Self Of Damasio And Descartes Essays - Philosophy, Metaphysics

Self Of Damasio And Descartes 1. Explain Damasio's view as to what Descartes' error is, and why he thinks Descartes is "in error"? How do Descartes and Damasio differ as to what the"self" is? Damasio and Descartes differ greatly as to what the "self" is all about. They have different answers to the philosophical question of what makes up the self, and determines who a person is. A person's identity is more than just the body they both agree, but have different reasons why. Descartes is also known as " the founder of modern philosophy" he is most known for his cogito argument of "I think therefore I am". He thinks that one cannot doubt their own existence because something must be doing the doubting. Although, that statement was refuted later by some, who said the fact that you think pre-assumes existence. Descartes also refutes skeptics by saying that they cannot deny they are thinking and something must be undergoing that thinking, so one cannot deny that they exist. Descartes starts his arguments by saying that God is the guaranteed, and uses his existence to prove other things. First though, he says he will not believe anything until he proves that God exists. Once he does this using the circular argument, he proceeds to talk about the separation of mind and body and his beliefs. The circular argument simply states that if you believe in the light of nature, you believe in God, and if you believe the causality principles you believe in the other two. He believes that the mind and body are two entirely separate entities, the soul is independent from the body, and the mind is for reason and rationality. The emotions of the body are what interfere with reason, and the body is used for all of the sensory things such as sound, sight, and pain. Based on this, he thinks that a person cannot know a substance. The way a person can "know" a substance is only through its qualities. For example, one cannot know soap; they can only associate its qualities such as scent, shape, and color. "How does one know the notion of color?" he speculates. One can only know a substance through experience. Descartes argument with the wax shows his idea of how one does not experience the thing itself, but its properties. These physical characteristics are the only way to relate to the body, which one cannot know. One can only experience or "know" the mind. This leads to his discussion of complex and primitive ideas. Primitive ideas require experience, and complex ideas do not. A complex idea is something like the notion of infinity, or language. Descartes believed there was no definition of infinity, and would not accept a negative definition to resolve his problem. He believed that God was the infinite thing. The only widely accepted belief at that time was that mathematics were undeniable, and ever present in the world. Essentially the world is composed of mathematics, which gave a lot of merit to his proof of the existence of God. Another two principles Descartes used to further his arguments were that of formal and objective reality. The idea of formal reality is that formal reality is what is actually out there in the world, kind of the ultimate truth. Objective reality on the other hand is the ideas that are in our minds, what we perceive to be true. Descartes comes to the conclusion that an idea must have at least as much formal reality as objective reality. He also uses this notion to further his proof of God's existence. He wants to find an idea that has more objective reality than formal reality. This, he deduces, is God. He also comes to the conclusion that people cannot be the cause of an idea like God because it doesn't have as much formal reality as objective reality. This means that as humans we cannot know for sure what the formal reality is, but what we do know is objective reality. Unless God is a deceiving demon this must mean that he exists, because why would he create a world of deception, when he is a perfect being? In other words, God obviously exists because what we know to be true about him must be true, because there is no truer formal reality in regards to the idea of God. Eventually a problem arises for Descartes known as the Mind-Body problem. He observes that one can fully understand their own mind, thus understand their

Pronouncing the Spanish C and Z

Pronouncing the Spanish C and Z The letter c of Spanish has three sounds that are very different from each other - and one of those three sounds, which is also the z sound of Spanish, varies with the region. Fortunately, the distinction as to which sound is used follows a rule much like that used in determining the pronunciation of c in English. 3 Pronunciations of C The sound of the c depends on the letter that follows: When the c is followed by h, the two letters together form the ch sound, which is very similar to the the ch sound of English in words such as church and cheap. It is never pronounced like the ch in architecture (the Spanish equivalent is arquitectura).When the c is followed by any other consonant or by the vowel  o, or u, it has sound of the English k but is slightly less explosive. Note that the English c has approximately the same sound when followed by the same letters. Thus casa (house) is pronounced much like CAH-sah, and clase (class) is pronounced much like CLAH-seh.The third sound is the one that varies by region. For most Spanish speakers, including nearly all in Latin America, the c is pronounced much like the English s when it comes before an e or i. Note that the same is true in English. So cielo (sky) is pronounced much like SYEH-loh for most Spanish speakers, and cena (dinner) is pronounced much like SEH-nah. However, in most of Spain, especially outside the areas wh ere Catalan is also spoken, the c before e or i is pronounced much like that th in thin - but not the th in that. In most of Spain, then, cielo is pronounced like THYEH-low and cena like THEH-nah. (To avoid confusion between the two th sounds, linguists sometimes represent the unvoiced th with ÃŽ ¸, the Greek letter theta. So the pronunciations of the two words might be represented as ÃŽ ¸YEH-loh and ÃŽ ¸EH-nah.) Contrary to a common urban legend, the third sound of c in Spain is not a lisp. It is simply the way the letter is pronounced. Pronouncing the Z The third c sound represents the z sound as well. The z sound doesnt vary with the letters that follow. You can hear the letter, including regional variations, pronounced here. Note that the z sound doesnt have the buzz that it does in English. So while you may be tempted to prononce zumbar (to hum) as someing like zoom-BAHR, its correct pronunciation is either soom-BAHR or thoom-BAHR, depending on whether youre in Spain or Latin America. In the word pizza, however, the double-z is generally pronounced in imitation of Italian, giving the word a pronunciation similar to what it has in English. Spelling With the C and Z With few exceptions, the z isnt followed by an e or i; a c is used before those letters instead. Thus the equivalent of zero is cero, zinc is cinc, and zebra is cebra. Among the few exceptions are words of foreign origin such as zigzaguear (to zigzag) and zepelà ­n (zeppelin). When a noun or adjective ends in z and is made plural, the z changes to c. Thus the plural of faz (face) is faces, and the plural of pez (fish) is peces. More examples: una actriz feliz, dos actrices felices (one happy actress, two happy actresses)una nariz, tres narices (one nose, three noses)la luz, las luces (the light, the lights)el juez voraz, los juezes voraces (the greedy judge, the greedy judges) The c and z can also change in conjugated verb forms. The z changes to c if it becomes followed by an e, so one of the forms of empezar (to begin) is empecà ©. Also, the c changes to qu when followed by an e or i, so the forms of tocar (to touch or play) include toquà © and toquemos. Some other examples of verb  conjugations affected by these spelling rules: comenzar, comencà ©, que comiences, que comiencen (to begin, I began, that you begin, that they begin)trozar, trocà ©, que troces, que troccen (to break, I break, that you break, that they break)cocer, que yo cueza. que cozamos (to cook, that I cook, that we cook)

Class Difference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Class Difference - Essay Example Social classes in most parts of the world are categorized on the basis of material wealth and political power and influence. People in different social classes are characterized by various defining factors that serve as the key identifying characteristics of that class. The higher a social class occupied by an individual in society, the better their living conditions and life compared to other lower social classes in society. Through the ages, different individuals have used literature to portray the differences that exist in social classes across various cultural and traditional contexts. The use of literature to highlight and discuss class differences in various contexts of society is seen as an elaborate way of creating awareness about these aspects. Literature is a tool that surpasses and permeates across gender, cultural and traditional barriers that are set up by society and it can be used to convey vital messages. Through the various readings in class, there have been illustra tions from books that touch on class differences and their characteristics, influences and impacts on society. This paper seeks to discuss class differences as portrayed and depicted by various authors, the context in which these class differences are used in the books. Garcia Marquez’s short story titled A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings tells of a family’s encounter with a strange-looking man with wings on his back. This man was discovered washed up on the shores of the ocean by Pelayo and Elisenda’s children. This family took the man in and gave him shelter in a chicken coop where he recuperates from his injuries and illness. There are various notions of social class in this short story as portrayed by the positions and opinions taken by different characters in the story. According to the tone and tune of the story, it is apparent that the community is largely composed of peasant fishermen and women. This can be attributed to the observed industrious nature and ability to turn misfortunes into fruitful and productive ventures that serve to alleviate their position and class in society. The characters’ industrious nature that is seen in their efforts to make money is a translation of people’s awareness in the importance of wealth and money in order to change their class status. The Pelayo family saw a money making opportunity with the old man with enormous wings, and they started charging 5 cents to anyone who wanted to see the old man. This saw them amass a large amount of money enough for them to build a mansion with nets, gardens and balconies. The same is seen when a woman who is said to have disobeyed her parents turns into a tarantula spider and goes by the name spider woman. In the case of the spider woman, people who want to hear her story have to toss meatballs at the Spiderwoman (Williams 53). Meatballs were her only forms of nourishment thus she opted to take advantage of people’s curiosity to earn a mean s of survival. Social classes are portrayed to be constructed notions that can be attained as illustrated by the industrious efforts of characters in the abovementioned short story. People recognize the elemental importance of money or wealth in creating favorable conditions for an ideal class. Father Gonzaga can be construed to have held a higher social class that most of the citizens in the mentioned community in the short story. This gives insight into the intricacies involved in the construction of social classes because in this case, father Gonzaga’

How does underwater birth affect neonatal health and well being Essay

How does underwater birth affect neonatal health and well being - Essay Example Naturally, this procedure of birth requires a large accumulation of water like a pool or a tub, which can be utilized as an effective receptive medium of labor (Cluett, Burns, 2011, p.2). Water birth represents a unique way of giving birth and marks a departure from the traditional labor procedure. People have been curious to know the effectiveness and success of this new process. For this purpose, there have been numerous studies and researches undertaken to find out the effects of water birth on the pregnant women and also on the newborn infants. For expectant mothers, giving birth in water is considered to a much more gentle process than the conventional labor method lying on a bed. Studies have shown that water birth enhances maternal relaxation, decreases the analgesia requirements and encourages the women to easily adopt a model of care for their newborns. However, the benefits of the water birth process on neonatal health have not yet been so emphatically established. There is still a lot of discussion and research being undertaken on the impact of water birth on the health of the babies born by this method. This literature review has attempted to examine the information available on this topic. Women from across the world often opt for water birth as this eases the process of labor. However, they should also be made aware of the impacts on this method on the health condition of the new born infants. This would help expectant mothers to make an informed decision regarding a suitable procedure of giving birth. The findings of the different reviews are expected to provide conclusive results on the relevant subject. The existing research work will be examined and evaluated to find out whether there exist valid inferences which can help expecting women to make a prudent decision regarding their own health and that of their newborn children. (Ros, 2009, p.36) The

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Strategy - Essay Example This will range from an individual to an organisation. A contractor of a construction project can subcontract the electricity wiring to the subcontractor. Recommendation as a subcontractor or main contractor The amount of resources available would determine whether a company or an individual can be the main contractor or the subcontractor. The private family owned company would be better off operating as a sub contractor rather than a main contractor or even carrying out both the activities of the main contractor and the subcontractor. The operations of the company as evidenced by the financial statements indicate large amounts of sum that has been used to transact the liabilities. As much as the liabilities still run lower than the assets, the margin is very small and would not guarantee that the company will not incur losses soon. A company would consider being a main contractor or a subcontractor depending on the balance between the assets and liabilities. This financial statement is important to determine the profitability and the liquidity of the company. A subcontractor may decide to operate so not only because of the limit of resources but because the subcontractor is more specialised in a given section of the contract than the main contractor. The company’s decision to become a main or subcontractor should be based on the health and safety of the employees and workers of the organisation which would have been provided to give a judgement that is based on all the factors that affect the operation of the compan

Self-Assessment and Reflection Essay -- Personal Writing Essays Papers

Self-Assessment and Reflection   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the last seven weeks, I had an opportunity to look back and analyze the events that has shaped my life. This was a unique experience where I was emotionally comfortable enough to look back at life. I was able to objectively revisit many events that were often buried and too painful to face. I was free from the turmoil of emotional fears of failure, anger, regret and loneliness, which often clouded my perception. . I was able to dwell on many pleasant and unpleasant events with more comfort and confidence. I accepted each event as part of life, regardless of whether it was a good or bad experience. I understand that life transpires even when we are not prepared for it, but more importantly, it is how we deal with circumstances that keep us going forward. For the first time, there was clarity and I became aware of two main points one was my life changing/challenging experience and the second was my financial growth. My life has been a journey filled with challenging experience, which consist of some unfixable actions, like leaving home. I grew up in an authoritarian, religious environment where personal expression and freedom did not exist. Since I could remember, there was a constant pressure for me to conform into Indian Christian society. Over the years the burden of not being able to convey my feelings and endless demands grew to hatred and retaliation toward my parents. The day after my high school graduation, without lett...

Martha Graham Essay

Discuss the influence Martha Graham had on the development of Modern Dance. Make detailed reference to her technique, choreography, and performing. Modern Dance is a style of dance that originated in the early 1920s as a rejection of Classical Ballet; it can be used to show raw emotion, political/social issues, and freedom. Martha Graham (11th May 1894 – April 1st 1991) was an American dancer who had a large impact on Modern Dance. The development of Modern Dance was largely impacted by Martha Graham, particularly by her influence on technique, choreography, and performance. Martha Graham was the first person to develop a technique for Modern Dance; this had a huge a huge influence on the dance’s development. The technique Graham developed was the ‘contract and release’ technique. Contractions in Modern Dance show negativity and vulnerability. The contractions are shown by the body pulling in at the torso and the arms, legs, and head, being pulled toward the torso as if in an attempt to protect it and appear smaller. The release shown in Modern Dance shows positivity and fearlessness. It is shown when the arms and head are held out from the body and the torso is pushed out, this movement appears bigger than the contract movement. Martha Graham attended the ‘Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts’; the style of dance which Ruth St. Denis taught was very oriental based. The Denishawn School was the first dance school for Modern Dance. Attending the Denishawn School was a good start for Graham although she wanted to develop her own ideas and not only learn from others. Attending Denishawn inspired Graham to develop her own technique and helped her to do so; this technique drastically influenced Modern Dance in the years of its development. Graham’s choreography was often inspired by cultural issues and largely featured abstract movement. Martha Graham often used abstract movement in her choreography to show emotions. Abstract movement was a technique which entailed boiling down emotions and movements to the purest and most raw form. She used abstract movement in her work piece ‘Lamentation’(1930). This showed her portraying the feeling of grief; not the act of grieving but the feeling itself without any attachment or already known ideas of acts of grieving. During the 1920s America was dealing with the backslash of The First World War and was beginning to enter into an era of carelessness, parties, bootlegging, and The Great Depression. Classical Dance was becoming an ever-more popular form of entertainment however it was devoid of any real meaning or messages; it was this that brought about the rise of Modern Dance. Martha Graham used Modern Dance as a medium for expressing her views on these social issues and took a lot of inspiration from these issues. One example of a dance based on social or cultural events is Appalachian Spring (1944). Appalachian Spring is a dance based on the celebration of the American pioneers after building a farmhouse, showing that they had successfully settled into America. Conveying ideas about social and cultural issues was a new concept in dance as was abstract movement and these concepts greatly influenced Modern Dance. Martha Graham was original in the way that she would create the performances that she made. Graham was the first in Modern Dance to collaborate with other artists so as to include all art forms in her performances. She collaborated with Louis Horst, Isamu Noguchi, and Aaron Copland while creating her performances. Louis Horst was a music accompanist and would play music while she performed, Isamu Noguchi was a sculptor and would sculpt Graham’s props and sets, and Aaron Copland was a composer and he would compose the music to go with Grahams dances. One of the things Graham did to highlight the differences between Modern Dance and classical dance was that she would choreograph a dance and then music would be written to accompany the dance as opposed to the order which takes place during classical dance where the music has already been written and a dance is choreographed to accompany the music. Because of the ways that Martha Graham produced her performances this influenced Modern Dance through example. Modern Dance’s development has been hugely influenced by Martha Graham. She has influenced dance through her introduction of techniques, her new ways of choreographing dance, and through her ideas for new ways to produce performances.