The History Boys

â€Å"The History Boys† is about eight boys of high academic abilities who are preparing to sit the Oxbridge entry exam. They are taught by two homosexual teachers, Hector and Irwin, who have total different teaching strategies. Hector is an older man with strong feelings towards poetry and has no particular teaching program and gropes his students and it seems that the boys don't really enjoy it though at the end it shows that they are quite ok with that. Irwin, a much younger man, is more sensible about teaching. He is the new teacher that has been taken in to teach the students about how to stand out between their competitors with getting into Oxford. There is quite some competition between both the teachers with Hector being older and Irwin being more attractive and being very close in age with the boys. â€Å"He does, depressingly so† Hector seems very jealous and depressed at the fact that the new teacher Irwin is clever. This means that there is even more competition for Hector and that if he wants to impress the boys, he needs to work harder. Irwin is obviously younger and even more attractive than Hector which could make things even more complicated for Hector. Hector is clearly gay and gropes his students, but what the students do not know is that Irwin too is gay. Hector obviously has realised that the students don't really mind him groping them as they are not objecting in any way. He could be scared that Irwin would do the same as he does and therefore because of his attractiveness the boys would like Irwin more than they like Hector. The fact that their teaching strategies are so different makes it even more interesting to compare the two together. At one point in the story, both teachers teach the boys at the same time. â€Å"We don't know who we are, sir. Your class or Mr. Irwin's.† At Irwin's lessons, the boys are more serious, as Irwin has a programme. At Hector's lessons they are more thoughtful and they decide how to start the lessons. So when both teachers are teaching at the same time it gets a little difficult and they boys don't really know how to behave. Mrs. Lintott is not very surprised at the fact that Irwin is intelligent. Read also History Quizzes â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, the novel has become a common part of high school and college curricula throughout the English-speaking world†7 It's quite strange that the book was originally published for adults and now is used widely in schools and colleges. â€Å"Let each child that's in your care have as much neurosis as the child can bear.† This is a section from Auden's poem Letter to Lord Byron. He could be meaning that it's no harm if you bring up your children in a hard way as it will be good as long as it does not go too far. So really, the books that are not liked by the children and yet are forced upon them won't harm them and it will be useful to them one day. In the next section of the play, Irwin and the boys are talking about the Second World War and the reasons for why it really happened. Irwin starts off and lets the boys come to a conclusion. â€Å"Which, sir, since Wilfred Owen says men were dying like cattle, is the appropriate word.† Hector finds it important that they know poems by heart as it will be understood by them one day, and that is what really happens here. They use their knowledge that's given over by Hector not just in English but in their other lessons meaning that learning these poems by heart really is useful. The poem describes how so many men were dying during the war that they looked like masses of animal. â€Å"First Class†¦I am asleep.† The fact that he is asleep is because he has read exactly the same story for 8 times and he had rather read something what would be outside people's comfort zone. Especially when that essay can guarantee you a place in on of the top universities you need to think for yourself and try to stand out within the crowd, your competitors. â€Å"What has that got to do with anything?† Writing an essay on history should not per se be about the truth. History is truth as far as the writers are concerned and is usually written by those that were victorious (in a war for example). History is history for those who want to believe it is history from the victorious perspectives. If you read it from the perspective of the conquered you will hear another story and the other would be blamed. â€Å"We still don't like to admit the war was even partly our fault because so many of our people died. According to Irwin, the Second world lead to many people dying which is why people are sensitive about it but what they do not know is that there were people that actually enjoyed the war. According to him, and he is referring the poets, â€Å"most of them seem to have enjoyed the war.†13 Because of the war the poets had something to write about, that's where they got their inspiration from. If there was no war, they would not have been able to write such powerful poems without a lot of difficulty. When you have experienced something yourself it is much easier to write about it. Poems are the words of the poet and you can interpret it in any way you like yet you cannot exactly know what the poet meant with his words. â€Å"In other words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, this is something they have learned in Hector's lessons. Irwin thinks the lessons of Hector are more fun than educational but this clearly says that they do learn things in his lesson. At schools teachers spoon-feed their students all the way through. When Rudge asks Irwin; â€Å"What do I write down?†15 Irwin responds with; â€Å"I must not write down every word that teacher says.†16 Irwin clearly wants them to think for themselves. He's happy to help them along and tell them what direction they need to go to, but at the end of the day, it has to be them that think it through and they should come to an own conclusion on their own. The History Boys â€Å"The History Boys† is about eight boys of high academic abilities who are preparing to sit the Oxbridge entry exam. They are taught by two homosexual teachers, Hector and Irwin, who have total different teaching strategies. Hector is an older man with strong feelings towards poetry and has no particular teaching program and gropes his students and it seems that the boys don't really enjoy it though at the end it shows that they are quite ok with that. Irwin, a much younger man, is more sensible about teaching. He is the new teacher that has been taken in to teach the students about how to stand out between their competitors with getting into Oxford. There is quite some competition between both the teachers with Hector being older and Irwin being more attractive and being very close in age with the boys. â€Å"He does, depressingly so† Hector seems very jealous and depressed at the fact that the new teacher Irwin is clever. This means that there is even more competition for Hector and that if he wants to impress the boys, he needs to work harder. Irwin is obviously younger and even more attractive than Hector which could make things even more complicated for Hector. Hector is clearly gay and gropes his students, but what the students do not know is that Irwin too is gay. Hector obviously has realised that the students don't really mind him groping them as they are not objecting in any way. He could be scared that Irwin would do the same as he does and therefore because of his attractiveness the boys would like Irwin more than they like Hector. The fact that their teaching strategies are so different makes it even more interesting to compare the two together. At one point in the story, both teachers teach the boys at the same time. â€Å"We don't know who we are, sir. Your class or Mr. Irwin's.† At Irwin's lessons, the boys are more serious, as Irwin has a programme. At Hector's lessons they are more thoughtful and they decide how to start the lessons. So when both teachers are teaching at the same time it gets a little difficult and they boys don't really know how to behave. Mrs. Lintott is not very surprised at the fact that Irwin is intelligent. Read also History Quizzes â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, the novel has become a common part of high school and college curricula throughout the English-speaking world†7 It's quite strange that the book was originally published for adults and now is used widely in schools and colleges. â€Å"Let each child that's in your care have as much neurosis as the child can bear.† This is a section from Auden's poem Letter to Lord Byron. He could be meaning that it's no harm if you bring up your children in a hard way as it will be good as long as it does not go too far. So really, the books that are not liked by the children and yet are forced upon them won't harm them and it will be useful to them one day. In the next section of the play, Irwin and the boys are talking about the Second World War and the reasons for why it really happened. Irwin starts off and lets the boys come to a conclusion. â€Å"Which, sir, since Wilfred Owen says men were dying like cattle, is the appropriate word.† Hector finds it important that they know poems by heart as it will be understood by them one day, and that is what really happens here. They use their knowledge that's given over by Hector not just in English but in their other lessons meaning that learning these poems by heart really is useful. The poem describes how so many men were dying during the war that they looked like masses of animal. â€Å"First Class†¦I am asleep.† The fact that he is asleep is because he has read exactly the same story for 8 times and he had rather read something what would be outside people's comfort zone. Especially when that essay can guarantee you a place in on of the top universities you need to think for yourself and try to stand out within the crowd, your competitors. â€Å"What has that got to do with anything?† Writing an essay on history should not per se be about the truth. History is truth as far as the writers are concerned and is usually written by those that were victorious (in a war for example). History is history for those who want to believe it is history from the victorious perspectives. If you read it from the perspective of the conquered you will hear another story and the other would be blamed. â€Å"We still don't like to admit the war was even partly our fault because so many of our people died. According to Irwin, the Second world lead to many people dying which is why people are sensitive about it but what they do not know is that there were people that actually enjoyed the war. According to him, and he is referring the poets, â€Å"most of them seem to have enjoyed the war.†13 Because of the war the poets had something to write about, that's where they got their inspiration from. If there was no war, they would not have been able to write such powerful poems without a lot of difficulty. When you have experienced something yourself it is much easier to write about it. Poems are the words of the poet and you can interpret it in any way you like yet you cannot exactly know what the poet meant with his words. â€Å"In other words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, this is something they have learned in Hector's lessons. Irwin thinks the lessons of Hector are more fun than educational but this clearly says that they do learn things in his lesson. At schools teachers spoon-feed their students all the way through. When Rudge asks Irwin; â€Å"What do I write down?†15 Irwin responds with; â€Å"I must not write down every word that teacher says.†16 Irwin clearly wants them to think for themselves. He's happy to help them along and tell them what direction they need to go to, but at the end of the day, it has to be them that think it through and they should come to an own conclusion on their own. The History Boys How does Bennet use dramatic comedy to offer criticism of contemporary attitudes to education in The History Boys? In this essay I am going to explain how Alan Bennet uses dramatic comedy to criticise the contemporary attitudes towards education in the History Boys. The contemporary attitudes that are criticised are Utilitarianism, Humanism and Pragmatism. He does this by using a range of satirical devices. Satire is the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.It is usually used to comment on society by observing their way of thinking and they way they behave. The History Boys is a satire because throughout the book each attitude is being criticised through the characters; The Headmaster, Hector, Irwin and The Boys. All attitudes are shown to be in disagreement with each other as they all have a different view on education. The first attitude towa rds education Bennet presents us with is the Utilitarian attitude. This is where you only consider what will be best for a group of people and not just the individual.At the start of the novel Bennet introduces us to the character of the Headmaster who criticises the utilitarian attitude towards education in Thatcher’s Britain. This is shown to us in the opening scene of the play which was set in the staff room and he headmaster was discussing the boy’s A Level results with their history teacher, Mrs Lintott (Dorothy). â€Å"Their A Levels are very good†. The fact that ‘very good’ is in italics and is emphasised upon by the headmaster suggests to the readers that he is taking pleasure for himself from what the boys have achieved.By showing this Bennet has led the audience to acknowledge that the headmaster takes pleasure in others success even though he appears utilitarian. As we continue into the scene with Mrs Lintott and the Headmaster, we are sh own that the headmaster praises her for her part in helping the boys to pass however it could be argued that he is patronising her at the same time by talking down to her. This is shown when he says â€Å"Thanks to you Dorothy†.Mrs Lintott suggests that they should continue with the way they are teaching in order to achieve better results however the Headmaster interrupts her by saying â€Å"yes yes† and continues to listing what he would like to happen. This is shown when he says â€Å"I am thinking league tables, open scholarships and reports to the Governors†. The fact that the headmaster lists what he wants portrays him, to the audience, as being a selfish character, he does not want what’s good for the boys but he wants things that will make him look good. The constant use of â€Å"I want† also backs up the idea of him being selfish.However he also talks about the boys doing themselves justice, this could make us as readers question whether he does genuinely care about the boys future or whether it is an act. This is shown when he says â€Å"I want them to do themselves justice I want them to do you justice†. Overall the audience could argue that in this scene, because there are differences between both the headmaster and Mrs Lintott there is a form of juxtaposition between them as the headmaster mocks Mrs Lintott’s attitude towards education which shows us that he does not care about what the boys achieve as individuals, he cares about what they achieve as a group.This therefore represents how Bennet has shown the Headmaster to criticise the Utilitarian view towards education. The second attitude towards education Bennet presents us with is the Humanism attitude. This is system of thought that centres on humans and their values, capacities, and worth. Bennet introduces us to the character of Hector. Within the very first page, Hector’s impression of education is set, where he refers to his subject a s â€Å"useless knowledge† and â€Å"A waste of time†.This immediately suggests to the reader Hector’s general apathy towards the subject, and, seeming to mock Houseman goes on to quote, â€Å"all knowledge is useful whether or not it serves the slightest human use†. However, as we learn that Hector is a man of â€Å"studied eccentricity†, and Bennett later goes on to write in the stage directions, â€Å"an elaborate pantomime, all this† it could be assumed that Hector’s views of education differ from those he presents within the first scene.It is soon revealed that Hector’s idea of education is â€Å"the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake† –showing that he is not opposed to teaching; he instead wishes to, as Timms puts it, make the boys â€Å"more rounded human beings†. This, then, gives context to Hector’s referring to General studies as â€Å"bread eaten in secret†: his teachings are not to help the boys’ progressive school careers (â€Å"forget about Oxford and Cambridge†), but to provide the boys with something more personal and lifelong.For instance, when Timms tells Hector that he doesn’t understand  poetry, Hector calms him by saying that he, himself, doesn’t always understand poetry, but to â€Å"know it now and understand it whenever†, going on to say, â€Å"We’re making your deathbeds here, boys†. Hector’s approach is a clear substitute and â€Å"antidote† to Irwin’s direct and driven approach. The third and final attitude towards education Bennet presents us with is the Pragmatism attitude. This is basically where things are dealt with realistically rather than theoretically. Irwin first arrives at the school as the boys are about to start studying for their entrance exams to Oxford and Cambridge University.He is immediately give the important job of teaching the boys just because he s ays he went to Oxford University. This is shown when the Headmaster says to Irwin â€Å"Well you were at Cambridge† and Irwin replies saying â€Å"Oxford, Jesus. † At this point it could be argued that this is Bennett’s way of demonstrating how where you learn can sometimes be worth more than what you learn, which supports the Pragmatic view towards education it The History Boys. The first time we see Irwin it is in the future when he is acting as a spin doctor for the Government, he is in a wheelchair which acts as a narrative hook to the end of the play.He is telling the members of government how to act and what their attitude should be like and he is trying to convince them to agree with the idea of getting rid of the system of trial by jury. This leads on to Bennet showing us that Irwin has a different style of teaching to hectors, he does not educate the boys, but he teaches them how to write essays and how to pass their exams. This is how Bennett shows tha t the education system has change so that young people are not being educated as well as they should be, they’re just being taught how to pass and nothing the might find useful later on in life.â€Å"You can write down, Rudge that I must not write down every word that teacher says. † This quotation is said by Irwin and it shows us that Irwin is saying to the boys until they don’t write down what they have learnt in their own words then they won’t understand anything and they won’t be able to be independent and do as well when it comes to doing their exams. This clearly shows that Irwin’s method of educating the boys is clearly different to the other teachers.However other characters such as Hector seem to feel that Irwin is trying to replace his as the boys favourite teacher as they become fonder of Irwin they don’t seem to be as fond of Hector as they were before Irwin arrived. In contradiction to Hector, the Headmaster is fond of Ir win as he seems to think that Irwin will be the best thing for the boys and the school’s position on the League Tables. This is shown when the headmaster says â€Å"Get me scholarships, Irwin, pull us up the table. † The boys as a group show a suitably irrelevant attitude towards education. The History Boys â€Å"The History Boys† is about eight boys of high academic abilities who are preparing to sit the Oxbridge entry exam. They are taught by two homosexual teachers, Hector and Irwin, who have total different teaching strategies. Hector is an older man with strong feelings towards poetry and has no particular teaching program and gropes his students and it seems that the boys don't really enjoy it though at the end it shows that they are quite ok with that. Irwin, a much younger man, is more sensible about teaching. He is the new teacher that has been taken in to teach the students about how to stand out between their competitors with getting into Oxford. There is quite some competition between both the teachers with Hector being older and Irwin being more attractive and being very close in age with the boys. â€Å"He does, depressingly so† Hector seems very jealous and depressed at the fact that the new teacher Irwin is clever. This means that there is even more competition for Hector and that if he wants to impress the boys, he needs to work harder. Irwin is obviously younger and even more attractive than Hector which could make things even more complicated for Hector. Hector is clearly gay and gropes his students, but what the students do not know is that Irwin too is gay. Hector obviously has realised that the students don't really mind him groping them as they are not objecting in any way. He could be scared that Irwin would do the same as he does and therefore because of his attractiveness the boys would like Irwin more than they like Hector. The fact that their teaching strategies are so different makes it even more interesting to compare the two together. At one point in the story, both teachers teach the boys at the same time. â€Å"We don't know who we are, sir. Your class or Mr. Irwin's.† At Irwin's lessons, the boys are more serious, as Irwin has a programme. At Hector's lessons they are more thoughtful and they decide how to start the lessons. So when both teachers are teaching at the same time it gets a little difficult and they boys don't really know how to behave. Mrs. Lintott is not very surprised at the fact that Irwin is intelligent. Read also History Quizzes â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, the novel has become a common part of high school and college curricula throughout the English-speaking world†7 It's quite strange that the book was originally published for adults and now is used widely in schools and colleges. â€Å"Let each child that's in your care have as much neurosis as the child can bear.† This is a section from Auden's poem Letter to Lord Byron. He could be meaning that it's no harm if you bring up your children in a hard way as it will be good as long as it does not go too far. So really, the books that are not liked by the children and yet are forced upon them won't harm them and it will be useful to them one day. In the next section of the play, Irwin and the boys are talking about the Second World War and the reasons for why it really happened. Irwin starts off and lets the boys come to a conclusion. â€Å"Which, sir, since Wilfred Owen says men were dying like cattle, is the appropriate word.† Hector finds it important that they know poems by heart as it will be understood by them one day, and that is what really happens here. They use their knowledge that's given over by Hector not just in English but in their other lessons meaning that learning these poems by heart really is useful. The poem describes how so many men were dying during the war that they looked like masses of animal. â€Å"First Class†¦I am asleep.† The fact that he is asleep is because he has read exactly the same story for 8 times and he had rather read something what would be outside people's comfort zone. Especially when that essay can guarantee you a place in on of the top universities you need to think for yourself and try to stand out within the crowd, your competitors. â€Å"What has that got to do with anything?† Writing an essay on history should not per se be about the truth. History is truth as far as the writers are concerned and is usually written by those that were victorious (in a war for example). History is history for those who want to believe it is history from the victorious perspectives. If you read it from the perspective of the conquered you will hear another story and the other would be blamed. â€Å"We still don't like to admit the war was even partly our fault because so many of our people died. According to Irwin, the Second world lead to many people dying which is why people are sensitive about it but what they do not know is that there were people that actually enjoyed the war. According to him, and he is referring the poets, â€Å"most of them seem to have enjoyed the war.†13 Because of the war the poets had something to write about, that's where they got their inspiration from. If there was no war, they would not have been able to write such powerful poems without a lot of difficulty. When you have experienced something yourself it is much easier to write about it. Poems are the words of the poet and you can interpret it in any way you like yet you cannot exactly know what the poet meant with his words. â€Å"In other words†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, this is something they have learned in Hector's lessons. Irwin thinks the lessons of Hector are more fun than educational but this clearly says that they do learn things in his lesson. At schools teachers spoon-feed their students all the way through. When Rudge asks Irwin; â€Å"What do I write down?†15 Irwin responds with; â€Å"I must not write down every word that teacher says.†16 Irwin clearly wants them to think for themselves. He's happy to help them along and tell them what direction they need to go to, but at the end of the day, it has to be them that think it through and they should come to an own conclusion on their own.

Cold War Essay

How was the Cold War fought? †¢ Directions: The following question is based on the accompanying documents in Part A. As you analyze the documents, take into account both the source of the document and the author’s point of view. Be sure to: 1. Carefully read the document-based question. Consider what you already know about this topic. How would you answer the question if you had no documents to examine? 2. Now, read each document carefully, underlining key phrases and words that address the document-based question. You may also wish to use the margin to make brief notes. Answer the questions which follow each document. 3. Based on your own knowledge and on the information found in the documents, formulate a thesis that directly answers the question. 4. Organize supportive and relevant information into a brief outline. 5. Write a well-organized essay proving your thesis. The essay should be logically presented and should include information both from the documents and from your own knowledge outside of the documents. Question: How did the Cold War begin and what â€Å"weapons† were used to fight this war? Part A:–The following documents provide information about the Cold War. The offensive missiles could destroy most cities in the Western Hemisphere. Consequently, he demanded that the Soviet Union remove these missiles from Cuba and â€Å"end this dangerous arms race. † Document 9 Premier Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles because he said they were only put there to defend and protect Cuba from an attack. Since the U. S. had promised that Cuba will not be attacked by any country in the Western Hemisphere, the missiles were no longer needed. The threat of nuclear was lifted and the world stepped back from the brink of war. 127 Additional Information Beyond the Documents

Gender Essay

The history of gender and American policy is one crafted and based on historical events and changes in the men’s and societies’ view of women, especially as regards their roles in influencing policy change’s and implementation. According to scholars women roles for the past two centuries have improved remarkably if current events are to go by. Apparently, the study of gender as regards American foreign policy is a completely new aspect which has metamorphosed over the ages to became a crucial and significant approach of analyzing America’s foreign policies as regards, contribution to war, politics, economics and culture. In essence gender studies indicate the expectations, that the society holds to the different genders and the roles each group play. Dating back to the biblical times, the issue of gender and more so gender imbalance having been predominant in our society is, one coined on the society’s understanding and expectation of the male and female members of the society. It’s upon this that women over the ages have found themselves, marooned and dominated by men in major policies that have affected the society especially as regards warfare, diplomacy and violence. From ancient Greek, Roman, Babylonian empires, women have often being regarded as a weak gender compared to men, this has quite often led to maltreatment and abuse of women by the dominant male specie Braudy states â€Å"certainly the tradition of allying weakness with women and strength with men is a long one† (328). Its upon this conceptual thought that women have been destined, to play if any, a minimal role in matters of war. However it’s the statement of scholars and historians that though regarded as a marginalized group and less often actively involved in war, women â€Å"occupy a privileged place as an alternative source of national moral strength† (Braudy 328). In essence a good woman was always portrayed as pliant, submissive and subordinate. Thus the concept of gender imbalance has been with us for long, this was especially portrayed by the remarks and views held by male and society as regards women. For instance some scholars portrayed them as a â€Å"savagery within civilization† and as Braudy, states a â€Å"source of both fascination and disgust† (328). This is vehemently expressed by the 19th century view of women menstruation as a wound. However scholars do agree that progress has been witnessed over the ages as regards women role in society as research show that women have tremendously established themselves as a dominant force in society though, they still lack behind in a world where war, politics, economics, diplomacy issues are dominated by male. It’s thus upon this views that women remain less actively involved in war. According to scholars women have partly participated in wars and hence as history shows wars have been attributed to men. So is war a man’s affair. War and especially violence was, and still continues, to be a man’s affair in that men have always been attributed to intolerance and aggressive behavior, which is replicated in the art of war. Barash, states â€Å"if we could eliminate or even significantly reduce male violence we would pretty much get rid of violence† (1). For ages the art of war has been and still is dominated by men. For instance looking back at past war events ,its difficult to find any war which might have been instigated by a woman, on the contrary men have been responsible for all major wars and even violence related incidents in the society including genocide and homicide. Experts thus postulate that, war is a man’s affair in which men seek to dominate others, by the crudest of ways. It’s a concept that has been among the male species. The ancient warriors thus were taught to be strong and vicious, going contrally to that was risking ones sexuality in the sense that one would be braded as an â€Å"effeminate† a term often used to refer to men who were weak and coward. Thus it’s an agreed fact that a true warrior or man was identified on his possession of power attributed to ones manhood. Thus in order to show the effect of gender as regards war the male dominated societies used the most atrocious and ridiculous way such as castrating, homosexuality, masturbation and circumcision to humiliate individuals , thought to be weak, a trait that was attributed and reminisce of the women. This was done to portray other men as having qualities akin to women as demonstrated by the act of penetration. For instance during the ancient times homosexuality was used to render punishment on the male enemies. Sodomizing war captives was cogently used by Babylonians. Also studies indicate that war captives were treated on the basis of their gender in that women were raped, children enslaved while the males were subsequently killed and humiliated, in one incidence they were forced to masturbate while get the erect before being sodomized. This according to Trexler proofed to â€Å"show linkage between gender and humiliation in war fare† (20). By castrating the others scholars do ascertain that it was to be â€Å"a basic element in man’s fighting instincts. †(Trexler 19). To crowns it all, this acts were often instigated against other men in order to prove ones superiority over the others. Castrating and cutting the enemies manhood became a way of showing how the enemy had been subdued. This is depicted by the ancient Jewish society where warriors would cut their enemies private parts and foreskins to present to kings as a show of victory in war. In modern society violence and war is overwhelmingly dominated by male, for instance according to a researcher conducted in America, over 90% of homicide cases in America have been perpetrated by men. Moreover a great number of men are enlisted in the national army. What makes it more interesting is how terrorist groups are predominantly male established . In essence any where there is violence and war man is. It has thus been concluded that war is the art of man, as depicted by the studies of ancient history of warfare and current affairs. Barash cogently states that â€Å"what can be called killing establishment, soldiers, executioners, hunters, even slaughters is overwhelmingly male†(1). he concept of war and gender can thus be summarized as follows; war is a mans affair, violence and war is something that men direct at each other, men are the instigators and subsequently victims of their acts of violence, women are the victims of men’s warfare but not partakers or instigators and finally when people are murdered and slaughtered as in case of genocides and war, men are always the culprits. Religion and war According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary religion re fers to a personal set or institutionalized set of religious beliefs, attitudes and practices. In that point, the debate over whether religion is responsible for the many wars witnessed in the history of mankind has continued to rage with both critics and proponents ascertaining their views and subsequently providing proofs to justify and authenticate their claims. Before understanding this issues it’s important thus to define war. According to Merriam –Webster online dictionary war is thus a state characterized by hostility, conflict, or antagonism Thus the concept of intermarriage between religion and war and especially its contribution to war, its one which has found favour in the ideologies of atheist and scientist as such. So does religion cause wars? Religion has been the greatest threat to mankind and thus it’s been the cause of many bloody confrontations. Charles Kimball, states â€Å"It is somewhat trite, but nevertheless sadly true, to say that more wars have been waged, more people killed, and these days more evil perpetrated in the name of religion than by any other institutional force in human history. †(1) This has often led to some critics of religion pointing that, if man is to live peacefully then religion should be scraped or rather the belief in God should be descanted. Timothy Fitzgerald quips that; â€Å"religion should be regarded as a form of mystification and scrapped† (26). The contemporary attitude on religious contribution to war arises due to a number of factors or rather reason that is religious conflicts, religious wars, religious ideologies based on teachings of some religions and modern fundamentalism attributed to different religious groups. It’s the statement of scholars that the history of religions contribution to war in modern world and as regards organized religions is to be traced to the Roman Catholic which was responsible for some of the greatest conflicts in history of mankind. During the dark reign of the Catholic Church in Europe many people were slaughtered and mercilessly killed due to their beliefs. According to Hitcher, the church has a history responsibility for the crusades, persecution of Catholics, Jews and deserters (17). Thus the Roman Catholic Church which represents Christianity is accountable for grave atrocities that culminated in the murder, persecution of millions of people based on its principle of heresy. It’s been the overwhelming statement and consensus of scholars that the blood birth witnessed during the dark reign of the church by far surpassed the jihads. Also the pope at the time is believed to have contributed tremendously in influencing major wars at the time. On another point, historians ascertain that, the competition for support and the fundamental believe that one religion is superior than the other has fueled animosity between religious groups, often leading to bloody confrontations that have often led to war. Moore in describing about this competition states â€Å"it had to be cruel in the general sense that any group identity is liable to be formed in hostile competition† (29). Its was this religious dreams of superiority that led to the Islamic conquest and expansion during the 18th century ,at that time, its estimated that millions of people were killed and others taken as slaves. This competition among religious groups has often led to war between the different opposing religions. For instance according to Price most of the greatest conflicts such as the Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and even 9/11 attack are as a result of religious differences. These facts are clearly demonstrated in the crusades that were responsible for fighting the spread of Islam in Europe . during this time the pope coined what was termed as â€Å"just war†. Thus it was believed that some wars were justifiable especially if it entailed safeguarding the very cores of the religion. On their part the Muslim desire for expansion was characterized by forced conversion through war commonly referred to as Jihad. What has come to be the greatest threat to mankind in this century it’s also attributed to religious fundamentalism . Following the aftermath of the 9/11, the world witnessed the rise of terrorism ,a new tool used by Muslim fanatics and which is based on Islamic fundamentalism though the 9/11 event has been regarded by some as not influenced by Islamic fundermentalism,the facts point to the contrary . For instance the known mastermind of the attack and the leader of Alquieda, Osama Bin Laden ,in his speech calling for the murder of citizens in western countries attributed his action to Islam and more so the holy book Koran. These proofs to show that despite the denials by some Islamic leaders, the calls of Osama seek to justify the views held by majority of the Islamic community. The Muslim have also used the word â€Å"Crusade† to describe the policy of western countries especially America to occupy Islamic states. This is a symbolic meaning to the crusades, organized to counter Islamic conquest during the 18th century. It’s thus the belief of scholars, that the Islamic fundamentalism is based on religious beliefs of Islamic faith though some Islamic scholars do oppose these beliefs. Scholars have thus argued that the terrorist attack on America that killed innocent civilians could not have happened if not for religious believes. The Palestinian and Jewish conflict has been continuing for long, this conflict has often led to bloody confrontation between the two groups. According to scholars this conflicts is the brain child of religious fundamentalism based on Islam and Judaism. Thus critics do argue that the history of enmity between this two religious groups, bases its root on hard core ideologies attributed to the groups religious affiliations, thus as long as the groups seek to identify themselves on religious background, it will be hard to tackle has been their for long hence as long as each group seeks to identify the other in terms of religious background, it will be hard to tackle. This conflict has led to the extend of isolating the Jewish state of Israel from the rest of Middle East countries with calls by some Muslim fanatics and religious leaders for the murder of Jewish citizens. It’s thus the statement of historians that the Yom Kippur war between Israel and other Arab countries was as result of religious differences. Thus critic’s quip that religion has led to nations forming alliances on bases of religious believes, thus leading to conflicts which have led to emergence of hardcore ideologies and conflicts across the world. It has also been said that, religion has been instrumental in influencing wars in Europe. for instance the French religious wars are attributed to religion , Holt, says â€Å"the French civil wars which began with the massacre at vassy in 1562 and concluded with peace of the alass 1629 was a conflict of religion†(56) Different religions also have been known to encourage war of such is the Buddhism religion in which the tales of Bhagavad-Gita are based on war and made to justify war as an act of self protection, in its case Judaism and especially the old testament depicted war as necessary in order to defend the convictions of their teaching, in the bible the Israelites who believe that they are Gods children and the chosen ones called on God to fight for their course According to some studies conducted it has further been established that some individuals use religion in order to advance their political ambitions ,for instance , having used Jews and Judaism as a ladder to ascend to political power Hitler gained the channel he so much needed to murder 6 million Jews, in our modern society prominent personalities and politician have been known to make grievous remarks based on religious conviction, the calling by Iranian president for complete annihilation of the state of Israel and calling of Musl ims to unite against Judaism that stands for the Jewish state of Israel is a sure way of describing how religion has been used to sphere head murder of innocent civilians. A true religious individual thus does not advocate for violence. Thus according to proponents of religion it has subsequently been ascertained that the absence of religion in the modern nations especially communist did not deter their leaders such as Stalin from leading any less violently.  Despite the growing claims that religion causes war, proponents and researchers have criticized, this claims by ascertaining that religion and especially organized religions are peaceful the teachings of most religion call for peaceful existence of individuals, this is depicted by the teachings of individuals who have been ardent followers of their respective religions. According to martin Luther king Jr, the knowledge of God brings inner peace, in his teaching also he advocated for tolerance and use of non violence. Also Gandhi one of the staunchest supporter and believer of Buddhism advocated for the use of non violence (ahisma) in his philosophies which have become instrumental in influencing the thoughts and ideas of modern leaders.

Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contract - Essay Example Remedies for breach of contract will be the mode of enforcing the contract and will be implemented through mutual agreement of the parties, and where agreement cannot be reached, through litigation processes. Specific performance will be the principle remedy for breach of the contract unless it is terminated by a legally recognized cause (Bose 75). Breach of the contract without substantial financial implication to the offended party will generate liquidated damages with an equivalent value to the benefits that the offended party would have derived for the remaining period for which the contract would run (Miller and Jentz 296). The client shall pay a sum of $ 7000 per month. The amount shall be paid through the service’s provider’s bank account and shall be made on the fifth day of the following month of service, or the first working day if the day after the fifth day of the month is a public holiday or a weekend. Modification of terms to the contract shall be on mutual agreement between the client and the service provider and shall be supported by consideration. Such modifications shall also be in writing (Mann and Roberts

Summarize Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Summarize - Research Paper Example The service provided by the company is still unique but over the years it has received significant popularity in the cities in which the company operates. The car sharing service provided by the company is economically feasible and the rationale behind the service is also encouraged by the environmentalists and the users alike. According to a survey conducted in the year 2006, it was found out that one-third of the users of the company either sold out their vehicle or gave up the idea of acquiring their own vehicle. In this manner the company met its objective of reducing the number of car owners. One of the objectives of the company is to reduce the amount of pollution that results from harmful emissions from car use. By providing a vehicle to a subscriber for a limited period of time, the company succeeds in its objective of discouraging prolonged usage of cars. In this way harmful emissions can be reduced and the overall pollution in the environment can be slowed down. The company provides the car sharing service in the following manner. The subscriber is required to reserve a vehicle at a specified station of the company either in person or by making a call. The subscriber is also required to specify the time when the car would be needed.

Statement of Purpose + Autobiography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statement of Purpose + Autobiography - Essay Example The testimonies of students do attest to a driven and highly respected learning community; the presence of a culture that fosters innovation and academic contribution; and having a highly competent faculty. Perhaps, the most appealing feature of the graduate programs that Fielding offers is the establishment of nurturing mentoring relationships with the students. I am a strong advocate of coaching and mentoring, and do believe that a post graduate student should be accountable for his or her learning as well. Its reputation is attested to by its accolades. For one, it is the sole program in clinical psychology that is acknowledged and certified by the American Psychological Association. Moreover, it explicitly expresses its intent to teach out of the box, and beyond the conventional graduate programs offered by similar learning institutions. Since I am strongly for innovation as a value, I would like to be part of a learning community that similarly attaches premium to out-of-box thinking. Moreover, in future practice, both in the professional and research spheres, I would like to explore more non-traditional counseling areas where I can add the most value. Yet another personal advocacy that I have is the respect for diversity, which is also apparently espoused by Fielding. The site indicates that Fieldings Clinical Psychology program " brings a rich diversity of prior learning and professional experience with backgrounds in psychology and many students have experience as therapists and counselors". I believe that interaction with individuals of varying backgrounds will make the learning experience richer, as it will permit you to evaluate issues and insights from differing perspectives. I plan to be as inclusive as possible in my practice, helping as many people as I can possibly can. In fact, I have a strong leaning towards helping indigents. Fielding has acknowledged the

Project planning with IT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project planning with IT - Assignment Example The ‘what ‘relates to the activities to be carried out in the project while the ‘how’ relates to how these activities are to be done to achieve the intended objectives of the project. In project planning, execution and management, there are factors such as how the team members communicate, how they functions how problems are anticipated and solved among many other factors that are essential in ensuring that a project succeeds. This proposal outlines the scope that would be followed in planning and executing a project that involves planning a website about doing a rock concert. The purpose of the proposed website will be to offer a platform where rock bands, their fans and concert organizers will interact. The website will offer valuable information that are required for any concert organizers, offer valuable informant concerning a particular band to the rock fans ion creating awareness about the band and facilitate an e-ticketing payment mode. No entrance ticketing in these concerts will be accepted once the website is operational and any ticketing will be made though the website. The website will be complete and ready for use by 30th April 2012, one month before the concert starts. The success of the project will be measured on whether participants in these rock concerts will have improved as compared to the number of participants before the web was designed. The stakeholders to be involved in this project will include the web hosting company, the several venues that rock concerts are usually held, which will offer information that relate to organizing such concerns. Lewis (2010, 10) argues that the organization and the project teams have to be considered as people, and they have to integrate to produce the required results. The stakeholders will also involve the theatres and managers that are involved in organizing these concerts and

Sample Cyber Security Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sample Cyber Security Profile - Essay Example According to many publications, NIST is very proactive in this element as one of the main is attacks on User Domain. There are several types of attacks on the User Domain that are prevalent, as they can be quite successful against an uninformed or untrained employee. By implementing good company policies and ensuring that best practices against these attacks are used, an organization should be able to mitigate the risks found in the User Domain. Within the realm of User Domain, NIST is also very comprehensive in its understanding spoofing and DDoS. One of the worst vulnerabilities for user domains is insider attacks. Insider attacks occur. For instance, denial of service and spoofing are one the most common themes that occur. The problem is the fact that intercepting authentication or other sensitive information can be executed with the current WAN technology since it utilizes the traditional TCP/IP in user domains. (Best Practices for the Security 2013)Moreover, spoofing can also be conducted since an intruder can deceive the network that it recognizes a possible unauthorized access. The problem with installing firewalls in a user domain is the fact that they are fully feasible. Insider attacks occur when one user domain gains more privilege than the other user and shares that information. Tipton (2005) This becomes extremely dangerous because it allows the hacker to have one central location to exploit information. (Best P ractices for the Security 2013) Inside attacks can be vast and potent depending on the type of attack. For instance, an executing script can copy sensitive information and can make one central machine a master. This can be detrimental to a data breach. This master to slave configuration can be used with full throttle for malicious attacks.  

Drug Testing Network INC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Drug Testing Network INC - Research Paper Example The experience that any user has on Drug Testing Network INC website is not fascinating as compared the competitors’ websites. Experience on the website is very important since it captures the interest of the website user who is aimed to get information. Drug Testing Network INC should gear towards making sure that its website is pretty with rich content. The company should ensure that there is an exceptional online experience for every person visiting and revisiting the website. The website should have an appealing effect on the senses as well as arousing a profound desire that is linked with the brand through enveloping each visitor on the website. Therefore, it is very important for Drug Testing Network INC to make sure that the website is appealing enough to influence positive influence of any website visitor. Building an online experience can be easy and challenging depending on the approach that the company desires to choose. First, it will be important for Drug Testing Network INC to ensure that the website has features that are flashier than the competitors. The website can be designed in such a way that it incorporates animations, captivating sound effects, videos on the website, increase microsite and content on the website. All these effects should not be made in such a way that they cloud the content of the information. Drug Testing Network INC should consider a reputable web agency and other interactive media companies to give them e-business advice.

How has the American media changed since 1990 What have been the Essay

How has the American media changed since 1990 What have been the political consequences - Essay Example When dealing with media, many people think of television, radio, internet, and mails. Television is the news source most relied on by the American people. The media takes the effort to share information or entertain different people in different language and location (Sterling and Kittross, 2002). Media first begun when the cavemen shouted to send a warning or communicating with people, earshot which was closer to modern methods of media, and technology such as horn, bells, drums, and fire signal. Eventually people started to use more complex methods to communicate to the next generation. The first real change in media came with the introduction of the printing press. For years the technological development of media involved distance, speed, number of copies, and quantity. Every new technology was a balance of these demands (Sterling and Kittross, 2002). The pony express was used to deliver mails faster than any other method. Speed and distance helped in the development of telegraphs. In American, the first practical telegraph was invented by Samuel Finley Breene Morse, also known as an artist. The telegraph became the most effective form of media. With the successful development of the telegraph and telephone in America communication was much easier. At this time electricity was used and with the use of electricity, the radio was introduced. Radio broadcasting thus became the new electrical communication. The telegraph, telephone, and radio were the quickest ways of communication (Sterling and Kittross, 2002). The radio reduced the reliance on wires, and also reduced the production of copies and hand-lettering. However, media development was slow and experienced some challenges such as the freedom of press, regulation of broadcasting and other issues. Freedom of press: Freedom of press can be traced back to the ratification

Intellectual Property and Copyright Laws in Australia Essay

Intellectual Property and Copyright Laws in Australia - Essay Example Through the use of the copyright laws, the artists, songwriters, and music recording companies will be challenged to produce and create their own unique and artistic musical piece (Golvan 7). The copyright laws can be used to protect not only the creators of artistic designs but also those individuals who create their own music, sound recordings, dramatic films, and broadcast signals. Under the Australian copyright law, â€Å"the copyright term in Australia has been increased from 50 to 70 years from the life of the author† (Golvan 7; Remix'd). It means that the writer of songs who was granted a copyright for their masterpiece is protected by the copyright laws for up to 70 years after his or her death. With regards to the essence of intellectual and copyright laws in Australia, this study will focus on discussing why the remix culture can be read as a sustained critique of the intellectual property and copyright laws. To prove that the reproduction of remix songs can indirect ly violate the intellectual and copyright laws in Australia, several real-life examples will be provided in this paper. Literature Review Song remix is all about changing the form of an existing song by either enhancing the tone or the beat as a way of coming up with a more interesting sound and musical structure (James 24). By using the DJs special skills on basic scratches in order to match the beat, James explained that the DJs can easily alter the come up with an entirely new sound creation based on the original songs (25). Even though song remixed could offer an entirely new sound and beat, people who listen to remixed songs will always be able to determine and identify the origin of remixed songs. According to Martin, â€Å"the copyright laws in Australia and overseas – are not keeping up with the digital era and are stifling creativity† (Martin para 5). The problem with the remix culture is that DJs are using some form of digital gadgets (i.e. CD players, pitch control keys, etc.) in order to create an alternative music using songs that are already been protected by the copyright laws (James 24 – 25). For example, Martin mentioned that a couple of DJs based in San Francisco and Perth gathered in one occasion wherein these two DJs performed a remix using famous songs from Eminem and Aerosmith (Martin). Since the public viewers are patronizing remix songs, Martin pointed out that a lawyer in the Queensland University of Technology mentioned that a lot of amateur DJs are now demanding to have the right to produce remix songs whereby they should be given the title and protection for their role as a remix producer. Because of the absence of a more precise and clear legislation with regards to the practice of modifying existing songs through remixes, a lot of amateur DJs are technically guilty of copyright infringement yet these people are insisting that the remix culture is part of innovating new songs Derived from the copyright laws in UK, the Copyright Act 1968 in Australia clearly explained in section 31 that it is illegal to reproduce or disseminate all â€Å"literary, artistic, dramatic, musical work, sound recordings, cinematograph films, television, and sound broadcast† materials that are protected by the copyright laws and that the copyright owners of songs demand acknowledgement of their authorship from their musical masterpiece.

High school Essay Example for Free

High school Essay ?Many high school students in Vietnam are confused whether or not they should be enforced to participate in volunteering. On September 30th 2011, Ms. Pham Phuong Thao started to share her opinions about this concern by writing the â€Å"Student- Help Our Country† article in Community Action Blog spot. On the contrary side, one month after that by 3rd October 2011, Mr. Andy Nguyen has posted â€Å"Student Deserve Choice† article on the same Blog space. These two authors represent completely different views on the topic â€Å"volunteering and students†. The aim of this essay is to critically respond to the authors argument. In Pham’s article, she asserts that it should be compulsory for Vietnamese high school students to do volunteering for helping with their society problems, for example, the problems of orphan and kid street or flooding. She has two strong points for supporting her view. First of all, she thinks that the students to do volunteering will help the society and also save the government budget. On the second point, she expresses that there are even benefits that the students can gain by attending in voluntary works. She explains in details that they can learn several useful soft skills such as leadership, communication interaction, planning, logistics in which they can apply in their future life. In contrast, Mr. Nguyen debates that it is impractical and unfair for high school students to be forced to do voluntary works in Vietnam. He also has two reasons for his argument He interprets that the student’s willingness to join in volunteering is the key point however in reality only few student want to donate like this way. He explains if the government try forcing unwilling people to volunteer, this work make less efficient. Besides, he concludes the government should be held on responsible for country‘s problems instead of fully relying on students volunteering. There are several problems with Pham’s argument that when the students attend in voluntary works they can gain various useful skills for their future life. The purpose of volunteerism is that they need entourage to work according to their requirements rather than giving the students official skill trainings. Therefore, there is not guarantee that students can get those skills are mentioned above. Besides, those skills are not suitable the kids who are studying high school period. Mr. Nguyen’s opinions deserve to get attention when he declares that the students do not concern on helping their humanity real problems such as the orphans, the street kids. And, they think they should have the right to make decision on their volunteering approach instead of forcing by government. It cannot be denied that Vietnamese high school students are affected by the poor quality education on the way from kindergarten to high school. The school never focuses on teaching about human value, self motivation and living skills but teaching a lot of redundant academic knowledge. Therefore, the students do not really want to share their life to help person who bears one’s tribulations. In additional, people must acknowledge that the â€Å"volunteer† definition means â€Å"a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service† (http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/volunteer). According to the above definition the enforcement of voluntary tasks does not make sense. Pham makes a weak statement when she supports that government should enforce the high school students to join in the volunteering due to lack of human resource. In contrary, Nguyen’ argument that government should solve country’s problems by themselves because the students are not eager to help, is more convincing. The government is the highest and the most powerful organization in the country so that they have full responsible for dealing with any national and social issues. They can determinate on using their yearly revenue. Take, for example, there are many parents put their children in front of orphan house because they cannot afford their living cost. The government can hire labor to build more orphan house and funding for those associations instead of spending the budget on sport and recreational activities. Another reason is kids who are at the high school age focus on general academic knowledge. More to the point, they also have not enough abilities to handle with society’s issues. Furthermore, it is true to say that most of high school students think they make their own choice to contribute in volunteering because they feel more comfortable and enthusiasm. Volunteering is a good works just in case kids do it with whole their hearts. In conclusion, Ms. Pham’s expression that government should force the high school students to join in the voluntary programs is not convincing the readers. In the contrast, Mr. Nguyen argues that the student can make their choice in volunteering is more persuading. Every nation always support for the freedom of their society so they respect the choice of their citizens. The most important is to provide the sufficient education so that people have enough knowledge to make their own decision.

Management And Conservation Of Seaweed Culture Environmental Sciences Essay

Management And Conservation Of Seaweed Culture Environmental Sciences Essay Seaweeds have been used practically in Chinese Herbs since 2700 BC in Emperor of Shen Nung. Reports show that since 300BC, seaweeds have been a part of the Japanese diet and mainly eaten in the Oriental countries like Japan, China, Korea and recently, in USA and Europe. Korea shows highest seaweed consumption per capita in the world. The most valuable commercial use of seaweeds is as raw material for extraction of phycocolloids (agar, alginate and carrageenan), which are used in several industries. Seaweeds have been collected from natural stocks or wild populations. In fact, these resources were being depleted by over-harvesting and hence, the need for their cultivation. Today seaweed cultivation techniques are standardised, perfected and made economically favourable. Besides, industry prefers a greater stability through sustained supply of quantity and quality of raw materials. In order to prevent overexploitation of natural seaweed habitats and to meet the needs of industry in an uninterrupted manner, nearly all brown seaweeds, 63 per cent of red seaweeds and 68 per cent of green seaweeds are being cultivated. Top five cultivated seaweeds in the world are Laminaria, Porphyra, Undaria, Eucheuma and Gracilaria. These together account for 5.97 million metric tonnes of seaweed production. Top 10 countries producing seaweeds are China, Korea, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Chile, Taiwan, Vietnam, Russia and Italy. The current phycocolloids (seaweed gels) industry stands at over US$ 6.2 billion. The world production of commercial seaweeds has grown by 119 per cent since 1984 and presently, 221 species of seaweeds are utilised commercially including 145 species for food and 110 species for phycocolloid production (Anonymous, 2003). Japan leads the world in the production of agar and consumption. The world most successful seaweed cultivation industries are in Asia. Large-scale seaweed mariculture is only carried out in Asia. Cultivating nori was started in the 1697 in Tokyo Bay and the species is mostly cultivated in Japan. There are many different ways to cultivate seaweed. Cultivating seaweed has been done for a long time and has been cultivated in different ways. Management and conservation of seaweed is needed as seaweed production mostly depending on wild stock. SEAWEED AND THEIR USES Macroscopic marine algae, popularly known as seaweeds, form one of the important living resources of the ocean. It is a source of raw material of alginate, agar and carrageenan, gelatinous substances collectively known as hydrocolloids or phycocolloids. It is widely used in both food and non-food industries. Hydrocolloids have attained commercial significance as food additives. The food industry exploits their gelling, water-retention, emulsifying and other physical properties. The applications of alginate find place in frozen foods, pastry fillings, syrups, bakery icings, dry mixes, meringues, frozen desserts, instant puddings, cooked puddings, chiffons, pie and pastry fillings, dessert gels, fabricated foods, salad dressings, meat and flavour sauces. Agar is used in foods such as confectionery, meat and poultry products, desserts and beverages and moulded foods. It is widely used in paper manufacturing, culture media, packaging material, photography, leather industry, plywood manufacturing, preservation of foodstuffs, cosmetics industry and pharmaceutical industry. Carrageenan is also employed in food industry. Its value in the manufacture of sausages, corned beef, meat balls, ham, preparations of poultry and fish, chocolates, dessert gels, ice creams, juice concentrates, marmalade, and sardine sauces. It is also used in the manufacturing of non-food items like beer, air fresheners, textiles, toothpastes, hair shampoos, sanitary napkins, tissues, culture media, and fungicides. Carrageenan is used in salad dressings and sauces, dietetic foods, and as a preservative in meat and fish products, dairy items and baked goods. Figure 1:Carrageenan seaweed It is an alternative to animal-based gelatin in food industries used as enhancer, emulsifier, gelling, thickening, binding and stabilizing agent and also in non- food application such as dentifrice, pharmacology and industrial products. For example, some seaweed polysaccharides are employed in the manufacture of toothpastes, soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, milk, ice creams, meat, processed food, air fresheners and also animal feed, fertilizers for plants and source of various chemicals. In several oriental countries like Japan, China, Korea, etc., seaweeds are a staple part of the diet. In the recent past, seaweeds have also been gaining momentum as new experimental systems for biological research and integrated aquaculture systems. Seaweed products are used in our daily lives in one or the other way. PURPOSES OF SEAWEED MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION Management and conservation of seaweeds is needed as seaweed resources are depletion over-time. Seaweed production mostly depending on wild stock and natural stock. Seaweed pollution also a major concern to consider in determine successful of managing coastal environment of the country. Seaweed grows out of control and caused pollutant to birds and marine life and further, leads to death of human when they consume of dangerous marine product. SEAWEED AS USEFUL RESOURCES Figure 2: Application of seaweeds SEAWEED POLLUTION In the coast of Qingdao, East China, a huge blooms of seaweed covering some areas of sea. Local fishermen have been ordered to help clear the carpets of seaweed as it is believe would have to be treated as an obstruction to fishing vessels and other boats. It has resulted in increasing levels of pesticides and fertilizer entering the countrys waterways, providing a food source for the algae. Recent flooding caused by typhoons has also been causes (Anonymous, 2008). Fishing vessels attempt to clear the green algae Workers bag up the seaweeds Seaweed pollution in Qingdao Figure 3: Seaweed pollution 3.2.1 FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO SEAWEED POLLUTION Seaweed pollution is definition given when seaweeds grow excessively in coastal ocean which may contribute harmful condition on seawater. Seaweeds blooming as a result of industrial, fertilizer and other sources input which run-off into coastal environment. The build-up of seaweeds will increase the photosynthesis and respiration processes which then lead to decomposing of organic matter. The decaying of dead seaweeds will produce hydrogen sulphide, a rotten and toxic gas to marine life and human as well. Factors that may contribute to seaweed pollution in coastal ocean are stated as below: Nitrates as fertilizer sources washed down from local cattle, pig and poultry farms With increasing levels of pesticides and fertilizer entering the countrys waterways, it will providing a food source for the algae to bloom Dumping of industrial waste and heavy metals in run-off areas such as leads and copper Recent flooding caused by typhoons will increase the growth of algae in seawater column And also combined with sunny weather enabled seaweeds build-up 3.2.2 EFFECT OF UNCONTROLLED SEAWEED GROWTH Without proper management, seaweeds growth will cause many problems to environment especially marine lifes. Difficult for vessel and boat passage in ocean water Cut off access to food for local birds, fish and crustaceans Death of marine life with depleted oxygen in the water Further, hydrogen sulphide are produced by the decomposing seaweeds Rotten smell and toxic will leads to death of individual life 4.0 PROBLEMS TOWARDS CONSERVATION OF SEAWEED Unavailability of good quality seedlings Inconsistency of the quality due to adulteration with foreign materials to the seaweed Shortage of raw materials Pollution in conservation areas (industrial waste etc.) Lack of capital to venture into the industry False cultivation method Farmers are strongly urged to stop using raffia string for seaweed cultivation and replace them with nylon strings because using raffia string will affects the quality of carrageenan Diseases affecting seaweeds (ice-ice) Weather inconsistency (flooding, waves) Unavailability of good quality seedlings Lack of capital and RD programmes 5.0 SEAWEED CULTIVATION The cultivation of seaweed, principally for human consumption, is a traditional and still expanding industry in the east, especially in Japan, and increasing interest is being taken in the extension of these practices to other parts of the world for industrial as well as edible purposes. With supplies from certain naturally occurring resources failing to match rising demands and many of the worlds major untapped resources of seaweeds being remotely located, difficult of access or costly to harvest, cultivated raw materials almost certainly will become of increasing significance to processors of both edible and industrial products. Plastic bottles is a method that have been used in Sabah are used to keep seaweed called Euchema Kappaphychus Alverazii afloat. Figure 4: Plastic bottle methods Most seaweeds produce an enormous number of spores and they can be multiplied extensively if culture conditions are perfected. Such conditions depend upon attention to a number of factors. Care needs to be taken with the selection of protected habitats, free from pollution, and of suitable hydrographic environments; the algae need to be protected from predatory fish, sea urchins and other pests and parasites; transplanting of the germlings has to be undertaken with extreme care and harvesting carried out in such a way as to maintain peak productivity. In effect, a full knowledge of the plants biology and reproduction is a fundamental prerequisite to successful seaweed cultivation( Mathieson, 1973). Porphyra The most extensively cultured seaweed is Porphyra, the Japanese nori. Some 60 000 to 70 000 Japanese fisherman are now cultivating nori and producing the dried edible products which are very profitably marketed through a cooperative selling system. Porphyra culture in Japan dates back to the seventeenth century and the earliest cultural practices relied upon the positioning of tree (and later bamboo) twigs to capture the spores. Subsequently, nets became widely used as collecting agents instead of twigs and Conchooelis-phase of the Porphyra life-history. This is a minutely filamentous, shell-boring stage which grows throughout the summer and which can be collected on oyster shells. In the autumn, when the temperature and light levels drop, the conchospores are liberated from the shells and attach themselves to a suitable medium (i.e., the collecting net) to grow into leafy thalli. The nets can thus be artificially seeded in tanks and then transported to the growing areas where they are attached to bamboo poles; about two months after budding the plants grow to between 15 and 20 cm in length and are then harvested. Figure 5:Porphyra sp. These and improved techniques (including freeze-drying of the thalli buds for storage) have resulted in marked increases in yields, in total output of nori and in profitability. Bardach et al. (1972) reported that in some areas up to 750 kg of nori can be obtained per hectare during the six to eight months growing season; the average production value of nori has risen from approximately U.S.$ 870 per ton in 1970 and 1971 to over U.S.$ 1 400 per ton in 1973, suggesting the possibility of gross earnings exceeding U.S.$ 1 000 per hectare. According to Suto (1974) nori farmers earn a net income rate of 60 to 70 percent, making Porphyra cultivation the most profitable of all fisheries in Japan. Undaria The brown alga Undaria or wakame, is also extensively cultured in Japan. Two main systems are used rope cultivation and stone planting. In the former method, strings of synthetic fibre are immersed in seaweed tanks with fertile Undaria weeds in the spring; enormous numbers of spores are released which adhere to the fibre. The fibres are lashed to frames and stored in tanks until late autumn when the young plants, having reached about 1 mm in length, are transferred to rafts in the sea. The wakame grows quickly in the cold winter waters and is harvested when it has reached about 1 m in length. The amount of labour in wakame cultivation is much less than in nori farming; yields of about 10 kg of wet weed per 1 m of cultivating rope can be obtained in northern areas, about a half that yield in warmer districts (Suto, 1974). Where large quantities of Undaria are already growing wild, the planting of large stones or concrete blocks on the sea bottom has been found to help the attachment of the spores and the subsequent growth of the young plants. Figure 6:Undaria sp. Laminaria Increasing amounts of Laminaria, or kombu, are also being cultivated in Japan, using similar stone planting and rope-culture techniques (MacFarlane, 1968). Laminaria culture, however, differs from the other two by the use of dynamite to improve the substrata and control harmful weeds (Wildman, 1974). Propagation of Laminaria has also been long practised in China. Druehl (1972) notes a unique Chinese method of fertilizing Laminaria through the use of porous, elongated earthenware bottles filled with nutrients and seawater which are placed, with young vegetative Laminaria plants, inside a basket-like structure made of bamboo poles and the whole suspended about 1 m below the sea surface. Figure 7:Laminaria sp. Gelidium Some artificial propagation of Gelidium and other agarophytes is practised in Japan but it has not yet been possible to control the release of spores from these species as has been done with many other algae; moreover, the spores take two years to grow and reach harvestable size. Figure 8:Gelidium sp. Eucheuma A high valued species of Eucheuma have been introduced for cultivation or experimental purpose and where commercial quantities are currently being produced for the carrageenan industry such as Fiji, Philippines, USA (Hawaii, California, Florida), Kiribati (Christmas and Tarawa Islands), Tuvalu, Samoa, Malaysia, French Antilles, Tonga, Japan, Indonesia, Federal States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Guam, China, Maldives, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, India, Cuba, Vietnam, Brazil, Venezuela, Kenya and Madagascar. However, introduction of exotics should not be done indiscriminately as it carries the risk of pathogen invasion, parasites, epiphytes and undesirable changes in the ecosystem. Philippines is largely through the initiatives of one of the worlds largest phycocolloid manufacturers. The practical and economic feasibilities of culturing Eucheuma isiforme species in Florida have been illustrated by Dawes (1974) who considered two proposals, cultivation in natural sites (as in the Central Pacific) and in outdoor tanks. Dawes investigations indicated that tank culture would yield a much higher crop per unit area than mariculture in natural embayments. In the case of field culture, yields in the Florida Keys might average about 20 tons (4 tons dried, clean) Eucheuma per hectare but problems could arise from herbivores, storm damage and admixtures of other weeds; conversely, operating costs should be low. With controlled harvesting in culture tanks, Dawes postulated a potential yield of the equivalent of 243 tons dried, washed material per hectare; net profits, of course, must be considered in the light of tank construction, water movement costs, temperature control expenses, etc. Figure 9:Eucheuma sp. 5.1 SEAWEED CULTIVATION IN MALAYSIA Seaweed cultivation is one of Malaysias fastest growing sectors and is strongly supported by the government. In the 9th Malaysians Development Plan, Sabah was mandated by the government to produce 250,000 metric ton seaweeds yearly by 2010. Currently, the state managed to produce 40,000 to 50,000 metric ton yearly only. Singularly a Sabah product, main commercial species culture is Eucheuma cottonii. Environmental conditions around the Sabah coastline are generally favorable for culture of the species. Many of the operator there are Fillipino ancestry. Seaweed is sold as dried item. It take approximately 9 kg of seaweed to produce a kg of its dried form. Seaweed culture is low capital investment and has a fast turn over. Figure 10:Seaweed Cultivation Project (Semporna) In general according to report by DoF seaweed production still profitable from steady production volume recorded of recent (DoF, 2004a). Seaweed from Sabah is mainly for export market mainly to Denmark . Its dried form is sold directly to exporter without using any middlemen. Usually the later assists farmers by providing its aquaculture facilities hence an obligation to sell the product back. The price for a kg of dried form is about RM1.50. Of late however not many people wanted to get involved in the culture of seaweed because of better opportunities in other sectors. Beside price incentive, commercial production of it is quiet risky as the price is generally fluctuates and harvest largely depend on good sundrying condition. In addition future expend need to take into consideration of conflict with trees passing of fishing boats and promotion of tourism industry. The international market is short of supply due to only up to 30% being produced for the world market. So far, South Korea, Mexico, Philippines, China and Japan are countries producing quality seaweed being ranked 15-30 pts for world market while seaweed produced in Sabah is ranked 30-45 pts. Numerous annual production cycle. From planting till harvesting will take 45 to 60 days only. Thus volume will be substantial. Figure 11:Seaweed cultivation in Malaysia According to Barliotti and Silverthorne (1971), best period to harvest is Aug. to Nov. where agar content of the weed is at its highest, reproduction has already occurred and regeneration is at its maximum value 5.2 REQUIREMENT OF SEAWEED CULTIVATION Choosing a site Find suitable site for cultivating seaweed. A water temperature ranging form 25 Â °C to 30 Â °C is best for growing Eucheuma. Minimum water salinity required is about 28 ppt (parts per thousand) or more. Figure 12: Seaweed should not be planted in front of a river mouth or in fresh water, as fresh water will kill the seaweed. Bottom type A white sandy bottom with the presence of a limited amount of natural seaweed, is probably the best place to cultivate Eucheuma. Eucheuma will not grow very well if the bottom is covered with seagrass because of food competition. A sea bottom with hard coral formations and coral heads also a muddy sea bottom is not a good site to establish farm. BAD GOOD BAD Too many corals Nice clean sandy bottom Too many seaweeds Water movement Moderate water movement is mostly preferred to strong water current. If the water current is too strong, it can damage plants and even wash away planted lines by pulling down the stakes. It will also slow down work as it is difficult work in areas with strong swift current. A constant exchange of ocean water with the changing of the tides and sufficient water movement as the one created by waves is needed. This will bring the necessary nutrients to the plants for a healthy growth. The direction that the water current flows is important for seaweed healthy. Figure 14: Bad water flow: Seaweed farm set against water current. Strong water current can bend or even break the lines. Figure 15:Good water flow: water current flows into the farm Sunlight Clear seawater allows sunlight to penetrate more easily to the plants. Seaweed planted close to the sea surface grows faster and healthier compared to that planted close to the sea bottom or in deep water. GOOD BAD Seaweed planted in shallow water near the surface (30 to 50 centimeters) receives plenty of sunlight and its growth will be good. Seaweed planted in deep water (more than 1 meter from the sea surface) does not get enough sunlight and its growth will be poor. Water depth It is important to consider the water depth while selecting the area of cultivation. At least knee deep water at spring low tide (0.5 meter) is the minimum water depth required to cultivate Eucheuma. In shallower waters seaweed can still grow, but it might be exposed to direct sunlight and wind. As soon as your seaweed is exposed to sun and wind, the tender tips of the plants are destroyed and if exposed for a long time (2 to 3 hours), the whitening of the branches can be seen. This will indicate that part of the seaweed has been killed. Eventually branches will break and drift away from the whitened area. BAD GOOD BAD Too deep at spring low tide Sufficient water depth at spring low tide Too shallow at spring low tide Water pollution Turbid water (muddy) will not sustain good seaweed growth. Chemical pollution will kill the seaweed as in the case of most marine plants and animals. Cultivation methods There are at least 3 methods can use to cultivate seaweed such as Off-bottom (Fixed bottom method), Raft or Floating method and Longline method. Off-bottom Method Wooden stakes are driven into the sea bottom 20 to 25 centimeters apart form each other in straight rows. The stakes should be 5 to 10 centimeter in diameter and 1 or 1.5 meter long. At least 0.5 meter of the stake should be driven into the sand to make them secure. Figure 18:Seaweed line is typically suspended in the Off-bottom Method. A 3 millimeter thick polypropylene rope 5 meters long is firmly stretched between two stakes. Attached to the 3 millimeter rope (line) are 30 pieces of raffia (polypropylene strings). Each of lanting material (seed), the size of the palm of your hand (150 grams), is tied to the raffia strings. The 3 millimeter rope, is suspended at least 20 to 30 centimeters from the sea bottom to prevent the growing seaweed from being tossed on the sand and 20 to 30 centimeters below the water surface at low tide to avoid the seaweeds from being exposed to direct sun light. Direct sun light will kill the exposed parts. The raffia strings, should be 20 centimeter in length with both ends knotted to prevent fraying as shown in the previous photo. The raffia strings are firmly tied to a 3 millimeter rope in such a way that it will not move along the rope as the seaweed grows bigger, or during rough weather. Prepare the lines as quickly as possible and place them in sea water. Seed will grow better if the time of seaweed kept out of the water is limited. Tie the raffia strings to lines on shore before tie seaweed seeds to them. The off-bottom method can be prepare the lines either on shore, in the shallow water at low tide, or in punt near the farm. Raft or Floating Method In the floating method, seaweed is attached to some device that keeps the seaweed floating; rising and falling, with the tidal changes. Seaweed is keep about 50 centimeters below the water surface. The floating devise can be a simple frame made of bamboos, mangrove wood, or bush timber durable in seawater. Tie together four 2.5 meter long bamboos into a square frame and stretch 3 millimeter ropes (lines) inside the frame. In a 2.5 meter square frame, stretch up to 15 lines, 10 to 15 centimeter apart. Each line will carry 15 pieces of seaweed tied to the 3 millimeter rope with raffia. In a frame like the one described, it can plant up to 225 pieces of seaweed. In this method seaweed can be tied on shore by placing the raft on a support (oil drums or wooden posts). Figure 19: Square floating frame built with mangrove wood. The square floating frame, should be anchored to the sea bottom as shown in the figure. As the seaweed starts to grow and become heavier, the frame will sink. To avoid this, be sure to attach to the frame extra bamboos or floaters. Floaters can be simply made of styrofoam or bags filled with unhusked coconuts. Figure 20: A floating frame with additional bamboo to assure sufficient buoyancy. Longline Method The longline method is similar to the raft or floating method in several ways. In fact, seaweed is hung to a rope which is suspended by floaters. In this method, however, the main rope is thicker; about 10 to 15 millimeters in diameter. This rope is tied to plastic floaters or bamboo set at 4 to 5 meters interval and anchored at each end. The pieces of raffia holding the seaweed, can be tied to the main rope in two ways. Figure 21: Simplest way. The raffia string are directly tied to the main rope. Additional pieces of rope, 0.5 to 1 meter long, can be tied to the main line and the raffia strings can be tied to them. Seaweed has to be hung near the water surface to receive sufficient sunlight and can suspend the main line about 0.5 meter below the water surface. As described in the first two methods, the lines can be prepared on shore. Tie seaweed seeds to the main line once the line is already stretched and suspended with floaters and prepare the lines from punt as shown in the drawing below. Figure 23:Drawing of a longline being shot from a punt. What are the advantages and disadvantages among these three culture methods? Advantages Disadvantages Off-bottom Method 1. Simple to construct 1. Difficult to locate a good area 2. Easy to manage 2. You might lose your crop during rough weather 3. You can prepare your lines on shore 3. You cannot move your farm if needed 4. Do not require much money to start 4. You might find more grazer fish around your seaweed 5. You can use local wood to prepare the stakes 5. You need to construct a drying rack 6. The farm is easy to reach at low tide Raft or Floating Method 1. Can be utilized in shallow or deep waters 1. You might have difficulty finding bamboo 2. You do not need a sandy sea bottom bed 2. You need to find float materials 3. You can move your floating rafts if you need to 3. The frame might break or sink during rough weather 4. Most of the planting can be done on shore 4. The frame can be damaged by motor-driven boats 5. You do not need to construct a drying rack 5. You might need somebody to help you to handle the frame 6. You can use local wood to construct your frame 7. The seaweed seems to grow faster Longline Method 1. You can set your longline almost anywhere 1. The ropes are costly 2. The seaweed seems to grow faster 2. Planting and harvesting cannot be easily done on shore 3. You can move the longline to another area 3. You need to buy expensive floaters 4. The longline can be damaged by motor-driven boats Handling seaweeds Cover seaweed with tarpaulin or coconut leaves. Use styrofoam boxes to transport your seaweed. In this case, make a few holes on the upper edges of the box to facilitate aeration. Remember to keep the seaweed moist. Do not fill the box with seawater as this will make the seaweed rot rapidly unless the sea water is constantly circulated. Seaweed farmers pouring seawater over a jute bag and a styrofoam box filled with seaweed. Keep the seeds covered to protect them from direct sunlight. Pour some seawater over them at regular intervals. Preparing the lines from your punt, might take several hours and if not covered and kept moist, the seaweed seeds will be spoiled. Disease and predators During December to April, seaweed is more susceptible to diseases and is readily harmed by grazers. Also during this period, the growth of Eucheuma slows down and cyclones and bad weather may cause some damage to your farm. Drying in this period can also be difficult, as it is the wet season in Fiji. As frequently observed, rabbit and puffer fish are the main seaweed grazers. In addition to these, sea urchins and sea turtles are also often seen damaging the seaweed plants. After the warmer months, the rabbit fish grazing becomes a minor problem. In fact, rabbit fish move away from the seaweed. It is always a good idea to set your farm far away from coral heads, since these fishes normally live around the corals and move out to graze on seaweed. Do not leave rubbish (tins, unused stakes, bits of wood, etc.) as these make a very good home for rabbit fish. Whitened areas are more exposed to fungal infection. Especially during the warmer months, fungal infection can spread quite rapidly and the seaweed plants show large portions of discolored branches commonly seen as white and pink areas. Ice Ice is the common term used to describe seaweed plants in this condition. Weather Apart from occasional bad weather (rough sea and heavy rain), the effect of cyclones occurring during the summer months can be devastating. If a cyclone season is expected, harvest as much seaweed as you can and keep it on shore protected from wind and rain. Put aside sufficient seaweed to allow you to re-start farming after the cyclone has passed by. Remember to keep this seaweed in bags moist with seawater at all times. That seaweed will be your re-planting material. If seaweed is kept small during this period, and not allowed to become over-mature, little damage is expected. Decide to harvest after 4 or 5 weeks of growth instead of waiting for 6 or 8 weeks. Experience after going through several cyclones suggest that this strategy could limit your damage. Also, be sure that stakes are firmly erected otherwise the strong water currents and swells during cyclones might wash away your effort. After the cyclone has gone through, tangled lines should be entangled and secured again. Badly damaged seaweed should be completely removed and replaced with new seeds. 6.0 MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF SEAWEEDS In the case of already heavily exploited resources, future potential has also to be considered in the light of the growing need, in some important cases, for management and protection. Some commentators (including Stanford, the discoverer of algin acid, as lo

Are Humans Naturally Bad Or Good Philosophy Essay

Are Humans Naturally Bad Or Good Philosophy Essay I believe that humans are naturally bad because our base mentality is one of evil. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, human beings fought unnecessary wars, tortured prisoners, raped, murdered, and pillaged. Not surprisingly, all of that still occurs in todays society. The world we live in is an essentially bad one. Radical vigilantes bomb cities, open fire in crowded places, and incite disastrous riots every day. From looking at the world around us and seeing our degeneration, it is ludicrous to believe that we are naturally good. Although the evolutionary process has instilled a modicum of civility and humanity in us, we are still naturally evil beings. Thomas Hobbes recognizes the evil nature of humans and paints a very blatant picture of it in Leviathan. He states that laws were devised for the sole purpose of keeping our evil nature in check. Without them, our base instincts would resurface and chaos would reign supreme. That is why Hobbes was in favor of authoritarian governments; they were necessary to keep us under control. Basically, they are needed to protect us from ourselves. Hobbes also states that our true natures arise in times of strife. For example, in war-torn countries, civilians kill and steal form each other in order to survive. Self-preservation is one of the most natural of human compulsions and we will do anything to survive. Hobbes also asks an interesting question to those who believe that human are good. He asks that if humans are so benevolent in nature, then why do we lock our doors at night and guard our possessions? By doing so, we are unconsciously recognizing the evil nature of humans. Hsun Tzu also maintained that mans nature is inherently evil. He believed that humans are born evil, but it is a teachers responsibility to educate them and reign in those evil instincts and eradicate them. Although he has valid points, it is still unrealistic to think that mans naturally evil instincts can be curbed so easily. Those suppressed instincts that have been stored away in the annals of the human psyche will resurface eventually. It is also unrealistic to think that one can make man good simply by means of education. If anything, education leads to evil because it has the power to corrupt. Those who oppose Hobbes and say that humans are naturally good are, frankly, idealists. The Chinese philosopher Mencius states that humans are naturally good and that ones circumstances influence their nature. The idea of ones circumstances influencing their nature is ridiculous. One may be unfortunate enough to be born into less than favorable circumstances, but it is up to that person to overcome them. Yes, one can become embittered and callous by their debilitating situation, but to say that their circumstances influence their nature is to give a justification for bad behavior. Attributed to Plato, the idea that love can make one good has become another idealistic opinion for many. Plato stated that love is one of, if not the most, natural emotions that humans have, thus we are naturally good because love itself is good. While love is a very fulfilling emotion that can lead to change within a person, that change is not always for the better. Love has led to wars, murders, and the destruction of kingdoms, throughout history. For example, Helen of Troy and the iconic war fought over her. Her love for a foreign prince led to the deaths of thousands of soldiers and civilians and the complete destruction of an empire. Another example is Henry VIII and his love for Anne Boleyn. He divorced his queen, broke with the Catholic Church, and tore his country apart in order to marry his mistress. Perhaps the most common examples of how love can change a person are domestic violence cases. In simpler terms, love often leads to recklessness, irrationality, impairment of j udgment, and, in some cases, bad behavior in an individual. In 20th century opinions, the idea of Nature vs. Nurture was believed by some. Nature meaning that we are born with whatever behavior we exhibit, and nurture meaning that our culture has the ability to mold us into what we are. The scientist Edward O. Wilson stated that if the process of natural selection has determined our biological functions, then natural selection must have determined the operations of our brains. Basically speaking, he believed that humans are born with whatever nature they possess, therefore validating my argument that we are born evil. At the opposite end of the philosophical spectrum, the anthropologist Ruth Benedict wrote that ones culture and its social norm has the ability to mold that individual into a good or bad being. Once again, the concept of ones surroundings influencing their nature is introduced. Benedict basically gives the same justification for bad behavior that Mencius gave thousands of years earlier. In conclusion, humans are inherently evil in nature because it is our base mentality. Sadly, it is a part of us that is unchangeable and, try as one might, it cannot be quelled by education or instruction, nor can it be influenced by our culture or surroundings. We are born the way we are, and we must accept it.