Animal Testing Essays (967 words) - Animal Welfare, Animal Testing

Animal Testing Essays (967 words) - Animal Welfare, Animal Testing Animal Testing Traditionally, animals have been used to ensure the safety of our consumer products and drugs. Yet around the world, scientists, regulators and animal protectionists work together to develop alternatives to their use. The use of animals in the life sciences dates back to ancient Greece and the earliest medical experiments. To learn about swallowing, physicians cut open into the throat of a living pig. To study the beating heart, they cut open into its chest. For centuries physicians and researchers used animals to enhance their knowledge about how the various organs and systems of the body functioned, as well as to hone their surgical skills. As long as animals have been used in experiments, people have expressed concerns about such research. Questions about the morality, necessity, and scientific validity of animal experiments have arisen since those ancient physicians first began to study bodily functions. Alternatives are methods, which refine existing tests by minimizing animal distress, reduce the number of animals necessary for an experiment or replace whole animal use with vitro or other tests. While vivisection has received more attention and funding, clinical and epidemiological (studying the natural course of disease within human population) studies have had a much more profound impact on human health. In fact, clinical and epidemiological evidence linking smoking to lung cancer was established long before warnings of the dangers of smoking were released to the general public. Because animal experimentation failed to each the same conclusion, warning labels on cigarettes were delayed for years! During this time hundreds of people died from lung cancer because the results of animal experimentation were considered more valid than studies of human patients. Animal based research is the science of the past. There are a number of alternatives available to modern researchers, which a re less expensive, more reliable, and ethically sound. They provide results rapidly, experimental parameters are easily controlled, and their focus on the cellular and molecular levels of the life process provides more useful information about chemicals and drugs. High Productive Volume Tests, test a minimal amount of a product on an abundant amount of animals. Two - hundred baby rats, just three weeks old are placed in wire - bottomed stainless - steel cages. Twice daily Monday thru Friday, laboratory workers pull the small mammals from their cages, force steel clamps into their mouths to hold their jaws apart and swab their teeth with an anti - cavity dental chemical. After three weeks, the workers kill the baby rats by cutting off their teeth. The procedures are called Biological Tests for Tests Flouride Dentifrices and :Determination of Animal Carries Reduction - puzzling terms to most of us. But the meaning is deadly to animals. The officials who order this test work for the U. S. government s FDA has made exceptions for manufacturers, including Toms of Maine, that wanted to market new toothpastes without any tests on animals. If some companies can manufacture safe, effective anti - cavity toothpastes without using any animals, why cant a ll dental product companies stop killing animals? Philosopher Jeremy Bentham sounded the rallying cry for animals everywhere: The question is not, can they reason, nor can they talk, but can they suffer? The Animal Welfare Act sets standards for the housing, handling, feeding, and transportation of experimental animals, but places no limitations whatsoever on the actual experimental conditions and procedures continue to challenge, whether human beings have the right to use animals for any purpose. The HPV Program sounds so important, right? Wrong! Because no resulting action will be taken against the chemicals involved in this program. Instead of protecting the public from hazardous chemicals, the EPA will inform us of how quickly mice and rabbits died when force - fed a chemical, or how many mouse pups were stillborn after their mother was force - fed massive quantities of already known toxic chemicals. Every medical advancement has not been a result of animal testing. Results derived from animal experiments have had a very minimal effect on the dramatic rise of life expectancy can be attributed mainly to changes in lifestyles, environmental factors, and improvements in sanitation. Many medical schools in the U. S. do not use animals in the training of medical students. They include:

Top 3 Ways to Beat Procrastination

Top 3 Ways to Beat Procrastination Don’t let 2016 start getting away from you already. We all suffer from procrastination, but the first month of the new year affords a great excuse to tackle the problem. Make some serious progress toward being free from the pull of Facebook and get some real work done.SEE ALSO:Â  6 Tips to Overcome Procrastination and Get Stuff DoneStep 1: Use a reward system.Hey, it works for mice. Set up a schedule or time structure that you can live with and stick to it. You can try the Pomodoro method (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off), or come up with something that works best for you. Set aside reward breaks to fritter around and keep your work time sacrosanct. That way, no matter how dull or difficult the work, you have a finite amount of time before you’re allowed a break. Psychologically, this can make all the difference.Step 2: Set smaller, manageable goalsHave a daunting task? An insurmountable project? Break it down. Take a hammer to the impossible and chip it into smaller acti onable items you can get done in smaller, more manageable chunks of time. Getting a few of these preliminary or minor details taken care of will help you build momentum and start to see the full shape of the finished job. And it’s always so satisfying to cross tasks off a list; the more you have per list the better!Step 3: Do a mental warm-up firstTreat this one just like the gym. You wouldn’t go right to the heavy dumbbells without doing a bit of prep work first. Start your work day with a bit of reading (no, not Facebook or celebrity gossip blogs!). Seeing well-expressed ideas and well-written words can spark your own drive to do good work- and can even give you the inspiration you need to make your project pop. If reading isn’t your thing, try a crossword puzzle or Sudoku or Luminosity- anything to get your brain going in advance of getting down to work.

Science-molecules and the mind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Science-molecules and the mind - Essay Example Ethylenediamine Tetraacetic acid (EDTA) is a well-known sequestering agent with the capacity to chelate almost every positive ion in the periodic table. The EDTA molecule can bind to metal ions by forming six bonds (and six rings) to it - two from nitrogen atoms in amino groups and four from oxygen atoms in carboxyl groups. As the number of ring enclosures is very large (six) the formed chelate is very stable. Obviously, it is the most widely used chelating molecule. Answer: Metals contaminate the food by finding their way from the soil and from machinery during harvesting and processing. Metals such as copper, iron and nickel degrade the quality of food stuffs by catalyzing the oxidation of the fats and oils in the food. Due to this oxidation, the oil becomes rancid. Rancid oils are a major source of free radicals in our diet which can cause cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases associated with them. Hence the metal ions in oil-based foods can cause severe health problems and it is important to remove them from oil-based foods. Sequestering agents can be used to remove these metal ions from oils. EDTA is commonly added to fatty, oily foods as an antioxidant that prevents metal ions that have entered from metallic food-processing equipment. Answer: Washing the oily spot with plain water is di

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 8

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example These are the challenges that the organisation face when they do not plan their change program (Flamholtz, and Randle, 2008). Generally it has been noticed that the flawed decisions of the management are responsible for creation of such barriers. However, in case of this study, the change process would be viewed from the perspective of 5D AI method. The AI method comprises of 5D, namely, 1) Define, 2) Discover, 3) Dream, 4) Design, and 5) Deliver. However, before discussing the case study of D2, the basis of AI model has to be understood, so that the readers can understand how this model would be useful in meeting the objectives of the study. The model of AI is based on the hypothesis that the question that is generally asked by someone, focus towards a particular direction (Armenakis, and Harris, 2009). Other methods evaluate and assess the situation and propose solutions on the basis of the deficiency model. Generally it has been noticed that changes and other prerequisites related to changes are seen as a challenge in the deficiency model, while AI model consider it as a deficiency and it takes an alternative approach (Bauer, 2011; Barry, 1997). Through this process change becomes easy and all the members in the organisation gets motivated and also understand the importance of change and value that it might add. Appreciative Inquiry AI approach in change management is different from simple problem solving method. Problem solving begins with the identification of the problem, while this model begins with appreciation, and identifying the best things in the system. Problem solving analysis the cause of the problem, which AI envisions what should have been the cases, which reveals a positive attitude again.... This essay stresses that challenges are faced during unplanned as well as planned change. It is a wrong notion that leaders do not face challenge if they go for plan change in their organisation. Firstly, resistance from employees even before the change process is implemented is a major challenge in both cases. Even in D2 the leaders will face the resistance when they will disclose their decisions to the employees. The leaders in the organisation have a critical role to play in this situation, as they need to prepare the people of D2 UK plant for the change. In case of unplanned change, the leaders do not have a step wise strategy to deliver the change process. To some extent the change decisions of D2 is an example of an unplanned change. This paper makes a conclusion that during the change process leaders will faces complex situations, where they might face hindrance. For example the employees at France or Spain might resist accepting employees from UK plant, and work with them. If the company plans to relocate the employees then they need to be provided the due facilities to those human resource too, which the company should consider in to their relocation cost. Teams in UK plant of D2 can take up responsibility to identify solution for different issues. Employees in the plant can even come up with excellent ideas to revive the plant at UK, rather than relocating, without increasing the cost further. This might drive the management to change their decision of closing the UK plant.

Payment Model for Financial Transaction Using MyKad Research Paper

Payment Model for Financial Transaction Using MyKad - Research Paper Example MyKad being a smartcard providing one stop service can be used to process the payments. (Ivest4MyKad, 2004) MyKad application works in eight sectors which can be shown in the figure below which states that e-commerce transactions is one of the key services offered by MyKad. Therefore it is necessary to understand the technological process involved and design methodology used to develop a smartcard that is multifunctional at all levels and supports general citizens. (Huo-Chong Ling and Raphael C. - W. Pham) According to Kerlinger (1986), research design is a plan, structure and strategy of investigation as envisioned as to obtain the required output to the research questions or problems. The research plan is program of the research to be conducted which includes the outline of the things to be done by the principal investigator right from the beginning by formulating hypothesis and their suggestions and understanding through final data analysis. Further Thyer (1993) states that traditional research design is a blueprint or detailed program on how the research will be completed and how the data will be gathered that will support the suggestions and concluding remarks of the researcher through data analysis. (Kumar, 2005) As research designs are prepared to answer the questions of the researcher, it is necessary to adopt the appropriate method of research to collect the data. There are two basic ways of approaching to the research; quantitative approach and the qualitative approach. Quantitative approach is involved in collecting as much data as possible in quantitative form so that it can used to express the rigorous quantitative analysis. Whereas qualitative approach to research deals with specific criteria of the particular subject by observing, assessing the attitude and behavior. (Kothari, 2008) Quantitative research is further classified into sub categories like inferential, experimental and simulation approaches to research. Inferential approach can be used to collect data upon the data could be used to infer the characteristics or relationships of the population of selected area which has been decided the researcher to survey for detailed results. Experimental approach is to get the desired results by manipulating the data. Simulation approach is greatly concerned with artificial environment. In this type of research approach, relevant information and data can be generated through artificial environment through observation of the systems and its sub systems under uncontrolled conditions. Simulation approach is mostly used in business and social sciences application that refers to the operation of numerical model representing the structure of dynamic process which can be known through input of valuable data, initial conditions, parameters and exogenous variables. (Kothari, 2008) Ethridge D.E. (2004) states that computer technology along with difficult statistical and mathematical simulation techniques shows us the way to explore and define the complex nature of economic phenomena and relationships. As MyKad is a Government Multipurpose Card to enable the Malaysians have access to public and private services. The MyKad data storage services allow the general

Roberto Assagiolis Psychosynthesis: Role in Counselling

Roberto Assagiolis Psychosynthesis: Role in Counselling Murray Sheret Students will examine the ideas of one of the theorists introduced in class. They will relate these ideas to their own meaning-making process and their conception of the role of the counsellor and the practice of counselling. The essay will contain reference to the relevant body of academic literature, including both primary and secondary sources. Roberto Assagiolis Psychosynthesis â€Å"The mystical is not how the world is, but that it is.† Ludwig Wittgenstein This essay will explore the concepts and practice of psychosynthesis while relating these ideas to my own meaning-making process and my conception of the role of the counsellor and the practice of counselling. Psychosynthesis, the practical psychological approach founded by Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli, integrates the wisdom of an eclectic array of psychological and philosophical traditions, including Jungian psychology, psychoanalysis, existential psychology, Buddhism, yogic traditions and Christian esoteric study (Brown, 1983, p. 30). Psychosynthesis recognises two fundamental dimensions of human growth which are the personal and transpersonal dimensions. The personal dimension is concerned with â€Å"the meaning and integration of our personal existence, with the experience of being significant and effective in the world† (Brown, 1983, pp. 30-31). The transpersonal dimension of growth involves â€Å"spiritual study and practices, artistic and creative expressions, contemplation and questioning of ultimate, universal meaning in which we seek the meaning and purpose of the larger reality† (Brown, 1983, pp. 31). Included in both the other dimensions is the interpersonal dimension which is integral to achieving balanced growth in both dimensions as it means â€Å"fulfilling interpersonal relationships within our families, our circles of friends, and our communities† (Brown, 1983, p. 31). Assagioli conceived of the individual as being a dynamic interrelation of ; â€Å"The lower unconscious, the middle unconscious, the higher unconscious or superconscious, the field of consciousness, the conscious self or â€Å"I†, and the higher self† (Assagioli, 2000, pp. 15-17). The attributes of these various aspects comprise of various psychological, emotional, psychic, emotional, sensate and spiritual functions. However, of most pertinence to mention here are the attributes of the conscious self or â€Å"I† which Assagioli asserts is â€Å"the point of pure self awareness, the centre of our consciousness which is not to be confused with the changing contents of ones consciousness (thoughts, feelings, sensations etc)† (Assagioli, 2000 p. 16), and the higher self which is â€Å"the conscious, permanent, ever present centre the true self† (Assagioli, 2000, p.16). Psychosynthesis works to discover sub-personalities which are considered to be â€Å"constellations of behaviours, feelings, and thought that are left over from a time when they were needed for survival, to meet lower level needs† (Brown, 1983, p. 27). Once discovered the work then becomes â€Å"assisting the â€Å"I† to disidentify from the sub-personalities enough so that one can then recognise and honour its initial purpose† (Brown, 1983, p. 27). A multi staged meditation style disidentification exercises are used to achieve this. Psychosynthesis teacher Molly Brown explains the larger aim of this exercise, â€Å"The â€Å"I† can then reclaim this purpose and its â€Å"Will† energy while letting go of the specific behaviours and attitudes that no longer serve† (Brown, 1983, p. 27). A range of psychotherapeutic methods are used to explore the depths of the lower unconscious in order to â€Å"uncover the childish images that silently domina te us, the â€Å"phantasms† and fears that paralyse us and the conflicts that waste our energies† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 19). The regions of the middle and higher unconscious that house our unknown abilities and higher potentialities are likewise explored. The first stage of the psychosynthesis process involves ascertaining the â€Å"unique existential situation of the client† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 5). The therapist and client work together to jointly gain a thorough knowledge of the clients personality. Then follows the activation of their latent aspects and functions along with the development of the weak ones through the use of the active techniques suitable for each task (Assagioli, 2000, p. 5). Psychosynthesis uses many techniques aimed at the â€Å"development and perfection of the personality and its harmonious ongoing unification with the Self† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 94). Among these are, Self-identification, disidentification, development of the Will, training and use of the imagination, visualisation, auditory evocation of other sensations, technique of ideal models and symbol utilisation and the technique for the use of intuition. Next the individual learns to gain control over the various elements of their person ality. The psychological principle this is based on may be formulated as: â€Å"We are dominated by everything which our self becomes identified. We can dominate and control everything from which we dis-identify ourselves. The question becomes then â€Å"to what extent can we identify ourselves with the true Self and disidentify ourselves from the non-self† (Gerard, 1961, p. 3). The work is then aimed at assisting one to become aware that their â€Å"conscious self is not their ultimate reality and identity, this then allows them to realise their true Self, the discovery of their unifying centre† (Gerard, 1961, p. 4). As psychosynthesis utilises a range of therapeutic approaches it is therefore capable of attending to symptoms at many different levels of consciousness, this approach means the therapist is less likely to interpret a deeper state of consciousness as pathological or to apply an inappropriate therapeutic technique based on such misinterpretation (Brown, 1983, p. 7). I appreciate Assagiolis therapeutic disposition here as this mode of therapy seems to conceive of the psychological and emotional struggles of the client as being symptoms of an existential difficulty with living rather than a pathology awaiting categorisation. The central purpose of psychosynthesis is brought about in concert with the work of developing and activating the various aspects and functions of the individual. Assagioli described this as â€Å"the harmonisation and integration into one functioning whole of all the qualities and functions of the individual† (Assagioli, 2000, p.5). What follows is the development and training of the Will, the concept of which is central to psychosynthesis. Assagioli defines the use of Will as, â€Å"the ability to develop that strategy which is most effective and which entails the greatest economy of effort, rather than the strategy that is most direct and obvious. The most effective and satisfactory role of the Will is not as a source of direct power or force, but as that function which, being at our command, can stimulate, regulate, and direct all the other functions and forces of our being so that they may lead us to our predetermined goal† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 47). Assagioli asserted that â€Å"The Will is that function which is most directly related to the Self- the individual generally is not aware of his Self, and consequently he is just as unaware of the direct function of the Self, the Will (2000, p. 111). The psychosynthetic concept of Will marries beautifully with my understanding of the human condition which I have arrived at through my own lived experience. Seemingly one remains a victim of circumstance when they are operating though old ways of functioning that have become ways of coping rather than living. When old wounds and outdated ways of being are sufficiently apprehended and integrated the individual is offered an opportunity to align themselves with their Will and their spiritual essence, the â€Å"conscious self† and the â€Å"higher self† as psychosynthesis refers to them. To be aligned with ones Will in this way is to have life live itself through you, the individual becomes more akin to hollow bamboo, a cond uit through which spirit may express itself. Though this is an ongoing process of unfoldment rather than a final destination to be arrived at. I feel we are indeed beings that tend towards ever increasing levels of integration and self-actualisation and as such, by denying part of our being or experience we subvert our potential and hinder our capacity for adaptive living. With sufficient attainment one may begin to live their highest purpose with creativity, spontaneity and love. Psychosynthesis teacher Molly Brown asserts that â€Å"The development of the Will involves the union of its various aspects, strength, skill and goodness which then becomes loving Will, the expression of love through our willed acts† (2004, p. 121). There are several stages for the development of the Will, the first consists of setting a goal or finding a purpose to be achieved and then setting an intention as to what purpose or goal towards which the Will is to be directed (Assagioli, 2000, p.113). Then follows valuation and motivation. The consideration of motivation involves â€Å"the uncovering of unconscious drives as the function of the Will is to utilise them and insure their cooperation in the attaining of the chosen purpose† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 113). Motivation inevitably implies valuation as the aim or purpose towards which the Will is to be directed must have an intense positive valuation (Assagioli, 2000, p. 113). This process is then followed by a period of deliberation and consideration of various factors relating to the value and attainability of the goal or purpose (Assagioli, 2000, p. 113). The next stage in the use of the Will involves making a volitional decision, a conscious choice to direct the Will at a particular purpose. Assagioli stresses that this is a difficult stage as it â€Å"involves choice and the difficulty in making a voluntary decision is that the individual, either clearly or obscurely, realises that decision involves responsibility, that decision is an act of freedom which inevitably involves responsibility† (2000, p. 114). The next step is affirmation which involves the cultivation of faith. Assagioli avows that â€Å"this is not simply a â€Å"belief† but a living dynamic faith, even more, an assured conviction† (2000, p. 114). He goes on to affirm that, â€Å"At the very least there must be a willingness to â€Å"attempt†, to take risks, in a spirit of adventure† (2000, p. 114). The affirmation becomes a â€Å"command or declaration made to oneself with intensity as the power of the affirmation determines the de gree of its effectiveness† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 114). Meaning is inherent in this embodiment of choice and responsibility. This is the act of consciously taking command of one’s power and asserting it in the world while perceiving one’s own actions as valuable, meaningful and worthy. The following stage of psychosynthesis is planning in which ones activity, the steps of which having been previously visualised, is organised in a clearly outlined program that is aimed at the realisation of the ultimate purpose or goal (Assagioli, 2000, p. 114). The final stage is the direction and execution of the action which requires two qualities in particular of the Will, firstly, the dynamic power of the Will (one pointed driving energy), and secondly, persistence or endurance (Assagioli, 2000, p. 115). The culmination of these processes results in one discovering their unifying centre, the realisation of their true Self. They experience psychosynthesis itself, â€Å"the formation or reconstruction of a personality around the newly discovered centre† (Gerard, 1961, p. 4). The process of psychosynthesis speak directly to my highest ideals of counselling as I was once pulled aside by a wise man who put me through a similar process. Aside from giving me the opportunity to face the limiting beliefs I had long held about myself he gave me permission to take myself seriously. This was a profound act. I was compelled to disidentifiy with many limiting sub-personalities and thought forms that had kept me from living my purpose. What more meaning could there be than to identify ones authentic path in life and set about dissolving that which is not in service to it. While the healing of emotional wounds is a worthy initial goal for counselling the directing of the newly integrated self towards its highest purpose is a much richer objective. To see people not only heal but to consciously expand and thrive is the raison detre of my work as a counsellor. As each has been shaped by their subjective experience, the therapist and client may have widely different ideas about the social meaning and function of therapy. A client may only recognise therapy as a service capable of little more than lessening the effects of troubling symptoms, though I would consider the lessening of ones symptoms to be a small part of their larger process of becoming or self-actualisation. However, such notions need not be made overt in the course of therapy if they are irrelevant to the contextual needs of the client. By its very nature, counselling confers an obligation on its practitioners to reflect on their own ideologies and refine their epistemology. A therapist must wrestle with the existential reality of being, to confront the nature of suffering, love, death, hope, emptiness, consciousness and transcendence. Assagioli argued that â€Å"a human psychology cannot be complete without including the so-called spiritual dimension, our relationship to the cosmos and to our highest ideals† (2000, p. 34). Constructivist psychologies orientation towards the exploration of human beings tendency toward â€Å"creating systems for meaningfully understanding their worlds and experiences† (Raskin, 2002, p. 1) is a positive element to be adding to my therapeutic approach, though the schism between differing constructivist positions must first be resolved. A therapy that values above all the primacy of the clients felt experience is able to transcend the dichotomy that exists between realism and idealism, epistemological constructivism and hermeneutic constructivism while still engaging the utility each unique perspective provides when it’s appropriate to the client’s needs. Whether or not we can know a thing independently of the mind or not matters little in the face of whatever the client’s felt experience happens to be. The meaning the client is making of their experience is primary to the therapeutic task. The question of; to what degree can constructions of rea lity be discovered through observation and to what degree are such discoveries â€Å"heuristic fictions† (Raskin, 2002, p. 3) is of far less concern than the lager question of; is the meaning thats being created or discovered by the client life enhancing or life negating? My own opinion is that there are indeed fundamental truths to be known and engaged with. Whether or not these truths exist independently of my mind or not is of little consequence for the purposes of my growth. What matters is that these truths are experienced as fundamental to me, my meaning making, my felt experience, and in this way they may well be, as philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein said, â€Å"true enough† (1998, p. 43). The hermeneutic constructivist notion that â€Å"knowledge and truth are contextually verifiable rather than universally valid, socially negotiated rather than cognitively and individually produced† (Raskin, 2002, p. 4) highlights the lack of capacity human beings have to share â€Å"a truth† with one another should they stumble upon one. Philosopher Terence McKenna eloquently encapsulated this sentiment when he said â€Å"What hubris it would be to expect that the small-mouth noises of English could encompass being. No, these are lower dimensional slices of a reality that is ultimately unitary, ineffable, unspeakable, and dazzling† (McKenna, 1992). Assagioli affirmed his respect for the ineffable nature of transpersonal realities when he averred, â€Å"Psychosynthesis does not aim nor attempt to give a metaphysical nor a theoretical explanation of the great mystery- it leads to the door, but stops there† (Assagioli, 2000, pp. 6-7). Inspired therapy impels clients towards meaningfully understanding their lived experience as among its treasurers meaning offers understanding, a sense of locating oneself in one’s story and ultimately arriving at the empowering conclusion that they have taken a position of authorship. The practice of psychosynthesis beautifully honours the clients â€Å"inner world of subjective experience† (Bugental, 1987, p. 46) by ascertaining and working with the unique existential situation of each client. Psychosynthesis is an act of love which assists the client to identify with their authentic self while striving for the realisation of their highest aspirations that which is imbued with greatest personal meaning. The various experiential processes enhance perspective and catalyse inspired and adaptive living while connecting one to that function which is most directly related to the Self – the Will. Once sufficiently aligned with their Will a person may experience thems elves in a world infused with meaning and filled with purpose. There may even be, in the corner of their eye, beyond their confident stare, a flicker of knowing that they themselves are Willing their own reality into existence. Reference List: Assagioli, R. (2000). Psychosynthesis: A collection of basic writings. Massachusetts, USA: Synthesis Centre Editions. Assagioli, R. (1974). The act of will. New York, NY: Penguin. Brown, M. (2004). Unfolding self: The practice of psychosynthesis. New York, NY: Allworth Press. Bugental, J. (1987). The art of the psychotherapist: How to develop the skills that take psychotherapy beyond science. New York, NY: Norton Company, Inc. Gerard, R. (1961). Psychosynthesis: A psychotherapy for the whole man. Massachusetts, USA: Synthesis Centre Editions. McKenna, T. (Speaker). (1992). Hermeticism and alchemy. (Digital recording). Colorado, USA: Sounds True Publishing. Raskin, J. (2002). Psychology, radical constructivism, and social constructivism. American Communication Journal, 5 (3) 1-4. Wittgenstein, L. (1998). Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. New York, NY: Dover Publication Inc. Lyndon B Johnsons Great Society Programs: Analysis Lyndon B Johnsons Great Society Programs: Analysis Were Johnson’s great society programmes a failure? In 1969, President Lyndon Baines Johnson left office after having earlier declared that he would not seek, or accept the democratic nomination for the next presidential election. It was an acrimonious end for an administration that boasted greater social legislative achievement than any that preceded it and fundamentally altered the basis on which American social policy was formed. The primary debacle that can be said to account for the demise of the Johnson presidency was the protracted and costly US involvement in Vietnam. Although it was under the Kennedy administration that the US first became embroiled in Vietnam, it was Johnson who accelerated such developments and therefore has gone down in history as the primary protagonist in one of America’s most divisive conflicts. However, are such calamities enough to justify the claim that Johnson’s great society programmes were a failure? After all, the legislative vigor with which he attempted to address America’s pressing social issues was admirable. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed racial discrimination in public places, such as hotels, restaurants and public transport. It also developed significant political rights, in particular franchise extensions for America’s less advantaged. As a parallel drive, Johnson also announced his ‘war on poverty’ which was institutionalized with the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and Economic opportunity Act of 1964. Following an overwhelming election victory in 1964 Johnson accelerated the great society programmes with a spate of legislative achievements. 1965 saw 115 presidential recommendations for legislation, with an above average 90 being approved. However, although in 1965 the great society programmes appeared to be a re sounding success, later assessment has cast doubt over just how much praise should be lavished upon the Johnson administrations legislative achievements. The overriding issue that dominates the discussion on the success of the great society is Vietnam. As Ira Katznelson has noted, both the great society programmes and the war Vietnam were formed on the same ideological basis. This basis was the establishment and conservation of democratic principles abroad, whilst simultaneously reinvigorating the democratic process at home. As such, she argues that the two drives were so interconnected and reliant upon one another’s success, that it was impossible to hope that the great society could be successful in light of the failure in Vietnam. This is an accurate assessment which is adhered to by a majority of writers on the subject and one to which I offer my own endorsement. However, leaving aside the volatile issue of Vietnam and its repercussions on the great society initiatives, is it possible to see successes if we look at the great society programmes in their entirety. Prominent amongst the voices of dissension is the leading academic George Gilder, who argues that above all the great society legislation (and the New Deal and Fair Deal that preceded it) created a situation that led to a reliance on state security benefits. Ultimately, the great society legislation was formed on an historical basis that had begun with Roosevelt’s New Deal and played a significant role in halting progress in terms of ‘societal betterment’. Gilder asserts that although Johnson’s war on poverty was well motivated, it nonetheless did more to prolong and exacerbate America’s poverty problem than alleviate it. A climate of dependency was therefore created that allowed people living in poverty to continue doing so, instead of achieving prog ress and betterment through their own endeavor. As such, Gilder argues that there developed a necessity, to reverse the great society legislation and the negative impact it had on US societal progress. The Reagan administration, along with its emphasis upon the individual was the inherent result of this situation and the overall failure of the great society programmes. However, although Gilder’s arguments present a coherent and systematic approach to the question, he still fails to highlight the groundbreaking nature of the great society programmes. Gary Gerstle, although operating from a point of view relatively similar to Gilders offers us a further detailed assessment. He argues firstly that the great society programmes failed to address the question of income distribution adequately and as such had a long term impact upon the problem. This impact was so widespread, affecting in particular black communities that even before the election of Ronald Reagan in 1981 there was a significant divide between rich and poor in America, which could easily be traced along racial lines. As such, Gerstle sees the inability to redress this imbalance as the primary failure of the great society. In conclusion, it is clear that there were serious flaws in the great society programmes initiated by Lyndon Johnson. Many of these deficiencies took years to present themselves and impacted greatly on the America that developed in the post Vietnam period. However, it is also the case that the great society heralded a new era in the relationship between the individual and the state. Just as with the post war Labour government in Britain, the great society ushered in a revolutionary way of conceptualizing state intervention and although the seeds for such a transition may have been sown much earlier, it remains nonetheless a marked achievement of the Johnson administration. It would be easy to conclude that such developments came to abrupt halt and even reversal in the 1980s with the Reagan administration. However, I feel it is short sited to view this era as one of rolling back the achievements of Democratic Party of the 1960s. It is true that significant revisions were made to the g reat society legislation; however the bulk of it remained unchanged. Therefore, it remains the foundation on which modern American democracy and equality stand. Bibliography Fraser, Steve and Gerstle, Gary. The Rise and Fall of the New Deal Order: 1930-1980. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1989. Katz, Michael B. Ed. The â€Å"Underclass† debate: Views from history. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1993. Schulman, Bruce J. Lyndon B Johnson and American Liberalism: A Brief Biography with Documents. Boston: Bedford Books, 1995.

The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley Essay -- essays research

The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley, is not only an example of a Medieval Romance, but also tells the story of the women who stood behind King Arthur during his infamous reign in the Middle Ages. The term â€Å"Medieval Romance† does not necessarily mean that the piece using it contains any sort of romance. There are three criteria that must be meet to form a Medieval Romance. (1) The plot must divide into sharply separate episodes that often do not seem joined in any obvious casual fashion. (2) The plots generally take the form of tests that they must pass to attain form goal. (3) The protagonist fails tests, which often involve acts of moral and spiritual perception, until such a point that they finally follow advice. This book is not a typical Medieval Romance, but it contains all the important aspects of one. This novel explains the reasoning and decisions that Arthur made from the perspective of the women involved. The Mists of Avalon is a twist on the Arthurian tales as told by the four women instrumental to the story: Gwynhefar, Arthur’s wife; Igraine, his mother; Viviane, the Lady of the Lake, High Priestess of Avalon; and Morgaine, his sister, lover, and heiress to Avalon. The story is told by each as they saw it happen. In this novel, the legend of King Arthur is for the first time told through the lives, the visions, and the perceptions of the women central to it. By telling the story through a woman’s perspective The Mists of Avalon provides a feminine insight into the depths of Arthurian legend previously dominated by men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The struggle between Christianity and the religion of Avalon is one of the central parts of the story. Arthur, whose mother was Igraine, sister to Viviane, grows up to be High King of Britain after his father, Uther Pendragon, dies. In this era there were two religions that the people studied. One was under the Christians vows. They believed that their was only one god, theirs. They believed that all other gods were false and sinful. In the Christian beliefs, the women were believed to be the ultimate sinners. Under this belief they were always made to feel subservient to their men. The other religion was under the Goddess, who the people in the mystical world of Avalon believed were responsible for man and all of its creations. It is stated of... ...y wished for a baby and had no ill will towards Avalon. The same goes for Morgaine, there was no malice in her actions, and we see this since her actions are told from her own perspective, not of a man’s. Arthur betrayed Avalon and this was the result. In the male perspective of Arthurian legend we see only actions of the women. In this tale told by women we see their thoughts behind their actions. These thoughts were not know from the male’s perspective, but with the woman’s insight into these matters we see that more clearly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a world where men largely dominate Arthurian legend, The Mists of Avalon gives us a profound feminine insight. The Arthurian world of Avalon and Camelot with all its passions and adventures is revealed as its heroines might have experienced it: Queen Gwynhefar, Igraine, Viviane, and Arthur’s sister, Morgaine. This is a story of profound conflict between Christianity and the old religion of Avalon. It was a story of Arthur’s betrayal of Avalon. It was the first time that an Arthurian legend was told by the viewpoint of the females involved in the story. The insights that these women provided to the story are truly profound.