Vertigo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vertigo - Essay Example While investigating and trailing her, he discovers that she is suicidal and is suffering from thoughts of committing suicide. Later both of them fall in love with each other and then the protagonist experiences the death of Madeleine as she commits suicide. Later he is cared for by Judy Barton who resembles Madeleine and Scottie once again falls in love and this time he is in love with Barton. He tries to mold Barton and make her look exactly similar to Madeline but later he discovers that Madeleine’s death was a hoax and was a plan by her husband. Later due to an accident Barton dies and the protagonist loses his fear of heights but ends up being heart broken. The central point that is being discussed in the movie is the attraction as well as fear that are associated with death. Death can cause different emotions within an individual, for example it can result in the emotion of fear or it can even result in the emotion of satisfaction. This is a point that has been quite heavily depicted in the movie. The movie depicts that when an individual himself experiences death or a near death situation, he/she is most likely to experience the emotion of fear (Krueger 53). This was quite evident as when the protagonist of the movie is about to die as he is about to fall from a very tall building. Due to this incident he became so afraid of death by falling that he became afraid of heights and developed a psychological disorder called acrophobia. At the same time movie even depicts that death is a way through which individuals can gain satisfaction and relief from emotional stress. This feeling of satisfaction and emotional relaxation is experienced by those individuals who use death as a tool of revenge (McDougall 121). This is quite clearly depicted within the movie as the protagonist tries to kill Judy who had helped in planning the death of Madeline. Although the protagonist was afraid of death, he counters this fear when he himself

The Overpowering Nature of Nurture

The Overpowering Nature of Nurture Our first impressions are generated by our experiences and our environment, which means that we can change our first impressions by changing the experiences that comprise those impressions. (Gladwell, 2005, p.97). We are, to a certain extent, the person we are, but the reality is that for reasons unknown to us, there are just certain people with which we do not click. It may be ground into our genes or it may have been structured into our thoughts and beliefs by the environment. The same goes for our own first impressions. We are naturally going to look a certain way or have a certain talent that gets peoples attention, but we still have the ability to change, at least partially, the first impression we show other people. There is no doubt that genetics determine a part of who we are as individuals, but nature is not the key component when considering who we become, since, as humans, we, through our social experiences and moral development, are constantly being shaped by the world in which we are surrounded. Every person is born into this world an individual and it is those initial seconds and minutes after we are born that show the importance nature. Jensen (2005) states, All humans are unique because of both prenatal differences and postnatal experiences (p.113). Our prenatal differences are significant because they determine our genes and the way our brain and body form. For example, both my parents have blue eyes and I also have blue eyes. I was also not born with any diseases or addictions because my mother took good care of her body when she was pregnant with me. My dad and my siblings have been diagnosed with ADD in the last couple years. While I have not been diagnosed, I do believe that I have it as well, at least at a minimal level or at a level Ive learned to control naturally over the years. All of these factors are things that I have no control over; they are what nature has put together for me in my biological make-up. Another biological factor that many people consider is intelligence. According to Gladwell (2008), some people are born with a high level of analytical intelligence which is the type of intelligence measured by I.Q. tests. Oddly, enough, intelligence has a threshold (Gladwell, 2008, p.80). Therefore, despite the amount of intelligence a person is born with, the rest of that persons intelligence, the intelligence that allows us have things like street smarts, is actually learned; it is at this point that the value of nurture comes into play. Nurture is critical when considering the person we each become. After all, our moral development and social experiences are interlinked and both impact the way things turn out for us and various points in our lives. According to Carol Gilligan and Lawrence Kohlberg, moral development happens in a variety of stages. The stage someone actually progresses to will then vary depending on the experiences and opportunities provided. Kohlbergs Theory of Moral Development has six stages and I feel that I am currently between level three and five on his scale, probably depending on the situation (Crain, 1985). In terms of the Heinz dilemma, I agree that the wife should be saved even if it means going against the law to do it. I also know that if I were the druggist, I would not want the death of the wife on my conscious, knowing I could save her. The theory Carol Gilligan created involves three stages, of which I feel I have, in most situations, progressed to the final stage of post-convention al (Hurst, 2013). Interestingly enough, I would credit my higher level of morality to a combination of a religious upbringing, a traditional family life, having to endure the death of my mom, and a sound confidence in myself. It is these social experiences that have helped me understand that while it is important for me to take care of myself, it is also important to consider the needs of others. This understanding of ones own moral development is a contributing factor for the level of success a person can achieve in addition to their social experiences. Malcolm Gladwell emphasizes the influence of an individuals social experiences and upbringing or cultural environments; he states, the values of the world we inhabit and the people we surround ourselves with have a profound effect on who we are and shape the patterns of our achievement in ways we cannot begin to imagine (2008, p.11, 19). My level of responsibility for myself and my family, the supportive environment of friends and family I possessed growing up, and the way I was taught to handle various situations have all affected me in where Ive ended up and how I am today. In agreement with Gladwell (2008), Trish Nicholls, who studied the theories of Lev Vygotsky, states, Culture provides the basic orientations that stucture the behavioural environment of the self (1998, par.10). I am lucky enough to say that I do feel successful at this point in my life, but without the culture I was and am currently surrounded by, I dont believe I would have been able to achieve what I have so far. For example, if my parents did not value higher education and travel, and were not veterans, my years after high school may have been significantly different. I would not have had college paid for by the government and I may not have chosen to spend the money I made working traveling. Without the travel opportunities presented to me at my university, I would not value the things I have or see the world with a global perspective. I also would probably not have as much drive to improve our education system because I wouldnt have had any recognition of how it could be better or what else exists in the world. Vygotsky discusses a zone of proximal development that describes each person as having the potential for greatness, but he also emphasizes why scaffolding and our environment ar e so critical in helping a person become great (Nicholls, 1998). All in all, our social experiences and the nurturing that takes place in our life do affect who we become. It is commonly known that life and who a person becomes is the product of the decisions and path taken along the way. Gladwell (2008) describes successful people in the following way, It is not the brightest who succeed [nature]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Nor is success simply the sum of the decisions and efforts we make on our own behalf. It is, rather, a gift. Outliers are those who have been given opportunities-and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them [nurture] (p.267). A large part of the decisions a person makes in their life relates directly to his/her moral development and the experiences he/she has. The reality, though, is that talent, a high I.Q. or the presentation of fantastic opportunities is simply not enough; people must take a combination of everything they are given and use what they know to perfect their first impression of who they really are. After all, we only have one first impression to give. References Crain, W. C. (1985). Theories of Development (pp. 118-136). N.p.: Prentice-Hall. Retrieved from http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/kohlberg.htm Gladwell, M. (2005). Blink. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers. New York, NY: Back Bay Books. Hurst, M. (2013). Carol gilligans theory of moral development. In Education Portal. Retrieved March 20, 2014, from http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/carol-gilligans-theory-of-moral-development.html#lesson Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Nicholl, T. (1998). Vygotsky. In Mathematics education: Constructivism: Vygotsky and the internet. Retrieved March 17, 2014, from http://www.massey.ac.nz/~alock/virtual/trishvyg.htm

religion :: essays research papers

The Religion Of Huckleberry Finn Religion is a simple concept to learn. Webster's dictionary defines religion as: "belief in a divine or superhuman power or powers to be obeyed and worshipped as the creator(s) and ruler(s) of the universe." Although it is understood what religion is, not everyone has the same views. There are numerous varieties and sub-vrieties of religions. In fact, religion can be so diverse that one might say that he or she is of the same religion as another person but the way he or she demonstrates their beliefs may be dramatically different. In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, writes about a young boy's growing and maturing experiences one summer as he travels down the Mississippi River. One of the things that this boy, Huck Finn, discovers is how religion affects his lifestyle. Huckleberry Finn's views of religion have an impact on many essential points in the episodic novel. Religion has an effect on three of Huck's major decisions throughout the novel. His religion is tested when he first decides to help Jim run away. His religion is tested when he lies to most of the people he meets traveling down the Mississippi River, and Huckleberry's religion is tested when he decides to help Jim escape from slavery for good. Huckleberry Finn was raised without a strong religious influence. Huck's father being a raging alcoholic, and Huck living mostly on his own, were two of the factors that contributed to this. Pap came to visit him one night and expressed his negative thoughts on school and religion. "First you know you'll get religion, too. I never see such a son" (Twain 20). Despite these warnings, the Widow Douglas continued to teach Huck. Later in the novel, these teaching have consequential effects on Huck. Huck's religious morals are first tested when he decides to help the Widow's slave escape to freedom. During the time that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn took place, slavery was not uncommon. In the beginning of the story,

On philosophy

Virginia Held, in her article Feminist Transformations of Moral Theory, claims that the historical groundings of the precepts of philosophy, including the sets of ethical theories and positions, and philosophy in general have been erected from the viewpoints of men and that the ideas involved are not entirely â€Å"gender-neutral† as they appear to claim themselves (Held). One can observe that throughout the stretch of the time that encompassed the early stages of philosophy up to the time of the industrial revolution and the onset of the age of globalization, men have dominated the field of philosophy. Women in the past societies in particular were given very minimal role in social activities and endeavors inasmuch as most of these women were simply confined to their homes and their tasks were greatly deprived of social participation (Claassen and Joyce). This observation leads us to the assumption that, because of these deterring factors on the very presence of women in the society, women have also played very little part in the development of philosophy in general and the number of philosophical discussions all-over the world. The rise of feminism alongside and the shift in the patriarchal patterns that loomed over societies, however, have appeared to dissolve one by one the barriers that isolate women from having a part in the philosophical plane. One can further analyze that Virginia appears to argue that what the philosophy we know of today is the product of the past philosophizing done in large part by men. Richard Brandt, for this matter, has principally endorsed in some of his works the idea of overcoming bias and prejudice in the very precepts of morality (Stevenson). This observation appears to relieve Brandt of the accusations hurled by Virginia towards the evolution of philosophy throughout the decades that humanity has dwelled on its rough, intricate, and oftentimes bewildering edges. Brandt argues that passion should not be allowed to intervene whenever we are to delve into matters that concern morality for it blurs the capacity of our reason and thinking on equally significant moral issues (Brandt). If this is the case, indeed Brandt may have already swung himself off the reaches of Virginia’s accusations with regards to traditional philosophy for the reason that traditional philosophy has been seen to be relished with all sorts of manly traces. The suggestion being offered by Brandt is one that relieves philosophy of any bias towards a specific gender in any working context, one that seeks to salvage the philosophy we know today from the dregs of traditional philosophy. However, there remains the contention that even if Brandt is arguing for an objective quest, at least in terms of the moral precepts and moral traditions that humanity has strongly held through time, the very fact that Brandt sees his world from a man’s point of view can be a point of contention. This taunts one to pose questions of uncertainty and credibility with regards to his claim of a rationalizing empty of passion and bias. If Virginia Held is aptly precise and right with her argument, it appears, then, that Brandt’s perception on philosophy and that of morality is not thoroughly empty of bias for the reason that the latter sees the world from the understanding and vision of man whereas women might have a differing view with regards to what they know of about the world they both live in. This leads us to the assumption that, granted Virginia’s arguments are strongly founded, Brandt’s ideas and the rest of his arguments cannot entirely be empty of bias given the fact that he is a man and that a woman thinks rather differently to those of males. And there has indeed been numerous interpretations that separates from traditional philosophy, especially from a feminist approach where women are treated as individuals who also share roles in the society in general. Capital punishment and killings in war Capital punishment is typically utilized in order to put unlawful people before the justice system of societies and put an end to their unlawful means—and to their lives—thereby removing further instances of committing heinous crimes by the same criminal. War killings, on the other hand, are primarily taken to be understood as killings in the battlefield, especially in times of war wherein combatants or armies from the opposing sides are granted by their authorities to obtain their mission through every possible means—such as gunning down the enemy—in order to not only deter the enemy from advancing further but also to finally put an end to the enemy’s existence. From a Kantian perspective, both capital punishment and killings in war are immoral acts in the sense that both of these essentially take away the lives of men which is, on the other hand, strictly against the moral imperatives. Basically, Kant suggests that taking away the life of another individual cannot be justified because it is not the right thing to do at whatever given situation. Utilitarianism, on the other hand, provides us with another view that implies that both capital punishment and war killings can be morally justified given that both of these promote the general good or the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. That is, taking away the life of another individual can be justified in the ethical issues given that the basis for the action is justifiable. And this moral theory asserts that actions can indeed be justified, specifically in the context of the measurement of happiness and its consequent effects on the welfare and happiness of the greatest number of individuals. However, the strand of rule utilitarianism splits from this claim because it argues that rules should not be bent just for the attainment of general happiness which, in this case, is taken to mean that moral precepts and legal rules concerning life should never be flexed in order to fit the situation. Quite on the contrary, the very situations of capital punishment and killings in war should be critically analyzed based on these precepts and rules in order to arrive at the greatest happiness for the greatest number. William Godwin William Godwin is not inclined towards prejudice and thought it as the source of much that is wrong in the world as he also stressed the significant role of impartiality. The value of human life should be taken as a central part of the analysis of Godwin’s claim primarily because in order for the individual to be able to arrive at a sound judgment the individual should nevertheless take a look into the course of the years that have molded the life that he or she possesses (Monro). Prejudice, on the contrary, creates the notion of selectivity wherein the individual may be inclined to prefer this from that or, in another context, this person from another person for a number of reasons pegged on the selective attitude of the person. Without a concern for the value of human life, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to arrive at an impartial attitude towards others primarily because without having a universal sense of benevolence towards mankind in general impartiality can hardly be attained. Hence, in order for one to be able to embrace the idea that prejudice is the source of much that is wrong in the world, one ought to be impartial both in deeds and in thoughts. With a firm consideration on the value of human life among all of humanity, one cannot easily stray away from the holds of an impartial treatment towards other people and that one cannot straightforwardly resort to prejudice. Without having a sense of attachment towards the primacy and value of human life, it would be quite difficult as well, if not more, to act truthfully as a benevolent individual empty of prejudice in thought and deed or to at least pretend to be like an impartial individual. Kant and Singer’s animal rights Kant says that duty is the inevitability or necessity of functioning out of a strict observation for laws that are universal. Consequently, the worth or value of the action done by the individual in terms of moral contexts is essentially drawn from the intention of the action. Moreover, Kant’s treatment of a maxim can be briefly summarized as a given principle upon which one acts such that its nature is based on the manner in the expression of the intention. Thus, the content of the actions in terms of intent have an important role in Kantian ethics. This content can be further expressed in two manners. The first states that there are maxims or imperatives which stipulate that there are acts based on the desires of the individual. This is what Kant calls the hypothetical imperative. On the other hand, those which are based on reason and not merely dependent on one’s desires belong to the categorical imperative. The latter type deals with what ought to be done. All these can be roughly transposed and summarized into Kant’s conception of the practical imperative which claims that one ought to act to treat human beings as ends in themselves and never merely as a means to any given end, whether the individual is the self or another person. Peter Singer argues that ethical precepts should be extended so that it will encompass animals as well. If this is the case, and if we are to place this in the context of Kant’s proposition, then we are to arrive at the idea that, after ethical precepts have been made to be understood to encompass animals, no one is to treat any animal as means in order to arrive at certain ends but rather as the very ends themselves. Kant would disagree with Singer in the sense that the former’s theory is anchored on the rationality of human beings whereas animals are empty of rational capacity. Singer, on the other hand, would disagree with Kant in this notion primarily because animals also have rights and that these rights should be also recognized within the ethical sphere. References Arthur, John. Morality and Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social and Political Philosophy. 7th ed: Prentice Hall, 2004. Brandt, Richard B. â€Å"A Motivational Theory of Excuses in the Criminal Law.†Ã‚   Morality, Utilitarianism, and Rights. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992. 252. Claassen, Cheryl, and Rosemary A. Joyce. â€Å"Women in Prehistory.† American Antiquity 63.1 (1998): 175. Held, Virginia. â€Å"Feminist Transformations of Moral Theory.† Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 50.Supplement (1990): 321. Monro, D. H. â€Å"Godwin's Moral Philosophy: An Interpretation of William Godwin.† Ethics 64.2 (1954): 134. Stevenson, Charles L. â€Å"Brandt's Questions About Emotive Ethics.† The Philosophical Review 59.4 (1950): 529.   

Continuing Academic Success Essay

Continuing Academic Success is extremely important to those who plan to make advancements in their chosen career fields. It provides the opportunity to keep current with ideas, techniques, and advancements that are being made in their area of employment. We will address the importance of setting achievable goals, the importance of learning styles in academic success and the validity of ethics and academic integrity in helping to achieve continuing academic and professional success. Setting Goals Distinct, clearly defined goals that can be measured will allow a person to take pride in accomplishing the goals they have set. They are able to see clear forward progress in what otherwise might seem a long drawn out process. Setting goals allows one to choose where they want to go in school or in a career and what they want to achieve. Knowing what they want to achieve, helps them know what they have to concentrate on and improve. Goal setting gives one long-term vision and short-term motivation. By setting goals students and employees can: improve their academic and career performance, increase their motivation to achieve, increase pride and satisfaction in performance and improve their self- confidence. Setting goals and measuring their achievements allow the goal setters to see what they have done and what they are capable of doing. Seeing their results gives them confidence and assurance and motivation they need to believe they can achieve higher goals. Effective goal setting requires one to express goals positively, be accurate, set priorities, keep goals small, set goals one can control and set specific measurable goals. Writing down your goals symbolizes a real commitment to strive to make them reality. My educational goal is to increase pride and satisfaction in performance while studying to obtain my degree. Knowing the importance of writing as a form of communication, it my desire to improve my writing skills in an effort to better express my ideas in a manner that will be clear, coherent and understandable. My career goa is to obtain my Associate’s Degree in Health Care Administration by the summer of 2016. Goal setting provides a positive means to help motivate the learner. Motivation is a necessary part of  providing the learners with initiative and incentive to accomplish the goals they have established. Motivation is that drive or desire to do are accomplish a given task. â€Å"A common lay person’s definition of motivation is that it involves a strong personal interest in a particular subject or activity. Students are motivated and they learn and achieve because of this strong interest.†9 (Linnebrink, 2002)Students and employees are motivated in many different ways but their motivation can vary based upon the situation or context in which they find themselves, (Linnebrink,2002) which means motivation is inherently changeable and sensitive to the context. Motivation will also vary based upon the subject matter being taught. Study results show that students who participate in religious services more frequently usually have a more positive self- image, feel good about school, have parental involvement, have fewer behavior problems and make higher scores. ((Toldson, 2010) Learning Styles Another major factor in the achievement of continuing academic success is the learner’s awareness of their unique learning styles. Learning styles refer to the different strengths and preferred methods students and employees: use to receive and process information. Awareness of their learning styles is most beneficial to them in the achievement of continuing academic success. Learning style is about how the learner learns most effectively, knowing this allows the learners to use those educational methods strategies that is best facilitate their learning styles. Learning styles include, but are not limited to, visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), tactile or Kinesthetic (doing) and reading and writing preference learner’s. No learner’s is limited to one style of learning, but all have a preferred style. Being a kinesthetic learner, I prefer to do, participate in, discover. Kinesthetic learners need to move around while being involved in activities. Involvement doing increases their understanding. These learner’s short and long term memories are strengthened by their use of movement. They use their bodies as a means of expressing thoughts, ideas and concepts. Importance of Ethics & Academic Integrity Ethics-is the study of the basic values of a community; moral principles that  govern a person’s or groups behavior. Through the study of ethics we learn to understand what is expected of us behaviorally and why it is expected of us. We also learn rules of behavior based upon ideas about what is morally good and bad. Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in scholarship. This includes values such as avoidance of cheating or plagiarism; maintenance of academic standards; honesty and rigor in research and academic publishing. Academic Integrity is based upon ethics, which is the study of the basic value of a community. Academic work should be a result of one’s own effort. It dishonest and show a lack of integrity to claim creativity for someone else’s work in any form. Growing up in a black church has lead me to be exposed to the influence of the black church on the moral and academic development of its students. â€Å"The study explored how religious influence affects academic achievement among black students. On a basic level this study found that all students participated in more religious activities and who had stronger religious convictions were more likely to report higher grades in school. The study does not determine that religion leads to higher grades.† The Ethical Lens Inventory make me aware of the fact that when I don’t have the information I need I’m tempted to excuse myself from following the rules, convincing myself that rules are for other people. In such situations, it is incumbent to remember that I, like everyone else must abide by the rules and regulations because they are set for the good of the community not just for me. Conclusion Continuing Academic Success requires the setting of distinct and clearly defined goals that can be measured. This allows one to choose where they want to go and what they want to achieve. Motivation is an important factor in this process. Awareness of individual learning styles is beneficial in achieving success. And adherence to ethics and academic integrity is a moral responsibility of all who are involved in academic endeavors. References 1. Gokalp, M. (2013, October). The Effect of Student’s Learning Styles to Their Academic Success. Creative Education, 4(10), pgs. 627-632. 2. Linnebrink, E. A., & Pintrich, P. R. (2002). Motivation as an enabler for  academic success. School of Psychology Review, 31(3), pg. 313-328 3. Toldson, Ivory A. & Anderson, Kenneth A. (2010) The Role of Spirituality, Religion and the African American Church on Educational Outcomes (Summer 2010)