Metaphors Of The Mind :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites The brain (and, by implication, the Mind) has been compared to the latest technological innovation in every generation. The computer metaphor is now in vogue. Computer hardware metaphors were replaced by software metaphors and, lately, by (neuronal) network metaphors. Such attempts to understand by comparison are common in every field of human knowledge. Architects and mathematicians have lately come up with the structural concept of "tensegrity" to explain the phenomenon of life. The tendency of humans to see patterns and structures everywhere (even where there are none) is well documented and probably has its survival value added. Another trend is to discount these metaphors as erroneous, irrelevant, or deceptively misleading. Yet, these metaphors are generated by the same Mind that is to be described by them. The entities or processes to which the brain is compared are also "brain-children", the results of "brain-storming", conceived by "minds". What is a computer, a software application, a communications network if not a (material) representation of cerebral events? In other words, a necessary and sufficient connection must exist between ANYTHING created by humans and the minds of humans. Even a gas pump must have a "mind-correlate". It is also conceivable that representations of the "non-human" parts of the Universe exist in our minds, whether a-priori (not deriving from experience) or a-posteriori (dependent upon experience). This "correlation", "emulation", "simulation", "representation" (in short : close connection) between the "excretions", "output", "spin-offs", "products" of the human mind and the human mind itself - is a key to understanding it. This claim is an instance of a much broader category of claims: that we can learn about the artist by his art, about a creator by his creation, and generally: about the origin by any of its derivatives, inheritors, successors, products and similes. This general contention is especially strong when the origin and the product share the same nature. If the origin is human (father) and the product is human (child) - there is an enormous amount of data to be safely and certainly derived from the product and these data will surely apply to the origin. The closer the origin and the product - the more we can learn about the origin. The computer is a "thinking machine" (however limited, simulated, recursive and mechanical). Similarly, the brain is a "thinking machine" (admittedly much more agile, versatile, non-linear, maybe even qualitatively different).

National Debt :: Economy Economics Argumentative Papers

National Debt The national debt has always been a major concern of the american public, whether they truely know what it is all about or not. What most people do know is that the debt that our country has is continualy growing faster and faster at an unbelievable rate, toan amount that many of us can not even imagine. The national debt and it's problem has been an on going issue in today's headlines, and each president is faced with this buring problem. President Clinton tried to install a balanced budget plan during his current term in office, however it lost 99-1. Althought the public was not able to vote on this plan directly, we, or at least I have an opinion concerning the issue. I personally believe that the fact that our nation is constantly growing more in debt by the minute is a major problem. Although that techincally we do not have to pay it, is not the point. What is the point is that we are a nation that is in debt. According to reports, since 1981, our national debt has grown faster than our economy has, which to me seems to be a problem. If this debt was to be spread out among the people it would be more than the average american would be able to pay. We therefore, need some sort of policy that wouldeventurally cut our national debt to some reasonable amount. A new policy would help by lowering the currentinterest rates, which in turn would allow for moreinvestment to occur. This would raise our real GNP of the economy. This increse in investment would also increase our national savings as well, which would lead to an increase in the national income average of our nation's average families. Considering the amount of our debt, this healing process needs to be done over a long period of time. According to research, if done to quickly it would only hurt the current economy. If we are going to cut the governmental sevices it will need to be done in small doses. This will enable the average american to respond and prepare for the cuts. That way the american will not be hit as hard by the governmental cuts if they are prepared, and the effects will not be as harsh.

The Lesson :: Analysis, Toni Cade Bambara

Throughout history knowledge, culture and information has been passed down within communities. Life lesson were often taught by older, wiser or formally educated people within the community. This idea still holds true today, especially in low-income communities as illustrated in the short story â€Å"The Lesson† by Toni Cade Bambara. I am led to believe that story took place in a low-income community in the early to mid-sixties as African-American families moved to find better opportunities, when extended families moved north as groups and then spreading out into their respective community (507). Miss Moore, who had obtained a college education, assumed this role within her community by saying â€Å"it was only right that she should take responsibility for the young one’s education† (507). Initially the lesson of the day was the value of money, but quickly evolved into several different lessons for the children in attendance that day. Miss Moore begins her lesson by planting a seed in the minds of the children in the form of small talk such as; what things cost, how much their parents made, how much they spent on rent and how money was not divided up right in this country (508). This got the children thinking about the money that ordinary people within their community spent on everyday survival. Their field trip brings them to a fancy Fifth Avenue toy store â€Å"F.A.O Schwartz† (512), where they admire toys form the window. The children begin to notice the outlandish prices that the toys were being sold for, which further waters the seed embedded in their little minds earlier. Their eyes settled on a sailboat displayed in the window. Its outrageous price tag read, one thousand one hundred ninety-five dollars (510). Shocked and taken back they could not believe that anyone would pay that much money to entertain a child, one child immediately asked, â€Å"This boat for Kid’s, Miss Moore?† (510 ). This growing seed in their minds sparks the question of, why some people can afford such expensive toys and not others, as they enter the store. As they finish in the toy store and get home, Miss Moore prods the children to see if they had grasped the lesson as she intended. Sugar, one of the children spoke and said â€Å"You know, Miss Moore, I don’t think all of us here put together eat in a year what that sailboat costs† (512). Miss Moore was elated to find that the message of social inequality had been relayed to at least one of the children.

Doggy Care Executive Summary

â€Å"Doggie steps† is a pet business venture, which aims to be set as a leading example in booming business of pet care markets. The operations of the company will be modelled on the basis of innovation, strategic acquisition and brand growth. With a fantastic portfolio of human resources and products which we are intensely passionate about, we will delight growing number of customers in gurgaon with great care every single day. Everything we do will be channelled by the company’s philosophy of care, innovation, customer centricity and intense passion.This report will outline the initial steps to meet the company’s objectives and goals. This report has been formulated after collecting individual insights from key players of the company; which will be instrumental in establishing the company â€Å"Doggie steps†. Our report begins with an overview related to the key events and the developments that has aided the company founders to set up this business vent ure. In this section, the readers will be able to relate the company’s vision to the significant details of the market. Strategic approach to needs and reasons for choosing a location has been summarised in this section.A brief account of the market related figures has been provided in the market analysis section of the report. This section will also broach upon the current gaps in the market that needs proper attention. The next section will explain how the company is going to provide value to the customers. A six step plan, which has been formulated by the company founders, has been provided in this section. The company aims to win market share by practicing the six step plan. Also a detailed marketing mix comprising key characteristics has been explained in detail to complement and help us meet our goals with respect to the six step plan.The following sections- pricing and distribution channels has been supported with facts and figures that will be implemented by the compa ny to start up the operations of our business venture. The next section, planning, is explained in detail to provide a clear view of the strategies that will be executed to abide by our mission and eventually realize our vision. This section will illustrate that the company has a bold ambition to build a national framework by entering new markets, unconquered markets and with service that will be differentiated and practiced on the scale of world class delivery.The planning section has been divided into sales and financial to provide a clear understanding of the amount that will be invested and the consequential return on investment that will be stipulated for the company. The financial planning section has been formulated with the help of well known business strategists in the market of pet care. Accounting records has also been provided in this section to help the reader analyze the probability of profits and minimization of losses for the company on account of the initial expendi tures.The section operational plan has requisite conditions specified for the type of customers that the company is going to cater to. These conditions has been made based on the historical records of the pet care activities which included damages caused by the unruly behaviour of different species of dogs that had been catered to. Health related specifications in the conditions, mentioned in the section have also been provided based on the advice of veterinarians and members of animal council organizations.A schedule for the operational activities has also been provided in this section to help the customers to understand the different services offered at different times. The company aims to deliver exceptional service by employing qualified personnel’s. The report will also identify the reasons, why doggie steps as a company will be embracing talented professionals to provide high class of service in the city of Gurgaon. The section- human resource and human – resourc e policies have been made after indentifying the needs of the company and the goals that the company is aspiring for.A brief explanation of the job profiles of each valuable participant of our operation has been outlined to help the readers understand the amount of care and service that our customer will be given. At the end of the report, policies have been explained in brief to give an account of the codes and conduct that will be practices by our company. Finally, this report is an account of the business operations of a newly formed company that will be looking to enhance its prospects in the coming years.Several key strategies instrumental for the success of our company is formulated on the aspect; a new company entering a growing sector and aspirations to reach new heights in the field of pet-care. The founders of the company are aspiring to build a national brand by focussing on innovation, processes, distribution and people. In each section of this report, the aforementioned characteristics will be the basis to explain the strategies, figures and goals for the company. Through this report, we would like to encourage our business partners and customers to share our vision and join us on our mission.

Factors Contributing the Unplanned Pregnancy Among College Students Essay

Being a mother is the most important and challenging role for a woman. A woman should be financially and emotionally ready to get pregnant, give birth, and raise her child. However, at present there are many risks of unwanted pregnancy among young female university students, as the majority of today’s university students have prematurely engaged in sexual intercourse. Consequently, without preparation, some of them face with unwanted pregnancy while studying. Unwanted pregnancy among university students can cause many serious problems which can affect the body, mind, and social status of female university students who are not yet ready to be a mother. Unwanted pregnancy sometimes forces university female students to face a tragic or dead end in their lives. They are nervous as they can’t solve the problem and their parents may not accept this. Some female students may finally seek illegal abortion which can cause their lives. Even though they do not terminate their pregnancy, some of them are too young to give birth and they may have problems of miscarriages or great pains and difficulties when giving birth. These can affect the health of both the mothers and their children. Pregnant university students in some way are directly or indirectly forced to quite their studies to stay at home until they give birth. These unprepared young mothers often inevitably encounter financial problems. Stress and worries can harm their mentality. Many of them lack knowledge to deal with the problem and don’t know how to take care of their children. The problem can be two-folded. Typically, young people aged 10-20 years are not ready to become parents. Both financial stability and emotional maturity are the problem for parenting or caring responsibilities. Getting back into the education system is very difficult. University female students have to worry about losing the educational opportunities. They have to quit university to escape the pressures of society while university male students can still go to university regularly. Therefore, women are responsible for the problem unilaterally and live in society difficulty. Unwanted pregnancy among university students is caused by sexual intercourse which is they will be pregnant while they are not ready in all aspects. So, they should realize that unwanted pregnancy can cause many serious problems. Despite modern methods of family planning, and idespread information about how to use it, unplanned pregnancy is one of the most common medical problems faced by sexually active women under 45. Abortion, the most usual solution to the problem of unplanned pregnancy, is the most common operation among women in the fertile age range. It is impossible to calculate precisely just how many pregnancies each year are accidental. When medical sociologist, Anne Fleissig, asked a number of women who had given birth six weeks previously about whether their pregnancy was planned, she found that 31 percent of them were not. She concluded in a paper subsequently published in the British Medical Journal that almost a third of births could be the consequence of accidental pregnancies. If this were the case it would mean 310 000 accidental pregnancies in Britain every year. In fact, this is likely to be a conservative estimate. Because Anne Fleissig conducted her research into the circumstances in which women’s new babies were conceived, her sample did not include women who had conceived but ended the pregnancy by an abortion. When these unplanned pregnancies are considered as well, it suggests the real extent of accidental pregnancy is even higher than, perhaps as high as 50 per cent of all conceptions. According to the Olaitan Olukunmi Lanre, 2011, Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 5: 336-339, the findings were that unprotected sexual intercourse and poor parental care are the causes of unwanted pregnancy while termination of educational programme and medical complications for both the mothers and children are the effects of unwanted pregnancy. Abstinence and adequate teaching of sex education have been seen as measures to prevent unwanted pregnancy among the adolescents. It was recommended among others that sex education should taught as a subject at the secondary level and government should enact laws to compel parents to take proper care of their children to avoid all forms of immorality among the adolescents.

Isolation of Casein From Milk

In this experiment, casein was isolated from milk by means of isoelectric precipitation. A percent yield of 5% was obtained by the group.IntroductionMilk is an opaque white or bluish-white liquid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals, serving for the nourishment of their young. This liquid, as secreted by cows, goats or certain other animals are used by humans as food and as a source of dairy products such as cheese and butter. Milk composition differs widely among species. Factors causing these variances include: the type of protein; the proportion of protein, fat, and sugar; the levels of various vitamins and minerals; and the size of the butterfat globules, and the strength of the curd. On average, cow milk contains 3.4% protein, 3.6% fat, and 4.6% lactose, 0.7% minerals and supplies 66 kcal of energy per 100 grams. Bovine milk normally contains 30-35 grams of protein per liter. Of which, 80% is arranged in casein micelles.Figure 1. Model of Casein SupramoleculeContaini ng a fairly high number of proline residues, which do not interact and no disulfide bridges, casein has, as a result, relatively minimal tertiary structure. It is comparatively hydrophobic, resulting to its poor solubility in water. Showing only limited resemblance with surfactant-type micellae in a sense that the hydrophilic parts reside at the surface and are spherical, casein is found in milk as a suspension of particles called â€Å"casein micelles.† On the other hand, the interior of a casein micelle is highly hydrated. The caseins in the micelles are held together by calcium ions and hydrophobic interactions.Casein’s isolelectric point is 4.6. It has a negative. The isoelectric point (pI) is the pH of a solution at which the net primary charge of a protein becomes zero. At a solution pH that is above the pI the surface of the protein is predominantly negatively charged and therefore like-charged molecules will exhibit repulsive forces. Likewise, at a solution pH that is below the pI, the surface of the protein is predominantly positively charged and repulsion between proteins occurs. However, at the pI the negative and positive charges cancel, repulsive electrostatic forces are reduced and the attraction forces predominate. The  attraction forces will cause aggregation and precipitation. The pI of most proteins is in the pH range of 4-6.Mineral acids, such as hydrochloric and sulfuric acid are used as precipitants. The greatest disadvantage to isoelectric point precipitation is the irreversible denaturation caused by the mineral acids. For this reason isoelectric point precipitation is most often used to precipitate contaminant proteins, rather than the target protein. The precipitation of casein during cheesemaking, or during production of sodium caseinate, is an isoelectric precipitation.tive charge in milk since milk’s pH is 6.6.1 Results and DiscssionCasein was isolated from milk by means of isoelectric precipitation. A percent yield of % was obtained by the group. Table 1 presents the data and results obtained from the experiment which includes: (1) the weight of powdered milk, (2) the initial pH, (3) the final pH, (4) the volume of the acetic acid used, (5) the weight of casein and (6) the percent yield. In order to compute for the percent yield, the weight of the isolated casein was divided by the weight of the powdered milk, and then multiplied by 100%.Table 1. Data and results of the experiment: Isolation of Casein from Milk. Before autoclaving, the isolate was a white-yellowish solid with smooth texture. After autoclaving, it turned into a brown solution with black precipitate. The filtrate was a yellowish solution. The general principle behind this experiment is that when casein is at its isoelectric point, it is generally at the pH where it is least soluble. As a result, casein precipitates at this pH. To explain further, casein is present in milk as calcium salt, calcium caseinate. It is a mixtur e of alpha, beta and kappa caseins to form a cluster called micelle. These micelles were responsible for the white opaque appearance of milk.The casein, as proteins, is made up of many hundreds of individual amino acids, each of which may have a positive or a negative charge, depending on the pH of the [milk] system. At some pH value, all the positive charges and all the negative charges on the [casein] protein will be in balance, so that the net charge on the protein will be zero. That pH value is known as the isoelectric point (IEP) of the protein and is generally the pH at which the protein is least soluble. For casein, the IEP is approximately 4.6 and it is the pH value at which acid casein is precipitated. In milk, which has a pH of about 6.6, the casein micelles have a net negative charge and are quite stable.During the addition of acid to milk, the negative charges on the outer surface of the micelle are neutralized (the phosphate groups are protonated), and the neutral prote in precipitates. The same principle applies when milk is fermented to curd. The lactic acid bacillus produces lactic acid as the major metabolic end-product of carbohydrate [lactose in milk] fermentation. The lactic acid production lowers the pH of milk to the IEP of casein. At this pH, casein precipitates.2. Experimental5g of powdered non-fat dry milk was dissolved in 20 mL warm distilled water in a 100-mL beaker. The solution was heated on a hot plate to 55 °C. The beaker was then removed from the hot plate. The initial pH of the milk solution was noted. A solution of 10% acetic acid was then added dropwise whole while being stirred by a stirring rod. The acid solution was continuously added until the pH reached 4.6. The volume of the acetic acid used was noted. The solution was left standing until a large amorphous mass was formed.The isolated casein was dried between filter papers. The casein was weighed and the percent yield was determined. The isolated casein was then divide d into two portions. One portion was used for acid/base hydrolysis. The other portion was stored in the refrigerator (to be characterized later using various chemical tests).

Introduction to Personality Paper Essay

This paper will discuss and explain the influences that contribute to personality development. The following paragraphs will include information that examines theoretical approach that is used to study personality development. This paper will also analyze the many different types of environmental and biological factors that play a role in personality development. But first we must know what personality is. As many theorist have tried so hard to define over the years there still is no one answer that everyone can agree on. So what exactly is personality? Although no single definition is acceptable to all personality theorists, we can say that personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior. Traits contribute to individual differences in behavior, consistency of behavior over time, and stability of behavior across situations. Traits may be unique, common to some group, or shared by the entire species, but their pattern is different for each individual. Thus each person, though like others in some ways, has a unique personality. Characteristics are unique qualities of an individual that include such attributes as temperament, physique, and intelligence (Feist, J., & Feist, G. J.2009). So basically personality consists of set of characteristics that manifest into certain behaviors that a person may ordinarily display. Factors that Influence Personality The following paragraphs will include information on the wide variety of environmental and biological influences that contribute to the development of a person’s unique personality. Some argue that heredity plays a significant role in how personality types are developed. Some say that perception is the main influence on personality development. The role of perception and cognitive development plays a significant role in how a young child views themselves in the world. Some children that come from broken homes see the world in a different light because their home life is unstable in some way making them feel insecure about themselves and the people around them. For example, If an impressionable child is constantly told they are stupid or bad then it may become a self fulfilling prophecy if they take on that type of negative thinking thus shaping their pessimistic characteristics. That is why parenting is such an important and critical role to play and in order to raise healthy and well rounded children a parent must needs to be strict yet supportive and loving. Socializing is another important part of child rearing as well. Even though parenting practices all over the world vary in so many ways, the ways in which girls and boys are socialized are always different to some extent. For example, boys are quickly introduced to their responsibilities and roles that they will play as a young man and these learned behaviors will carry on into adulthood. However, regardless of what a child is taught by their parents, in some cases it does not matter what they were taught certain events, experiences, and environmental factors can shape and alter personality development. The Theoretical Approach In order to understand the theoretical approach we must first recognize what makes a good theory. When analyzing personality there are many factors to take into consideration. One of the main two theories circle around personality development theories is the well known debate of nature versus nurture. Some theorists argue that nurturing plays a more significant role in personality development than the nature of a person based on heredity and other biological predispositions. Sigmund Freud is a popular name in psychoanalytic theories because he believed that sex and aggression were the basic motivational forces for human behavior. Freudian theories emphasized how our subconscious desires are contributors to our personality through our egos. All theorist can agree on one thing personality development is a very complex process that is influence by many external and internal factors. Alfred Adler had a significant influence on many theorists that came after him with his theories that mad e a great deal of sense. One of the tenants for the first theory is that the main source of motivation stems from the need to achieve success and even superiority (Adler, 1964). Many people can agree with this because that is what gets them out of bed in the morning even though they are still tired. The second theory was that people perceptions shaped how they viewed the world and themselves. I find this one very interesting as people are defined as normal or acceptable based societal norms or standards. Often teenagers change the way they act when they are around their peers and sometimes these changes are permanent. One perspectives and perceptions of people, places and things contribute to how they feel about the world and how they should conduct themselves in it. Social motives of acceptance also feed this theory as well. Organ dialect is another one of Alders terminologies used when describing body language. For example the elderly man with shaking hands struggling to open a jar may express to someone watching to step in and help him faster than words can say. Adler recognized how the individual personality operates in ways that are consistent with their motives. Observational learning is a critical aspect to learning and teaching and that does contribute to personal growth and understanding. Adler made it clear that as soon as we recognize that the conscious mind is closely linked to the unconscious mind. Adler states that the conscious life becomes unconscious as soon as we fail to understand it. Environmental influences provided by a child’s parents helps to contribute to their social interests which directly influence a child’s early socialization skills. Infancy is an intricate process of social development mainly developed through the relationship between the relationships with the mother or another mother like caretaker who possessed some level of social interest in the infants well being. The seeds of social desires are planted during infancy (Adler, 1964). Conclusion There is no single definition of personality however, all theorist agree that early childhood development contributes to the type of personality that a person develops. Many factors like heredity and environment contribute to ones individual growth and shape their perception as they mature. Overall personality can be identified through behavior patterns and characteristics that are linked to those behaviors. Individual perceptions of what is right and wrong contribute to the development of morale and values that affect personality. Many factors make up the full picture of what is a person’s true personality but overall it depends on perceptions and motives those two factors produce behaviors that become more and more consistent as desires are fulfilled in the lifelong pursuit of happiness. References Theories of personality (Adler, 1964). Retrieved from https://portal.phoenix.edu/classroom/coursematerials/psy_405/20130108/OSIRIS:43747563 Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2009). Theories of personality (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Retrieved from https://portal.phoenix.edu/classroom/coursematerials/psy_405/20130108/OSIRIS:43747563