St Thomas Aquinas Essay -- Religion Philosophy

St doubting doubting Thomas AquinasIt has been written that since the day of Aristotle, probably no one man has exercised such a stringy influence on the thinking world as did St Thomas Aquinas. Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225 in Italy of a noble family, thus detached by 900 years to Aristotle. He received his first education at the Abbey of Monte Cassino, going on from there to the University of Naples. In 1243, he joined the Dominican monastic order at Cologin. His most influential teacher was another Dominican, Albertus Magnis, a German who wrote extensively on theological matters and questions of national science, especially biology. Thomas was also a highly successful lecturer, and travelled widely across Europe, particularly on the business of his order and the church.In his short and active life, Thomas produced a prodigious amount of writing commentaries on biblical books and Aristotelian work, short essays on philosophical problems, and a lengthy compendium of Christian a poletices, the Summa Centra Gentiles, which, as Chambers et. al. writes was probably intended for Dominican missionaries working to convert heretics and infidels.St Thomas begins the Summa Centra Gentiles as writes by reaffirming what Aristotle claimed at the beginning of Metaphysics, namely, he that studies the end or direct of the universe is rightly called a wise man. He is wise because he is studying that which is highest and most noble among the subjects of study Truth. Truth, Aquinas claims, i...

GMO Foods :: Science Agriculture Papers

GMO Foods A great deal of controversy has arisen with the advent of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), curiously surrounding the production, sale, and expending of genetically modified foods. Many people are concerned, if not convinced, that the consumption of GMO foods by human beings may pose serious health risks. The concern is centered around the notion that there could potentially be various different unforeseen consequences due to the consumption of GMO foods. In addressing potential situation effects and byproducts of the initiation of transgenic foods, such as potential toxicity and allergenicity, it was found that the possibility and probability of these side effects are being regularly assessed and precautions are being taken to detect and avoid them. Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) was also taken into consideration and though it is indeed possible that gene tape drive of the genetically m odified (GM) gene into the DNA of mammalian cells could occur, it would not have any persistent or negative effect on the recipient. HGT into microorganisms might be a concern if antibiotic resistance was conveyed to the recipient but in light of this fact resistance to key antibiotics is not used in the creation of GMOs. Therefore, the overall potential of GM foods to have negative effects on human health due to the aforementioned phenomena is negligible. IntroductionThe commercial production and consumption of Genetically Modified (GM) foods is perceived by many to be a novel technology that has been poorly evaluated and could potentially be harmful to humans. Though these foods search very new, the first regulatory approval of GM crops occurred in 1995 (A. Konig et al., 2004). It was in the mid-1980s that the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the US Office of Science and Technology polity were working to assess the safety and need for regulation o f GM crops and any other foods produced using GM crops. That puts us back at least 20 years from today in our ongoing scrutiny of the safety of GM foods.

Death Penalty :: essays research papers fc

1st Negative case You have heard from the approbatory side and you whitethorn disagree or agree with some of their points, but the reality is that their plan will not and cannot succeed in todays society. True, on paper the plan looks very good, but it will not work. Todays present system, with the remainder penalty is much better mutilate then without it. The negative side, which my partner and I represent, feels that the death penalty should not be abolished and that todays system, which allows states to choose if they want to impose the death penalty, should inhabit to be used. It is true that innocent people have been executed, but that number is miniscule compared to the amount of true criminals that are rightfully executed. There is 28-step procedure needful before any person can be given a death sentence. By having the process consist of numerous steps and involving many incompatible people, human error is greatly reduced. The death penalty is not racially or gender bias , much to the contrary of what the affirmative team believes. The fact is that hands commit more crimes, so they will be convicted at a greater rate then women. The ratio of men to women on death course of study and executed is 681 or 340050 (NAACP Spring 1996). From 1976-1994, men committed 7 times as many murders as women or a 71 ratio (Sourcebook 94). Therefore, it may be statically shown that men are, by a 701 ratio, more likely to be on death row then are women. Like gender bias, racial bias is nonexistent in the rulings involving the death penalty. Whites represent 56% of those executed, and blacks 38% (NAACP Summer of 1996). The some other 6% are other minorities. The death penalty is not bias to any race, but by just looking at the numbers it may seem that it is. The total populations of each race will give the illusion of bias, but that is not true. The affirmative side also argues that the cost of life in prison without war cry is much cheaper then the cost of the deat h penalty, but this, like their charge of bias, is also untrue. The death penalty is millions cheaper then life without parole in the long run, but when our numbers are compared to the affirmatives numbers no right or wrong conclusion can be reached. No one team can give impartial numbers since studies by both sides are bias.

Death Penalty :: essays research papers fc

1st Negative case You have heard from the affirmative side and you may disagree or agree with some of their points, but the reality is that their plan result not and give the sacknot succeed in todays society. True, on paper the plan looks real good, but it will not work. Todays present system, with the finis penalty is much better off and then without it. The negative side, which my partner and I represent, feels that the death penalty should not be abolished and that todays system, which allows states to choose if they want to impose the death penalty, should continue to be used. It is true that innocent mess have been executed, but that number is miniscule compared to the amount of true criminals that are rightfully executed. There is 28-step procedure necessary before any person jakes be given a death sentence. By having the process consist of numerous steps and involving many different people, human error is greatly reduced. The death penalty is not racially or gender b ias, much to the contrary of what the affirmative team believes. The fact is that men commit more crimes, so they will be convicted at a greater rate then women. The ratio of men to women on death row and executed is 681 or 340050 (NAACP Spring 1996). From 1976-1994, men committed 7 times as many murders as women or a 71 ratio (Sourcebook 94). Therefore, it may be statically shown that men are, by a 701 ratio, more likely to be on death row then are women. handle gender bias, racial bias is nonexistent in the rulings involving the death penalty. Whites represent 56% of those executed, and blacks 38% (NAACP Summer of 1996). The other 6% are other minorities. The death penalty is not bias to any black market, but by just looking at the numbers game it may seem that it is. The total populations of each race will give the illusion of bias, but that is not true. The affirmative side also argues that the cost of life in prison without parole is much cheaper then the cost of the death p enalty, but this, like their charge of bias, is also untrue. The death penalty is millions cheaper then life without parole in the long run, but when our numbers are compared to the affirmatives numbers no right or wrong conclusion can be reached. No one team can give impartial numbers since studies by both sides are bias.

An Analysis of a “Modern” Sitcom

In his Sitcom What It Is, How It Works, Richard F. Taflinger (1996)outlines not only what makes a television program comedic only when more specifically what points to its being a situational comedy (or simply, sitcom). Examining a random sample of programs from 1950 to 1993, Taflinger identified three types of sitcom actcom, domcom, and dramedy. But the scope of the studies were sitcoms that be outright almost unknown to the modern viewers. Taking one of the most popular sitcoms of this generation Friends will Taflingers theories still hold water?Warner Bros. Televisions hit comedy show Friends started airing on 22 September 1994 and went on to span 10 seasons, ending only last 2004. The show has bugger off sort of a cult following, which make big bucks not only for creators David Crane and Martha Kauffman, but also for the stars. (Internet moving picture Database Inc., 2005) Being a sitcom, Friends is episodic in nature meaning, there is a definite set of character, settin g, and a plot for distributively episode (Taflinger, 1996).Friends fans have come to get acquainted with the six major characters in the series Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Monica Geller (Courtney Cox-Arquette), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), and Dr. Ross Geller (David Schwimmer). And in the ten years that fans have let the six friends into their living rooms, they have come to know each corner and nook of the characters apartment and their favorite hangout place, the Central Park Coffee Shop. (Internet Movie Database Inc., 2005)But unlike the sitcoms mentioned in Taflingers study, Friends does not purely fall under the three sitcom categories named. In fact, this popular sitcom seesaws between being an actcom and a domcom. The series pretty much started as an actcom, with emphasis on the actions rather than the characterization. Parallel to Taflingers (1996) description of an actcom, the earlier series of Friends m ostly featured Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and Ross as shallow and superficial and adhering to a certain societal stereotype. Phoebe was the ditzy, blonde female who always seems to be confused. Joey, who is her male counterpart, represents the struggling vainglorious actor.Releted essay An Empty Purse Frightens Away FriendsRoss is the geek, Rachel the heartthrob, Monica the know-it-all, and Chandler the all-around typical American guy. During this time, most of the characters problems revolve around mistakes, misunderstandings, attempts to influence the behavior of others, or unforeseen circumstances. (Taflinger, 1996) Take for example Rachels realization that she likes Ross and, thinking that Ross likes her back (as touted by Chandler), she meets him at the airport only to be surprised that Ross arrived with a date named Janice.Also in line with actcoms, Friendss situations during the first few seasons are complicated by flaws in the plan to solve the problems. (Taflin ger, 1996) A classic example is episode 5 of Season 1, where Joeys desire to have his ex-girlfriend Angela to break up with her gallant Bob led him to asking Monica to go on a double-date by lying that Angela and Bob are siblings.Yet as Friends progressed, it started to develop the characters more. We easily saw changes in Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and Ross and their conflicts became more domestic. Around Season 7 and 8, the characters start to tackle dilemmas of a moral and emotional nature. Most famous of these dilemmas is Joey eventually travel in be intimate with Rachel. Creating a big story line in the show, this particular crisis creates a moral dilemma for Joey he wonders whether its right to love Rachel since shes been with their friend Ross and when Rachel also feels thats shes having emotions for Joey, she gripes about whether that emotion is right.Even with the evolution to a domcom, Friends still once in awhile go back to being an actcom. There will st ill be moments in latter seasons where Phoebe makes a really stupid comment or when Joey once again proves to be self-centered. This occasional drift to actcom makes Friends a culmination of both the actcom and the domcom types of sitcoms. But even without a definite category, Friends is still undeniably a sitcom in that it meets the umbrella definition of what constitutes a sitcoms plot, complication, and characterization that they are deeply rooted either by representation or by remainder in idealized American middle-class (Taflinger, 1996).All the characters in Friends save for some transient or guest stars are of the middle class. Most of their dilemmas and problems are also typical of those in the same social status. Their decisions and actions are also based on how a typical middle-class American will act. other element that makes the Warner Bros. Television series a sitcom is the sympathy evoked by each character. As Taflinger (1996) said, audience members identify with sitcom characters. The viewers are supposed to feel for what the character is going through and they almost always wish that the characters soon come to a resolution.Friends spanning into 10 seasons, with the last episode garnering an estimated 51.1 one thousand thousand viewers, plus the still constant clamor for the show to go back on air is a strong testament to the characters influence on viewers. It made such a big impact that people felt like Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and Ross are also their friends. (Internet Movie Database Inc., 2005)With the changing audience needs and wants, there is a need to redefine the types of sitcoms, calling for a combination of what makes one type click and eliminating what doesnt. But whats important is that sitcoms maintain their staple ingredients to become effective. analogous Friends. Even with the deviation in the strict categorization of sitcoms, Friends still meet the very definition of what makes a situational comedy middl e-class American and sympathetic.REFERENCESInternet Movie Database Inc. (2005). Friends (1994). IMDb. Retrieved 20 October 2007, from http//www.imdb.com/title/tt0108778/.Taflinger, Richard F. (1996, May 28). Sitcom What It Is, How It Works. Retrieved 20 October 2007.

How College Students Use Wikipedia for Course-Related Essay

Why then are academics so wary about the use of Wikipedia within universities? There are a number of related reasons. Before outlining them we should acknowledge that there may be differences according to academic discipline in attitudes towards Wikipedia. Speaking to academics from the natural and medical sciences everyplace the last year, it seems that those subjects are less concerned with issues of originality of source than the arts and social sciences.It also may be pic and this is genuine speculation pic that academics in the English speak world, where to the highest degree of the academic controversy over Wikipedia use has been, are more sensitive to the source than in other parts of the world. These qualifications aside, there are distinct reasons why Wikipedia use is, at the very least, contentious in universities. First, it is the product of anonymous individuals rather than known authorities, Wales is quite explicit on thisOne of the hot things were beginning to lose is the view of the world that there are a handful of thoughtful, intelligent people that should be broadcasting their views to everyone. And then the popular is some sort of crazed rabble, easily swayed by rhetoric and so forth. Now we imbibe to have a more nuanced understanding. Wikipedia is not necessarily anti-academic alone it is anti-elitist as evidenced by the short shrift given to eminent academics in debates when they expected deference (see Keen 2007, 43pic4).Second, the non-proprietary nature of Wikipedia cuts against academic culture which valorises the rights of the author and publisher. Third, the anonymity of Wikipedia articles is alien to the cache of the named writer of the journal article or book. Fourth, the collaborative process challenges the norm of individual creation, prevalent in the arts and social sciences. Fifth, as intimated, Wikipedia departs from the standard mode of vetting by peer review. It is not true that articles are not reviewed. On the contr ary, they are scrutinised by far more editors than for any journal.However, as the contributor is generally not an academic expert, so the reviewer is not generally an academic expert. So Wikipedia rejects academic custom in the compilation of knowledge. In addition, there are a number of what might be termed learning and teaching issues pertaining to its use within universities. First, there is the issue of the accuracy of Teaching in Higher Education 651 Downloaded by University of Glasgow at 0527 12 December 2012 Wikipedia entries, something that relates to the lack of formal expertise and peer review.Reviews of the accuracy of Wikipedia entries by formal expert(s) have actually been generally positive (for natural sciences see Giles 2005 American history Meier 2008). Despite this, the suspicion still surrounds Wikipedia that it cannot be trusted. OSullivans (2009, 119) assertion that most people probably have an ambivalent attitude toward Wikipedia, thankful for its existence, u sing it frequently, but with reservations about its total reliability seems valid. Some academics would no doubt understand with the sar fagic observation of comedian Frankie Boyle that Wikipedia entries should begin with I reckon.Second, some have questioned whether Wikipedias determination for studied neutrality is convincing. OSullivan (2010) complains that as Wikipedia just displays one voice, diversity is not incorporated and therefore articles become bland. Waless response is unapologetic Guilty as charged, were an encyclopedia (in Read 2006). non that his approach to knowledge is without theory, it derives rather from his admiration for the convoluted objectivist philosophy of Aryan Rand, the Russian e?migre? philosopher and novelist (Younkins 2007).A third learning and teaching concern is that, careless(predicate) of the reliability of Wikipedia, it is in itself an illegitimate form of research. Here the thinking would be that a student who culls Wikipedia for assignment s does not understand scholarship. This consists of the consideration of various sources a rash sifting and ordering of knowledge, rather than lifting bite sized chunks of text that purport to capture a subject.On this Wales concurs, telling students For God sake, youre in college dont cite the encyclopedia (in Young 2006). Some universities in the US have banned Wikipedia use, whilst others recommend a more discriminating approach (Jaschik 2007 Murley 2008). The last mentioned is what Wales and others within Wikipedia advise it should be used only as a starting place in academic research, a references source and a rewrite aid. What, however, is the evidence on Wikipedia use by students and academics at universities?

Book Review of The Hunchback of Notre Dame Essay

There are legion(predicate) books that were published in the year of 1831. However, none of them have grown to be so popular and love as the book The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This renowned book has many qualities, as it does flaws. It also has a variety of characters, such as the lovable Quasimodo. This novel is internationally loved because of its magnificent content.The novel Hunchback of Notre Dame is recognized for its great qualities. One of the great qualities of this story is that it is very realistic, and has a genuine feel. The punishments, the crimes, and the accusations were practical and leisurely to accept. While Quasimodo is getting punished in Chapter 7, the punishment he endures was an actual punishment in the 1830s. This story also has authentic characters, like Esmeralda and Phoebus. Phoebus is a player, and leaves Esmeralda, a girl head-over-heels for him, to die. The personality of these characters and their relationship is not impossible, and there are many peo ple like them. This novel is also whimsical. The story is totally unpredictable, and very fast-paced. At the end of the novel, the subscriber is uncertain which way the story will go, and if it will end happily. This quality keeps the reader curious and wanting to read more.This story has many great qualities, but there are many shortcomings as well. First off, the situations the characters are put in arent very realistic. For example, when Esmeralda is about to be hanged, Quasimodo swings from a gallery to the church in Chapter 14. This is a weak point and takes away from the authenticity of the story. Another drawback is that the beginning is not exciting enough to maintain the readers interest. At the beginning, the novel is very dull, and there isnt any action. The reader becomes uninterested, and no longer wants to continue the book. The last weakness is that this book is targeted towards a small audience. It is violent and unsuitable for kids, boring for many teenagers, and i s mostly for an audience who likes and appreciates classics.This classic also has many characters. However, a memorable character is Quasimodo. He is an estimable character, because he represents the lesson Beauty is from within. Although he is heavily disfigured and mutated, he is caring and gentle to everyone around him. Quasimodo is also very thoughtful. When he takes care of her and she asks to tally Phoebus, he puts her wants over his. Finally, Quasimodo is a favourite character among many, because he sets her free. He lets Esmeralda be with Gringoire, and this shows how much he loves her.All-in-all, The Hunchback of Notre Dame was an amazing book. It has many qualities, round shortcomings, and memorable characters. This may be an old book, but there are many morals to be learned.