Video games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video games - Essay Example This work aims to argue that by allowing more room for more moral independent decision-making and by effectively incorporating the element of social reward, it is possible to utilize video games to enable children to make moral decisions in various contexts and also to make them aware about the implications of both moral and immoral decisions. The first point this work will address is the fact that video games are considerably different from other art forms in the fact that it is highly interactive. The second main point to be elaborated is the role of social reward, social conformity, and social learning in making decisions in the real society. The last point will elaborate on how to incorporate these elements in video games in order to make children aware about morality and its implications through video games. This topic is highly relevant in the present situation where social thinkers, police forces and parents are busy, blindly accusing video games for the fall in morality among children. This research will describe how video games are close to real life and different from other forms of art. In addition, the work will show how this interactive nature of video games can be utilized to develop moral thinking instead of destroying the same. Moreover, the study can make the reader aware about the various elements which influence the decision-making in real life. This is a difficult research to accomplish because it needs to compile information from various subject areas, ranging from gaming industry, decision-making, development of morality, social reward, social conformity, and social learning. From a reading of various scholarly articles on the subject, it becomes evident that scholars have already started accepting video games as different from other forms of art, and a few have in fact claimed that video games can be utilized to teach

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Assignment - Essay Example In the past, defining what equality is and should be became a contributory factor of the Revolutionary War. In the years prior to the war, the only social structure and governmental administration ideologies were those brought with them from Britain. In Britain, it was status and wealth that indicated if a citizen was qualified for equality.(Van Til 1) In other words, equality did not apply to everyone within the society only to a specific elite group. However, the American colonists were far from British life, in the colonies life was different and, often, harsh. These struggles like Indian attacks, hunger, and diseases were experienced universally by the rich and poor alike. Slowly but surely colony life and the philosophical concepts of â€Å"enlightenment† thinkers, gave people the idea that â€Å"equality† could and should not be something bestowed or earned, but something that should be a principle right.(Van Til 1) When Thomas Jefferson wrote that â€Å"all men are created equal,† it sparked the fires of change, particularly, among those that, generally, were not offered equality within society. Anti-salve supporters spoke out that it was absolutely hypocritical to speak of equality of all men, while owning and profiting from the slave trade.(Foner 4-5) Women were encouraged by the changing perceptions of equality to speak out and be more active. The Native Americans, would not benefit from this changing times, in fact, they would suffer greatly. Even as the colonists fought for the right to freedom and individual equality in the New World, the Native Americans would, sadly, lose all hope of equality, freedoms, and rights to ancestral lands. It is easy to see that in these turbulent and changing times that finding the definition of equality that was inclusive, concise, and agreeable to all, was no easy task. The Revolutionary War itself was, both, a revolt against the British rule, but, also, a civil war among colonists who did not s hare the same views on the impending rebellion.(Nash) Loyalists, those faithful to the British Crown and the Patriots, those colonists that sought to make America a new nation all of its own, were forced to stand against each other. Even the slaves found themselves on opposing sides of the war. The British gained their allegiance by offering to â€Å"free:† the slaves that would fight for them against the colonists; the colonists.. Ultimately, we know the war’s imminent outcome. The colonies prevailed and the United States was born independent from Britain. The new philosophies of American would see the abandonment of previous British traditions and social norms. By 1800, the practices of â€Å"indentured servitude† and â€Å"apprenticeships† had nearly disappeared all together. The freedoms and equalities of white men increased. The aristocratic structure of society was dismissed and, for the first time, men of all levels and stations were represented in politics; by the 1780s the majority of white males were qualified to vote.(Foner 1-2) The founding fathers did not know what impact the philosophy of equality would have on the new nation. In truth, they believed in equality of â€Å"conditioning,† not in â€Å"opportunities.† Simply meaning, all men should be treated equally, allowing for basic courtesies, dignities, and respects; they were not necessarily referring

My Greatest Acheivements Essay Example for Free

My Greatest Acheivements Essay When I got the call from the volunteer services office a few days after my interview saying I had been chosen as a volunteer, I was ecstatic. Getting the opportunity to volunteer in a hospital and directly aid doctors and nurses over an entire summer was an honor and I learned many things about a doctor and nurses job from it. My second greatest achievement is starting a book blog, Hidden Gems to help self-published authors market their books. I started my blog Hidden Gems in August 2012, with the hope of reviewing books for self published authors and getting word out about their books. Shortly after setting up my blog and spreading news about the self-published books I got 1000 views in one month. With the high growth of viewers and followers on my blog, I got emails from authors from Australia and publishing houses to review their books. I still try to help self-published authors out and review their books and advertise for them because many of them try to make a living off their books. Helping these published authors is one of my greatest achievements and through this blog I’ve been able to meet other book fanatics like me and hold proper discussions about each book we read. I will continue to write on this blog as long as I can and help these self published authors. written by kchandwani21

The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken The poem The Road not taken was written by celebrated American poet Robert Frost. In this poem Robert Frost talks about the choices that a person faces in the journey of life, this poem deals with the questions of what might have happened if the traveler had chosen the other road in front of him, had or had not it made any difference in his life. These unanswered questions make the poem all the more ambiguous, riveting and complex. In the ensuing paragraphs a detailed literary analysis of the poem The Road Not Taken will be done, in particular the discussion will focus on dissecting the important poetic parameters of form, content, style and irony. FORM Literary form is broadly referred to as the manner and organization in which the literary work is arranged. Robert Frost has described the psychological chaos a person goes through while making decisions on choosing the path of life in the form of a gentle, free flowing poem. CONTENT ANALYSIS In doing the analysis of Robert Frosts poem The Road Not Taken some key factors are considered that provide a better insight of how the literary work was developed and what was the hidden meaning behind the written word, if there is any. The key factors that provide a basis for content analysis are Symbolism, Ambiguity and extent of Individualism contained in the poem. Symbolism: Symbolism relates to undertaking of a journey. At a deeper level symbolism is artificial, yet it is something we cannot live without. Words as they are written on paper are not important but what ideas, images and shapes the words invoke in the minds of people are more important. The three words in the poem Two roads diverged perhaps represent the strongest symbolism used in the poem where on surface it may seem that Frost is talking about a fork in the road, but in reality he is talking about choices people face in their lives. The roads diverged is a metaphor describing the turning points in life when people have the opportunity to decide and choose a path in their life, but for every road a person takes he/she has to forgo another road which in actuality is the The road not taken. Ambiguity: Another very important theme that is observed in Robert Frosts poem is the ambiguous nature of what appears on paper and what is actually intended. Robert Frost has written The Road Not Taken staying true to the saying that the very nature of literature is Polyvalent, i.e. it can mean different things at different times. Robert Frosts poem The Road Not Taken also contains traces of ambiguity that makes his poem ever so enigmatic. The roads in Frosts poem do not intertwine but the language does to a great extent until the reader is lost in the autumn yellow wood of the forest wondering if neither path was taken or if both paths were taken (Fagan). Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both (Frost). Another important consideration that greatly gives rise to ambiguity in Robert Frosts poem is the preference of word road over path as one imagines a path to be less travelled and the road to be much more travelled. The use of the word road gives suppo rt to the idea that the particular road has been worn for all except the speaker (Fagan). Individualism: Yehoshua Arieli believes that the term Individualism was coined by Saint-Simonians to characterize the condition of human society in the nineteenth century (Brown). Individualism is a pre-dominant feature of all the Robert Frost poems. His sense of individualism is greatly apparent in his work and gives the hints of a person who operates at a totally different level from those around him by ardently exposing the true picture of this very savage and cruel world (Ray). In his poem The Road Not Taken, Frost depicts his eccentric sense of Individualism when he articulates that, I took the one less traveled by (Frost). At this particular point the I of I took the one less traveled by becomes the most important of the whole poem, emphasizing that here the decision is taken keeping ones personal consideration in mind by taking the road less frequented upon. The line and that has made all the difference (Frost)also plays an important role in depicting that the individualistic decision to take the road less travelled by resulted in something that is greatly different from the routine outcome that would have resulted from following the worn beaten path which everyone follows. STYLE The term Style generally means manner or mode whereas the term Literary Style refers to a way of putting thoughts into words and the distinctive method of expression of a particular writer. The style of all the Robert Frost poems including The Road not Taken is based on a search for understanding of things that are apparently hidden from the view. Frost takes the medium of simplicity to get across his deeper finer ideals to the people, but while he may be talking about ordinary things the intended meaning of his poems is much different from the written word. This ambiguity gives a sense of mystery to Robert Frosts work that is difficult to find in ordinary works of literature. IRONY Irony in English literature means saying the opposite of what one actually means to say, though using stylistic indications like tone of voice, gestures to convey the actual meaning. The phrase all the difference (Frost) exemplifies Frosts typical style of irony; this phrase takes a dig at people who always regret not having chosen the other path in their life, when in actuality even choosing that path would not really have made any difference in their life. CONCLUSION The poem The Road not Taken can easily be considered as one of the best short poems written by the Robert frost taken into consideration the seemingly easy to understand but the inherent complex meaning of the poem. In this beautifully written poem multi-meaning words and phrases can be found abundantly. Robert Frost believes in communication of profoundly important concepts while talking about ordinary things, this belief is reflected in his poem The Road not Taken when he explores the dilemma of making a choice in the journey of life while talking about a traveler who has come to a fork in the road and has chosen one of the roads. Annotated Bibliography Brown, R. Philip. Authentic Individualism:A Guide for Reclaiming the Best of Americas Heritage. University Press of America, 1996. In this book the development of the concept of Individualism in western philosophy is discussed. The discussion that starts from the time of Saint-Simonians stretches to a comprehensive discussion of role of individualism in development of American culture, history and society. This book concentrates on tracing the roots of the concept of individualism; discussing what was the concept of individualism for the individual of dark ages moving to a discussion on the medieval mindset followed by a discussion on the concept of individualism in the modern world. In the discussion focusing on the literary parameter of individualism it was important to first understand the concept of individualism itself, this book proved to be the starting point for understanding this important literary parameter. Fagan, Deirdre. Robert Frost. Infobase Publishing, 2007. This book is an excellent resource providing quality information on the key aspects of life and work of the great American poet Robert Frost. This book is unique because it contains an extensive collection of each of Robert Frosts published poems, masques and plays. In addition to gathering all the masterpieces of the literary giant at one place another wonderful thing the book has achieved is that it provides selected information about each of the written work of Robert Frost; information such as the main theme and idea behind the written word are sure to provide excellent information to any student of Robert Frosts work. Frost, Robert. Mountain Interval. Henry Holt and Company, 1916. This book is an authentic source of primary information on many of Robert Frosts very well known, closely analyzed and moving poems including The Road not Taken. This book is of particular importance to the students and learners of English poetry in particular who can use this book as a primary source of information containing many of the best anthologized poems of the beloved American poet Robert Frost. Ray, Ed. Mohit K. Studies In American Literature. Atlantic Publishers Dist, 2002. This book contains important discussion on the nature and culture of American poetry. This discussion on American poetry is aided by a dissecting the poetic tendencies and poems of important American poets such as Robert Frost, Arthur Miller, Sylvia Plath, Tennessee Williams, and Philip Roth. This book proved to be a source of information for writing this essay as it contains comprehensive information on life and work of the great American poet Robert Frost. The book contains a very informative discussion on the poetic style of Frost while specially elaborating his eccentric sense of individualism depicted in almost all of his written work.

This is Your Brain on God :: Biology Essays Research Papers

"With all your science can you tell how it is, and whence it is that light comes into the soul?" ~ Henry David Thoreau Belief in God has long been held to be a superstition by the scientific community as the existence of such a higher power cannot be demonstrated through objective observation. While science is unable to prove whether or not God is real, the field of neurotheology has instead posed a new question that we can find answers to: is there activity in the brain specific to religious experience? Can science in fact shed light on Thoreau's question? Through the use of brain imaging technology, Dr. Andrew Newberg has conducted research in an attempt to find answers to these questions. The participants in his study were Buddhists well-versed in meditation. Newberg used a SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) camera to make an image of the brain of an individual at the moment he reaches the climax of meditation. Such a picture would enable us to look at the brain as it "experiences God." The "peak" of meditation is clearly a subjective state, with each individual attaining it in different manners and having different time requirements. However, the sensation and meaning behind this moment is consistent among all who reach it. At the peak, the subjects indicate that they lose their sense of individual existence and feel inextricably bound with the universe. "There [are] no discrete objects or beings, no sense of space or the passage of time, no line between the self and the rest of the universe" (Newberg 119). As the river flowing east and west Merge in the sea and become one with it, Forgetting that they were ever separate rivers, So do all creatures lose their separateness When they merge at last . . . (Newberg 6-7) Newberg first took baseline images of the brains of the meditators to use as a standard for comparison (Newberg 5). It was important that these scans of the brain be taken while the subjects were at rest so that brain activity while one is simply relaxed could be differentiated from brain activity while one is having a spiritual experience. The baseline scans showed an "even distribution of activity throughout the brain," characterized by a large amount of activity in the posterior, superior parietal lobe and a moderate amount in the prefrontal cortex (Newberg 4).1 The subjects then meditated. When they reached the peak, they pulled on a string attached at one end to their finger and at the other to Dr.

Pollution and Environment Essay - We Must Act Now to Solve the Problem

We Must Act Now to Solve the Problem of Overpopulation      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1804 for the first time in the history of humanity more than one billion people were living on Earth. Then in 1927, 123 years later, the Earth's population surpassed two billion. Another billion was added by 1960, another in 1974, and another-bringing the total to over five billion-in 1987. Estimates are that the Earth's population will surpass six billion in 1999 and reach nine billion people in the year 2054-250 years after first reaching one billion.[1] Traditionally the historically slow increase in population has been attributed to limits on agriculture. Modern analysis of population growth, however, indicates that the primary restriction has been disease. The control of disease and the resulting decline mortality has not always been accompanied by a declining rate of fertility. This has resulted in the huge increase in human population. The rapid increase in the number of humans living on Earth will undoubtedly cause changes in the individual lives of men. T hough the changes will not be as drastic as some authors predict, the changes humans introduce to the Earth's environment must be addressed and fully understood.    Those who believe that man is reproducing himself into destruction are quick to point out that greater numbers of men result in a greater strain on the Earth's resources. In the book A Green History of the World: The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations Clive Ponting claims that humans are doing irreparable damage to the Earth and as population continues to increase this damage will continue. Ponting claims that this increase of population, what he terms the weight of numbers, will lead to the eventual destruction of ... ...and Birth Control, Ed. Garret Hardin. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1969, 107-9. [6] J.H. Fremlin, "How Many People Can the World Support?," New Scientist 415 (1964): 285-7, Rpt. in Population, Evolution, and Birth Control, Ed. Garret Hardin, San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1969, 59-66. [7] Robert Thomas Malthus, "An Essay on the Principle of Population," 1798, Population, Evolution, and Birth Control, Ed. Garret Hardin, San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1969, 4-16. [8] Ian Thomas, Population Growth, London: MacMillan Education, Ltd., 1980, 11. [9] United Nations Population Division [10] Robert Livernash, "The Future of Populous Economies China and India Shape Their Destinies," Environment 37.6 (1995): 6-32. [11] A.J. McMichael,   "Contemplating a One Child World," British Medical Journal 311.7021 (1995): 1651-3.   

Marijuana Subculture

Subculture: Marijuana in the United States Fatima Alikhan ENG 122 Professor Kenneth Newton Monday May 23, 2010 The United States has an approved list of drugs that are considered legal and illegal that create adverse side effects and hold diverse political views. Marijuana is a substance that popular media holds in a negative undertone while other drugs such as valium and alcohol are supported, if not glorified. Popular media is a powerful tool that gathers a mass of people and provides all types of information.Some types of information are historical facts, statistics, entertainment, opinions, and biases which alter the state and views of those who access it. Marijuana has had an extremely controversial political view throughout history and is considered a â€Å"gateway drug,† enabling users to pursue stronger and dangerous substances. Although marijuana includes negative side effects, statistics prove it may be far less dangerous to people and those around them compared to l egalized substances with higher danger percentages.The comparison and political attitudes of marijuana throughout history of the United States is what is examined in this paper to draw awareness to readers on the bias of intolerance towards marijuana. I plan on limiting my topic selection by choosing a limit of 3 substances to compare the statistics against and only recording major milestones that changed the way people viewed marijuana throughout American history. The underlying argument in this paper would be in the form of an ultimatum: legalize marijuana or criminalize alcohol and prescription pain medicine.The American people may not know why exactly marijuana is considered illegal when neither side effects or symptoms cause fatalities or crime when contrasted against prescription pain pills that target teenagers to adults. Alcohol related accidents are also significantly higher than marijuana related stresses however it has been considered wrong, immoral, and illegal for close to a century in United States history. The media’s portrayal of marijuana in movies and television shows has always been a carefree and adventurous approach.Movies such as Half Baked, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, and Pineapple Express depict the substance as a recreational tool that can enhance the quality of life and entertainment. Television shows such as That 70’s Show demonstrate an accurate depiction of marijuana use in the 1970’s which show a group of teenagers sitting around a circle smoking marijuana, giggling, and eating. Although the 1970’s was known for heavy drug use such as cocaine, LSD, and heroin, and the government’s epic battle on the war on drugs, marijuana was considered to be a gateway drug which led to endless possibilites and dangers.Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, marijuana was portrayed in negative connotations after President Nixon had declared a war on all drugs which was intended for the crack and heroin epidemic however extended itself onto marijuana as well. After the new century, the media began anti-marijuana campaign commercials that would be targeted directly towards teenagers. â€Å"Tests of sensation seeking targeting evaluated the effectiveness of targeted televised public service announcement campaigns in reducing marijuana use among high sensation-seeking adolescents,† (Palmgreen, Donohew, Lorch, Hoyle, Stephenson, 2001).This study used a controlled interrupted time-series design method to match 2 communities where one county and campaign was compared to another county and campaign. Personal interviews were conducted with 100 teenagers in a period of 32 months. The result proved the effectiveness of media towards adolescents. All 3 campaigns had reversed the trend of marijuana use. Televised campaigns that target a large group of people have an effective strategy in conveying a direct message and achieving its purpose.The message that is being portrayed how ever is based off of false assumptions and lack of scientific data. It is simply opinion however the message and the powerful tool of the media conveys a strong image to impose a crime on the substance. The portrayal of other legal drugs in the media such as alcohol and prescription pills is far more appealing to the human eye than marijuana. Alcohol is branded with trademarks and celebrity endorsements that promote an urban lifestyle.It conveys the message that it is chic and savvy to drink or that it can bring excitement to a social setting. Celebrities, fancy cars, sports athletes, musicians, and scantily clad women submit a message through media that drinking â€Å"their† alcohol will allow a person’s environment or self-image to be enhanced. Prescription pills on the other hand are not mentioned much in the media at all. The amount of danger and the percentage of addiction is at such a great risk for Americans however there are no repercussions taken by government or doctors.With the number of soccer moms, teenagers, and role models (athletes, etc. ) that are getting addicted to these substances, it is abnormal that the federal government hasn’t taken action towards monitoring or screening these substances as they do with marijuana. Marijuana charges for possession and distribution cost tax payers unnecessary dollars to keep law enforcement active, house non criminal inmates, and fund anti-marijuana regulations.In contrast, the percentage of income the government and private corporations receive from alcohol and prescription pills keeps skyrocketing yearly even though the damage done to people and those around them from these substances is rather substantial. The dangers and problems of both alcohol and prescriptions pills in comparison to marijuana have alarming statistics and percentages that make readers astonished as to why marijuana is illegal or why other substances are legal.Alcohol has a long history of being portrayed in medi a as a â€Å"relaxing† elixir after a long day at work or a method of unwinding. The role of alcohol in movies and television are false impressions of what would happen in a social setting if you were to be drinking a certain alcohol or the how much better your time would be spent if you were drinking. Commercials and advertisements use models, cars, celebrities, sports, clubs, and entertainment to promote an image or brand that alcohol brings life, love, and lust to any party however the cold hard truth is that it is far from the perception it sells.This multi-million dollar industry prides itself on a fast growing industry that has the highest percentage of users of a social drug in the United States. â€Å"We do not need the brewers’ reminder that the absolute quantity of alcohol consumed has been steadily increasing at a rate of at least 7% per annum to be aware that it remains far and away the most widely-accepted social drug in this country,† (Aud, 1981, p . 48). Prescription pills have not been much of a harmful substance until this decade.The recent increase in those prescribed with pain and given very high doses of pain medication has been astonishing. Although these substances are intended to target the pain, most pain killers given through a prescription are misused and soon become addictive. A minor toothache or certain back pain that may not require such high doses of medicine are being prescribed by doctors which is leading to numerous amounts of dangers. A local mother who is prescribed pain killers can also be accidentally distributing to her teenagers who may not need the medicine or know how to properly ingest it.The effect of alcohol and prescription pills are a deadly combination but are extremely popular among youth. The combination of both legal substances enhance the altered state of mind one would naturally get from consuming just one substance. Prescription pain killers have been the major focus study among teenager s in the past 5 years due to the availability of them compared to the frequency of its distribution now. The assumptions on health effects caused by marijuana have different results after several tests.Many may presume that marijuana causes an array of mental disorders and lack of control of the mind however, Mitch Earleywine’s research proves no such case. â€Å"In general, the drug is incapable of creating an overdose. It can exacerbate the symptoms of some mental disorders but does not appear to cause them. Data fail to show any marijuana-induced changes in brain structure, but long-term exposure to the drug alters the way the brain functions during complex tasks,† (Earleywine, 2002, p. 143).Issues such as mental illness, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, antisocial behavior are linked to the symptoms of marijuana and although it does not cause any exact disorder, it may enhance those symptoms. Marijuana is now medicinally researched to cure disorders such as insomnia, anorexia, and minor pain. Cancer patients also rely on marijuana to increase their appetite, decrease nerve pain, and combat minor pain (Goodwin, 2010). Marijuana is a substance that comes with many pretenses and opinions that may be based on scientific fact or public opinion portrayed through the media.The tests, evaluations, and studies examined in this paper provide adequate information to the reader in establishing a proper factual idea on what marijuana is, the portrayal of the substance in the media, what its effects and dangers are, and its comparison to other legalized substances that are much more harmful. Although the United States has slowly shown progress in decriminalizing marijuana and accepting the medicinal uses for it in states such as California, there is an underlying common misperception that marijuana is a substance of great danger, civil disobedience, and rebellion.References: Aud, J. (1981). Marijuana Use and Social Control. University of Illinois at Chicago. New York: Academic Press Inc. Baggins, David Sadofsky. (1998). Drug Hate and The Corruption of American Justice. University of Illinois at Chicago. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Earleywine, Mitch. (2002). Understanding Marijuana: A new look at the scientific evidence. University of Illinois at Chicago. New York: Oxford University Press. Novak, William. (1980). High Culture: Marijuana in the Lives of Americans. University of Illinois at Chicago.New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Philip Palmgreen,  Lewis Donohew,  Elizabeth Pugzles Lorch,  Rick H Hoyle,  &  Michael T Stephenson. (2001). Television campaigns and adolescent marijuana use: Tests of sensation seeking targeting. American Journal of Public Health,  91(2),  292-6. Retrieved June 12, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID:  67849612). Goodwin,  J.. (2010,  August). Smoked Marijuana May Ease Chronic Nerve Pain. U. S. News & World Report,1. Retrieved June 12, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Doc ument ID:  2170726371).