The Nursing Shortage

Melisa A. Smith Dr. Kathryn Skulley Eng 122-500 22 November 2011 Crisis in America Back in the late 1930’s, American men were drafted to go off and fight in World War II while women at home had to learn a new way of life to support their families and support the soldiers. A woman named Florence Nightingale who was recognized as one of the first nurses to care for the wounded soldiers during the Crimean war helped to influence other women to learn how to become nurses and care for the sick and wounded.After the war ended in the mid 1940’s, thousands of soldiers returned home to begin the next chapter in their lives by starting a family while women returned to homemaking. In fact, due to the major population shift after the war, thousands and thousands of babies were born in which it would be named the Baby-Boomer generation. Now fast forward to the year 2010, several decades later, the baby-boomer generation is aging and approaching there sixties and beyond at a time whe n healthcare is beginning to be used more frequently by many others.Now that America is beginning a new era of healthcare with the creation of healthcare reform that soon will create access for the uninsured and underinsured to gain access to healthcare treatments. On March 23, 2010, â€Å"The Affordable Care Act† was signed into law by President Obama that would create healthcare access for millions of Americans. This is turn would create a huge strain on the American healthcare system at a time when concerns are rising due to the increased need of services for the baby-boomer generation and the current nursing population to care for them. You can read also Coronary Artery Disease Nursing Care PlanIf Americans already planned on facing a nursing shortage with the baby-boomer generation, then how would the shortage affect everyone else when healthcare reform becomes active in the year two-thousand-fourteen? This paper will discuss some individual points more in detail and evaluate the nursing shortage situation from the beginning of nursing history to present day that could affect all healthcare workers now and in the future. The nursing shortage topic in America has always been a debatable question where it will be analyzed further in detail starting with some statistical data.Looking at the national level for current nursing employment, the U. S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics stated that, â€Å"2,655,020 registered nurses were currently employed as of May two-thousand and ten† (U. S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics: Occupation section). The information presented here did not account for self-employed nurses or one’s that currently work multiple jobs. Now on a smaller scale looking at the State of Colorado’s population and registered â€Å"nurses per 1000 rate is 7. 98 as compared with a national average of 8. 6 with an additional need of 1,780 nurses to meet the national average† (The Demographic Challenges Facing Colorado's Health Care Workforce 15). The information noted here did not account for rural areas and small towns where the population is considerably lower. Next, the discussion will continue on about nursing school factors affecting the nursing shortage. Additionally when someone is attracted by the potential for a nursing career and advancement, they must look at all avenues first before deciding and making a commitment to nursing school.However, when someone has made the decision to enroll they must take several prerequisite classes and take a nursing entrance exam before being accepted into a nursing program. Furthermore, after students have taken the re quired prerequisites, they may not easily be accepted into a nursing program because of limited number of slots available and teaching constraints. In fact, it has been well observed by many schools that the major factor in the nursing shortage is due to the lack of qualified nursing instructors.In the United States, â€Å"nursing schools turned away 67,583 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate programs in 2010 due to insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors and budget constraints† (2010-2011 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing 2). Another factor that contributes to the nursing shortage is that nursing faculty members and educators are being lured away from colleges by higher compensation, which in turn reduces the number of potential educators to meet the demands needed.Consequently, most educators are generally older with a limited number of years of teaching left before reti rement which in turn could also leave more potential nurses waiting on a list that could reduce the national shortage. Furthermore, the United States started facing some major healthcare challenges with the baby-boomer generation beginning to impact the healthcare system in two-thousand ten. Now that this generation is in their sixties many of them will be facing increased health problems due to aging thus putting a greater demand on the healthcare system for treatment and prevention.Consequently, this generation will begin turning sixty-five at a rate of approximately ten thousand baby-boomers per day for the next nineteen years starting in the year two-thousand eleven. This in turn will create a huge stressor to the already problematic nursing shortage. In addition to the baby-boomer generation, America will soon be forced to provide healthcare to millions of individuals who previously did not have insurance starting in two-thousand fourteen when the Affordable Care Act goes into full force.Furthermore, â€Å"healthcare reform will soon provide subsidies for thirty-two million citizens to more fully utilize the healthcare system† (Joint Statement from the Tri-Council for Nursing on Recent Registered Nurse Supply and Demand Projections 2). This in turn will create a huge stress on the medical profession especially the nursing sector, as the healthcare system is grappling in the shortage of nurses to care for the baby-boomers. Emergency rooms and physicians’ offices will soon be faced with a massive influx of patients to provide care for, which would cause an increased demand for more medical staff including nurses and physicians.Patients then would be going to local hospitals for elective surgeries and diagnostic testing which would cause a surge and a need for more hospital beds to accommodate the needs of patients. When the demand exceeds the amount of resources available people could be facing other challenges such as emergencies or disasters of magnitude. With the introduction of the healthcare reform and the baby-boomer generation, the healthcare system could also be facing emergency preparedness scenarios that have not been attempted before with the combination of emergency disaster plans currently available.Some may remember the hundreds killed and injured from the two-thousand eleven tornado outbreak or the terrorist attacks on the twin towers that caused mass casualties and injured numerous people on September 11, 2001. This is just to name a few disasters that America was impacted by with the need for emergent healthcare services. Additionally in the United States, â€Å"there is little flexibility for unanticipated fluctuations in patient acuity and demand on a daily basis, and an absence of standby capacity for large-scale emergencies† (McHugh 442).Consequently, if the United States doesn’t come up with a large scale disaster plan that has been attempted before, then many will be faced with total destruction and demise. Nurses have gone through the grueling process to begin and succeed in their careers from the dedication of going to school to meet entry level standards, as well as taking the national licensure examination prior to practicing. Some nurses graduate with the expectation that the wages and demands of the job will be satisfying to keep them in their current role.But some people may know very little about the profession until they are faced with the reality of the job demands versus the salary. A new graduate nurse just beginning his/her career maybe making less than the more experienced nurses, but still held to the standard of providing the same type of care to all patients. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the national median wage for registered nurses as of May two-thousand ten was â€Å"$67,720 annually† (U. S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages).However this statistic did not report the level of ed ucation held other than the title of registered nurse. Furthermore, nurses are held to a high standard to uphold to their duties and continue to give accurate, compassionate and safe care to all patients. Nevertheless, nurses play many roles other than a care-taker or pill pusher, they are expected to know about possible medication interactions that could harm a patient since they are the last line of protection for patient. Nurses have also been trained to think critically in times of crisis and to intervene with life-saving interventions without the supervision of a physician.Many of the â€Å"hazards on the job, include blood and body fluid exposure as well as musculoskeletal injuries related to ergonomic hazard from lifting and repetitive tasks† (Stone et al. 1984). During times of busy patient demands, nurses may also run the risk of harm to themselves, especially during the administration of an injection that could cause a needle puncture that may potentially be from an infected needle, or come in contact with the splashing of body fluids on exposed skin.However, many hospitals have currently up-graded equipment to help prevent unwanted needle stick exposures through the use of needle free systems, but there is still work to be done to keep nurses and patients safe. Furthermore, nurses may also be exposed to occupational injuries while lifting a patient in bed, or when a patient falls on a staff member and injures them in the same turn as well. Obviously some hospitals have improved the safety for staff, and patients with the use of lifts or ssistive devices, but time maybe of essence. With this in mind, the physical and mental demands of the nursing profession may take a toll on a person’s body, or it may potentially provoke thoughts of a career change from the risks involved. However, since nurses are also held accountable for mistakes made even when times are proven difficult, in hind sight turn this could potentially create a stressful environment full of expectations without satisfaction.Furthermore, â€Å"nurses’ working conditions have been associated with medication errors and falls, increased deaths, and spread of infection, but nurses report making more errors when working shifts greater than twelve hours, working overtime, or working more than forty hours per week† (Stone et al. 1984). In some hospitals nurses are given an assigned number of patients to care for, but patients are coming into the hospitals’ sicker than in previous years which can create a dilemma when assigning patient care.Some hospitals’ have been designated as a Magnet hospital where the maximum ratio is one nurse to five patients which could help ease some demands to be able to provide better care to patients, but this trend is still new to some healthcare systems. On a typical working shift nurses are responsible for medication administration, physical assessments and general care of the patient, but during t imes of staffing shortage nurses may have to provide all the care for all assigned patients.Generally speaking, nurses care for four to eight patients per shift while â€Å"an additional patient within this range was associated with a seven percent increase in the odds of dying within thirty days of admission and a seven percent increase in the odds of death following complications such as shock or pneumonia† (Keenen 1). In addition patients have a greater risk of infection due to lack of adequate infection control from proper hand washing by healthcare staff when staffing shortages occur.When nurses are held accountable for a certain number of patients, and one person falls out of bed down the hall while they were getting another patient up to the bathroom can create an unsafe and unsatisfactory environment for all involved parties that in turn can cause higher morbidity in patients. With a stressful environment and combined fear of making a mistake which would result in pun itive action against them, â€Å"the U. S. healthcare system contains a safety climate which blames individuals for errors instead of the system or organizational failures that may really be at fault† (Fox and Abrahamson 235).With that said, more nurses feel pressured to not make any mistakes instead of being human. However, when hospitals’ are dealing with staffing issues and nurses are not able to give proper attention to their patients this in turn could create a dangerous situation for patients that have an increased mortality risk due to complications or co morbidities. Studies have shown that staffing insufficiencies increase the mortality risk in patients due to the inability to adequately care and educate patients on complications such as pneumonia or bloods clots which can be proven fatal.Nurses are also expected to perform many tasks that include life saving techniques in critical situations, but in order to keep these individuals with these skills employed b y a specific facility it takes a clever approach to nursing retention. However, â€Å"research shows that nurses contribute heavily to the quality of patient care, reimbursement based upon performance outcomes would likely increase the economic value of nurses, thus improving wages, work environment and recruitment and retention† (Fox and Abrahamson 235).In the past, when hospitals were dealing with nursing shortages some would offer a sign-on bonus or a contract to pay for a portion of education expenses as an incentive to attract employees for difficult to recruit positions such as night shifts. Due to cost constraints some facilities were beginning to do away with sign-on bonuses and offer other assistance after a specific time period of employment. On the contrary, most facilities do not recognize nurses with compensation based on performance other than an increase in cost of living wages, but could benefit further through increased recognition programs.Since World War II the nursing profession had always been a female dominant profession until now, with the addition and encouragement of male nurses in the profession. Most patients saw nursing as a female dominant profession due the delicate nature of caring for sick patients and the need for gentle interactions and nurturing. Furthermore, working conditions were often poorer in nursing with a predominately female occupation.During times of economic recession more nurses were choosing to work, or continue employment to help meet the financial expectations of their households especially in times when other family members are facing a layoff or furlough. Although when the economy improves the shift of nurses actively working may change and create an even bigger nursing shortage while some may change careers or retire all together. Furthermore, with the introduction of men in nursing things have begun to change and more and more men were joining the nursing profession for career stability and advanceme nt opportunities in an already female dominant profession.A man named James Derham â€Å"in 1783 who was a slave earned money to buy his freedom by working as a nurse† making him the first male nurse (Bonair and Philipsen 19). Nursing schools began offering scholarships to male nursing students as a way to attract more people to the nursing profession. With men in a female dominant profession they were making up â€Å"five to ten percent of the workforce in the UK, USA and Canada† while in the nursing profession they were more likely to be promoted into leadership roles (Brown 120).Male nurses generally started a nursing career at a younger age compared to their female counter parts. As working nurses were getting older many of them were planning for retirement at a time when a majority of people were retiring with the baby-boomer generation. More and more people began to choose a nursing career later in life, so consequently most nurses ended up retiring earlier due t o the strains of the job or age factors. Consequently, the average age of nursing students graduating was thirty-one, while the average age of the working nurse is forty-six years old.Due to the popularity of nursing for some it is becoming a second career for individuals after many years of employment in other fields such as business, or computer industries that have had many changes and layoffs that contributed to the employment shift. With this new employment shift new nurses that began a nursing career as older adults are not working in the field as long and retiring sooner. Furthermore with the short periods of nursing employment, this again creates problems with fixing the nursing shortage across the country.Now that the factors of the nursing shortage have been described in detail, the next discussion will be about ways to fix the nursing shortage problem in America from the faculty shortage to loan forgiveness programs. If America is going to get out of the nursing shortage crisis the first step is to address the shortage of educators, and nursing faculty that teach and train the future nursing students. In order to create an interest in teaching there needs to be some changes with regards to income levels, and more education assistance to give nurses the ability to increase their knowledge. Some hospitals ffer opportunities to take a leave of absence from their jobs to pursue further education options without the fear of job loss. However, this in turn would not only be an asset to the individual but the facility as well that encouraged their employees to seek more education. Another factor in the nursing shortage is the number of clinical sites needed to give adequate clinical experiences for nurses to learn in. In hospitals today nursing schools generally have clinical experiences five days a week instead of an additional two days on the weekend to meet more needs of clinical experience time.By offering the additional two days per week, nursing stud ents would meet their clinical expectations ahead of schedule therefore they could graduate earlier and begin nursing practice sooner. This in turn would help to ease the shortage of trained nurses sooner and decrease the waitlist time for entrance into nursing school. In order to attract more nurses to continue advancing their education there needs to be more monetary compensation to pay for the cost of education in order to encourage more nurses to advance into teaching.Furthermore in order for the healthcare system and colleges to meet the recruitment demands and the shortage requirements there needs to be some collaboration between facilities for education and tuition assistance. Consequently to address the aging of the nursing faculty, more people need to be encouraged to continue their education without any lapse of time after graduation. Nevertheless, since most nurses cannot afford to pay for the higher expenses of college and continue to work then only a selected few would advance their education.However, some nurses may choose not to continue their education due to conflicts with work schedules and family, unless there was some loan assistance or forgiveness program widely used. The United States currently has loan forgiveness programs that pay the entire amount of the loan after requirements are met. Furthermore, after a nurse has completed two years of service in a hospital then they can apply for the loan forgiveness program that may take up to six months before a decision is made, and only a limited number of individuals are selected.In addition, if the United States invested in more healthcare facilities and offered more loan assistance and scholarships then people would be more attracted to the nursing profession and possibly reduce the nursing shortage. In conclusion, after discussing the many challenges that the nursing profession faces, it is still considered a highly respected field by many but may not be the choice for everyone. However, u ntil the United States aggressively pursues a solution to the nursing shortage, better wages, and working conditions, then healthcare reform will define the critical needs of nurses that may end up costing more lives than money.In the end, if the nursing shortage continues, it could be catastrophic to American society at a time when healthcare has made so many advances to increase the life expectancy rate. Works Cited â€Å"2010-2011 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing. † Fact Sheet-Nursing Shortage (2011). . Bonair, Jennifer, and Nayna Philipsen. â€Å"Men in Nursing: Addressing the Nursing Workforce Shortage and Our History. † Maryland Nurse.CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO, 10. 3 (May-July 2009): 19. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. Brown, Brian. â€Å"Men in nursing: Re-evaluating masculinities, re-evaluation gender. † Contemporary Nurse: A Journal for the Australian Nursing Profession. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO, 33. 2 (20 09): 129. Web. 29 Oct. 2011 Fox, Rebekah L. , and Kathleen Abrahamson. â€Å"A Critical Examination of the U. S. Nursing Shortage: Contributing Factors, Public Policy Implications. † Nursing Forum. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO, 44. 4 (Oct-Dec. 2009): 244. Web. Sept. 2011.Joint Statement from the Tri-Council for Nursing on Recent Registered Nurse Supply and Demand Projections. AACC, n. d. Web. 4 Sept. 2011. . Keenen, Patricia. â€Å"The Nursing Workforce Shortage: Causes, Consequences, Proposed Solutions. † Issue Brief. CINHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO, (2003): 6. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. McHugh, Matthew D. â€Å"Hospital Nurse Staffing and Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Implications for Policy. † Public Health Nursing. 27. 5 (Sept/Oct 2010): 449.CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. Stone, Patricia w. , et al. â€Å"Nurses' Working Conditions: Implications for Infectious Disease. † Emerging Infectious Diseases 10. 11 (2004): 1989. We b. 28 Sept. 2011. . The Demographic Challenges Facing Colorado's Health Care Workforce. Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence, n. d. Web. 4 Sept. 2011. . U. S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Occupation: Registered Nurses. http://data. bls. gov, May 2010. Web. 1 Nov. 2011.

ISMIS Online Enrollment USC Cebu

University of San Carols, one of the oldest schools in the Philippines, has experienced a drastic change when it decided to adjust to the modern world run by technology. Manual and traditional enrollment meant students having to go to the campus early to get the schedule they desire to be enrolled in. Long lines of eager students barricading the offices didn't mean proper order in the enrollment system but this was slowly accepted by those who really wished to enroll.The drastic change came when students and faculty of the school decided to adapt to technology by creating a database system which loud allow students to check their grades, assessment, enrollment processes and even the library system from their own homes. With a stable internet connection, any student can connect to the school by entering their ID numbers and passwords.A question arises, though, as to why the proponents chose this topic when the database system called ‘Integrated School Management Information Syst em (ISMS)† received good reviews and is functioning fairly well. The reason is, â€Å"functioning fairly well† does not apply to every part of the system. The flaw comes out in the specific function called he â€Å"Online Enrollment. † The importance of this study is to figure out how ISMS users are satisfied with the performance of this database system.During enrollment season, Carolinians (students of the university) voice out issues about the ISMS not functioning and delaying their chances of getting good courses and practical time schedules. Students cite their sentiments through social networking sites which is why there is not much they can do about it. This study aims to find samples from the student population regarding their satisfaction/dissatisfaction on ISMS. Would they prefer the traditional lining-up-and-filling-up-forms type of enrollment?

Development of Transcendentalism

The resistance of some ministers and congregations in Boston and eastern Massachusetts to key doctrines of Calvinism started to divide the New England Puritan churches during the mid-1700s. Calvinism centered on the doctrines of John Calvin whose theology emphasized the absolute nature of sovereignty of God and the certainty of human depravity (Robinson). The religious divisions became significant because they resulted to the establishment of a religious liberalism movement that eventually called Unitarianism (Robinson).The Unitarianism movement became the center of various well-established churches in Boston and at Harvard College. It allowed the liberals to achieve cultural and intellectual influence that exceeded their small numbers and played a significant role in the formation of a powerful American liberal tradition in literature, education, politics, and the arts (Robinson). The political and literary movement of transcendentalism was formed in the 1830s and 1840s because of t he movement of liberal theology in Boston (Robinson).The goal of the Unitarianism was to spread its message of human capability and positive spiritual development even though it continued to be in conflict with its Calvinist opponents (Robinson). However, several younger Unitarian ministers started to take a different approach to the problem concerning religious knowledge, including Ralph Waldo Emerson (Robinson). Emerson, who was the leader of the Transcendentalist movement, considered that the transcendental law was the moral law through which people discovered the living spirit of God (â€Å"Transcendentalism†).He published his book, titled â€Å"Nature† in 1836, which formed a novel way of intellectual thinking in the United States (â€Å"Transcendentalism†). He suggested a theory of religion based on intuition instead of empirical evidence, which explains that the religious sentiment is deeply rooted into the nature of mind itself (Robinson). He insisted th e relation between mind and nature because both were instruments of a divine energy that formed reality and provided value and significance (Robinson).Emerson shifted into the role of freelance lecturer and followed his book â€Å"Nature† with two lectures at Harvard: â€Å"The American Scholar† and the â€Å"Divinity School Address† (Robinson). He also published two books about his developing philosophy, â€Å"Essays† (1841) and â€Å"Essays: Second Series (1844) (Robinson). In the â€Å"Divinity School Address,† Emerson pointed out the criticism of the traditional preaching during Emerson’s time and its consideration of a universally available capability of the religious sentiment rather than mediated by the church or by the supernatural intervention of Jesus (Robinson).The transcendentalist philosophy of Emerson is a religion of the spiritually liberated heart and mind, unbounded by party or church (Erickson viii). Emerson urged in his l ecture, titled â€Å"The American Scholar,† to remove America’s two-hundred-year-long reliance on European thought and to realize oneself as a civilization who can think his or her own thought and can create his or her own philosophy, poetry and vision of life (Ericson viii). His religion is described as a metaphysical idealism in which the material universe is only the appearance of underlying divine unity expressed in various individuals (Ericson x).He also visualized religions as an emotional interaction between the unitary spiritual power of goodness called â€Å"Oversoul† and an individual soul (â€Å"Transcendentalism†). Emerson also referred â€Å"Oversoul† to spirit of God as the most significant thing in the world (â€Å"Transcendentalism†). Several works by other individuals who believed in transcendentalist movement were also published in 1836, the year when the book â€Å"Nature† was also published.These included William H enry Furness’ â€Å"Remarks of the Four Gospels,† Convers Francis’ â€Å"Christianity as a Purely Internal Principle,† and Amos Bronson Alcott’s â€Å"Conversations with Children on the Gospels† (Robinson). One of the key legacies of Transcendentalism is the â€Å"The Dial,† a journal edited by Emerson and Margaret Fuller to offer a venue of expression for transcendental writing (Robinson). â€Å"The Dial† published poetry, book reviews and fiction as well as preaching and theological writings and commentary about social and political reform (Robinson).It also provided a chance for transcendentalists such as Emerson, Theodore Parker, Fuller, Amos Bronson Alcott, Christopher Pearse Cranch, Jones Very, and Henry David Thoreau to have a place in the literary movement in New England (Robinson). Thoreau often helped Emerson in copyediting and preparing the publication of â€Å"The Dial† magazine (Robinson). His involvement in â€Å"The Dial† magazine provided him a chance to know every detail of publishing operations and an exposure to the writing of his contemporaries (Robinson).Emerson and Thoreau played an important role in the emergence of New England Transcendentalism by representing it in the United States. They influenced other writers to apply transcendental ideas in their works (â€Å"Transcendentalism†). Thoreau’s book, titled â€Å"Walden,† or â€Å"Life in the Woods,† published in 1845 turned out to be a literary and environmental classic. It reflected on the dual identity of Thoreau as a poet-seer and a skillfull and grounded realist (Robinson). In addition to â€Å"Walden†, Thoreau published his â€Å"Journal† and various key nature essays such as â€Å"Walking,† â€Å"Wild Apples,† and â€Å"Autumnal Tints† in 1862.These publications focused on Emerson’s characterization of the spiritual importance of the natural world and the preservation of nature (Robinson). Thoreau became the original literary voice in a significant tradition of environmental writing and American nature (Robinson). He represented an American culture’s longing for the simpler life, symbolizing an increasing collective desire for a freedom from a society described as meaningless work and full of material consumption (Robinson).His writings during the 1960s and 1970s focused on the enhancement of the environmental ethic during that time (Robinson). According to Reuben, the basic premises of Transcendentalism are that: an individual is the spiritual center of the universe, acceptance of the neo-Platonic conception of nature as a living mystery, similarity between the structure of the universe and the structure of the individual self, and the belief that individual virtue and happiness rely on self-realization.The author also mentions the reasons behind the emergence of American Transcendentalism, which include the co ntinuous decline in Calvinism, the impact of science and technology on the advancement of secularization of modern thought, the rise of a Unitarian intellectual elite with the means and training to continue literature and scholarship, the growing irrelevance of liberal religion, the effect of European ideas on Americans traveling abroad, and the appearance of talented individuals such as Emerson, Fuller and Thoreau on the scene.The significance of the Transcendentalism is the manifestation of a romantic movement in philosophy and literature (â€Å"Transcendentalism†). Transcendentalism became an ethical guide to positive life and focused on the positive side of human nature. Moreover, it emphasized the tolerance of difference in religious belief and asserted on the importance of dignity and worth of the individual as a powerful tool for democracy (â€Å"Transcendentalism†).The transcendentalists played an important role in giving American culture its first distinctive voice in literature, bringing artistic undertaking and aesthetic appreciation in culture and providing advancement on several issues such as the cause of social justice and human rights (Robinson).

How to Stop Nuclear Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

How to Stop Nuclear Terrorism - Essay Example High grade traditional explosives and electrical and mechanical equipment are used to set off a nuclear bomb. Hydrogen bomb, which is thousands of times much more powerful than an atom bomb has not been used in war anywhere. A nuclear explosion, deliberate or accidental, would lead to release of energy millions of times greater than that of dynamite or RDX, causing so much of heat and pressure, called as 'thermal radiation', that all materials are converted into compressed gases accompanied with a tremor wave. The explosion produces highly penetrating gamma rays, which would travel long distance in seconds, cannot be felt by human beings, causing fatal long term effect on human bodies or those of other living beings. In first ever use of nuclear bombs by America in second world war, it is estimated that as many as 140,000 had died in Hiroshima by the bomb and its post explosion effects, with the estimate for Nagasaki roughly 75,000., majority of the deaths were those of civilians. In estimating the number of deaths caused by the attacks, many victims died in the following months or years after the bombing as a result of radiation exposure. Today's nuclear bombs are thousand times much more destructive than those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The world's first nuclear explosion was achieved with plutonium, a man-made element produced in nuclear reactors. Plutonium is created when an atom of uranium-238 is hit by a neutron and becomes plutonium-239. Nuclear reactor, which is used to generate power or propel marine vehicles generates the neutrons in a controlled chain reaction. For the neutrons to be absorbed by the uranium their speed must be slowed by passing them through a substance known as a "moderator." Graphite and heavy water are used as moderators in reactors fueled by natural uranium. Heavy water contains an atom of deuterium instead of an atom of hydrogen. 4 kilograms of Plutonium would be needed to make a bomb with a beryllium reflector. Countries producing plutonium for weapons have generally operated their reactors to maximize the production of plutonium-239-the isotope most useful for nuclear weapons. Weapon-grade plutonium contains less than 7 percent plutonium-240. Under normal nuclear power plant operation, the plutonium in spent reactor fuel contains roughly 24 percent plutonium-240; such plutonium is often referred to as "reactor-grade." However, essentially all isotopic mixtures of plutonium-including reactor-grade plutonium-can be used for nuclear weapons. In order to use plutonium in nuclear weapons or nuclear fuel, however, it must be separated from the rest of the spent fuel in a reprocessing facility. Plutonium separation is easier than uranium enrichment because it involves separating different elements rather than different isotopes of the same element. It uses well-known chemical separation techniques. Relatively large amounts of plutonium-240, as would be contained in reactor-grade plutonium, can cause a weapon to detonate early and "fizzle," causing a smaller explosion than intended. However, even a weapon that fizzles would cause an explosion roughly equivalent to 1,000 tons (1 kiloton) of TNT. A weapon of this size could kill tens of thousands of people if detonated in a city, which clearly demonstrates that even reactor-grade plu

Global warming after see incinvenience truth Essay

Global warming after see incinvenience truth - Essay Example They believe that the atmospheric temperature rise is caused by solar variations and we have nothing to do with it. An Inconvenient Truth was a documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim, in 2006, about former United States Vice President Al Gores campaign to educate citizens about global warming. Al Gore has shown many slides about the consequences of global warming to educate the people about the importance of this issue in this film. He has presented the scientific opinion about the climate change and the possible future effects of global warming in this film (An Inconvenient Truth) Scientific studies showed that atmospheric temperature rise and sea level rise may continue for more than 1000 years even if we manage to stabilize the greenhouse gas levels now. Increased atmospheric temperature is definitely a threat for the sustainability of life on earth. Sea level raise, increased extreme weather intensities, changes in agricultural yields, complete destruction of some living things etc are some of the immediate difficulties we can anticipate. â€Å"Sea level has trended upward for the past 150 years at a rate of 7 inches per century† (Environmental Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide). As per another study, sea level might rise by as much as six feet by 2100 (Eilperin). The over atmospheric heat may expand the seawater and it may raise more than one feet in the coming 100 years as per the evidences collected by the scientists. Such a sea level rise may sink the countries like UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait etc. The increased warming of atmosphere may melt the huge snow deposits on Arctic and Antarctic regions which will cause the sea level to be further raised. Scientists already proved that the height of Everest decreases and also the Snow Mountains disappearing slowly due to global warming. â€Å"Today the amount of carbon dumped globally into the atmosphere corresponds, on average, to one ton per person on the

Oil, Iraq and U.S. Foreign Policy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Oil, Iraq and U.S. Foreign Policy - Term Paper Example The Bush administration used the fear of terrorism as a political tool to garner public and congressional support for the invasion of Afghanistan, the country where the infamous Al Qaeda architect Osama bin Laden was thought to be hiding. Bush quickly thereafter justified sending the bulk of the military to Iraq because it was also a terrorist threat because of its massive stockpiles of ‘weapons of mass destruction.’ Of the 13 terrorists linked with the 9-11 attacks, nine were from Saudi Arabia (none from Iraq) who obtained passports from Iran and took orders from an Afghanistan-based organization. No weapons, no link to terrorism and no legal reason to attack. However, Bush decided to invade Iraq for causes deemed unacceptable to the vast majority of other nations so he repeatedly relied on and used false information to justify it. He lied. This discussion will examine how the truth was a casualty early and often during the lead up to the war and outlines some of the co nsequences brought about by these far-reaching and deadly deceptions. The U.S. justified its invasion and occupation of Iraq to the nations of the world by proclaiming, if not proving, that it was a mission to remove weapons of mass destruction which threatened not only the U.S. but all other nations as well. Secretary of State Colin Powell and other administration officials, particularly with the U.S. Department of State, eagerly endeavored to state their rationale for aggressive military actions and make it as palatable to as many other countries as they could. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz is quoted in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine dated May 28, 2003, as saying â€Å"For bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction† (Shovelan, 2003).

The moment have changed my life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The moment have changed my life - Essay Example It was fascinating to learn that computers could be used to deliver an entire mathematical lesson with ease of comprehension. This was following a computer simulation that showed the different angles and perspectives of an object that was smiley complicated to understand with only the imagination that I had. It was from this moment that I was drawn to computers and thought of my previous ignorance and withdrawal from them as an act of rebellion, towards my parents in an attempt to be unique from the rest of the family. Simulations were the first part that got my attention, especially with what could be done to achieve works of art with exceptional detail to aesthetics and concept delivery. The idea of changing abstract concepts into ones that a learner can easily fathom was strangely fascinating, and drew me into joining the computer club in the school and even sought the help of my family. Their skills were exceptional but not in programming for simulations let alone academic content for schoolwork. However, they helped a lot in honing my new interest and even providing me with information concerning on programming and comprehension of code generation, as well as generation of scripts. Therefore, because of the new simulations that the computer club and I generated, we enabled the mathematics teacher to explain the content in improved ways to us; and for that reason our grades kept improving. Understanding was better as so were the incentives we received, as well as the credits we received in ext ra credit classes. This allowed me to do more content delivery systems for other subjects such as geography and physics with the help of my family and friends. Together we generated scripts and simulations on projections for statistical methods in geography and math and coded projectiles for physics classes. Extra credit classes and recognition followed as this utterly changed my perspective on school life, and how much time I had wasted hating computers. I

Case study report Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case study report - Statistics Project Example   This paper will review some of the key elements of the law. These elements include: Since the enactment of the proposition 209, diversity in Californian schools has marginally decreased and the amendment is aimed at increasing cultural diversity in Californias higher education institutions. A key analysis of the topic, however, indicates that there is a possibility that the introduction of the act would not only hinder the progress and development of diversity in Californian institutions, but also would primarily motivate racial profiling in the public school system. Regardless, this does not automatically make Proposition 209 more appropriate than SCA5. Even so, it shows that the policy has been effective and as such, there is no need to eradicate it completely from the system.    The first reason why the amendment would not be introduced effectively into the system is the consideration of the various changes that have taken place since the enactment of the Proposition 209, that hindered all Californian offices, schools and employment opportunities from considering race, sex, gender and age when selecting people. Currently, several universities around the country practice the affirmative action clause proposed by the amendment, but these same universities have not violated the Equal Protection Rights (Joe Gardner’s State Assembly, 2014).    The blacks, the Hispanics and the Asian-Americans are the worst affected if the bill is passed. Primarily, the racial profiling or preference in the selection, according to the proposing parties, would allow schools to slowly select and promote an equal selection criterion if properly enforced. The enactment of the policy, which directly opposes the Proposition 209, which was enacted in 1996 and which has been a little fruitful now. Most people fail to see the reason

Current Health Care Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Current Health Care Situation - Essay Example This applies to all nations with America not left out of the list. The system of healthcare provision to the American people is a problem, which was replicated over past generations of the American history and requires the attention of the involved parties. The United States healthcare system is broken down and no one has the idea of how to fix it. Although the country is an economic giant and a superpower, the situation in the health sector is wanting. A fortunate portion of the American population has insurance cover mostly from their employment that covers their healthcare related costs (Liberty, 2012). However, most of the American people are not lucky enough to have healthcare coverage and as a result, they tend to suffer as they lack the essential access to the services. It is this situation that created questions such as â€Å"why do we keep using the health care system if it does not work?† â€Å"Do we need a universal health care system to act as a single payer and c over the American people in their attempts to get health care services?† These concerns facilitated the drafting of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) a United States federal statue that was signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President Barrack Obama. The act commonly referred to as Obamacare or the Affordable care Act (ACA) is the most significant overhaul of the regulations of the system of healthcare of the country since the Medicaid passing in 1965.the ACA established minimum standards in the policies of health insurance (Pipes, 2013). The guaranteed issue in the act the denial of coverage to individuals by insurers based on pre-existing conditions. This means all applicants with the same age and in the same geographical location offer the same insurance premium prices. The act mandates every individual without insurance cover that is from the employer, public or Medicaid sponsored to secure a private-insurance cover unless the individual is in financi al constraints or is a member of a religious denomination that is recognized and does believe in insurance covers. Failure to comply makes a person liable to a fine. Health insurance exchanges that will serve as an online marketplace for small businesses and individuals to compare and buy policies should commence operations in every state according to the act. The exchanges will provide subsidies on a sliding scale from the federal government for families and individuals with low-incomes ranging from 100% to 400% of poverty level created by the federal government (Liberty, 2012). The act also expanded the eligibility for Medicaid to individuals and families with incomes going up to 133% of the federal poverty level with the inclusion of a 5% income disregard. The employer mandate subjects employers who do not provide health care insurance to at least 50 employees to a tax penalty if there are provisions of subsidies in health care for full-time employees through tax deductions by th e government. The reforms in the system of Medicare payment aim at promoting efficiency in the delivery system of health care through restructuring reimbursements of Medicare to bundled payments and not fee-to-service (Pipes, 2013). It seeks to provide access to Americans to affordable health insurance of high quality while reducing the ever-growing health care bill of the American

Online Customer Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Online Customer Service - Essay Example However, as the businesses grew, information regarding each customer became difficult as a result of customer growth base. To cope up with the growing customer bases, marketing segmentation and customer grouping was started, where customers were put in slots that could fit into their needs. Grouping of customers and putting them into slots enhanced the expectations of customers, but this also compromises some other desires of the customers since other services are tailor made to groups, not individuals2. In order to meet these challenges, relationship management begun to surface in 1980’s where this idea was to work efficiently with a direct relationship with the customer. Most of the firms realized that this could make them to know more about their customers and provide services that were tailor-made to match their desires. By doing this, firms were able to add value to their customers and themselves. Relationship Management is a group of terms and methodologies that illustra te how businesses should endeavor  and  strive for quality customer service, long term relationship with customers, and provision of quality goods and services. The argument behind good customer relationship include, sense of control, reduction of risks, provide more security, feeling a sense of control and reduction of costs of being a custo The rise of social customer The rise of customer requires that companies should change into a fully fledged social enterprise that values openness and succeeds on the collaboration with customers. The livelihood of the social business is a combination of consistent and immediate flow of information which involves every employee and spans every level of the company3. This means philosophically the customer’s needs at the heart of the vision of the company so as to equip the entire labor force with the right tools so as to ensure that there is customer satisfaction either directly or indirectly. This means operationally that there is a n investment in systems, guidelines and training that will enhance immediate communication between the workers and customers. A social business will have to pay attention and engage a variety of media-email, telephone, mobile and web. Several customers are going for social media to research, rave and rant about their experiences. By amplifying and aggregating experiences of the customers, social media has the ability to either make or break the reputation of the company. Studies have indicated that over 40% of the adults use the web to share their complaints about the services and products. Social media has the ability to bring down the company into its knees if not well managed. Social media has pushed customer service to the front of tactical thinking.  In order to stay in the competition, it is extremely beneficial for companies to know about the needs of a social customer. Use of Social Media Companies in the contemporary business environment are moving closer to its customers , and have taken some steps in resolving the problems encountered by its customers. There is a massive opportunities for various companies in the social web4. Removal of communication obstacles between a business and its customers, social web maintains one-on-one, small-scale relationship with the customers contrary to the setting of large-scale

Platos Apology Of Socrates Essay Example for Free

Platos Apology Of Socrates Essay INTRODUCTION Plato makes it clear, especially in his Apology of Socrates, that he was one of Socrates’ devoted young followers. In that dialogue, Socrates is presented as mentioning Plato by name as one of those youths close enough to him to have been corrupted, if he were in fact guilty of corrupting the youth,[1] and questioning why their fathers and brothers did not step forward to testify against him if he was indeed guilty of such a crime. The relationship between Plato and Socrates is not unproblematic. The charges against Socrates says that he has two sets of accusations: the old, longstanding charges that he is a criminal, a busybody, and a curious person who makes inquiries into the earth and sky, and the recent legal charges that he is guilty of corrupting the young, and of believing in supernatural things of his own invention instead of the gods recognized by the State.[2] Which he terms as charges stemmed from years of gossip and prejudice against him and hence was unanswerable. The trial of Socrates is the central, unifying event of the great Platonic dialogues.   The causes that occasioned this Apology were as follow: Aristophanes, at the instigation of Mellitus, undertook, in his comedy of the clouds, to ridicule the venerable character of Socrates, on the stage; and the way being once open to calumny and defamation, the fickle and licentious populace paid no reverence to the philosopher, whom they had before regarded as a being of a superior order.[3] When this had succeeded, Melitus stood forth to criminate him, together with Anytus and Lycon; and the philosopher was summoned before the tribunal of the Five Hundred. He was accused of making innovations in the religion of his country, and corrupting the youth. However, as both these accusations must have been obviously false to an unprejudiced tribunal, the accusers relied for the success of their cause on perjured witnesses, and the envy of the judges, whose ignorance would readily yield to misrepresentation, and be influenced and guided by false eloquence and fraudulent arts. In the Apology, Socrates tries to dismiss rumors that he is a sophist and defends himself against charges of disbelief in the gods and corruption of the young. Socrates insists that long-standing slander will be the real cause of his demise, and says the legal charges are essentially false. Socrates famously denies being wise, and explains how his life as a philosopher was launched by the oracle at Delphi. He says that his quest to resolve the riddle of the oracle put him at odds with his fellow man, and that this is the reason he has been mistaken for a menace to the city-state of Athens. THE APOLOGY of SOCRATES Socrates begins by saying he does not know if the men of Athens (his jury) translation often says â€Å"gentlemen,† have been persuaded by his accusers.[4] Plato often begins his Socratic dialogues with words that indicate the overall idea of the dialogue; in this case, I do not know. Indeed, in the Apology Socrates will suggest that philosophy consists entirely of a sincere admission of ignorance, and that whatever wisdom he has, comes from his knowledge that he knows nothing. Socrates asks the jury to judge him not by his oratorical skills, but by the truth. Socrates says he will not use ornate words and phrases that are carefully arranged, but will speak the chance thoughts that come into his head. I know not, O Athenians, how my accusers may affect you: I indeed have through them almost forgotten myself, so persuasively have they spoken; though, as I may say, they have not asserted any thing, which is true. However, among the multitude of their false assertions I am most surprised at this, in which they say that you ought to beware of being deceived by me, as if I were an eloquent speaker. For that, they should not be ashamed of asserting that which I will immediately confute in reality, since in the present instance I shall appear to you to be by no means eloquent, this seems to me to be the consummation of impudence; unless they call him eloquent who speaks the truth. The three men who brought the charges against Socrates were Anytus, son of a prominent Athenian, Anthemion. Anytus makes an important cameo appearance in Meno. Anytus appears unexpectedly while Socrates and Meno are discussing the acquisition of virtue. Having taken the position that virtue cannot be taught, Socrates adduces as evidence for this that many prominent Athenians have produced son’s inferior to themselves. Socrates says this, and then proceeds to name names, including Pericles and Thucydides. Anytus becomes very offended, and warns Socrates that running people down could get him into trouble someday. Meletus, the only accuser to speak during Socrates’ defense. He is mentioned in another dialog, Euthyphro, but does not appear in person. Socrates says there that Meletus is a young unknown with hooknose. In the Apology, Meletus allows himself to be cross-examined by Socrates and stumbles into a trap. Apparently not paying attention to the very charges he is bringing, he accuses Socrates of atheism and apparently, of believing in demi-gods. Lycon, about whom little is known; he was, according to Socrates, a representative of the orators. O Athenian, I should answer the first false accusations of me, and my first accusers, Socrates claims to never have been a teacher, in the sense of imparting knowledge to others. He cannot therefore be held responsible if any citizen turns bad. If he has corrupted anyone, why have they not come forward to be witnesses? Alternatively, if they do not realize that they have been corrupted, why have their relatives not stepped forward on their behalf? Many relatives of the young men associated with him, Socrates points out, are presently in the courtroom to support him.[5] For many have been accusers of me to you for many years, and who have asserted nothing true, of whom I am more afraid than of Anytus and his accomplices, though these indeed are powerful in persuading; but those are still more so, who having been conversant with many of you from infancy, have persuaded you, and accused me falsely.[6] For they have said, that there is one Socrates, a wise man, studious of things on high, and exploring every thing under the earth, and of believing in supernatural things of his own invention instead of the gods recognized by the State. These men, O Athenians, who spread this report, are my dire accusers. For those who hear it think that such as investigate these things do not believe that there are gods.[7] In the next place, these accusers are numerous, and have accused me for a long time. They also said these things to you in that age in which you would most readily believe them, some of you being boys and lads; and they accused me quietly, no one speaking in my defence. Such however, as have persuaded you by employing envy and calumny, together with those who being persuaded themselves have persuaded others. Consider, therefore, as I have said, that my accusers are twofold, some having accused me lately, and others formerly; and think that it is necessary I should answer the latter of these first; for you also have heard these my accusers, and much more than you have those by whom I have been recently accused. Be it so. I must defend myself then, O Athenians, and endeavor in this so short a space of time to remove from you the calumny that you have so long entertained. I wish, therefore, that this defence may effect something better both for you and me, and that it may contribute to some more important end. I think however that it will be attended with difficulty, and I am not entirely ignorant what the difficulty is. At the same time let this terminate as Divinity pleases. It is my business to obey the law, and to make my apology.[8] Conclusion Socrates concludes this part of the Apology by reminding the jurors that he will not resort to the usual emotive tricks and arguments. He will not break down in tears, nor will he produce his three sons in the hope of swaying the jurors. He does not fear death; nor will he act in a way contrary to his religious duty. He will rely solely on sound argument and the truth to present his case.[9]Socrates punishment speech angered the jurors. 360 of them voted for the death penalty; only 141 voted for a fine of 3,000 drachmae. Now Socrates has to respond to the verdict. He first addresses those who voted for death. He claims that it is not a lack of arguments that has resulted in his condemnation, but rather his unwillingness to stoop to the usual emotive appeals expected of any defendant facing death. Again, he insists that the prospect of death does not absolve one from following the path of goodness and truth. To those who voted for his acquittal, Socrates gives them encouragement: He says that his daimon did not stop him from conducting his defence in the way that he did as a sign that it was the right thing to do. Therefore, death must be a blessing. It is either an annihilation (thus bringing eternal peace from all worries, and therefore not something to be truly afraid of) or a migration to another place to meet souls of famous people such as Hesiod and Homer and heroes like Odysseus. With these, Socrates can continue his task of questioning. Bibliography Leo Strauss. Socrates and Aristophanic. New York, 1966. [1] Pp 82-2 [2] Pp83- 2 [3] Pp 84-1 [4] Pp 82-2 [5]pp143-1 [6] Pp 138-2 [7] Pp 84-2 [8] Pp 180-2 [9] Pp163-4

Extended Marketing Mix Essay Example for Free

Extended Marketing Mix Essay Launched on 3rd of October 2009 by the McLaren’s Group which has been a name with great passion towards improvement of motor sports in Sri Lanka, Speed  Drome (Pvt) Ltd. is every Pro/Go-karters heaven on earth. Located amidst green pasture in close proximity to the parliament complex and Buddhadasa play ground in Battaramulla, Speedrome is a fully equipped and professionally fitted race track which includes 19 go-karts, computerized timing and scoring systems, professionally trained staff, designated spectator areas and air-conditioned VIP gallery, all for the sake of providing their customers with the best experience that they can offer. Go-karting may be Speed Dromes main product but they haven’t stopped there as far as the entertainment aspect is concerned, with a sports bar and a luxurious lounge. These two additional services are provided for customers to host parties or any corporate events. Speed Drome also has taken an initiative in providing a swimming pool to cater to discerning corporate executives and high profile lifestyles. As for the little kids, Speed Drome has taken the liberty of creating a kiddies race track as well. To put it simply, Speed Drome aims to be not only an attraction for Pro/Go-kart lovers everywhere but also to provide the entire family with leisure activities and entertainment. Speed Drome has gained much popularity ever since its launch, with an exhibition kart race in which the participation of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, Aravinda De Silva the former cricketer who is a keen fan of motor cars along with the lady racer S.A. Lakshika and Jackson Anthony were noted. Karting championships such as Speed Drome All Island Karting Championship Rounds 1-3 show off exactly what Speed Drome is all about as many professional formula one drivers take part in these competitions exhibiting the real skill involved in Go/Pro-karting, while attracting even more potential customers and leading to other karting championships. Finally the major plus point for Speed Drome is the fact that it is the one and only Go/Pro-Karting facility in Sri Lanka as yet and with its added assets Speed Dromes future seems very fruitful with all the necessary standards being maintained. The Extended Marketing mix 1. Product In a service organization, the product is referred to the service being delivered to the consumer which is intangible, inseparable, variable and perishable. The speed Drome (Pvt) Ltd. (Appendix 1) offers a variety of  services which can be explained in terms of entertainment, leisure and experience. Their main focus is on providing their customers with the experience of real Pro-Kart racing (Appendix 2) and in addition to that other entertainment and leisure services are also provided such as the Kiddies track, (Appendix 3) the sports bar (Appendix 4) and the swimming pool (Appendix 5) along with the Luxurious Lounge (Appendix 6). The nature of the service in terms of: Intangibility: True services are intangible. Therefore when you leave Speed Drome there is only one memory or the experience that remains, which is riding a pro-kart at the only available place in Sri Lanka. Some elements are tangible such as the karts used, the swim pool etc., but the core benefit of the purchase is not, and that is the sheer experience of riding a pro-kart and feeling its speed. Inseparability: The service provided by Speed Drome is inseparable as the physical presence of a customer is essential in this service. However, with the help of its physical resources the overall service takes place when only the consumer that is the person interested in riding a pro-kart meets the service provider. Perishability: Karting or any other service provided by the company must be consumed when offered. It cannot be produced now for consumption at a later stage / time nor can they be held or stocked because the value of this service exists at the point when it is required. Variability: This service is highly variable because Speed Drome is the only service provider for kart racing in Sri Lanka currently. It has its very own standardized quality which cannot be competed with another form of entertainment service, as it provides a unique and an incomparable experience. The above mentioned characteristics define the services they provide which attract youngsters and veteran drivers alike. 2. Price Pricing is one of the most important marketing mix decisions and it is the only marketing mix variable that generates revenues. Speed Drome (Pvt) Ltd. is a profit and cost oriented organization. Their main objectives are to: * Maximize their profits, * Achieve a target return on investment, * Recover investment costs over a particular time period And to, * Generate volume so as to drive down costs. Speed Drome doesn’t pursue the status quo or sales oriented objectives as it is the only organization specializes in this certain industry in Sri Lanka. Due to the same reason Speed Drome follows the price skimming strategy. Their prices for all the services are relatively high (even though they don’t have competitors in the same industry) compared to the other entertainment forms in the market. This is due to the service quality, image and to prevent competitors enter the market easily. The following are the current prices attached to the services being provided by Speed Drome: * Pro-Karting/ Go-Karting (10 minutes) Rs. 750 * Happy Hours Karting (every Tuesday 3pm-8pm) Rs. 500 * Swimming pool charges (unlimited) per person Rs. 450 * Membership Benefits: * Membership free Rs.15000 * Rs. 750 tickets for Rs.500 * Kart trainer amount Rs.1500 for Rs.1000 * Members can use pool free, additional guest with members charged only Rs. 250 each * 10% discount for corporate package with fully use of pool and entertainment area. Additionally the race fees, special event fees and training programme fees are charged. 3. Place The place part of the marketing mix is where the customer receives the service or where the service is located. Speed Drome is Located in close proximity to the Parliament Complex and Bhuddhadasa Play Ground, in Battaramulla. It has situated itself around major cities such as Colombo, Rajagiriya, Nugegoda and Pitakotte which are all highly residential areas have all been thought out very carefully by Speed Drome management prior to construction. This is to boost their target market which is basically the upper class of community because although the cost for riding a Go-Kart (which is something very rare to do in Sri Lanka) seems reasonable as far as the cost for maintaining the Karts and equipment needed go, Unfortunately  though for the majority of Sri Lankan’s the price to pay for such an experience is highly unreasonable. The area in which the Arena (or facility) has been built on is extremely large and compliments the Track very well and to add to this the lush scenery surrounding the Speed Drome gives this track a unique feel to it. Speed Dome’s location has one more major benefit which is that it’s just a drive away not only from the cities surrounding it but also from other major cities in the district like Colombo and Dehiwala etc. Over all the decision to build Speed Drome where it is an extremely well thought and strategic move which has shown and is yet to keep bringing in results. 4. Promotion Promotions have become a critical factor in the service marketing mix. Services are easy to be duplicated and hence it is generally the brand which sets a service apart from its counterpart. As mentioned under the topic ‘Place’ Speed Drome’s marketing mix carters to a selected segment, which is known as Niche marketing. Its service is all about providing entertainment for those who desire the ‘need for speed’. What better way to communicate about this sheer experience which can be gained at only one place in Sri Lanka other than promoting the service? The obvious competitive advantages Speed Drome possesses are: * Service Differentiation The only facility that provides karting experience in Sri Lanka. * Image Differentiation Karts which are only available at Speed Drome in Sri Lanka and the unique logo itself distinguish the service provided. How Speed Drome gets through to the customer The main objective of Speed Drome is to make the potential customers well aware about their new service. Hence the following methods are mainly used to promote their service- * Weekly offered special karting hours * ‘Happy Hours’ Every Tuesday from 3pm-8pm (Rs.750 tickets at Rs.500) (Appendix 7) * Karting competitions * Thank God its Race Day Competition (Appendix 8) * All Island Karting Championship (Appendix 9,10) * Exhibition kart races of celebrities (Appendix 11) * Publications * News Paper advertisements Ex: Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Sunday Observer * Magazines Ex: Things to do in Colombo, Esteem, Hi etc. * Online Advertising * Social network groups Ex: The official Facebook Group with latest updates. Twitter etc.

Factors Affecting the Oxidation of Iron Alloys

Factors Affecting the Oxidation of Iron Alloys Abstract This paper is about the prevention of the formation of Iron Oxide. For the purpose of this investigation three coatings have been electroplated to the steel electrodes. The electrodes were then placed next to a salt solution approximately the same as that of ocean water .The mass changes in the metal were then measured and placed into a data table. From this data table I made a column graph to clearly show how the effects of each of the coatings had on the rate of oxidation of the steel electrodes. The mass change of the electrodes was shown through the measuring of these electrodes both before and after the two week space of time in which they were allowed to rust. The results that were obtained from the investigation have proved to be conclusive with the hypothesis that was suggested. This shows that the best way of protecting metal from corrosion was through the usage of copper as a complete coating of the electrode. This action also showed that current methods of galvanization protected some areas but as soon as there was any disturbance in the surface of the metal the corrosion of the iron took hold and rust was formed where the zinc oxide layer receded from. The overall way that the three coatings worked was that copper was the best followed by zing and finally the nickel coating proved to be worst actually accelerating the decomposition of the steel electrode. Introduction The destruction of steel around the ocean’s salty air has been a consistent battle by both fishermen and mariners throughout history. Growing up around the ocean has left me with little doubt about the destructive power of the oceans salty air. The formation of Iron III Oxide and Iron II Oxide more commonly known as rust has always been a problem affecting the local ocean side businesses. The problem of rusting has been around for thousands of years from when man first began to create things made of steel. The first early processes to prevent rusting were to simply cover the metal in animal fat or oil this hydrophobic covering was the main way in which materials were treated to prevent the buildup of iron oxide. The invention of electroplating of metals changed how metals were treated thereafter. Having and interest in maritime transport and seeing how the massive hulls of ships were constructed from steel. Steel has tendency to rust as well as to become highly susceptible to the effects of salt water. Salt water is an aqueous sodium chloride solution acts as an electrolyte solution which allows for rusting to occur at a more significant rate. The prevention of rusting of the hulls of ships is to attach zinc blocks to the hulls of ships. I became aware of this method because one day as I was diving I saw a round block that was attached to the engine of our skiff. When I asked what it was my father told me it was a zinc block. The zinc block reacts with the salt water to create a basic solution which prevents the formation of the iron oxide on the hulls of these tankers. Another method that is commonly used by mariners to combat the ever-present effects of the oxidation on the building materials is a process known as galvanization. Galvanization is the process by which a thin layer of zinc is electrically fused onto the surface of the steel. This fusing of zinc to the surface of the steel is known as electroplating. The electro plating of various metals t o the surface of steel has been used as both a way to decorate the steel and as a ways of protecting the surfaces from either corrosion or the buildup of an oxide layer. The usage of copper as a coating was originally used when huge sheets of hammered copper were affixed to the hulls of ships to prevent drill worms from entering the wood as well as to prevent the buildup of bio fouling organic material such as moss or barnacles because copper oxide is mildly poisonous. I wanted to investigate whether metals that experienced similar resistance to oxidation also proved to be beneficial in the coating of steel to prevent the buildup the damaging iron oxides. I have also seen that nickel copper and zinc have each been used in the coating of metals for both the purposes of chemical prevention of degradation of coated metal to decorative uses. Back ground information The composition of sea water (sodium chloride solution) Ocean water is usually around 35 parts per thousand of salt vs water this means that the sodium chloride content in salt water is around 3.5% of the total volume. Therefore in 1 kg of salt water there is 35grams of salt. (Seawater 01 Apr 2014) The composition of steel Steel is an iron alloy which consists of: Plain Steel Carbon 1.35% Is used to strengthen the iron in the composition of steel Manganese 1.65% Is to react with the sulphur in the composition of steel and this reaction increases the heat resistance of the steel. Phosphorous .04% Used to reduce the corrosion present on the surface of the steel Sulfur .05% May cause steel to become too porous and prone to cracking if the manganese mixture is not correct. Silicon .06% Acts as a deoxidizer in the steel making process (â€Å"Steel† January 06 2014) Rusting chemical equations: [The rusting of iron is an electrochemical process that begins with the transfer of electrons from iron to oxygen. The iron is the reducing agent (gives up electrons) while the oxygen is the oxidizing agent (gains electrons). The rate of corrosion is affected by water and accelerated by electrolytes, as illustrated by the effects of road salt on the corrosion of automobiles. The key reaction is the reduction of oxygen: O2 + 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  e− + 2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  H2O → 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  OH− Because it forms hydroxide ions, this process is strongly affected by the presence of acid. Indeed, the corrosion of most metals by oxygen is accelerated at low pH. Providing the electrons for the above reaction is the oxidation of iron that may be described as follows: Fe → Fe2+ + 2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  e− The following redox reaction also occurs in the presence of water and is crucial to the formation of rust: 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  Fe2+ + O2 → 4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  Fe3+ + 2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  O2−]†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦(1) (Dufour , 01 Mar. 2014) The reasoning behind why the coatings work A galvanic anode is the main component of a galvanic cathode protection system. This protection system is usually referred to a (CP) system. The usage of a more reactive metal to be sacrificed instead of the metallic structure is known as sacrificial. The sacrificial anode is usually made from a metal that has a higher electric potential than that of the object being protected. This electrical potential causes the sacrificial anode to be corroded instead of the other ferrous material. Electro plating definition/ Apparatus [Electroplating is a process that uses electrical current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a coherent metal coating on an electrode. The term is also used for electrical oxidation of anions onto a solid substrate, as in the formation silver chloride on silver wire to make silver/silver-chloride electrodes. Electroplating is primarily used to change the surface properties of an object (e.g. abrasion and wear resistance, corrosion protection, lubricity, aesthetic qualities, etc.), but may also be used to build up thickness on undersized parts or to form objects by electroforming.]†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (2) (Dufour 01 2014) This apparatus is used in the majority of tanks which is used to be able to coat metals with the ions in the solution. This is done when an electrical charge is applied to the apparatus and causes a flow in the ions of solution. This flow of elections causes the ions dissolved in the solution to coat the surface of the target metal. The usage of the same metal as is dissolved in solution insures that the overall concentration of ions in solution never diminishes and ensures that there is a continuous flow of the ions in the electrolyte solution. The oxidation processes of copper, nickel, And zinc Copper 2 CuSO4+ 2 Na2CO3+ H2O → Cu2(OH)2CO3+ 2 Na2SO4+ CO2 Nickel 2Ni(s) + Oà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¡(g) → 2NiO(s) Zinc 2Zn(s) + O2(g) → 2ZnO(s) Both nickel and zinc do not react with water however the constant dissociation of the ions in salt water create a thin layer around the metals which is resistant to corrosion. Copper does the same thing as these other two metals however it does react with air and water to from a (patina) this patina is copper oxide layer. This copper oxide layer turns green and a highly resistant coating that is in susceptible further chemical oxidation. Research question How do different metal coatings affect the rate of Iron oxides forming on the surface of iron and iron alloys? The research question is to determine how through the plating of several different metals onto a steel strip the rate at which these steel strips become oxidized to become Iron oxide. To investigate the rate I am going to take these strips of steel, ensure that they are free of any oxidation, and coat them with exactly the same mass of each of the metals (Copper, Nickel, and Zinc). After measuring the mass of each of these cleaned pieces of metal I am then going to set up an electrolytic cell and plate three steel strips with copper. Then three with nickel ,then three with zinc and finally have three test strips to investigate how much of a difference ,if any, the coatings help the Steel to resist the formation of iron oxide Hypothesis I Believe that the copper coating will be the most proficient in saving the steel beneath it from any and all corrosion, The zinc would be second best in the prevention in the buildup of the rust as it would act as a sacrificial anode, finally when the nickel plated metal is to be weighed I believe that it will have seen the greatest increase in mass out of the differently coated metal strips. The copper coating would experience the least amount of corrosion. This is because the copper would form a small amount of oxide around the entire steel strip. This protective layer is the main reason that the steel strip would not be affected as much as the other metals. However if there is a piece of the protective coating that may become scratched there would be a significant increase in the rate of rusting by the steel strip. This significant increase in the overall rate of rusting is due to the fact that the iron alloy namely steel would act as a sacrificial anode and this particular trait would cause the formation of iron oxide to increase. The zinc coating would experience a very different accumulation of the oxidation. This is because the zinc will act as a Cathode protection system of the overall strip of steel. This protection system would cause an initial gain in mass however the sacrificial nature of the zinc, once all of the zinc has reacted, the iron would begin to rust. The nickel would be the least effective because it is even less reactive than the copper. This means that the effectiveness of the nickel would further increase the effectiveness of the steel as becoming a sacrificial anode this sacrificial anode would mean that rather than the iron being protected by the nickel the nickel would be protected by the corrosion of the steel strip. Variables Controlled The temperature of the solutions being electrolyised This may have increased the rate at which the electrodes were coated with the copper, nickel and zinc The salt content of the water the samples were placed next to This may have changed and there would have been an increase in the production of rust on the steel electrodes The balance that the masses were measured on Different balances may have changed the readings of the masses of the electrodes The molarity/ concentration of the solutions used to electroplate the steel electrodes A difference in the concentration of the solutions used may have caused excess etching of the steel and may have caused certain electrodes to become more or less oxidized. The mass of the electrodes that were electrolyised The mass of the electrodes was attempted to be kept the same however they were slightly different but each one was recorded. Independent The amount of time for which the electrodes were left to rust. Dependent The mass of rusting / oxidation present after two weeks Apparatus Methodology-Experimentation Placement of the steel cathode and the metal solutions source metal as an anode. Make sure both the steel strip and the copper anode as free of any corrosion/ oxidation before the submersion of the electrodes Make a 1 molar solution of copper sulphate /zinc chloride/Nickel chloride Fill a 100 cm ³ beaker with the .5 molar solution of the metal salt solution. Place a 2 volt charge onto the system Electrolyize till there is a thorough coating around the entire steel strip The coating will add around .5 grams of weight to the steel strip. Then take the electrode and gently place it on a piece of paper towel. Wait until the coated steel strip has dried thoroughly If necessary use steel wool to clean away any scum/ produce a shiny surface on the electro plated surfaces. Place the metal strips where they are exposed to both moisture and sodium chloride solution approximately the same as sea water.(22ppt) Measure the mass change of the metal after 2 weeks make any other observations such as color change. Raw data Copper Zinc Nickel Steel untreated (Control) Analyised Data-Graph Analysis of the graph This graph shows that the copper was the best at preventing the overall gain in the mass of the steel electrode. This prevention in the gaining of mass was mainly due to the fact that the copper made a complete coating around the entire steel electrode. This coating proved to create a thin film of copper oxide shown to be present on the surface of the electrode because of a slight green color that was beginning to form around the corners of the electrode. The zinc proved to be worse than even the control this was due to the fact that the zinc oxide formed also had mass and then the steel also started to become oxidized by the time the two weeks had passed. Although the areas of the electrode which were covered in the zinc oxide there was no iron oxide. The surface of the electrode was spotted with dark brownish red patches this means that there were small rust patches along with the zinc oxide which accounts for the slightly higher mass than that of the control. The reasoning behind why the nickel plated steel electrode had a high mass increase is because of the tendency of the sacrificial anode to be the most reactive metal. The nickel was a lot less reactive than the steel electrode. The fact that the steel electrode was higher along the reactivity series than that of the nickel used caused the steel to become â€Å"sacrificed† in the place of the nickel. This reason is why the steel was most affected in the coating containing the nickel. Conclusion After my testing the hypothesis was proven to be correct. This proving of the hypothesis allowed for me to be able to ascertain that the best way in which to treat steel was with a complete copper covering and secondly with a zinc coating . These two ways in which the metals may be treated are feasible in the fact that zinc bars are usually attached to underwater structures this prevention is known as CP system. This CP prevention is highly affective however it requires a lot of up keep and it does not completely protect the entire surface of the steel as was seen by my testing results. The only one of the results that seemed to have completely worked was the copper coating. The coating of the steel by copper created a hydrophobic coating of copper oxide. The copper oxide had a slight increase in the mass measured by the balance. This slight increase in the mass was due to the fact that the salty air was not able to reach the steel electrode. This prevention ultimately allowed for th e electrode to become protected from the oxidation. The overall way in which the metals were protected is going to allow for me to take my findings and apply them to the everyday usage in which I have begun to realize that we use both electrolysis and oxidation prevention on a daily basis. Possible improvements The amounts of retests as well as the length of testing may be increased this increase in length of testing can allow to see the amount of time taken for the complete disintegration of the metal. The increase of testing of the metals will allow for the in accurate nature for these results as well as the nature by which the metals have been protected from the corrosion. The accuracy of the testing may have been increased through the usage of metal which may have been free of corrosion unlike the metal which I have used. The metal that I used for my expirement had already been heavily corroded and I had to clean it with strong acid as well as to use some sand paper to clean the surface of the metal. After the cleaning of the metal I was only able to remove some of the corrosion. This major limitation of my expirement was that I wasn’t able to clean the corrosion which might have caused the copper coating not to adhere to the surface of the electrode. Finally the most major limit ation of my expirement was the time I had in which to complete the experiments. Firstly I had to wait for the materials to arrive for which to be able begin my expirement, my chemicals as well to get the metal strips cut from a long sheet. Bibliography Jim, Dufour. Electroplating.Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Mar. 2014. Web. 06 Jan. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroplating>. Rust.Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Aug. 2014. Web. 09 Jan. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust>. Seawater.Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Apr. 2014. Web. 06 Jan. 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seawater American Experience: TVs Most-watched History Series.PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2014. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/streamliners-steel/>.

Besires Theory is Fully Consistant with the Humean View Essay -- Ethic

Abstract One Humean view holds that motivation requires beliefs and desires, which are separate and distinct mental states. Beliefs are disposed to fit the world, and desires are disposed to make the world fit them. This view is thought to eliminate besire theory, according to which moral judgments have both a world-mind direction of fit by representing the ethical facts of the matter, and a mind-world direction of fit by motivating action accordingly. Here I argue that besires are fully consistent with the Humean view. The Humean view should be cast at the level of types, while besire theory is supported by introspection on psychological tokens. Existent Humean arguments against besires do not go through, and besire theory remains a viable option—indeed, the option best supported by the evidence—without rejecting the Humean view. 1 A Case for Besires According to the Humean view of motivation, beliefs alone cannot motivate. According besire theory,1 some first person moral judgments (judgments of the form ‘I morally ought to ÃŽ ¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢) are both belief-like and desire-like in that they represent things as they morally are, and motivate appropriate actions. For example, on besire theory my judgment ‘I ought to visit my grandmother in the hospital’ can both represent a factual moral obligation and motivate me to visit my grandmother without the help of some separate desire-type psychological state. Can besire theory be right? Not under the Humean view, for on that view besire theory mistakenly attributes motivationally hot, desire-like properties to a certain class of beliefs. It would seem that our options are highly constrained: either we embrace the Humean view, and characterize first person moral judgments as belie... ...o necessary connections between distinct mental state tokens, simpliciter internalism entails besire theory. 12 Shafer-Landau argues for a similar position, though he calls some beliefs â€Å"intrinsically† motivating. Shafer-Landau 2004, 147-48. 13 Only when we combine besire theory with an essentialist claim, for example, that no state counts as a besire unless it actually motivates, do we get the result that moral judgments necessarily motivate. This essentialist claim is too strong for any desire-type state, for even occurent, normal desires combined with relevant means-related beliefs can fail to realize their functional role. 14 One might think that the standard cognitive view of moral judgments evades the burden of showing how moral motivation fails, but thereby gains the burden of explaining the reliable connection between moral judgments and motivation.

Comets :: essays research papers

COMETS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comets have been witnessed ever since man has been speculating about objects in the nighttime sky and appear in records from the beginning of recorded civilization (Schweighauser 20).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Comets are made up of four distinct features. The first is the nucleus. The nucleus is made up of frozen gases, mostly water vapor with lesser amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, and imbedded in the frozen gases are interplanetary dust and tiny fragments of stony and metallic meteoric material. Some comets, the larger ones, have a nucleus of 10 kilometers (Schweighauser 22). The second feature of comets is the coma. The coma is composed of atoms and molecules of gas that travels with the nucleus. The coma may be up to 100,000 kilometers in diameter. The third feature of a comet is the head. The head is just the name given to the coma and nucleus. The last of the features of the comet are the tails. Most comets have two tails. One tail is made from dust particles and the other, called ion tail, is made gases. As a comet approaches the sun, the frozen gas becomes unfrozen which causes the dust particles to become free. Light pressure from the sun and some other forces cause these materials to move away from the head of the comet and in the opposite direction from the sun. According to Charles A. Schweighauser in his book, entitled Astronomy from A to Z: A Dictionary of Celestial Objects and Ideas, he states that we see comet heads and tails because they not only reflect sunlight, but they also fluoresce—give off their own light—when comets are near the sun. The tails from the comet may be up to 150 million kilometers long each or together. Comets have a predictable orbit. There are one thousand comets that have been charted. Some comets go by the sun once and others, which are called periodic comets, pass the sun repeatedly following a predicable pattern. I have chosen a periodic comet called Tempel-Tuttle. Ernst Wilhelm Liebrecht Tempel and Horace Parnell Tuttle discovered this comet. This comet has been witnessed as early as 1366. The best apparition was that of 1366 when it passed 0.

The Little Ice Age: A World Systems Approach Essays -- Climate Environ

The Little Ice Age: A World Systems Approach In today’s world, after more than a century of the internal combustion engine and the large-scale burning of fossil fuels, the climate has come to the forefront of public debate. As both sides use evidence from past climates to support their points, at the heart of this debate is history. For this reason, as well as for the political implications that the polemics of this issue engenders, objective science and objective historical study must figure prominently, however objectivity should not be subsumed for conformity. Debate is part of the process that brings science closer to truth. The study of climate is no different and the Little Ice Age is an area of study in which there is currently a healthy debate going on. Scholars’ opinions differ on numerous aspects of this period, even to the point of disputing its existence. Topics ranging from a definition of the characteristics of the period to its starting date, and its impacts on human society and hi story are all part of this debate. Among the multiplicity of issues surrounding the Little Ice Age, these are chief and, in order to follow a comprehensible thread, will be the focus of this paper. Describing and analyzing the major views relating to these issues (proposed by historians and non-historians alike) should provide a relatively full picture of the debate and shed light on current thought about the topic. The importance of climate to human history is an issue that has interested historians only relatively recently. According to M.J. Ingram, â€Å"(t)he majority of historians have been content largely to ignore† the implications of long-term climatic change on human societies.[1] Year-to-y... ...s the ‘Little Ice Age’?† in T. Mikame (ed.) Proceedings of the International Symposium on the â€Å"Little Ice Age† Climate. (Tokyo, Department of Geography, Tokyo Metropolitan University 1992) 3 [11] Landsberg 62 [12] Landsberg 62 [13] Landsberg 62 [14] Jean M. Grove. The Little Ice Age. (London and New York, Routledge 1988) 394 [15] Grove, â€Å"The Initiation of the ‘Little Ice Age’ in Regions Round the North Atlantic† 63 [16] Grove The Little Ice Age 260 [17] Ibid 416 [18] Ibid 416 [19] Ibid 391 [20] Grove â€Å"The Initiation of the ‘Little Ice Age’ in Regions Round the North Atlantic† 73 [21] Lamb 307 [22] Ibid 307 [23] Ibid 278 [24] Ibid 219 [25] Ibid 218 [26] Brian Fagan. The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850. (New York, Basic Books 2000) xviii [27] Ibid 58 [28] Ibid 165 [29] Ibid 48 [30] Ibid 59

Mind or Body Philosophy Paper

Alexandra Williams Philosophy 1100 The Mind and/or Body Argument For thousands of years philosophers have acknowledged a boundary between or physical selves and our mental selves. However with the passing of time and the advancements of science whether we are governed by our minds or just our bodies has been debated more and more. There are a long line of ancient thinkers who contemplated the mind-body relationship issue starting with Plato and Aristotle (Waller, 2011). Without knowing what we are run by we can never truly reach our full potential because we may be limited by our physical or mental selves.The mind or body argument consists of arguments for the existence of only the mind, the body, and a combination of the two. Many philosophers put faith in the idea that our bodies are separate entities than our minds. Because they are absolutely certain that we do think they feel they can be sure that we are our minds. Bodies just happen to be our anchors and we can surely live with out them. Rene Descartes once stated â€Å"I exist as a thinking thing. What then is it that I am? A thinking thing. What is a thinking thing?Is it a thing that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, abstains from willing, that also can be aware of images and sensations? †¦ It is certain that I am truly distinct from my body, and I can exist without it. † (Dr. Bob Zunjic, University of Rhode Island). The idea of our existence truly being only our minds we could very well leave our own bodies and without needing to feed our bodies or be weighed down by the frailty of them who knows how long we could live or how much we could learn?While materialist believe that everything is made of matter Aristotle had an argument against this â€Å"if the intellect were material then it could not receive all of the forms. If the intellect were a specific material organ (or part of one) then it would be restricted to receiving only certain kinds of information, as the eye is restr icted to receiving visual data and the ear is restricted to receiving auditory data. Since the intellect is capable of receiving and reflecting on all forms of data, then it must not be a physical organ and, hence, it must be immaterial† (Waller, 2011).While many philosophers believe that the mind is the ultimate power house others believe that the body is. For the last hundred years or so materialism has been the dominant theory in metaphysics. With the rapid advances of science the ideas that our existence is merely physical have been more prominent. Materialism or physicalism is the idea that everything that exists is no more extensive than it’s physical properties, meaning that there is nothing that exists that isn’t tangible.Because scientists have been able to explain things that many accounted to the work of a higher power before many have come to believe that existence is simpler to explain than it was previously. The idea of Ockham’s razor is used to argue against arguments of the mind. Ockham’s razor basically says that simple explanations are typically the best (Waller,2011). Why try to argue that God made the planets orbit the earth with no proof when it is easier to say and prove that all planets revolve around the sun? Materialists believe that we can only be sure of the things that we can touch or see so there is only one substance in the world: matter.Many people have an issue with materialism and the argument of body over mind however because it leads to moral issues. If the only things that exist are physical, things that we can see, touch, etc. then how can there be religion? We cannot see God therefore, in a materialist’s opinion, he cannot exist. There are obviously philosophers that believe in both mind by itself or matter by itself, but there are those who believe in a combination of the two as well. While some philosophers choose to believe that either the mind or the body is superior to the othe r many philosophers believe that both mind and body are what we are made of.According to Bertrand Russell â€Å"the stuff of which the world of our experience is composed is, in my belief, neither mind nor matter, but something more primitive than either. Both mind and matter seem to be composite, and the stuff of which they are compounded lies in a sense between the two, in a sense above them both, like a common ancestor. † (The Analysis of Mind, 1921) To philosophers who believe this, beings are a combination of their physical and mental actions and abilities.Rene Descartes is closely associated with the idea of dualism, which is the idea that mental occurrences are non-physical and that the mind and the body are distinct. He associated the mind with consciousness and self-awareness and differentiated it from the physical brain of a person. Descartes is known as the first philosopher to note the difference between the mind and body. Dualists make their points with such exam ples as when they body is injured it causes pain to the mind and that at times, even when they body is hurt the mind postpones pain in the form of shock.If the body or the mind simply existed by themselves then we wouldn’t feel pain because it’s a physical action with a mental response. You need both in the equation to get pain as the result. Dualism also has an advantage because it is consistent with our experiences. When we have ideas or feelings we don’t think of them in concepts of size, weight, color, shaper, etc. We think of them in terms of good, bad, wise, immature, or otherwise. It also helps explain certain things like human abilities. Things like the ideas of freedom, morality, ethics, and other things that make us discernibly human.Now on top of dualism, Descartes proposed a theory called interactionism, believing that the body and the mind had an actual point where one began and the other ended. He believed it to be where the pineal gland is because at the time they didn’t know what it did. However with the explanation of the pineal gland’s real purpose came the expulsion of interactionism (Waller, 2011). Also dualism came under skepticism because of it’s tendency to be a more complex explanation of things than was needed. Metaphysical issues such as the mind or body dispute are one of the most debated subjects in the philosophical world.So many great minds have been stumped by this issue. To label existence as purely physical means the dismissal of the idea of a higher power. To say that life is purely mental fails to explain how radically different realities interact, such as sensations like pain. Even the idea that both interact together can be challenged because there is no way to fully explain how the two connect and are translated into each other. Sadly this is a question unlikely to have a solution ever, or at least no time in the near future.This can almost be frightening because until we have an a nswer to these inquiries we won’t be able to truly know ourselves or the things around us. In agreement with Thomas Nagel †What is needed is something we do not have: a theory of conscious organisms as physical systems composed of chemical elements and occupying space, which also have an individual perspective on the world, and in some cases a capacity for self-awareness as well. In some way that we do not now understand, our minds as well as our bodies come into being when these materials are suitably combined and organized.The strange truth seems to be that certain complex, biologically generated physical systems, of which each of us is an example, have rich non-physical properties. An integrated theory of reality must account for this, and I believe that if and when it arrives, probably not for centuries, it will alter our conception of the universe as radically as anything has to date. †(The View From Nowhere, 1989). Works Cited Nagel, Thomas. The View From No where. N. p. : n. p. , 1989. Print. Waller, Bruce N. Consider Philosophy. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. , 2011. Print. Zunjic, Bob. University of Rhode Island. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.