Purpose of Statement Essay

Adam Koehler Statement of Purpose After taking a multitude of computer science courses over my academic career I have perceived that most of the courses tend to build a student’s knowledge of computer science outward, broadening familiarity over several areas of computer science rather than creating a concentrated depth of knowledge in any one topic. Pursuing a master’s degree in computer science will allow me to more fully develop my knowledge in two areas of particular interest to me: artificial intelligence and computer graphics. By studying these areas in depth, I hope to resolve the disparity between having a wide scope of computer science knowledge and having a more concentrated understanding of a single computer science field. Artificial intelligence is the foremost area of interest that I wish study further. The attraction of artificial intelligence for me lies in its breadth of applicability, both as a method of problem solving in itself and in a symbiotic integration with other areas of computer science. A broad spectrum of applications exist within the artificial intelligence field, ranging from intelligent non-player controlled characters in computer game software to a ubiquitous computing solution that intelligently reacts to a variety of users. This diversity is one of the main reasons that I feel compelled to pursue artificial intelligence further. While I have striven to develop my understanding of artificial intelligence during my undergraduate education, the choreographed requirements of a bachelor’s degree have restricted my research to only a minute sample of artificial intelligence’s applications. During my exposure to the field, I have often been unsatisfied with the level of interaction artificial intelligence displays in response to prompts of varying complexity. I do not believe the field has been developed to its potential in any regard, and feel that considerable progress can be made to improve the interactive experience that users have with an artificial intelligence application. This genuine intrigue combined with my curiosity for the subject matter and the limitless potential of the field are the reason why I wish to pursue a greater depth of knowledge in artificial intelligence. Through the education gained in pursuit of a master’s degree, I hope to be able to enrich the authenticity of many artificial intelligence experiences, from computer games, to interactive toys and beyond. While artificial intelligence holds the most intrigue for me, a secondary area of interest is computer graphics. Akin to artificial intelligence in that I have only touched on the subject during my undergraduate career, I hope to explore the areas of two and three dimensional rendering more acutely. While I have always enjoyed the freedom of creative expression, and embrace its value in many aspects of problem solving in computer science, the rigidity of programming has precluded my pursuit of many artistic interests. I feel that a more in-depth review of the field of computer graphics would be very fulfilling for me, both for its creative liberties and for its application to other areas of computer science. Specifically with regard to my interest in artificial intelligence, I envision graphics applications such as an artificially intelligent avatar, with body and facial expressions that can create more engaging interaction between two users. It is also important to understand just how quickly the field of computer graphics is changing within computer science. I believe that a deeper appreciation for the state-of-the-art in computer graphics will only help me in all future computer science pursuits, and I look forward to the new challenges while pursuing my master’s degree in computer science. My undergraduate education has prepared me for the depth and commitment required of graduate research in the field of computer science. Two projects I have participated in would be research with the Embedded XINU team, and a senior design project also involving the XINU operating system. While participating on the Embedded XINU team I have chosen to aide in the research and development of an external analysis tool for embedded systems development. Personally, I have researched integrating the front end system with the debugging system, developed by another team member, via an open source debugging software. Once complete, it will allow users to access many debugging features, such as single stepping through code, breaking at a certain point in the code, and continuing the execution of the code from the breakpoint. The senior design project involves the creation of a software program to allow users building a XINU operating system to directly use computers with a Windows operating system installed. Currently, a direct or remote connection to a UNIX variant needs to be used to aide development. Both projects have allowed me to see the considerable amount of work and research that goes into software development projects. Each of the projects is team oriented; with tasks split down so that one or more researchers can contribute. The groups function with relative autonomy, without daily guidance of a professor, although guidance is provided on a semi-periodic basis. Overall, these projects have provided useful experiences allowing me to understand both graduate and undergraduate level research and implementation. In addition to these two XINU based projects, I have also completed several course-based projects that assimilate the entire semester’s work into a cohesive project. One such project was a language interpreter written in Scheme that interprets primitive operations including add, subtract, Boolean not, and, or, and xor; as well as complex statements such as variable assignment, print statements, procedure declarations and calls and simple type checking. This and several other projects have helped me develop a wealth of knowledge in the computer science field, and have certainly broadened my interests. However, they have lacked depth in certain areas that I feel truly drawn to exploring. Through graduate studies I hope to explore the fields of artificial intelligence and computer graphics more fully, and negotiate the requirements of intertwining the two more seamlessly than today’s efforts produce. My ultimate goal is to produce meaningful work that combines the acquired in-depth knowledge of both the artificial intelligence field and the computer graphics field, while building on the solid foundation I have created in my undergraduate pursuits.

The Two Books, Coined by the Theologians

The Two Books Module 3 The Two Books, Coined By The Theologians Gloria J. Farmer HTH-505-0101: Systematic Theology I Instructor: Professor Peter Conlin March 19, 2013 The Two Books – Page 1 God’s objective for self-revelation is that mankind comes to know Him better. From the beginning of creation, God’s plan â€Å"was to create a people among whom he could dwell and with whom he could be in relationship† (Hill & Walton, 2009, p. 23). Mankind has no excuse for not knowing God and establishing a relationship with Him because â€Å"everyone naturally has a general idea that there is a God† (McGrath, 2011, p. 5), based upon His eternal power and divine nature. His glory is declared in the heavens, the work of His hands is proclaimed in the skies, (Psalm 19; Romans 1:20) and â€Å"the order, intricacy, and wonder of creation speak to the existence of a powerful and glorious Creator† (Got Questions, 2013). Moreover, â€Å"people everywhere posses s general knowledge of the existence of God as the Creator of heaven and earth, and they understand His righteousness, and that He administers punishment to the wicked, etc.However, â€Å"people do not have a clue of God’s plans concerning mankind, the benefits of His blessings, our deliverances from sin and death, and the plan of salvation—which denotes true knowledge of God (McGrath, 2011). The Two Books that God reveals Himself to humanity include, â€Å"General Revelation and Special Revelation. â€Å"General revelation refers to the general truths that can be known about God through nature. Special revelation refers to the more specific truths that can be known about God through the supernatural† (Got Questions, 2013). General Revelation was not the catalyst that was designed to teach us our obligation towards God and our proper relationship to him as our creator. It was not designed to guide us in morality even if the fall of man had not occurred in the Garden of Eden† (Preacherwin’s, 2008). It is through General Revelation that God’s revelation of Himself as God, and the righteous judge is seen. Also, through General Revelation man is seen as a sinner standing under The Two Books – Page 2 God’s divine judgment.The clear message of general revelation and what is derived from it–natural theology (e. g. , Romans 1 and 2), encounters the problem of fallen man perverting its clear message. Nature, human history, and human nature (internally—via conscience) denote the three primary categories of general revelation (Apologetics, 2013). â€Å"God manifested or revealed Himself through Special Revelation in three major categories that include: miraculous events, divine speech, and visible manifestations. Special Revelation is redemptive or salvific in nature and is communicated in both words (e. . , Scripture) and acts or actions. It must be revealed/initiated by God alone. Christ and the Sc riptures respectively are the supreme examples of Special Revelation† (Apologetics, 2013). Having said this, The Two Books, coined by the Theologians, present an intertwining role of Special Revelation (Scripture) and General Revelation in the theological task of discovering God. As we explore General Revelation in the area of Science and the Bible, we must note that there is some information that General Revelation tell us and does not tell us.According to VandenBerg, (2010), there are two beliefs among the Christian community concerning scientific knowledge and the Bible. For example, â€Å"there are Christians who reject the knowledge in the areas of evolution, cosmology, and insist that the biblical accounts of creation and cosmology must be read in a woodenly literal fashion. They assert that it is not necessary to harmonize the Bible and science because, for the most part, the scientific academy is wrong.Furthermore, some Christians insist that what the Bible says about the origins of the universe does not, in fact, cannot, contradict what science has discovered. Contrasting those in the first group, those in this group tend to affirm the discoveries of science while seeking to harmonize them in some way with the biblical text. The Reformed tradition, tends to fall into line with the The Two Books – Page 3 latter group† (p. 16). However, â€Å"Because God is the author of both books—the physical world and the Bible—so the argument goes, there can be no disagreement between them.The basic premise for science and the Bible is that God has provided two sources of knowledge for human persons: nature and the Bible (VandenBerg, 2010). Scientists contend that the problem with General Revelation is not that data is interpreted incorrectly with regard to any particular scientific subject that is being studied, but the problem is that the author of the data is distorted (VandenBerg, 2010). A critical analysis of General Revelatio n calls into question what is being revealed.At first glance, â€Å"there is common understanding of what God is revealing about himself. However, the theological jury is still out deliberating a revelatory verdict† (Howard, D. , 2010). One point is agreed upon concerning General Revelation by those who embrace this Doctrine of Revelation is that knowledge about God is revealed concerning His existence and character (Howard, D. , 2010). â€Å"Agreement also exists that the knowledge revealed consists of particular attributes of God or a â€Å"broad outline of what He is like. The attributes of God that are considered to be revealed are those described in passages such as Psalm 19:1-6, Romans 1:18-32, and Acts 14:17. Psalm 19:1-8, according to Demarest, indicates that God â€Å"as Elohim—the eternal, omnipotent, wise, and good Creator and Sustainer of all that is—revealed via general revelation† (Howard, D. 2010). â€Å"Knowledge obtained from general r evelation is not considered salvific in nature, because it lacks salvation knowledge. Knowledge disclosed in general is only about God as The Two Books – Page 4Creator and other â€Å"general† divine attributes, not God as Redeemer and other salvific knowledge. There is no knowledge of redemption or the Redeemer given in general knowledge, because the precise purpose of general revelation is to declare â€Å"the glory of the Creator and give general guidance to the creature,† not to reveal Jesus Christ. Furthermore, humans do not obtain salvific knowledge from general revelation, they have true and accurate knowledge of God’s existence, his attributes, and moral law (Howard, D. , 2010). The task of discovering God is incomplete without Special Revelation (Scripture).The intertwining role of Special Revelation (Scripture) and General Revelation reveal â€Å"two different media that in different ways point to the same messenger—the divine Creator an d Revealer. To the degree that the content of the message is the same—â€Å"God’s invisible qualities his eternal power and divine nature† (Romans 1:20)—the truth that both books speak the same language and point to the same God must be stressed. At the same time, the truth that natural theology has no saving capacity, that to know our sin and salvation we need the additional special revelation given in Scripture, must never be overlooked.The two Books are not in the first place about the Bible and science but about God and his relation to us as Creator and Redeemer in Jesus Christ† (Bolt, J. , 2011). Special Revelation can be categorized in the following way. â€Å"Theophany (God makes Himself known to the prophet while the prophet is awake and aware of such taking place; Visions (God makes Himself known (not physically) to the prophet who is awake and aware of what is taking place; Dreams (God makes Himself known to a prophet who is asleep); In H is Son—Jesus Christ (Jesus is the ultimate manifestation of God given not just to the prophets, but The Two Books – Page 5 o all people. Jesus is also the perfect image of the invisible God and the object of all Special Revelation. All of Scripture, not just the Gospels, points to Jesus)† (Preacherwin, 2008). Without the Two Books, (General Revelation and Special Revelation), mankind would be deprived of the â€Å"intimate manifestation of God’s special Revelation to his people, revealing Christ and uniting in Christ all of these separate forms of Special Revelation.Scripture reveals Christ in his fullness for God’s people and thus, the completed canon of Scripture is given to us as the capstone upon which our faith is held together† (Preacherwin, 2008). References Apologetics. (2013). Explain general and special revelation using examples. Retrieved March 19, 2013 from http://www. apologeticsinfo. org/outlines/ Got Questions. (2013). What is general revelation and special revelation? Retrieved March 19, 2013 from http://www. gotquestions. org/general-special-revelation. tml Hill, A. E. & Walton, J. H. (2009). A Survey Of The Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan. Howard, D. (2010). A critical analysis of general revelation. Criswell Theological Review, 8(1), 53-75 Preacherwin’s. (2008). Forms of Special Revelation. Retrieved March 19, 2013 from http://preacherwin. wordpress. com/2008/04/21/forms-of-special-revelation/ VandenBerg, M. L. (2010). What General Revelation Does (and Does Not) Tell Us. Perspectives On Science & Christian Faith, 62 (1), 16-24

The Challenges Of The Private Sector Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1797 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? Private sector organisations are ones that are owned by private individuals or groups and is not controlled by the state. the main purpose of private sector businesses is to generate revenue and create profit. Other private sector business aims include furthur growth, increasing market share and maximising sales. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Challenges Of The Private Sector Business Essay" essay for you Create order By contrast, establishments that are part of the state are part of the public sector; private, non-profit organizations are regarded as part of the voluntary sector and do not fall in to this sub heading. There are a number of organisations under the private sector. The main types of businesses in the private sector are: Sole traders are individually run businesses. These include plumbers, painters, accountants and hairdressers. They are responsible for the overall running of their business and their is no distinction between the individual and thier business. Unlike other types of organisations you do not have to register your business with anyone. Advantages of being a sole trader is the freedom to make your own decisions as you are your own boss which may be very motivating. As a sole trader you also keep 100% of the profits. Controversially the disadvantages equally weigh the advantages as being a sole trader means sources of finance are limited as you are the only indiv idual able to raise money. Also as a sole trader you will have to work long hours and have limited holidays as closing the business could result in loss of customers which will lead to a loss in revenue creating a ripple affect which could harm potential profit. One of the main disadvantages of a sole trader is that as a sole trader, you are subject to unlimited liability meaning failure to pay off debts could result in personal assets e.g. your home being repossessed. Partnership, either limited or unlimited liability Partnerships usually consist of 2 à ¢ÃƒÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ 20 people. This is widespread is professions such as accountancy and law. Unlike sole traders the responsibility and work load is shared and more finance can be raised from the partners. Also each partner can specialise e.g. if you have a legal practise one partner can specialise is marital law and one can specialise in tort law. However they are undifferentiated from sole traders in terms of partnerships being unlimited liability. Other disadvantages include sharing of profits between all partners, size is limited to 20 members and also disagreements between partners. Private Sector Limited Companies Owned and run by shareholders. Requires a Memorandum of Association (which includes name of company, address,objectives, type of activities, amount of capital to be raised, number of shares to be issued). Requires an Articles of Association (which includes the rights of shareholders, procedures for appointing directors, timing and frequency of company meetings, arrangements for auditing company accounts). Shareholders have a right to attend the AGM. Private Limited Company or LTD-limited liability, with private shares Private limited companies are owned by share holders and the owners can place restrictions on who the share ae sold to. Many people who own family run companied for instance can place restrictions to allow family members only to purchase share. In this case shares can only be sold privately and cannot advertise their share for sale. Private Sector Public Limited Companies This companies name ends PLC. There are around 500,000 companies in the UK but only 3% of them are public limited companies. Shares can be bought and sold on the stock market. Accounts must be published. Advantages limited liability;huge amounts of capital can be raised; economies of scale; domination of the market. Disadvantages setting up costs can be very expensive; an outsider can take over the company; competitors can take advantage of information in published accounts; Legislation control the way the organisation is operated; Companies may be inflexible due to their size. Public Limited Company à ¢ÃƒÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ shares are open to the public. Two examples are: Franchise à ¢ÃƒÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ business owner pays a corporation to use their name, receives spec for the business Workers cooperative à ¢ÃƒÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬ all workers have equal pay, and make joint business decisions Public limited companies like private limited companies are owned by share holders however no restrictions can be placed and shareholders can sell shares to whoever they like. One disadvantage in this is that companies my be subject to a take over by other shareholders if they start buying up shares in attempt to take control. Some share holders may want to resist this take over but can not stop other shareholders selling their shares. 1.2 Public Sector The Public Sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector is owned and run by the state (government) for their citizens. Their aim is to provide services needed by the citizens, regarless of income or wealth, for example health and education. These organisations are funded through taxation. The organization of the public sector can take several forms, including: Central government These include such services as defence, n ational health service, social security, prisions, police, universities. Local government These include primary secondary education, refuse collection, libraries, social services, council housing, parks and sport facilities Public corporation 1.3 non-profit sector. Non-profit sectors, the organisations in which fall into this category are different to both the private and public sectors, which has main objectives of turning a profit. Instead non profit organisations e.g. charitable organizations, trade unions and public arts organizations do not distribute its profits to shareholders or owners but use the money to meet goals. Ownership is the quantitative difference between for- and not-for-profit organizations. For-profit organizations can be privately owned and may re-distribute taxable wealth to employees and shareholders. By contrast, not-for-profit organizations do not have private owners. They have controlling members or boards, but these people cannot sell their shares to others or personally benefit in any taxable way. While non profit organisations are able to turn a profit known as a surplus, finance earned are retained by the organisation for its self-preservation, expansion and future plans. They are in most countries exempt from income and property taxation. Purpose Activities Marketing Marketing is the function of the business that is responsible for understanding customer needs and developing the right products, setting the right price and promoting and distributing products in the right way. Marketing ensures what is being provided is always a want and need. Market research new product development Purchasing Purchasing functions objectives are to buy at the most economic order the right quantity and quality for the right price from suppliers who are reliable and provide a good service. Through this they can ensure they can provide their organisation with an uninterrupted flaw of materials and services for company operations. They also have to find reliable alternative sources of supply. Determine needs, select the suppliers, negotiate the purchase and follow up on orders. Human Resources The pupose of the human resourse function is to assess the current and future capacity of a businesses future workforce needs and maximize the productivity of an organization by optimizing the effectiveness of its employees. Job design, Advertise job vacancies, select candidates, training and development, performance appraisal compensation, maintenance labour relations, Finance Production Hirachical strucutre Also known as the pyramis structure, the hierarchical structure means that with every level in the structure is a different level of authority. The structure houses fewer people at the top of the pyramid which can include job titles such as owner ceo and managing director. In hierarchical structures the chain of command runs from the top down and through each line dep artment. Employees at each level are managed by their line manager directly above them in their orgainsation function. Within hierarchical structures authority and responsibility is clearly defined and it is clear to see the promotion path for employees. Also there are specialist managers which could effectively be used as the hierarchical strucuter encourages this in terms of environment. Futhur more employees will be very loyal to their department within their orgainsation. However the organisation can be beauracratic and theirfore respond sloly to changing customer needs and thet market within which the orgainsation operates. Communication across various sections can be poor due to having to report to line managers especially horizontal communitcation. And departments can make decisions which benefit them rather than the business as a whole especially if there is inter departmental rivalry. Hehieraches may be tall with many levels of resposibilities or flat with fewer level s. https://faculty.vassar.edu/lenevare/2006/soci151/bureaucratichierarchy.htm The basic hierarchical structure of modern business enterprise (each box represents an office). Alfred Chandler, The Visible Hand, pg. 2. Matrix structure The matrix structure groups employees and resources in two ways simultaneously by both function and product. This structure can combine the best of both separate structures. A matrix organization frequently uses teams of employees to accomplish work, in order to take advantage of the strengths, as well as make up for the weaknesses, of functional and decentralized forms. An example if a organisation wanted to produce two products, a table and a chair. Using the matrix structure, this company would organize functions within the company as follows: a table sales department, a table customer service department, a table accounting, a chairsales department, a chair customer service department, a chair accounting department. Advantages of such structures are individuals can be chosen according to the needs of the project, the use of a project team wich is dynamic and able to view problems in different ways as specialist have been brought together in a new environment and project managers are sirectly responsible for completing a project within a certain time frame and budget. However the disadvantages are a conflict between line managers and project managers over the allocation of resources, if teams have a lot of independence than it can be hard to monitor and cost can be increased if more managers are created through the use of project teams. https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/Images/orgcharts/matrix-organizational-structure.gif Divisional structure Also known as the product structure, the divisional structure groups each organizational function into a division. Each division within a divisional structure contains all the necessary resources and functions within it. Each divisional unit is responsible for a product, geographical area, or customer base. Each division has its own functions such as Finance, Marketing and research and development, Divisions can be categorized from different points of view. There can be made a distinction on geographical basis (a US division and an EU division) or on product/service basis (different products for different customers: households or companies). Another example, an automobile company with a divisional structure might have one division for SUVs, another division for subcompact cars, and another division for sedans. Each division would have its own sales, engineering and marketing departments. https://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/Images/orgcharts/divisional-corporate-organizational -structure.gif Tesco Vs Asda Similarities Differences Tesco (Matrix Strucutre) Asda (Divisional Structure)

Critical Factors On Human Dignity And Capital Punishment

Antiepa Munatsi S00150701 This discussion is going to investigate and evaluate the critical factors in relation to human dignity and capital punishment utilising the case study of Andrew and Myuran. A discussion would be made on the issues surrounding the unfair forms of punishments that are used to deal with those who committed unimaginable crimes in the eyes of society. I believe this is an issue where human dignity is a critical factor because there is no respect for individual autonomy and Andrew and Myuran were not given the chance and hence their humanity and dignity violated. Perspectives 1 and 2 would be outlined and an analysis would be made to each in relationship to the case study. Also, understanding of human dignity in each†¦show more content†¦Question 1 Dwight Conquergood wrote about how the legal system in America tried to normalise capital punishment to make it seem less cruel by introducing other ways of execution. This was done by using the lethal injection as in McVeigh?s case (Conquergood, 2002). He advocates against the use of capital punishment and in his discussion highlighted that he attended many demonstrations with those against capital punishment. In addition, he highlights that there is bias from authorities when handling death cases. In one of the cases, the police lost documents which would have been given to the defense lawyers to fight against the sentence. However, the individual was put to death and he considered that death penalty to be unfair and unjust and that there has been instances of innocent people being on death row. He highlighted that minorities make up the largest number of prisoners on the death penalty despite representing a small percentage of the small population and argued that there was bias ag ainst certain minorities. The author indicated that African-Americans are 19% more likely to be put on death row as compared to other races even though they might have committed the same crime (Conquergood, 2002). His view can be put into quadrant 1A which refers to dignity obtained by being a human being (Kirchhoffer, 2013). However, when one is on death row, this dignity is taking away and therefore he argues that offenders

Ptsd Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - 1462 Words

PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder or serious condition that can develop after a victim who has witnessed or experienced a traumatic event.(American Psychiatric Association, 2013) When PTSD was identified as an mental health condition by the psychologist? The term PTSD first appeared in the 1980s, but the concept of this disorder can be traced back to 1952 when the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM was published. The stress reaction of PTSD in DSM-I is defined as a â€Å"normal personality established patterns of reaction to deal with overwhelming fear†. In 1978, the Committee of Reactive Disorders decided to name this stress reaction as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.(Andreasen 2010) The definition of PTSD has changed through different edition of the DSM. Definition of PTSD (DSM5) In the current edition of DSM 5th edition, PTSD is defined as a mental disorder that has a small chance to develop when a person is exposed to one or more traumatic events such as war, natural disasters, terrorist attack, accidents, different kinds of life threat, or physical or sexual assaults. Most survivors of the events might feel anger, fear, shock or even guilt, but these reactions are common. Through time and good care, survivors usually can get better and move on. However, some survivors might experience serious stress reactions, numbing memories and hyper arousal of the traumatic events. When the symptoms get worse for aShow MoreRelatedPost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )990 Words   |  4 PagesPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common anxiety disorder characterized by chronic physical arousal, recurrent unwanted thoughts and images of the traumatic event, and avoidance of things that can call the traumatic event into mind (Schacter, Gilbert, Wegner, Nock, 2014). About 7 percent of Americans suffer from PTSD. Family members of victims can also develop PTSD and it can occur in people of any age. The diagnosis for PTSD requires one or more symptoms to beRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )1471 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER 1 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Student’s Name Course Title School Name April 12, 2017  Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder that many people are facing every day, and it appears to become more prevalent. 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We can express our appreciation to our veterans by creating more support programs, help them go back to what they enjoy the most, and let them know we view them as a human not a disgrace. According to the National Care of PTSD, a government created program, published an article and provides the basic definition and common symptoms of PTSD. Post-traumaticRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )1780 Words   |  8 Pagesmental illnesses. One such illness is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental illness that affects a person’s sympathetic nervous system response. A more common name for this response is the fight or flight response. In a person not affected by post-traumatic stress disorder this response activates only in times of great stress or life threatening situations. â€Å"If the fight or flight is successful, the traumatic stress will usually be released or dissipatedRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )1444 Words   |  6 PagesYim – Human Stress 2 December 2014 PTSD in War Veterans Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition that is fairly common with individuals that have experienced trauma, especially war veterans. One in five war veterans that have done service in the Iraq or Afghanistan war are diagnosed with PTSD. My group decided to focus on PTSD in war veterans because it is still a controversial part of stressful circumstances that needs further discussion. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD amongst war

Gay Teenagers and Suicide Essay Example For Students

Gay Teenagers and Suicide Essay Community and School Support for Gay YouthMany gay and lesbian youths are fortunate to have families that are supportive. Some are fortunate to go to high schools that have gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups that met on the premises. Some schools make outstanding efforts to be safe places, both physically and emotionally. But this is some, not all and certainly not most. Most efforts to organize for teen gays are met with disdain in communities and schools. Efforts are often rallied against. Fortunate gay youth have family and friends that support them and keep them out of the grip of adolescent depression. Being homosexual in the conformist and often homophobic atmosphere of junior and senior high schools drives many to make extreme choices. If untreated, the sense of despair kids feel when they dont flow with the mainstream can lead to suicide. Although a recent University study said homosexuality and bisexuality are not significant factors in suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts or suicide intentions for teenage girls, the same cannot be said for the boys. The study, published in an August edition of the American Journal of Public Health, claimed homosexual or bisexual junior high school and senior high school boys are seven times more likely than heterosexual boys of the same age to report suicide attempts. The research said 131 male respondents identified themselves as â€Å"bisexual or mostly/100 percent homosexual.† More than 28 percent of them reported suicide attempts. That is compared to more than 4 percent of heterosexual counterparts claiming suicide attempts. Traditionally, females are up to nine times more likely to attempt suicide than males, according to American Association of Suicidology documents. Males, though, are six times more likely to complete a suicide, a fact attributed to greater handgun use for suicide by males. The University findings placed heterosexual girls in the 14 percent range for reported suicide attempts. About 20 percent of homosexual or bisexual teenage girls responded similarly. Researchers used the findings to suggest that homosexuality/bisexuality in itself is not a lone determiner of suicide risk for teens. Heterosexual and homosexual or bisexual girls had nearly uniform rates of suicidal thoughts or intent. These statistics led researchers to conclude that sexual orientation is not the cause of suicide attempts because it does not operate that way in girls. Instead, researchers point to other factors for the high rates of reported suicide attempts for gay males. Factors such as verbal and physical harassment, substance use or isolation of boys thought of as sexually different than their heterosexual peers contribute to their high rates of suicide. In 1989, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report stating that up to a third of all teen suicides were committed by gay youths. The validity of these findings has been at the heart of heated debate ever since. The University study is one attempt to legitimize the relationship between homosexuality/bisexuality and suicide. The study utilized data from a 1987 survey of more than 36,000 Minnesota students in grades seven to 12. The survey was filled out by 95 percent of the students. Researchers from the University’s Youth and AIDS Project said their â€Å"unbiased† findings end contentions over whether there is a relationship between homosexuality and suicide.

Why did Certain Groups Revolt Against Peter the Greats Policies

Throughout the course of known history, it has always been the case that the implementation of various innovations in particular country’s socio-political, cultural and scientific life, would initially be met with a fierce resistance, on the part of self-proclaimed ‘guardians of tradition’.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why did Certain Groups Revolt Against Peter the Great’s Policies? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nevertheless, it had always proven to be only the matter of very short time, before such resistance would be subdued. In this paper, we will aim to substantiate the validity of an earlier statement, by reflecting upon the specifics of how Peter the Great went about modernizing Russia through 1689-1725. Within the matter of few years, after having ascended to Russia’s throne in 1689, Peter had made it clear to Russian boyars (nobles) and to Orthodox Church’s clergymen that struggling with Russia’s social and cultural backwardness represented his life’s foremost priority. And, Peter’s activities throughout his early tsardom, leave few doubts as to the fact that it was namely the undisputed dominance of Orthodox Church in country’s socio-political life, which he perceived as the actual root of Russia’s backwardness. For example, in 1692, Peter parodied the functioning of Orthodox Church by establishing a so-called ‘Vseshuteishyi, Vsepyaneishyi I Sumasbrodneishyi Sobor’ (Most Drunken Council of Fools and Jesters) – a carnivalesque mockery of Church’s High Council, which was perceived by Peter’s contemporaries as the clear proof of his sinful-mindedness. Yet, as many historical studies on the subject matter indicate, there was nothing new about drunken orgies that occurred in times of Peter Sobor’s gatherings – these orgies used to be an essential part of Ort hodox clergymen’s lives, just as it was the case with their Catholic counterparts.1 By establishing his Synod of Fools and Jesters, Peter simply exposed Church’s dirty laundry – hence, contributing to the establishment of initial preconditions for Russia’s rapid transformation from essentially a barbaric little principality, to one of the world’s greatest empires.Advertising Looking for essay on eastern europe? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Apparently, Peter was perfectly aware of a simple fact that the concepts of ‘tradition’ and ‘spirituality’ are innately counter-productive, for as long as the process of facilitating cultural progress is being concerned. Being at the time one of Russia’s only few intellectuals, Peter knew well that only science provides people with practically valid answers to life’s dilemmas. This why, upon having decided to set R ussia upon the course of progress, Peter realized that he had no choice but to travel to Europe, in order to study a variety of different sciences, such as shipbuilding, mathematics, philosophy, ethics, etc. In its turn, this explains why Peter’s ‘Grand Embassy’ to Europe lasted for an year – during the course of this time, Peter and his closest associates never ceased studying and even indulging in physical labor on full-time basis. It is not by a pure accident that Peter’s contemporaries used to refer to young Russian Tsar as ‘carpenter on the throne’ – so strong was his desire to turn Russia into civilized country that he did not mind working himself to exhaustion at Zaandam and Deptford’s shipbuilding yards as a commoner.2 Nevertheless, whatever the ironically it might sound – it was exactly to due to Peter being endowed with rationale-driven intellect and due to his willingness to work hard, in order to be able to benefit Russia, that the number of Russians began to perceive him as ‘evildoer’. Given the fact that Orthodox Church have traditionally strived to discourage people from taking an active stance in life, it comes as no surprise that in 17th-18th century’s many Russians seriously believed that material riches should just fall out of sky, for as long as one prays hard enough. This explains why these people considered Peter’s hardworking qualities as the proof of his ‘ungodliness’. After having returned to Russia in 1698, in order to take care of streltsys’ rebellion, instigated by overly-traditional princess Sophia, Peter had dealt with rebellions rather decisively – eight hundred of them were executed in the center of Moscow, within the a matter of days. The rumors about Peter’s cruelty began to spread throughout the Russia.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why did Certain Groups Revolt Against Pete r the Great’s Policies? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, it is not the fact that Peter was a cruel individual with rather short temper, which had won him a strong disfavor with the great number of Russians, while he was on the throne. The real reason why, throughout Peter’s reign, people continued to revolt against implementation of his progressive innovations, in the fields of national defense, industry, trade, tax system, state administration and education, was their mental primitiveness. Russian boyars and high-ranking members of Orthodox Church’s clergy were aware of the fact that, if Peter was allowed to proceed with modernizing Russia unopposed, it will only be the matter of short time, before their parasitic mode of existence would end. It goes without saying, of course, that while articulating their grievances against Peter, these people did not act in intellectually honest matter – instead of admitting that Peter’s reforms simply threatened their bellyful idleness, they wanted to represent these reforms as such that undermined Russia’s ‘spiritual foundations’. According to Slavophiles, Peter’s reforms caused a great deal of damage to Russia’s natural path of development, as in their eyes, this path was inconsistent with the ways of the West.3 In other words, there was absolutely no rationale behind some traditionally-minded Russians’ unwillingness to accept Peter’s reforms, just as today there is no rationale behind some Muslim immigrants’ refusal to live by Western secular laws, after having relocated to Western countries. What gives Peter a huge credit is that, even as far back as at the end of 17th century, he had shown the whole world of what represents the best way to deal with intellectually inflexible people’s ‘traditionalist’ prejudices – if they want to proceed with deny ing the light of civilization, let them be taxed.Advertising Looking for essay on eastern europe? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is a famous story of how Peter the Great addressed the issue of Russian boyars refusing to take baths, to wear Western costumes and to shave off their flea-ridden beards. Peter simply issued a decree, according to which, those who wanted to stick to ‘traditional values’ had to pay taxes. Bearded Russians were given a few weeks of time to whether find necessary sum of hundred rubles, in order to be able to retain their beards for a lifetime, or to dispose of their beards altogether. Those who could not afford paying that much but still wanted to maintain their barbaric appearance, had a option to pay for keeping their beards on annual and monthly basis.4 As practice showed, Russians’ willingness to pay taxes, in order to be able to retain their beards, did not last for too long, even though initially, ‘traditionalists’ used to threaten Peter with ‘God’s vengeance’ for his ‘unholy’ intention of popularize the noti on of personal hygiene among them. The ‘God’s vengeance’ also did not fall upon Peter, on account of his other ‘unholy’ deeds, such as collecting Church’s bells, and making cannons out of them, adopting Julian calendar, subjecting Church’s authority to the secular authority of the state, creating Russia’s Navy out of nothing, introducing the principle of draft for sustaining Russian Army of 210.000.000 strong at all times, establishing Russia’s first newspaper Vedomosti (News), building the great city of Petersburg as Russia’s new capital, etc.5 Nowadays, some historians suggest that, in order for just about anyone to be able to even partially grasp the extent of Peter’s contribution to the process of building and civilizing Russian Empire, he or she would have to take a stroll along this city’s streets.6 Just as any political figure of a great historical significance, Peter used to be focused on fulfi lling long-term objectives, which is why it comes as not a particular surprise that many of his simple-minded contemporaries did not fully appreciate the role he was playing in the history of Russia. Just as Napoleon, Peter the Great believed in secularization and modernization as the only pathways towards building a better society. Just as Napoleon, he had no choice but simply to crash those who resisted him, due to their intellectual backwardness. And, just as it was the case with Napoleon, who never ceased being perceived as an ideal ruler by famous intellectuals of the era, such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Thomas Jefferson, the legacy of Peter the Great’s never ceased inspiring Russian intellectuals, well after his death.7 For example, Peter’s vision of Russia as a modern European state was shared by such Russia’s renowned scientists as Lomonosov and Tatischev. In their turn, they strived to communicate this vision to Peter’s successors on the throne. 8 Thus, just as we have stated earlier, the only reason why certain groups in Russia did revolt against Peter the Great’s policies, is that the representatives of these groups could never appreciate the sheer significance of Peter, as a historical figure. They wanted to continue living in patriarchic society, unaffected by the rapid pace of cultural and scientific progress that was taking place in Europe. They wanted to continue professing ‘traditional values’ (read – prejudices), as if outside world did not even exist. The closer analysis of these people’s stance, in regards to Peter’s reforms, reveals an undeniable fact that it was namely their religious fanaticism, which added to the strength of their resolution to defy Peter the Great. For example, after the functioning of Russian Orthodox Church was reformed by Peter’s adoption of Julian calendar, it resulted in creation of so-called Movement of Raskolniks, the affiliates of which would go as far as referring to their Tsar as the ‘Son of Satan’. Just as today’s Jehovah Witnesses, Raskolnics used to indulge into social withdrawal, in full sense of this word. They refused to pay taxes, to serve in the army, to take part in administering country and to obey even the basic secular laws.9 There used to be whole villages of these fanatics, who would rather burn themselves, then criss-crossing their foreheads with three fingers instead of two, as they were accustomed to. Thanks to Peter the Great though, these people did not succeed with their agenda of keeping Russia in the state of primeval savagery. Despite the fact that there were very many controversial aspects to Peter’s reforms, the laws of history dialectically predetermined his triumph over the enemies. References Anemone, Anthony â€Å"The Monsters of Peter the Great: The Culture of the St. Petersburg Kunstkamera in the Eighteenth Century.† The Slavic and East  European Journal 44.4 (2000): 583-602. Burbank, Jane Ransel, David. Imperial Russia: New Histories for the Empire.  Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998. Kamenskii, Alex Griffiths, David. The Russian Empire in the Eighteenth  Century: Searching for a Place in the World. Armonk, N.Y. : ME Sharpe, Inc., 1997. Kohn, Hans â€Å"Napoleon and the Age of Nationalism.† The Journal of Modern History 22.1 (1950): 21-37 Lewitter, Lucjan â€Å"Peter the Great and the Modern World.† History Today 35.2 (1985):16-23. Mackay, Charles. Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions. London: Richard Bentley, 1841. Raeff, Marc â€Å"The Bureaucratic Phenomena of Imperial Russia, 1700-1905.† The  American Historical Review 84.2 (1979): 399-411. Raleigh, Donald Iskenderov, Akhmed. The Emperors and Empresses of  Russia: Rediscovering the Romanovs. New Russian History. Armonk, N.Y.: ME Sharpe, Inc., 1996. Waliszewski, Kazimierz. Peter the Great. New York: Haskell House Publisher s, 1897 (1969). Footnotes 1 Anthony Anemone, â€Å"The Monsters of Peter the Great: The Culture of the St. Petersburg Kunstkamera in the Eighteenth Century,† The Slavic and East European Journal 44.4 (2000): 591. 2 Lucjan Lewitter, â€Å"Peter the Great and the Modern World.† History Today 35.2 (1985):18. 3 Donald Raleigh Akhmed Iskenderov, The Emperors and Empresses of Russia: Rediscovering the Romanovs. (Armonk, N.Y.: ME Sharpe, Inc., 1996) 4. 4 Charles Mackay, Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions. (London: Richard Bentley, 1841) 232. 5 Marc Raeff â€Å"The Bureaucratic Phenomena of Imperial Russia, 1700-1905,† The American Historical Review 84.2 (1979): 400. 6 Alex Kamenskii David Griffiths, The Russian Empire in the Eighteenth Century: Searching for a Place in the World. (Armonk, N.Y.: ME Sharpe, Inc., 1997) 77. 7 Hans Kohn â€Å"Napoleon and the Age of Nationalism,† The Journal of Modern History 22.1 (1950): 21-37. 8 Jane Burbank David Ranse l, Imperial Russia: New Histories for the Empire. (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998) 50. 9 Kazimierz Waliszewski, Peter the Great. (New York: Haskell House Publishers, 1897/1969) 159. This essay on Why did Certain Groups Revolt Against Peter the Great’s Policies? was written and submitted by user Spirit to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.