Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto Essay -- Communist Manifesto Essays

Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto Faith and Reason Communism can seem very desirable. â€Å"It argued a world without war, in which the meek and the disadvantaged would share without distinction, the anticipated material and spiritual abundance generated by advanced.†(Gregor 19) This seems as though it would be the ideal form of government but in reality it is far from that. I will tell you about three of the most powerful communist countries of the twentieth century. The countries that I am talking about are the Soviet Union, or Russia as it is called today, the Peoples Republic of China, and Cuba. Communism is a theory that states that society should own all property. There should be no private ownership and labor is organized so that all members of society will benefit. Communism is based on the theories of Karl Marx and writing, â€Å"The Communist Manifesto.† The start of communism in the Soviet Union took place in October of 1917. At this time V. I. Lenin seized power. Lenin made many changes such as the New Economic Policy or NEP. This made most of the industry in the Soviet Union property of the people. This meant that most of the means of production was governmentally owned. Lenin and his new form of government achieved great things in the Soviet Union such as the end of civil war against the Czarist military system. One key but not very much liked rule, in communism, was the censorship and subordination of interest groups such as trade unions was enforced so that the new governments policies would be accepted. Then in 1924 Lenin died. His predecessor was a man by the name of Joseph Stalin. Stalin rose to great power and controlled most of the political power along wit... ... property of all the people over all fundamental means of production and the suppression of all exploitation of man by man.†(Constitution of Cuba) So you see, communism is not as desirable as it sounds when you first hear about it. I could only imagine our society, today, as a communist society. I hope you see all of the hardships caused by communism and are thankful for the blessings we are blessed with here in the United States and any country that is not a communist one. Works Cited 1. Brzezinski, Zbigniew . The Grand Failure: The Birth and Death of Communism In the Twentieth Century. New York : Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1989 2. Gregor, A. James. The Faces of Janus-Marxism and Fascism in the Twentieth Century. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2000 3. Cuba Facts, (19 Nov. 2001)

Problems in the Further Implementation of Sage Philosophy :: Philosophical Africa Essays

Problems in the Further Implementation of Sage Philosophy ABSTRACT: With the recent death of Prof. H. Odera Oruka, founder of the ‘sage philosophy’ school of research based at the University of Nairobi, there is a need to look at some now-problematic issues. I suggest that the original impetus for starting the sage philosophy project-the defense against Euro-American skeptics who thought Africans incapable of philosophizing-has been outgrown. The present need for studies of African sages is to benefit from their wisdom, both in Africa and around the world. I also suggest that the title ‘sage’ has to be problematized. While there were good reasons to focus earlier on rural elders as overlooked wise philosophers, the emphasis now should be on admiring philosophical thought wherever it may be found—in women, youth, and urban Africans as well. In such a way, philosophy will be further relevant to people’s lives, and further light will be shed and shared regarding the lived experience in Africa. Odera Oruka’s Own Criticism of Sage Philosophy Despite his pride in launching what many consider an important project in African philosophy, the writings of Odera Oruka himself express some doubts about the project. For example, in his essay "Philosophy in East Africa and the Future of Philosophical Research in Africa," he seems to refer to his own project as one of passing historical significance. There, after criticizing Tempels and other ethnophilosophers, he admits that he himself "indulge(s) in some kind of anthropological-cum-philosophical research." He said projects like his own sage philosophy and Sumner's researches into historical texts of Ethiopian philosophy were necessary at that historical point, but would soon give way to nationalist-ideological and professional-technical philosophy, trends he saw as more central to the future of African philosophy. In "Sage Philosophy Revisited," he states that "sage philosophy started as a reaction to a position which Europeans had adopted about Africa that Africans are not capab le of philosophy." So, does this imply that once Europeans change their perceptions of Africans, there will no longer be a need for professional philosophers to search out the ideas of wise rural sages? Even in this late essay, Odera Oruka continues to suggest that his work merely serves as a "base" for other forms of philosophy which will emerge in the future, but which he can't imagine right now. By "base" he seems to mean a collection of texts to which professional academic philosophers can turn, instead of always consulting European ones [Odera Oruka (1996, Ch.

Grace: First-person Narrative Essay

The theme of Vicki L. Sears â€Å"Grace† can be seen in the relationship that develops between two of the characters, Billie Jim and Paul. Billie is an orphan who gets along with his sister and is adopted by Paul and his wife. Billie displays a desire to trust and accept their new parents while sister remains suspicious. Vickie Sears illustrate that although children suffer abuse and neglect, there is hope that they can learn to trust and build self-esteem. Billie Jim is a silent child who relies on his sister to protect him. Paul and his wife come to get them but Billie is hiding in a tree to escape from some of the bigger boys. His sister steps in and fights the older boys to get Billie down. She describes him as a â€Å"sissy†. Billie has to use the bathroom, but instead of asking their new parents he pinches his sister. Paul takes him to the restroom and his sisters concern gives us an understanding into prior abuse and possible reasons for Billie Jim’s reserved behavior. Although Paul would never hurt Billie Jim intentionally at the  end of the story he does. His death not only means an end to their relationship, but also an end to their secure home and protection. Billie loses the starring role along with the friend he has made, and is back into his uncertain life led by corrupt adults. â€Å"The Lesson† by Toni Cade Bambara is when Toni attended college and come of age as a writer. Bambara was at the head of radical politics, the feminist movement, and African American culture in Harlem when it was the 60’s. Her writing uncovers the differences forced on  African Americans of that time which America avoided and could not interfere. The story is a window for the reader into Bambara’s reality as much as it is a lesson for the immature woman Sylvia the main character. â€Å"The Lesson† is a first person narrative told by a young, poor, black girl growing up in Harlem in an undetermined time period known as â€Å"Back in the days when everyone was old and stupid or young and foolish, Sugar and I were the only ones just right†. Going by the prices some can accept it was sometime in the early seventies.   The story is about a trip started by a local woman, who is the only educated person in the neighborhood and has taken it upon herself to uncover the unthankful children of the neighborhood to the world outside of their worried community. The last stop is FAO Schwartz in Manhattan, where the toys of white children cost more than all of the children’s household yearly incomes combined and the lesson is almost lost on the children. The story closes by making plans to spend the left over cab fare change they stole from Miss Moore. At the last second Sylvia turns on her friend and goes off alone to think of the events of the day. The story’s theme focuses on education and the need for education as the results of knowledge. It proves how learning can lead to grief but that the grief is necessary for helpful change. The author also studies different types of pride and purposes of leadership and the various ways people show respect or disrespect for each other. Underlying the entire story is the concept of economic difference between whites and blacks in the United States.

Nurse Staffing Essay

Adequate nurse staffing for patient care has been a major difficulty in the health care system . Patients’ acuity continues to grow at a fast rate while hospitals continue to struggle with the adequate number for nurse-to-patient ratio, leaving nurses in a very difficult situation while trying to provide the best care possible to their patients. The low nurse-to-patients ratio can be remedied when public and private hospitals realize the negative impact on the outcome of care. This paper will try to point out the negative effects of low nurse-to-patient ratio has on outcome of care. Like other professions that continue to face obstacles, nursing has its own obstacles that it must face from time to time. The world population increases so will the obstacles that nursing will have to face, but good administration can be used to defend the work conditions under which nurses are forced to work. Many studies have been done to point out the problem, with a pile of evidence to support the need to alleviate the burden on the nurses but to no avail. A study conducted in the Chinese hospital by Zhu, You, et al. (2012). Nurse Staffing Levels Make a Difference on Patient Outcomes: A Multisite Study in Chinese Hospitals proved, â€Å"more nursing staff per patient had statistically significant positive effects on all necessary nursing care, nurses’ reports of quality of care, their confidence on patients’ self-care ability on discharge from hospital, patient adverse events, as well as patients’ report of satisfaction (Zhu, You, et al, 2012, p. 266)†. The study was composed of 181 hospitals across mainland China. The sample that was used was 31provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions with level 3 hospitals. To show the strength of the study, the researchers applied statistics to prove their results. As much as the hospitals may not see the need to improve on the nurse to patient problem, the evidence is there. It is something that must be dealt with because it is dangerous to both nurses and patients. Further studies were also conducted on the problem by Nantsupawat A, Srisuphan W, et al. (2011). Impact of nurse work Environment and Staffing on Hospital Nurse and Quality of care in Thailand. This study was to prove the impact of nursing staffing on the work environment, the cause of burnout and the impact on quality of care in Thailand. Research elements was secondary data analysis of 2007 Thai Nurse Survey. The study took place at 13 general and regional hospitals in Thailand using a â€Å"multistage sampling†. Nurses were asked demographic questions about themselves both general and regional hospitals. Results shown the ratio of patient to nurse was 10:1. Nurses who worked in hospitals with fair patient to nurse ratio had less burnout. The study has great significance in nursing practice and can be used as proof to show the impact of high patients to nurses ratio. It was found that nurses in Thailand work environment have high burnout and great dissatisfaction of nurses. Nurse to patient is very low with a total of 1:10 per shift. At times, a nurse ended-up having to care for more patients. The high patients to nurse ratio brought with it adverse outcomes on patients’ care and place the patients at high risk of occurrences such as: mistaken one patient for another, patient falls, medication errors, pressure ulcers, and urinary tract infection. Furthermore, in the study conducted by Cho, June, Kim, et al (2009). Nurse staffing, quality of nursing care and nurse job outcomes in intensive care units. This study measured the proportion number of patients to nurse. As per the authors of the article, â€Å"nurses were more likely to rate quality of care as high when they care for two or fewer patients (odd ratio, 3. 26; 95% confidence interval, 1. 14-9. 31) or 2. 0-2. 5 patients (odd ratios, 2. 44; 95% confidence interval, 1. 32-4. 52), compared with having more than three patients (Cho, June, Kim, et al,, 2009, p. 1729)†. The research use for its design a â€Å"cross-sectional study with survey. Its method included 1365 nurses from 65 intensive care units in 22 hospitals in Korea, using â€Å"A Multilevel logistic regression model†. Two indicators were used, which are the number of patients for each nurse on the ward and the way the staff viewed adequate staffing. The research took place in the ICU units. Hence, the study also reported that in table #4 in the Sole ICU, there were largest number of patient 2. 8 + or – 0. 4 ( Cho, June, Kim, et al, 2009, p. 1733)†. What is proven is that when the ratio of nurses increases and the patient’s one decreases, there is a higher quality of care that takes place on the unit. This study has great significance to nursing and patient care, because nurses here in the U.  S often have similar complaints. In addition, the study from Manojlovich & Sidani (2007). Nurse Dose: What’s in a concept. This is a pathway that the authors believed could alleviate the problem of nurse to patient ratio. The study provided an understanding between the link of nursing care and outcome of care. As stated by Manojlovich & Sidani (20097), â€Å"by clarifying the conceptual and operational definitions of nurse dose, we offer a unified view of the inter-relationships among variables, with the goal of advancing research on nurse staffing and patient outcome (p. 11)†. With this concept of â€Å"Nurse Dose† future nurse staffing may greatly improve. Furthermore, in the research conducted by Al-Kandari &Thomas (2008). Perceived Adverse patient outcomes correlated to nurses’ workload in medical and surgical of selected hospitals in Kuwait. It is understood that the proportion of patient to nurse ratio plays a vital part on the outcomes of care. The study shown that there is clear correlation that exist between the work load of the nursing staff and the outcomes of care. The research elements utilized for this study was â€Å"across-sectional survey conducted between RNs on medical and surgical units in five governmental hospitals. The result shown three major faulty outcomes were reported by nurses from their previous shift which were patients’ complaints and family concerns. The limitation of this study reports were only from the nurses on the units and future researches would need further details (Al-kandari &Thomas, 2007, p. 589). It is impossible for nurses to give adequate care and expect good outcomes when nurses are stocked with non-nursing tasks to do. It was found that patients and families and medication miss dose were the two primary outcomes that added on the nurses’ workload. Second, occurrences tend to increase on the units as the workload of the nurses increased, and non-nursing tasks heavily impacted the workload of the nurses in Kuwait. The study shown great relevance to nursing practice, because it shows that hospitals need to employ other people to carry out non-nursing duties on the unit such as clerical work; which would alleviate the workload from nurses responsibilities. Hence, the article Relationships between Registered Nurse Staffing, Processes of Nursing Care, and Nurse-Reported patient outcomes in Chronic Hemodialysis Units by Thomas- Hawkins, Flynn, &Clarke (2008) shown the importance of a high nurse to patient ratio in hemodialysis units. The authors reported in hemodialysis units, â€Å"higher RN staffing levels have lower odds of experiencing skipped dialysis treatments (Hawkins-T, Flynn, & Clarke, 2008, p. 124)†. The study shows that it is to the benefits of the patients when there is a higher nurse to patient ratio on hemodialysis units because, patient will less likely experience any untoward events that are associated with the side effects of hemodialysis therapy. The study utilized a â€Å"cross-sectional method† for data collection which focused on the hemodialysis patient population. The study demonstrated the importance of having a high nurse to patient ratio in dialysis units. The higher the nurses to patient ratio, the less occurrences the patients will experience during hemodialysis treatment. The research used a type of questionnaire in order to find the most accurate adverse events that took place in the dialysis units. The limitations of this study was conducted with nurses who belong to an organization, the adverse patients’ outcomes were gathered from the nurses’ reports. The findings from this research were as follow: the nurse staffing levels played a significant role on patients’ outcomes during treatment. The ratio between patients and nurses is high, and each nurse had a patient load that consisted of 12 patients and sometimes more. This study has very good relevance to nursing practice due the fact that it shed light on a particular unit because it is a specialized unit. The study also demonstrated the importance of having professional RNs to perform such duties. Nurse staffing levels and Nursing outcomes: A Bayesian analysis, of Finnish-registered nurse survey data by Tero-h, Kiviniemi, et al (2009). Journal of Nursing Management, 17, 986-993. This report pointed out the impact of high patients to nurse ratio have on the nurses and their performance on the unit. Therefore, it is inevitable this kind of nurse staffing would bring negative patients’ outcomes. The design of this study used a survey of date collection from RNs in 46 units at five hospitals. The study found that many elements were contributed to occurrences on the unit such as mortality, failure to rescue, had a very closed correlation to the number of patients to nurse ratio. The study relates significantly to nursing, because it displayed the stress levels that nurses experienced due to heavy patient load assignment. Macphee, Ellis, & McCutcheon (2005). Nurse Staffing and patient Safety. The Canadian Health Services Research foundation. This article brought up evidences of events that may occur in relation to lower nurse patient ratio. It is evident that with a lower nurse to patient ratio, patients are at greater risk of adverse outcomes such as increased rate of mortality, nosocomial infections. It is also proven that with a higher nurse to patient ratio, incidents can be greatly reduced. The study utilized sets of data collected from other researches. No specific population group was chosen for this research but the impact of having high patient to nurse ratio were strongly presented. The article displayed its use to the nursing practice with enough substantial facts. Ke-p. (2003) Relationships between Nurse Staffing and Patient Outcomes. Journal of Nursing Research, 11(3). The study was conducted on a medical –surgical unit in Taiwan with analyzed data from a â€Å"descriptive and multivariate inferential statistics†. The rational of this study was to demonstrate the co-relation that exised between high patients to nurse ratio and its impact on patient care outcomes. The results of this study were astounding. It was found that acquired infections, falls, pressure ulcers were the outcome results of inappropriate nurse to patient ratio. This study definitely has very good relevance to nursing practice. Curtin L. (2003). An Integrated Analysis of Nurse Staffing and Related Variables: Effect on Patient Outcomes. Online Journal of Issues in nursing, 8(3), 10913734. In this his study, the author shows a good co-relation between nurse staffing and the outcomes of care on medical patients. He also pointed out an increase in nurse staffing, that was associated with a reduction of 3 to 12 % in occurrences on the hospitals units. (Curtin, 2003). Here again it shows that the greater is the nurse to patient ratio, the better the outcome. Although, this study did not use a specific design, but the analysis it used shows the importance of having a low patient to nurse ratio. Therefore, it is vital for the hospitals to realize the great pain that are imposed on patients and nurses. It is time to remedy the problem. Aiken L. (2010). Safety In numbers: A mandatory minimum nurse to patient ratio improves outcome. Nursing Standard, 24(44). The author reported, â€Å"International Hospital Outcomes Study revealed that in England and the United States, hospitals with higher nurse staffing levels had lower mortality rates, nurse job dissatisfaction and burnout (Aiken, 2010, p. 2)†. The study was conducted in five different countries which survey 22,000 RNs in 604 hospitals in California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. It was found that nurse in California and the two other states that are closed to California with similar staffing mandatory rules had decreased their workload subsequently providing better care. Duffield C, et al. (2010). Staffing, Skill mix and the model of care. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19, 2242-2251 dio: 10. 1111/j. 1365-2702. 2010. 03225. The study design was based on secondary analysis collection of data on selected medical/surgical units in 19 hospitals in South Wales, Australia. The experienced nurses worked during the night while the least experienced nurses worked day or evening shift. The limitation of this study was that skill mix RNs was beneficial to outcomes, but the number of years of experience on a unit were not studied. (Duffield, et al, 2010, pp. 2246, 2249)†. The relevance of this study to nursing was that it shows how a unit can benefit from having different levels of experienced skill nurses give care to patients. Sidani S, Manojlovich M, & Covell C. (2010). Nurse Dose: Validation and Refinement of a Concept. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice: An international Journal, 24(3), dio: 10. 1891/154-6577. 24. 3. 159. The study used â€Å"Anonexperrimental, modified survey† a questionnaire was used with four sections that participants used to answer the questions. The targeted population was nurse researchers who are experts in services related to healthcare (p. 163)†. The result of this study shows how important it is for nurses to spend time with their patients to bring an effective outcome. The study shows great significance of this study in nursing. Welton JM. 2007). Mandatory hospital nurse to patient staffing ratios: Time to take a different approach. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 12(3). (13p) (52 ref) This article did not show a specific design that was used. The article stressed another component of the problem, the fact that hospitals are being pressured to increase their staffing without any reimbursement. The article presented two arguments one for and the other against the problem. As a result, hospitals diminished their staff from other area which helped them to compensate for the deficit. Although the acuity of patients continue to rise, hospitals failed to increase nurse to patient levels to enable good outcomes. Currie V, Gill V, et al. (2005). Relationship between quality of care, staffing levels, skill mix and nurse autonomy: Literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 51(1) 73-82. Using a â€Å"cross-sectional analysis design and magnet hospitals, the article poke through between the problem of patient to nurse ratio and the level of occurrences such as, mortality and failure to rescue. The findings were that units with higher nurse to patient ratio experienced lower occurrences. Yes, the article did prove its significance into nursing and patient care. In conclusion, studies are not always conclusive on a particular problem or issue. Further studies are often needed to shed new light on the problem. Hospitals have their parts to play in order to bring a higher nurse to patient ratio to fruition. It still remains that nurses have the responsibility to provide safe and effective nursing care to their patients, regardless of the environment. As a reminder, nursing is a humanistic profession, and its aim has always and will continue to focus on human needs, without regard to ratios. Nonetheless, nurses own it to themselves to be steadfast and never to soften their stand on their demands. Nurses to patient ratio is of utmost importance in the health care and patient outcomes depend on safe nursing staff. It is undeniably true that most professions are facing their own obstacles, and nursing is no different. Nursing has its own obstacles that it has been fighting and must continue to fight for, but a higher nurse to patient ratio is a must win fight, because the end result will be good patients’ care.

No life in outer space

For centuries, man has always wondered if he is alone in the entire universe, questions like who built the pyramids in Egypt or the Stonehenge in England have always been in a question in the minds. The term extra terrestrial has always fascinated us, and there have been many movies and book made and written simultaneously, and there have been claims of people who saw U.F.O (Unidentified Flying Object), and strange sized people, but till date no government in the entire world has not approved to these claims, and moreover most of them have been always declared as hoaxes or a misunderstanding with the high powered stealth planes.But the fact of the matter is that whatever technology and scientific research we have, it shows that is impossible to have a life existence apart from Earth for various scientific reasons, as whole scenario of existence of aliens and life in outer space is just based on hoaxes, stories and assumptions.The whole theory of existence of an alien life form exist on the cynical question, that if humans and other living creatures were born in this planet, then it is also possible for other life organism to take origin on other planets. The whole episode of existence was well supported, which led to the formation of the famous SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence), but this organization which has a basis on scientific evidences on the basis of radio and optic frequencies have failed for more than four decades to establish even a single contact, or even to prove the slightest amount proof of living organism existing on other planets.Even after their failure in detecting any life forms, the staff of SETI is still hopeful; this can be evident from the following:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If we are alone, then that’s extraordinarily remarkable in such a vast universe. Personally I don’t think we’re that special†(Courtesy: Prof Seth Shostak, SETI institute)On the basis of the amount of technology we have, if we have to assess the planets in our own galaxy, existence of life seems to be a very distance vision, as scientifically it cannot be proved that our solar system has any existence of an alien life form. If we take the instance of Mercury, being so close to the sun, it is impossible to have any possibility of having life, because of the intense heat. Moon which is supposed to be our satellite has no atmosphere, thus it is again impossible for life to exist without atmosphere.The gassy planets in our solar system, provides inhabitable conditions, as there is no solid land for life to exist, critics have removed theories of possibility of life existence in Jupiter’s moon, but still no evidence has been proven. Pluto is very far away from the sun, making it a very cold planet, thus eliminating the chances of existence of life in it. Mars is the only planet that can be considered, because of a percentage of its nature like earth, but Mars has a very harsh atmosphere compared to earth, and it doesn ’t have Ozone, theories are implicated about life in mars, but the â€Å"Viking† which was send 26 years ago and the â€Å"rover†, which was send now hasn’t given any substantial proof to it.In fact SETI itself admits that the sightings done on earth were hoaxes or illusions which is confirmed by the followingâ€Å"Most of the sightings can be explained as natural phenomena or aircraft or balloons or other mundane stuff. I still haven't seen any evidence that any of these sightings involve alien spacecraft†.(Courtesy: Prof Seth Shostak, SETI institute)The truth is since we have can only base the theories of existence of life on other planets, is by look at our habitable conditions, and if we look for planets for conditions like ours, then it is next to impossible, to find the same amount of habitable conditions, as earth’s life was created by a no. of permuted combinations, which is further substantiated by the following:â€Å"Intelligent l ife on earth – product of series of extremely fortunate accidents†(Courtesy: â€Å"Life in the universe, are we alone†, Retrieved on February 10th 2008 by site http://physics.uoregon.edu/~jimbrau/astr121/Notes/Chapter28.html#solsys)If theories still have to be raised then it would be of life existing beyond our solar system, but our technology hasn’t reached so far that we can actually scan the entire universe for life and with the amount of high technology we seem to have, it seems till date, life on other planet is not possible, as all the planets that have come under the scrutiny of possible existence of life do not match earth’s habitable condition, and thus are discarded from any possibility.Aliens and extra terrestrial’s life forms have always and will continue to be a subject of awe and belief for many, and when it comes to science, it only asks for proofs and subjective evidence to accept any theory that would bring light to any evide nce of life in outer space.Reference:1)         http://physics.uoregon.edu/~jimbrau/astr121/Notes/Chapter28.html#solsys2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nicholas backman,†Life in outer space?†, http://www.virtualsciencefair.org/2007/back7n2/Report.pdf.3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   SETI: Search For Extra-Terrestial Intelligence, http://www.faqs.org/docs/air/taseti.html4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.astobiology.arc.nasa.gov/roadmap/g1.html No life in outer space For centuries, man has always wondered if he is alone in the entire universe, questions like who built the pyramids in Egypt or the Stonehenge in England have always been in a question in the minds. The term extra terrestrial has always fascinated us, and there have been many movies and book made and written simultaneously, and there have been claims of people who saw U.F.O (Unidentified Flying Object), and strange sized people, but till date no government in the entire world has not approved to these claims, and moreover most of them have been always declared as hoaxes or a misunderstanding with the high powered stealth planes. But the fact of the matter is that whatever technology and scientific research we have, it shows that is impossible to have a life existence apart from Earth for various scientific reasons, as whole scenario of existence of aliens and life in outer space is just based on hoaxes, stories and assumptions.The whole theory of existence of an alien life form exist on the cynical question, that if humans and other living creatures were born in this planet, then it is also possible for other life organism to take origin on other planets. The whole episode of existence was well supported, which led to the formation of the famous SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence), but this organization which has a basis on scientific evidences on the basis of radio and optic frequencies have failed for more than four decades to establish even a single contact, or even to prove the slightest amount proof of living organism existing on other planets.Even after their failure in detecting any life forms, the staff of SETI is still hopeful; this can be evident from the following:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If we are alone, then that’s extraordinarily remarkable in such a vast universe. Personally I don’t think we’re that special†Ã‚  (Courtesy: Prof Seth Shostak, SETI institute)On the basis of the amount of technology we have, if we have to as sess the planets in our own galaxy, existence of life seems to be a very distance vision, as scientifically it cannot be proved that our solar system has any existence of an alien life form. If we take the instance of Mercury, being so close to the sun, it is impossible to have any possibility of having life, because of the intense heat. Moon which is supposed to be our satellite has no atmosphere, thus it is again impossible for life to exist without atmosphere. The gassy planets in our solar system, provides inhabitable conditions, as there is no solid land for life to exist, critics have removed theories of possibility of life existence in Jupiter’s moon, but still no evidence has been proven. Pluto is very far away from the sun, making it a very cold planet, thus eliminating the chances of existence of life in it. Mars is the only planet that can be considered, because of a percentage of its nature like earth, but Mars has a very harsh atmosphere compared to earth, and it doesn’t have Ozone, theories are implicated about life in mars, but the â€Å"Viking† which was send 26 years ago and the â€Å"rover†, which was send now hasn’t given any substantial proof to it.In fact SETI itself admits that the sightings done on earth were hoaxes or illusions which is confirmed by the followingâ€Å"Most of the sightings can be explained as natural phenomena or aircraft or balloons or other mundane stuff. I still haven't seen any evidence that any of these sightings involve alien spacecraft†.(Courtesy: Prof Seth Shostak, SETI institute)The truth is since we have can only base the theories of existence of life on other planets, is by look at our habitable conditions, and if we look for planets for conditions like ours, then it is next to impossible, to find the same amount of habitable conditions, as earth’s life was created by a no. of permuted combinations, which is further substantiated by the following:â€Å"Intelli gent life on earth – product of series of extremely fortunate accidents†(Courtesy: â€Å"Life in the universe, are we alone†, Retrieved on February 10th 2008 by site http://physics.uoregon.edu/~jimbrau/astr121/Notes/Chapter28.html#solsys)If theories still have to be raised then it would be of life existing beyond our solar system, but our technology hasn’t reached so far that we can actually scan the entire universe for life and with the amount of high technology we seem to have, it seems till date, life on other planet is not possible, as all the planets that have come under the scrutiny of possible existence of life do not match earth’s habitable condition, and thus are discarded from any possibility.Aliens and extra terrestrial’s life forms have always and will continue to be a subject of awe and belief for many, and when it comes to science, it only asks for proofs and subjective evidence to accept any theory that would bring light to any evidence of life in outer space.Reference:1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/life/looking/index.shtml2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://physics.uoregon.edu/~jimbrau/astr121/Notes/Chapter28.html#solsys3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nicholas backman,†Life in outer space?†, http://www.virtualsciencefair.org/2007/back7n2/Report.pdf.4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   SETI: Search For Extra-Terrestial Intelligence, http://www.faqs.org/docs/air/taseti.html5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.astobiology.arc.nasa.gov/roadmap/g1.html

How It Feels to Be Colored Me †Arguement Essay

In â€Å"How it Feels To Be Colored Me†, Zora Neale Hurston presents her attitude about racism while growing up as an African American. Hurston’s views are very similar to Dr. Martin Luther King jr.’s. When talking about racism, she uses her heritage to help present her attitude. Her feelings toward the white folk aren’t hostile, but they aren’t exactly agreeing either. Hurston’s views are like those of Dr. Martin Luther King jr.’s. Both of them acknowledge that they are different than everyone else around them. They are an individual. They don’t agree that they should fit in and be the normal, African American. Both overcome hard times and discrimination and had successful parts of their careers. Hurston uses her heritage to discuss her views on racism. She grew up in a town full of blacks, so she was basically the same as her neighbor. She says she never felt colored until her family moved to Jacksonville. Then, she was constantly reminded how she was the descendant of slaves. She tells about how she was always so alone. She also discusses how she escapes the prejudiceness and gets away by going to listen to music, though; some white folks come in and make conversations with them. She speaks about her feelings towards the white folks. Hurston talks about how â€Å"among a thousand white persons, I am a dark rock†, she feels as though she is different, and she sticks out. She speaks about how she is her, she has no race. Though, she also doesn’t understand how someone could be so prejudiced against someone’s skin color. She makes a point of how they get along Hurston presents her views in a very understandable way. She speaks about how she feels about the white folk. She uses her heritage to help her deal with racism. Her views are almost the same as Dr. King’s. I feel the same way Ms. Hurston does about Racism..

Ebonics & Education Essay

The Ebonics controversy in America has developed into a major conflict over the years. It has become a more serious concern within the public school system. The complex where the nation’s school systems lower their expectations of black youth to coincide with the patterns of Ebonics, the word used to refer to African American Vernacular English, has resulted in an epidemic where blacks graduate from High School reading three grade levels below their white counterparts. For the multiple number of theories that attempt to explain this phenomenon, very few have been able to counter the adverse culture that has developed in America as a product of Ebonics being considered a valid dialect. A wide range of theorists and politicians have used the American educational system as a platform on which to gain civil approval. There is a popular consensus that income designates the quality of one’s education in America. This state of socioeconomic prejudice has a detrimental effect on the face of our society. It can be argued that a single standard curriculum should be equally implemented and taught throughout the nation, and that this curriculum should be similar to the elite executive curriculum, which Jean Anyon identifies as the best education our country has to offer in her article Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work. She identifies how many believe that private and public sector schools should be merged together, along with their curriculums (2006). She breaks down education into two curriculums, upper class and lower class, or working and executive class. Equalizing the differences between these two forms of education has always been the job of standardized testing. Initially standardized testing in America was used to asses one’s calculative ability. It is now being replaced, starting at the middle school level, with a format that revolves around authentic assessment (Wiggins, 1990). Authentic assessment is the direct evaluation of student performance through tasks that exercise their intellect. The tests are also known to evaluate creativity, listening and comprehension skills, experimental research in science, speaking and discussion skills and historical inquiry. It has been designed to replace traditional standardized testing, which means it eventually will be used in all schools across the nation to identify the intellectual elite. This is considered to be a major advent in education that will counter act the nation’s stigma of low expectations ushered in by the validation of Ebonics. A major cause of the low expectations placed on black youth in schools can partly be credited to those doing the research, as Kimberly Griffin points out in her article Striving for Success: A Qualitative Exploration of Competing Theories of High-Achieving Black College Students’ Academic Motivation, when she says, research on the academic performance of Black students has focused on low-achievers, framing their academic motivation as maladaptive and driven by externally (e. g. , competition or compliance) rather than internally (e. g. love of learning) generated forces (Griffin, 2006). This heavy focus on those blacks who have low quality achievement, has led to a neglect in the understanding of what drives the higher achieving students to be successful. Findings show that self-determination theory, socio-cognitive theory, and attribution theory cannot individually explain the motivation of these Black high-achievers. Instead, a multidimensional framework that incorporates all three models and that highlights internal and external sources of motivation best accounts for these students’ experiences (Griffin, 2006). Griffin goes on to cite an interview with a young black student that was less affluent than others. The dialogue reveals that the pressure of stereotypes and low expectations has a weighing effect on the level of effort and achievement that black students have in the class room. This is a stigma that is present whether the student is of a lower or higher class, but the lower the class of the student the even heavier the stereotypes are that weigh on them. I think probably intrinsically I might have felt at one point that I needed to try harder, because I was Black, to not be a stereotype . . . not just chill, you know, talk with Ebonics or stuff like—the stereotype that people have of Black people. I purposely try to steer away from that. I think that’s certainly definitely, in a certain respect, that’s true (Griffin, 2006). This pressure that stems from the inherent stereotypes perpetuated through the use of Ebonics is even further enhanced by a misunderstanding of this complex between the students and their teachers. Griffin points this out as well when she says, the fact that many [teacher education] students do not share the same ethnic, social, racial and linguistic backgrounds as their students may lead to cultural incongruencies in the classroom which can mediate against educational effectiveness( Griffin, 2006). It is Griffin’s belief that these incompatibilities between the black students and their predominantly white teachers results in a complex to be maladaptive, in a way that is very evident. These incompatibilities are evident in value orientation, behavioral norms and expectations and styles, social interactions, self presentation, communication and cognitive processing (Griffin, 2006). Griffin’s article proves that even the system through which these students are studied for the purpose of better improving their achievement is a vicious cycle itself filled with misunderstandings and blatant neglect of the methods that may actually be successful, specifically teaching methods like andragogy and reflective learning. Androgogy and reflective learning are two educational forms that have become very prevalent at the collegiate level. They are considered to be the two best teaching methods in educating adults. This has been found to be specifically true for pre-med and science majors in college, due to andragogy’s focus on authentic assessment (Kolb 2001, p. 1975). Authentic assessment is the direct evaluation of student performance through tasks that exercise their intellect. These evaluations tend to exercise their: creativity, listening and comprehension skills, experimental research in science, speaking and discussion skills and historical inquiry. It largely corresponds with standardized testing (Kolb 2001, p. 1975). Authentic assessment asks that students acquire knowledge and be able to practice logic as apposed to just being able to regurgitate pre-fed facts. The main characteristics of these evaluations, is that they apply standardized test curriculum to real life circumstances. Authentic assessment is the product of a reform in education. This shift is to make standardized testing less drill oriented and applicable to what is expected will be necessary in the students’ adult life. These tests hold students to higher standards as well as create a growing body of accurate awareness pertaining to student learning. This way the teacher learns from the student as well. The key argument these test pose is that for the traditional testing method, the right answers are not rationales. This basically acknowledges that the level of logic required for traditional standardized tests is lacking. This is due to a relationship that involves test takers who simply cram for their tests, and instructors who feel the tests have no relevance to their teaching ability. This is a common occurrence that has resulted in resentment for traditional standardized testing on the behalf of both parties involved. Authentic assessment is a genuine push towards the implementation of more authentic tasks. Instructors find it easier to apply these tasks to their curriculum and students find it easier to assess what is expected of them. It is considered a form of improving overall performance, in a testing system traditionally structured solely to monitor it. This fault in western education is the main catalyst for shifts in standardized testing that focus more on authentic assessment and experiential learning. Medical students and students pursuing the sciences, like psychology or sociology, are expected to have certain skills appropriate for the practice of their profession. This requires a form of learning that can assesses curriculum and then apply it to real life situations. As well as the medical and science field, andragogy and reflective learning is being used to enhance the productivity of multimillion dollar corporations. Experiential learning thus involves a, ‘direct encounter with the phenomena being studied rather than merely thinking about the encounter, or only considering the possibility of doing something about it. (Borzak 1981: 9 quoted in Brookfield 1983). This sort of learning is sponsored by an institution and might be used on training programmes for professions such as social work and teaching or in field study programmes such as those for social administration or geography courses. Kolb, David A. , ‘david a. kolb on experiential learning’ Kolb breaks down understanding of experiential learning into an understanding of the American educational systems use of the field trip and project based learning (Kolb 2001, p. 1975). While project based learning is considered to be one of the best methods of learning for all individuals because it promotes authentic assessment, and thus provides young black students especially to expand their understanding of the Western culture from which they have been systematically alienated, it is also very expensive to organize. Anyon discovers that the majority of contemporary textbook instruction is designed for the working class. PBL programs are usually not supported in public schools because of the amount of funding they require. This discrepancy is usually applicable to public schools and whether one is located near high income housing or low income housing. Jonathan Kozol describes the discrepancies between these two types of schooling in his interview with Marge Scherer. In the interview titled, On Savage Inequalities: A Conversation with Jonathan Kozol, he talks about his experience in St. Louis and how the schools in low income areas, which are predominantly black, barely have money for water, while the schools near by in the wealthier districts could buy advanced school supplies as well as carryout project based learning, such as field trips. Kozol credits this problem to the use of property tax to fund schools in low income areas. He states: we ought to finance the education of every child in America equitably, with adjustments made only for the greater or lesser needs of certain children. And that funding should all come from the collective wealth of our society, mainly from a steeply graduated progressive income tax. (Kozol) This particular tax could make project based learning more affordable, which would be the most influential step to improving classroom education. The most common contemporary example of PBL is dissecting insects and animals. It has become an American tradition and almost a right of passage in high school. Project Based Management has a very beneficial influence on the education of our country. One might wonder why it’s not the only curriculum used. The use of chaperones, instructional tools, and methods of transportation are often required and considered expensive. The benefit is that people tend to remember more from their field trips than textbook lessons and many of these labs require authentic assessment, which is good considering the new shift in standardized testing. The downfall is in the fact that authentic assessment is dependent on the student’s past experiences. This allows for some projects to result in the isolation of certain students. The inner city children are deprived because their school systems can’t afford implementing PBL curriculums. Chairperson of the Department of Education at Rutgers University, in her essay From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work Jean Anyon analyzes the nature of underprivileged education. Anyon argues that depending on their social class, different levels of educations are available to young people. This mostly applies to schools in different districts and social communities and it can particularly be seen in the difference between private and public schooling. To make the concept clear, she further applies this to a description of a kind of mental segregation happening within the classroom; in which, students sitting next to one another are rewarded differently solely based on their socioeconomic standing in the community. She does this by pointing out that, students in different social-class backgrounds are rewarded for classroom behaviors that correspond to personality traits allegedly rewarded in the different occupational strata – the working classes for docility and obedience, the managerial classes for initiative and personal assertiveness. (Anyon) This is the key ideal of Anyon’s theory. An example of the theory at work can be seen in research that finds project based learning prepares students for more abstract assessment, and prepares them to handle real world situations, as opposed to those in the textbook. PBL is most prevalent in private and high income community public schools. This creates a system where the students taught in the private schools are taught to think independently in a rational but unconfined way, while the lower income children are only taught to follow instructions. These differing perspectives on education have had a controversial and conflicting history in America. Gary Colombo based much of his research on this conflict. Gary Colombo argues that the majority of the Founding Fathers were wealthy conservatives who were honestly opposed to democracy. This signifies them as an elitist class constructing laws that will better maintain their control of the government. Their initial goal was to keep power in the hands of the wealthy, and prevent the majority from realizing their strength. One major modern day justifications for this elitist view is that, these framers were the same men who risked their lives for the good of others by signing the declaration of independence, and they are getting what is owed to them. It is Garry Colombo’s view that these patriots did not intend to revolutionize democracy, but that their sole intention was to gain independence from Britain in order to get the country out of their pockets. Aware that the Constitution would be opposed by the working class, who made up the majority of the people, the construction of the deceleration and its signing were held in private. The media was used conceal the constitution’s actual goal, while at the same time to persuade people in its favor. Along with a literate media Colombo points out that the American government found it necessary, particularly during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, to promote and finance a literate working class. It is Colombo’s view that the sole purpose of their education was to develop individuals who would maintain the nation. These educated individuals were viewed as secondary to their task. This is the first sign in American history of education being used to exploit people for the benefit of the government. By identifying the failure of Thomas Jefferson to educate the Native American people, Colombo shows that American education was initially designed with absolutely no regard for the people. He best displays this conflict when he cites a letter written by a Native American to the President. our ideas of this kind of education happen not to be the same with yours†¦several of our young people were formerly brought up at the college of the northern provinces they were instructed in all your sciences; but when they came back to us, they were bad runners; ignorant of every means of living in the woods; unable to bear either cold or hunger; knew neither how to build a cabin, take a deer, or kill an enemy†¦they were totally good for nothing. (Colombo) Here Colombo identifies that, quality in education is deemed only as good as its ability to assimilate one into the culture in which they live. This assimilation is not one that produces equal opportunity for its participants. As previously proven by Anyon, socioeconomic conditions impede this dream dramatically from coming into fruition. In sum, Anyon argues that today’s working class curriculums center more on teaching black students to follow instructions rather than teaching them how to authentically assess problems. She undeniably proves that the children of higher income families are not taught in this fashion, and they are steered more towards developing skills in problem solving and decision making. Ebonics only further expands this gap between classes, considering the level of stereotypes that come along with its practice and the powerfully influential stigma that blacks are subject to as a result. If students are subject to the exact same nationwide testing, it would only be just that they receive the same educational curriculums. By using Ebonics in the school system, the nation is alienating blacks from the main stream through both class and race. Lower income students are being herded into remedial work, while the upper class students are being prepared for executive positions. This is an immoral practice, but there are risks that can occur if Anyon’s elitist curriculum is equally distributed throughout the country. Everyone can not manage the corporation some have to toil for the sake of the company. The working class may potentially have a better understanding of executive duties, if Anyon’s curriculum is implemented. With a greater appreciation for the business structure, working class employees may be educated enough to demand more benefits from their companies. The end result of implementing Anyon’s theory is that there will be a more diverse group of qualified candidates from which corporations select. This makes the face of corporate America as cultured as the nation it’s in, and it eliminates much of the disadvantaging prejudice that comes with elitism. This is proof that it is wise to utilize Anyon’s elite curriculum throughout all school systems. Every income scale should be accessible among all races and nationalities, but to assume that the children of high income families will work remedial jobs so the poor can be executives is irrational. Anyon’s curriculum must be set into action with the hope that it levels the playing field, and Ebonics needs to be abolished as a credible English vernacular.