Nagel's bat argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nagel's bat argument - Essay Example This shortcoming in Nagel’s argument comes as a result of a conceptual error regarding the nature of a mind-independent, or objective, phenomenon. The nature of phenomenal experience can be illustrated with a thought experiment. A scientist can apply artificial impulses to a subject’s cerebrum through electrodes, causing the subject to react in predicable ways: moving his arm, yelling loudly, and so on. These artificial inputs mirror exactly the natural functioning of the brain. Imagine then if the scientist simulates pain, evoking the appropriate physiological responses, but hears no reports of pain from the subject. For pain to exist, we might conclude, there is a necessary condition that there be first ­-hand, phenomenal experience of such. Even though the physiological responses to pain appear, there is still the lack of subjectivity, which proves necessary for the ontic existence of pain. Nagel uses the term â€Å"subjective character of experience† to denote the thought that a point-of-view is essentially a set the sum of a thing’s subjective phenomena. The notion of the subjective character of experience suggests, according to Nagel, that some kinds of facts, namely the means by which mental states arise from physical ones, are outside of the realm of human experience and thus unknowable. A bat, for instance, perceives its environment entirely different from how a human being would and given that there is something that the bat subjectively experiences there seems to be some ontological closure for the human mind to some facts. The bat forms a particularly effective tool for Nagel to illustrate his claim insofar as that species employs a sensory device of sonar, which is a radically different from man’s means of perception. While any conscious animal would do, the bat’s sensory tools are clearly different in every respect of its operation from sight or any of the other human senses. While clearly conscious, the bat has its own very

Panic Disorder - Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Panic Disorder - Psychology - Essay Example Taking into consideration the fact that functions such as consciousness, circulation, and respiration are vital for survival, it is unsurprising that particular defenseless people will be hypersensitive to any signs that they will lose consciousness, that they will lose their breath, or that their hearts will stop beating (Root, 2000). Moreover, a number of patients are predominantly terrified of symptoms that signify that they could be losing control over vicious urges directed toward others or themselves (Stein & Hollander, 2002). Likewise, a number of patients are particularly responsive to indications of behavioral or psychological ‘dyscontrol’ due to the probable effects of being hospitalized for ‘wild’ or ‘mad’ behavior, or perhaps shamed for uninhibited behavior (Stein & Hollander, 2002). The patient’s anxiety that a critical organ, such as the brain, lungs, or heart, or behavioral mechanism is about to stop working is a fundamenta l element of the cognitive mechanism of panic disorder (Taylor, 2004). Due to these concerns, patients vulnerable to panic attacks have a tendency to focus their attention on any mental or bodily encounters that are not explainable as normal. A second attribute of panic disorder that challenges clinician and offers a profitable opportunity for the psychologist is the fixation of attention on the idea of an imminent tragedy. The tragedy that they fear subsequent to the start of the attack is not just the development of the panic disorder, but the likelihood of the much serious different explanation of their symptoms; specifically, that at this point it may not be the ordinary panic, but a swiftly grave process or a severe disruption of behavioral or mental functioning (Hurley, 2007). Besides the fixation on inner consciousness, the idea of approaching disaster absorbs the core of the patient’s thoughts and is usually so realistic that the

The Entrepreneur I Most Admire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Entrepreneur I Most Admire - Essay Example The first part of the essay gives a brief outline of the profile of Warren Buffet and tracks the path of his career as an entrepreneur. The reason for the selection of this person has been explained in detail. In the later parts of the essay the strategies and models adopted by Warren Buffet has been analysed. Finally a reflection has been provided on the learning from the business model and strategies of the person and how it can be implemented in the present day scenario as a starter. Discussion Warren Buffet, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway is also a stock market investor whose net worth is estimated at $58.5 billion as on 2013. Considered to be the most successful investor of his time, he is the largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway and has been ranked as the richest man of the world for many consecutive years. The person has remained loyal to the philosophy of value investing that he believed in throughout his life and followed meticulously. Along with the materialistic part o f his life it must also be mentioned that Buffet is a well acclaimed philanthropist. He had taken up a motto of donating 99% of his profits to the charity in form of donations. The person has been chosen for the discussion in this essay chiefly because his story would motivate a large number of entrepreneurs who are in the making. Buffet reached the heights even from a very humble background chiefly because of his hard work, his ideas, his will power and his ability to understand the field in which he operated. Since childhood Buffet has the passion for making money which he continued to pursue throughout the rest of his life. Buffet was lucky to have the securities analyst Benjamin Graham and David Dodd as his mentors in Columbia Business School and the education that he gathered from these two maestros helped him in his later phases of life (Hagstrom, 2005, p. 29). People like Warren Buffet act as inspiration for the entrepreneur who want to start their own business. Not only that Buffet reached the heights from the grass root levels and therefore he had enough foresight about the future and experience of the practical aspects of life. Being a person who is continuously dealing with money, Buffet never avoided the ethical and moral aspects of life. He always believed that whether human relations or business, values are important for long term sustainability. Warren Buffet as an Entrepreneur Various types of Entrepreneurship models are used by the businesses in the present day. The types of businesses have been depicted in the chart below. (Source: MIT Sloan Management Review, 2007, p. 77) The kind of ownership of the management in the organisation would determine the entrepreneurial style. On the other hand the source of the resources whether come in an ad hoc manner or through a pool of resources created by individuals in the corporate world determines the type of entrepreneur. Warren Buffet would come under the enabler model because the employees of Berksh ire Hathaway are provided with a lot of flexibility and support when they come up with their new ideas. They are encouraged to pursue their personal goals as long as they remain aligned with the goals of the organisation. Buffet has pursued this kind of model chiefly because of the fact that he himself has moved along in the path of freedom in the thought process and pursuing the field of

BUSINESS RESEARCH AND CUNSULTANCY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

BUSINESS RESEARCH AND CUNSULTANCY - Essay Example My aim of the study was to suggest the name of the companies, who can act as the potential sponsors of the club. In order to present a reflection of the study, I will make use of Gibb’s (1998) reflective cycle. With the help of reflective cycle, I will develop the structure of my reflective essay. The structure of this reflective essay will be divided into seven broad segments. I will start off with the experiences I gained while making this project. The following segments will include the description of the study, feelings associated with the project and conclusion. Finally, I will be presenting my personal action plans for the future. Moreover, I also believe that this structure and method will help me to express how this project benefitted me and how I can apply the learning’s to the professional filed. The study was undertaken for the principal purpose of finding sponsors for Manchester Giants basketball club. In addition, our aim of the project was also to explore the possibilities of getting the right sponsor for the club. The study was carried out by a group of 6 and I was one of them. At the initial stage, we planned that this study will have three main parts and these parts will collectively satisfy the objective of the study. Accordingly, the objectives of the study were to gain in-depth understanding of the team, identify the existing supporter base of the team, and perform a comparative study of the sponsors of similar clubs. Finally the task of the study was ro suggest the Manchester Giants with the names of the potential sponsoring companies and an appropriate strategy in order to get sponsors. Primarily, we were a little confused about everyone’s role in the study. In simple words, we were finding difficulties in assigning or allocating the tasks among ourselves. However, we solved this issue by a small group discussion. During this session, the task

The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man Essay

The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man - Essay Example   The paper tells that William Apess was a Native American who accepted the Christian faith. He continued to labor among the Native American Indians as a Christian minister and advocated human rights in his sermons and writings. The period in which he wrote marked an age of cruel slavery and anti-miscegenation laws which prohibited the intermarriage between Whites and Colored people. Apess uses the notable technique of irony in which he would expose the hypocrisy of the Whites employing their own religious doctrines and ideologies.  The superficiality of the White man's doctrine is a point of argument in Apess' work. Apess observes that one "may learn how deep (the White man's) principles are...I should say they were skin deep." The foundation of the White man's objection to the non-Whites enjoyment of their inalienable human rights is based on the skin tone. Skin pigmentation or exterior is not of value in any substantial and profound argument for what lies on the inside forms t he core and matters most. In his day, Apess would have been familiar with the Great Chain of Being philosophy which privileges the Whites at the head of the human races and relegates the Other to occupy lower tiers. Whites used this concept to justify their subhuman treatment of other races. The irony of using skin color as a means to exalt oneself and debase another reveals the truth of the proverb, 'All that glitters is not gold.' In time, the surface of any object is defaced and gradually stripped away. External appearances deceive however, only nature is real and enduring. Apess reiterates: "I am not talking about the skin, but about principles." Apess makes a stirring appeal to the tenets of Christianity, the so-called White man's religion. White men would use their religion to validate conquest, segregation, and the institution of slavery, however, Apess wields the Holy Bible, the book which instructs Christians in defence of human rights, equality, justice and brotherhood. The Christian Bible quotes that "God is no respecter of persons"-"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength-Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." "By this shall all men know that they are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." "Let us not love in word but in deed." Repeatedly Apess preaches to the people who should be acquainted with their own doctrines of love. Apess concept of God differs from the White man's God. Judging from the professing Christians' cruelty, greed, and antagonism, the Apess shows that according to the white man's principles, the Christian God wou ld have to be an unfair and hateful deity who would favor a cross section of people and belittle others. True religion in Apess' eyes is an inclusive religion. One which inspires love and compassion. Apess laments that in 'Christian America' there remains active practice of cruelty, systematic oppression, inhumanity and hostility. Apess argues that a Christian should never be a slave-owner for doing so puts at detriment his own soul and contravenes the founding principles of his faith. He urges the equality and brotherhood of Negroes and Whites according to the Christian doctrines and wonders at White Christian hypocrisy. To add force to his arguments, he quotes numerous scriptural texts from the Bible from Matthew, John and Romans. To hate and propagate division is not only unchristian but also unethical. God's unconditional and impartial love is a perfect example of the love that man must have for his fellow. Greed, selfishness and prejudice are the true motivators of discriminati on that have poisoned the heart, turning it from human compassion. Vices such as sloth, greed and materialism are other adverse effects of the White

Journal research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal research - Essay Example The introduction gave a brief description of body mass index ( BMI) as a measure for obesity.The historical background of the research is focused on the increased cardiovascular risk for obese children. The importance of measuring BMI and its validity in establishing obesity was a good platform in establishing a good hypothesis. The study was conducted no less than one of the authors ( Pietrobeli) with another group of researchers. Studies citing complications that arose from obese children in a 40 yr follow-up study by Jacques et al in was presented. Accordingly, the study by Jacques revealed that childhood obesity did not only result to diabetes but led to increased mortality due to coronary artery disease as well. The present study hypothesized that early childhood obesity along with a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk for diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This translates to higher incidence of mortality when these children become adults. For the methods section, a comparative survey that compares the BMI across teens in the US was used. The cited study was done by Lissau et al published in 2003. The method engaged was a cross-comparison of incidence of obesity in teens in US against teens in Europe. The comparison resulted to the conclusion that occurrence of obesity in US teens is three times higher than European counterparts. Unfortunately, much cannot be said about statistical data since the study was just referenced in the journal Much of the given conclusions were summaries of compiled studies. In fact, the journal is more like of an informative and persuasive article that warns the public of the dangers of childhood obesity. The journal also comments on what directions , programs and policies that European Commission must do so that European teens would not experience same situation as American teens. The suggestions posed by the researchers were interventions

Evidence, Proof and argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Evidence, Proof and argument - Essay Example As the jury, it is your duty to decide fairly, dispassionately and impartially based on the evidence presented by the prosecution4 since the burden of proving the guilt of defendant Duncan lies with the prosecution5 and owing to this stringent requirement, its case must stand and fall on its own merits. The prosecution cannot assert that the evidence for the defence is weak. Any claim therefore by the prosecution that this defendant has not established a valid defence should not be entertained. I would like to emphasize that the duty to prove the guilt of this defendant is the sole responsibility of the prosecution6. This defendant need not do anything since the law presumes his innocence until proven otherwise. However, Members of the jury, I would likewise caution you that the proof required of the prosecution is not absolute certainty that this defendant has committed the grievous act he is accused of. The prosecution is simply required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt(fn-case) that this defendant is guilty. Judgment beyond a reasonable doubt simply requires moral certainty that this defendant committed the offence charged. ... With that as a backdrop, let us proceed with the task at hand. This defendant is indicted for the murder of Simon Chapman by allegedly plunging the knife into the victim’s heart with intent to hurt and cause him serious harm. The death of Simon Chapman allegedly resulted from the acts of this defendant who was then 15 years old. Allow me, Members of the Jury to walk you through the undisputed facts—the decedent, Simon Chapman and his friend Christopher Jones (Jones) were sitting in a coach aboard a train late at night when two boys, defendant Duncan Moore and David Parker (David) were smoking and running about the train passing from one carriage to another. Christopher Jones chided the boys for smoking and to which they replied to â€Å"fuck off†. At this point, David—the younger of the two—decided to pester Jones by grabbing his briefcase. A commotion ensued where Jones pushed David who retaliated with a punch landing on the Jones’ face. As Jones was about to hit David again, Duncan intervened. The ruckus is now between Jones and Duncan. They were throwing punches at each other when decedent Chapman arose from his sleep and seeing that Jones was being hit by Duncan, he, in turn, struck Duncan with his umbrella. Duncan fell on his back and decedent Chapman straddled him, the two went on throwing punches against each other when the fracas stopped. Decedent Chapman was stabbed with the use of a kitchen knife. Thereafter, two boys alighted on the next train stop. Based on this undisputed facts, you shall decide if this defendant stabbed the victim or is there a probability that somebody else on that train who could be the culprit. Before we move on to the evidence presented by either side, it is important that I discuss the