Jackson’s Knowledge Argument

Dualism is the theory that our world is not entirely physical but is made up of mind and matter, therefore uggesting the mind is not the brain (brain is matter, the mind is a separate entity). Cartesian Dualism states: Each mind is an immaterial substance capable of independent existence. The characteristic property of this substance is thought. The physical world is a material substance, capable of independent existence. The characteristic property of this substance is extension (taking up space). (Lecture 1, DCT). Monism, in contrast to dualism states that the mind and brain are unified, and that there is no division between the two.Those who support monism believe that there is only one reality. Physicalism is a kind of monism as it is the belief that different approaches to the mind-body problem, let us look at the knowledge argument by Frank Jackson, who theorises that physicalism is false. Jackson describes two thought experiments to support his anti-physicalism theory. The fir st centres around Mary, a brilliant scientist who is confined to a black and white room, who learns everything through black and white, including a black and white television.Mary is an expert in the neurophysiology of vision learns all the physical information about what happens to the brain when we see colour. Jackson (1982, p. 30) states: â€Å"She discovers, for example, Just which wave-length combinations from the sky stimulate the retina, and exactly how this produces via the central nervous system the contraction of vocal chords and expulsion of air from the lungs that results in the uttering of the sentence â€Å"The sky is blue†. When Mary leaves the room, and sees the colour red for the first time, Jackson raises the question of whether Mary will learn anything or not.Jackson claims that yes indeed Mary does, because she is having a new visual experience that she has not had before, despite having all the physical information prior to this. Jackson (1982, p. 130) g oes on â€Å"But then it is inescapable that her previous knowledge was incomplete. But she had all the physical information. Ergo there is more to have than that, and Physicalism is false†. Jackson believes that qualia has been left out of this story. qualia relates to our own subjective experiences.When I see a colour, smell a perfume, I am subjected toa conscious experience that is only relevant to me, no one else can experience these sensations the way I do. The following thought experiment in Jackson's paper explains this further. Fred, presented with a bunch of ripe tomatoes, separates them n to two groups. Fred has better colour vision than anyone else, but manages to separate the tomatoes into two groups, redl and red2. Whilst we may categorise all the tomatoes as simply red, Fred sees clearly two different types of red, in the way we would distinguish yellow from green.Suppose we know all about Fred's physiology and discover is a super ability to separate colours on the red spectrum, it does not actually tell us what it is like to see colour from Fred's perspective, or his colour experience. No amount of physical information about Fred can tell us what it is like o see colours in the same way as Fred does. Furthermore, if we were to implant Fred's brain into another beings body, it still would not tell us anything about Fred's conscious experience of seeing red at this present moment in time.Thomas Nagel's paper What is it like to be a bat? reinforces the theory that physicalism leaves something out. If we look at physicalism objectively, for example, look at the facts about Marys physiology that enable to her to see, we can know what happens to the optic nerve and retina when Mary sees colour, or light, but her experience of seeing he colour red is a subjective one. This experience is told from the first person point of view, therefore Nagel suggests that we cannot be objective about other people's experiences.Nagel (1974, p. 426) describes ho w we can we observe the physicality of bats: â€Å"Now we know that most bats (the microchiroptera, to be precise) perceive the external world primarily by sonar, or echolocation, detecting the reflections, from objects within range, of their own rapid, subtly modulated, high frequency shrieks†. There is nothing about a bat's senses that are like ours, and while we can imagine hat it may be like to be another human being, we cannot imagine what it is like to our imagination.As we do not have experience of being a bat our imagination is therefore limited. It is within my capabilities to mimic a bat's behaviour, eat insects, hang upside down, imagine myself flying, but I cannot share the same experiences as a bat as only a bat knows what it is like to have these experiences. One of the main physicalist responses to Jackson's knowledge argument is to agree that Mary does learn something new when she leaves the black and white room. Physicalists say hat Mary has gained a new abil ity rather than a new fact.Remember that Mary possessed all physical information before she left the room. Another physicalist view is that Mary is experiencing a mental state that is a result of the physical impact on her brain when she sees colour. The mental state that happens to Mary is seen as a brain state and therefore deemed to be physical. She already has the knowledge how to see colour but not necessarily knowledge that. Knowledge that is knowing that Paris is the capital of France, whilst knowledge how is knowing how to play the piano.Mary knows how to recognise colour. There is also the matter of causal closure which relates to every physical event having a physical cause. For example, if you bang your toe, is a physical event, which activates the mental state of pain, and to make the decision to hold on to your toe is also a mental state, however it results in your holding your toe, which is a physical event. This physicalist argument is a strong one, but no matter whic h way we look at the mind-body problem no one can have your conscious experiences.There can be countless thought experiments but each subject will see or feel things differently. Philip Goff (2013) states: â€Å"Physicalism is a grand and ambitious project, but there is a thorn in its side: consciousness. The qualities each of us encounters in our conscious experience – the feeling of pain, the sensations of biting into a lemon, what it's like to see red – stubbornly refuse to be incorporated into the physicalist's all-encompassing vision of the universe. Consciousness seems to be the one bit of left-over magic that refuses to be physicalised.And it's all the fault of the zombies†. Goff calls these zombies philosophical (or p-zombies) as they are not supposed to e the zombies that we see in films, it is a zombie that is used in philosophical thought experiments. If your zombie, was opened up, everything about its brain structure would be identical with yours. Th e thing that the zombie would lack is conscious experience. It might scream when it is stabbed with a knife, but it is because it is programmed to do so, its reactions will not coincide with feelings of pain of pleasure.Goff, talking about zombies summarises this point â€Å"However, your zombie twin has no inner experience: there is nothing that it's like to be your zombie twin. It's screaming and running away when stabbed isn't accompanied by a feeling of pain. Its smiles are not accompanied by any feeling of pleasure†. Goff puts forward an excellent argument to those who identify brain states with conscious states. He talks about what happens in the brain when you are in pain.If a brain surgeon was to open you up to see what is going on in your head if you had been stabbed with a knife they would see c-fibres firing, but they would not see that you are in pain and the c-fibres are firing, they could see what is happening physically but your conscious xperience of pain woul d not be visible. Goff (2013) explains: â€Å"to say that the feeling of pain is identical with c-fibres firing in your brain, is to say that pain – the thing you sees when she looks in your head after youVe had the knife stuck in you – are one and the same thing.It is to say that we don't have two things – pain and c-fibres firing – but one thing with two labels† Furthermore, if your zombie was opened up and a brain surgeon wanted to observe their brain activity after being stabbed by a knife, again they would observe the c-fibres firing, but there would be the absence of the onscious experience of pain. If you stab your zombie it will create a physical event, with a physical response but you cannot know what it is like to be your zombie, in the same way that your zombie cannot know what it is like to be you.Your zombie cannot be the same as you physically and consciously as you can only be one person. I do not believe that it is possible to compl etely resolve the mind-body problem. I am inclined to lean towards Jackson's point of view that we cannot perceive the colour red from Marys point of view. Not only can we not perceive things visually, if Mary ad been colour blind but gained knowledge how to perceive colours through touch or other senses, it would still be true to say that her experience would be a subjective one.

Irish and Chinese Experience in America Essay

The end of the civil war and the beginning of the industrial revolution started an increase of immigration into the United States because of a need for low paid workers. Immigrants from around the world fled to America taking valuable jobs away from American citizens. Immigrants who came to the United States sought out every job known to man. Anything from sweeping floors to craftsman was available to the immigrants. From 1880-1920 the population of the United States ascended from 50,155,783 to 105,710,620. 1 An increase of approximately 55 million people marked the start of the industrial revolution. The population of immigrants that came to the United States in the time period of 1880-1920 was about 15,000,000. 2 Fifteen million immigrants just in the period of forty years came to the United States and all in need of a job. Two groups in particular, the Irish and the Chinese. Both The irish and the chinese have many similarities and differences in their experience in america. Some of these are shared yet others are sole experiences of one group. The origins of Chinese migration started after Senator Thomas hart Benton of Missouri proclaimed movement towards Asia as America’s Manifest Destiny. Manifest destiny was the notion that the â€Å"white† race was destined to expand and rule the earth. Manifest destiny contributed as the primary reason for the largest acquisition of U. S. territory. As americans started to search for new lands in Asia, Asians Immigrants set there eyes on America. After the Annexation of california, Aaron H. Palmer proposed chinese laborers to be imported to build transcontinental railroad and also to cultivate the lands of california. Around 1849, Chinese migrants began arriving in America. The chinese migrated to the states for their own reasons which were getting away from the intense conflicts in china caused by british opium wars. Many migrants were also fleeing from the turmoil of peasant rebellions such as the Taiping Rebellion. Hard economical conditions were also a reason why chinese Migrants sleeked survival in America. Chinese immigrants migrated to america voluntarily as free labor. They wanted to earn money and go back to their native land. The Chinese were sojourners while the Irish were settlers. Most of the chinese migrants were married with wives in china and were mostly illiterate. While the Irish immigrated to America with Families, as settlers. While the chinese fled to America for a better future, the Irish migrated to America due to â€Å"starvation†. Irish, came in massive numbers due to a struggling economy in result of the potato famine. in the mid 1800s the Irish people suffered a severe impact when the Potato famine struck. It left many Irish poor beyond poverty. With the drastic loss of their main source of economy the Irish people were left no other choice then to come to America. The Irish described their migration to america in terms such as â€Å"exiles† or â€Å"homeless†. By Takaki’s accounts the Irish felt as if they were driven away from their homeland by â€Å"English Tyranny†. The english were seen as â€Å"savage tyrants† The Irish felt they had to go to America, and that it was a necessity for them. Another factor that contributed in the Irish migration was the idea of religious freedom. The Irish Immigrants were predominately catholic, this makes them the first major non-protestant group to enter the US, immediately causing Americans to perceive them as a threat. The chinese mostly came to america with the intent of going back to their families, WHile the Irish immigrated with their families with the intent of staying in America. The background of why both groups parallel in aspects of better future and hard economies, and resentment of british rule. Both the chinese and Irish were Transnational, living in both countries at the same time. Both groups sent letter homes, the chinese used family and villager networks to send letters home. Irish sent letters home describing the country that had no tyranny, with no intentions of going back. The chinese on the other hand ultimate goal was to save enough money to go back and build a better life for family back home. The flow direction of both groups were different. The chinese set out for the â€Å"Gold mountain† while the Irish fled english oppression to cross the atlantic to America. The chinese migrated far less in numbers compared to the Irish. The chinese migrated in hundreds of thousands while the Irish migrated in millions. Between 1815 and 1845 one million Irish came to America. By 1850, the Irish made up a quarter of the population in Boston, Massachusetts; New York City; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, Irish populations were prevalent among American mining communities. By 1870, there were 63,000 chinese in the united states, 77 percent were living in california and elsewhere in the West,southwest, New England and the south. Both groups struggled effectively to get incorporated in the American Economy. The chinese worked hard in the californian mines, railroads and the fields. At first the Chinese were welcomed in california for their hard work and low wages. The chinese workers brought a lot profit to their employers. Due to their low wage, long hours, and no need to provided services such as lodging. The owners profited and preferred the chinese labor over americans. The fear of chinese gaining power to vote and chinese boys going to the same schools as the whites, several legislation passed to prevent them from doing so. In 1852, the california legislature passed a law that would tax foreign miners, who did not desire to become a citizen. Even if they wanted to chinese could not have become citizens, because of the 1790 Naturalization Law that reserved naturalized citizenship for â€Å"whites. † This Federal law limited naturalization to immigrants who were â€Å"free white persons† of â€Å"good moral character†. It left out American Indians, indentured servants, slaves, free blacks, and Asians. The chinese miners were taxed 3 dollars monthly, the sate profited 5 millions from the chinese by the 1870. The early economic incorporation of the Irish started from the lowest step of the ladder. Irish immigrants did not usually posses any real skilled forms of labor, So the work which they received was very menial. They worked the jobs that American citizens left behind, like cleaning and excavating, mining, construction, roads, canals,railroads. (Basically jobs that were surrounded by filth) The living and working conditions of both immigrants were extremely dangerous. Both groups worked on building Railroads. In 1865, fifty chinese workers were hired by the central pacific railroad to help lay tracks for the transcontinental line. The number of chinese workers increased to 12,000 within 2 years. The chinese labor were preferred due to low wages and no cost of board and lodging. The construction of the central pacific Railroad was a chinese achievement. The conditions were harsh and the work was long. The chinese were forced to work through the winter. Many died in the snow slides,in the winter of 1866. Shortly after the chinese went on strike demanding higher wages, and 8 hour work days. The demands were not met and the strikers were starved, and forced back to work.. alike there chinese counterparts, the irish workers built thousands of miles of rail lines such as the western and Atlantic railroad from Atlanta to Chattanooga and the Union pacific segment of the transcontinental railroad. Chinese were central to the construction of the central pacific railroad while the Irish were central to the construction of union pacific railroad. The Irish like the Chinese worked long hours. The Irish became Disposable workers. The Irish were assigned to jobs that were to dangerous for â€Å"american’s†. Irish workers had high accident rates. The Irish resist and sung songs for survival and morale. The Irish workers were treated poorly and treated as dogs. The Central Pacific railroad released thousands of chinese workers in 1869, after the completion of the railroad. These workers went to San francisco and were employed by boot, shoes,woolen,cigar and industries. Hundred of chinese also became tenant farmers and sharecroppers. With the passage of Chinese exclusion Act in 1882,the chinese demanded higher wages. Chinese exclusion Act was one of the most significant restrictions on free immigration in U. S. history, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers. Chinese workers continued to be harassed and excluded the chinese from unions and industrial jobs, however the chinese fought against discrimination. Chinese six companies lobbied for civil rights of the chinese people. During the negations for the Burlingame Treaty the Six chinese companies successfully got the US Gov to recognize their right to immigrate to the US. The Chinese had many hurdles in the socio-economical spec term of the united states. In 1900 only 5% of chinese were women. External and cultural factors contributed to low number of female immigration to the US. Chinese tradition and culture restricts movement of women. Women were expected to take care of the house/in laws and was expected to stay at home. It was also expensive to immigrate with wife. It was also a hostage theory so the husband keeps sending money home and eventually returns home. Although women who did migrate were mostly working as prostitutes. By 1870, 61 % of chinese women were prostitutes. Although difficult, but some chinese were able to have families. The fire after the earthquake destroyed all records in San Francisco. People who were already here could now claim they were born here and become citizens. These led to paper son and daughters. Under fourteen amendment granting american citizenship to children of citizens born abroad. This paper method was an important way of entering the US in the 1906, and created a new wave of chinese immigrants to the United States. Gradually the chinese moved from sojourners to settlers. Chinese were building communites, and held bussiness such as laundary’s and shops in china town. The chinese also started to create organizations and communites. For example Tongs were an organization to control contrymen, and their objective was to protect and work with better relationshipes with the Americans. The orginazation also controled opium trade and prostitution. Fongs was also an organizatoin that was created by family and villagers to maintain clubhouses and temples. The fongs also serviced letters home and sent bodies home of the dead. Six chinese companies was also created for educational and health purposes, it also worked for equal rights. These organizatoins were a big part of the chinese community in America, they dictated, control and advocated for the chinese immigrants. The enviroment for The second generation was improved after world war II. Most chinese americans, expecially women were forced into their parents etnic enclave working for their familys or friends bussines. Early Irish Economic incorporation started at the bottom of dual labor market where they had to compete with nonwhite labor. The chinese were hard workers and were hired to when there was shortage of white workers. Crocker hired chinese workers and when whites complained he threaten to fire them. The chinese worker made lots of profits for their employers. Crocker also explained that the chinese workers are elevating whiter workers. While the chinese worked as labores ther whites can be in managment/supervisory postions. The Irish were at the same woorking pool as the chinese and blacks. Irish workers in the Shoe factory created a organization to fight low wages. Knights of Crispin demanded higher wages. An employer replaced his Irish workers with chinese and was praised by the press. The Irish were reffered to as unrully, and were imaged as race of savages. The Irish were also descriminated against and depicted as lacking puntuality. They were viewed the same as blacks. To gain higher status in the social and political areana the Irish used â€Å"white antagonism† to gain political and social status in the american society. The Irish also played the race card to their advantage. They used the white racism strategy in competting with the chinese in california and African Americans in the Northeast. After being depicted as the same level as African americans, The Irish started to point out there supremacy by poining out that they were white. From being outsiders they wanted to be insiders. They did so by claiming they were americans. They claimed they were americans by attacking blacks and posing as insiders. The Irish slowly started to asimilate from forigners to americans. The Democratic party welcomed the Irish, due to their high numbers, as voters, party members, but not office holders before the civil war. By the 1830’s the cathlic Irish stongly identified as democrats. The democratic party emphasised the â€Å"Irish whitness† to sommoth over divisions withing the party. They pointed out that the Irish were white, and thus deserved equal rights. More Irish Women started to migrage due to bad economical situtions. Women migrated to America in hopes of finding a job. Irish women entered domestic service because of room and board incentive because they were mostly single. Maids also got payied higher then a factory worker. Although they worked long hours,These domestic workers were expirencimg american cutlure first hand and was eaiser for them to adopt and settel in the american culture. The second generation of Irish had more economical mobility, were educated. 19 percent of Irish women born in America worked as servants,or laudress compared to 61 percent of the immigent generation. Most of female immigrants were illiterate, but there daughters were educated and took white collar jobes such as teachers, nurses, and secreteries. The second generation Irish had wider acceptance in the society. Political invorment also helped in adoption to the new country. Irish’s democratic invoment gave them a higher edge in the society. In NY, Boston, chicago, and SF Irish political machines fuctioned as Robin Hoods for the the Irish people. Irish amricans took white collar jobs and held important postions within the cities. The Irished used an ethnic strategy based on dominance, by using white supremacy in America. The Irish Dominated in the trade unions/ and held high skilled jobs which created â€Å"wages of Whiteness. † Irish workers continued comapinn to make american labor equal â€Å"white labor†. They started to monopolis better jobs, and excluded African Americans, chinese and japanese. The second generation made goals for their future while still remembered their culture through songs. Chinese and Irish Immirgrants struggled to make their place in the American society. Both Groups had to deal with Racism and discrimination. The settelment and economic socio- political adaption of both groups were drastically different from one another. The Irish were easily incorporated in the political areana because of their voting power. While the Chinese had a harder time because of the early legislation which did not grant chinese citizenships. I feel the Irish had some advantages over the Chinese migrants. Knowledge of the English language being one advantage and Experience in political organization which The Irish had mobilized labor movements against British, this made the Irish more politically savvy. Another factor why the Irish moved up the labor ladder was because they looked like americans and they used that as an advantaged to become the insiders. The chinese chose to live in their own nehiobrhoods which hindered them in adapting to amercan culture. If the chinese were more adaptive then They might of been more accepted by the society. ? ? ? ? ?

Open an unusual business or service in city of Diamond Bar Research Paper

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Eliminating Genetically Modified Foods Essay Example for Free

Eliminating Genetically Modified Foods Essay What comes to mind when reading the words genetic modification or Bacillus thurigiensis (abbreviated Bt)? I envision laboratories and science experiments, when in reality these words are related to the food we eat every day. What most Americans do not know is the threat that genetically modified food presents to our communities. PLU should do everything in its power to ensure that its students and faculty members are not exposed to genetically modified foods and crops that have been â€Å"protected† through the usage of Bt that has been artificially incorporated into crops, at least while eating on campus. We also need to educate those individuals about the truths of genetic modification and how it can potentially harm the lives of our generation and those to come. After all, PLU’s slogan is â€Å"educating for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care – for other people for their communities and for the earth. † If we can raise awareness of genetic modification on campus, we can help spread the importance of eliminating it to the rest of our community. Researchers have recently found that genetically modified foods have more baggage than advertised, baggage such as the risk of formation of allergies, exposure to toxins in herbicides, and a significant reduction in nutritional value. The genetic modification of crops began in the 1980s and has been growing in popularity ever since. In 1994, researchers successfully genetically modified tomatoes for human consumption. The genetic modification involved deleting a gene which produced the enzyme polygalacturonase which helps in fruit softening. This meant that the tomatoes could ripen on the vine but not spoil by the time they reached the store (â€Å"Tomatoes†). Tomatoes are no longer genetically modified, but are instead made to postpone ripening when the green tomato is picked; they are then taken to a processing plant and â€Å"artificially gassed with ethylene until they are the rosy-red skin tones of a ripe tomato† (Estabrook p. x). Seeing the words gassed and ethylene in the same context as human consumption seems concerning. Unfortunately, many Americans are unaware of how their food has been treated when they are consuming it. Some produce is â€Å"too good to be true† because they seem perfect, without a blemish or bruise, not to mention free from flavor. But, I now know that this is due to gasses that act as a sort of make-up. The tomatoes in PLU’s commons are unsatisfactory in taste, but impeccable in terms of looks. This leads me to think that PLU is purchasing out of season, gassed tomatoes that are bred to be green, as opposed to better quality organically grown produce. This brings nutritional value into question. In a study conducted by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, â€Å"100 grams of fresh tomato today has 30 percent less vitamin C, 30 percent less thiamin, 19 percent less niacin, and 62 percent less calcium than it did in the 1960s,† not to mention fourteen times as much sodium (Estabrook p. x). Who would have thought that an individual’s sky rocketing levels of sodium was not only from McDonalds french fries, but also from what they thought of as a healthy alternative, a tomato bought from the grocery store. Parents are unknowingly buying these tomatoes with the intention of feeding their children something healthy, but in reality they are being undermined by the U. S. Agricultural System. What really is genetic modification? It can be defined as: â€Å"organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques† (Genetically Modified). According to Assistant Professor Romey Haberle, these types of â€Å"genetic engineering techniques† include the usage of either a gene gun or a natural vector, which sounds just as bad as the ethylene gas previously stated. A gene gun is just that, a gun. Its purpose is to inject cells with specific genetic information into plants or other cells. Natural vector is the usage of DNA cells as a means of transportation into a plant’s cells. The DNA cells contain other specific and modified cells that are foreign to the plant in which it is being injected. These two types of genetic engineering are used to produce specific plants that can have special immunities to certain insecticides, or even to alter the crops’ general composition. Guns and natural vectors are the most common ways of studying and performing genetic modification in today’s agricultural world. â€Å"Bacillus thurigiensis (Bt) is an insecticide with unusual properties that make it useful for pest control in certain situations† (W. S. Cranshaw). An insecticide is a poison designed for insects. In the past it was usually sprayed over fields in an effort to reduce the amount of crops lost to insects. There has recently been in increase in the amount of crops that have this toxin genetically modified to into its DNA, making it impossible to wash off or get rid of. Unfortunately, the crops resist the effects but the toxin is still present on crops as they grow and are picked. Bt works by â€Å"producing proteins that react with the cells of the gut lining within insects†¦these proteins then paralyze the digestive system, and the infected insect stops feeding within hours† (W. S. Cranshaw). In short, Bt causes the insect to die from starvation since their digestive tract is unable to digest. This makes me question the safety of using this product within proximity of humans since it specifically attacks the gut lining of the digestive system. An unfortunate incident with Bt in the Philippines almost caused 100 members of a community to become ill. A crop within close proximity to their area of living had been sprayed with Bt. This crop was then pollinated, filling the air with pollen. The town’s people began to show symptoms of headaches, dizziness, extreme stomach pain, vomiting, chest pains, fever, and allergies plus respiratory, intestinal and skin reactions. Trying to get to the root of the problem, blood tests proved that 39 of the victims showed an anti-body response to the Bt-toxin. This means that the Bt toxin had traveled from the crops to their internal systems. Other villagers also encountered animal deaths from the same problems (Lendman p. 7). This shows that Bt is not suitable for human consumption or human contact. My concern is that PLU will purchase and serve food that has this same toxin present. Yes, the chances of this happening are rare, but we can eliminate the risk altogether by purchasing non-genetically modified produce that has not been exposed to the Bt toxin. PLU’s dining services do a great job of offering fresh and healthy foods for all meals of the day. Each menu is clearly labeled as to whether its food is all natural – grown without fertilizers or pesticides, locally grown, vegan – free from all animal products, vegetarian, or organic. However, organic is rarely seen. The most common labels seen are the locally grown and all natural labels, but it is usually only next to the grilled or sliced chicken breast. PLU should make an effort to move away from genetically modified foods and begin advertising the elimination of engineered foods on the menus. We could do this by allotting more of our food budget to buying organically grown food. We know that to be labeled as â€Å"organic† a farm has to adapt to specific regulations such as not utilizing pesticides or other harmful preservatives and of course, to stay away from genetically modified seeds or plants. I believe that most PLU students are aware of the benefits of organically grown produce but I do not think they are educated as to the benefits of eating non-genetically modified foods. PLU recently had food and water seminars, these seminars present a perfect opportunity to speak and educate about the negatives of eating genetically modified food in order to educate them to help others and make the right decisions for our earth. Most PLU students are interested in the environment and doing what we can to ensure sustainability, this includes the usage of harmful pesticides to our environment. By eating organic we can make a small impact in reducing the amount of non-organic produce bought and distributed. We also reduce the possibility of consuming these same pesticides that pose a threat to our atmosphere by avoiding them all together. By educating the students at PLU about the potential hazards that genetically modified food can present we can influence and encourage the right decisions to be made, the decision of going organic and avoiding genetic modification at all costs. The controversy of golden rice is one that has caused much disagreement within the world of genetic modification. Golden rice is a genetically engineered grain that is being used to â€Å"help fight vitamin A deficiency in the developing world, a disease that contributes to the deaths of 8 million young children in the world† (Ronald). Although this statistic demonstrates the drastic improvement of the overall health in the most underdeveloped parts of the world, it fails to include the â€Å"massive changes in the natural functioning of a plants DNA. Native genes can be mutated, deleted, permanently turned on or off and the inserted gene can become truncated, fragmented, mixed with other genes, inverted or multiplied, and the GM protein it produces may have unintended characteristics† (Lendman p. 2) that could compromise the health of the individual or community consuming it. Researchers have failed to imply the potential harmful effects on gut function, liver function, kidney function, the immune system, endocrine system, blood composition, allergic response and even the potential to cause cancer because of the mutilated DNA that is being ingested by our bodies every time we eat genetically modified foods. Researchers are so quick to glorify the one added nutrient to golden rice that they forget, or rather choose to not advertise the adverse and undesired side effects that could come from eating rice that has a complex and unnatural DNA. Yes, vitamin A deficiency is a real and prominent problem in today’s underdeveloped nations, but solving the problem with genetically altered â€Å"golden rice† presents the risks of forming allergies, being exposed to toxins such as pesticides, and ultimately causing cancer. Instead of investing most of our resources and money into genetically modifying vitamin A into rice, we could donate it to charities that provide food to those underdeveloped countries that are impoverished and are in need of proper nutrition. Allergies seem to be more and more common in today’s society. I too, have been directly impacted. One of my best friends from my junior high and high school years has a deathly peanut and soybean allergy. She constantly carries around an epinephrine auto-injector, abbreviated â€Å"epi-pen,† that she is required to use if she comes into contact with any kind of nut. We find ourselves constantly reading labels and isolating what she can and cannot eat, a practice which is tedious and inconvenient. Her soybean allergy is not as prevalent as her peanut allergy, but it is still concerning. She had an experience of eating an ice cream popsicle, in which she took two bites and her lips started to swell with red hives. Even after carefully analyzing the ingredient list, she still had a reaction to some kind of soybean that had been present within one of the ingredients. Soybeans are present in many foods, and 93% of the soybeans used in the U. S.are genetically modified (â€Å"Genetically Modified†). They are created to withstand herbicides used to kill weeds. This means that 93% of the soybeans used in food across America have the herbicides glyphosate or glufosinate within them since they are modified to resist the harmful effects that the weeds encounter when they are sprayed with a herbicide, the same herbicide that is designed to kill insects and weeds. Our bodies are not meant to ingest these harmful herbicides, so some children react adversely to soybeans that have been genetically altered. Nut allergies seem to be the most common allergy in today’s communities. â€Å"From 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18% among children under age 18† (Prevalence). This increase in food allergies seems to directly mimic the pattern of genetically modified food’s rise in popularity. Is this comparison ironic? I do not think so. PLU’s ability to specifically mark the types of allergens present in each meal is very important to the rising of today’s allergies that so many young adults are affected by. â€Å"As of 2012 there are many outgoing court cases and FDA investigation into genetically modified foods† (Genetically Modified). There is obviously a concern for the welfare of our communities and the production of genetically modified foods, and PLU should take into consideration the recent increase in food allergies in children, the push for organically grown food, the lost nutrition, and the potential for cancer development. By educating the minds of PLU students about the harmful effects genetically modified food presents to society we can promote for lives of thoughtful inquiry, service, leadership and care both for others and for our planet. These contributors all add up to one conclusion: the reduction or elimination of genetically modified food in our diets. I do not want to pick up the baggage that genetically modified food carries, do you? Works Cited Cranshaw, W. S. Bacillus Thuringiensis. Colorado State University Extension. Dec. 2008. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. http://www. ext. colostate. edu/pubs/insect/05556. html. Estabrook, Barry. Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel, 2011. Print. Genetically Modified Food. 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food. Lendman, Stephen. GlobalResearch.ca Centre for Research on Globalization. GlobalResearch. ca. 22 Feb. 2008. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. http://www. globalresearch. ca/index. php? context=va. Prevalence of Food Allergies in Todays World. 23 Mar. 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2012. http://allergicchild. com/prevalence. html. Ronald, Pamela. What If Organic Farmers Joined Forces with Genetic Engineers? July 2008: 35-38. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. Tomatoes. GMO Compass. 27 Nov. 2006. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. http://www. gmo- compass. org/eng/grocery_shopping/fruit_vegetables/15. genetically_modified_tomatoes. html.

Antoni Gaudis Architecture Style

Antoni Gaudis Architecture Style Introduction In order to appreciate Antoni Gaudis creative vision we must look at the context in which he worked. It seems that previous studies of Gaudi have not researched extensively into placing him within this cultural context; and have rather preferred to outline him as a lonely reclusive figure or concentrated on his elaborate architectural forms. This dissertation will explore whether political, social and economic developments in the late 19th and 20th Centuries in Catalonia and Spain proved touchstones for the architect, his work and his immediate circle; and whether these factors influenced his creative decisions and have been overlooked throughout his life. The work is composed of three inter-related sections. The first section will discuss Gaudis Catalan roots, and early social influences. Park G?ell will be used to illustrate this. The second section explores Catalan nationalism, social classes and the rise of Catalan industrial capitalism. It will also examine the political conflict and tensions between Castile and Catalonia, including the three Carlist wars, which were fought out on Catalan territory, the disastrous effects after Spains loss of her empire in 1898, and the impact of Tragic Week in 1909. It will consider how these may have affected Gaudi and his working rationale. This section will be analysed through the example of the Casa Mila. The third section will examine Gaudis shift in faith and the impact that this had on his architecture. This will be shown through the example of the Sagrada Familia (Holy family) Cathedral. This discussion starts by considering the view expressed by Clara Gari of the Catalan architects approach: Perhaps what makes a quick understanding difficult in Gaudis work is its daring and fascinating uncertainty, that range which slips between architectural code and structure. Such ambiguity is accentuated much more when the matrixes from which Gaudi extracts a determined stylistic code are not always clearly evidenced. But rather they appear, as often happens, ambiguously confused as a consequence of a sort of intervention, prior to the adoption of the chosen code, which by way of a distorted lens, varies the facets and the colour in it, tricking us with a free all embracing conduct, and with an underlying energy directly emanated from the ethnic heritage which is difficult to simplify Gari seems to be commenting that, despite Gaudis classical education and training as an architect, he could risk being very radical in his use of the accepted architectural codes and structures of his time. In Gaudis work, codes and structures seem to be passed through the filter of his imagination and his Catalan identity, and are transformed into something which may appear distorted but can have a powerful effect upon us as observers. Gaudis Catalan roots and early social influences Antoni Placid Guillem Gaudi I Cornet was born in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain on June 25, 1852, into a family which had come from a long line of Catalan merchants, miners, farmers, weavers, boilermakers and coppersmiths. Gaudi was introduced to the family craft tradition at an early age when watching his father in his workshop. He was proud of this heritage and once said: I have the quality of spatial apprehension because I am the son, grandson, and the great grandson of coppersmiths All these generations of people gave me preparation. Gaudis predecessors came from a cross-Pyrenean culture that bordered the Mediterranean Sea and were accustomed to absorbing influences from different cultures, while somehow retaining their own Catalan identity. The Catalan language, for example, is closer to the tongue of Languedoc in France than it is to Castilian which is spoken in most of Spain. Joan Bergos explains in his book, Gaudi the man and his works, that: Gaudis lineage therefore has deep, i f distant roots in central Europe, mixed with the virtues traditionally found among the people of Tarragona, a typically Mediterranean people, passionate, industrious, courageous in the face of adversity and somewhat inclined to irony. The Mediterranean region of Tarragona, with its natural surroundings and quality of light, are elements of the rural world that Gaudi seems to provide as references to his architectural forms. His love of nature began as a small child, when rheumatoid arthritis, made physical exploration and play painful and difficult and he was restricted to riding around on the back of a donkey, according to family stories, he was able to study his natural surroundings and to create his own imaginary world. Perhaps because of his difficult start in life Gaudi may have developed an inner world of fantasy, shape, structure and colour, produced by his knowledge of the artisans craft and the natural forms found in his environment. Gaudi came from a deeply religious family and received a thorough Catholic religious education generated from the continuation of medieval Guilds. This would have included obligatory prayer to the Virgin, Christian doctrine, religious morals and religious history. By 1874, at the age of 22, Gaudi had moved to Barcelona with his brother Francesc; and here he began his preparation to train as an architect at the Escuela Tà ©cnica Superior de Arquitectura (Upper Technical School of Architecture). Here he studied Spanish architecture which would have focused upon its many cultural traditions, including: Phoenician, Roman, Greek, Visigothic, Celtic, Arab, Berber and Jewish. These would have been completely absorbed into the thinking of contemporary design so that there was no prejudice against the adoption of Islamic motifs and symbols. One could imagine how important this multi-faceted cultural heritage of Spain would have been for the development of Gaudis own approach to architecture. Gaudi also seemed to share the concerns and ideals that surrounded the dynamic and intellectual atmosphere during his youth, and would have been influenced by the famous intellectuals of the time: Pugin, Ruskin and Viollet-le-Duc. The latter was responsible for the Gothic revival in France and as a pupil of Le Grand Durand he had influenced Frances adoption of Renaissance models and rationalist approach to city planning, which had put the country at the forefront of European artistic and architectural debate. One could also presume that Gaudi had read the work of the English writer Ruskin, in which he states, in his book: The seven lamps of Architecture: I say that if men really lived like men, their houses would be like temples which we would not dare to violate so easily and in which it would be a privilege to live. There must be some strange dissolution of family affection, a strange ingratitude towards everything that our houses have given us and that our parents have taught us, a strange awareness of our infidelity with respect and love for our father, or perhaps an awareness that our life is not for making our house sacred in the eyes of our children, which induces each one of us to want to build for ourselves, and to build only for the little revolution of our personal life. I see these miserable concretions of mud and limestone that shoot up like mushrooms in the boggy fields around our capitalI look at them not only with the repulsion of the offended view, not only with the pain that is caused by a disfigured landscape, not with the painful presentiment that the roots of our national grandeza must have infected with gangren e right down to their tips from the moment that they were planted in such an unstable manner in out native soil. It seems that Ruskins moral and aesthetic dilemma was one that Gaudi would also experience as a young professional architect, and he would move between his support of socialist ideals and various privileged connections with the aristocracy and upper middle classes (his possible clients) throughout his life. Gaudi was discovered by the bourgeoisie without whom his architecture would not stand today. However it seems he was not indifferent to the social life of his age and its contradictions. Other contemporaries working towards these ideals, were: Elies Rogent (1821-1897), whose design of Barcelonas University building was influenced by the German Rundbogenstil, which was a Neo-classical rounded arch; Joan Martorell (1833-1906) who designed the Neo-gothic brick and glazed-tiled church of Saint Francesc de Sales (1885); Josep Vilaseca who collaborated with Lluis Domà ¨nech i Montaner (1850-1923) on the Batlo tomb (1885). As his former professor at the Escuela Tà ©cnica Superior de Ar quitectura, Lluis Domà ¨nech i Montaner was at the forefront of the Catalan Modernist movement, also known as the Renaixenca (or Rebirth), which encouraged art, theatre and literature in the Catalan language. He was also responsible for designing the Palau de la Musica Catalana which symbolises the coming together of the Catalan nationalist sentiment and international culture. It also shows a particular connection to Gaudis Colonia Guell, Casa Vicens and Park Guell, though its elaborate ornamentation, sculptures and colourful ceramic mosaics, all of which seem to refer to a deep connection with Catalan nature and nationalism that were apparent at the time. This connection can be seen in the leaf and flower patterns on the facade of the Palau de la Musica Catalana which are inspired by Moorish architecture and followed the curvilinear design seen in Art Nouveau. At the same time, the civil engineer Ildefons Cerda (1815-1876) had been given the commission to expand Barcelonas boundaries by demolishing its walls and providing land for new residential areas. It seems that his plans were influenced by Haussmanns redesign of Paris, and were based on a similar grid system. Cerda was shocked that the working classes were paying proportionately more in rent for their confined living accommodation than the wealthy paid for their luxurious housing. The design for city, although Neo-classical, was also considered realist because of Cerdas understanding of modern urban sociology and living conditions. It seems that this expansion signalled to other architects that it was acceptable to explore new ways of designing public and private spaces. This new sociological attitude towards urban spaces can be seen as the catalyst for the creation of the idea of the Garden City. The concept of setting up communities outside cities was started by enlightened industr ial philanthropists such as Robert Owen, Titus Salt and George Cadbury, creating small housing projects for their workers in England as far back as 1800. However, the most important of the Garden City movement was Ebenezer Howard whose book Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform, published in 1898, was to become highly influential in town planning throughout the 20th century. The Garden City movement is a good example of the changing social attitude towards the built environment and can be seen in the later planning texts of Tony Garnier and of Le Corbusiers ASCORAL, first published as Les Trois Establissements Humains in 1945. In a short text called Notes on the family house (Casa Pairal) written by Gaudi between 1878 and 1881, he reflects on the relationship between house and family: The house is a small nation of the familyThe privately owned house has been given the name of Casa Parial (family home) who among us does not recall, on hearing this expression, some beautiful example in the countryside or in the city? The pursuit of lucre and changes in customs have caused most of these family homes to disappear from the city, and those that remain are in such a terrible state that they cannot last long. The need for a family house is not only limited to one age and one family in particular but is an enduring need for all families. The text seems to be referring to the unity of a nation and of its people, it reflects the understanding of an architect who strives for sanitation and well being, as well as the anti-urban feeling which had arisen in England and spread throughout Europe. One could presume that it also reflects Gaudis deep-rooted connection with the rural world, that of peasant and craftsman, a world from which he had come. Maria Antonietta Crippa explains in her book, Living Gaudi that: Gaudis attention was not directed immediately to the bourgeois house, but to the needs of everyone. She goes on to say that He does not hide his unease at the excessive, over accelerated growth of cities, which uproot many people from the land of their birth and force them to live in rented houses in the land of emigration. And he applauds the decision to abandon congested city centers for the spacious, light-filled, leafy suburbs. Perhaps this sociological approach is what allowed Gaudi to think up the imaginative design that he created for Park G?ell in 1900. This was a garden city which captured the spirit of the 20th century and followed the fashionable trend in Europe for creating large ornamental spaces. It was a public space which would create a haven away from industrialisation, where the common man, both wealthy and poor, could exercise and see public events during their new-found leisure hours. It was also designed as a space where nouveau-riche families could live comfortably away from the crowded city centre. The park seems to reveal Gaudis extraordinary imagination in what could be seen as an optimistic phase of his life. Maria Antoietta Crippa explains that: Gaudis gardens are reminiscent of The Rose Garden, evoked in the first of T.S Eliots Four Quartets: a place that arouses memories of childhood, but which is also a symbol of a past and a future that are alive in our present: Humankind cannot b ear too much reality. / Time past and time future / what might have been and what has been / point to one end, which is always present. She goes on to explain that the garden is a metaphor not just for an earthly paradise, but also of the power of human memory, another expansion of Gaudis inner world. The park draws together urban sociology, his early childhood interest in nature and his strong sense of Mediterranean Catalan nationalism and symbolism. Gaudi uses the Moorish art of trencadis, a method of deliberately breaking tiles and re-arranging them into intricate patterns. He uses this technique on the long serpentine bench-balustrade where broken ceramic pieces have been arranged into words and symbols with religious and Catalan nationalist connotations. Some historians have also suggested that the Doric columns which consist of fluted shafts made of rough stone, covered at the base with white ceramics, and joined to the ceiling by domes which are supported by gently curving be ams, not only evoke the motion of Mediterranean waves but are also reminiscent of the Temple of Delphos and reflect the culture of Greece and the Mediterranean. They believed the structure of these columns existed as a tribute to Greece, which had won its independence from the Turkish Empire, drawing parallels with the political situation of Catalonia and the Catalans desire for independence. Gaudi arrived in Barcelona at a time of important change in architectural thinking and it seems that he benefited from meeting and leading architects of his day, who were involved in the regeneration of Catalan culture, in which, the re-birth of the language had a vital contribution in Catalans rediscovering their heritage and their common identities. In the journal: Tongue tied: The role of linguistics in Basque and Catalan Nationalism, Ryan Barnes explains how important the rebirth of the Catalan language was: Language has always been an essential element of nationalism, providing a distinctive feature and source of pride for a collective people. The ability to communicate with one another is essential to building bridges between strangers and forging the idea of a nation, which instils the idea of unity among a people that have never met Moreover, communication brings knowledge with it. Language conveys the ideas of a people or nation through literacy works such as poems or novels, which nationalists can look back on with pride. It seems that Catalan nationals were comparing themselves, not to the intellectuals in the Spanish capital, Madrid, but to artists and designers of other nations in Europe who were more technologically advanced, such as: England, France and Germany. The Catalan language had been suppressed for many years by Spains central government but now Catalans seemed to take pride in self-expression, while being aware of developments from the other side of the Pyrenees, including the redevelopment of Paris and the creation of the London squares with their ornamental gardens. They also seemed aware of the Neo-gothic architecture which was encouraged by intellectuals such as Pugin, the architect of the Houses of Parliament and John Ruskins ideas on workers education and benefits. It seems that Gaudi too was aware of these ideas, and although Catalonia was isolating itself from the decline of Spain, it was also keeping up with new and important influences from abroad. Catalonia was becoming a deve loped region within an undeveloped country. The history of Catalan nationalism, social classes and the rise of Catalan industrial capitalism and political tensions in Catalonia and Spain. Catalonia had become the industrial centre for the rest of Spain during the 19th century, a period when there was increasing unrest in the whole country. During the 18th century Catalonia had evolved from an economy based on goods for local consumption to an economy with wider commercial aspirations. This industrialisation took place in a country of untapped raw materials and very low purchasing power. Catalonias manufacturing expansion depended upon its source of energy generated from hydraulic turbines on its irregularly flowing rivers, but in the 20th century the hydroelectric potential of the Pyrenees was eventually secured for advancing industrial production. The class system of Catalan society was largely the result of three successive long waves of industrialisation and capital accumulation, with the attendant growth of new factory-linked centres, the massive importance of the workforce, the consolidation of a skilled working class and a large middle class, together with furth er advances in the direction of secularisation and urbanisation. These three long waves entailed the following developments: the growth of the bourgeois class, the rise of an industrial society based, at first, as in so many other places, on the textile industry, and the establishment of great family fortunes. Karl Marx was writing in Das Kapital at this period of time about the expansion of the bourgeoisie in Europe: Constant revolutionising of production, uninterrupted disturbance of all social conditions, everlasting uncertainty and agitation distinguish the bourgeoisie epoch from all earlier ones. All fixed, fast frozen relations, with their train of ancient and venerable prejudices and opinions, are swept away, all new formed ones become antiquated before they can ossify The bourgeoisie has subjected the country to the rule of the towns. It has created enormous cites, has greatly increased the urban population as compared with the rural, and thus rescued a considerable part of the population from rural idiocy. In common with the bourgeoisie across Europe there was an increasing number of newly rich Catalan industrialists such as Eusebi G?ell and Pere Mila i Camps who were seeking the outward expression of their fortunate position in society. The city culture of Barcelona attracted them because it offered them a style of life that was equivalent to what they witnessed in other European industrialised societies. To express their power, and their love of the new, as Marx discusses, they needed modern fashionable architects who could take advantage of the trends in design that were current in those other countries. Most of the architects at this time were drawn into the Capitalist desire to use space as a commodity that could be built on and sold. Gaudi, although willing to offer his considerable talent to industrialists who were acquiring land for building projects, eventually rejected this approach to architecture in favor of a return to the traditional architectural forms, such as church building, as a symbolic representation of Catalan nationhood. According to Maria Antonietta Crippa, Gaudi was already setting out on a different path in terms of the secularisation of modern architecture, as will be demonstrated in the example of the Casa Mila. In her book, Living Gaudi, The architects complete vision, she suggests that: (Gaudis) constructions were built at a time when a utopian, secularising trend was developing in the world of European architecture. This trend, which was radically different from the direction taken by the Catalan architect, proposed the creation of the new urban and residential spaces that would resolve the imbalances caused by the violent growth of cities and by the technological revolution that took place in the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth. Despite the apparently luxurious life of Barcelonas bourgeoisie, the political situation in the whole of Spain was increasingly unstable throughout the 19th century. Instead of developing a system of political parties Spain had been confronted by a series of military coups; and instead of political debate there were attempts to change the written constitution. Between 1822 and 1875, opposition to liberal capitalism led to five civil wars, which were fought out on Catalan territory. The last three were to be known as the Carlist wars, in which royalists and the military opposed the liberals and republicans, and this conflict continued into the 20th century with increasing brutality and bloodshed. The Third Carlist war ended in 1876 when Gaudi was 24. Gaudi believed that: war, offering violence as a solution to any problem, is inevitably demoralising. The Crusades were a failure and many sensible Carlists abandoned that cause in the face of the behaviour of the Carlist forces. It seems that Gaudi was interested in public affairs and followed developments on the political scene. He once said: I am very like my father. At one point, not long before he died, there had just been elections, and he still had enough enthusiasm for the subject to ask me to tell him which candidates had been elected He railed against separatism and he defended energetically the ideas of rationalism and a strong and united Spain. Gaudi was one of a large group of intellectuals known as the generation of 98. In 1898 the political decline of Spain worsened when it entered a war with the USA, which it could not afford to fight. America supported the minority of planters in the colony of Cuba, who were making demands for emancipation from Spain. Following Spanish reprisals against these rebels, and supported by fictitious claims in the US press, America launched an attack on Spanish forces which caused enormous loss of life and led to Cuba being liberated into an American sphere of influence. The shock of defeat in Spain was overwhelming, as Gabriel Tortella explains in The Development of Modern Spain, an Economic History of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries: the loss of markets for industry and agriculture, the loss of human life, of physical and military resources and income to the Treasury, the disappearance of various transportation and communication networks, and perhaps the most important, a widespread sense of revulsion and demoralization. For Spanish rulers and people, it seems that such a national humiliation inflicted by a relatively young democratic state would mark their country out as deeply flawed and unstable in the modern age of the early 20th century, and would be linked to decline, political chaos and eventual brutal civil war in 1936-1939. A few years after this catastrophe, Gaudi began work on the Casa Mila, a building six stories high, with eight apartments on each floor grouped around two internal courtyards, one circular and the other oval. It is designed so that light floods in through the two inner courtyards which are open to the sky. Gaudis idea was that the building should be a pedestal for an enormous statue of the Virgin Mary accompanied by two angels, which he had hoped would stand 25m above the roof of the building and would have dominated the city. The building seems to reflect Gaudis revulsion at the anti-clerical violence in Spain and loss of spiritual meaning in modern day society. Perhaps he would have agreed with Kandinskys view that: the nightmare of materialism, which has turned the life of the universe into an evil, useless game, is not yet past: it holds the awakening soul still in its grip. It seems that Mila I Camps was uneasy about the appearance of the proposed vast statue of the Madonna on the roof of his property, as according to art historian Robert Hughes: given the turbulence of 1904 it would probably lead to the destruction of his building by infuriated anti-clerical mobs. It seemed that Gaudi was obliged to convey the importance and opulence of the life of this new entrepreneurial class, who: did not look to the past, but only desired one thing: to invent their own future. Instead of the statue of the Virgin Mary, Gaudi was compelled to replace it with ventilation towers, chimneys and sculptures. The stair units are topped with crosses with four equal arms and the chimneys are surmounted by small domes similar to warrior heads. According to Maria Antonietta Crippa the resulting sculptures on the roof: (carry) a powerful emotive charge. She goes on to say consider, for example, that way that he uses catenary structures and fluted surfaces, or the features that appear in his artificial landscapes and stone gardens; these elements all work to create a fantasy world, as in the case of the multitextured, undulating faà §ade of Casa Batllo, or the mysterious ghost world of the roof terrace of Casa Mila. Could these anguished, twisted shapes express Gaudis inner fantasy world? Or indeed his mental state at the time? Could they possibly convey the violence of his times and his personal bereavements? It is reasonable to consider that the architects creative process is strongly influenced by his unconscious mind, as Karl Jung argues: Archetypes are numinous structural elements of the psyche which have a degree of autonomy and energy of their own, which allows them to attract whatever contents of the consciousness that suit them. These are not hereditary depictions, but rather certain innate predispositions to form parallel representations, which I called the collective unconscious. One could assume that these distorted forms were connected with his distress at the loss of his preferred sacred symbol, the Mother of Christ, but may also have held a more personal significance as a representation of his own mother, who had died 30 years previously along with his brother Francesc. The period following their deaths, in 1876, had caused an all enveloping depression for Gaudi. Reflecting on the Casa Mila it was probably a good idea that Gaudi had not used the building as a living shrine, as violent protests again erupted in the city, and saw the burning of 40 religious schools, convents and monasteries, and 12 Parish churches in 1909, the rioters considering the Church to form part of the corrupt bourgeois structure. The so-called Tragic Week seemed to affect Gaudi deeply; perhaps this is why everything he produced afterwards seemed to be built in the Catholic spirit of somehow making amends for the destruction. Could it be that he was carrying the burden of unconscious guilt for his own losses and for those that had devastated the Mother Church? At the same time as dealing with this spiritual crisis, it seems that he was coping with failing physical health. The death of Gaudis patron Don Eusebi G?ell in 1918 ground him to a complete halt, after which it is presumed that he had a psychological breakdown. During his last eight years of increasing isolation, perhaps he turned his back on the chaotic events in his country and withdrew into a life of abstinence and religiosity. Upon these painful tragic loses, after his fathers death and the death of his sisters daughter Rosa, his sense of uncertainty about life and on suffering from bouts of Mediterranean fever. He began his descent into a strict life of religiosity. My closest friends are dead; I have no family, no clients, no fortune, nothing. Now I can dedicate myself wholly to my church. Gijs Van Hensbergen summarises the crisis for Gaudis generation when he explains in his book: Gaudi the Biography: Spains loss of her empire in 1898 and the Tragic Week of 1909 in which convents and churches were burnt down; both had strong effects on Gaudi, his friends, patrons and completely changed his working patterns. The political situation in Catalonia was a complex, potentially explosive one. Catalonias alliance with Spain (Castile) was one of immense tensionBefore the civil war, some Spanish intellectuals and politicians recognised the dangers, but tragically they didnt have the power to halt the momentum of the approaching crisis. Few generations have ever been so savagely self analytical as Gaudis. Few have put themselves through such painful discoveryThese political and social tensions between reform and reaction provide the subtext and hidden structures of Gaudis work. Shift in faith and its impact on Gaudis architecture The wish to form something uniquely powerful and symbolic in a time of unpredictable political and social events may be at the heart of Gaudis most famous design, the cathedral. A personal account of Gaudi is given by one of his close friends Joan Bergos who remarked on the transformation in Gaudi during the latter years of his life, when he became completely consumed by his creative masterpiece. Bergos said: Faith changed the passionate, impetuous, irascible youth into a serene, balanced, exemplary man, who only on rare occasions gave vent to any temperamental outburst and who radiated such a beneficent aura that he sometimes inspired conversion and even heroic sacrifice in those lives he touched. Furthermore, Mark Burry suggests in his book Expiatory Church of the Sagrada Familia: Architecture in detail: The Sagrada Familia is a biography of a singular architects coming to terms with his time, his personality and, eventually, his vulnerability. Also one could also consider that Gaudi had been influenced by Viollet-le-Ducs statement that: We must find creativity through an accurate knowledge of the works of our ancestors. Not that such knowledge must lead us to imitate them slavishly, but rather it will reveal and make available all the secret skills of our predecessors. Perhaps what was important for Gaudi was that a designer must take from the traditional what he has absorbed into his own knowledge and re-interpret and re-work it so that it can appear innovatory and familiar, as well as inspirational. When Gaudi moved to Barcelona as a young man, it seems that he had been impressed with its wealth of historical architecture, which dated back to the Middle Ages. He had visited the Basilica Church of Santa Maria del Mar in the Ribera district which has three aisles forming a single space with no transepts and no architectural boundary between nave and presbytery. The simple ribbed vault is supported on slender octagonal columns, and daylight streams in through the tall clerestory windows. The foundation stone was laid by King Alfonso IV in 1329 and the whole building was carried out by local people including dockworkers, who collected the large stone slabs from near

Evaluate The Usefulness Of The Product Lifecycle To A Firm Essay

In this essay I will look at the advantages and disadvantages of using a product lifecycle, as well as evaluating the usefulness of such a model to a firm. The Product Lifecycle is a part of the portfolio analysis, in which a firm can analyse the stages in a products life. It is a model used to aid with decision making in a firm, and part of the marketing planning process. The shape and length of the lifecycle varies with the different products, as each one is unique. The different stages are launch, growth, maturity, saturation and decline. How useful is the Product Lifecycle?. There are several different uses it holds to a firm. Managers use it because it highlights the need for a firm to change its marketing policies at the different stages of a products life. It then aids them in planning out their marketing strategies. A firm might draw out a Product Lifecycle to identify the stage at which its product is at in the lifecycle, from there they can decide what to do to keep the product alive or to maintain high sales. The Product Lifecycle can be used as an aid to set budgets within a firm as well. For example, if a firm produces a product lifecycle for a product and identifies the stage it is in, this can set budgets for its marketing/promotion department, its production department and its distribution department. For example if a firm sees that its product is still in the growth stages of the lifecycle, they are going to have to invest a lot of money in its development (...

Vengeance of the Gods :: essays research papers

What is an epic? An epic is an extended narrative poem recounting actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes and is written in a high style. The Odyssey, by Homer, is definitely one of the greatest classic epics known to man. This tale contains numerous epic elements such as in media res or â€Å"in the middle of things† to grab the reader’s attention and make the reader keep reading to get the full story. Throughout the story, Homer included the epic element of divine intervention where the gods play a role in the outcome of actions of mortals. The theme of hospitality to strangers is also present in this celebrated epic. The Odyssey is worthy of being an epic because of these three conventions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homer uses the epic element in media res to pull the reader in by starting in the middle of the story. The reader is then filled in by flashbacks or the main character re-telling his tale. By using this convention, Homer keeps the reader curious and interested and makes the reader keep reading until he or she finishes understanding the whole plot. In The Odyssey, the reader does not know half of Odysseus’ journey until he enlightens Alkinoos and Arà ªte as to what events took place before he was washed ashore on Kalypso’s Island. The reader always expects for the story to go directly to Odysseus, but instead the story follows the gods. Homer used in media res to show respect to the gods by starting the story â€Å"In the bright hall of Zeus†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I. 42). The author depicts conservation between Zeus and Athena about the fate of Odysseus to show that the gods always come first even before the main character. Homer uses the curiosity of the r eader to his advantage by starting out Odysseus’ long journey home in media res.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Divine intervention is another major component of this epic. At the beginning, Homer placed the role of the gods to determine the fate of Odysseus. â€Å"With this Athena left him/ as a bird rustles upward, off and gone. / But as she went she put new spirit in him, / a new dream of his father†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I. 368-371). Without the involvement of the grey-eyed goddess Athena, Telemakhos would never have gain the courage to journey out into the world to find the fate of his father. Throughout the epic, Athena appears on earth disguised as everything from a little girl to Odysseus’s old friend Mentor to spin Odysseus’s long journey home.

Teen Alcohol Addiction Essay -- Alcoholism

Teen alcohol addiction - Is there any hope for a teenager who wants to get his or her life straightened out? It's very interesting that I find myself writing about something that not only is commonsense, but what is more, something that every one knows about in general but may not in particular. Alcohol use among teenagers is a serious problem and is responsible for death and injury in automobile accidents, physical and emotional disability, deterioration of academic performances, aggressive behavior that causes a number of other sociological problems in families and among friends. It is also the primary cause of criminal behavior and a leading cause of broken marriages. As we know it's a broad topic therefore I'll look at the role that alcohol plays in the society and its impact on teenage addiction. The teen years are a rough time in life in the normal way of human development. If the problem of constant drinking is added to this, there are very serious dangers and pitfalls ahead for these teenagers. Often, they will develop psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, or an antisocial personality that goes much further than the usual period of rebellious behavior that most teenagers go through. Uncontrollable anger can be another result of an addiction to alcohol and there are many instances where teenagers create crimes. The most recent studies of the problem show that the two main causes for the deaths of those between fifteen and twenty four years old are road accidents and suicide. There are also a high proportion of teenagers whose addiction to alcohol has led them into taking drugs. The problem of teen addiction to alcohol can bring only disaster to the young people concerned and misery to their families an... ...inking is against the law, teenagers do not perceive it as a bad thing as long as they are responsible and designate drivers. The good news is they do designate drivers. Nearly two thirds of drinking teenagers always establish a designated driver when drinking with friends. The age when young people are taking their first drink is becoming lower each year. Many studies show that preteens are experimenting with alcohol and many are already heavy drinkers. It may be difficult for parents and teachers to believe that a seventh grade student can have an alcohol problem, but a study of student drinking practices shows that 5% of seventh-grade boys and 4.4% of seventh-grade girls are seriously abusing alcohol. That's why we see the consequences in terms of antisocial behavior, school failure, attention deficit, learning disabilities and road accidents among the teenagers. Teen Alcohol Addiction Essay -- Alcoholism Teen alcohol addiction - Is there any hope for a teenager who wants to get his or her life straightened out? It's very interesting that I find myself writing about something that not only is commonsense, but what is more, something that every one knows about in general but may not in particular. Alcohol use among teenagers is a serious problem and is responsible for death and injury in automobile accidents, physical and emotional disability, deterioration of academic performances, aggressive behavior that causes a number of other sociological problems in families and among friends. It is also the primary cause of criminal behavior and a leading cause of broken marriages. As we know it's a broad topic therefore I'll look at the role that alcohol plays in the society and its impact on teenage addiction. The teen years are a rough time in life in the normal way of human development. If the problem of constant drinking is added to this, there are very serious dangers and pitfalls ahead for these teenagers. Often, they will develop psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, or an antisocial personality that goes much further than the usual period of rebellious behavior that most teenagers go through. Uncontrollable anger can be another result of an addiction to alcohol and there are many instances where teenagers create crimes. The most recent studies of the problem show that the two main causes for the deaths of those between fifteen and twenty four years old are road accidents and suicide. There are also a high proportion of teenagers whose addiction to alcohol has led them into taking drugs. The problem of teen addiction to alcohol can bring only disaster to the young people concerned and misery to their families an... ...inking is against the law, teenagers do not perceive it as a bad thing as long as they are responsible and designate drivers. The good news is they do designate drivers. Nearly two thirds of drinking teenagers always establish a designated driver when drinking with friends. The age when young people are taking their first drink is becoming lower each year. Many studies show that preteens are experimenting with alcohol and many are already heavy drinkers. It may be difficult for parents and teachers to believe that a seventh grade student can have an alcohol problem, but a study of student drinking practices shows that 5% of seventh-grade boys and 4.4% of seventh-grade girls are seriously abusing alcohol. That's why we see the consequences in terms of antisocial behavior, school failure, attention deficit, learning disabilities and road accidents among the teenagers.

Analysis of the documentary Harlan County, USA Essay

I. SUMMARY OF FACTS The film’s central focus is the real-life documentation of a strike stages by miners in the Brookside Mine against Duke Power Company, a large energy company in the United States, for its alleged unfair labor practices, dangerous working conditions, and low wages. It also highlights the lack of response of the United Mine Workers of America (UWMA) towards the plight of the workers. Basically, film director and producer Barbara Kopple, together with her crew, spent years with the miners and their families portrayed and documented their poor working and living conditions. She followed them as they rallied in front of the New York stock exchange and also interviewed miners affected by black lung disease or coalminer’s pneumoconiosis. The film also documented that main source of discord between the company and the miners was the no-strike clause in the contract, which was eventually removed. Moreover, the film also showed how the company increased its profits by more than 100 per cent while the miners only received a 4 per cent pay increase   despite the 7 per cent increaese in the cost of living in the same year. Major elements also shown in the documentary include the prevalence of country music, which has more or less been one of the themes of the entire strike. However, the most significant events shown in the documentary are the murders of two miners, Joseph Yablonski and his family, and Lawrence Jones. Their deaths eventually changed the tide for the miners as the management finally a agreed to arrange a bagain with them, ending the strike. II. ISSUES 1.What factors could have caused the company to exploit the miners the way they did? 2.What were the possible social and economic factors that compelled the miners to continue working for the company before finally staging a strike? 3.In what ways is the film an important cultural masterpiece and an eye-opener to society? III. DISCUSSION 1.   In general, there are a number of factors that come into play with regard to the exploitation of miners in the film.   First is the human factor since Duke Power Company is run by humans. Therefore, they are prone to temptations, sin, and emotions, among many others. In addition, the socio-economic status of the miners played an important role in pushing their employers to exploit them. For example, as shown in the documentary, the almost of all of the miners are impoverished. So when they were able to find employment as coalminers, they possibly saw it as a golden opportunity for them to make a living and improve their conditions which is why they agreed to work for the company without considering the unfair labor practices at the time. Seeing that the miners are seemingly eager to find work, the company willingly exploited them by providing them with dangerous working conditions and low wages. In a way, it would even appear that the miners were indebted to the company for providing them with jobs. 2. Poverty is clearly one of the most significant economic factors that compelled the miners to work for the the company. As shown in the film, the miners experienced some of the worst living conditions. Almost of all do not have sufficient water and food, among other basic necessities. Seeing that they were in dire need of means to improve their lives, they willingly allowed themselves to be exploited so long as they are able to make a living (Biskind n.p.). However, as depicted in the documentary, the miners were unaware of the poor working conditions that awaited them, which included the no strike clause in their contracts, which was eventually removed. However, in a way, the miners felt that the clause in the contract initially meant that their place in the company is secure and there will never be any need for them to stage a strike. But eventually, they realized that the strike prevented them from influencing the labor practices of the company and this is why they pushed for its removal. 3. The documentary as a whole serves as an important cultural piece and an eye-opener mainly because of the painful reality that it depicted. Aside from the impoverished miners, the documentary also captured on film true to life events such as imprisoned strikers, rioters, violence, courtrooms, and even murder. It can also be said that the documentary had a more human side to it, as director Kopple took various risks by attending the actual strikes and pickets and also interviewing the members of the miners and their families. Aside from showing the plight of the miners, it also depicted how people with little to no education are abused and exploited by those who rank higher in society. Most of all, the strength of the film lies heavily on its moral authority (Biskind n.p.) as it does not simply portray heroes and villains, but simply the truth and the lessons to be learned from it. IV. OPINION Over-all, I believe that the document is a highly essential piece that depicts the realities of one of the poorest working classes in the country- the coal miners. I am sure that most people, myself included, are not aware of the dangers that accompany the job such as black lung disease, which is fatal. In general, I believe that the the film was successful in depicting how these coalminers risk their lives to ensure that the homes and businesses of thousands of Americans are supplied with electicity and power and therefore, they more than deserve, at the very least, safe working conditions, fair labor practices, and higher wages.

Prep for Assignment 3hrc

Ought Preparation for Assignment 3HRC Activity A A new manager is starting in the organisation shortly. You have been asked to provide a ten minute presentation that will give the manager some understanding of the organisation in preparation for their start. The presentation may be made one-to-one or to a larger group. The information you provide should include: †¢ the purpose and goals of the organisation a list of the main products and services of the organisation †¢ an identification of the main customers †¢ an analysis of a minimum of 4 external factors and their impact on the business activities of an organisation †¢ the structure and at least 4 functions of the organisation †¢ an explanation of how these different functions work together within the organisation to optimise performance †¢ an identification of the culture of the organisation and at least 2 ways this affects operations Purpose and goals | | | |The purpose of our organisation is to giv e support and advice to the public who are in need of | | |welfare.Our goals are to get people into work and to help claim the right benefits; giving the | | |best possible service provided by our knowledgeable in house advisers. We provide an integrated | | |service through a single point of contact and focus on work as the best way to lift families out| | |of poverty, to raise incomes and to combat social exclusion. | | | | | | |Main products and services | | | |The products we offer are JSA, ESA, Pensions and Income Support but the list doesn’t end there. | | |We help with Carers Allowance and other means tested benefits.We offer services and advice to | | |all our customers which include internal customers in other departments within our organisation. | | | | | | | | | | |Main customers | | | |We have an extensive customer base our direct customers are the Public.We also have Employers | | |(providing jobs and training), Agencies, Providers who help our long term unemploy ed into work, | | |Local Councils , Schools and Colleges, Training establishments, The Army, Navy the list goes on | | |and all of whom have a role to play in the welfare to work agenda. | | | | | | |4 external factors and their impact |There are many external factors that have an impact on us its quite vast so I’ll stick to the | | |main causes †¦. | | |1.The Recession†¦ re-educating the public on how to find work and applying a different outlook | | |on what jobs are available in our immediate industrial area. | | |2. Redundancies†¦ mean more claimants; increase in work load which in turn will mean learning new| | |roles within the departments and consolidating our procedures to cope with the rising of | | |unemployment. | |3. New employers create work for our customers so we have to be on the pulse of what’s happening| | |in our local industries. This also has an impact on off flow and work load again creating more | | |work within our establishment t o maintain records of our customers. | |4. Any government legislation change has a big impact on us with new learning skills being | | |implemented within our departments and getting the right information fed down to us from | | |management so we can deliver the changes to the public as accurately and as quickly as possible. | | | | | | |Structure of the organisation + 4 functions |Our Structure is of a Hierarchical type. We have many departments of which are led by a site | | |Manager and departmental mangers who hand off to line managers to our individual teams. | |We are monitored by performance and performance issues to get the right balance. We make sure we| | |are up to date with all new changes in procedures and policies and deliver them to the public. | | |We need to maintain the delivery of our business to succeed in helping to get the economy back | | |on track. | |We have a responsibility to progress and achieve and highlight any areas where good practice has| | |not been met. | | |The DWP and Jobcentre Plus have to promote disability and equality, race and gender and good | | |customer service. | | | | | | | | | |How the functions work together | | | |These functions promote a good working practice to deliver a strong and diverse workforce.This | | |maintains the delivery of our business as a whole and monitors the performance of the | | |organisation. | | | | | | |Culture of the organisation and 2 ways this affects| | |operations |The Jobcentre is a key part of the Government’s strategy for welfare reform.It brings together | | |the services of the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency to provide a single point of | | |delivery for jobs, benefits advice and support for people of working age. | |We have everything under one roof giving benefits and employment advice, a personal adviser | | |service to help people back into work, and work-focused interviews for all new benefit claimants| | |of working age. | | |All Claimants have the sup port and encouragement to move towards independence and work.We are | | |flexible, innovated and always have on going learning to deliver excellence in customer service. | | |. | | | | | | | | | |