Taoism and Yang Essay Example for Free

Taoism and Yang Essay The later dates of the Eastern Zhou time period marked a great change in the social and political statuses in ancient China. Literacy rates were increasing, upper class individuals and family members were powering over others, and schooling gave people a leading advantage. Both intellectual and moral thoughts were taking over and with this new idea, came a new philosophy. There existed many spiritual thinkers dating way back, however, to this day, the date that Taoism formed is still unknown, a similar case with many other ancient religions. â€Å"Tao† is a term in Chinese, meaning â€Å"way† or â€Å"path† and referring to the way to live one’s life (Hardy,2002). Originally, the main concern was guiding individuals with an appropriate behavior for leading and governing others, as well as the balance of harmony between nature and humanity. Although no main authoritative figure represents this religion, the headquarter is situated in the White Cloud Temple, in Beijing, where priests can learn and train (Hardy, 2002). Taoism, also currently known as Daoism, is the Chinese traditional religion and philosophy that believes in the balance of yin and yang. Ying and Yang are opposites, and the Ying Yang philosophy explains that nothing is purely one way. There is always good for every evil and evil for every good, yet even though they are so contrasting, one cannot thrive without the other, there needs to be a balance between both. This balance, a union of opposites, represents harmony and peace on earth. Ying and Yang goes by the definition â€Å"the nature of change, balanced as two halves of a whole†, a â€Å"duality forming a whole† (Littlejohn, 2009). This symbol hold a lot of meaning to Taoist as it signifies the unity of opposites, the unity of Tao. The black and white color in the Yin and Yang symbol represents the Yin-gi and Yang-gi, the female and male energies that work together to balance and manifest the world (Wang, 2012). The smaller circles in the symbol represents the change and the black and white opposite in the world, reminding the worshippers of how opposites must balance one another in order to achieve balance between the two. Yin and Yang also represent the unity of the 5 elements; fire (greater Yang), wood (lesser Yang), water (greater Yin), metal (lesser Yin) and earth (central) which together form the elements that comprise everything in our world (Wang, 2012). Completely polar opposites can be seen in everyday: night and day, male and female, beautiful and ugly, high and low; everything has its opposite, and without it, there would be an imbalance in the world. Nevertheless, there will always be a contrasting opinion as to what is right compared to what is wrong, as one belief cannot be shared universally (Hardy, 2002). Yin nor Yang is absolute, but both together can form a whole. There would be an imbalance in the world if death rates did not equal birth rates. Yin and Yang can also become each other even though they are opposites, as they need to support each other to create balance. Taoists believe that there must be an alignment of harmony between human nature and the rest of nature. They believe that one must experience a long and healthy life through practice and perfection of the practice so that self-cultivation is at its peak and everyone can thrive (Littlejohn, 2009). Taoist believe that everything in the world is in a constant cycle. If humans do not follow the natural path, â€Å"tao†, then unhealthy misfortune and destruction will cloud them and their families (Hardy, 2002). A strong opposition to punishment is believed, as it does not allow for the natural method of spontaneous behavior and rather a force of good behavior upon an individual. Ruling and governing others is a principal theme in Taoism as it encourages followers to model the appropriate behavior. Taoism focuses on ones flow with nature through activities such as meditation with themes such as detachment from desires, naturalness , and stress free activities such as tai chi. Taoism emphasizes the practice on living in harmony through daily life and ritual activities. Taoist is a polytheistic religion and their gods are not personified. They believe that no god can help solve problems in life but that peace can only be solved by personal meditation and observation (Littlejohn, 2009). People have to work in harmony and help each other to keep balance in the world and to increase the well being of humankind. Unlike other religions, there is no figure to look upon and worship but to solely rely on one another. Taoist people do not have a particular ritualized way to worship in their everyday life, but the main goal of the laypeople is to achieve harmony with the Tao in their day-to-day lives. They believe in doing this through physical practices, which are made to transform a person mentally and physically into a more harmonious state, a balance between Yin and Yang. One way the Taoist attempt to reach harmony is through alchemy (BBC, 2009). Merriam-Webster describes alchemy as, â€Å"a power or process of transforming something common into something special†. The Taoists sought to do this in two separate ways; the first is through Wai-Dan, external alchemy, which was used in an older period. At this time, the alchemists were looking for an elixir to turn cheap metal into gold. They then looked for a way to turn humans into immortals. This creation involved various combinations of ingredients by heating, grinding, and mixing together along with other rituals. This is called external alchemy because they add an external force to the body with the hopes of purification (BBC, 2009). The second type of alchemy is Nei-Dun, interior alchemy. This is a work of the self without the use of chemicals to transform the elements of the body into purer forms, promoting the energy of life. This is done through meditation and martial arts (BBC, 2009). Taoists attempted to use both of these forces to transform human beings into a more natural state and to rid their body of the bad within, producing only the good and allowing them to reach purification and through that, the Tao. Taoists also believe that sexual energy has the ability to enhance their lives. They have developed certain techniques to increase a person’s sexual energy and to retain it. It is said that the men should refrain from ejaculating during sexual activity, to conserver the energy (BBC, 2009). As for women, there are too different views. The first view suggests that women should also abstain from reaching orgasm to conserve energy, yet the second view states that female orgasm leads to a growth in both male and female sexual energy. This idea suggested that men should have multiple sexual partners in order to gain access to the female release of beneficial sexual energy (BBC, 2009). The Taoist people see sexuality as a form of attaining purification and positive energy, like that of alchemy, they believe it to help them reach a state of harmony between Yin and Yang. Taoist people also practice purity through meditation, breathing, energy flow and martial arts. The texts teach the worshipers the importance of a pure body to ensure spiritual health. To remain pure, the people have a special diet, which they abstain from alcohol, meat, beans, and grains, all of which can be toxic to the body. Taoists also avoid being greedy, lustful, prideful, and dishonest, which also causes conflict within the body (BBC, 2009). To avoid these impurities, Taoists practice meditation. This practice is a major custom for the people because it creates mental stillness and enhances mindfulness. This allows the mental space to focus on directly knowing the Tao (BBC, 2009). Another practice is breathing, which is the easiest professed form of Ch’i. There are many breathing exercises the Taoists use, which are called Qui Gong, as it is the easiest way to relax the body. Taoists also practice energy flow, which is the flow of life energy, Ch’i, in the body. It can be enhanced, harmonized, and regulated by various forms of exercise and meditation, like acupuncture and Tai Chi (BBC, 2009). All of these techniques are used on a daily basis to allow for spiritual growth and a long life. It is through this way of life that the Taoists attempt to develop their bodies to the primordial level of energy, which is the state of the body at the beginning of creation (Kohn, 2009). By creating bodies that mimic that of the bodies at first creation, the Taoist are reaching a raw level of purity, bringing them that much closer to harmony and balance. Taoists also practice recitation of passages from the Tao Te Ching, which is their guide to living a spiritual and ethical life. This is a vital expression of devotion and also a way to attain spiritual growth. They believe that the texts have healing powers along with the ability to banish evil spirits, and bring good luck to those who recite it. To the Celestial Masters Group, it is a source of philosophical wisdom. It is also said to have the ability to prolong life and bring human beings to complete unity with Tao (BBC, 2009). The Taoists use this recitation to create a balance within themselves bringing them closer to that of the natural realm. The Taoists conduct rituals that bring order and harmony to the cosmos – the world of nature, human society, and the inner world of human individuals. The details of rituals are highly complex and technical and they are left to the Taoshi, which are priests. These rituals mostly involve chanting, playing instruments, and dancing (BBC, 2009). Jiao, which means offering of sacrifice, is performed in communities to confirm the relationship between the community and its deity (Andersen, 2008). In this case, every household in the village brings an offering for the local deity, at that point, a Taoshi dedicates the offerings in the name of the families, they perform a ritual to restore order to the universe and then ask the gods to bring peace and prosperity to the village (BBC, 2009). The Taoists also use temple rituals to regulate Chi and balance the flow of Yin and Yang for individuals and also the wider community. In the temple they pray to the Taoists deities for strength, help and anything they think the deity would be able to aid them with. They meditate in the temple because it is a place of peace and there is a greater chance of harmony within the body in a place of balance. They also worship on talismans because they are objects of good luck. Talismans are strips of paper with words of power and religious symbols written on them by Taoshi. They are said to focus kind spiritual energies to purify, heal the sick, and to drive away demons. They also use the temple to recite and chant prayers and texts to also purify their minds and bodies (BBC, 2009). The Taoists use the temple to conduct these rituals, as it is a place of balance and harmony, filled with aspects of the Tao. Taoism is a religion based on healing methods that seek to re-establish the original wholeness of human nature (Girardot, 2009), whether through their rituals or their everyday activities, Taoist people attempt to balance out the Yin and Yang in their lives. They believe that a healthy human life could only be established with accordance to the Tao, by living naturally and peacefully. Their main goals in life are compassion, moderation and humility, which all-lead back to the Tao. To Taoists, the Yin and Yang are most important in everything they do. When both Yin and Yang are present and equally balanced, everything is calm. Because of this, Taoist people attempt to create harmony in their lives creating a closer gap to the Tao. The Taoist religion is a constant battle between balances of those that are opposing each other to produce a state of constant harmony and union between opposites. By achieving this balance the worshippers will begin to live their lives in accordance of the Tao and live in peaceful life.

Does an International Political System exist?

Does an International Political System exist? Adding Another Page to the International Political System’s History Book The International Political System’s existence has been questioned in every way, and a plethora of studies have been conducted either to verify its very presence or reject it. It has gone through countless criticisms and praises. But even if we identified the truth about its existence, what would be the importance of knowing if such a system existed? Perhaps it is to make the obscure world a little bit clear. We get to learn things in the system better and possibly even predict what can happen in the future. The only tough task I presume is to classify them since the scope is immense. This paper aims to dwell into the subject matter and prove that one does exist. The first part of the paper will tackle the definitions of the words, â€Å"international,† â€Å"political,† and â€Å"system,† and how they constitute a set of elements peculiar to others. Having put together their definitions, I will turn my focus to the underlying topics that conform to the International Political System’s existence. And lastly, I will provide a conclusion that is going to sum up all my points in this paper. The term â€Å"international† was popularized by a political philosopher named Jeremy Bentham at a time when nation-states were perceived to be prominent actors in the world arena.[1] Using a less authoritative definition, it is â€Å"existing, occurring, or carried on between nations,† according to The English Oxford Dictionary. Furthermore, what is political, according to David Easton, refers to the â€Å"distribution of social values[2].† Systems, however, as defined also by David Easton, are just â€Å"constructions of experiential values, impartial and are not defined by ideology.[3]† Although we are more familiar with defining systems as, â€Å"sets of interacting parts that comprise a whole.† In addition, Hedley Bull also defined international system as a union of states bounded by interaction. This interaction, though, should have a significant amount of impact on another’s behavior[4]. Therefore, an International Political System inv olves two or more states bounded in common interaction with relation to the allocation of social values. To further elaborate the specifics of defining a system, especially one that is political, I will be using David Easton’s Systems Analysis and Categories for the Systems Analysis of Politics. With Easton’s given definition of a system above, it is said to be an open and adaptive system. He suggests that social systems create an open system. An open system is a system that responds to the environment’s influences and vice versa[5]. David Easton argues that a system cannot exist in a void. He claims that system requires an environment for it to exist[6]. And this environment, which is composed of the physical, sociological, social, and psychological, should enclose a system. Therefore, the identification of boundaries is clear. The environment is divided into two parts: intra-societal and extra-societal. The intro-societal consists of systems quite similar to that of the political. These may include a system that is economic, social, etc. While on the other hand, the extra-societal encompasses systems that do not belong within the society. Systems that are international in scope fall under this category – extra-societal (also called â€Å"super systems†). Thus, an international political system is one of the said systems. Now that the definitions have been provided, I will now give topics that indirectly claim that an international political system exists. They are its very foundation of today’s system. Moreover, topics such as structure-functionalism and the identification of patterns will be discussed. A factor to consider whether or not an international political system exists is the presence of intergovernmental organizations. These organizations address the problems of its members and solve them[7]. Having said so, there is a constant interaction between states. This is accomplished through the building of institutions or modifying the old ones. Take the United Nations for example, the European Union, and the World Bank, too. The United Nations have been participating in peacekeeping missions around the globe[8]. Consequently, it is an instrument for regulating power in the international system, acts as arbitraries in pacts or agreements between states, inspires political change, builds norms, ensures development of states. The ability to intervene in the politics of others is interaction. The European Union, however, evidently presents the interdependence of each member in the system. Thus, conflict would be avoided. It is also known not just to prosper financially and politica lly, but to observe human rights and see things in a democratic manner[9]. The World Bank however hopes to eradicate poverty across the globe and provide impartiality in the progressing world[10]. All of which have goals that are not centered in just one state. The scale ranges from a regional collective to an international/world collective. Thus, intergovernmental organizations give way to the existence of an international political system. With the inevitability of intergovernmental organizations, comes the existence of international laws. In neorealism, there exists a structure occupied by anarchic units. And in order to maintain stability and remain organized within the system, established rules are to be followed[11]. These rules make up the international laws. Although the only downfall of having such international laws is the fact that it invades the sovereignty of the states; therefore, international laws are being observed with consent of the state. The state might feel threatened that its sovereignty would be at stake. Transnational institutions are able to connect people in different places, strengthening ties between them. These are corporations that are â€Å"transnational.† They go beyond what it is to be a state or a nation. Although they are not states which we usually identify as units in an international political system, they do have what it takes to interact which undeniably still affects the system. Hence, they can be seen as units of analysis on this context. Existent before and today, diplomacy has been a big factor to prove that an international political system exists. Diplomacy is the peaceful relations among state[12]. It has existed throughout the course of history, preventing wars and promoting peace within the system. Without the will of states to communicate or interact, diplomacy then would be rendered useless. And had there not been diplomacy when interaction occurred, the options would have been to ignore or to go to war. Evidently, whatever choice a state pursues inevitably affects the behavior of the others. Thus, diplomacy is vital in conforming to the presence of an international political system. Treaties are written forms wherein states agree to something. This may include two or more states. It is also ruled by international law. Then again, this is political, and it includes two or more states which are our current units of analysis. Moreover, they do constitute a system. Treaties have been prevalent throughout the course of world history. Some of them include the Westphalian Treaty, which gave the birth of the definition of a state. Armistices which are also referred to as a ceasefire among warring states, contributes to the development of an international political system[13]. Today, we can see the armistice North Korea and South Korea which has been going on for a while now. Another feature is war. War is deeply connected to culture and is even as old as man himself. Although in contemporary times, when everything is quite organized, and wars occur due to the failure of politics[14]. Conflicts spawn when interests contradict, and this is political. World War II for example, came into being because of an immense sense of pride – Nazism. This ultra-nationalistic idea had interests which contradicted many, and so a war was brought into existence. What are usually associated with wars are the formations of alliances. There could exist two factions or a bipolar system where the power rests on two parties. From a liberalist’s perspective the increasing power of an ally isn’t much of a threat and neither do you feel threatened. In fact, you feel more secure. Somehow, this interaction shows an acknowledgment of one state to recognize the other. Hence, from a liberalist’s standpoint, as opposed to realism, cooperation is best, and interaction is greater[15]. Those who conform to this conceive of an absolute gain, or a positive or a negative sum game. Wherein both parties may have a win-win situation or a lose-lose situation. Unlike from a realist’s standpoint, it is always a zero sum game where one wins and the other loses. Hence, realists believe solely on self-interests, where liberalists, on the other hand, believe in shared interests[16]. Since the structure of the international system is anarchic, as conformed to neorealism, conflicts favor the system[17]. Observing the behavior of states, they appear to be relative such as how power that exists is. States normally try to balance their power to whoever has much, or surpass them[18]. Since systems promote stability and unity, the balance of power is intrinsic to the subject matter. This is done out of security purposes, which is in fact, political. Another issue to be tackled is the existence of its boundaries. The international political system, I suppose, should be an open and adaptive system, as what David Easton envisioned for a political system[19]. It should be able to accept whatever the environment has to offer and adapt to it. In order to identify the environment, we must first know the boundaries which separate it from the system. The fact that there exists an international economic system, suggests that it is a different field from the international political system. We can already identify a hint of its environment this way. Instead of focusing on how much the international political system has, we draw our attention more on what it lacks; then systematically, we can easily identify what belongs to its environment. Many critics though such as Lampert believe that the system is too immense that it leaves no space for the environment. But then again, it has all the qualifications of a system; it is only what the syste m lacks that is part of the environment. These aforementioned topics tell us that the system does exist. Now, I will be moving to the structure-functionalism theory. It is often called as â€Å"scientific analysis[20].† It often asks the questions: 1. What patterns exist in the study? 2. What are the conditions that these pattern produce? 3. What processes exist? First, I will define what a structure is. Structures are patterns to which a process is taking place. Functions, however, is defined as â€Å"a condition resulting from the activity performed by a unit[21].† Therefore, structure-functionalism ultimately refers to the foundation of theories to which they explain a comprehensive system framework. In light of the situation of determining the existence of the international political system, the structure would refer to the disturbances that affect the behavior of the units involved. Patterns usually provide us foresight. It is the importance of studying the international political system in order to predict what could possibly happen in the future. Since it clears what is obscure, it could help us establish norms that conform to the patterns that the structure provides. Wars, for example, have been countless results of patterns. From a realist’s point of view, there exist polarities. Power, which every unit struggles for, is a social value. It is their interest and patterns such as balancing of power, offensive realism, defensive realism, come into play[22]. Whatever deviates from these patterns triggers war. It is plausible that almost anything can be quantified today. By providing a set of actions to political actors inevitably mean that system exists. Therefore, without an international political system, patterns would not be provided and understanding the political phenomena in society will be difficult. This is one of the reasons why an international political system should exist. It will provide a framework that will guide political scientists or scholars who specialize in the field of international relations. It is to provide a political map and understand the underlying causes as each situation occurs. Consequently, should this field be taken as a discipline of study, future scholars could possible devise multiple theories which can benefit the entirety of the system. Furthermore, discontinuities can pose no threat to the missing links or the gap that development took a leap. And even better, this leap could spring forward to an even farther destination. Conclusion: Of the given topics above, I have attempted to prove that an international political system exists. From the very definitions of these terms that make up the subject matter, to intergovernmental organizations that exist within the system, to international laws by which states respect and ultimately follow with consent, to transnational institutions or actors that expand or go beyond a state level of analysis, to how diplomatic relationships refer to the preservation of their respective politics without conflict, to wars that eventually happen due to the patterns provided by the international political system, to how formation of alliances meddle with the interactions of states and the influences abroad, and to the realist’s perspective of an anarchic system. Further discussion about the scope of the system has been talked about, identifying the boundaries of All these topics are involved in the activities that comprise the international political system. To identify the origins of the system, I have used the structure-functionalism theory and Systems analysis. Structure-functionalism is a foundation to many systems. It provides the patterns found in the study and used the structure-functionalism theory. I have found it useful to incorporate this field to conform to the system’s existence since it has been a foundation to many systems in the environment. It starts off by identifying patterns found in the political phenomena. Consequently, it determines the functions of each element included in the structure. Having done so, a system is created. David Easton’s analysis however of a political system states that it is adaptive and open. Moreover, he states that systems are not bounded by an ideology. Furthermore, he states that environment which encloses the political system can be divided into two: intra-societal and extra-societal. He further states that the intra-societal environment consists of systems similar to that of the political; while extra-societal, on the other hand, involves supra systems, or systems international in nature. And lastly, I have provided instances why an international political system exists and should exist. I have stated multiple assessments that could either help us get through international matters in a good way or the opposite, all depending on the existence of an international political system. Bibliography European Union. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014, from European Union Web site: http://europa.eu/about-eu/index_en.htm Hamilton, K., Langhorne, R. (1995). The Practice of Diplomacy. New York: Routledge. McCormick. (2004). Comparative Politics in Transition. Indiniapolis : Cengage Learning. Susser, B. (1991). Approaches to the Study of Politics. New York: Prentice Hall. The World Bank. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014, from The World Bank Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/04/17/ending_extreme_poverty_and_promoting_shared_prosperity Wansbach, R., Rhodes, E. (2000). Global Politics in a Changing World. Houghton Mifflin Company. Young, O. (1968). United Nations and the International System. International Organization, Vol. 22 No. 4. [1] Richard W. Mansbach and Edward Rhodes, Global Politics in a Changing World (Boston:2000) [2] Bernard Susser, Approaches to the Study of Politics (New Jersey, 1991) [3] Ibid. [4] Hedley Bull, Anarchical Society (New York, 1977) [5] Bernard Susser, op.cit. [6] Ibid. [7] Richard W. Mansbach and Edward Rhodes, op. cit. [8] Oran R. Young, United Nations and the International System (Madison: 1968) [9] Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://europa.eu/about-eu/index_en.htm [10] Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://www.worldbank.org/en/about [11] David Kinsella, Bruce Russett, and Harvey Starr, World Politics: The Menu for Choice (Boston, 2010) [12] Keith Hamilton and Richard Langhorne, The Practice of Diplomacy (New York, 1995) [13] John McCormick, Comparative Politics in Transition (Indianapolis, 2007) [14] Richard W. Mansbach, op.cit. [15] Bruce Russett, Harvey Starr, and David Kinsella, op.cit. [16] Ibid. [17] Ibid. [18] Ibid. [19] Bernard Susser, op.cit. [20] Ibid. [21] Ibid. [22] Bruce Russett, Harvey Starr, and David Kinsella, op.cit. Sociology: Attack On Biological Determinism Sociology: Attack On Biological Determinism Biological determinism is a theory that tries to explain a persons behaviour and other aspects of life in relation to his or her genetic makeup. This theory was encompasses the work of various prominent scientists such as Mendel, Charles Darwin and Francis Galton. Biological determinism abnegates the idea of the surrounding influencing the characteristics and behavioural aspects of an individual. For decades, this theory has been expounded in order to explain human behaviour comprehensively. Charles Darwin proposed heritable characteristics are determined through natural selection. Darwin was of the opinion that an individual would inherit the optimal characteristics that would ensure his survival or have a reproductive advantage. However, sociologists have strongly criticized the biological determinism theory because it does not take into account the environmental factors that affect behaviour (Banyard and Grayson, 2000). This article aims to discuss the concept of biological determ inism and the opinion of sociologists on this concept. Discussion Biologists, when referring to different behaviours and roles of individual in the society, agree that a set of predetermined biological process determine these behaviours. Therefore, people think and act in different manner because they have different development in their brains (Velden, 2010). Biological theorists are of the opinion that the chromosomes and hormones in his body control brain cell formation. For example, the male in the society are equipped with both the Y and X chromosomes whereas the women only have the X chromosome. The Y chromosome in men leads to production of testosterone and other male hormones. Therefore, the male brain develops differently from that of a woman due to the difference in genetic material in the sexes. Biologists have gone further to use the differences in male and female brain to explain the difference in behaviours between the sexes (Kronfeldner, 2009). Biological determinism operates on the assumption that all behaviours have particular causes, which are mainly genetic or related to biological functions and processes. Experiments done by Raine et al (1997) focused in the abnormalities found in the brain of murderers. Raine et al (1997) tried to find determine the common factor in murderers who had put a plea of not guilty by virtue of insanity. In the experiments, Raine et al (1997) looked at the PET scans of murderers and observed their cortical and sub-cortical brains. This experiment aimed to determine whether having brain dysfunction and abnormalities like schizophrenia are linked to the violent behaviours exhibited by the murderers. Raines experiment only focused on the innate factors while it ignored the external factors such as the environments that may control the behaviours of an individual. Biological determinism also focuses on reductionism. Reductionism views individuals as divided into hierarchical groups. Therefore, the biological determinists view the inequalities between sexes, nations, classes as intrinsic rather than extrinsic (Carolan, 2005). Therefore, this theory portrays the picture that if one person is less successful than the other is, it is s not because of the contributing factors in the environment, but because the other person is intrinsically incapable of being successful. Biological determinists therefore believe that men in the society are dominant because they are intrinsically more aggressive and rational than women. According to this theory, biologically inheritable material and not the surrounding environment determine division in the society (Carolan, 2005). It is the opinion of most sociologist that it is irrational to consider social classification as a genetic factor. This is because human from different divides and social backgrounds have been known to interact and live in similar classes. It is also logical to assume that the environment and the surrounding enforces some traits and leads success or failure of an individual in a society. It is from this mode of thinking that sociologists have formulated their theories on human behaviour and societal interaction. The external environment contributes greatly to the behaviour of a person in the society. In fact, according to sociologist the surrounding environment solely regulates behaviour. Although biologists believe that only biological processes influence behaviours, there are various flaws in this perspective. Biologists tend to ignore cognitive behaviours exhibited by individuals in their theory of biological determinism. This is where sociologist criticizes the biological determinism theory. Sociologists believe that people exhibit different behaviours depending on the surrounding environment. For decades, the sociologists view on biological determinism has been that of disapproval. Most sociologists are uneasy with the biological determinism theory because it does not fully explain behavioural exhibition in people (Carolan, 2005). Sociologists disapproval of determinism is justifiable to a given extend especially when such disapproval is guided by ideologues that seek to validate, and rectify, the status quo of the biological determinism. The argument advanced by sociologist is based on the fact biological determinists have a fear that there is a probability of l osing the genic capacity. Therefore, sociologists believe that looking very deep into the realm bio physiology to explain social phenomenon is irrational and rather irresponsible. Social scientists such Skinner believe that all behavioural aspects of a person are determined by the external stimuli (Boeree, 2006). Skinner in his theory concluded that the concept of free will is just an illusion and a persons behaviour will usually conform to his surrounding rather than be genetically determined. Skinners theory on behaviour was majorly based on operant conditioning. Skinner believed that an organism or a person operated in a specific environment with various stimuli that contributed towards specific behaviours. Therefore, skinner believed that when a person or organism is exposed to certain environment a stimulus known as the reinforcer contributed towards his repeated behavioural exhibition (Boeree, 2006). From Skinners theory, we can deduce that a behaviour followed by a reinforcing stimulus has a higher likelihood of being repeated or not. Skinner used the example of a rat in a cage with a bar or pedal. In case the rat presses the pedal or the bar, it leads to release of food pellet. Assume the rat is bouncing in the cage and accidentally presses the bar then the food pellet is released. Therefore, this rat will tend to repeat this behaviour not because it inherited such traits but because it there is a reinforcing stimulus in the environment (Boeree, 2006). Watson John supports Skinners opinion by also showing that the surrounding environment governs an individuals behaviour.   Watson assumes that behaviour exhibited by an individual can be correlated to other observable occurrences in the environment. In Watsons opinion, there are usually definite occurrences that precede and follow exhibition of certain behaviours. Watsons behaviourism theory attempts to explain the relation between stimuli in the environment and an individuals response (behaviour). Watson like Skinner borrowed his idea on behaviour from Pavlovs conditioning experiments. Watson believed that individual learned through stimuli substitution and similarly behaviours in individual are exhibited according to change in stimuli rather than genetic predispositions (Winfred, 2010). Watson became one of the many sociologists to oppose the mentalist concept. He believed that the early neuroscientists were very ignorant on how the nervous system and the brain functioned. At that time, biological determinism was widely accepted as an explanation to behavioural exhibitions. However, Watson changed this opinion by using contiguity to explain how organisms learned. Watsons theory assumed that emotions were complex expression of classical conditioning and therefore complex behaviours only came about due to combination of recognisable reflexes (Winfred, 2010). Like Skinner, Watson believed that repeated activity strengthened the learning process and the learning process is what creates the difference between human behaviour. Despite the fact that Watsons position did not explain the concept of human learning, his theory is currently considered as one of the pioneers to learning sciences. Conclusion In the society, the most obvious feature is inequality. It is obvious that some individuals have great wealth while others are poor Different groups explain these inequalities according t their preferred theory. Biological determinists believe that inequality in the society is as a result of the intrinsic factors. Sociologists on the other hand believe that social differences are as a result of extrinsic factors. Both these arguments are passionate and provide interesting view into the human behaviour and social organization.Sociologists try explaining the relation between human beings and their surrounding while neglecting the concept of biological determinism. However, socialism alone cannot explain some behavioural patterns neither can biological determinism. It is necessary for both the sociologist and biologists to move towards a relatively dynamic theory, which is open to interrelation of theories from both sides of the divide. No matter how much the sociologist may wish to sti ck to their theory, they cannot evade the complex nature of biological organisms. As much as the environment influences the behaviour, it is necessary to note that chemical reactions and hormonal changes also influence how organisms and human behave. Currently, it would be absurd to support only one theory due to the evidence available. Social theories provide their arguments, which are as compelling as the arguments provided by the biological determinists. It is therefore irrelevant for sociologist to wage war against biologists since booth theories have weaknesses, which can be augmented if the theories are combined to form a grand theory that explains human behaviour.

Effects of War and Organized Violence on Refugees Essay -- Refugee Chi

In the literature about refugees and the effects of displacement upon them, certain themes are unmistakably persistent. Some of those themes could be found in Satrapi’s, Persepolis, and others could not. When Perry-Jenkins, a psychology professor, gave the Dean’s Reader class a supplementary presentation on the psychology of adolescence, she mentioned that psychological studies predominantly take place in the U.S. She also noted that cross-cultural and longitudinal studies are a more recent phenomenon in the psychology field. Perry-Jenkins also explained that most psychological studies are done in the U.S. due to funding reasons, but for whatever other reason, studies outside the U.S. are often done on children first, not adolescence or adults, hence the emphasis on children in many of the international studies I cite below. Psychological symptoms were an overwhelming theme throughout the material I reviewed involving refugees. It is important to remember that refugees leave their home country during a difficult time, and their pre-flight stressors can be and sometimes are worse than the post-flight stressors of adjustment to a new country. In any case, psychological distress comes in many forms. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a very common stressor for refugees and was noted in Jodecyr, Graham, Sourander, Hjern, and Keyes’ work. Keyes reviewed the literature about six years ago and determined that almost every article in her work mentioned the effects of PTSD on refugees. Guilt is another stressor common to refugees for many reasons. Parents may have to leave in a rush and may not be able to take all of their children, a child may be leaving parents behind, and adolescent age children may feel the guilt of leaving t... ...Angel. "Organized violence and mental health of refugee children in exile: a six-year follow-up." Acta Paediatrica 89.6(2000): 722-727. Jodeyr, Simin. "Where do I belong?: the experience of second generation Iranian immigrants and refugees." Psychodynamic Practice 9.2 (2003): 205-214. Leavey, Gerald. "Psychological disorder amongst refugee and migrant schoolchildren in London." Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology 39.3(2003): 191-195. Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis- The Story of a Childhood. New York: Random House, 2003. Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis 2- The Story of a Return. New York: Random House, 2004. Sourander, Andre. "Behavior Problems and Traumatic Events of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors." Child Abuse & Neglect 22.7(1998): 719-727. Sourander, Andre. "Refugee families during asylum seeking." Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 57(2002): 203-207. Effects of War and Organized Violence on Refugees Essay -- Refugee Chi In the literature about refugees and the effects of displacement upon them, certain themes are unmistakably persistent. Some of those themes could be found in Satrapi’s, Persepolis, and others could not. When Perry-Jenkins, a psychology professor, gave the Dean’s Reader class a supplementary presentation on the psychology of adolescence, she mentioned that psychological studies predominantly take place in the U.S. She also noted that cross-cultural and longitudinal studies are a more recent phenomenon in the psychology field. Perry-Jenkins also explained that most psychological studies are done in the U.S. due to funding reasons, but for whatever other reason, studies outside the U.S. are often done on children first, not adolescence or adults, hence the emphasis on children in many of the international studies I cite below. Psychological symptoms were an overwhelming theme throughout the material I reviewed involving refugees. It is important to remember that refugees leave their home country during a difficult time, and their pre-flight stressors can be and sometimes are worse than the post-flight stressors of adjustment to a new country. In any case, psychological distress comes in many forms. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a very common stressor for refugees and was noted in Jodecyr, Graham, Sourander, Hjern, and Keyes’ work. Keyes reviewed the literature about six years ago and determined that almost every article in her work mentioned the effects of PTSD on refugees. Guilt is another stressor common to refugees for many reasons. Parents may have to leave in a rush and may not be able to take all of their children, a child may be leaving parents behind, and adolescent age children may feel the guilt of leaving t... ...Angel. "Organized violence and mental health of refugee children in exile: a six-year follow-up." Acta Paediatrica 89.6(2000): 722-727. Jodeyr, Simin. "Where do I belong?: the experience of second generation Iranian immigrants and refugees." Psychodynamic Practice 9.2 (2003): 205-214. Leavey, Gerald. "Psychological disorder amongst refugee and migrant schoolchildren in London." Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology 39.3(2003): 191-195. Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis- The Story of a Childhood. New York: Random House, 2003. Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis 2- The Story of a Return. New York: Random House, 2004. Sourander, Andre. "Behavior Problems and Traumatic Events of Unaccompanied Refugee Minors." Child Abuse & Neglect 22.7(1998): 719-727. Sourander, Andre. "Refugee families during asylum seeking." Nordic Journal of Psychiatry 57(2002): 203-207.

What it Means to be a Boxer Essay -- Boxing Sport

Boxing is a combat oriented sport developed by the ancient Greeks in which two opponents fight each other with their fists. It was first introduced into the Olympics in 688 B.C but the sport was discontinued after the fall of the Roman Empire. It later resurfaced in the early 18th century in England by the name of "bare-knuckle fighting", the "boxing gloves", as we know them, did not come until much later. The Marquess of Queensbury rules, developed in 1867, are the general rules that modern boxing is based around today all around the world. Today, boxing is among the toughest sports in the world and requires a rigorous amount of training and exercise. It requires a unique mindset to which one must have the killer instinct to never give up and to attack at the opponent's weaknesses without mercy. Some consider boxing to be a reckless sport in which two unintelligent beings indulge to punching each other until one of them is knocked out. Others consider it poetry in motion. People say that sports are meant to enhance the body, whereas in boxing it would seem that the objective is ...

Revenge :: essays research papers

Taking revenge is a bitter sweet thing. I have always thought that people should always get what they desire, whether it be a grade, a smile and hug or in some cases, revenge. When I was in high school there seemed to be someone always trying to get me in trouble, they would say things that wouldn’t be true or do things to make me look bad. The fact that I never seemed to do anything to them would make me mad and wonder what I could do to get them back. Revenge would usually come in some sort of verbal put down or I would try to physically hurt them. It always seemed when I would get the revenge right away I would feel really good but as I thought about what I did, and what they did to me I would always feel guilty or wish I would have never done anything to them in return. In the bible it is said that we should treat others as we would like to be treated, and when I would hurt someone physically or mentally I would be disobeying what the bible said. If I am to get revenge on others, what happens when they get revenge on me, will it ever stop or would it have been easier to just walk away and no say anything or let it bothered me. Now that I’m in college I feel that revenge comes in different forms. Now instead of hurting others I am in for taking revenge on the basketball floor. If I get beat, it means my team and I didn’t play up to our potential or that they worked harder than us on a given night. Its not a life or death matter but when the next game comes I want to beat the life out of them. When the game is over and I feel that the revenge has been taken I don’t feel like I shouldn’t have done it or that I feel bad that they lost and I won, I have feelings of happiness and joy.

Biological Psychology Essay

Abstract Psychology has its own biological boundaries. This is in the form of biological psychology or behavioral neuroscience. The main aim of this branch in psychology is to have a clearer picture of the relationship of the mind and body, and mind and brain. It tries to link the brain functions to the different mental processes and behaviors. This type of psychology investigates man’s physiological phenomena such as memory and emotions. Biological Psychology Human beings are more then a collection of systems, more than a collection of organs and more than a collection of cells.   The human body is complex. It is an operating organism which functions as a whole. The human body involves a great deal of variety of processes. By examining the parts, it does not mean that one can understand the whole organism (Arnold, 1999). Biological psychology is the field of psychology which main endeavor was to link the different brain functions to different mental processes and behaviors. Psychologists in this subdiscipline of psychology are often interested in relating biological variables to psychological or behavioral variables. It deals with biological processes and behaviors that are shared with mammalian animals. This is because biological psychologists utilize animals in their experiments. Some of these processes are sensation, perception, motivation, learning memory and control of motor movements (â€Å"Biological Psychology†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The history of Biological psychology emerged from various philosophical views in the 18th and 19th century. However, its study started much earlier. It dates back to Avicenna, a Persian psychologist and physician. He recognized physiological psychology in the treatment of illnesses involving emotions. Avicenna also gave some psychological explanations on somatic illnesses. He believed that humidity inside the brain can cause mood disorders. Humidity is brought by the change with the amount of breath. Another is that happiness increases the breath so it contributes to the brain’s moisture. But then, too much moisture can make the brain loss control thus having mental disorders (â€Å"The Mind-Brain Problem†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The philosophical history of Biological Psychology surfaced from philosophers like Rene Descartes. He believed that the pineal gland was the point of contact between the mind and body. He also proposed a theory that pneumatics or fluid power of bodily fluids is connected to reflexes and motor behavior (â€Å"The Mind- Brain Problem†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another philosopher who contributed to Biological psychology is William James.   He is the one who argued that in the study of psychology there should also be consideration to the understanding of Biology. He also stressed that the functions of the brain must be included in the study of psychology. The connection between mind and brain became progressively clearer in the nineteenth century. In this century, the doctors started observing patients who suffered from head injuries. The patients usually exhibited alterations in language and memory and some variation in their personalities. One patient is a refined businessman and a loving father became a vulgar person who lacks in affection for his loved ones after a sever blow in the head. These observations is lead researchers to experiment by producing surgical lesions in animals in different regions of the brain to observe what effects these lesions have on behavior (Westen, 1999). Since its origin, one of the major issues faced by biological psychologists was localization of functions. This entails knowing which different parts of the brain control different aspects of functioning. In 1836, a physician named Marc Dax, noted that lesions on the left side of the brain were associated with aphasia or language disorder. Because of this discovery, many other discoveries linking the left hemisphere of the brain with language function appeared (Westen, 1999). These other discoveries led to the finding of Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas. Broca’s aphasia involves difficulty in production of speech, whereas Wernicke’s aphasia involves difficulty in comprehending language (Westen, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The clinical assumption of Biological psychology is that organisms share similar biological processes and behaviors. Some of the other disciplines in psychology greatly related with biological psychology are comparative psychology, evolutionary psychology, neuropsychology, clinical psychology, cognitive psychology and experimental psychology (Westen, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Comparative psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes of animals other than human beings (Westen, 1999). Biological psychologists use animals in their experiments. They compare the results done on these animals to human processes and behaviors. Evolutionary psychology, on the other hand, deals with the explanation of mental and psychological traits and how they evolved to adapt to different stimuli. Neuropsychology is an interdisciplinary field of psychology and neuroscience that aims to explain how the structure and function of the brain relate to certain psychological behaviors (â€Å"Evolutionary Psychology†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Other fields of psychology related with biological psychology such as clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, and experimental psychology are connected with biological psychology because these fields aim to link the physiological processes with different mental processes. Clinical psychology focuses on the nature and treatment of physiological processes that lead to emotional distress. Cognitive psychology examines the nature of thought, memory and language. And, experimental psychology examines mental processes in human and other animals (Westen, 1999). Some of the noted modern biological psychologists are Nikolaas Tinbergen, Karl von Frisch, Eric Kandel and Arvid Carlsson. Nikolaas Tinbergen is a Dutch ornithologist who won the Nobel Prize for Physiology in 1973. His contribution is the organization and elicitation of individual and social behaviour patterns in animals. Karl von Frisch is an Austrian ethologist who won the same award with Tinbergen. He studied the senses of bees and identified they methods of communication(â€Å"Nobel Prize in Physiology/ Medicine 1973†)..Eric Kandel is a neuroscientist whose contribution is the analysis of biochemical changes in neurons assiciated with learning and memory storage. Arvid Carlsson is a neuroscientist most noted for his on the neurotransmitter dopmaine and Parkinson’s disease (â€Å"The Nobel Prize in Physiology/ Medicine 2000†).   Reference Arnold, T. (1999). Mind and Brian Relationship. Retrieved February 8, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.hyponoesis.org/html/essays/e022.html Biological Psychology. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.psypress.com/common/supplementary/184169360X/part1.pdf Evolutionary Psychology. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.psychnet-uk.com/evolutionary_psychology/evolutionary_psychology.htm The Mind- Brain problem. Retrieved February 11, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://moebius.psy.ed.ac.uk/~dualism/papers/brains.html The Nobel Prize in Physiology/ Medicine 1973. Nobelprize.org. Retrieved February 11, 2008,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1973/index.html The Nobel Prize in Physiology/ Medicine 2000. Nobelprize.org. Retrieved February 11, 2008,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2000/index.html Westen, D. (2nd Ed.). (1999). Psychology: Mind, Brain and Culture. U.S.A.: John Wiley   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   & Sons, Inc.

Comparing 2 Cities

Bangkok and Seoul are well-known cities of Asia. Bangkok is the capital main commercial center of Thailand and Seoul is the capital main commercial center of South Korea. While they are different in many ways, they also have several similarities. This report will compare and contrast some of the economic, history, physical, population features of the two capitals. There are several similarities between the two cities. Firstly, both cities focus on manufactured business. Secondly, the finance and trade are the major industries of their economy.Thirdly, both of them have long histories. Seoul, is in fact, the older of the two cities. Seoul was founded in 1394 whereas Bangkok was founded in 1782. In contrast, the two cities have some significant differences in physical features. Firstly, Bangkok is much bigger than Seoul, occupying 1562 sq kms. On the other hand, Seoul is fairly small city, being only 627 sq kms. Secondly, the locations of Bangkok and Seoul is different. Bangkok, which is in central Thailand , is located on the banks of Chao Phraya River. It is about 22 kms from the river’s mouth.However, Seoul is located on banks of the Han River in north-western South Korea, about 3kms from the Port of Inchon. Finally, the population of the cities differ greatly in size and there is an important difference in their structure. Firstly, Seoul has just over ten million people whereas Bangkok has only 7. 5 million people. Secondly, the majority of the people in Bangkok is Thai with 75 percent and 25 percent people come to another countries including Chinese, Indian, Burmese, Khmer and Vietnamese. On the other hand, the main composition of people in Seoul is almost all Korean.