For A Genuine Empiricist The Phrase God Exists Is Meaningless Essays

For a Genuine empiricist the phrase "God Exists" is meaningless To come to a proper understanding of the question, a few key concepts must first be established. What is meant by the term Empiricism? To an empiricist, the occurrence of consciousness is simply the product of experience. It is assumed that all human knowledge is acquired from experience and observation alone. It is believed that we are born with an empty slate; it is through sense perception that our knowledge begins to form and shape our mind. Empiricism is against the idea of spontaneous or a priori thought (knowledge that is independent of all particular experience). They believe in a posteriori knowledge, which is derives from experience alone. The belief opposing Empiricism is that of Rationalism. In this philosophy, reason is used to obtain knowledge. One can be born with innate ideas. What is meant by the term God? There is not one simple definition that can describe God. Different cultures have different conceptions of deity. One can be monotheistic, duo theistic, polytheist ic or believe in the trinity. Others believe it merely a force or the world itself. For our purpose we will use a definition given from the Encarta world English Dictionary. "GOD, Supreme Being: the being believed in monotheistic religions such as Judaism, Islam, and Christianity to be the all-powerful all-knowing creator of the universe, worshiped as the only God." The word exist must also be defined. For the statement "God exists", we must understand what it is to exist. Existence is to have real being whether material or spiritual. IT is the state or fact of being, entity. Now that a proper explanation is given of the terms for the argument "Why a genuine empiricist cannot believe in a supreme being", can take its form. God is considered to be an innate idea by many religious on goers. God cannot be completely comprehended. This is one of the greatest unknowns that faces mankind. If he cannot be perceived and no concept of him is present at birth then it would be extremely diffic ult to obtain knowledge of him. It is empiricism itself that criticizes the belief in miracles and visions. God cannot be perceived under normal circumstances. With a few exceptions he is inconceivable. For a true empiricist the existence of God does not coincide with their own teachings. Experience is everything to empiricists. The main criticism that empiricist hold against rationalist is the their belief of innate ideas. To assume that some thoughts could come directly from the mind rather than being acquired by experience is thought to be obscure. An innate idea is a belief or idea present at birth in the soul of an individual. With no actual experience. Ideas that are thought to be of an innate nature are those of substance, infinity, and God. There is no adequate empirical explanation for the origin of these ideas and they cannot be explained by observation or experience. If God is a priori (innate idea), then for an empiricist to believe in a Supreme Being it would be going against ones own teachings. David Hume (1711-1776), a radical Empiricist in his time, could give no rational explanation regarding these concepts. "Nothing can ever be present to the mind but an image or perception." Hume held the belief in only a moral existence. He did not try to argue the existence of a God, although he did not try to prove God's existence. If the idea of God is not present at birth, then where might it have been obtained? There are countries worldwide that believe in some form of Deity. For such a universal belief, there must be some origin or cause. The idea of this God must have been present at birth as a priori or must have in some way been experienced, a posteriori. Going back to one of the basic arguments brought forth by empiricism that is for one to believe, one must use observation to form knowledge. God is beyond the power of human conception. Let alone observation. How can one observe God? It is not possible to perceive him. If it is impossible to experience a Supreme Being how than can one be thought

Free Essays on Cause And Effect

Causes of Alcoholism Alcoholism is a disease that affects many people. It not only affects the alcoholic, but also their family, and friends. The symptoms are many, as are the causes and the effects. Alcoholism is defined as an addiction to alcohol. Harmful consequences may result for the alcoholic, yet he continues to drink. The symptoms of alcoholism vary from person to person. The most common symptoms are changes in emotional state or stability, behavior, and personality. "Alcoholics may become angry and argumentative, or quiet and withdrawn or depressed. They may also feel more anxious, sad, tense, and confused. They then seek relief by drinking more" (Gitlow 175). "Because time and amount of drinking are uncontrollable, the alcoholic is likely to engage in such behaviors as [1] breaking family commitments; [2] spending more money then planned; [3] drinking while intoxicated and getting arrested; [4] making inappropriate remarks to friends, family, and co-workers; and [5] arguing, fighting, and other anti-social actions. The alcoholic would probably neither do such things, nor approve of them in others unless he was drinking" (Johnson 203). The cause of alcoholism is a combination of biological, psychological, and cultural factors. These factors contribute to the development of alcoholism in an individual. Alcoholism seems to run in families. "Although there is no conclusive indication of how the alcoholism of family members is associated, studies show that 50 to 80 percent of all alcoholics have had a close alcoholic relative" (Caplan 266). Researches have suggested that in several cases alcoholics have an inherited presdiposition to alcohol addiction. Studies of animals and human twins have lent support to this theory. Alcoholism can also be related to emotional instabilities. For example, alcoholism is often associated with a family history of manic-depressive illness. Additionally, like many other drug ... Free Essays on Cause and Effect Free Essays on Cause and Effect Causes of Alcoholism Alcoholism is a disease that affects many people. It not only affects the alcoholic, but also their family, and friends. The symptoms are many, as are the causes and the effects. Alcoholism is defined as an addiction to alcohol. Harmful consequences may result for the alcoholic, yet he continues to drink. The symptoms of alcoholism vary from person to person. The most common symptoms are changes in emotional state or stability, behavior, and personality. "Alcoholics may become angry and argumentative, or quiet and withdrawn or depressed. They may also feel more anxious, sad, tense, and confused. They then seek relief by drinking more" (Gitlow 175). "Because time and amount of drinking are uncontrollable, the alcoholic is likely to engage in such behaviors as [1] breaking family commitments; [2] spending more money then planned; [3] drinking while intoxicated and getting arrested; [4] making inappropriate remarks to friends, family, and co-workers; and [5] arguing, fighting, and other anti-social actions. The alcoholic would probably neither do such things, nor approve of them in others unless he was drinking" (Johnson 203). The cause of alcoholism is a combination of biological, psychological, and cultural factors. These factors contribute to the development of alcoholism in an individual. Alcoholism seems to run in families. "Although there is no conclusive indication of how the alcoholism of family members is associated, studies show that 50 to 80 percent of all alcoholics have had a close alcoholic relative" (Caplan 266). Researches have suggested that in several cases alcoholics have an inherited presdiposition to alcohol addiction. Studies of animals and human twins have lent support to this theory. Alcoholism can also be related to emotional instabilities. For example, alcoholism is often associated with a family history of manic-depressive illness. Additionally, like many other drug ... Free Essays on Cause And Effect Cause and Effect: Friendship A friend is someone who cherishes the special moments and memories of life with another person. A friend is a trustworthy companion. Friendship is a relationship, which takes time to build. There are many steps and stages to achieving a true friendship. However, one can think building a friendship is like planting an apple tree. For many people, planting an apple tree represents devotion and leisure. It takes patience to grow an apple tree; frustrations and hardships are also involved in the process. First, the seed is planted. The seed builds the foundation of a strong and stable tree. It has to be cared for, maintained, and watered daily. Then the shoots start sprouting; the tree is finally flourishing. One can see day by day the apple tree growing. Then one day the tree starts to wilt its dying. One has to tend to it and have the patience and determination to bring it back to life. It frustrates one to see the insects and predators nibbling on the beautiful round ripe red apples that once existed; however hard work and determination regains the apple trees beauty and gives it life again. The charm and divine beauty of the apple tree is a wonderful enlightening sight. Building a friendship has similar characteristics. One meets a person and plants the seed of friendship. The friendship builds and continues to grow stronger. It requires devotion of time and patience to achieve communication and trust between the two companions. The battle to keep a healthy friendship includes many obstacles and hardships. But compromising, devotion and the willingness to endure are sure to payoff in the end. All Friendships have its good and bad times. There comes a time when the relationship is just not working. It is filled with disagreements and arguments. It is close to destruction. One must have the patience to deal with such stressful, confusing, and disappointing frustrations. The willingness and determina...

Personal statement for business economics major

For business economics major - Personal Statement Example Focusing on business economic studies will enable me to prepare the present for future progress in business activities. My interest to study business economics is based on the experience I possess in entrepreneurship and the modes of overcoming challenges related to various life situations. I am aware that my present decisions will enable me to embrace a prosperous future. This will be based on application of the concepts that I will acquire from business economics class. The determination and passion that I possess towards pursuing business economics studies emanate from past experiences related to the field. I interned for Chows Elect; a company that specializes in manufacturing materials for micro chips and LEDs among others. I was the assistant manager obliged to participate in activities such as business meetings, providing ideas, and interacting with potential customers. I was able to learn what the real world is like, and how to stay on top by organizing my lifestyle. I also l earned that the business world is changing at a fast pace such that if you are not on top of your game, you fail tremendously. This principle has enabled me to be self motivated and committed in all the activities I engage in; enables me to attain my full potential. Furthermore, the committed character that I acquired when serving as an assistant manager has made me a conscientious and hard working person; this will enable me to become successful in my studies. My strength is the ability to adapt and excellently pursue life opportunities. This makes me confident that I will be able to cope and solve future problems related to business economics. I have lived in six different countries which taught me how to reason under pressure and solve problems. I taught myself how to repair my own car. By studying the car diagram, I was able to install the suspension and many other parts. Success in business economics studies involves innovative connection of information bits and pieces. I was a GoKart Racer at 10 years, indulged into formula 1 racing when I was 14, and competed with other racers in different age level for 4 years in China. However, just as I was about to secure sponsorship from Audi my father passed away and my mother had some difficulties and I only had to keep on believing. Even though I was not able to continue, I will never give-up my dream that has become a drive in my life. I will take one step at a time, finish school, save money and become successful. When I become financially stable, I will own a race car team and support more young people who do not have the privilege to be enrolled in other car teams. I was not discouraged by my life incidents; instead, they made me stronger. They provided me with an opportunity to move forward and chant the way forward for a prosperous future. I recently established my own clothing brand called Urban Beasts. It is a fashion brand with fresh designs by college students. It is already an established brand in Tai wan and has generated steady surmountable revenue for the past 6 months. It also provides a platform for young talented people to express their skills on photography, dance, art and music. It is an excellent opportunity for me to learn how to manage a company, become a leader, take responsibility and organize resources. Management of the brand enables me know how to interact with my friends as well as treat them as colleagues. Economic concepts acquired through studying the course will enable me

Green Criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Green Criminology - Essay Example It is a fact that science and technology advances are contributing heavily to the advancements of life on earth. Nobody can overlook the efforts of science and technology in reducing the human efforts needed in many areas of our social life. At the same time, advanced technologies brought many challenges also. For example, nuclear power is believed to be the future energy option because of the rapidly exhausting oil resources and increasing energy needs. But nuclear power generation produces a lot of radioactive wastes and the dumping of these wastes is a major issue we are facing at present. Most of the industrialized or developed countries like America, Britain, France, China etc have toxic wastes generated out of high levels of industrialization and it is a fact that these countries dumping the toxic wastes in poor countries, misleading the administrations of the poor countries. This paper briefly analyses the victimization of the general public in poor countries by the developed countries in dumping toxic wastes. In December 1984, Indian city Bhopal has witnessed one of the worst examples of green criminology. The Union Carbide chemical plant at Bhopal, which used, highly toxic chemicals in its production process faced a catastrophic explosion when water somehow mixed with the chemicals because of the negligence. As per the estimates, more than 6000 people died in the company proximity and more than 60000 people were seriously affected (The Greening of Criminology, n. d, p.315). The toxic gages liberated out of the plant reached the nearby Bhopal railway station and killed many people who were sleeping there. This plant was established in a heavily populated area which itself is a proof of negligence on the part of the authorities and the Union Carbide company.

Green Houes Gases and its effect and How can we reduce its effect Essay

Green Houes Gases and its effect and How can we reduce its effect - Essay Example Energy efficiency needs to be addressed so as to deal with this menace. This paper also outlines the measures that can be taken to ensure that global warming is reduced and the environment remains sustainable. The term greenhouse gas refers to a gas resulting to the greenhouse effect through the absorption of infrared radiations. Many GHGs occur naturally in the atmospheric conditions. Other greenhouse gases are generated from human activities on the surface of the earth. Various human activities increase the concentration of the gases within the earth’s surface. The involved gases include the carbon dioxide originating from remnant fuel combustions. Methane is also a greenhouse gas resulting from the waste damps and nitrous oxide that also develops over industrial processes. HCFC-22 is another greenhouse gas obtained from refrigerants as the main source. As such, an increased atmospheric concentration of the greenhouse gases results to the earth trapping infrared radiations. The results effects distort the radiation equilibrium forcing a rise in temperature ranges to regain the natural balance. The effects of the greenhouse gases require decades to impact on higher surfaces due to large capacities of the oceans to amass heat. This paper elaborates the greenhouse gases and resultant effects. As such, the paper will also discuss possible ways to reduce the effects. Environment contamination is the developing scope of study in the present global challenges. The environmental pollution originates from the increasing demand for manufacturing products and large markets in industrial manufacture. Industries over rely on the environment for sustainable supply of natural resources and the daily amalgamation of the raw materials to supply the large industrial projects (Sharaf, 2012). Manufacturing absorption of the raw materials affects the

The Changing Role Of The Teaching Assistant Education Essay

The Changing Role Of The Teaching Assistant Education Essay A brief history into the changing role of the teaching assistant. Due to the governments 2003 initiative to change the staffing structure within schools, the role of the Teaching Assistant has changed significantly in recent years (Pugh, J. 2007) and has, in turn, led to numerous publications and studies concerning the effectiveness of these changes on childrens learning. Historically, teaching assistants, or auxiliaries as they were sometimes formerly known, were non teaching adults who helped qualified teachers by carrying out day to day preparatory and administrative tasks and providing pastoral care to children. (Clayton. 1993) However, in 1998, the Local Government Chronicle published a summary of a Green Paper, (1998), in which they outlined proposals for employing a greater number of support staff 20,000 by the year 2002 in order to provide more support for teachers. The summary also announced the governments suggestions for a more effective use of, and better training for, teaching assistants and other school support staff which, along with a subsequent OfSTED review (2002a, p6) declared the need for training that would, match any proposed structure of qualifications and to facilitate career progression. Working as a teaching assistant thus became a career and so began the real debate about the role of the teaching assistant. During a UNISON conference on Building a World Class Education Service Estelle Morris stated that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦teaching assistants have a vital role to play in our classrooms (Morris, 2002, cited in Unison, p.2) But what does that role entail? As with many job titles within the working environment, the title teaching assistant is often interpreted in a variety of ways but one common theme I have encountered, when questioning educational staff, is that all teaching assistants are facilitators of learning and therefore are essential elements in the promotion of learning for children. How the facilitation is carried out, however, is less clear and open to individual interpretation by both employers and employees. The ability of an individual to enhance a pupils learning experience depends on many factors and will often be decided by the environment in which they are employed. Through personal experiences I am convinced that a school which values the contributions of its support staff will provide professional development opportunities and will, therefore, create a valuable resource that will support children, teachers and the school itself. Supporting teaching and learning A teaching assistants role is to support the learning of all children. In order to do this they, like any educator, need to have a good understanding of how children learn. In the book, Teaching and Learning in the Early Years, Whitebread (2008, chapter 1) discusses Piagets ideas that children need to feel and hold control over their learning. Whitebread continues by exploring Vygotsys claims that it is the role of the adult to provide opportunities for social interaction and to support the child in moving out of their comfort zone or level of actual development and towards their potential via their zone of proximal development. To do this, a teaching assistant must understand how to promote curiosity amongst children while providing opportunities for discussion and exploration. With current class sizes in the region of up to 30 pupils, a class teacher will often be unable to engage in this vital aspect of developing childrens learning and so it is essential that supporting adults ar e equipped with the skills to scaffold learning and to provide opportunities for them to develop the language needed to be able to discuss and explain their ideas. (Bruner 1983, cited in Peabody Journal of Education, pp 64-66) Just recently I was fortunate to be part of an initiative to promote reading amongst a group of reluctant male readers who had, for unknown reasons, formulated an opinion that reading was a chore to be undertaken with animosity and only when instructed to do so. My role was that of the enabling adult as described by Chambers (1991). By providing them with an opportunity to share and discuss each others reading experiences I was able to, over the course of only a week, unleash in them a willingness and enjoyment of reading. The outcome of this quickly became apparent in their understanding of written text. The children also began writing with enthusiasm, using their own knowledge and experiences; as a result, they are in control of their own learning. The children feel empowered by the fact that they are directly responsible for the progress that they are making and continue to enjoy our weekly discussions about their reading and progress. The children mentioned do not have special educational needs, as is often the case for pupils being supported by a teaching assistant. Children with SEN require a higher level of support and this has, historically, been provided by teaching assistants. (Alborz et al, 2009a) This has previously been an area for debate with The Daily Telegraph (2009) publishing an article claiming that research shows that, Pupils make less progress in classrooms where schools employ more teaching assistants. This article states that teaching assistants often support lower attaining pupils, resulting in them being less supported by a qualified teacher and to them making limited progress. The article does not, however, take into account the training of the teaching assistants. While reviewing the impact of workforce remodeling, a report by OfSTED (2004) stated that when a teaching assistant is appointed to work with carefully chosen pupils and is provided with the training to do so effectively, the pupil s make significant progress. This is, of course, as well as the obvious benefits of providing the teacher with more time to focus on other pupils. Having worked alongside several teaching assistants employed to support children with SEN I have witnessed the immeasurable benefit to the pupil and the class as a whole. The teaching assistants enabled the pupils to be included in a mainstream classroom and access the curriculum, while allowing the class teacher to support the majority of the pupils. Their support involved the re-enforcing of the whole class teaching, giving the pupil the confidence to participate in class discussions, simplification of vocabulary, offering praise and encouragement and feedback on the completed task. Following the lesson, the teaching assistant also provided the teacher with assessment and monitoring feedback to enable assessment of and for learning. This assessment has become a vital aspect of the role of the teaching assistant and supports the teacher and pupil by enabling differentiation and personalised learning to become every day practice. (OfSTED, 2002b) Guidance published by the NFER (2002, cited in DfES, 2005, p.22) found that when teachers and teaching assistants work together the results are a more effective level of teaching and learning. An example of this is a scenario I have experienced recently where a teaching assistant supported the learning of the majority of the class while the class teacher focused on the children with SEN. As a result of the teacher and teaching assistant having spent time working together to plan the lesson, the teaching assistant was able to support the learning objectives and assist pupils in their achievement of them. Teaching assistants can also, when included in the planning of a lesson, actively participate in the delivery of the lesson providing an alternative viewpoint or by playing a character in role. One such example was provided by my colleague who, upon realising that many of the pupils within the class had misunderstood a key concept, pretended to be confused and raised a hand to ask for clarification. As a result, pupils developed a clearer understanding of the lesson and therefore, the teaching assistant had played an important role in developing their learning. By implementing a mixture of all of these approaches and with effective training and guidance, teaching assistants can provide invaluable support for all children within any lesson. Teaching assistants also support behaviour management within classes and can provide an alternative level of perception within the classroom. In daily Literacy lessons, I have observed a teaching assistant supporting a pupil with ADHD and have no doubt that without her presence, the class teacher would have to spend a large proportion of the lesson settling the child and addressing low level distractions. Personal experience has shown me that children with emotional and / or behavioural difficulties are often more responsive towards a teaching assistant with whom they can forge a positive adult / child relationship. This can contribute towards the social and emotional wellbeing of the child as outlined by Alborz et al. (2009b). Supporting the teacher and the school Besides the opportunity to support childrens learning during lesson time, teaching assistants continue to carry out a multitude of administrative tasks in order to support the class teacher and the school as a whole. The National Agreement, (ATL et al. 2003, p.2), implemented as part of the governments workforce remodelling initiative, states that teachers should not spend their time carrying out administrative responsibilities that do not make full use of their skills and expertise but that these tasks should be carried out by support staff. The agreement outlines twenty-one tasks that teaching staff should not be required to carry out including the preparation of classroom resources, photocopying, the collection of monies for educational visit and the preparation and setting up of displays. These tasks must also, therefore, be considered the responsibility of the teaching assistant. Each and every one of the administrative tasks has an impact on the educational environment and ther efore contributes towards supporting the development of childrens learning. In practice, however, the need for teaching assistants to be more involved in the delivery of lessons surely means that they too will have less time for carrying out administrative duties which in turn might relay these duties back into the hands of the teachers. In my experience, teaching assistants often offer unconditional support for the school in which they are employed. Many carry out duties beyond their working hours attending extracurricular events and regularly being at the forefront of fund raising activities. They frequently are able to provide a connection between local communities and their schools as they often live in close proximity to their workplace. This is a non essential yet valuable part of their role as it enables teaching staff to be aware of local issues and provides a link between parents and schools. (Lipsett, 2008) In summary, the role of the teaching assistant is a developing one, consisting of providing emotional support for pupils in their care and using knowledge and skills to assist in the development of childrens learning while maintaining an excellent level of support for both the teacher and the school community.

Rhetorical Techniques in Richard Wright’s Black Boy Essay -- Wright Bl

Rhetorical Techniques in Richard Wright’s Black Boy Richard Wright uses language in his novel, Black Boy, as a source to convey his opinions and ideas. His novel both challenges and defends the claim that language can represent a person and become a peephole into their life and surroundings. Richard Wright uses several rhetorical techniques to convey his own ideas about the uses of language. First, Wright’s language and writing style in Black Boy challenge Baldwin’s ideas. For example, pages 18-19 are purely figures pf speech that convey the writer as being far different than Wright. â€Å"There was the languor I felt when I heard green leaves rustling with a rain like sound.† This quote was just one of the sensory enticing statements Wright used to show his delicate way of writing; a way of writing that would not typically belong a lower class black male in the 1940’s. In addition, the organization of the passage was unique in the sense of how each statement was separate, in order to make each important and each a work of art. Assuming Baldwin having read this passage, he would ...

Facts about Jose Rizal Essay

Jose P. Rizal, a man of exceptional talent and intelligence, is the National Hero of the Philippines. That’s a fact (and might be the only fact) that every Filipino knows about Jose Rizal. One might ask, â€Å"How about his name?† Well, that might be uneasy because his full name is Josà © Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda. Let’s be honest that if we will be asked by some people about some things related to Rizal without the help of any references, we can only say less. If that’s make you curious, then here are several interesting facts about Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Most Filipinos don’t know about these trivia about Jose Rizal – verify it yourself if you’re a Filipino. At age two, Jose Rizal could already write and read. He wrote his first poem at the age of 8 entitled ‘Sa Aking Mga Kababata’ (To My Fellow Youth). Just like other Filipinos who are eagerly trying their luck to win the lottery, Rizal also joined such type of gambling where he won one-third of the grand prize (Php 18,000.00) with ticket number 9736. He gave a portion to his father, a friend in Hong Kong and he spent the rest buying agricultural lands in Talisay. He mastered 22 languages: Hebrew, Filipino, Ilokano, Bisayan, Subanon, Chinese, Latin, Spanish, Greek, English, French, German, Arabic, Malay, Sanskrit, Dutch, Japanese, Catalan, Italian, Portugese, Swedish and Russian. Rizal was too small for his age and made him a target of Pedro’s bullying, insulting Pepe in front of the other students at the school of Maestro Justiniano Cruz. Equipped with his Uncle Miguel’s teachings about the art of wrestling, Rizal challenged Pedro to a fistfight. Rizal won and became popular as he proved himself a worthy opponent. Rizal could show too much sarcasm because of his love for his country. Why  and how? Back in Dapitan when he received three visitors in his house in Talisay, he offered the woman named Donya Manuela with Bagoong. The lady ignored the bagoong saying that they do not eat bagoong in their country because it contains worms. With that, Rizal responded saying that he had been in her country and people there eat little birds without taking out intestines. During his exile in Dapitan, he was able to establish a school where he had 21 pupils who were never asked to pay for tuition but was required by Rizal to work for the community. During the class discussion, when his students couldn’t answer his questions correctly, he would jokingly pinch his students. Rizal is one of the few recognized ‘Renaissance man’ in the world. A Renaissance man is a well-educated person and one who excels in a wide variety of subjects or fields. He was an anthropologist, ethnologist, economist, sociologist, educator, architect, engineer, sculptor, painter, playwright, novelist, historian, journalist, farmer, dramatist, ophthalmologist, martial artist, and a cartographer, among other things. Three animal species were named after Rizal; Draco Rizali, a species of flying dragon, Rachophorous Rizali, a species of toad and Apogonia Rizali, a beetle species. Jose Rizal graduated in Ateneo Municipal de Manila as one of the nine students in his class declared as ‘sobresaliente’ or ‘outstanding’. However, he didn’t really top his class when he was in high school. They were 10 in class and only 2 of them got low grades. So basically, the rest earned the same grade Rizal did. Considering that he lived during the latter part of the 19th century where the only means of long distance travel is by ship, he can be considered a very well traveled man. He traveled extensively and had been to the United States, Spain, Great Britain, France, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Italy, Singapore, Borneo, Hong Kong, China and  Japan. Not even a millionaire today could afford the numerous and extensive travels of Jose Rizal during his time. Rizal’s most famous quotation: ‘Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika, daig pa ang hayop at malansang isda’. (He who does not love his own language is worse than an animal and smelly fish). Monuments in honor of Jose Rizal were not only erected in the Philippines but also in various parts of the world like Madrid, Spain; Wilhelmsfeld, Germany; Jinjiang, Fujian, China; Chicago, Cherry Hill Township, San Diego, Seattle, U.S.A.; Mexico City, Mexico; Lima, Peru; Litomerice, Czech Republic; and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Did you know that Rizal was addressed by his European lover as the ‘little bad boy’? Filipinos are truly honest with themselves saying Rizal was not that handsome – and given the fact he was a man of medium height and small built. However, Jose Rizal had his way with women – it might be his humor, knowledge or the way he present himself. On the series of letters that were discovered to be love messages for Rizal, a Belgian woman named Suzanne wrote: ‘There will never be any home in which you are so loved as that in Brussels. So, you little bad boy, hurry back.’ (Partly related with Fact #13) There are rumors that Rizal was a playboy having a lot of girls mentioned in his autobiography and until now many believe that he really had a lot of girlfriends but the truth is that he only had few real relationships. The other girls were all just flings. and some were just plain friends. His poem Mi Retiro (My Retreat) was written when he was sick and could not work. A religious sect named the Rizalista – members of Cruzado, claims that Jose Rizal is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. They believe that the execution in Bagumbayan was just a phase that he had to endure to be in the presence of God. They also believe that Rizal is still alive and lives deep in the  forest of Mount Makiling. There are rumors that Rizal’s book entitled El FIlibusterismo was inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ novel The Count of Monte Cristo considering that it was actually one of Rizal’s favorite stories. Quite unusual for a man about to be executed, but his pulse proved to be normal when the Spanish surgeon general requested to take his pulse moments before Rizal’s execution. Rizal was indeed ready and unafraid of his fate. Because of his famed reputation as a Casanova, it was believed that he was involved with a beautiful woman living somewhere in the border of Germany and Austria making people spread statements that Adolf Hitler of Germany and Mao Zedong of China were sons of Jose Rizal. The dam he built in Dapitan was built using burned shells and bricks that were made from the machine he built. In his letter to his best friend, he said that the dam was built by him and fourteen young boys (his students). Filipinos believe that the reason why Rizal was really intelligent is because he was born with a big head. Ambeth R. Ocampo, a multi-awarded Filipino historian, got a hold of Rizal’s original writings which revealed Rizal’s markings and side notes of male organ of different sizes that were drawn all over the book. Rizal was never really a licensed doctor. He never graduated medicine. Technically, he couldn’t really be called Doctor. Rizal was never really a dentist. He just did some self-studying and ‘pretended’ to be one. When Rizal came back, Olimpia, his most beautiful, pregnant sister, was his first patient. He assisted her delivery. Olimpia died as well as her child due to profused bleeding. And Rizal noted in his diary: ‘She would’ve died anyway†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Well, that might be a pain reliever joke of him.)

Pasaporte americano - Todo lo que hay que saber

Pasaporte americano - Todo lo que hay que saber El pasaporte sirve para demostrar que una persona es ciudadana  de los Estados Unidos. Tambià ©n se utiliza para viajar al extranjero con la proteccià ³n de Embajadas y Consulados y como documento que permite regresar al paà ­s. Asimismo se puede utilizar como forma de identificacià ³n. Por ejemplo, para sacar la licencia de manejar o para llenar el formulario I-9 para probar que se puede trabajar legalmente en los Estados Unidos o para registrarse para votar. En este artà ­culo se explica cà ³mo sacar el pasaporte americano, quà © hacer en caso de extravà ­o o robo, quà © otros documentos pueden utilizar los ciudadanos americanos para ingresar a los Estados Unidos y, finalmente, cà ³mo funciona la doble nacionalidad y cules son sus inconvenientes. Cà ³mo obtener el pasaporte americano Obviamente, sà ³lo pueden obtenerlo los ciudadanos americanos. A la hora de sacar el pasaporte  existe una diferencia en el proceso de solicitud segà ºn se trate de obtener el pasaporte americano por primera vez y cuando se trata de una renovacià ³n. Asimismo, deben respetarse unas reglas especiales cuando se trate de solicitar el pasaporte para un nià ±o. Estas normas estn encaminadas a evitar el secuestro de menores y es especial que uno de los progenitores saque del paà ­s a los hijos sin el conocimiento del otro, particularmente en los casos de separaciones o divorcios conflictivos. Obtener el pasaporte puede demorarse bastantes semanas, incluso meses. Es por ello que puede solicitarse su tramitacià ³n con carcter de urgencia tanto dentro de Estados Unidos como desde el extranjero. Eso sà ­, hay que pagar una cantidad de dinero a mayores por este servicio.   Robo o extravà ­o del pasaporte americano El extravà ­o del pasaporte debe notificase inmediatamente a las autoridades, siguià ©ndose distinto procedimiento si el hecho ocurre dentro de Estados Unidos o fuera. No notificarlo en tiempo puede dar lugar a importantes dolores de cabeza y a un robo de identidad. Tener en cuenta que si ocurre fuera de Estados Unidos  el proceso para obtener uno nuevo puede demorarse, ya que las oficinas consulares no cuenta con pasaportes en blanco y hay que esperar a que lleguen desde Estados Unidos. Otros documentos que se puede utilizar para ingresar a los Estados Unidos El pasaporte no es el à ºnico documento que permite a un estadounidense viajar al extranjero. La tarjeta de pasaporte  puede utilizarse en casos muy especà ­ficos y las tribus indà ­genas pueden tener reconocidos sus propios documentos de viaje para casos concretos. Este es un listado de todos los casos en los que se puede utilizar otras opciones distintas al pasaporte. Acelerar paso en el control migratorio Con los siguientes documentos es posible cruzar ms rpido por el control de Inmigracià ³n: Nexus: entre Canad y Estados UnidosSentri: cruce terrestre o marà ­timo entre Mà ©xico y Estados UnidosGlobal Entry y ACP para aeropuertos Cada una de estas opciones tiene sus propias reglas y sus ventajas e inconvenientes. Doble nacionalidad en los Estados Unidos Los Estados Unidos admiten las situaciones de doble nacionalidad, pero es siempre obligatorio utilizar el pasaporte americano para ingresar y salir del paà ­s y no se puede utilizar el otro pasaporte para este trmite. La doble nacionalidad indudablemente brinda importantes ventajas, pero tambià ©n tiene inconvenientes que conviene saber. Adems destacar que es muy difà ­cil, a dà ­a de hoy y con las leyes actuales, perder la nacionalidad americana, a menos que se realice una renuncia expresa. Este es un listado de 10 personas famosas que renunciaron a la nacionalidad americana por razones diversas. Hoy en dà ­a la mayorà ­a de las renuncias se hacen por cuestià ³n econà ³mica, para evitar tener que pagar impuestos en los Estados Unidos.   A tener en cuenta Los pasaportes alterados, mutilados o con hojas arrancadas no son vlidos. Tampoco se pueden hacer enmiendas, por ejemplo, cuando se cambia el nombre. En estos casos lo que hay que hacer se solicitar un nuevo pasaporte.   Todos los emitidos a partir del 1 de enero de 2007 contienen un chip de radiofrecuencia (RFID) en la parte posterior. Contiene informacià ³n de seguridad. Entre otros, datos sobre la fotografà ­a que permiten utilizar con mayor eficiencia las tecnologà ­as de reconocimiento facial de los puestos de control migratorio. Si por cualquier accidente el chip deja de funcionar, el pasaporte sigue siendo vlido hasta su fecha de expiracià ³n. Por à ºltimo, la manipulacià ³n de un pasaporte americano (tampering) puede ser castigada con una pena de prisià ³n de hasta 25 aà ±os. Curiosidad Aproximadamente sà ³lo el 46 por ciento de los ciudadanos estadounidenses tienen pasaporte. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Free Essays on Catholicism In Irish Literature

, impure deeds, and that’s what adultery is, Dirty Things in General† (McCourt 291-292). The priests hammered Frank and his community with stories of their beloved Virgin Mary and crucified Jesus, persuading them to believe that sex was a sin, causing a total repression of feelings by followers. â€Å"He says impurity is so grave a sin the Virgin Mary turns her face away and weeps†¦every time you succumb to the vile sin of self-abuse, you nail Christ to the cross†¦I can’t help myself and swear I’ll go to confession and after that, surely a... Free Essays on Catholicism In Irish Literature Free Essays on Catholicism In Irish Literature Irish literature involves largely the prestigious Catholic religion among the people and its affect on their lives. In Angela’s Ashes and in Great Irish Short Stories, the word of the priest was not one to argue against and the Catholic teachings and Bible were a way of life. Due to the rule and power of the Catholic Church over the Irish community, sexuality was a symbol of sin, becoming unhealthily repressed and denied in the people. Any sexual encounter, form of thought, or natural feelings were dutifully abstained from, in fear of sinning or becoming a heathen, for sexuality was shunned upon by the Church. Throughout his childhood, Frank McCourt is burdened with the feeling of guilt for his own sinfulness of his uncontrollable sexual thoughts and behavior. He is frequently talking of his worries that he is condemned or that he may damn other people. However, the root of his worries stems mostly from the Catholicism in which he was raised. Although sexual feelings are natural and occur in every person with hormones, he sees himself as being dirty for even toying with any sexual idea- this because of the control the church has had over his mind. â€Å"I know about the excitement and I know it’s a sin but how can it be a sin if it comes to me in a dream†¦It’s a sin when you’re wide awake and going at yourself†¦Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery, which means impure thoughts, impure words, impure deeds, and that’s what adultery is, Dirty Things in General† (McCourt 291-292). The priests hammered Frank and his community with stories of their beloved Virgin Mary and crucified Jesus, persuading them to believe that sex was a sin, causing a total repression of feelings by followers. â€Å"He says impurity is so grave a sin the Virgin Mary turns her face away and weeps†¦every time you succumb to the vile sin of self-abuse, you nail Christ to the cross†¦I can’t help myself and swear I’ll go to confession and after that, surely a...

Evaluation of Research Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Evaluation of Research Methodology - Essay Example We will examine the different types of approaches and methods that favored by all the three types of researchers. We will discuss quantitative-qualitative debate and examine the advantages and disadvantages of both the methods. These research styles are set within their philosophical, political and practical context. During the discussion there is an emphasis on the need to adopt a critical and reflexive approach to research. In the process of discussion we will evaluate all the three main research methods. We will also look at the possibilities for combining different approaches and methods in the same research project through a process. This multi-method approach and strategy would argue that this is helpful for researchers in seeking to reduce the impact of personal bias and maximize validity in research. While it is difficult to define precisely what social research actually is, there are certain aspects of the nation 'research' which can largely be agreed upon. The first of these is that researches is not an arbitrary activity, but follow certain rules and procedures. There are many types of research method available, and some of these in common usages include for instance social surveys, experiments, observations and depth interviews. Further more, we are interested in generating information of sorts, either to develop further insights into an area - to explain or explore a particular phenomenon - or to solve a problem, perhaps at work or in our local community. Various research methods: Research methods are conventionally divided into quantitative, qualitative and participatory research methods, each with differing underlying approaches, tools and techniques, faced with the glowing claims of proponents and often strident critiques and counter - claims of opponents, one would be forgiven for thinking that they belong to different words traditional disciplinary divides are, however, becoming increasingly breached. More over new tools and new solutions to short comings of old tools are continually being developed. The different methods can be integrated into a coherent research process, which builds on the relative strengths and weakness of each. Underlying the discussion are assumption about the main criteria for choosing between methods: the relevance of the information to the questions being asked and to the context; the reliability and credibility of the information and analysis; the ethical considerations in both means and ends of researc h; the manageability in relation to skills, resources and time available.Quantitative method: Quantitative, Qualitative and Participatory approaches have different disciplinary origins, and have developed distinctive tools and each and each has developed its critique of the other approaches (Hulme, 2000; Kanbur, 2003). In development research, quantitative methods have typically been the main focus, with qualitative and participatory methods often relegated to desirable frills. This is partly because of the overwhelming

Casualties Of Sri Lankas Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Casualties Of Sri Lankas Civil War - Essay Example LTTE has not yet accepted defeat or it seems that both the parties have a very notorious reputation for exaggerating and lying (Rotberg, 1999). This particular tendency to lie and exaggerate has been perhaps the most important aspect of this war. For instance, the government exaggerates casualties among LTTE fighters while deliberately lies about its own casualties. Sri Lankan security forces have a reputation for reprisals after an attack has taken place. This kind of retaliation has often targeted the helpless civilians in the war zone in the North-East of Sri Lanka where most of the Tamils are living. In the rest of the country, Sinhalese are the majority. Muslims form the third ethnic minority group. Tamils constitute 18.5% of the total population while Sinhalese constitute approximately 74% (2001 Census). The post-1983 history of this island nation has never been the same and sporadic fighting in the North-East and occasional bomb explosions in the South have claimed more civilian lives than all casualties among security forces and the combatants put together. Though there are no reliable statistics to show the extent of such civilian casualties over the years, independent estimates put the figure at a colossal 60,000 with further 20,000 missing. These figures, of course, include some deaths among government soldiers and Tamil rebels too (www.worldwatch.org). While causative factors for the civil war in Sri Lanka have received much less attention than its consequences, both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, the ultimate survivor of all Tamilian rebel groups fighting for separation, haven’t paid attention to the mammoth toll the war takes on the civilian population in the country (Richardson, 2005).