Osmosis Case Study Essay Example for Free

Osmosis Case Study Essay These two Case Studies come from a National Center on Case Studies. I think that a case study approach is very useful in applying knowledge and this is what makes you learn it better. They may be a little daunting when you read them but I will help you go through them. Please ask for help so this topic becomes more enjoyable for you. Part I—Too Much of a Good Thing Times were difficult in Habersham County. The skyrocketing prices of fuel and food were threatening to bankrupt the Johnson family’s small farm, which was no match for the multi-million-dollar mega-farms that had been popping up all over the southeast. Joseph, the family patriarch, was especially troubled by the farm’s financial circumstances. He knew that this year’s corn crop was his best chance to save the farm, and his distress was evident to his family as they sat around the dinner table. â€Å"Michael, I’m going to need your help tomorrow,† Joseph said to his eldest son. â€Å"I have to go into town to pick up a part for the combine so I can fix it before it’s time to harvest in a few months. I need you to spread the potash and phosphate on the corn because we’re expecting some rain by the end of the week. † Michael, his mouth full of fried chicken, nodded in agreement. He wasn’t all that interested in farming, which over the years had been a point of contention between him and his father. At the moment Michael was thinking more about the time he’d be missing with his friends, but he also realized how vital this chore was to his father and the farm. â€Å"I’ll do it right after school, Dad,† he replied. The following afternoon, Michael was loading heavy bags of fertilizer into the drop spreader on the farm tractor. His father’s cheerless demeanor the previous evening weighed heavily on him. Michael knew that 25 bags of the potassium and phosphorous-based fertilizer was the normal load to cover the 40 acres of corn the family had planted that spring. But as he was emptying the 25th bag into the spreader, an idea flashed through his mind: â€Å"If we need a good corn crop to make it, maybe I should add a little extra fertilizer. † Michael decided that some extra fertilizer couldn’t hurt, so he quickly loaded 15 extra bags. He was certain that adding the extra fertilizer would produce a massive crop when it came time to harvest in a few months. Michael hadn’t told his father about the extra fertilizer he’d added to the corn, wanting to see his father’s surprise over the size of the harvest in a few months. As expected, the rain started Friday afternoon; Michael was certain it would start an incredible growth spurt in the newly fertilized, young corn plants and that his family would hit pay dirt in a few months. He was out of bed early on Saturday morning, taking his four-wheeler down to the cornfields. He expected to see a vibrant green sea of young corn, extra healthy due to the fertilizer â€Å"boost† he had given them. His stomach dropped a bit as he stared out at a field of sickly looking corn plants, their leaves pale green and slightly wilting. â€Å"Maybe it rained too hard and that beat the plants up a little,† thought Michael, trying to be optimistic. â€Å"I’ll check on them again in a few days. I’m sure they’ll have perked up by then! † The next few days didn’t bring the results Michael was hoping for. The corn plants looked even worse! The leaves were beginning to yellow significantly and were continuing to wilt. Having watched his father grow corn for most of his 14 years, Michael knew this crop wasn’t going to make it. A lump was forming in his throat as he made his way back to the house, not sure how to tell his father about the corn. Questions 1. What sort of environment (hypotonic, hypertonic, isotonic) did the extra fertilizer create around the roots of the corn? 2. Keeping in mind your answer to the previous question, what do you believe caused the corn plants to wilt and eventually die? 3. If Michael’s mistake had been caught earlier, is there anything that could have been done to prevent the corn from dying? 4. Generally, people water their plants with 100% H2O—no solutes added. What sort of environment does this create around the roots of the plant? Part II—Too Little, Too Late Meanwhile, elsewhere in Habersham County, Tom was feeling slightly nervous as he exited the staff lounge and entered the hustle and bustle of County Hospital’s ER to begin his first shift as an RN. The first few hours of his shift passed slowly as Tom mostly checked vital signs and listened to patients complain about various aches, pains, coughs, and sniffles. He realized that the attending physician, Dr. Greene, who was rather â€Å"old  school† in general about how he interacted with nursing staff, wanted to start him out slowly. Tom knew, though, that the paramedics could bring in a trauma patient at any time. After his lunch break, Tom didn’t have long to wait before the paramedics burst in through the swinging double-doors of the ambulance bay wheeling in a young man on a gurney. Edward, a veteran EMT, recited the vital signs to Tom and Dr. Greene as they helped push the gurney into the trauma room, â€Å"18-year-old male, GSW to the right abdomen, heart rate 92, respiratory rate 22, blood pressure 95/65, no loss of consciousness. † A gunshot wound! Tom knew that gunshot wounds were sometimes the most difficult traumas to handle. Once inside the trauma room, Dr. Greene began his initial assessment of the patient while Tom got busy organizing the things he knew would be needed. He attached a pulse-ox monitor to the patient’s index finger so Dr. Greene could keep an eye on the O2 levels in the patient’s blood and he inserted a Foley catheter so the patient’s urine output could be monitored. After finishing his initial duties, Tom heard Dr. Greene saying, â€Å"It looks like the bullet missed the liver and kidney, but it may have severed an artery. That’s probably why his BP is a bit low. Tom, grab a liter of saline and start a fast IV drip †¦ we need to increase his blood volume. † Tom grabbed one of the fluid-filled bags from the nearby shelf, attached a 12-gauge IV needle to the plastic tubing, and gently slipped the needle into the patient’s antecubital vein. He then hung the plastic bag on the IV stand and let the fluid quickly start to flow down the tubing and into the patient’s vein. The reaction was quick and violent. The patient’s heart rate began to skyrocket and Tom heard Dr. Greene shouting, â€Å"His O2 saturation is falling! Pulse is quickening! What is going on with this guy?! † Tom stood frozen in place by the fear. He heard Dr. Greene continuing, â€Å"Flatline! We’ve lost a pulse †¦ Tom, get the crash cart, we need to shock this guy to get his heart going again! † Tom broke free from his initial shock and did as Dr. Greene had ordered. He then started CPR as Dr. Greene readied the cardiac defibrillator to shock the patient. They continued to alternate between CPR and defibrillation for almost an hour, but to no avail. As Dr. Greene announced the time of death, Tom felt a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t believe that he had lost his first trauma patient! Then Tom noticed that the fluid in the Foley catheter bag was bright red. â€Å"Dr. Greene, there’s hemoglobin in the Foley bag,† he said. â€Å"How could that be? † responded Dr. Greene. Tom began to trace back over his steps in the trauma, trying to think of anything that could have caused the hemoglobinuria. His mounting fear turned to outright terror as he looked at the now empty bag on the IV stand. Its label didn’t read â€Å"Saline,† but rather â€Å"Distilled Water. † He looked at Dr. Greene, his heart quickly sinking, and said, â€Å"I think I may have killed the patient. † Questions 1. What problem did the distilled water in the patient’s bloodstream create? 2. What happed to the patient’s blood cells as a result? 3. Considering the function of red blood cells, why did the patient’s oxygen levels fall? 4. After Tom made his error, is there anything that could have been done to save the patient’s life?

The pros and cons of the mobile phone Essay Example for Free

The pros and cons of the mobile phone Essay In the last couple of decades, there has been a tremendous step forward in the world of technology. So many of the new inventions have become more familiar to us and much easier to get at any time. And with these new devices that make lots of thing easier, the world around us suddenly changed. For example the mobile phone is used by almost everyone today, so when you meet a new person, their cell phone number is among the basic information you get about them. However cell phones have disadvantages as much as advantages. Pros Always connected You are always connected and anyone who knows your mobile phone can contact you. You can speak to them, text them, send pictures and use lots of other features. Internet access Now most of the mobile phone service providers have GPRS, EDGE or 3G enabled network. You can receive and send emails, always have the newest information, get the exact location of markets, hotels or any other places you need while travelling towards them, download music and movies. Entertainment You can use your phone to listen to music while walking to school or work, play games or watch movies. Cons Always connected? Some times mobile phones can fail you just when you need them the most. You may be at a location where there is no network, your battery can be empty, the providers’ network might be overloaded and your call can suddenly stop, or your phone can simply malfunction. Health hazard Using mobile phone for a long time without break is definitely bad for your health. There have been some studies about the possible radiation from cell phones. The radiation isn’t really that dangerous, unless you’re talking on your phone non stop. But even if you’re not using it that often it can still damage your hearing, especially if talking on the phone is combined with loud music on your headphones. Using mobile phones is very important in today’s world, but we need to make sure that we get enough time for face to face communication to our family and friends, and make sure we don’t overuse mobile phones to the extent for it to become bad for our health.

Is The Concept Of Physician Assisted Suicide Ethical Philosophy Essay

Is The Concept Of Physician Assisted Suicide Ethical Philosophy Essay Is it ethical for a physician to participate in physician-assisted suicide when this practice clearly defies what is stated in the Hippocratic Oath? People look at their personal physician as a healer or lifesaver but what if the physician gave you the option to end your life in the situation of chronic, painful illness or injury? Would this cloud your opinion of them or would you still consider them to be helping us? Is it ethical to train physicians to assist in suicide? These questions are what I want to discuss throughout this paper. I would like to discuss the beliefs and opinions on the topic of physician-assisted suicide through the eyes of medical professionals, the Hippocratic Oath, states countries that have legalized this practice, various religious beliefs, and different moral theories such as Kant and Utilitarianism. The background of this practice will also be discussed. In the areas of the world where it is legalized, should there be certain criteria in place in order to receive it? What about the perspective of insurance companies on the matter? Is this truly devaluing human life? This is a very controversial topic that I hope to make more understandable. 2. Background Physician-assisted suicide is a form of euthanasia in which the physician does not actually give the patient a life-ending drug, but provides the patient with the drug that they can take themselves. It is a form of suicide, with the doctor providing the materials used to carry it out (Mackinnon 141). The Netherlands and Great Britain have legalized physician-assisted-suicide. This practice has not been legalized in every state in North America. Montana and Oregon currently allow the practice with no legal consequences for the physician who participates. Thirty five states currently have laws making it a crime to assist in a suicide. Oregon was the first state to pass the Death With Dignity Act, which allowed physician-assisted suicide to be practiced, but there are certain criteria that must be met for it to be considered legal. Two doctors must examine the patient and come to the conclusion that he or she is mentally stable and has less than six months to live. This must then be certified by a third doctor. The patient has to submit a written request as well as an oral request. A few days following, the patient is given a barbiturate: secobarbital or pentobarbital, and they must take the medication on their own (Mackinnon 143). When researching among patients the reason for requesting physician-assisted suicide, it was not to relieve pain or financial problems, but to preserve autonomy and personal control. Using Kants moral theory to view this situation, others would look at the motives behind the action. Why are they doing this? For what reason? Some may even view it as a selfish act. Family and friends would be put through much sadness if a loved one were to have their live ended, but they need to consider the true reasoning behind the request for physician-assisted suicide. They want control of their own lives. One physician, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, was a well known right-to-die activist, who in the 1990s, assisted in more than 100 suicides. He believed that people who were suffering from an illness or injury and that wanted to end their life, had the right to die. He believed these people deserved control of their own bodies and lives. He created a euthanasia device consisting of a metal pole that had containers of medications attached to it. The medications were then connected to a line going into the persons vein. The patient would push a button, starting a flow of simple saline into their bodies. Anesthesia would then run into their bodies, causing them to become unconscious. About a minute following, potassium chloride would then start to flow, causing cardiac arrest, and death. Kevorkian was brought to trial in numerous cases but never convicted of what many considered homicide. After allowing the euthanasia of one of his patients to be videotaped and aired on television, it was seen that Kevorkian directly administered the deadly medication himself to this certain pat ient. He was then arrested and found guilty of first-degree homicide, sentenced to spend ten to twenty-five years in prison. When asked if he believes physicians should offer the option to end life to their patients, Dr. Kevorkian solemnly stated This is a medical service. It always was (Almeder, Humber, and Kasting 100). Are physicians not trained to improve our health or save our life? This leads to much debate on the subject. The Hippocratic Oath The Hippocratic Oath, believed to have been written by Hippocrates in 5th century B.C., is recited by physicians upon graduation from medical school. This oath states that as a physician these new graduates swear to practice medicine ethically. When applying this to the subject of physician-assisted suicide, we should focus upon this quote taken from the Oath: I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion. Physicians are trained in medical school to do what they can in any given situation to save a life. They are taught about various treatments and medications that work to preserve human life, not end it. Physicians do have obligations to their patients, which include relieving pain and suffering. When looking at the subject of physician-assisted suicide through the eyes of terminally ill patients who request this service, the negative viewpoints change. Emmanuel Levinas, a Jewish philosopher, closely researched ethics and morals related to the topic of physician-assisted suicide in comparison to the Hippocratic Oath. One immediate objection to assisted suicide can be raised from within a Levinasean perspective. That is, if what constitutes u s primarily as human are our obligations to one another, and not to our rights as individuals, then what of the obligations of a terminally ill person to their community. The obligations (or value) of such a person to their community cannot be measured simply in terms of economics or active contributions. Instead, the drawing together of a community or of family members in service to the needs of a terminal patient could serve to deepen and increase their own humanity. Does the terminal patient have the right to take this possibility, this response-ability, away from society (Degnin 12)? Are physicians preserving a terminally ill patients autonomy and human dignity when fulfilling their request to end their life? Most of the medical schools in todays society use updated versions of the Hippocratic Oath. Only one school, The State University of New York Upstate Medical School in Syracuse, NY, continues to use the traditional version of the Oath at their graduation ceremonies. Dr. Antonio Grotto, from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, admitted that students did laugh when reciting the original version of the famous Oath. [Students] would laugh at certain parts, Dr. Gotto said. Then Id give them dire threats that I wouldnt graduate them the next day if they laughed during the ceremony (OReilly 1). The majority of students graduating from medical schools today no longer are required to say that they will not recommend the idea of ending a persons life. Does this mean the idea is open for actual consideration and should be legal in situations that meet certain criteria in the entire United States as well as other countries throughout the world? There are still many ethical theories and personal beliefs from physicians that object to this idea. 4. Ethical Principles Utilitarianism, the ethical principle of bringing the greatest good to the greatest number of people, is one principle that could be used as a looking glass to view the topic of physician-assisted suicide. Many physicians feel like they were educated to bring relief to those who are suffering from illness or injury. The state of Montana has most recently joined the states that legalize physician-assisted suicide, but they are having trouble finding physicians who will end peoples life upon their request. One patient is upset by the fact that her final wish cannot be carried out due to so many objections. I feel as though my doctors do not feel able to respect my decision to choose aid in dying, said Janet Murdock. Access to physician aid in dying would restore my hope for a peaceful, dignified death in keeping with my values and beliefs. Dr. Kirk Stoner, president of the Montana Medical Association, said assisted suicide goes against the groups code of ethics. Our reason for being is to care for our patients, he said in the AP report (Baklinksi 1). Is good truly being brought to the greatest number of people by allowing the right to die? It may be, if the thing that is good for that person is to end their suffering. There will always be objections to this theory, such as physicians are doing harm by ending life rather than doing good by saving or prolonging it. Kants moral theory focuses on the morals behind an action. Why are we wanting do we want(?) to end this life? What is the true motive? This theory also discusses acting out of duty. or doing what we know is right in our eyes. A doctor finds it right to end suffering or pain, and if this includes ending the persons life for that reason, then they will/should want to do it. Th e belief that people should have the highest intrinsic or monetary value to us also comes into practice (Mackinnon 76). Are we devaluing human life by allowing physician-assisted suicide? Human life is supposed to be regarded as something that is very precious. By allowing physicians to take life away so easily, this could make others feel that it really does not have high intrinsic value, since it can be ended so quickly and easily, with no questions asked. If you are a physician who wants to end a life because you do not like a persons personality or attitude, then this would be considered homicide, at which you would face criminal charges. On the other hand, if you want to end life to end pain, suffering, or to let someone die with dignity from a terminal illness then this would be legal in the eyes of authority, and no criminal charges would be brought against you. This is how Kants followers would view the subject. The end result is not important, but the motives used to get to the end are! Another viewpoint is that of virtue ethics. A person has certain virtues or strengths built into them through the influence of those around them. You become the kind of person you would want to be. Our social interaction with authority figures throughout our upbringing form how we ought to be, or our virtue ethics. Aristotle states that there are two types of virtues: intellectual virtues and moral virtues. Intellectual virtues help us reason and judge well, while moral virtues dispose us to act well (Mackinnon 112). He was most well known for his idea that virtue is the means between the extremes. Our virtues are a middle between deficiency and excess. Physicians or medical students show virtues towards their patients. They want to care for them, give them relief, and/or make them better if they are sick or injured. Are they going against their inner virtues if they participate in physician-assisted suicide? Physician-assisted suicide isnt about physicians becoming killers. Its abou t patients whose suffering we cant relieve, and about not turning away from them when they ask for help. Will there be physicians who feel they cant do this? Of course, and they shouldnt be obliged to. But if other physicians consider it merciful to help such patients by merely writing a prescription, it is unreasonable to place them in jeopardy of criminal prosecution, loss of license, or other penalty for doing so (Rogatz). A physician should be able to bring relief to their patient in any way they see if, and if includes helping someone end their life, then so be it. The physicians obligations are many but, when cure is impossible and palliation has failed to achieve its objectives, there is always a residual obligation to relieve suffering. Ultimately, if the physician has exhausted all reasonable palliative measures, it is the patient-and only the patient-who can judge whether death is harmful or a good to be sought. Marcia Angell, former executive editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, has put it this way: The highest ethical imperative of doctors should be to provide care in whatever way best serves patients interests, in accord with each patients wishes, not with a theoretical commitment to preserve life no matter what the cost in suffering. . . .The greatest harm we can do is to consign a desperate patient to unbearable Suffering or force the patient to seek out a stranger like Dr. Kevorkian (Rogatz).' When applying virtue ethics, we should look as what our own personal beliefs (virtues) are and examine them closely. 5. Physicians, Medical Students, Families, Insurance Companies-Their Views Physicians may never see eye to eye on this highly controversial topic. Some think it is a doctors right to end suffering while others see the practice as going against what the Hippocratic Oath directly states. An organization called Physicians For Compassionate Care Education Foundation is dedicated to preserving the traditional relation of the physician and patient as one in which the physicians primary task is to heal when possible, comfort always, and never intentionally harm. The view of physicians that take part in this practice is help, not harm. You are helping the person by ending their pain and suffering. However, objectors to the practice feel that ending a life is harmful. You are devaluing the potential of that person. Taking them away physically from their family, creating sadness, and ultimately taking away what they have to have to society before it is even fully experienced. That is a very solid argument. Anyone who loses a loved one is going to feel grief, it is natural. I feel that everyone on this earth has a special talent to offer society but how can they offer it fully if they are in constant suffering? The association promotes the health and well being of patients by encouraging physicians to comfort patients and to assist those who are dying by support systems, minimizing pain, and treating depression. The association affirms the health restoring role of the physician and works to educate the profession and the public to the dangers of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. As physicians, they come from primary care specialties as well as subspecialties. They work to support each other and to speak out for the inherent value of human life (http://www.pccef.org/whoweare/index.htm). These physicians focus on the belief that the solution to pain and suffering is not death, but good palliative care. The disciples of the cult of euthanasia and assisted suicide would have society believe that the logical solution for pain and suffering is death. They may even see the infliction of death or the provision of assisted suicide as part of hospice palliative care. They pursue with mission ary zeal their gospel of death. Further, they often succeed in getting mainstream media to support their cause. The legalization of euthanasia would remove a patients autonomy and put it into the hands of professionals with potential control issues; who may be angry, sadistic and abusive. In Oregon, people see the legalization of euthanasia as giving autonomy to the person who requests it. They are able to have complete control of their life, give permission to a physician to end it, and once the procedures to approve the action are in place, it is carried out. As was discussed earlier, there are exact criteria that must be met for physician-assisted suicide to be carried out legally. It is a slippery slope where we must retain caution. If we allow euthanasia for someone who is suffering, and we continue to do so, then we may end up allowing it in a case where the criteria are not met. Is there a high likelihood that we would slip? This question is the center of many arguments over this subject. We have all seen colleagues both at the bedside and in health care management who have significant personality flaws, and, lacking compassion for the pain and suffering of others, feel they can take the law into their own hands (Echlin 3). Medical students are now reciting the updated version of the Hippocratic Oath, as we discussed earlier. Does this mean that the subject is becoming okay? Should families be allowed to make this decision for their child who may be on life-support, with little chance of remaining function or should the government take over? It is very expensive to keep someone on life-support when they have a poor prognosis. Is it ethical to end their lives in order to save money? If physician-assisted suicide is legalized throughout the world or the United States, insurance companies may begin to support it. Why spend millions of dollars of palliative or comfort measures, if the person can end their life quickly and easily. Why would we need to spend money to research cures for cancer or other chronic diseases if a persons suffering can be ended this way? Many factors play a part in making a decision of this magnitude. 6. Argument and Conclusion When addressing my ethical question, Is it ethical for a physician to participate in physician-assisted suicide when this practice clearly defies what is stated in the Hippocratic Oath?, I have been influenced by various opinions to believe it can be an ethical practice when closely monitored. Physicians have said that they are trained to care for people, to be a healer. They must examine their own morals when they first take the Hippocratic Oath and begin direct patient care. They do not want to see continual suffering of their patients. To many, it would be more humane to give relief this way than allowing suffering to remain until death. The judgment to allow physician-assisted suicide would give those diagnosed with chronic, debilitating illness hope that their suffering can be relieved when all other methods of relief fail. The patient would also be able to maintain autonomy, having a voice throughout the process. I believe that the system of meeting certain criteria must remain in place if this practice were legalized throughout the country. If it were not, then the motive behind the means (Kant) could not be justified, leading to easy cover-up of homicide. In others views, this practice does devalue human life. I feel if someone is in a state of constant struggle and suffering, what true value does their life have. To them, they may feel as if they are a burden to family and friends. When does life become less precious? These subjects are where this practice sits on a fine line. Life is something that should be nurtured and cared for, event in the event of serious illness or injury. There are holistic ways to provide comfort that can be used on a trial basis, with euthanasia being a last resort. The use of medications, counseling, massage, diet change, and activity level changes. These have all been used to provide relief for those suffering with chronic illnesses and have been shown to be successful. If these practices fail to bring long-term relief and improve quality of life, they should be documented in the criteria when under consideration for physician-assisted suicide. The major objection would be that a physician is trained to make us feel better, and if that means ending life to end pain, then they have failed as a healer. Family and friends never want to see someone they love die. They also not want to see them suffer. They should come together with the afflicted family member to research other methods of relief, while letting the person maintain control of their own life and the situation surrounding it. Overall, physicians should be allowed to participate in this practice when the patient is meeting the criteria that were originally discussed. Many will feel that legalizing physician-assisted suicide completely goes against what medical professionals stated in the Hippocratic Oath, do no harm. They are helping to relieve someones suffering, which is what a physician is trained to do. This practice could be beneficial to many if controlled and used under a watchful eye. For future physicians, they must look inside themselves, and personally examine their own beliefs. They also need to maintain their autonomy. When involved in an ethical dilemma so personal and controversial as this one is, they should have every right to not participate. We control our own actions. In the end it is our choice. In the case of physician-assisted suicide, there are two major participants: the physician and the patient. They must always be heard! If our court could work to lay proper criteria into a groundwork for this practice, I believe it would be beneficial to those who are plagued with chronic pain. The criteria being met would provide proof to others that the situation was closely monitored and it was the persons decision, with no persuasion from the doctor. It is controversial ethical decision, but one that I feel physicians as well as their patients should have voice in. We have a right to be heard!

The Madness Of Playing :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites If a lone, unkempt, person, standing on a soapbox were to say that he should become the Prime Minister, he would have been diagnosed by a passing psychiatrist as suffering from this or that mental disturbance. But were the same psychiatrist to frequent the same spot and see a crowd of millions saluting the same lonely, shabby figure - what would have his diagnosis been? Surely, different (perhaps of a more political hue). It seems that one thing setting social games apart from madness is quantitative: the amount of the participants involved. Madness is a one-person game, and even mass mental disturbances are limited in scope. Moreover, it has long been demonstrated (for instance, by Karen Horney) that the definition of certain mental disorders is highly dependent upon the context of the prevailing culture. Mental disturbances (including psychoses) are time-dependent and locus-dependent. Religious behaviour and romantic behaviour could be easily construed as psychopathologies when examined out of their social, cultural, historical and political contexts. Historical figures as diverse as Nietzsche (philosophy), Van Gogh (art), Hitler (politics) and Herzl (political visionary) made this smooth phase transition from the lunatic fringes to centre stage. They succeeded to attract, convince and influence a critical human mass, which provided for this transition. They appeared on history's stage (or were placed there posthumously) at the right time and in the right place. The biblical prophets and Jesus are similar examples though of a more severe disorder. Hitler and Herzl possibly suffered from personality disorders - the biblical prophets were, almost certainly, psychotic. We play games because they are reversible and their outcomes are reversible. No game-player expects his involvement, or his particular moves to make a lasting impression on history, fellow humans, a territory, or a business entity. This, indeed, is the major taxonomic difference: the same class of actions can be classified as "game" when it does not intend to exert a lasting (that is, irreversible) influence on the environment. When such intention is evident - the very same actions qualify as something completely different. Games, therefore, are only mildly associated with memory. They are intended to be forgotten, eroded by time and entropy, by quantum events in our brains and macro-events in physical reality. Games - as opposed to absolutely all other human activities - are entropic. Negentropy - the act of reducing entropy and increasing order - is present in a game, only to be reversed later.

Evolution of Thought Essay -- Science Biology Biodiversity Essays

Evolution of Thought It is interesting to contemplate a tangled bank, clothed with many plants of many kinds, with birds singing on the bushes, with various insects flitting about, and with worms crawling through the damp earth, and to reflect that these elaborately constructed forms, so different from each other, and dependent upon each other in so complex a manner, have all been produced by laws acting around us. –Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species I knew very little about and did not have much interest in evolution, systematics and biodiversity prior to the first week of this class. The knowledge I had about these topics came from introductory courses and what I was being told by my family. I soon discovered that I had a lot to learn. I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church. I completed my First Communion and Confirmation. I grew up being told that God created all that is around us. Everything seemed so cut and dry until I began studying evolution in school. It was hard for me to try and understand both points of view initially. However, through several courses and due to my interest in science, I eventually came to my own conclusion. This conclusion however, as I found out this week, was still incorrect. I thought what I believed in was evolution. I found out this week that what I thought was evolution was in fact progressionism. Progressionism is the idea that life on Earth can be characterized by forward movement from lower to higher life forms. In the beginning of the first class we were asked to answer a few questions related to evolution and systematics. One of the questions asked what we thought the most highly evolved organism was. I had al... ...ws he defines. I do not yet completely understand the laws Darwin defines, but I know that during the course of the semester I will learn so much more than I already have as I gain a better understanding of Darwin’s words, evolution, biodiversity, the study of systematics and how they are interconnected. I do understand one thing completely now as a result of this week, however. I understand that no matter how simple or disgusting an organism may seem to me, it is amazing, beautiful, and vital to understanding evolution, systematics, and biodiversity. Works Cited Darwin, Charles. 1979 (originally published 1859). The Origin of Species. Gramercy Books. New York. Larson, Gary. 1998. There’s a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm’s Story. HarperCollins. New York. Savage, Jay M. 1995. â€Å"Systematics and the Biodiversity Crisis.† Bioscience. 45(10): 673-697.

Gandhi’s Key Concepts of Passive Resistance, Non-violence, and Self-rul

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi- 2 October 1869 - 30 January 194 was the pre-eminent political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement. He is also known as Mahatma which means â€Å"The Great Soul†. He was committed to pacifism, that there should be no violence.(1) He had three concepts to follow in his life for independence of India: Satyagraha, Ahimsa and Swaraj. Gandhi introduced the concept of â€Å"Satyagraha† that means â€Å"passive resistance†. This passive resistance also means ‘soul force’ or ‘truth force’. The words satya means truth and Agraha means insistence, or holding firmly to (2). For Gandhi, Satyagraha is more likely a method which is the idea of practicing in non-violence. Gandhi says, â€Å"Truth (satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force. I thus began to call the Indian movement Satyagraha, that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence.† (3) Gandhi devoted himself for Satyagraha in order to decolonize India from British without violence. In his book Home Rule he says,† Passive resistance is a method of securing rights by personal suffering, it is the reverse of resistance by arms. When I refuse to do a thing that is repugnant to my conscience, I use soul-force† (5). He deployed this concept in Indian Independence Movement. For him, Satyagraha has three essentials meaning: â€Å"Satyagraha is a weapon of the strong; it admits of no violence under any circumstance whatsoever; and it ever insists upon truth† (6). Also, he presented some rules for this â€Å"soul-force† to the individuals of India as a campaign to follow and to reach the independency. For instance, these are the rules that he wanted his people to obey without viole... ...ed States and South Africa. Works Cited (1) http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_was_Mahatma_Gandhi#ixzz17wt8byMT (2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyagraha (3) Satyagraha in South Africa, 1926 from Johnson, p. 73. (4) Gandhi, M.K. â€Å"Letter to Mr. ——† 25 January 1920 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 19, p. 350) (5) http://www.mkgandhi.org/swarajya/coverpage.htm (6) Gandhi, M.K. â€Å"Some Rules of Satyagraha† Young India (Navajivan) 23 February 1930 (The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi vol. 48, p. 340) (7) http://www.kamat.com/mmgandhi/ahimsa.htm (8) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swaraj (9) http://www.mkgandhi.org/swarajya/coverpage.htm (10) http://www.swaraj.org/whatisswaraj.htm (12) King, Jr., Martin Luther (1998). Carson, Clayborne. ed. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.. pp. 23–24 (13) http://www.sa-venues.com/nelson_mandela.htm

Stoichiometry of Precipitation Reaction

Stoichiometry of a Precipitation Reaction March 20,2013 Amber McCollum Introduction Stoichiometry is a branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships that exist among the reactants and products in chemical reactions To predict the amount of product produced in a precipitation reaction using stoichiometry, accurately measure the reactants and products of the reaction, determine the actual yield vs. the theoretical yield and to calculate the percent yield. The equation that will be used is: Ba(NO3)2 (aq) + CuSO4 (aq) > BaSO4 (s) + Cu(NO3)2 (aq) Method 1. Gather materials needed for experiment which included: a.Small test tube with lip b. Large beaker c. Small graduated cylinder d. Large graduated cylinder e. One 9in balloon f. Citric acid g. Sodium bicarbonate h. Sodium chloride 2. To start the experiment: * Na2CO3(aq) + CaCl2. 2H2O(aq) a CaCO3(s) + 2NaCl(aq) + 2H2O * Put on your goggles. * Weigh out 1. 0 g of CaCl2Â ·2H2O and put it into the 100-mL beaker. Add 25 mL of distilled water and stir to form the calcium chloride solution. Use only distilled water since tap water may have impurities that interfere with the experiment.. Use stoichiometry to determine how much Na2CO3 you will need for a full reaction. Weigh the calculated amount of Na2CO3 and put it in a small paper cup. Add 25 mL of distilled water and stir to make a sodium carbonate solution. * Pour the sodium carbonate solution from the paper cup into the beaker with the calcium chloride solution. A precipitate of calcium carbonate will form instantly. * Use the following instructions to set up a filtration assembly. * Swirl the contents of the beaker to dislodge any precipitate from the sides. Then, while holding the filter paper in place and open, slowly pour the content of the beaker into the filter paperlined funnel.Be careful to not let the solution overflow the level of the filter paper while pouring. * Measure out 2 to 5 mL of distilled water into the graduated cylinder. Pou r this down the sides of the beaker, swirl, and pour into the filter paper-lined funnel. * After all the liquid has drained from the funnel, lay the filter paper containing the precipitate on folded layers of paper towels and put this someplace where it will not be disturbed while the filter paper and its contents air-dry. Depending upon the humidity in your area this might take several hours or days. When the filter paper and the precipitated calcium carbonate are completely dry weigh them, subtract the original weight of the empty filter paper, and record the net weight of the calcium carbonate. This is your actual yield of calcium carbonate. * Now calculate the percent yield, using your theoretical yield and actual yield. Make sure to show all stoichiometric calculations and all data in your lab report. Calculations Step 1: Convert 2 g of Ba(NO3)2 to moles of Ba(NO3)2 2 g Ba(NO3)2 x 1 mol Ba(NO3)2 = 0. 00765 moles Ba(NO3)2 261. 4 g Ba(NO3)2 Step 2: Consider the mole ratios of Ba( NO3)2 and CuSO4.The equation tells us that for 1 mole of Ba(NO3)2 we need 1 mole of CuSO4. Thus, since the mole ratio is 1:1, if we have 0. 00765 moles of Ba(NO3)2 we will need 0. 00765 moles of CuSO4. Step 3: Convert moles of CuSO4 to grams of CuSO4. 0. 00765 moles CuSO4 x 159. 6 g CuSO4 = 1. 22 g CuSO4 1 mole CuSO4 This means that we need 1. 22 g of CuSO4 to fully react with 2 g of Ba(NO3)2. Step 4: How much BaSO4 can we expect? The mole ratio between Ba(NO3)2 and BaSO4(s) is also 1:1. That means if we have 0. 00765 moles of Ba(NO3)2 we will also get 0. 00765 moles of BaSO4(s).Step 5: Convert the moles of BaSO4 to grams of BaSO4. 0. 00765 moles BaSO4 x 233. 4 g BaSO4 = 1. 79 g BaSO4 1mole BaSO4 Step 6: Double check our results by calculating the amount of Cu(NO3)2 (aq). We don’t really need to know the amount of Cu(NO3)2 (aq) for the experiment, but it helps us double check our other results. Since we know that the total mass of reactants must equal the total mass of produc ts, we compute: 0. 00765 moles Cu(NO3)2 x 187. 55 g Cu(NO3)2 = 1. 43 g Cu(NO3)2 1 mole Cu(NO3)2 Thus, 2 g Ba(NO3)2 plus 1. 22 grams CuSO4, yields 1. 79 g BaSO4. plus 1. 43 g Cu(NO3)2.We can verify our results by comparing the total mass of reactants, 3. 22 g, with the total mass of products, also 3. 22 g. This tells us that all our calculations are correct and we can confidently use them. Step 7: Calculate the theoretical yield. From previous calculations we know that we started with 2 grams of Ba(NO3)2, and need 1. 22 grams of CuSO4 to complete the reaction from which we can expect a yield of 1. 79 grams of BaSO4. Yet this is only a theoretical yield, for we should realistically expect a little less due to expected experimental error such as some BaSO4 being lost as it passed through the filter paper.Step 8: Determine the actual yield and percent yield. After the reaction is completed and the precipitate has formed, we need to filter and dry the precipitate before we can weigh it. If we assume that after drying we have 1. 65 grams of BaSO4, then: The theoretical yield is 1. 79 grams of BaSO4. The actual yield is 1. 65 grams of BaSO4. The percent yield is 1. 65 g/ 1. 79 g x 100 = 92. 2%. Conclusion After the testing each known and unknown of the experiment, finding the ratio of the substances wasn’t very hard. The percentage of the unknown was 85. 8 %.