The Meaning Of Life Essays - Meaning Of Life, Metaphysics

The Meaning Of Life Introduction to Philosophy Paper #1 The Meaning of Life The human civilization has been on earth for thousands of years now. We started off with simple tools and used caves as shelter. Now we depend on computers, enjoy a luxurious life and develop new ways to improve our lives even more. I always wonder if we finally reached the final stage of improvement in our history. I mean what else can we do? When I think about that question, the idea of the meaning of life comes to my mind and I question the reason for my existence on this planet. My personal theory on this subject states that we are here to impress God with our thoughts and actions, in order to prove to him that we can handle any obstacles on Earth in order to achieve faith and glory to be prepared for God in heaven. But then again my theory might not make any sense to someone who doesn't believe in God. If there were no God, then what would the meaning of life for the non-believer be? The meaning of life is a very delicate topic because no one has the answer to it, but there are many theories that attempt to explain it and help us understand life better. There are many people in the world that don't believe in anything and think that nothing really matters because we might be dead in the short future. This is an interesting idea because if the world will end soon, then it doesn't really matter what we do now. I mean if there is no point in life, then why should we even bother to struggle for a better life if those achievements will not be permanent. If we think like that then there is no point to what we do, unless we figure out what life is and what we want to do with it. In my opinion, we can explain the point of most of the things we do if not all. We are all brought up in a similar way and we learn to share our planet with other creatures. We learn to communicate, we express our feelings and we learn something new everyday in order to make our lives better. We work to earn money in order to survive and support our families. We eat, sleep, and enjoy entertainment. We also talk to our friends and try to be the best at what we do. I mean, if we didn't do any of that, then our lives would be miserable and there would be no point to it. Then we ask ourselves again, ?Is that really the meaning of life or is there more to it.? In our lifetime we do all these things and usually we don't even think about them. I mean if we look at our lives there is really no point to it at all. We go through ups and downs all the time, we experience happiness and sadness, and we all think about death. Most of us want to be remembered when we pass away, but then we think about death and we realize that we will be forgotten and only our close family members will remember us. I mean other people won't really care about our death because there is no point to their life either, since the meaning of life is not known to any of us and probably never will be. We are close to our families and we seem to love each other, but that will all pass as soon as death arrives. We all have the opportunity to make our life have a larger meaning. Even if we don't believe that possibility then we can make ourselves belief that it is achievable because many people around us were able to do it. I mean we might be a part of a political or a social movement, which might affect our lives now and benefit the future generations. For example a scientist might be able to achieve that point in many ways. Through his work he can at least figure out a big part of the meaning of life. In today's world we have scientists working on cures for

Standpoint Theory Paper Essays

Standpoint Theory Paper Essays Standpoint Theory Paper Essay Standpoint Theory Paper Essay Standpoint Theory Paper Racism is defined as the systematic subordination of certain racial groups by those groups in power . As a society, we must first eradicate ignorance in order to defeat racism. We must acknowledge that people have different ways of viewing the world and that even though someone may have a different opinion than you, it is not necessarily wrong. The idea that people have different ways of viewing the world stems from standpoint theory. Standpoint theory is based on the concept that people view the world differently depending on their social standing . A central theme of tandpoint theory is that a persons racial and or ethnic background deeply impacts how they view and interact with the world . Racial location and racial standpoints are both key elements of standpoint theory. A racial location is defined as the racial or ethnic groups to which a person belongs . Everyone has a racial location because everyone identifies with at least one or more races. Having a racial location does not necessarily mean that one has a racial standpoint. A racial standpoint refers to a racial location accompanied by a deep and oppositional understanding that our xperiences are influenced by societal and political climates . The way we behave and the way we think is a product of our environment and is a direct result of our childhood. As we grow up our beliefs and opinions are shaped by our experiences and the example set forth by our parents. My greatest influences on my views of race have been my parents. My parents emigrated from Nigeria to the United States in the early 1980s. My parents have always been open-minded about different races and cultures but they tend to be guarded when interacting with people of Caucasian issent, indicating to me that they have had past negative experiences causing them to react this way. Ann Arbor, MI is very diverse and cultured city. Growing up in Ann Arbor meant that I was exposed to people of different races, lifestyles and creeds. My childhood best friends were of different races then me, one being Polish and the other being Indian. I was a very inquisitive child and would often ask my parents about why people were different. They always took the time to explain different cultures to me. My parents have always taught me to be cautious when I interact with people of Caucasian dissent. They have never expressed any racism towards people of the Caucasian race but have always reminded me to be on my guard and that not everyone I meet has good intentions. I have noticed that this cautiousness has been a recurring theme in the Nigerian community that I am a part of. This message has been relayed to me by aunts, uncles and even my Nigerian friends. The idea that I should have to be cautious around specific races has always bothered me. I know that this mistrust of the Caucasian races isnt completely unfounded. History has shown us that given the opportunity, some people will try and suppress ou. I am of the mind that not everyone is out to suppress me and bring me down. My parents will often tell me that I ignore the racism that is rampant in this country. I understand that racism exists and that there are people who will go out of their way racism everywhere we go. Many instances of racism occur because people are ignorant of other cultures and allow their prejudices to blind them. Living in Ann Arbor means that I interact with people of different races and cultures on a daily basis. Many of my closest friends are from different ethnic groups: my roommate is Caucasian, another friends is Caucasian and my best friends is part Mexican. Whenever I interact with a person from a different race or ethnic group I look at it as an opportunity to learn something about a different culture or way of thinking. Even though I try to look at every interracial/interethnic interaction as a positive one, there have been times where these interactions have turned into negative ones. One of the earliest incidences of ignorance and racism I experienced was in middle school. I remember being in Geography class learning about the continent of Africa, pecifically the country of Niger. We were watching a movie about a boy who lived in a hut and had to herd cattle across a river as a rite of passage. Since everyone in class knew I was Nigerian, everyone in class assume that I had gone through this ritual. They then used this as an opportunity to ask me ridiculous questions like: do you run with lions? Do you swing from tree to tree and do you live in a hut? Naturally I was very upset because this view of Africans that my classmates presented was not what my parents had taught me. Besides, I was born in the United States and grew p there Just like many of my other classmates. The worst part of that situation was that my teacher didnt even correct my classmates. To me, that entire situation is a perfect example of how ignorance leads to racism. Another negative racial experience that I will never forget occurred while I was in my sophomore year of high school. I had gone down to Atlanta to visit my God-family. My God sister Tara, who is also African-American and I drove around town looking for a barbershop so that I could get a haircut. We stopped at a place that appear to be open and proceeded to open the door. As soon as we opened the door, we both sensed that something awkward was about to happen. Before we even had time to cross the threshold everything going on inside the shop came to a grinding halt, it felt like being in a movie scene. Barbers turned off their clippers, people abruptly stopped their conversations and everyone Just stared at us. At this point we understood that we were not welcome and walked right back out. Throughout this entire interaction not a single word was uttered. Orbe, Mark P and Tina M Harris. Interacial Communication: Theory into Practice. 2nd . Losa Angeles: Sage Publications, Inc. , 2008.

Worlds Biggest Smoke Bomb

Worlds Biggest Smoke Bomb Have you ever wondered just how big the worlds biggest smoke bomb would be or how it could be constructed? We built a 15-pound smoke bomb to apply for the Guinness World Record for Worlds Biggest Smoke Bomb. Heres how the worlds biggest smoke bomb was made. Why explain how to do it? Well, one of the requirements for a Guinness World Record is that it be breakable. Im hoping explaining how it was done will inspire you to make your own smoke bomb and experiment with the possibilities. Its what science and invention are all about! In addition to this written description, theres also a video, showing the final result. Smoke Bomb Recipe There are several ways to produce smoke, but for a device to be a smoke bomb, it needs to produce a lot of smoke. Dry ice and liquid nitrogen produce fog, but thats something different from smoke. If you want real smoke, you can prepare a powdered smoke mixture or make a solid smoke bomb. To make the worlds biggest smoke bomb, we went with the traditional saltpeter and sugar mixture. You can get smoke at different ratios of ingredients. We made the smoke bomb using: 3 parts saltpeter or potassium nitrate (Spectracide Stump Remover)2 parts sucrose (granulated white sugar) Its possible to make a smoke bomb by dampening these ingredients, mixing them and allowing the formula to dry, but that can take a really long time, plus it doesnt burn as well as the cooked mixture. We cooked the smoke bomb in relatively small batches on a kitchen stove, pouring each batch into a large cardboard mortar. Preparing the Smoke Bomb This smoke bomb formula also is used for model rockets because it produces a lot of pressure as gases are released during combustion. This is great for a rocket, but not desirable for a smoke bomb, so the design needed to prevent the smoke bomb from launching itself. To accomplish this, holes were drilled into the cardboard mortar so gases would escape in all directions. The completed smoke bomb was placed in a hole and lit from the top so that it would push down into the ground. Lessons Learned The design of the smoke bomb worked exactly as planned, but it would have been better if the smoke bomb had burned a little more slowly and with less flame. How can this be achieved? There are two easy fixes. One solution would be to change the ratio of potassium nitrate to sugar. A 1:1 ratio is harder to light, but burns more slowly and produces more smoke. Another solution is to add a small amount of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to the mixture to moderate the rate of the reaction. For example, if we do this, a typical amount is 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate per 60 grams potassium nitrate and 40 grams sugar. Safety Notes   If you want to make a smoke bomb of your own or potentially break this record, its best to start small. First, make sure its legal to make and light smoke bombs where you live. Since they dont explode, smoke bombs are legal in many places that disallow other fireworks, but its best to know the law before you get started. Also, use common sense. Dont light smoke bombs anywhere you cant manage a fire, should one start. Smoke bombs should only be made and lit under adult supervision. Start out with the non-cook smoke bomb and then try some of my other recipes. Feel free to write me if you have any questions. Have fun! Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

The best way to reduce the number of traffic accidents is to raise age Assignment

The best way to reduce the number of traffic accidents is to raise age limits for younger drivers and lower age limit for the aged ones. To what extent do you agree or disagree - Assignment Example Young drivers do not often exhibit the maturity of middle-aged drivers. Young drivers and to the reckless and vulnerable to pressure from peers about over speeding and daring stunts. Second, young drivers are not conscious of the overpowering nature of an intoxicated mind while driving. As a result, young drivers drive under the influence more often than middle-aged ones. Consequently, many young drivers lose their lives to traffic accidents because of driving while intoxicated (Elvik, 2009, p. 770). Increasing age limits for young drivers should lower the number of traffic accidents in the country yearly. Aged drivers are more vulnerable to health complications such as heart problems, Alzheimer’s disease, and impaired vision than middle-aged drivers are. Such health complications result in slow driving and poor impulses (Coughlin and DAmbrosio, 2012, p. 59). A good driver has to be alert enough to know when to drive at the speed limit and when drive below it. A good driver should also be able to respond quickly in the event of an imminent accident in an effort to prevent it. Lowering age limits for aged drivers should also know the number traffic accidents in the country annually (Rothe, n.d., p. 129). In conclusion, less young and aged drivers there are on the roads, the less traffic accidents will be recorded. Surely many other risk factors for traffic accidents such as faulty vehicles, poor roads, and misleading road signs should be taken into account. However, raising age limits for young drivers and lowering age limits for aged drivers is an equally important effort for reducing road

CYB Week 2 Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CYB Week 2 Discussion - Assignment Example A ping sweep is a diagnostic method used to determine what range of Internet Protocol addresses that are in use by live hosts, usually computers. It is usually used to indicate where active computers are on a network and is sometimes used by the system administrator for identifying a network issue. Ping sweeps are also utilized by computer attackers to see which machines are active so they know where to focus their attacks (Kizza, 2005). A packet sniffer is a program that sees all of the data passing over the network of which the computer is connected to. As data creeks back and forth on the network, the program "sniffs," each packet. A packet is a section of the message that has been broken up. Example Port scanning is defined as the technique of systematically skimming a computers ports, a port is where information gets into and out of a computer, and port scanning identifies open ports to a computer. For instance, TCP Null, TCP Xmas, TCP FIN, TCP SYN, and UDP port

Americans and Cinema Essay Example for Free

Americans and Cinema Essay Despite America as a country encompassing by different cultures and ethnic background, the historical significance of the American Indians are still unfelt and given recognition in the modern times. (Martin) In the United States and in Canada, the term Indians has established a connotation of some hegemonic designation which implies a culture that is very different from the perspective of the American Indians. In modern times, Native Americans are depicted as a culture with savage and barbaric background, implying an image of the Native Americans as dangerous and unacceptable to behavior of European decent. (Drinnon) American Indians today are struggling to correct the misconception about their culture, they seek to achieve a balanced and truthful portrayal of the people who were first to call America as their home. In the media, the Indians were portrayed as mostly villains with unacceptable behavior. The availability of the casting roles for Native Americans has been prioritized for the Westerns and has this stereotyped image that is always shown in films and movies. In the movies, there are four distinct tribes of native Americans used to be portrayed, the Apache, Cheyenne, Comanche and Sioux. During the 1950’s and through the 1960’s however, there were more sympathetic native characters that even American Indians get to act by themselves. Jeff Chandler is one who won the Academy Award for his portrayal of an Apache leader in the movie Broken Arrow. (Singer) During the 1970’s when the Vietnam War erupted, the country was greatly divided by social opinions by the war and this has seen the opportunity for the movie industry to highlight a more culturally inclined film. Little Big Man produced in 1970 featured Dan George as a Native American chief as a main character. (Singer) However, it was Dustin Hoffman who received the most attention for his role as the lead protagonist. The movie became a breakthrough film as it features a Native American as a lead character. During the 1960’s on the other hand, when the U. S has many upheavals form antiwar protests and civil rights issues, the Native Americans saw this as an opportunity to raise awareness of the people regarding destructive colonial policies that in their own culture brought harm. A group called the American Indian Movement (AIM) led the protests in front of theaters which depicted the Native Americans wrongly. Commercialized films mentioned are A Man Called Horse and Soldier Blue (both in1970) and Billy Jack in 1971. (Bataille) Another breakthrough portrayal of Native Americans came forth in the release of Dances with Wolves in 1990. (Singer) The movie starred Kevin Costner and included many actors and props to make the setting early western looking. There include buffalos, Indians and horses in the plains of South Dakota, the homeland of the Sioux. The film upheld original Native American tradition, from the language, features of the actors, behavior and others. Dances with Wolves has repeated the painful endurance of the Native Americans, as once again, the culture and tradition of the native settlers were resigned in defeat from the colonial powers. (Singer) Modern society today are confined with knowing what almost everybody knows about the Native Indians; barbaric and unusual. There are many accounts of growing children that has suffered the misconception of cowboys chasing the Indians. (Freeman) There are many stereotypes for the American Indians; from costumes, head dress, dances and chants. However, there lies the failure to realize that the message to children who has this misconception is an implicit disagreement to the real culture and background of the Native Americans. Most of what children today know about the American Indians is brought about by history books and other things they learn about in history that is why there are many stereotypes attached to the culture. Two predominant stereotypes of Native Americans is their physical appearance; moccasin-wearing people with feathers on their head, and second; powerless cultures defeated by the white man’s weapon. (Freeman) With regards to personal traits, Native Americans are viewed by non-natives as savage or wild, lazy, gets drunk quickly or drinks a lot, very soft spoken or quiet, and has no sense of humor. Other misconceptions also entails Native Americans having no money sense, makes little effort to get education, close to nature, adheres strictly to Indian time, and do handcrafts all the time. More over, in terms of how they view society, Native Americans are often misunderstood as a culture who wants their land back badly, always asks for handouts, ostracize themselves by avoiding the society, lack of unity and tribal factionalism and worship pagans as a consequence to being very close to nature. (nativeamericans) The Native Americans has endured a lot during the past years. As they continue to struggles against discrimination and the stereotypes attached to their name, it is very important for the modern society to also do the needed research and understanding of the real Native Americans. It is not enough that we rely on the portrayal of the Native Americans in movies or history books; we must get to know them as a culture, as a community who has always struggled to maintain and uphold their own identity in a nation that has truly forgotten their significance. Works Cited: Bataille, Gretchen M. and Charles Silet. The Pretend Indians: Images of Native Americans in the Movies. Ames: Iowa State UP 1980. Berkhofers, Robert. The White Mans Indian: Images of the American Indian from Columbus to the Present New York: Vintage, 1979.Drinnon, Richard. Facing West: The Metaphysics of Indian-Hating and Empire Building. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1980. Freeman, Andrea. Representing Native Cultures: Stereotypes and Inaccuracies in First Nations and American Indian Children’s Literature. Term Paper. Vancouver, BC Canada. Martin, Calvin, ed. The American Indian and the Problem of History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987. Native America: Portrait of the People. (1994). nativeamericans. American Indians. (2007). January 25 http://www. nativeamericans. com/index. htm. Singer, Beverly R. Native Americans and Cinema: Native Americans in Movies. (2007). January 24 http://www. filmreference. com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-Road-Movies/Native-Americans-and-Cinema-NATIVE-AMERICANS-IN-MOVIES. html. Thomas, Jeffrey. American Indians Seek Greater Understanding, Recognition. USINFO. 18 October ed: U. S Department of States Bureau of International Informational Programs, 2007.

The issues of the poet :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Issues   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The question is: What do you think the grandmother meant when she said to the Misfit, â€Å"Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!† Why do you think the Misfit killed her when she said that? Since the question is two parts, I’ll answer it in two parts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The grandmother said that the Misfit was one of her children in an attempt to console him into thinking that she was not someone that he wanted to kill. The reason that she says that has some symbolic underlying tones. She symbolizes Jesus, saving His flock from the perils of life, while the Misfit represents Lucifer, out to undermine the very fabric of our belief system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The devil, in most cases, is purely an anecdotal figure; there simply for us to gauge the deeds of the good against. In this case, we see that the devil, easily represented by an escape convict, showing all that could go wrong with a person. The convict, however, goes through all theses motions showing almost no emotion; as if he has no humanly response to any stressful situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Misfit killed the grandmother in a mute fit of rage. In his mind he was thinking, â€Å"How do she get tha gall ta say she’s my ma? She ain’t got no right ta do it.† He then promptly killed her for her indiscretions. This simple act is brought about by a complex set of circumstances. The need of the devil to immediately extinguish all resistance to his cause; control the little man and you shall control the masses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fact that the Misfit killed the grandmother in cold blood is not true. The Misfit was full of inner emotion when he consummated the act, seemingly showing no outward signs of fear or nervousness.