PHILOSOPHY essays

PHILOSOPHY essays I've always been a philosopher at heart, overanalyzing situations, people, and nature; questioning values and our existence. Having long discussions that often lead into arguments on various aspects of life inspires me, as I take in other people's perceptions on life and develop my own. Over the past couple of years my views have drastically changed, and as I matured I sorted I had an epiphany one night last year, while having a telephone conversation with my friend Andre. He was a little older than me and a lot wiser. Him and I spoke for hours as we discussed life's many unanswered questions. That night we argued on the topic of destiny and whether it exists. I am one of those stubborn, independent people that chose to scoff at destiny for I wanted to believe that I had complete control over my actions. But as the night progressed and as our conversation deepened I began to see things Andre argued that we do not have complete free will, but only a limited amount. The rest is up to destiny to decide, which we have no control over. The idea seemed bizarre and outrageous, especially with my mentality at the time. I was a strong believer of free will and the idea of some supernatural force that predetermines our actions sounded crazy. He then gave me an example.Andre said that destiny exists because if we were to travel back and relive a moment, we would have acted upon it the same exact way. I wondered why as he continued.We wouldn't change our actions for that was the way we felt at that specific time and place, after all environment affects our actions. The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together, as words of wisdom entered my brain. Andre said that the small amount of free will that we have over our actions play a significant role as well. He said that we do have a choice to make a stand in life and "live it", or pursue a future. "We have the choice ...

Phosphorus Facts - Element Characteristics Properties

Phosphorus Facts - Element Characteristics Properties Phosphorus is a reactive nonmetal with element symbol P and atomic number 15. It is one of the essential elements in the human body and is widely encountered in products such as fertilizers, pesticides, and detergents. Learn more about this important element. Phosphorus  Basic Facts Atomic Number: 15 Symbol: P Atomic Weight: 30.973762 Discovery: Hennig Brand, 1669 (Germany) Electron Configuration: [Ne] 3s2 3p3 Word Origin: Greek: phosphoros: light-bearing, also, the ancient name given the planet Venus before sunrise. Properties: The melting point of phosphorus (white) is 44.1 °C, boiling point (white) is 280 °C, specific gravity (white) is 1.82, (red) 2.20, (black) 2.25-2.69, with a valence of 3 or 5. There are four allotropic forms of phosphorus: two forms of white (or yellow), red, and black (or violet). White phosphorus exhibits a and b modifications, with a transition temperature between the two forms at -3.8 °C. Ordinary phosphorus is a waxy white solid. It is colorless and transparent in its pure form. Phosphorus is insoluble in water, but soluble in carbon disulfide. Phosphorus burns spontaneously in air to its pentoxide. It is highly poisonous, with a lethal dose of ~50 mg. White phosphorus should be stored under water and handled with forceps. It causes severe burns when in contact with skin. White phosphorus is converted to red phosphorus when exposed to sunlight or heated in its own vapor to 250 °C. Unlike white phosphorus, red phosphorus does not glow or burn in air, although it still requires careful handling. Uses: Red phosphorus, which is relatively stable, is used to make safety matches, tracer bullets, incendiary devices, pesticides, pyrotechnic devices, and many other products. There is a high demand for phosphates for use as fertilizers. Phosphates are also used to make certain glasses (e.g., for sodium lamps). Trisodium phosphate is used as a cleaner, water softener, and scale/corrosion inhibitor. Bone ash (calcium phosphate) is used to make chinaware and to make monocalcium phosphate for baking powder. Phosphorus is used to make steels and phosphor bronze and is added to other alloys. There are many uses for organic phosphorus compounds. Biological Activity: Phosphorus is an essential element in plant and animal cytoplasm. In humans, it is essential for proper skeletal and nervous system formation and function. Phosphate deficiency is called hypophosphatemia. It is characterized by low soluble phosphate levels in serum. Symptoms include disruption of muscle and blood function due to insufficient ATP. An excess of phosphorus, in contrast, leads to organ and soft tissue calcification. One symptom is diarrhea. The estimated average requirement for dietary phosphorus for adults age 19 and older is 580 mg/day. Good dietary sources of phosphorus include meat, milk, and soy beans. Element Classification: Non-Metal Phosphorus Physical Data Isotopes: Phosphorus has 22 known isotopes. P-31 is the only stable isotope. Density (g/cc): 1.82 (white phosphorus) Melting Point (K): 317.3 Boiling Point (K): 553 Appearance: white phosphorus is a waxy, phosphorescent solid Atomic Radius (pm): 128 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 17.0 Covalent Radius (pm): 106 Ionic Radius: 35 (5e) 212 (-3e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.757 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 2.51 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 49.8 Pauling Negativity Number: 2.19 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 1011.2 Oxidation States: 5, 3, -3 Lattice Structure: Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 7.170 CAS Registry Number: 7723-14-0 The glow of phosphorus in air is chemiluminescence and not phosphorescence. cloverphoto / Getty Images Phosphorus Trivia: Hennig Brand isolated phosphorus from urine. He kept his process a secret, choosing instead to sell the process to other alchemists. His process became more widely known when it was sold to the French Academy of Sciences.Brands technique was replaced by Carl Wilhelm Scheeles method of extracting phosphorus from bones.The oxidation of white phosphorus in air produces a green glow. Although the term phosphorescence refers to the elements glow, the true process is oxidation. The glow of phosphorus is a form of chemiluminescence.Phosphorus is the sixth most common element in the human body.Phosphorus is the seventh most common element in the Earths crust.Phosphorus is the eighteenth most common element in seawater.An early form of matches used white phosphorus in the match head. This practice gave rise to a painful and debilitating deformation of the jawbone known as phossy jaw to workers when over-exposed to white phosphorus. Sources Egon Wiberg; Nils Wiberg; Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001). Inorganic chemistry. Academic Press. pp. 683–684, 689. ISBN 978-0-12-352651-9.Greenwood, N. N.; Earnshaw, A. (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd Ed.), Oxford:Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-3365-4.Hammond, C. R. (2000). The Elements. in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (81st ed.). CRC press. ISBN 0-8493-0481-4.Vanzee, Richard J.; Khan, Ahsan U. (1976). The phosphorescence of phosphorus. The Journal of Physical Chemistry. 80 (20): 2240. doi:10.1021/j100561a021Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

Explore significant differences from Western models of consumer Essay

Explore significant differences from Western models of consumer behaviour in different parts of the world - Essay Example Companies have models in marketing and research in Western sales markets designed to identify or predict responses and involvement level based on their characteristics unique to specific target markets. What separates Western views of consumer behaviour from regionalized marketing strategy is the quantity of research information provided on consumer lifestyle in the U.S. and United Kingdom (as two examples) versus resource restrictions in the international community on market characteristics and homogeneity. Additionally, the approach to Western consumers is one in which the business must have flexibility and adaptability in areas of production and procurement in order to find sales success. This means oftentimes restructuring the organisation to support new product development or rapid innovation, however largely driven by external consumer behavioural characteristics. Foreign marketers are often limited through resource allocation concerns or simply do not have enough localized market knowledge to proceed with effective marketing strategies. The Western model of consumer behaviour is rather generic when compared to international models, especially in terms of use of the positioning map and the five stage involvement model running from problem recognition through supplier selection. Basic human behavioural traits act as the foundation for these models common throughout the world, thus rather standardized. Based on segment preferences, either demographic, geographic or psychographic related to lifestyle or attitude, Western models identify the consequences of decision-making, based on certain environmental conditioning scenarios or social influence, and predict buying trends using modified or standardized version of the selection and purchase processes. However, Martin-Consuegra, Molina & Esteban (2008) identify a key difference in Western consumer behaviour models related to market orientation. A

Interpretive Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Interpretive Paper - Assignment Example In this sentence, the active verbs that have been identified include take, go, and offer. In this sentence, the cause and the effect have also been displayed. The cause in this case is taking your son where as the effect is offering the son as a sacrifice. In the third verse, Abraham woke up early in the morning, has his ass saddled, then took two young men and his son. The first observation in this sentence is a list. The list is identified when Abraham took two men and Isaac. The sentence shows out some active verbs including rose, took, cut, arose, and went3. The passive voice that has been displayed is saddled. In the third verse, Abraham lifts up his eyes and found out that the place was a far off. After this Abraham told his young men to remain with the ass as he and the lad went yonder to worship the Lord. Abraham took the burnt offering, wood, and had it laid on Isaac his son. He then took a knife and fire in his hands. At this instant, Isaac asked the father where the lamb w as as they already had wood and the fire4. Abraham responded to his son’s question by ensuring him that the lamb for the sacrifice would be given out by God. They then went ahead together. In this regard, the lamb is a figurative speech. The lamb represents a sacrifice of salvation that the human race need to give it willingly to God. Another observation in these sentences is the use of passive and active verb. Some of the active verbs include stay, go and worship among other verbs. After arriving at the place where God had directed Abraham, he established an alter, laid the wood, bound his son Isaac, laid him on the alter on the wood5. This statement represents a list of items such as establishing an alter, laying wood, and bounding Isaac. After this, Abraham took a knife and was ready to slay Isaac. Before he slaid his son, an angel from the God called him and asked him not to do anything to him, as the Lord had already confirmed that Abraham feared the Lord from the fact t hat he did withhold his only son. When Abraham looked behind him, there was a ram. He took the ram then offered it as a sacrifice. He then named that place that God would provide. Then the Angel of God called Abraham the second time. He said to him that, though, he had sworn because Abraham did that, and did not withhold his only son. He added that he will bless him, multiply his descendants, like heaven stars, and as the seashore sand. He also added that Abraham descendants would possess their enemies’ gates. Abraham descendants in all the earth nations would bless themselves as Abraham had obeyed God. After this Abraham returned towards his young men and they rose, went together to Beer-Sheba thus Abraham lived in Beer-sheba. The main topic in this chapter is that God normally tests his people. In the chapter, Abraham was tested by God. His name was changed from Abram which meant exalted father towards Abraham that meant a multitude’s father6. In this chapter, God as ks Abraham to pursue something that was going to tamper with his new name. The words ‘Here I am’ is an idiom from Hebrews that in meant to mean availability. The next words to identify is ‘the land of Moriah’ that could be interpreted to mean the land of worship. A burnt offering is a term of Hebrews that could be replaced by the term holocaust which implies a sacrifice that is totally burned7. When Abraham work up early in the morning, it means there was no hesitation in walking up that

A Separate Peace :: Free Essays

A Separate Peace A Separate Peace is a novel about two boy's lives and how they evolve during the course of WWII. The story was written by John Knowles, who also left home to attend a school at the age of 15. The story involves many instances in which the barriers between friendship and rivalry are cited. One of the main characters of the story, Phineas, often demonstrates that it is important to be yourself and try to make the best out of a situation whenever confronted by one. Phineas is athletic, friendly, and competitive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Phineas is a very athletic person. He seems to be good at any sport he tries and all of it comes without practice or post-effort. During the course of his stay at Devon, Phineas wins several awards in all the sports he plays in. One day while the others are away, Phineas and Gene go to the gym and Phineas breaks the school time trial record for swimming. If Gene was not injured by his fall out of the tree then he would be able to compete in the Olympics. Phineas is a friendly and outgoing kind of person. Finny was always friendly and respectful towards other people and whenever one of his classmates such as Leper was being isolated from the rest of group, Finny would take up for him. Even though Gene made Finny break his leg, Finny still didn't hold anything against him and refused to believe what happened. Finny has always been friendly to others due to his outgoing personality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finny is a competitive sportsman like person. Whenever Finny sees a challenge that has never been achieved he will try to do what the others could not. During the summer when there was nothing else to do, Finny decides to make a club. When the club meets, all the members have to jump out of the tree to be

Essay on the Book Theif

â€Å"Deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank†¦ Poised to become a classic. †- USA Today on The Book Thief. I think next years incoming freshmen should read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak because of the unique way the book was written, showing the power of words. Within this essay I will write about the symbolism in the book. I will write about the narrator. I will also write about my personal experience with one of the characters. The symbolism within the book gives a unique perspective. The book uses symbolism when the narrator says â€Å"That last time. That red sky†¦ found on page 19 in The Book Thief. The narrator explains that the sky was red. He explains the emotion or feeling that was going on through color. Zusak shows the power of words throughout the book, especially when the character Max writes The Word Shaker. Death was the narrator of The Book Thief which made the book much more intriguing to me as a reader. If the book were to be narrated by anyone else it wouldn't have been able to flow as well. It would have not been able to tell what exactly happened to Max, or Liesel, or any other character. How when Death realizes Rudy dies he says â€Å"the boy from the plane, I thought.The one with the teddy bear. Where was his comfort? Where was someone to alleviate this robbery of his life? Who was there to sooth him as life's rug was snatched from under his sleeping feet? No one. There was only me. † found on page 531 in The Book Thief. I think it is very touching to read that even Death is sad about Rudy's death. Also if the book wasn't narrated the way it was then it wouldn't had been as memorable. Max's book, The Word Shaker had a powerful effect on me as I read the book. The way Max says that Liesel's words are stronger than Hitler's. Max says that Liesel's words are like a tree.The tree grows strong and tall until one day she gets off of the tree and lets the people chop it down. Whe n it is chopped down the words kill all the bad trees and makes people realize how strong words can be. I think that next year's incoming freshmen should read The Book Thief because of the unique way the book was written, showing the power of words. The symbolism within the book gives a unique perspective. Death was the narrator of The Book Thief which made the book much more intriguing to me as a reader. Max's book, The Word Shaker had a powerful effect on me as I read the book.

Fahrenheit 451 Study Guide

Fahrenheit 451 is a novel by Ray Bradbury. Published in 1953, the book takes place in a dystopian future world where the job of a firefighter is to burn books, rather than put out fires. The main character, Guy Montag, is one such fireman, who slowly begins to perceive the world around him as perverse and superficial even as it slides inexorably towards a nuclear war. A commentary on the power of literacy and critical thought, Fahrenheit 451 remains a potent reminder of how quickly a society can fall apart. Fast Facts: Fahrenheit 451 Author: Ray BradburyPublisher: Ballantine BooksYear Published: 1953Genre: Science FictionType of Work: NovelOriginal Language: EnglishThemes: Censorship, technology, conformityCharacters: Guy Montag, Mildred Montag, Clarisse McClellan, Captain Beatty, Professor Faber, GrangerNotable Adaptations: 1966 film by Franà §ois Truffaut; 2018 HBO adaptation by Ramin BahraniFun Fact: Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 on rented typewriters at his local library, spending $9.80 to write the book. Plot Summary The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman whose job is to burn hidden caches of books, which are forbidden in this unspecified future society. At first, he goes about his job fairly mindlessly, but a conversation with a non-conforming teenager spurs him to question society. He develops a restless dissatisfaction that cannot be quashed. Montag steals a Bible and smuggles it into his home. When he reveals the book (and the others hes stolen) to his wife Mildred, she panics at the thought of losing their income and thus the huge wall-sized televisions she watches constantly. Montag’s boss, Captain Beatty, gives him 24 hours to burn the book or face the consequences. Montag eventually buries his book collection with help from Faber, a former professor. Soon, however, a call comes in for the Firemen to burn a new book cache—and the address is Montag’s house. Beatty insists that Montag do the burning; in response, Montag kills him and flees into the countryside. There, he meets a group of drifters who tell him of their mission to memorize books in order to eventually rebuild society. At the end of the book, there is a nuclear attack on the city, and Montag and the drifters head out to begin rebuilding. Major Characters Guy Montag. The protagonist of the story, Guy is a fireman who has been illegally hoarding and reading books. His blind faith in society erodes and opens his eyes to the decline of civilization. His efforts to resist conformity make him a criminal. Mildred Montag. Guy’s wife. Mildred has retreated entirely into a fantasy world stoked television. Mildred is unable to comprehend Guy’s dissatisfaction and behaves in a childish, superficial manner throughout the story. Her behavior represents society at large. Clarisse McClellan. A teenage girl who lives in Guy Montag’s neighborhood. She is curious and non-comformist, representing the nature of youth before the corrupting effects of society and materialism. She is the catalyst for Montag’s mental awakening. Captain Beatty. Montag’s boss. Beatty is a former intellectual whose disappointment in books’ inability to truly solve problems has turned him into an anti-intellectual. Beatty tells Montag that books must be burned because they make people unhappy without offering real solutions. Professor Faber. Once a professor of English, Faber is a meek, timid man who deplores what society has become but lacks the bravery to do anything about it. Faber embodies Bradbury’s belief that knowledge without the willingness to use it is useless. Granger. The leader of a group of drifters who have escaped society. Granger and the drifters preserve knowledge and wisdom by memorizing books. He explains to Montag that history is cyclical, and that a new age of wisdom will follow the current age of ignorance. Major Themes Freedom of Thought vs. Censorship. The novel is set in a society where the state forbids certain kinds of thought. Books contain the collected wisdom of humanity; denied access to them, people lack the mental skills to resist their government. The Dark Side of Technology. Passive pastimes like watching TV are portrayed as harmful purveyors of passive consumption. Technology in the book is consistently used to punish, oppress, and otherwise harm the characters. Obedience vs. Rebellion. Humanity assists in its own oppression. As Captain Beatty explains, banning books didn’t require effort—people chose to ban books, because the knowledge in them made them think, which made them unhappy. Literary Style Bradbury uses rich language filled with metaphors, similes, and figurative speech throughout the book. Even Montag, who has no formal education, thinks in terms of animal images and poetic, deeply beautiful symbols. Captain Beatty and Professor Faber frequently quote poets and great writers. Bradbury also uses animal imagery throughout to associate technology with dangerous predators. About the Author Born in 1920, Ray Bradbury was one of the most important writers of the 20th century, particularly in the science fiction genre. Bradbury framed technology and supernatural forces as dangerous and foreboding, which reflected the anxious, uneasy atmosphere of the newly atomic post-World War II world. Another piece by Bradbury, the short story There Will Come Soft Rains, is also reflective of this world.