land and labor. They possess not only capital, but also power to exploit purchased labor. The surplus value obtained from the produce of the purchased labor is used by the bourgeoisies to expand their capital. The class of bourgeoisie is defined by the ownership of means of production and the use of this capital to exploit members of society and to expand their scope of possession. According to Marx, wealth is not sufficient to get one to the bourgeoisie class. This wealth has to be used to sustain status quo through the continuous manipulation of labor and the expansion of their capital. This has to be a continuous process that has to be sustained by the use of surplus value. In the contemporary society, the bourgeoisies represent the members who possess political power. This power is gained through their social status. Marx brings an economic basis for the stratification of the society. This implies that the political structures are controlled and maintained by the wealthy. They use their wealth to manipulate the structures of society like the judicial system, the electoral process and even the legislative process. This control is used to maintain the status quo and to ensure that the cycle of wealth accumulation is continuous. An implication made by Karl Marx is that members of various states have been socialized to believe that social status is a basis for distribution of political power. Marx takes a deeper analysis of the process of accumulation of wealth among the bourgeoisie. He talks about the historical fight against the feudal system that existed in medieval Europe. The proletariat comprised of mostly merchants, industrialists, craft men, traders and manufactures. They fought against the feudal authorities to gain the liberty to expand their businesses through marketing of their products. This struggle marked the formation of the class. Old feudal and hierarchical systems were undermined and while new structures and orders were put into place. The economical prowess among the bourgeoisies was later sustained through the purchase and manipulation of labor. This was the case in Britain during the nineteenth century when the bourgeoisie maintained ideological and political predominance. The British hired labor that created surplus value maintaining the wealth of their wealth. According to Karl Marx, the other class is that of the proletariat. It comprises the members of the society who own labor power. They dearth of property forces them to depend on the bourgeoisie for survival. This creates an exploitative relationship where the proletariat is hired by a capitalist bourgeoisie. There is a constant recreation and reproduction of this exploitative relationship. The proletariat works for extra hours with low wages. This is done to ensure that the bourgeoisie gets profits. The results are an increase in poverty and wealth for the proletariat and the bourgeoisie respectively. The proletariat’s output during the extra hour is sold. The process prevents the proletariat from gaining wealth and subsequently maintains society’s status quo (Owen 19). According to Marx, he predicted that various political events would occur in the capitalist society. In order to maintain their social status, the bourgeoisie would enact laws that are more repressive. With the increase of oppression, class-consciousness would increase among the proletariats and a subsequent labor movement would be formed. The end of the capitalist era would be marked by a revolution instigated by the movement among the proletariats. This would usher in a communist society. Conclusion A contradictory and antagonistic relationship exists between the proletariat and bourgeoisie. This is because the former is struggling to increase their wages and alleviate their social status while the latter is doing the opposite. The bourgeoisie manipulate labor and work to ensure that the proletariat remains without property. This represents the struggle that is seen in the contemporary society. The struggle is that for power in society. This is because power is the exercise of authority over the various structures in society. This shows that Karl Marx’s theory on social class shows the relationship between social stratification and politics. Max Weber on the Theory of Social Class Introduction Max Weber discusses the concept of social stratification with a view on social classes (Owen 20). He argues that social class is the most influential cause of conflict in the society. He stipulates that the different dimensions of social structure are class, status and honor. He establishes a relationship between the ideological and material aspects of society through status and class. He attributes social action to the both status and class. He argues that the concept of class comprises power, prestige and wealth. Wealth is a representation of the economic structures of the society while prestige is symbolic for the social aspect and power is the representation of political structures of the society. Theory Max Weber describes power as the ability to exercise authority over various resources in society (Owen 20). He argues that it is the ability of individuals to see the realization of their desire even against the will of other members of the society. Societal power encompasses political, economic and social powers. Weber also analyses the concept of domination, which he says is the possession of authority in a particular sphere. Domination can occur because of tradition, rational-legal reasons and charisma. Class, according to Weber, is a component of an individual’s life chances. The life chance results to wealth and economic interests. This wealth is represented in the aspects of market commodity and labor. Possession of property and advantage in the market place increase one’s living standards. Weber argues that those who own property are able to control the methods of wealth creation. This is because of their control over the market. Among the wealth owners, there exists a subdivision based on the means used to create wealth. Among those who do not own property, there exists further stratification based on the services that they provide to the market. There are skilled, unskilled and semi-skilled workers. The grouping is based on the value of one’s labor and the different values produce different standards of living. In his theory, Weber argues societal action will only occur when there is a consciousness on the influence of economic power and the distribution of property on stratification. While discussing the concept of status, Weber defines it as the probability of an individual’s life chances being influenced by prestige and social honor. Prestige is influenced by wealth and social restrictions. These restrictions are like residence and the patterns that are followed during marriage. High status groups enjoy distinct lifestyles and definite patterns of consumption and association. On the other hand, those occupying the low status in the society, have their sense of worth pegged on futuristic hope. Both class and status have an influence on the political aspect of society. Status and class interests define political power. This implies that the interests of a particular influential class are well reflected on the political structures. According to Weber, parties are the definite structures of political power. The main aim of parties is to obtain dominance in the various spheres of influence. Parties are organized based on the interests of various social classes. The influence that the different classes have in the market is well translated to the political sphere. Charismatic dominance occurs among the classes that are exposed to concepts of leadership and governance. This might me among the elite of the society who hail from a family background of leaders. Conclusion Max Weber’s argument is that class and status influences the dominance of an individual in the various spheres of society. This dominance affects the activities of parties in the political avenue. Those in the higher classes at times experience dominance based on the legitimacy that is pegged on traditional authority. Members of prestigious classes dominate over those of the lower classes based on the belief that they have better life chances in the economic, political and social spheres of life. Blackman’s Struggle for Social Equity American treatises published from as early as 1854 spoke of the racial segregation that existed. Conservatives such as Henry Hughes and George Fitzhugh justified the slave system in America (American Sociological Association, 265). Hughes argues that the essentials of slavery should remain unchanged because the practice is civilly and morally right. Fitzhugh expressed his concern in relation to the suggested liberty in America. This liberty was in regards to accommodating the African America community. Fitzhugh felt that this liberty had failed. He opposed democracy and justified the slavery among the black American community. He opposed a free society where every man acted for himself and he attributed the growth of poverty and crime in Europe to concepts like freedom, liberty and equality. He argued that morality could only be maintained in a society that upheld slavery along side Christianity. Fitzhugh and Hughes were proponents of the philosophical justification of slavery. The s ocial atmosphere among the African American community was echoed in other parts of the globe like in South Africa. The fight against apartheid was the black man’s plea for equity in all aspects of the society. Slavery was the basis for the African American struggle for equity. Slavery among the African community is vividly remembered because of its brutality and inhumanity. Although white slaves were used earlier than 1942 in the Mayan Temple, Egyptian pyramids and the Mongolian fighting machine, a lasting legacy of oppression was left by the enslavement of Africans. African slaves were not treated as humans but commodities. They were abused and sold for the main reason of accumulating profits. The abolition of slavery in various countries did not mark the end of the oppression. This is because current economic, social and political structures remind the society of the enslavement of the African community (Vorenberg 154). The end of the American civil war in 1865 was to mark the end of slavery in America. Slaves were freed after Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. However, the white American still oppressed the African Americans. Attempts towards granting the African community equality were encouraged by amendments in America’s constitution. These were the Thirteenth to Fifteenth Amendments. The Thirteenth Amendment of 1965 illegalized slavery. This particular amendment passed Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation into law. The congress was granted the liberty to enact laws that abolished slavery. The implication of this law was that slave owners were to incur greater costs in order to have work done. Other slave owners wanted compensation for seceding slaves. In the northern states, the citizens feared that the released slaves would take their jobs. The African Americans were denied good jobs and they were restrained from accessing proper education (Vorenberg 160). After the Thirteenth Amendment, the Andrew Johnson succeeded Abraham Johnson as the American president. He enacted retrogressive laws that segregated the African American community. He stipulated that members of the white race were the only ones who could participate in the legislation of the Southern Constitutions. However, in 1866, the congress tabled a bill that acknowledged African Americans as American citizens. Johnson’s efforts to stop the bill were futile when it was finally passed by the congress. The bill acknowledged the incoherent rights of African Americans, regardless of their race. The bill stipulated that the federal government was to intervene in the event that a state would not comply with this law. The Fourteenth Amendment was enacted in 1868. This amendment stipulated that the freed slaves had to be given their rights. This amendment safeguarded the rights of the American citizens. Such rights were like those of a right to education, the ability to sue othe rs and the right to make political decisions and vote. The citizens in the south still undermined the African Americans and the white population still had more rights. The years 1867 and 1868 saw the congress pass the Reconstruction Act. This act stipulated that the African American community were granted the liberty to participate in political decisions that were involved in creating the Southern State Constitutions. The act distributed political power among the black and white community. The government gave all races in America the liberty to make political decisions. In the South, civil education was carried out among the Africa Americans. However, by 1867 many African American men could not vote because of the threat they received from the white citizens. Women were allowed to participate in other political activities apart from voting. In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment was introduced in the American Constitution. This was an emphasis on the African American’s right to vote. The law stipulated that the government did not have the ability to refrain any citizen from voting regardless of their color or background as slaves. Black men were given the right to vote. The departure of the Union Soldiers who protected the rights of the black prompted the enactment of laws that made it difficult for black men to vote. The laws were referred to as Black codes. They were oppressive to the black population as some of them demanded that they sign labor contracts to work for full years. Other codes required the unemployed African Americans to be incarcerated and their children be taken up to work as slaves. The employers of the black community were also allowed to whip their workers. The codes required the African Americans to take and pass voting tests before they were allowed to vote. The white population easily passed th ese tests because unlike the black community, they knew how to read and were well educated. The African Americans were threatened by the Ku Klux Klan, a white men’s group that oppressed the black community. Apart from this, they also attacked members of the white community who accommodated the blacks. They carried out cruel punishments to these individuals. Such punishments were like hanging them, torching their homes and beating them. Despite of the enactment of these laws, the rights of the African American community were infringed. They were treated as animals and there was great inequality in the society (Vorenberg 172). Obama and the Politics of Race The year 2008 will remain recorded in American history. This is because, for the first time, a black president had been elected to lead America. Many had never expected the day to arrive because of the racial prejudices that are embedded in the American society. President Obama’s rise to power was met by large opposition that was driven by racial perspectives. Such racial aspects are the evidence of contemporary forms of slavery and discrimination among the African American society. During his 2008 political campaign, president Obama faced opposition from citizens who believed that a black man could not lead the country (Teasley Ikard 10). Racial prejudices prevented citizens from voting the America’s current president. The president’s healthcare reforms were also rejected by some based on racial discrimination. According to a study, more citizens would support a bill by the former president, Bill Clinton. Implicit racial prejudices affect the voting patterns in America. The simple identification of Obama as a ‘black’ candidate during the 2008 campaigns was a sign of social inequalities. This awakens the era of slavery in America. The roots of president Obama trace him to a black father and a white mother; this implies that he is biracial. He is as black as he is white. However, the categorical rejection of him being white due to mixing of the black and white race shows racism in America. Conclusion Politics and social stratification are correlated concepts. This is because the former deals with power struggle in the society while the latter is what determines who is allocated power in this struggle. Power struggle can be ascertained through an analysis of social stratification. This is because man’s actions are influenced by his economic and social position. Interest groups and political organizations are the avenues where interests of similar social groups are promoted. Various philosophers discuss the concept of social stratification in relation to power struggle. Politics becomes a major area of focus in these philosophical studies because it is believed to be teleological in nature. Man is in a constant struggle for power and his social position can act as advantage when it comes to gaining and sustaining this power. Therefore, social stratification will always be viewed in light of its effect on politics. Work Cited American Sociological Review. Washington, D.C: American Sociological Association, 1936. Internet resource. Owen, Carol. Social Stratification. London: Routledge K. Paul, 1968. Print. Tansey, Stephen D. Politics, the Basics. London: Routledge, 2002. Internet resource. Teasley, Martell, and David Ikard. â€Å"Barack Obama and the Politics of Race.† Journal of Black Studies. 40.3 (2010): 411 – 425. Print. Vorenberg, Michael. Final Freedom: The Civil War, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Thirteenth Amendment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Print.

Is there a crisis of meaning in the contemporary world Essay Example

Is there a crisis of meaning in the contemporary world Essay Example Is there a crisis of meaning in the contemporary world Essay Is there a crisis of meaning in the contemporary world Essay In modern day society, an increasing number of people question their purpose, their meaning, and their very existence on this earth. The questioning stems from either a lack of faith, a lack of understanding, lack of knowledge, or the general belief that human life pales in insignificance to the universe, and that, as described in Humanism: A Very Short Introduction, humanity amounts to nothing more then a dirty smudge on a ball of rock lost in an incomprehensively vast universe'(page 119)1. We must ask ourselves, what causes humanity to constantly question itself? Can it be solely be attributed to the rise of modern day science, which casts itself directly opposite the might and meaning of religion? Or it may be the fact that humans, are a race are more aware of the Earths small role in the vast universe; a parallel with humanities own insecurities about their own role in the colossal size of the universe. Personal situations, such as the heartbreak of unrequited love, the despair of losing your job, can evaporate all meaning in an individuals life, thus leading towards a crisis of value. In the Western world especially, the rise of atheism has also contributed towards an individuals lack of belief and sense of meaning; as one turned to religion and the belief that there was a higher power, which was substantial enough to give the individual meaning and a place in society. However, the rise of atheism, has led people to question the idea of an all powerful God. The seeds of modern day atheism were sown by Karl Marx, who felt that religion was a form of control, and that the idea of a God was an illusion. He also stated that Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the feelings of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of unspiritual conditions. It is the opium of the people. 2 This school of thought gained popularity, as more and more people started to think outside of the institutionalized, rigid ideas of religion. It was thought that the idea of an all loving God, whom people had to worship did not satisfy the developing curiosity of the masses, who still wonder, how an omniscient, omnipotent higher being, can allow atrocities such as the Nazis slaughter of millions of Jews in World War 2 occur without trying to stop it, or lets natural disasters such as the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011 take place. Surely if a loving God exists, such pain and suffering cannot be piled on so many people? Certain religions, such as Hinduism, go to great lengths to explain the suffering inflicted upon so many. It is a belief in Hinduism, and various other religions such as Buddhism and Sikhism, that our physical beings are just a shell for our soul, which is derived directly from God itself. This soul is reincarnated within various lifetimes, as punishment for our past sins. This means that the agony and pain undergone by so many is a direct result of our past actions, in previous lives, thus taking the absence of an intervention of God, out of the equation. The lack of a definitive answer however, leads individuals to lose faith in a God, and a religious system, as these questions eventually cannot be answered by anybody, all but leaving either a feeling of emptiness or content inside the person; as they either are satisfied with knowing theres nothing more to life, or are depressed by the thought that there is no meaning to their existence. Albert Schopenhauer, a philosopher in the 18th century rejected the idea of a God, and that suffering and loss is all of our own making, and not determined by a higher power. An existential crisis is in most cases triggered by a significant event which provokes a turning point in an individuals life. These can range from cases involving the loss of a loved one, to an individuals own sense of isolation and detachment from the modern world. Looking back on my own experience of being in the position of one who has lost faith and ultimately questioned the purpose of life, the ultimate answer is that each person must come to their own conclusion, and find their own path in life. For me, after going through the pain of unrequited love, I was lead to question God, and the reason why I had been going such heartache, while others around me were so happy, and for a period of time I felt isolated and found no reason strong enough to justify why human beings are here. For me, being brought up in a religious household, this was a radical way of thinking, and had no idea how to deal with it. My way of life had been threatened by a new way of thinking, and questioning whether all I believed in was a lie. Now I realize it was my lack underlying lack of faith which subsequently led me to question my existence and purpose on this earth. I discovered that the worst thing about questioning one selfs meaning and purpose, is that there is no definitive answer. The quest for meaning led me to research several philosophers and religious figures, including a prominent Indian philosopher, Swami Vivekananda. Swami Vivekananda enabled me to understand the meaning of our existence, by stating that human beings were like the bee who came to sip the honey, but found its feet stuck to the honey-pot, and could not get it away. Again and again we find ourselves in that state. That is the whole secret of existence. . This is further explained when he questions Why are we here? We came to sip the honey, and we find our hands and feet stuck to it3. This for me implies that human beings are never satisfied with what we have, and always seem to question more and more, without finding any satisfactory answer. The breakthroughs and discoveries in science further destroyed peoples ideas of a higher purpose, as it moved to dissolve the idea of a creator figure. Charles Darwin was a leading figure in challenging Creationism and the Great Chain of Being. His studies and new ideas such as Succession of types, Representative species, and the distribution of species were important in radically altering peoples outlook on life. His theory of evolution, ascertaining that man was essentially once a Neanderthal opposed the idea that we were created for a purpose. It challenged the idea that humanity was the center of the world, and that the hierarchy must be rejected, and that man is just a consequence of nature, which moved to dissolve many peoples belief in a higher power, thus leading them to query their existence, as Darwins theories suggested that we were not put on this planet for any specific reason by a God; we are just a consequence of natural selection and biology. Darwins theories were challenged by Karl Popper, a philosopher who claimed that scientific theories could be falsified and replaced. The problem with science however, is that it does not provide a moral code, or ascertain what is wrong and right to feel, leaving the individual in a quandary about what to believe. In conclusion, it can be said that a higher number of people fail to find meaning in their life, or at least question it at some point in their lifetime. This is due to a combination of a lack of faith in a God/religion , the emergence of science and Darwins theory of natural selection/ evolution and the consequence of suffering caused by events such as the Rwanda genocide and global AIDs crisis. The fundamental problem is that there is no definitive answer, and no solution to the questioning of an individuals purpose, leaving us to the only answer, that each individual must find their own path in life.

The European Invasion of North America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The European Invasion of North America - Essay Example The invasion of the European immigrants into North American forced the Native Americans to cope with the new environments, intercultural social relations and to a new environment in general. This paper will explore the kind of life the native residents of North America before the European Invasion, there life after the invasion, and how they coped with the new environment with reference to the book ‘The American People Creating a Nation and Society’ by Gary Nash and other authors. The Invasion Before the European invasion of North America, the natives had divisions of many different polities which involved bands of families to large business empires. Primordial paradise is the term used to refer to the lives of the Native Americans today. This effectively means that the native residents lived a life free from any restrictions. Before the invasion of the Europeans in North America, there was no clear evidence of Christianity among them. The broad generalization way of pai rs of philosophical principles leads to the quality of the native culture. The American Indian religion was wrapped together in a multidimensional cycle. These natives believed in the power of gods, performed and gave sacrifices to them in the belief that the gods were naturally supreme powered. This religion contributed towards peace and harmony among the native residents as they developed a sense of belonging towards the gods they worshipped. However, this does not necessarily mean that harmony was always maintained. Conflicts arose from various issues but were easily solved by the governance units that were already in place. Another remarkable feature of the Native American cultures was the degree of symbolic and moral convergence or homogeneity among the people who socially and geographically disparate. Perhaps this displays a common history and explains the fate that eventually ensued from the European invasion and the ultimate conquest for the bands and empires that were assoc iated with the native North Americans (Nash 108). The European invasions, as anyone would expect, caused more conflicts than they were before. The native residents were not ready to surrender that easily to the invaders. They had to stage up a fight in order to avoid losing the land they regarded to as a paradise to the European invaders. The Indians undoubtedly had to devise ways on how to cope or merge with the culture that came along with the European invaders. More importantly is to note that the European invasion brought along what they call the western civilizations even presently. Before their invasion as outlined in the second paragraph, the native residents worshipped gods. It was their way of religion, but after the European invasion, Christianity is widely spread as the major method of worship. The acceptance of the Native Americans showed towards Christianity as the religion means that the native Indians were not necessarily rebellious to the culture that was introduced by the European invasion (Nash 212). The different European nations that invaded the Indian Territory in North America made different approaches to invading North America. After the invasion of the French into North America, there is evidence that trade thrived fairly well between the French and the Native Americans. For instance, the French developed an interest in beaver

The Civil War Produced More Radical Changes in America than the Essay

The Civil War Produced More Radical Changes in America than the Revolutionary War - Essay Example Here in this essay, I would discuss that whether the civil war produced more radical changes in America or the Revolutionary war. REVOLUTIONARY WAR: The ideology of John Locke impressed American Colonies and provoked them to fight for their rights. Locke wrote in â€Å"Two Treaties of Government† that it is beyond humanity to rule individuals and rejected the claim of kings and queens of having a divine right to rule masses. Locke infused the spirit of liberalism and democracy. (John Locke, 1821) The main idea of Revolutionary movement was to address the differences that lay within a mother country like religious, traditional and social differences. He stated: â€Å"The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of Nature for his rule. The liberty of man in society is to be under no other legislative power but that established by consent in the commonwealth, nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact according to the trust put in it.† (John Locke, 1821) Evolutionary War was more than a political agenda and took course during 18th century which initiated in 1763. The seed was sown earlier after the British forces enforced the series of taxes on the American Colonies which was imposed in the name of defense and security cost. American colonies felt the discrimination that was made by British regulatory authorities as British person were not made liable to pay tax. The discrimination enraged American Colonies and in retaliation their Thirteen Colonies in North America collaborated and stood united to form a separate nation which would have no influence or governance from the British Empire. To make their move official, they rejected the rule of Parliament of Britain and together they cast out the royal officials. The colonies demanded for an elected representative in the ruling Brit ish Parliament and within the span of two years, American colonies formed Committees for Correspondence which would direct their own Provincial Congresses in majority of the colonies. The advantage of committees was enormous as it was easy for individuals to share and comment on different issues between British community and American Colonies. With a little more efforts, the provincial congresses proved to be effective and dismissed the parliament and replaced all British ruling bodies. In response to this political setback, British government tried hard to assert pressure and reform authority by dissolving local governments with the help of British troops and to impose rule directly from Royal officials. British troops were confronted by American militia in 1775. George Washington was chosen as commander in chief to guide and lead the army as American Militia lacked in almost every essential skill or training. Washington finely used both army and militia for his strategies to defea t British combat troops. Blacks were promised to be freed if they serve the army and soon blacks in large numbers were recruited in both the armies. Large number of blacks escaped and joined the British Army against Americans. After a constant fight between both nations, the Independence of America was declared on July 4, 1776. The main purpose was to achieve liberty, democracy and equality among the nation which was severely lacking in the British Empire. CIVIL WAR: (Nicolay, 2009) In the middle of 19th Century, Abraham Lincoln was chosen