The Wisdom of Khan

The Wisdom of Khan Earlier this week I blogged about Michael Lewis commencement address at Princeton. Today was MITs commencement, and our speaker was Sal Khan 98, perhaps best known as the founder of Khan Academy. There is little I can add to Khans awesome address, so I will instead link you to it here, or let you read the full text below: It is truly a deep honor to be here at MIT. Not only did I spend some of the best years of my life here, but it has proven to continue to define my life in countless ways. Many of you may not remember, but in the late 1990s and early 2000s, many corporations and universities were exploring how they could profit or protect themselves from online education. Then MIT stepped in the mix and launched MIT OpenCourseWare. As powerful as the offering had the potential to be, MIT's rationale for it was even more powerful. MIT was implicitly saying that some things are more important than profit or any strategic concerns. Even if it would cost the Institute potential revenues, MIT had the moral clarity to realize that if it could give access to knowledge to people around the world for free, it should and would. I was busy working at a startup in San Francisco when the announcement came out in 2001. I had no idea then that my own life-adventure would be so closely linked, but when MIT had announced OpenCourseWare, I never felt prouder or more inspired by where I had gone to school. When others were exploring what was profitable or how to defend their existing offerings or just watched from the sidelines, MIT had the moral clarity and boldness to just do what it thought was right. Many universities aspire to teach their students ethics; but nothing is more powerful than when they lead by example. This in no small way inspired what has now become the Khan Academy. And now, MIT has once again put principle over profit by spearheading edX with Harvard. For this and many, many other reasons, I am honored to come here and thank the institution that I love so much for reminding me through its actions what is most important. But MIT has also affected me on a more personal level. Many of my very closest friends are alumni. My wife went to MIT. The president of Khan Academy was my freshman year roommate in Next House (Room 343). His wife went to MIT. One of our board members went to MIT. His wife went to MIT. Of our many close friends from MIT, 90 percent are married to each other. Now, I think this many friendships and marriages coming out of one place, as romantic as the Infinite Corridor may be, begs some introspection. In fact, so extreme is the coupling that I have observed here that I have sometimes suspected that this whole place is just a front for a DARPA-funded human breeding project. However, there are simpler explanations for all of this MIT-MIT love. The most likely of which is that the admissions office here has a somewhat unhealthy habit of only accepting incredibly attractive people. But I think it also goes still deeper than that. I always tell people that MIT is the closest thing to being Hogwarts â€" Harry Potter’s wizarding school â€" in real life. The science and innovation that occurs here looks no different than pure magic to most of the world. The faculty here are the real-world McGonagalls â€" that’s you President Hockfield â€" and Dumbledores. There are secret tunnels and passages with strange wonders and creatures around every corner â€" some of whom may just finish their thesis this decade. The names of history’s great wizards surround us here in Killian Court â€" from Aristotle to Galileo, Newton to Darwin. They remind us that we have inherited an ancient art. One that, despite being vilified or suppressed by forces of ignorance throughout history, is the prime cause of human progress and well-being. Also like Hogwarts, MIT brings young people from around the country and world who are a little bit off-the-charts in their potential for this “magic.” Some come from environments and communities that celebrated their gifts. Others had to actively hide their abilities and passions for fear of being ostracized and ridiculed. Students come to MIT from every religion, every ethnicity. Some from educated, affluent families, others from ones that live at or near poverty. But they â€" you, we â€" shared a common passion. Something that made us feel a little different. We sensed that MIT might be a place where there were others like us. Where we could challenge ourselves and develop our craft. More than, I believe, any institution, MIT attracts and admits this type of creative raw potential, these young people with unusual gifts, with the desire to and ability to push all of humanity forward. And more than any other institution, MIT pushes these incredible young people to realize what they are capable of. This is a place where students with perfect SAT scores and genius level IQs can and will fail exams. A place where students who may have been the brightest student in their school, state or country often feel mediocre and stressed. A place where sleep regularly takes a back seat to the intellectual intensity of the curriculum. But this intensity is what forges deep bonds, honesty and compassion. You have laughed together, comforted each other, procrastinated together and cried together. You have been with each other at your best and worst moments. Like soldiers who have fought alongside each other, you have shared experiences that the rest of the world may not understand or even comprehend. Because of this, whenever you see another MIT graduate the rest of your life, you know that you have a past in common. That you both have secret powers that you often keep hidden from regular view. Regardless of how different your pre-MIT backgrounds may have been, you will feel deeply connected â€" like people meeting from a long lost village or family or galaxy. You will actively seek other MIT people out. When others talk about an intellectually challenging experience they had or complain about how hard they had to work, you will glance at the other MIT grad in the room and share a quick smirk. And if you are the preferred gender for each other, then you also might just realize that they have a certain twinkle in the eye. A certain beauty to the tilt of their head when they are deep in thought. Their competence and expertise makes you wonder what type of civilization you could create together. In short, you discover that you find them irresistibly attractive. So coming here, I really feel like I have come to my roots. That I am surrounded by an incredibly good-looking family that I am deeply connected to and that I care deeply about. Many of you will soon enter the outside world and be somewhat taken aback. It will be far less efficient, far less fair, far less productive, and far more political than what you may have imagined it to be. There will be pessimism and cynicism everywhere. It is easy to succumb to this, to become cynical or negative yourself. If you do, you with the potential that you have, it would be a loss for yourself and for humanity. To fight these forces of negativity, to increase the net positivity in the world, to optimize the happiness of yourself and the people you love, here are some tips and tools that I like to return to. I am not too much older than most of you, so take all of this with a large grain of salt. Start every morning with a smile â€" even a forced one â€" it will make you happier. Replace the words “I have to” with “I get to” in your vocabulary. Smile with your mouth, your eyes, your ears, your face, your body at every living thing you see. Be a source of energy and optimism. Surround yourself with people that make you better. Realize or even rationalize that the grass is truly greener on your side of the fence. Just the belief that it is becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. View stressful, political interactions as nothing more than a deeply immersive strategy game. One that can be won if you stay focused on what matters most and your emotions and ego are not tied to your argument. If you find yourself arguing with someone whom you respect and love, try to surrender your own ego to the shared identity you have with that person. In the heat of an argument, do the opposite of what your pride tells you to do. If you have the self-control, stop talking and give your opponent a random, intense minute-long hug. Make people feel that you care about them. And here’s, a well, a little secret, the best way to do this is to actually care about them. Make people feel that you are listening to them. Another little secret, the best way to do this is to actually listen. When you gain or lose material things, remember how silly they really are. How little they mean relative to your health and relationships. When you feel stressed, look up at the night sky and ponder the distance to the next star and the age of the universe. Think of all the other stressed sentient creatures from other star systems and galaxies looking out in the vastness of space in wonder and awe and take comfort in your shared experience. When you feel overwhelmed, walk alone through the woods and forget your name, your title, your education and view yourself for what you really are â€" another mammal wondering why it is here but appreciating the fact that your civilization has not as yet been evaporated by a supernova. Try to build true empathy. Regardless of your actual spiritual beliefs, it is sometimes helpful to imagine that time is not linear; that in past or future, or I guess parallel life, you literally are, have been or will be every person. That after this life, you will go back in time and be reincarnated as the person you are arguing with, or passing judgment on (and will then have to put up with the current version of you). Remember that real success is maximizing your internally derived happiness. It will not come from external status or money or praise. It will come from a feeling of contribution. A feeling that you are using your gifts in the best way possible. Also remember that whom you choose as a life partner is a far more important decision than what career you choose to pursue. If you are lucky enough to have a true equal, someone who fills you with joy and emotional contentment, with whom you have deep shared values, who respects you and loves you for your innate you-ness; no superficial, external failure or conflict can faze you. But keep in mind that if you care about someone, but not enough to commit to them, the most selfish thing you can do is not let them move on. Money is important for the basic necessities, and even luxuries, of life. All of you will be able to buy expensive fruit and go to Sea World whenever you want to. Beyond that, and many of you will go far beyond that, money is a command over resources â€" including people â€" and should be viewed as a serious responsibility. Like money, status can be a powerful tool. But they can both distort your reality away from true internal groundedness. One of my roommates when I was two years out of college, who had formerly been a bit of a track star at MIT, and I had finished watching Chariots of Fire one night at 2 a.m. I told him that it made me feel like running. He simply told me “Don’t waste inspiration.” I reminded him that it is 2 a.m. He said “so what; don’t waste inspiration.” I looked at him for a few seconds and realized that he was dead serious. I jumped off the couch, threw on my running shoes and took to the streets. If you ever feel inspired, take action with it. Don’t let anyone tell you why you shouldn’t; at least lace up and give it a try. On a similar vain, inertia, pride or fear should never be the reason why you close your mind to opportunity. Most of my own life, I thought I had to choose between a safe route and the adventurous. When I was your age, I was a bit skeptical of speeches like this. I thought, sure, the guy at the podium can talk about changing the world, but what about my student loans, what about my family that has worked so hard to get me here. What about all the people who pursued their dreams and failed? Wouldn’t it be selfish of me to give up the secure path for the long shot at the audacious? I can’t say this to any group of young people, but for those of you graduating today, I believe that you can have both: security and adventure. Bread on the table while taking your shots at the moon. We’re at a unique point in history. Where what once required many people spending many years and many millions can now be done by a small group of inspired people from a dorm room, or in my case, a bedroom closet. Ideas can be proven before they need to be committed to. The revolutions of our generation â€" in business, education, social structure and even politics â€" are not being catalyzed by generals or politicians, but by highly empowered individuals like yourselves â€" the wizards of our time so speak â€" who can see with clarity how the assumptions of previous generations no longer apply. And the revolutions often grow out of nothing more than an intense hobby, an inspired attempt of seeing if things can be rethought a little better. So go forth with your careers, but leave space for your passions. Remember that you are much, much more than a title or a bank account. You are dancers and poets, inventors and athletes, musicians and innovators. If you give your passions room to breathe, you might find that is all they need to help you move the dial forward for everyone. And this isn’t just a commencement speaker trying to make you feel good or take weight off your shoulders. This is another member of your species who knows how badly the world needs you. Who knows that MIT graduates, like a tall person who learns to slouch to not stand out, sometimes undersell who they are, even to themselves. I am, in fact, putting weight on your shoulders because I know how scarce and important a resource you are. So with all that said, let me leave you with a thought experiment I use to help keep my priorities in check. Imagine yourself in 50 years. You’re in your early 70s, near the end of your career. You’re sitting on your couch, having just watched the State of the Union holographic address by President Kardashian. You begin to ponder your life. The career successes, how you’ve been able to provide for your family. You’ll think of all the great moments with your family and friends. But then you start to think about all of the things you wished you had done just a little differently, your regrets. I can guess at what they might be. Sitting in 2062, you wish that you had spent more time with your children. That you had told your spouse how much you loved them more frequently. That you could have even one more chance to hug your parents and tell them how much you appreciate them before they passed. That you could have smiled more, laughed more, danced more and created more. That you better used the gifts you were given to empower others and make the world better. Just as you’re thinking this, a genie appears from nowhere and says, “I have been eavesdropping on your regrets. They are valid ones. I can tell you are a good person so I am willing to give you a second chance if you really want one.” You say “Sure” and the genie snaps his fingers. All of a sudden you find yourself right where you are sitting today. It is June 8, 2012, at Killian Court. You are in your shockingly fit and pain-free 20-something body and begin to realize that it has really happened. You really do have the chance to do it over again. To have the same career successes and deep relationships. But, now you can optimize. You can laugh more, dance more and love more. Your parents are here again so it is your chance to love them like you wished you had done the first time. You can be the source of positivity that you wished you had been the first time around. So now I stand here, once again deeply honored to be here. Excited by what you, the MIT class of 2012 â€" both undergrads and graduate students â€" the young wizards of our time â€" a time like no other in human history â€" will do with your second chance.

Family Structures And The Family Structure Essay - 1917 Words

It is commonly accepted in contemporary society that family structures are defined as being either a nuclear family, or one that strays away from that. According to Dalton Conley in the fourth edition of You May Ask Yourself, the nuclear family is defined as a familial form consisting of a father, a mother, and their children (453). By definition and contemporary societal norms, my family would be categorized as abnormal or different. Having been raised in an apartment in the Bronx, New York with only my mother, I have a different idea of what normal familial structures tend to be. Despite being brought up in a home with a single mother, I have a vivid recollection of those in my hometown being raised in very similar circumstances. Similarly, it seems everyone around me had the same sort of familial â€Å"story†: raised by one parent, occasionally spoke to your parents’ siblings and hung out with your first cousins, have a crazy uncle. To people of different demographic s than myself and my family, these characteristics may appear to be unfamiliar and atypical, however, to me they are what amalgamate to create the urban version of the nuclear family. The traditional stereotype is that mother’s hold families together. According to page 461 in Conley’s You May Ask Yourself, families changed drastically after World War II in that the mother became more active in the workforce and contributed to the economic well being of their family. But even before this shift, women tended to theShow MoreRelatedFamily Structures And Family Structure Essay1830 Words   |  8 Pagesargues that today, family pathways are more important than family structure. In this context, family structure refers to the organization of a family, and the way that it has been changing as a result of the gender revolution. For example, some nontraditional family structures that are explored in the book include double parent families with both parents earning, single paren t families (mostly single mothers), and families with same-sex parents. Gerson argues that while family structures are not negligibleRead MoreFamily Structure And Structure Of The British Family1744 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction. Family is the fundamental unit of society. The concept and structure of the British family has seen a change over the last 50 years. These changes have culminated in the decay of marriage and therefore the rise of cohabitation, new forms of family composition and the delay of parenthood, thus, making traditional nuclear family less stable than in previous generations (Jenkins et al. 2009). The aim of this essay is of great importance as it will look at important decades since theRead MoreFamily Structure Of The Family867 Words   |  4 PagesFamily is defined as a group of people related to each other or lives together under the same roof and a place to foster and develop both physical and mental. Family structure can be varied by each family. The family is the fundamental unit and micro-structure of society. The level of development of the family reflects the state of social existence both physical and cultural and based on trust and shared experiences that define how individual members interact and relate to each other and the worldRead MoreThe Family Structure Of Family1095 Words   |  5 PagesThe family structure determines where you derive from and provides a sense of who you are. The typical family structure is perceived as a father and a mother, two children, one boy and one girl, and a pet. The typical family description described above is still promoted and expected to be the â€Å"dream family.† Author Meyerhoff, â€Å"While the nuclear family with Dad, Mom, and offspring happily coexisting beneath one roof-remains the ideal, variations in family structure are plentiful and often successful†Read MoreFamily Structure And The Family891 Words   |  4 PagesFamily Interview Paper If the family structure is a mobile, the family meal is the string that holds each family in their place. The Grey’s are an entrepreneurial middle class family consisting of dad, mom, and five children. They have four children G, A, P, M, and S. The oldest (G) is ten, and the youngest (S) is one. Dad is a graphics engineer who works from home. Mom is a nursing student. Their schedules give them the flexibility to be involved in the children’s lives most of the day, which canRead MoreThe, Family, And Family Structure1818 Words   |  8 PagesThe most fundamental of a family is interaction. The interconnectedness among family members helps to maintain a family structure. According to McGoldrick (2006), family patterns repeat from one generation to the next generation. These triangular patterns are impacting functioning, relationships, and family structure. Looking at the current and historical context of the family, the genogram illustrated some repetitive patterns i n Michelle’s family. There were many intergenerational losses andRead MoreThe And Structure Of Family1095 Words   |  5 Pagesdefinition and structure of family has significantly developed throughout the years, with liberal perspectives suggesting alternative family arrangements. In 1973, Michael Young and Peter Willmott conducted studies of family life within the London area and concluded that the development and changes within the structure of family life can be sorted into three categories of time. (Van Krieken et al. 2017, p. 107). The pre-industrial family (up until the early 19th century), the early industrial family (IndustrialRead MoreFamily Structure3365 Words   |  14 PagesThe impact of globalization on family–structure: a sociological study Abstract In the present research paper, we shall discuss a study which has been carried out on the Bengali community situating in the lowlands (Tarai) of the Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand and the effect of Modernization and Globalization on their family structure on this community. Its historicity lies in the fact that the Bengali community living in the lowlands of Udham Singh Nagar has all come from East PakistanRead MoreThe Structure Of The American Family Structures933 Words   |  4 PagesThe understanding of the Diverse Family Structures is important as the structure of the American family grows and changes. To be an effective teacher you need to understand your students and their family structure. Some reach I did on this to become more equipped in understanding the family structure while teaching diversity The Many Kinds of Families in Our Communities by Julie Edwards describes the many different types of family structures and a brief description of each one. The next articleRead MoreThe Family Structure Of The Hoover Family Essay1441 Words   |  6 Pages the Hoover family takes a road trip that progressions, each of them exclusively and as a three-generational family. The most unconventionally miserable family you will ever experience. Their individual self-centered identities will put them in terrible positions, however soon enough each family member will work together. As we get to be familiar with each of the Hoovers, we see them separately either making progress toward the status of a broken family. Change for the Hoover family is unequivocal

The Myth Of The Latin Woman By Judith Ortiz Cofer - 892 Words

Inequalities within minorities is not limited to economic unfairness but also social inequity. The second story that shows how inequality within minorities is â€Å"The Myth of the Latin Woman† by Judith Ortiz Cofer. â€Å"The Myth of the Latin Woman† is an essay based on the real life experiences of Judith Ortiz Cofer. The story talks about the racist inequalities she has went through as a women of Hispanic descent. â€Å"a young man, obviously fresh from a pub, spotted me and as if struck by inspiration went down on his knees in the aisle. With both hands over his hearts he broke into an an Irish tenor’s rendition of Maria from West Side Story†. The author retells one of her experiences from earing graduate credits one summer and she is met by someone whom ignorantly makes racists remark simply because she is Latina. Furthermore in the story Cofer mentions how people gave the man a round of applause. â€Å"amused fellow passengers gave his voice the rou nd of gentle applause† (Page 61). This shows that it is acceptable to generalize an ethnic group into a character from West Side Story. In addition to the unfair generalization, Cofer is confronted unfair expectations. I thought you Latin girls were supposed to mature early†. This is unfair assumption made to Cofer. She is treated like a vegetable rather than a girl who traditionally grows into womanhood. This also generalizes Latin women to be matured at a young age. Which is incorrect just because Latinas fall into a small category in societyShow MoreRelatedJudith Ortiz Cofer s The Myth Of The Latin Woman997 Words   |  4 Pagescampfire. This hasn t been the first time I have heard similar remarks, whether it is because I am a woman or a homeschooler. That doesn t make me dumb, lazy or lack social skills. Though most are just myths created by people who make assumptions based on previous experiences with people good or bad and think everyone in that group is the sam e. Judith Ortiz Cofer s essay The Myth of the Latin Woman by speaks to me because I have had similar experiences and I felt her pain. â€Å"As a Puerto RicanRead MoreThe Myth Of The Latin Woman889 Words   |  4 Pages This concept is supported in the essays The Myth Of a Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria by Judith Ortiz Cofer and The Ugly Tourist by Jamaica Kincaid. Both of these authors faced persecution because of their outward appearance. Cofer accounts being misjudged because of her Puerto Rican race. Kincaid shares with her readers the concept of human misinterpretation because of the stereotype of tourism. Of the essays, The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria is the more effectiveRead MoreThe Myth Of The Latin Women : I Just Met A Girl Named Maria1466 Words   |  6 Pagesessay The Myth of the Latin Women: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria by Judith Ortiz. The essay I did not believe it had to be in our syllabus because it really did not have to do much with the student learning outcome was The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson. In the essay of Judith Ortiz The Myth of the Latin Women: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria was an essay I believe many students were able to relate, understand, and reflect with the arguments she pointed out. Judith Ortiz seemedRead MoreThe Myth Of The Latin Wom I Just Met A Girl Named Maria868 Words   |  4 PagesStereotypes are dangerous weapons in our society. â€Å"The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria† is a short essay in which the award winning poet and professor of English, Judith Ortiz Cofer, wishes to inform and persuade the audience that labels and stereotypes can be humiliating and hurtful. The author targets the general public, anyone that doesn’t understand that putting someone in a box because of a stereotype is wrong. Cofer starts out the essay by telling the reader a story withRead Moremyth of Latin women757 Words   |  4 PagesSummary and Response to â€Å"The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria† In â€Å"The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria,† Judith Ortiz Cofer illustrates several hardships she suffered due to the universal, misleading stereotypes propagated by the media. Cofer demonstrates various stereotypes that Latin women are subjected to, such as an experience in which she was regarded as a waitress at a California restaurant, and â€Å"the Hispanic woman as the ‘Hot Tamale’ or sexualRead MoreOvercoming Racism Essay1244 Words   |  5 Pagesracism in America. Having more class than your opponent and keeping ones dignity is still possible when pursuing equality, though it may not always be easy. Judith Ortiz Cofer tells in her essay, â€Å"The Myth of the Latin Woman†, what it is like growing up a Puerto Rican woman in white America, also that one does not need violence or cruelty to overcome racism and stereotypes or to gain equality. Americas tend to be closed mindedRead MoreComparison of Two Personal Narratives1264 Words   |  6 Pages(Roberts, 2010). Literary works tend to cover all aspects of living in a society and the theme of racism, social segregation and class systems is often written on. For this assignment I have chosen to compare two personal narratives; The Myth of the Latin Women by Judith Cofer and Outcasts in Salt Lake City by James Weldon Johnson. Both essays cover the struggle of ethnic minorities and individuals who are at the lower end of the social spectrum, as they struggle to integrate themselves into the mainstreamRead MorePerceptions Paper885 Words   |  4 Pagesof life that are instilled in people throughout childhood and beyond are what distinguishes and molds that person s views on the world. Take, for example, Judith Ortiz- Cofer s essay about a Puerto Rican girl raised to grasp her femininity. The essay is written through Ortiz-Cofer s first hand perspective. The woman is b rought up in a Latin culture and goes through different situations through childhood which lead her to expectations of how the world will perceive her. In the story she goes onRead MoreCompare and Contrast Essay732 Words   |  3 PagesBrent Staples of â€Å"Just Walk On By†, Judith Ortiz Cofer of â€Å"The Myth of the Latin Woman†, and Alice Walker of â€Å"Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self† had discovered their personal/cultural knowledge and identity through their experiences. They might have different experiences in different situation or incident it has the same concept. Brent Staples and Judith Cofer had similarly uncovered how they are being alienated especially in their foreign place. They both had experienced to be mistakenRead MoreWhen We Judge Another We Define Our Self955 Words   |  4 Pagessee what is inside instead of overlooking it, you might find it interesting after all. This quote by my family member can easily be tied to â€Å" The Myth of the Latin Women: I just met a Girl Named Maria† by Judith Ortiz Cofer, and â€Å"Just walk on By: Black Men and Public Spaces† by Brent Staples. Cofer, talks about how she was stereotyped for being a Latin woman in American culture. Then Staples, talks about how he was discriminated for being a tall, black man that worked as a journalist in a predominantly

Ancient Chinese Contributions Free Essays

The world owes a lot to the Chinese for all the major contributions and innovations they introduced. For example, during the Era of Disunity (approx. 220-581 AD) the ancient Chinese invented kites, matches, umbrellas and much more (â€Å"Inventions,† â€Å"n. We will write a custom essay sample on Ancient Chinese Contributions or any similar topic only for you Order Now d. †). The Yuan dynasty brought us paper money, blue and white porcelain and several other contributions (â€Å"Inventions,† â€Å"n. d. †). The discovery of making gunpowder came from the Tang dynasty (200AD) (â€Å"Inventions,† â€Å"n. d. ); the list goes on. The most significant contributions came from the Han dynasty (approx. 202 BC-220 AD) introducing moveable rudder and sails, cast iron technology, wheel barrow, and the hot air balloon (â€Å"Chinese culture,† 2007-2011). More importantly, the Han dynasty brought to the world the manufacturing of paper, the compass and the production of Chinese silk (â€Å"contributions,† 2003-2012). The four most ingenious or innovative contributions are paper, the compass, printing and silk. Europeans thought of Chinese silk as elegant and traders would pay the same weight in gold for this high commodity. Silk was traded along the â€Å"silk road†, another ancient Chinese innovation, which stretched from the Yellow River valley to the Mediterranean, nearly five thousand miles long (Sayre, 2011, p. 224). The silk road was the doorway to the spread of ideas, religions and technologies to the rest of the world. The ancient Chinese taught the world how to harvest silk from silk worms along with paper making, glass making and printing. The first printing technique put to use was block printing, a very lengthy process, from the ancient Tang dynasty. Much time and labor went into block printing, but once the carved block is finished, the advantages of high efficiency and large printing amount made it very worthwhile (â€Å"Chinese culture,† 2007-2011). The printing technique was enhanced with moveable type printing during the Song dynasty by the inventor Bi Sheng. Moveable type printing greatly boosted printing efficiency by reducing block making time. Other advantages were, moveable type was smaller and easier to store and can also be used repeatedly, saving materials (â€Å"Chinese culture,† 2007-2011). We wouldn’t need printing techniques if we did not have the creative invention of paper, also brought to us by the ancient Chinese. Before the invention of paper, characters were written on animal bones, turtle backs or stones (â€Å"Chinese culture,† 2007-2011). The Han dynasty produced paper from fibrous hemp, which later, improvements in technique and quality introduced by Cai Lun were made using silk rags, hemp and tree bark. His method, although now simplified, is still used today (Sayre, 2011, p. 226). It is hard to imagine the world without this ingenious invention. Everything we learn comes from some form of media printed on paper, whether it’s a book, magazine, newspaper, encyclopedia or journal. Can you imagine all of us walking around with our clay I Pads? The compass is another great contribution to the world by the ancient Chinese. It was used primarily for religious purposes to determine if a building being constructed was facing the right direction so it could be in perfect harmony with nature. The early compass resembled a wooden circle which had a number of marks on it along with a magnetic spoon on the top (â€Å"contributions,† 2003-2012). Today’s compass is probably the most important navigation tool we have. A mariner wouldn’t dare set out to sea without a compass, nor would a pilot take a flight without a compass, for fear of getting lost. Of all the many contributions given us by the ancient Chinese, the one I could not live without would be the combination of printing and paper. How would I learn without being able to research a book or reference an encyclopedia? In my career, it takes a reference manual to complete a project or task safely and properly. I would miss being able to sit down and read a relaxing novel or magazine in my spare time. I just cannot imagine not having this wonderful contribution. I praise the ancient Chinese for all they have given us. How to cite Ancient Chinese Contributions, Papers

Discussing Raphael and the Fresco Essay Example For Students

Discussing Raphael and the Fresco Essay Visual analysis assignment, discussing Raphael and the Fresco, The School of Athens, (1510-1511). It measures 5. 79 x 8. Mom and is housed in The Stanza Della Signature, Vatican, Rome. Rafael Sansei or Saint (1483 died Rome 1520) was a major art figure in the age of the Renaissance. He was one of the greatest portrait artists of all time and one of the greatest painters of classical figure groupsl Gerard El grand in his studies of Renaissance Art agrees with this statement. He helped to define the Italian High Renaissance. 2 Repeals artistic education began early. His father Giovanni Saint was a painter in the Montenegro court. Raphael in subsequent years trained as a painter and gradually surpassed his teachers. Raphael was possibly a student of Perusing as their painting style was very similar but as Raphael progressed in his studies; his compositions superseded his teachers works. He surpasses his influential mentor Perusing in the rendering of tender yet powerful beauty. 4 It was in 1508 that Raphael was summoned by Pope Julius II to work for the Vatican and it is where Raphael created the monumental work, School of Athens. In 1508 Raphael was summoned by Pope Julius II to work for the Vatican, where he produced his elaborate frescoes and established his own workshop. The age of the Renaissance needs to be understood in order to study and comprehend the School of Athens fresco and its underlying meanings. The ideas and knowledge of Ancient Greece were of paramount importance at this time especially in regards to the practice of art. It w as an era when ancient practices were given a new birth. The name Renaissance was commonly used as well as other definitions, renovation and restitution. This also explains why the artists saw themselves as revolutionaries. They saw their own potential; they had a desire to exist. It was a remarkable feat of self assertion. The humanist ideology and followers of this movement helped to reinvent Classical Greek culture. Patriarch was the most famous of the humanists and was the first to put forward the idea of returning to Classical Antiquity. That this return could only be a new beginning and not simply a matter of blind faith. l The humanists were involved in translating ancient texts, such as Plats Times and Aristotle Mechanical Ethics. They also wanted to reconcile Platonism with a well assimilated Aristotelian but also with the three main religions Christianity, Judaism and Islam. These rediscovered ancient texts could restore man to a place in a cosmos that was ordered differently from the Aristotelian cosmos. Humanism and its influence transformed the Renaissance artists practice, their methods of painting and the subjects expr essed. The ideas of the Ancient Greeks transformed the fields of philology, medicine and theology. 5 The reinterpretation of the sciences, mathematics and physics can be seen with the new developments in painting at this time. To talk about renaissance art is to talk first and foremost about the broader cultural phenomenon of the Renaissance itself. 6 The Renaissance was not a time whereby the ideals of Classical Greece were Just regurgitated. It was the imitation of antiquity which must not be interpreted as a rigid concept. 7 Certain inventions were being introduced in relation to painting during the Renaissance. Elegant gives a chronology of events in relation to the theory of perspective. 8 In 1300 Ghetto introduced elementary rational perspective. It is legend that Ghetto drew freehand a perfect circle, firmly establishing the art of draftsmanship even though he had no grasp of mathematical science underlying it. In the 1330 and 1400 artists came aware of measurement, using guide marks to help paint the surface of the walls for frescoes. In 1342 4, Imbroglio Lorgnette understood the near approximation and definition of a vanishing point. It was also understood that the ancients had developed some kind of systematic perspective method, (at least in stage design). In 1425 Brucellosis peepshows demonstrated the possibility of exact coincidence of natural vision and pictorial vision in a determined space. In 1435-6, painting could be defined as a kind of window circumscribing the intersection of a flat surface with the pyramid of visual rays. In 1450 experiments in Ariel respective by Flemish painters created recession in landscape backgrounds through a series of increasingly cool and pale color zones. During 1450 60, there was evidence of a mixed perspective system sometimes bifocal in appearance, sometimes in separate planes, sometimes legitimate but usually based on complex calculation. In 1498 the manuscript On Divine Proportion by Luck Piccalilli was published. Historians have suggested that the diagrams within this manuscript are attributable to Leonardo dad Vinci. l The knowledge gained by artists through these new principles of mathematics and physics were integral in their understanding of the satirical space. The application of perspective was no longer a rudimentary affair but based on legitimate constructs according to certain laws which led to recognition of pictorial space. 2 Renaissance artists rediscovered human anatomy with the study of Classical Greek and Roman statuary. To reproduce the third dimension of space and life of the figures by representing mass in terms of perspective, this optical realism in relation to the material world with correspondingly tonal r ealism. The pictorial space required the construction of perspective called oceanography which rejected the undefined representation of space in Byzantine and medieval frescoes. Renaissance of Filmmaking: French New Wave EssayIt was a refuge of Greek learning, as the scholars of Classical Greece had been forgotten in the intervening years before the Renaissance. 7 Jill Grayer discusses the figures in the painting, School of Athens. Hypoxia, a Greek Manipulations philosopher in Roman Egypt can be seen and Heron of Alexandria represents an ancient Greek mathematician and engineer. Penalties, a stoic philosopher represents poetry and Diatom of Matinee is a female philosopher who plays an important role in Plats Symposium. She is giving Socrates the teaching of love. It is unusual to have women centrally viewed and to be given such status. Inspirational poets and painters are depicted. Euclid is represented and there are great Christian philosophers, theologians and on the other side of the room are poets and lawyers. The central main figures in the painting are of Aristotle and Plato. Plato is pointing to the sky and Aristotle is pointing towards the ground. Egyptians are personified, as well as Zoroaster who was before the time of Abrahams teachings. Statues of Greek gods are seen on either side, Apollo and Athena. Classical, pagan, Renaissance scholars and religious leaders are represented. In this painting we have the cream of intellectual thought. There is a harmonious aspect to this world as conflict is left out of the frame. (Who is better than another? ) There are plenty of philosophers not paying attention to Plato and Aristotle. It has the complexity of intellectual thought and represents the time. l Herbert Read in his book The Meaning of Art reinforces this idea. The Renaissance was a time where minds were consumed by intellectual curiosity. 2 Wisped suggests that nearly every Greek philosopher can be found within the painting but determining which are depicted is difficult since Raphael made no designations outside possible likenesses and no anthropometry documents to explain the painting. Raphael had to invent a system of iconography to allude to various figures for whom there were no traditional visual types. The identities of some of the philosophers in the picture such as Plato o r Aristotle are undeniable. Beyond that identification of Repeals figures have always been hypothetical. 3 Jill Grayer states that not a lot of people knew about Greek architecture. 4 She goes on to say that he would not have known these texts Plato and Aristotle. He was only interested in basic knowledge of tradition. He was not a scholar but a painter. There was no evidence that Raphael had a formal education, or knowledge of Plato and Aristotle philosophy. l Although Jill Grayer later mentions that these ideas would have been talked about and debated continuously during the Raphael had moved to Florence in 1504 and then to Rome in about Renaissance. 1508. Both cities were major centers for High Renaissance Art. Other artists who worked in Florence were Botanical and Michelangelo and they all relied heavily on strong draftsmanship. Drawing was the basis of their paintings which is confirmed by present day x- ray bibliographic analysis which shows strong drawing beneath the minted surfaces2 It was said by one of his friends, Elegant states, that it was Repeals greatest Joy to be taught and to teach. 3 With such changes and developments in painting and knowledge being disseminated it is unlikely that Raphael would not have been influenced by these new inventions and new discussions. Giorgio Vassar who was a close friend and contemporary of Raphael claims that he was angel like. Raphael was modest and good. Gentle and always ready to conciliate, he was considerate of everyone. 4 Herman J Heckler introduces Vassar as a man who knew and admired Raphael. He writes with an assurance of a an he knew, respected and loved. 5 Although Elegant states that such a description is disappointing and uninteresting. Vassar describes him like a professor. 6 Artists during the Renaissance were perceived as heroic and were Just as important as statesmen, 7 so Vicars comments were not wrong or made out of context.

What Is the Infectious Agent free essay sample

For example the name of the bacteria, virus, or parasite. Giardia is protozoan and also flagellated. Flagellated means using appendages in a whip-like movement to propel. Giardia attaches to the host through the lining of the upper intestines. Once it attaches itself, it begins to feed and reproduce causing the giardiasis to commence. Giardia reproduces by dividing itself, which defines it as a trophozoite. This process of division is known as binary fission. Because Giardia reproduces asexually, a single parasite can result in millions within a very short period of time. Giardia detaches from the lining of the intestine and flows down into the fecal stream. The parasite then creates a cyst, which will eventually be released from the body during defecation. This release is known as cyst excretion or â€Å"shedding† and can last for months. The process begins again when another human ingests giardia, and therefore creates another host environment for the parasite. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is the Infectious Agent or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 2. How is this infectious agent transmitted through food or water? Giardia is most commonly transmitted through water and must be ingested in order to spread the parasite. For giardia to occur, an infected human and or animal would have to somehow spread it from their feces. For instance the reason why we boil water, (not only to make it hot) but to sterilize the water so that there are no parasites of viruses. Giardia can also be received by ingesting even the tiniest amount of contaminated food, water, and even soil. From my understanding you can ingest a cyst without even knowing, for instance when walking into a restaurant we grab the door handle. That surface is so horrifically dirty it’s disgusting. After that the mere gesture of touching your fork tip and then eating with it right after. 3. What is an example of a real life outbreak of this food borne illness in the United States? While you can receive giardia through food, it is more commonly known as more of water borne parasite. Although I did find a real life giardia outbreak that had occurred in New Hampshire year 2007. This incident involved thirty one residents of a very tiny community. The reason why giardia had occurred was due to extremely poor placement of a well. Wells are supposed to be fifteen miles under the ground and this particular well was twelve point five miles under the ground. It may not seem like much of a difference but there are reasons for procedures and regulations. Because someone wanted to cut corners thirty one people had to get very sick and suffer. This was the biggest outbreak of giardia within a community. 4. What are the clinical symptoms, duration of the disease and treatment if any? Clinical symptoms can occur up to two days after giardia has infected you. Giardia, can consist of an over excess of gas, violent diarrhea, nausea, upset stomach, stomach and or abdominal cramps. The first two days you have violent diarrhea, as the infection progresses many people tend to then be constipated for a week or so after along with the very painful production of gas as well as severe stomach and abdominal pain. Giardia can be resolved without treatment. On the other hand there is medication that contains metronidazole and tinidazole, decreases symptoms of giardia. Another thing that can be used is an anti-worm medication. I would assume that it would kill more parasites than worms. 5. What steps can be taken to prevent future out breaks? Include individual as well as environmental precautions and methods. There are many things that can be done to prevent giardia. Most of the things mainly all revolve around very poor hygiene. Ensuring that you are clean is one of the best ways you can avoid giardia. It is always very important to make sure that you wash your hands, especially before touching your face, and mouth. I personally refuse to touch many public surfaces and objects; I always have hand sanitizer on my person. For the environmental part of the question I feel that one of the biggest problems that causes giardia in communities is surface what that is not properly being treated. Out breaks within a community is no fun at all. In my opinion I feel that if everyone were more cautious about their hygiene then maybe there would be very little to no out breaks.

Exploration of Ethics and the Environment

Exploration of Ethics and the Environment Human attitude to this life, this world, and its challenges may be criticized in a number of different ways, and, what is important, it is not actually easy to say that this attitude is correct and appropriate. Many people get used to take all things from this life for granted: they are able to hear, see, and feel just because they are human and have to have all these feelings; they can study, analyze, and earn money because it is an integral part of this life. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Exploration of Ethics and the Environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The only thing that people cannot accept and wait with impatience because it just should happen is death. However, in fact, the only thing all people really deserve after they are born is death. Of course, it may sound strange, provocative, and unfair but still death is the only â€Å"thing† that does not choose people in accordance with some crit eria or skills. The theme of death is evaluated in numerous literary and art works, and Don DeLillo’s White Noise is one of the brightest examples of how people are afraid of death, want to postpone it, and, in fact, can do nothing to avoid it. People are always eager to take as much as possible from this life without taking into consideration the necessity to be grateful for all this. However, they usually forget that nature has its own rules and demands, and people should consider its whims. To comprehend better the idea offered by Don DeLillo, it is possible to make use of Aldo Leopold’s The Land Ethics and to comprehend that this story is about survival and respect to nature that provides people with a variety of opportunities to be used, about love that has to be demonstrated in some particular cases, about fear people should have but not be guided by, and about emotions that are inherent to humans and have to be used for good, for safe, and for happiness of our future generations. White Noise as an Attempt to Fight Against the Fear of Death This life is too complicated to comprehend its peculiarities, challenges, and aspects within a short period. Many people try to spend the vast majority of their lives in order to realize what the essence of life is and why there are so many contradictions in this life. White Noise written by Don DeLillo is one of such possibilities to define the main aspects of life by means of evaluation of death as the major life counterpoise. At first, it is possible to see that the author wants to introduce one of the most important elements of human worth and salvation – to fight against the fear of death and to believe that â€Å"there is no death as we know it† (DeLillo 6). However, DeLillo contradicts himself with time and represents a character who cannot imagine this life without this fear and comes to one concrete conclusion: â€Å"What if death is nothing but sound? Electrical noise. You hea r it forever. Sound all around. How awful. Uniform, white† (DeLillo 196). Such attitude proves that people are lost by their nature; they cannot divide the world of madness, confusion, and consumerism from the reality they have the right to live. Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In one of his interviews, DeLillo admits: â€Å"I didn’t have illusion and reality in mind†¦ I’m interested in the way the play forms a kind of unending circular structure – it bends back on itself† (DeLillo and DePietro 23). However, it seems to be a bit difficult to comprehend a true meaning of white noise and its close connection to human life, to nature, and to the functions each part of this world has to perform. This is why it is possible to make use of some additional material that aims at describing main aspects of life and the peculiarities i nherent to it. The work by Aldo Leopold, The Land on Ethics is one of the powerful sources where the evaluation of people’s duties and lives is given from a number of educative perspectives. The Land Ethic and Leopold’s Exploration of Ethics The Land of Ethic is a unique opportunity to define the role of people in respect to nature and its rule. The author is not afraid to underline the supreme power of nature and its possibility to enslave people: he explains that â€Å"land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such† (Leopold 533). He underlines the importance of such ethic because its absence or, to be more exact, its lack has a number of negative outcomes. People have a kind of wrong attitude to land and its riches. First, it is necessary to admit that land resources are not eternal, and one day, all these sources may disappear. And when people demonstrate their egocentric nature just in the way of how Jack Gladney did in White Noise, these people may be under a terrible threat to conquer the land and enjoy its resources. But still people are only the consumers who have to follow particular rules, orders, and complete necessary functions. Jack Gladney fails to complete his functions, as it has to be, this is why he become available for challenges, fears, and discontents of this life. â€Å"As people jolted out of reality, we were released from the need to distinguish† (DeLillo 127). People become weak in order to distinguish their fears of dreams and reality, their duties and demands, their weak and strong sides. The main point that scares a lot is that people are blind to distinguish everything in the necessary way, and such work like White Noise is a kind of sarcastic way to explain people their mistakes and help to avoid them in future. Things that Influence Ethic Ethic i n White Noise and ethic in The Land Ethic have a number of similarities: first, the idea of consumerism may be properly explained by means of Leopold’s philosophy, second, the technological progress makes endless duplication possible, third, the role of mass media is crucial indeed for humans and the ways of how people receive and understand information, and finally, the process of industrialization that increases the number of threats people are afraid of but still feel a burning necessity for.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Exploration of Ethics and the Environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In his work, DeLillo represents American consumerism as a utopia people create for themselves to be enslaved and to be imprisoned. Without even realizing the idea of being caught by personal fears, people deprive themselves of the opportunity for consolation and escape from this nightmare. People truly believe th at the use of technology can help them change this life and immunize them against fears, sufferings, and death. This is probably the most terrible failure because technology is regarded as human fate and a fear to lose the control over personal lives, words, and thoughts that are worsened by empty promises of technological progress. In addition to the technological influence, the impact of mass media has to be mentioned. â€Å"At breakfast, Babette read all our horoscopes aloud, using her storytelling voice† (DeLillo 16). The attention to this fact helps to comprehend that the vast majority of people are under the influence of media and trust it completely to get some kind of assurance about the next several hours. However, at the same time, they blindly trust the idea of industrialization and the possibility to prolong their lives, avoid death, and be ready to numerous challenges around. The result of this dream is dramatic: possible duplication of events, memories, and de tails promotes the idea to repeat everyone day by day so that people lose the idea of reality and cannot define where their life begins and industrialization stops. People overuse the possibilities offered by nature and create unbelievable harm to themselves without even knowing it. This fact is scary, terrible, but true. Conclusion In general, the idea to unite human life and technology is dangerous indeed: people are not always sure about the possibility to control the situation, and, what is worse, people are weak to recognize their disabilities and lack of knowledge. White Noise by Don DeLillo helps to realize that death is not the most terrible and unpredictable event to be afraid of, and The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold proves that human disrespect to nature and its gifts may be more dangerous for people. Due to their self-confidence and disabilities to define their own mistakes in time, people become the victims of their own achievements and creations. And sometimes it is bett er to think whether death is really so terrible or it is a gift given by nature to save people from themselves. DeLillo, Don. White Noise. New York: Penguin Group, 1986.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More DeLillo, Don and DePierto, Thomas. Conversations with Don DeLillo. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2005. Print. Leopard, Aldo. â€Å"The Land Ethic.† Open Questions: Readings for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Chris Anderson and Lex Runciman. Boston:    Bedford/St. Martain, 2005: 531-546. Print.