Aristotle and Cicero Understanding of Friendship Research Paper

Aristotle and Cicero Understanding of Friendship - Research Paper Example The same would be done in light of their famous sayings and quotations. Discussion One of the biggest differences between Aristotle and Cicero’s understanding of friendship is the fact that Aristotle has gone on to divide friendship into three categories based on the motivations and predispositions behind the friendship. The first type of friendship, according to Aristotle is friendship based on utility. Elderly people and the ones in the Middle Ages having a common ground would engage in such friendships since the circumstances are such that they are able to derive utility out of their friendship. However, utility is not permanent and as soon as utility vanishes, so does the friendship. The second type of friendship is based on pleasure, which takes place amongst people in the early years and the adult life where they are seeking pleasure and entertainment from the people around them. These friendships do not last for long because as soon as the taste of the people changes, t hey prefer to look for new friends who match their current taste (Price, 1990). However, the third type of friendship based on goodness and virtue where both the friends are virtuous. Their goodness binds each other and hopes the best for his friend. As Aristotle says, â€Å"The best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake.† (Pangle, 2003) These friendships are long lasting and enduring but at the same time difficult to find. The bond between true friends is so strong that that Aristotle has gone to refer that as, â€Å"A true friend is one soul in two bodies† (Stern-Gillet, 1995) Cicero has also endorsed many of these ideas of Aristotle, as it is evident from the following sayings of Cicero. â€Å"For how many things, which for our own sake we should never do, do we perform for the sake of our friends† â€Å"The rule of friendship means there should be mutual sympathy between them, each supplying what the other lacks and trying to benefi t the other, always using friendly and sincere words.† â€Å"A friend is, as it were, a second self† (Cicero & Shuckburgh, 2007) However, when Aristotle defines the highest and the most delightful form of friendship as the one based on goodness and virtue, Cicero has a different dimension for the same. As he says, â€Å"As in the case of wines that improve with age, the oldest friendships ought to be the most delightful† (Cicero, 2006) Cicero shares many similarities in his definition and concept of true friendship but when Aristotle has not mentioned anything but virtue as the prime element of to determine the delight, intimacy and rank of friendship, Cicero believes that, it is the time, which makes the difference in friendship. Quite understandably, over the period, friends develop a greater and more meaningful understanding amongst each other that compliments their friendship (Pangle, 2003). Another distinction between Aristotle and Cicero views on friendship could be the level of importance that they assign to friendship and its existence in the running of society. Cicero says, â€Å"Friendship is nothing else than an accord in all things, human and divine, conjoined with mutual goodwill and affection. â€Å"Thus nature has no love for solitude, and always leans, as it were, on some support; and the sweetest support is found in the most intimate friendship (Price, 1990) Although, Cicero endorses the concept that friendship is present in nature and in fact, nature in itself is a

Vaccines and Misinformation Surrounding Them

Vaccines and Misinformation Surrounding Them Celeste Clark An Argumentative Exploration into Vaccines and Misinformation Surrounding Them: TL;DR, Vaccination and Autism Have No Correlation Since the late 1990s, myths about the risk of a link between standard infant vaccination and those administered being autistic as a result, as well as general superstition or skepticism over the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, have been perpetuated and grown in popularity. So much so, that the president (at time of writing, Donald J. Trump) has questioned their safety, potentially putting millions of lives at risk. Vaccination is important for the health and well being of a community, as well as the human race, and should not be disputed. The belief in the chance of developing autism from vaccination is a harmful conviction to autistic people and children who dont get vaccinated because of their parents irrational fear that says, through their actions, I would rather my child die of a preventable disease than have a disorder. Especially in the current climate of alternative facts and conflicting information, it is imperative one should mold their beliefs to fit the facts, not m old the facts to fit their beliefs. Firstly, the positive (a double-meaning here of favorable and certain) effects of vaccination. On the authority of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Although children continue to get several vaccines up to their second birthday, these vaccines do not overload the immune system. Every day, your healthy babys immune system successfully fights off millions of antigens-the parts of germs that cause the bodys immune system to respond. The antigens in vaccines come from weakened or killed germs so they cannot cause serious illness. Vaccines contain only a tiny amount of the antigens that your baby encounters every day, even if your child receives several vaccines in one day. People are usually vaccinated when they are very young, since their immune systems are weak and not well developed. At their young age, they have a higher risk of contracting and failing to successfully combat diseases they come in contact with. The process of developing and testing vaccines begins with a laboratory, continues with clinical trials, and ends with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), who must approve a vaccine, its safety, and its effectiveness before its distribution and use in the United States. It is such a controlled and extensive process, it typically takes 10 to 15 years of research and testing before the vaccine is presented to, and approved or rejected by, the FDA. Vaccines, in their preventative nature, will likely seem to have a lack of effects to the person they are administered to-e.g., Person A gets vaccinated and nothing changes. Their life goes on as normal, and they do not notice that they have not come down with the disease that the vaccine counteracted. However, Person B was not vaccinated, gets the disease, and feels the full effects of what the vaccine silently prevented in Person A. For such a simple, quick procedure with a low-profile effect, its incredible the positive response it can have on an individual and a community. That, coupled with the fact almost all insurance covers it, makes it seem rather appalling more people fail to take advantage of it. An adverse event is, essentially, a coincidence; a health problem that occurs following vaccination that possibly could be induced by a vaccine. A side effect is a reaction shown to correlate to a vaccine by scientific studies and tests. The difference between adverse events and side effects is significant, especially in an argument as controversial and serious as this. It is important to recognise that personal anecdotes are not evidence. Adverse events reported to the VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) are not necessarily side effects caused by vaccination. Vaccines do not affect or alter genes in any way, and gene mutation is what most likely causes autism, stated here by the Autism Society, There is no known single cause for autism spectrum disorder, but it is generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in children with autism compared to in neurotypical children. Researchers do not know the exact cause of autism but are investigating a number of theories, including the links among heredity, genetics and medical problems. In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities, further supporting the theory that the disorder has a genetic basis. While no one gene has been identified as causing autism, researchers are searching for irregular segments of genetic code that children with autism may have inherited. Autism is a developmental disorder, a broad spectrum of different symptoms and traits, found in people of all races, genders, ages, etc. It is becoming more commonly diagnosed due to increased knowledge. It is not a disease, nor is it curable or caused by vaccines. This quote from the article Vaccines Dont Cause Autism, but Thats Not the Point by Leslie Waghorn explains the moral wrong of accusing vaccination of provoking autism, and how it affects autistic people: . . . The panel discussion being broadcast was teens and adults with autism and how federal funding could better support them. As the show closed, the moderator asked if anyone on the panel felt a vaccine had caused their autism. Silence. One teen panelist spoke up, no, but it hurts that you would ask that question. The moderators tone softened, he apologized and asked why. . . . As I recall his response was, because it makes me feel like Im damaged or broken, when Im not. I was born this way. My brain just works differently than most other peoples. When people talk about vaccines and autism it makes me feel like Im not a person but a bad result. It reminds me that no one wants a kid like me and parents will risk their kids lives and everyone elses just to make sure their kid doesnt turn out like me. Even if vaccines did cause autism, it isnt a death sentence. Vaccine-preventable diseases can be. Children are not better off dead than disabled. Sources Cited   Ã‚   Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999 Impact of Vaccines Universally Recommended for Children. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 02 May 2001. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Culp-Ressler, Tara. Massive New Study Provides The Best Proof Yet That Vaccines Dont Cause Autism. ThinkProgress. ThinkProgress, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Ensuring the Safety of Vaccines in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Department of Health Human Services, Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Evidence Vaccines Work. Northern Rivers Vaccination Supporters. N.p., June 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. The Facts Behind Vaccine Safety. New York State. Department of Health, Feb. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Fine, Paul, Ken Eames, and David L. Heymann. Herd Immunity: A Rough Guide. Clinical Infectious Diseases 52.7 (2011): 911-16. Oxford Academic. Infectious Diseases Society of America, 01 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child. Vaccines.gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. How Do Vaccines Work? HealthyChildren.org. American Academy of Pediatrics, 21 Nov. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. How Vaccines Work. Vaccineinformation.org. Immunization Action Coalition, 15 Aug. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Importance of Vaccines. Vaccineinformation.org. Immunization Action Coalition, 09 Nov. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Khalakdina, Asheena, Alejandro Costa, and Sylvie Briand. Smallpox in the Post-eradication Era. Weekly Epidemiological Record 91.20 (2016): 257-64. World Health Organization. WHO, 20 May 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Making the Vaccine Decision. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 03 Aug. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. New Meta-analysis Confirms: No Association between Vaccines and Autism. Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks Inc., 19 May 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Olson, Samantha. History Of Autism And Vaccines: How One Man Unraveled The Worlds Faith In Vaccinations. Medical Daily. IBT Media Inc., 23 July 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Possible Side-effects from Vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 02 Dec. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Proof That the HPV Vaccine Works. HealthyWomen. National Womens Health Resource Center, Inc., 22 Feb. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Should Any Vaccines Be Required for Children? ProCon.org. N.p., 31 Jan. 2017. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Stern, Alexandra Minna, and Howard Markel. The History Of Vaccines And Immunization: Familiar Patterns, New Challenges. Health Affairs. Project HOPE, 01 May 2005. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Understanding How Vaccines Work. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Department of Health Human Services, Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Understanding Risk. The History of Vaccines. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Vaccination Greatly Reduces Disease, Disability, Death and Inequity Worldwide. World Health Organization. WHO, Feb. 2008. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Vaccine Myths Debunked. Public Health. PublicHealth.org, 27 May 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Vaccine Safety: Examine the Evidence. HealthyChildren.org. American Academy of Pediatrics, 26 Jan. 2017. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Vaccine Safety. ImmYounity. Sanofi Pasteur Inc., 03 Feb. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 23 Nov. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Vaccine Side Effects and Adverse Events. History of Vaccines. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, 27 Jan. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Vaccines Work! Immunization Action Coalition. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4037.pdf>. Waghorn, Leslie. Vaccines Dont Cause Autism, But Thats Not the Point. The Scientific Parent. TheScientificParent.org, 07 Mar. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Whats in Vaccines. Vaccines.gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 01 May 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. What Causes Autism? My Child Without Limits. United Cerebral Palsy, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. What Is Autism? | Causes. Autism Society. Autism Society, 15 July 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Why Do People Think That Vaccines Can Cause Autism? Caresquad. Caresquad.com, LLC, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Willingham, Emily, and Laura Helft. The Autism-Vaccine Myth. NOVA. Public Broadcasting Service, 05 Sept. 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2017. Willingham, Emily, and Laura Helft. What Is Herd Immunity? NOVA. Public Broadcasting Service, 05 Sept. 2014. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

On The Beach :: essays research papers

Every thought of man originates from an emotion. Most of the times our actions are carried out from the heart rather than the mind. We respond to various situations on the basis of how we feel rather than what we think. However, we should not let our emotions take absolute control so that we make careless decisions or do something for which someone else has to suffer. In the novel, On the Beach, Nevil Shute creates an emotional impact on the reader by showing how man misuses his intelligence, how people react to the situation and the effect of the loss of a loved one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over centuries mankind has beared heavy losses due to the misuse of intelligence. Man has used his sophisticated, superior brain for the production of things like weapons, nuclear bombs et cetera either to take revenge or explore the power of his deadly creations. Little did he notice that someday his very own creations could bring about his own death. The most scary part, however, is that these chemical bombs are global killers, i.e. effect of the explosion of a nuclear bomb dropped in one part of the world can gradually spread all over the globe killing every living organism, sometimes even bacteria because of it’s intense radioactive levels. In the novel, On the Beach, when the character Moira Davidson, a young ambitious girl who wanted to study and visit places throughout the world is faced with the fact that neither she nor anybody else in the Southern Hemisphere is going to live for more than a few months because of a nuclear bomb launched in the Nort hern Hemisphere, she gets very furious and frustrated. She says, â€Å"There never was a bomb dropped in the Southern Hemisphere. Why must it come to us?†(7th last line, pg. 29) But, Moira wasn’t the only one who was complaining. Almost every soul on the rest of the planet shared her thought because of various reasons; a developing country like China who was at the peak of becoming one of the world’s biggest industrial power was destroyed, Russia, a country with abundant land was destroyed within days and last but not the least the people living in the countries of the Northern Hemisphere where the war began were the first ones to experience their inevitable death. They did not even have the opportunity to live longer, but even if they did, they would live a pointless life of fear awaiting their uncertain death.

History: the ancient world Essay

The region occupied by the ancient Aztec and Maya, now commonly referred to as Mesoamerica, is an area encompassing Southern and eastern Mexico, all of Guatemala, Belize an El Salvador, western and southern Honduras and the Pacific side of central America as far as the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. On the other hand, Egypt is located at the Northern part of Africa, along the Mediterranean ocean. Despite the distance between the geographical location of the two, history shows several similarities in their cultures. Ancient Mesoamerican people and the Egyptians shared a series of cultural traits; among the most striking of the two calendars of 260 and 365 days that perpetuate in a great cycle approximating fifty two years, language similarities, similar methods of construction, specifically the pyramids. There are also other similarities in their ways of life such as trading and farming among many others. Although the people inhibiting the Mesoamerica area were of many distinct cultures, often speaking mutually unintelligible languages, none the less, there was widespread contact over millennia through migrating, trade, conquest and pilgrimage. The interest in Egyptian and the Mesoamerican archeology arose in the beginning of the 19th century. It was intertwined with important local and global social political developments. Below is a discussion on some of the areas of similarity in the Egyptian and the Mesoamerican cultures. Similarities in the Egyptian and the Mesoamerican pyramids There is also a similarity in the methods of construction of the pyramids by the two cultures, based on the concept of externally oriented architecture. It is believed that the Egyptian pyramids often had temples placed at the summit of the pyramids, just as houses had been built on top of masonry platforms. For example, in the Puuc style, the stone temple facades resembled the design of the tied twig walls of the Maya house. The tendency of the early stone architecture to imitate reed or wood construction was also seen in the early Egypt. In Zozer’s pyramid complex at Saqqara, stone pillars were carved in the shape of the bundles of papyrus or the palm trees that had been used as supports in the palaces at that time. Many of the features of the Egyptian pyramids are found in the pyramids of Mesoamerica. At Uximal the pyramid complex was enclosed by a wall as were those of Egypt. Chichen Itza was also a walled city of 30 square kilometer with 7 paved roads, or sacheob, several kilometers long connecting important sites. The paved road between Uxmal and Kabah was 18 km long. These roads or sacheob, resemble the Egyptian pyramid causeways, although their geography was different. Differences in the pyramids Differences in the Egyptian and the American pyramids have already been noted, although some of them are more apparent than real. There are the differences as a result of time and function. It is said that the famous Egyptian pyramids were built before the year 2000, and the classic pyramids of Maya pyramids came 300 years after. However, history says that the Kushite revival of pyramids c-700 coincides with the construction of the early Olmec pyramids at La Venta. The pyramids of Egypt were conceived as tombs, playing an important part in the religion of the Egyptians. It has been admitted that the Mesoamerican pyramids were also important in their religion. However, the difference with the Mesoamerican pyramids is that never served as tombs, but were used for another reason. The famous Palenque is proving that at least some pyramids served as tombs in America, but for the important people of the society. There is no doubt that there was a difference in the precise religious function of the Egyptian and the Mesoamerican pyramids, although the exact purpose of the pyramids is contradictory. Also, there have been no claims to identify the composition and the construction methods of the pyramids. Whereas the Americans made extensive use of small stones, cement and stucco, the Egyptians used much larger stones while sparingly using the mortar. Astronomy and the calendar In both the Egyptian and the Mesoamerican complexes, the astronomical orientation played an important role. Both the Mesoamerican and the Egyptian civilizations had developed scientific calendars, as was common to all the agricultural societies. For this reason, they paid close attention to the solar and the lunar cycles. In Mesoamerica, close attention was given to the Venus cycle, which helped shape the calendar. Unlike the classical Greeks, the Maya knew that the morning and the evening stars were the same heavenly body (Venus). The Mesoamericans calculated that an 8-year solar cycle equaled a 5-year Venus cycle. Although the Mesoamericans knew that the solar year was a little over 365 days, they also made extensive use of a 260 day cycle which had no parallel in the Egyptian calendar. The Egyptians, on the other hand, had studied all the visible constellations in developing their star clocks. A different star was chosen every ten days (the Egyptian week) as the new decan star to mark the last hour of the night. The modern time measurement of 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night measurement had its own origin in the ancient Egypt. They had also developed a constant civil calendar of 365 days. However, the Egyptian calendar, with an early development of 4241 was far more ancient than that of Mesoamerica. Language similarity The precise history of the of the ancient languages of the people of Egypt and Mesoamerica remains a mystery even up to today, and the origin of the two cultures is also uncertain. The reason for the demise of the cultures of the people of Maya is uncertain, but the tragic devastation of the Aztec culture is all too well known. Although there is limited evidence, a number of scholars have suspected that these two regions, although from different parts of the world have come into contact between themselves during the ancient times. However, it has been denied that the encounter between these two cultures was a prolonged one. Other scholars have suggested that there could be a possibility that these two cultures never came into contact at all. Despite the contradictions among the scholars, the similarities between these two cultures are major and cannot be ignored. There is an assumption that the Egyptians and the Mesoamericans shared a common language which made it possible to exchange the ideas. The reasoning behind the similarities between the two languages is that there must have been contact between people from the two regions. There are many similarities in the linguistic correspondences between the two languages, which remove the possibility of just a contact between the Egyptians and the Mesoamericans. The possibility of a spontaneous coincidence has also been ruled out, because of the existence of similar sounds and meanings in some words. Application of Mathematics Mathematics was also developed at quite a high level in both cultures. This shows that they were able to make measurements during the construction of the pyramids, and also in other areas that could have required the application of mathematics. Today, it is clear that the Mesoamerican arithmetic is readily adaptable to the operations of multiplication and division as well as the simpler addition and subtraction operation. The difference in the numbering systems of the two cultures was that the Egyptian numbering system was additive, base 10, making extensive use of fractions and did not have a symbol for zero. On the other hand, the Mesoamerican system used base 20, was positional, was the first to invent a symbol for zero but as far as history shows, it did not use fractions. There are no detailed records of the Mesoamerican written materials, due to an order that was given by the Spanish authorities to burn down all Native American books. The Mesoamerican and the Egyptian writings were both rooted in their own separate cultures and iconography. It is not known if the first use of the paper in Mesoamerica received an impulse from Africans who were already familiar with papyrus writing materials. Several plant materials were used by the Maya of Mesoamerica to make â€Å"paper†. The famous maguey cactus and the amatl tree from which â€Å"amate† is made are some of the materials that were used to write on. Materials from the tree were soaked, washed, pounded, cut into small pieces and pounded again, a process that is not so different from that of making the papyri. Farming activities Both the Egyptians and the Mesoamericans relied on agriculture for food. During the early years, the Maya of Mesoamerica started civilizing. They built small radiating canal systems in a low rainfall area of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, which is assumed to have been used to irrigate crops. Irrigation was so important, as more than 85% of all the farming in Mesoamerica relied on canal irrigation. In Egypt, farming was common along river Nile. Irrigation was at first done through the over flooding water from the river at the farms along the river. Later on, they adopted the method of fetching water and pouring it directly to the crops, which was later on replaced with the digging of canals to redirect the water to the farms. Trade in Egypt and Mesoamerica Due to the farming activities along the river Nile, the people of Egypt engaged themselves in trading activities amongst themselves. They then upgraded to trading with the people of Mesopotamia, and later on with those from the kingdom of Kush towards the South. There are historians who believe that the Egyptian picture writing, or hieroglyphics, was developed from Sumerian cuneiform as a result of trade contracts with Mesopotamia. In Mesoamerica, long distance trade first developed in Maya. The first of these was a shift in the bulk of east west commerce from the ancient pre classic trade routes along the Pacific coastal plain and the coast of Yucatan to the central-Maya routes through the highlands and, more important, along the rivers across the lowlands. The second development was the emergence of a new Mesoamerican power centre at Teotihuacan, which was able to re-unify the long distance trade network during the early classic period. The trade differences in the two societies could be as a result of the differences in the goods traded by the two societies. Although they all specialized in farming practices, they planted different crops, which they used as trading commodities. Conclusion There are many similarities between the Mesoamericans and the Egyptians. Although it is not clear to any historians how these similarities came to be, the possibility of a mere coincidence in the cultures has been out ruled. This essay has highlighted some of the some of the areas of similarity such as the pyramids, the calendars, farming activities and trade, to prove a relation in the cultures of the Mesoamericans and the Egyptians. However, more research needs to be done to prove how these people from difference continents came to adopt such similar cultures. Future research should also focus on finding out whether there are other ways of life that the two cultures shared. Reference 1) Jerry H. Bentley, Herbert F. Ziegler, â€Å"Traditions and Encounters†, 4th edition, Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2008. ISBN 978-0-07-333062-4

Steady State Theory and Pulsating Theory

In cosmology, the Steady State theory (also known as the Infinite Universe theory or continuous creation) is a model developed in 1948 by Fred Hoyle, Thomas Gold, Hermann Bondi and others as an alternative to the Big Bang theory (known, usually, as the standard cosmological model). In steady state views, new matter is continuously created as the universe expands, so that the perfect cosmological principle is adhered to.Theoretical calculations showed that a static universe was impossible under general relativity, and observations by Edwin Hubble had shown that the universe was expanding. The steady state theory asserts that although the universe is expanding, it nevertheless does not change its appearance over time (the perfect cosmological principle); it has no beginning and no end. The theory requires that new matter must be continuously created (mostly as hydrogen) to keep the average density of matter equal over time.The amount required is low and not directly detectable: roughly one solar mass of baryons per cubic megaparsec per year or roughly one hydrogen atom per cubic meter per billion years, with roughly five times as much dark matter. Such a creation rate, however, would cause observable effects on cosmological scales. Dust-Cloud Theory. Between 1940 and 1955 the German astronomer Carl f. von Weizsaccker, the Dutch-American astronomer Gerald P. Kuiper and the U. S. chemist Harold C.Urey worked out a theory that attempted to account for all the characteristics of the solar system that need to be explained. According to their dust-cloud theory, the solar system was formed from a slowly rotating cloud of dust and gas that contracted and started to rotate faster in its outer parts, where eddies formed. These eddies were small near the center of the cloud and larger at greater distances from the center. The distances corresponded more or less to the Titius-Bode relation.As the clouds cooled, materials coagulated near the edges of the eddies and eventually formed planets and asteroids, all moving in the same direction. The slowly rotating central part of the cloud condensed and formed the sun, and the sun's central temperature rose as gravity further compressed the material. When nuclear reactions eventually began in the suns interior, about 5 billion years ago, much of the nearby gas was blown away by the pressure of the sun's emitted light.Nevertheless the earthy retained an atmosphere consisting of methane, ammonia, carbon monoxide, water vapor, and nitrogen, with perhaps some hydrogen. In this primitive atmosphere and in the seas below it, organic compounds were formed that eventually resulted in living organisms. The organisms evolved in the next 2 billion years into higher plants and animals, and photosynthesis by plants and the weathering of rock produced the oxygen in the earth's atmosphere.Although free gases near the sun were blown outward 4 to 5 billion years ago, according to the dust-cloud theory, the giant planets were too distant to be much affected. They are large, therefore, and contain a great amount of hydrogen. The comets, in turn, are thought to be the outer part of the primordial nebula, left behind as the inner part condensed to form the sun and the planets. The Dutch astronomer J. H. Oort speculated that this material condensed into chunks that continue to move along with the sun through space.Now and then a chunk is perturbed and falls slowly toward the sun. As it is heated by sunlight, it grows a coma and tail. The dust-cloud theory thus explains the solar system characteristics listed above. It is most weak in detailing the process whereby the planets and asteroids formed from solids that made up only a small percent of the primordial nebula. However, this is essentially a chemical problem, strongly dependent on the sequence or timing of events such as eddy formation, temperature changes, and the start of solar luminosity. Pulsating Theory: According to this theory, the universe is su pposed to be expanding and contracting alternately i. e. pulsating. At present, the universe is Expanding. According to pulsating theory, it is possible that at a certain time, the expansion of the universe may be stopped by the gravitational pull and the may contract again. After it has been contracted to a certain size, explosion again occurs and the universe will start expanding. The alternate expansion and contraction of the universe give rise to pulsating universe.

Free Essays on Drugs and Prison Inmates

Drugs are, without a doubt, one of the most widespread problems in this country. About eighty percent of all prison inmates have been incarcerated because of drug related charges. It seems that the more the nation "cracks down" on drugs the more they proliferate throughout our society. But why do we choose to continue implementing ideas that have already been shown to be incapable of solving the problem? Why do we keep increasing prison sentences, inflating punitive measures, and torturing sick people; people who are already tortured from within? Why are drugs illegal at all? What right has another to determine what a person morally can and cannot do to their own body? How can one impose paternalistic laws upon personal choices that affect no one save those who make them? Drugs can sometimes be horrible things that result in terrible pain and human suffering, but how can one logically justify our saying that anyone cannot take them; that they do not have the right to take them? Furthermore what right have we to punish a drug addict for acting in a manner that affects no one but themselves? Drug laws have one end alone: to protect us, not from others, but from ourselves; from our own ignorance, our own stupididty, and our inability to make the right decisions. How can one justify the application of what must honestly be perceived as torture upon people who are already in pain? To believe that we should punish drug addicts is to believe that we should brutalize people for being in pain. The "war on drugs", more often seeming a war on the people than on drugs, requires more money, time, and effort than any other criminal activity, and the more of these we waste the more drugs we see. Prisons are overflowing with people who made personal decisions about their own lives; and suffered as a result even before they were carelessly flung into a life of socially-sponsored torture. How can anyone, though, really say that what these people di... Free Essays on Drugs and Prison Inmates Free Essays on Drugs and Prison Inmates Drugs are, without a doubt, one of the most widespread problems in this country. About eighty percent of all prison inmates have been incarcerated because of drug related charges. It seems that the more the nation "cracks down" on drugs the more they proliferate throughout our society. But why do we choose to continue implementing ideas that have already been shown to be incapable of solving the problem? Why do we keep increasing prison sentences, inflating punitive measures, and torturing sick people; people who are already tortured from within? Why are drugs illegal at all? What right has another to determine what a person morally can and cannot do to their own body? How can one impose paternalistic laws upon personal choices that affect no one save those who make them? Drugs can sometimes be horrible things that result in terrible pain and human suffering, but how can one logically justify our saying that anyone cannot take them; that they do not have the right to take them? Furthermore what right have we to punish a drug addict for acting in a manner that affects no one but themselves? Drug laws have one end alone: to protect us, not from others, but from ourselves; from our own ignorance, our own stupididty, and our inability to make the right decisions. How can one justify the application of what must honestly be perceived as torture upon people who are already in pain? To believe that we should punish drug addicts is to believe that we should brutalize people for being in pain. The "war on drugs", more often seeming a war on the people than on drugs, requires more money, time, and effort than any other criminal activity, and the more of these we waste the more drugs we see. Prisons are overflowing with people who made personal decisions about their own lives; and suffered as a result even before they were carelessly flung into a life of socially-sponsored torture. How can anyone, though, really say that what these people di...

Three similar cultures in Nigeria essays

Three similar cultures in Nigeria essays As we all know that traveling is part of education; getting out of ones comfort zone and knowing what goes on around does not only keep one well informed, but, also makes one comfortable enough to participate in an intellectual discussion and to interact at any environment. Nigeria is located in the West of Africa. It is the most populous Black Country in the world. It gained independence from the British in 1960. It is divided into 3 main regions ethnic groups that is, the Hausas, Ibos, and the Yorubas. Each is named after its language and each has its own characteristic culture. Culture as generally known is the peoples way of life, belief and practices. Most often, it goes along with the style of dressing of the society in question. The Hausas are the northerners. They are mostly Moslems; and are conservatively dressed with head and body covered. The Ibos are located in the southeast area of Nigeria, and are mostly Christians. They dress in a more westernized way. The Yorubas are located in the southwest part of Nigeria and are mixture of Muslims and Christians, they people dress according to religion affiliation. As an outsider one will wonder what these 3 groups have in common. There are a lot of cultures they share but for the sake of time I will just inform you about three of the cultures. One culture is education; Because Nigeria is a mixed society there are over 250 different languages spoken but English is the official language and that is the only way everyone communicate. There is a 6-3-3-4 system of education. 6 years in elementary school, 3 years each in junior and senior secondary schools, and 4 years in college/university. A year of work outside ones ethic region to serve the country is observed after the college degree, the purpose of this is for one to know about another ethnic group and to break culture shock; it also unites all graduates (youths) ...