Expectations Charles Dickens Essay Example for Free

Expectations Charles Dickens Essay In the first chapter of Great Expectations Charles Dickens creates a very intense image of the marshes. This is the first place he describes and he makes the marshes sound like a very creepy and bewildering place.  Ours was the marsh country, down by the river, within, as the river wound, twenty miles of the sea.  The words marsh and the river makes the marshes sound like a very damp, muddy and bleak place.  Also in the first chapter Charles Dickens describes the churchyard as  Bleak place overgrown with nettles. Dickens also describes the churchyard s a very Overgrown and bleak place.  A graveyard is supposed to be a happy place that revitalises and refreshes kind, happy memories. I think this implies that death is all around no matter where you look. I think this because everything is overgrown and not looked after and the nettles are killing all of the beautiful plants so death is also involved there as well.  Dickens also says about the marshes in the first chapter   And that the dark flat wilderness beyond the churchyard, intersected with dykes and mounds and gates, with scattered cattle feeding on it, was the marshes: and that the low leaden line beyond was the river: and the distant savage liar from which the wind was rushing was the sea. This quote represents a dark and unforgiving future for Pip and that there is no one out there in the wilderness to care for him. The words leaden line imply a low lead river that looks like it has bars on and to Pip this makes him feel imprisoned. Also the words savage liar represents to Pip that he thinks that there is like a savage monster out there in the sea. Furthermore in chapter one Dickens explains the marshes as a long black, horizontal line and the sky was just a row of long, angry red lines and dense black lines intermixed. The words represent anger and danger and black utility, death and emptiness. Pip again feels like he is a prisoner to the marshes. At the start of the first chapter instead of Pip being one of the main characters he becomes the narrator of the story and starts talking about his family.   So I called myself Pip, and came to be called Pip.  When Pip goes to the churchyard to the graveyard to look at their graves and imagines what his family would of looked like this proves he has a very distinct and creative imagination.   My first fancies regarding what they were like, were unreasonably derived from their tombstones.  Also Pip proves that there was a high rate of infant mortality and he also proves that there was a universal struggle to die. To five little stone lozenges, each about a foot and a half long, which were arranged in a neat row beside their grave, and were scared to the memory of five little brothers of mine who gave up trying to get a living exceedingly early in that universal struggle.  Dickens in the first chapter changes from first person the narrator to third person and this s a very unnatural method to use.   And that the small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all and beginning to cry, was Pip. Also Great Expectations was serialised which means that he novel was brought out in chapters and because the novel was successful people kept buying each chapter each time they were released.  When Pip goes into the churchyard to the graveyard so that he can go and visualise his brothers and his parents he meets a convict. The convict is starving and looking for food and basically anything and so he turns Pip upside town.   The man after looking at me for a moment turned me upside-down.  This is very strong and imaginative and you can clearly imagine it as he turns him upside down literally and metaphorically. After this the convict starts talking to Pip about his appearance. He talks about  What fat cheeks you ha got:  After this Pip says  I believe they were fat, though I was at that time undersized for my years, and not strong.  This gives the impression that Pip has never been fed properly and this make Pip sound innocent and vulnerable.  Later on Pip makes a promise to the convict that he would bring some food and some wittles so that the convict could release himself from the chain around his ankles and the convict threatens Pip to make sure he does this.

The Mongolia Life Cycle Sociology Essay

The Mongolia Life Cycle Sociology Essay Mongolias population of 2.8 million is growing annually by 1.5 percent. One-third of Mongolians live in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Approximately one-fourth live in smaller cities, especially Darhan, Erdenet, and Choybalsan. The rest of the population is spread throughout rural Mongolia. Most of these inhabitants are nomadic herders. With rural conditions increasingly harsh, more people are moving to cities-a trend that threatens the survival of traditional nomadic society. Reform has allowed freedom of religion, and more than one hundred monasteries have reopened. Many young Mongolians are receiving an education through these traditional centers of learning, and people are once again able to practice cherished traditions. Boys are increasingly applying to become monks, and Buddhism is rapidly regaining its popularity. Kazakh Muslims (about 4 percent) are free to practice Islam. Christianity is gaining influence. Urban wedding ceremonies take place in wedding palaces. Afterward, many couples now go to a Buddhist monk to receive a blessing or have their future predicted. A large feast treats as many relatives and friends as the new couples families can afford to feed. In rural areas, common-law marriages are typical. Rural couples receive a ger from the husbands family. Mongolian families traditionally exchange gifts in conjunction with a wedding. The grooms family usually gives livestock, while the brides family offers jewelry and clothing. (Culture Grams) National culture-including societal organization, governance, land management, cultural customs, and material culture-was largely shaped by the nomadic pastoral lifestyle. The legacy of Genghis Khans empire is a rallying point for Mongol nationalist pride today. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html Lamaism, the Tibetan form of Buddhism, entered the Mongolian society in the sixteenth century. It had a strong impact on the Mongolian culture for centuries. Mongols sought the counsel and help of the lama (priest or monk) for every aspect of their life: migration, marriage, childbirth, disease, and death. Since 1949, Lamaist beliefs and practices have decreased drastically. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html After the fall of communism, Mongolia witnessed a religious revival and more and more people sought comfort from spiritual activities. Despite being unfamiliar with religious ceremonies and prayers, people flocked to temples for religious services and many families began to send one of their children to join the monkhood. The devout also contribute money to the temples and invite the Lamas to their homes for lavish feasts. (REL) Due to Mongolias small population, women are a vitally important part of the workforce. Men and women have an equal place in the Mongolian economy and this equality carries over into the home. Women still tend to do more than half the housework and play the primary role in supporting the family, but the role of the Mongolian woman is undergoing rapid change. (WIC) People   Ã‚  Ã‚  Mongolia Top of Page Population: 2,832,224 (July 2006 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 402,448/female 387,059) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 967,546/female 969,389) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 45,859/female 59,923) (2006 est.) Median age: total: 24.6 years male: 24.3 years female: 25 years (2006 est.) Population growth rate: 1.46% (2006 est.) Birth rate: 21.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) Death rate: 6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 52.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.89 years male: 62.64 years female: 67.25 years (2006 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (2006 est.) HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est) HIV/AIDS deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian Ethnic groups: Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000) Religions: Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4% (2004) Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2002) https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mg.html#People Birth http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://www.birthdaycelebrations.net/traditions.htm (Birthday Celebration) http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ (Birth % of Skilled attendant at Delivery) http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/global_monitoring/data.html (Birth % of Skilled attendant at Delivery) http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm (Abortion) How is birth viewed in the culture? Fertility is important in Mongolian society, so childless women usually experience social stigma. (WIC) Are there any customs regarding the way newborns should be swaddled, whether they stay in the house, carried around in public, etc.? Are babies normally birthed in hospitals or at home? Is there a preference for doctors or midwives? Skilled attendant at delivery (%), 1997-2005* 97 http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/mongolia_statistics.html More than 95 percent of all pregnant Mongolian women receive ante-natal care. As of 2004, the maternal mortality rate was 98 deaths per 100,000 live births. Estimated infant mortality rates for 2006 are 52 per 1,000. (WIC) Are there any formalities/celebrations in the culture regarding newborns? Among Buddhists there are many naming ceremonies.   In some traditions, children are named between the ages of three and eight.   After children are born, their parents have their Kikas drawn up.   The Kika is a very specific horoscope which many Buddhists believe determines all aspects of a persons life including marriage and death.   At the naming ceremony, a rimpoche, or Buddhist holy person, looks carefully at the childs Kika and selects a name which reflects the traits and predictions described in the Kika.   After cutting a strand of the childs hair, the rimpoche announces the childs name. http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:ybpfeaiYiCUJ:rainbowwarrior.coa.edu/laura/ceremony/religiuosceremony.htm+Buddhist+naming+ceremonieshl=engl=inct=clnkcd=1 How are birthdays celebrated in the culture? Are they important events? How does the culture view abortion? Abortions are legal in Mongolia and available on request. (WIC) ABORTION POLICY Grounds on which abortion is permitted: To save the life of the woman Yes To preserve physical health Yes To preserve mental health Yes Rape or incest Yes Foetal impairment Yes Economic or social reasons Yes Available on request Yes Additional requirements: An abortion can be performed during the first three months of pregnancy and later if the pregnant woman suffers from an illness seriously threatening her health. Approval of the family or of the spouse is required. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CONTEXT Government view on fertility level: No official position Government intervention concerning fertility level: No intervention Government policy on contraceptive use: Direct support provided Percentage of currently married women using modern contraception (15-49*,1994): 25 Total fertility rate (1995-2000): 2.6 Age-specific fertility rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-19, 1995-2000): 47 Government has expressed particular concern about: Morbidity and mortality resulting from induced abortion No Complications of childbearing and childbirth Yes Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births, 1990): National 65 Eastern Asia 95 Female life expectancy at birth (1995-2000): 67.3 For all women of ages specified. BACKGROUND Under the Mongolian Criminal Code of 6 July 1960, abortion was generally illegal. If it was performed by a physician, it was punishable by up to two years imprisonment. If it was performed by a person lacking the highest medical qualifications, or if performed under unsanitary conditions, the punishment was increased to up to five years imprisonment. Nonetheless, under general criminal law principles of necessity, an abortion could be performed to save the life of the pregnant woman. In 1986, the abortion provisions of the Code were amended. Although abortion is in general still considered a serious offence, the Code authorized medical authorities to establish the conditions for the performance of legal abortions. Three years later in 1989, the health law was amended to reflect this change. Paragraph 56 of the Code was modified to provide that becoming a mother was a matter of a womans own decision. During the first three months of pregnancy she could obtain an abortion on request and, later in pregnancy, when necessary due to illness. Abortions were to be performed by physicians under hospital conditions, and the Ministry of Health was to approve a list of illnesses justifying the performance of an abortion on medical grounds. The health law was revised in 1998 but its provisions on abortion remained the same. The 1996 National Population Policy of Mongolia adopted by Parliament stated that abortion should not be promoted as a means of family planning. The Government considers the abortion rate to be too high. The Government also reiterated in 1999 that abortion is generally permitted if a pregnant woman requests it and that abortion is publicly subsidized. Prior to these amendments to the law enacted in the late 1980s, legal provisions governing abortion in Mongolia echoed the pronatalist population policy of the Government. In responding to the Eighth United Nations Inquiry among Governments on Population and Development, the Government indicated no position on the fertility level and no policy to modify it. The Government remains seriously concerned over the high levels of infant, child and maternal mortality. The Government has attributed the relatively high abortion rate, 25.9 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44, to shortages of modern contraceptives, as well as to a lack of knowledge concerning contraceptive use. Many women choose to have abortions carried out illegally by private physicians because of cheaper costs. Induced abortion accounts for a large percentage of maternal mortality in Mongolia, causing at least 850 maternal deaths each year. The Government seeks to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate to more than 50 per cent by 2001. The National Reproductive Health Programme was adopted in 1997. The Government reports that, since the International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo in 1984, successful steps have been undertaken to ensure access of women to reproductive health-care services. Each provincial centre and some district cities have established reproductive health cabinets attached to the local public health centres. These cabinets provide services such as counselling, and pregnancy monitoring and evaluation. A National Adolescent Health Programme was adopted in 1997. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm Childhood http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://www.right-to-education.org/content/age/armenia.html http://www.cohre.org/get_attachment.php?attachment_id=3069 (Sub-Saharan Africa Rights of Women http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life What is a normal childhood in the culture? Are children raised by their parents or grandparents? What role do grandparents and extended family members play in the raising of a child? Attitudes about child rearing are generally quite relaxed and all family members participate in the supervision and moral education of children. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html What are normal childhood activities in the culture? Are children revered or just another piece of the population? Are male children valued more? At what age do children begin school? Offices are generally open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m. Shops are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Grocery stores have the same hours as shops but often are open on Sunday. A large open market featuring consumer goods, rural crafts, and assorted items operates several days a week on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. (Culture Grams) Are children expected to contribute to household income? How is child labor viewed in the society? Coming of Age http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life What marks a childs coming of age in this culture? At what age do children normally come of age? Are there certain rites or celebrations that mark coming of age? What is expected of youth in this phase of life? Are there certain difficulties experienced by this age group? At what age are children expected to work contribute to the maintenance of the family? Dating Courtship http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://kinseyinstitute.org/ccies/ (Sexuality ) http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/IES/ (Sexuality) http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life What are the general attitudes about dating in the culture? Dating is fairly common. (WIC) Dating between schoolmates and coworkers commonly leads to marriage. (Culture Grams) Is there are distinction between courtship and dating in the culture? At what age do people generally start dating? How do men and women meet each other? Mongolian women usually meet men at schools, in the workplace, and at social gatherings. (WIC) If dating is not customary, describe how people get together for marriage? Is it arranged? If marriages are arranged, talk about how. What are the rituals around it (classified ads, matchmakers, astrology, etc.). If marriages are arranged, what are the factors in finding a suitable mate? Are chaperones customary? If so, who serves as the chaperone? Are there popular venues for dating? Does a man or woman pay for dating expenses? Describe a typical dating experience. How long do people generally date before they get married? Generally speaking in the culture, what are considered desirable attributes in a man? Generally speaking in the culture, what are considered desirable attributes in a woman? Does religion play a role in dating? What are taboos of dating in the culture? Is sex in dating common or taboo? What is the view of pre-marital sex? If premarital sex is common, is birth control promoted, practiced, or taboo? Is cross-cultural dating or cross-religious dating allowed or encouraged? Do people date outside their social, economic, education, religious, and ethnic categories? How important are parents/family approval for dating? How does a proposal for marriage occur? Arranged marriages are traditional in Mongolia, but for the last century, young Mongolians have become increasingly free to choose their own partners with minimal parental involvement. They normally marry within their own tribes. (WIC) Marriage http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com/locations/asian_traditions.html (Wedding Celebration) http://www.myhappylove.com/lyrics/wedding-traditions.html (Wedding Celebration) http://www.right-to-education.org/content/age/armenia.html (Minimum Schooling / Marriage / Employment Age ) http://www.coe.int/t/e/social_cohesion/population/demographic_year_book/2003_edition/04%20country%20data/ ( Population/Marriage/ Divorce/ Fertility) http://www.cohre.org/get_attachment.php?attachment_id=3069 (Sub-Saharan Africa Rights of Women http://kinseyinstitute.org/ccies/ (Sexuality) http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/IES/ (Sexuality) http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/reports.htm (For the status of women rights) http://www.international-divorce.com/ (Divorce Custody) http://www.aupairinamerica.com/hostfamilies/culturequest_index.htm Is marriage considered a sacred/spiritual act or simply a legal act in the culture? At what age do people normally get married? The legal marriage age for Mongolian women is 18, but most women marry in their early to mid twenties. (WIC) Mongolians usually marry between the ages of 18 and 25. (Culture Grams) Does hierarchy in the family play a role in who is able to get married or who gets married first? How are marriages celebrated? What are the rituals associated with the marriage ceremony? A custom of denying entrance on marrying has been common among the nomadic and seminomadic Mongols. The bridegroom, accompanied by relatives, rides to the brides yurt (house). He finds the door slammed in his face. After repeated requests, the door is finally opened. He presents a hada (ceremonial silk scarf) to his parents-in-law on entering and is given a banquet with a whole lamb. After the meal, the bride sits with her back to the others. The bridegroom kneels behind her and asks what her nickname was in childhood. He drinks at her house all night long. The following day, the bride leaves the yurt first. She circles the yurt on horseback three times, then speeds along to the bride-grooms house. The bridegroom and his relatives ride after her. The door is also slammed in her face and is only opened after repeated requests. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html Urban wedding ceremonies take place in wedding palaces. Afterward, many couples now go to a Buddhist monk to receive a blessing or have their future predicted. A large feast treats as many relatives and friends as the new couples families can afford to feed. In rural areas, common-law marriages are typical. Rural couples receive a ger from the husbands family. Mongolian families traditionally exchange gifts in conjunction with a wedding. The grooms family usually gives livestock, while the brides family offers jewelry and clothing. (Culture Grams) The wedding day is begun at a local temple where the couple separately asks for the blessings of Buddha. Both bride and groom are then dressed in outfits traditional to their region. At the mutually auspicious astrologically designated wedding time, the bride and groom are individually taken to the shrine room of their local temple or a hall hired for the occasion. Here, the couple sees each other for the first time on that day. Spiritual Buddhist wedding traditions dont necessarily require the presence of monks or the use of a temples shrine room. For these traditions, the wedding location would be equipped with a shrine to Buddha featuring candles, flowers, incense and a statue or image of Buddha. The ceremony begins as the entire assembly recites the Vandana, Tisarana and Pancasila readings. The couple then lights the candles and incense sticks surrounding Buddhas image and offers him the flowers within the shrine. Because of the secularity of Buddhist weddings, there is no assigned set of marriage vows. However, the bride and groom will recite their expected undertakings using the Sigilovdda Sutta as a guide. The Sigiloydda Sutta says: In five ways should a wife, as Western quarter, be ministered to by her husband: by respect, by courtesy, by faithfulness, by handing over authority to her, by providing her with ornaments. In these five ways does the wife minister to by her husband as the Western quarter, love him: her duties are well-performed by hospitality to kin of both, by faithfulness, by watching over the goods he brings and by skill and industry in discharging all business. After these vows are spoken, the bride and groom can exchange rings. If monks are present, the marriage vows will be both preceded and proceeded by their chanting. After the Wedding Once officially married, the couple receives their guests with the huge feast and decorations prepared in the previous days to the wedding. http://www.urbandharma.org/udnl2/nl021004.html Finally, the assembly or perhaps the parents only, should recite the Mangala Sutta and Jayamangala Gatha as a blessing. http://www.buddhanet.net/funeral.htm What are the cultural expectations of marriage? Do men and women have equal say in their marriages? What are the typical roles of the man and woman in marriage? How much do parents or in-laws have to say about their offsprings marriage? What degree of involvement do they generally have? Where do couples normally residein their own place, with parents, etc.? The sons, after marrying, move out of their parents home. However, they live nearby and may travel with their parents in search of new pastures. In seminomadic districts, families often include parents, sons, and daughters-in-law. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html Are affairs common? Are they culturally accepted? Are men or women allowed to have multiple spouses? Mongolian traditional society allowed polygamy as long as the husband could provide for each wife. However, polygamy was legally banned some time ago and is no longer practiced. (WIC) Do laws equally protect the rights of individuals in a marriage? How are anniversaries celebrated in the culture? Is divorce legal or acceptable in the culture? Under what circumstances is it acceptable to divorce? What is the process in the event of a divorce? Mongolian women could initiate divorce and remarry afterwards. In such cases the new husbands usually accepted a divorced woman along with her children, as acquiring a ready-made family was believed to indicate an existing spiritual connection. (WIC) Do women retain any rights? What happens to children of a divorce? A Mongolian woman can initiate divorce. In most divorce cases, the mothers get custody of minor children. (WIC) Is remarriage for widows condoned in the society? Family Parenting http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html http://www.cohre.org/get_attachment.php?attachment_id=3069 (Sub-Saharan Africa Rights of Women http://map.sscs.org.au/Documents/cultural_dictionary.pdf (Similar to Cultural Grams) Culture Grams which is in our WTP Folder Birth, Dating, Marriage, Family, Recreation, Death/After Life http://www.unece.org/stats/trend/ (Population/ Families households/ Employment/ Housing) http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/country-profiles.html (Family) http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/reports.htm (For the status of women rights) http://www.international-divorce.com/ (Divorce Custody) What does the family unit in a home look like? (i.e. 2 parents, children? Parents, children, all relatives?, etc.) Is there an imposed or cultural idea about how many children are the right amount for a family? What is the typical family size? Nomadic extended families often live in a camp of several gers. Husbands take care of herding and slaughtering, while wives handle milking and food preparation. Older children care for younger siblings. Urban families live either in high-rise apartments or in a ger, with its surrounding fence and storage shed. A ger in or near a city will have electricity but not heat or water. Due to a housing shortage, three generations must often share a small apartment; parents sleep in the living room and children and grandparents in the bedrooms. Urban families have one or two children. Both parents generally work outside the home. Networks of family reciprocity are an important means of support. For example, rural relatives may supply their city relatives with meat and dairy products, and the urban dwellers may reciprocate by taking one or more of the rural familys children to live with them in the city so they may receive a better education. (Culture Grams) Traditionally, families were the main unit of production in this herding society. The kinship system was patrilineal and sons generally established households in a common camp with their fathers. Several generations of families customarily live together in a nomadic camp known as a khot ail (group of tents) and share herding tasks. This camp, generally consisting of two to seven households, serves as a way of pooling labor for herding and has numerous social and ritual functions. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html A Mongolian family generally consists of a husband, a wife, and their young children. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html How central are children to the family? What are the general reasons for having children? Children have always been treasured in Mongolian culture, and large families were historically the norm. Large families were considered desirable because many children ensured extra help and security in old age. Although family size is changing today, the country is still so sparsely populated that some people still believe it is advantageous to have as many Mongolians as possible. http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mongolia.html How important is birth or gender order? Is there a family hierarchy or cultural custom in terms of childbearing (i.e. the youngest child of a family may not have children until the eldest has had them, etc.) What is the expectation or role of each parent after the birth of the child? Who is the head of the household? Mongolian women traditionally held a higher social status than women in many Asian cultures. Still, a womans primary role was as a homemaker. (WIC) The father is head of the family, but the mother is responsible for household affairs. (Culture Grams) Who makes the chief decisions for the family? The Mongols are monogamous. The family is dominated by the man, but herders usually consult their wives about major decisions. http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Mongols.html Traditionally, Mongolia has always been a patriarchal society. Mongolian proverbs such as If a husband does not beat his wife once a month, he is not a man Today, Mongolian men often maintain the appearance that they are the family decision-makers, even if their wives actually make the decisions. However, the number of single-parent families headed by women is growing in Mongolia. (WIC) Who earns the income? Who customarily manages the household? (Mother, Father, Grandparent?) Describe typical family life? (daily routines) What are the roles of the children (up to 10 yrs.)? What are the roles of adolescents (11 and up)? What are typical/favorite family activities? Urban wedding ceremonies take place in wedding palaces. Afterward, many couples now go to a Buddhist monk to receive a blessing or have their future predicted. A large feast treats as many relatives and friends as the new couples families can afford to feed. In rural areas, common-law marriages are typical. Rural couples receive a ger from the husbands family. Mongolian families traditionally exchange gifts in conjunction with a wedding. The grooms family usually gives livestock, while the brides family offers jewelry and clothing. (Culture Grams) Is meal sharing with the family typical/mandatory? Dinner is considered the main meal of the day. The whole family generally eats dinner together. (Culture Grams) Is divorce common? Today, divorce is relatively rare in Mongolia. In most divorces, mothers receive the custody of children and are entitled to child support and alimony. (WIC) With whom to the children go if there is a divorce? What cultural expectations are there in terms of duty to parents?. What or how much do children owe their parents in adulthood? Does hierarchy/economics/education/or other play a role in terms of which child has more responsibilities or duty requirements? (i.e. in Japan/Korea, etc.) Most Mongolians live in nuclear families, tho

The Topic Of Sustainable Tourism

The Topic Of Sustainable Tourism This mini report aims at providing valuable information on the chosen research topic of sustainable tourism. The report aims at looking deep in to the topic by drafting the core literature of the topic followed by methodology and some finding and conclusion. This report reassess the growth of the term, commencing with a debate of the confusion arising from the vague and contradictory definitions of the concept, and the need to differentiate between sustainable tourism and the development of tourism on the main beliefs of sustainable development. The paper then re-examine the green focus of consultation of sustainable tourism and disagree for the need to ensure that the impression incorporates and is functional to the human environment as well as the physical environment. Concentration then moves to effort of haulage capacity, organize of tourism development, and the implication of the term to mass or conservative tourism. Last but not the least, the mini report concludes with a discussion of the prospect way of sustainable tourism and the probability of expansion moving in this direction. Tourism in the current millennium, correctly managed, has the latent to partake in, revolutionize and recuperate the societal, political, cultural, as well as the ecological magnitude of peoples potential lifestyle. In this new era, one of the maximum purposes of this policies and philosophies of tourism will be to cross-examine the cultural, economical, political as well as environmental reimbursement of tourism for the people, destinations and countries in order to prolong a healthy lifestyle (Edgell, 2006) Moreover, sustainable tourism can certainly become a major vehicle for realization of mankinds uppermost ambition in the mission to attain affluence while maintaining social, ecological and environmental veracity (Edgell, 2006). As such there is no particular definition of sustainable tourism. Complementing this, (Swarbrooke, 1999) mentions that sustainable tourism can be defined as the type of tourism which is ecologically practical but does not destroy the resources on which future tourism depends remarkably on the bodily environment as well as the social structure of the multitude community. Aims and Objective To review the topic of sustainable tourism Measuring the growth of sustainable tourism and answering the research question of is sustainable tourism consistent. Literature Review The tourism Industry The tourism industry today has reached a considerable level in terms of profits, number of tourists at varied destinations etc. In addition, the tourism sector has grown tremendously in the last decade providing visitors with a ur plus of destinations to visit. There have also been different types of tourism that have been developing namely, sports tourism, animal tourism, destination tourism, etc. Moreover, the type of tourism in the current lime light has been sustainable tourism as this is now playing a vital role in environmental issues (Edgell, 2006). Furthermore, details about sustainable tourism have been mentioned in the report further. Sustainable Tourism itself One of the main problems with the idea of sustainable growth is the method in which the solitary word sustainable has been useful to a diversity of performance pedestal on the supposition that it takes with it the ideological and theoretical inference of the thought (Harrison 1996). In the case of tourism, the effect has been the exterior and prevalent espousal of the term sustainable tourism, repeatedly devoid of any shot to define it (Hunter and Green 1995). In the situation of tourism, an apposite classification of sustainable tourism is tourism in a form which can continue its practicality in a vicinity for an indistinct period of time states (Butler 1993). Tourism at places such as Niagara Falls, London, Paris or Rome, is extremely sustainable. It has been winning in that place for years and depicts no cipher of declining. With such a definition, the importance is on the preservation of tourism, but in most issues, tourism is rival for capital and may not be the top or wisest use of possessions in these locations in the future.. The above mentioned definition, though, is not what is usually unspoken by the term sustainable tourism. Somewhat, relying on the present literature, what is in general meant by that term is as follows: tourism which is developed and maintained in an area in such a mode and at such a extent that it leftovers practical over an unlimited epoch and does not mortify or adjust the environment in which it survives to such a level that it proscribes the triumphant expansion and well being of performance and processes. (Butler 1993) The dissimilarity between these definitions is not just a theme of semantics. The meaning of sustainable tourism above mentions very modest about something except the future of tourism. Wall (1996) has noted, a single sectoral approach, a little that is at odds with the thought of sustainable growth, which by its extremely environment is holistic and multispectral. Thus sustainable tourism is not unconsciously identical as tourism urbanized in line with the philosophy of sustainable advance. As long as it is this way, then haziness and uncertainty will go on. Therefore the need to label the type of tourism being intentional or developed beyond the catch-all of sustainable is therefore critical, if information about the sustainability of tourism is to be long-drawn-out. Major issues in Sustainable Tourism The key term in this concept is the one of restrictions. However much proponents of growth may disregard the detail, implied in the impression of sustainable progress is the thought of confines. In the case of tourism, this is usually articulated in terms of numbers of tourists; though implied in this is the linked infrastructure development and scenery modifications. While accepted wisdom on carrying capability has been tailored really since the 1960s, researchers were looking for the magic number of guests who could be put up at a specific spot, the distress of volume still remains (Butler 1996). though it is by and large traditional that numbers unaided are not an fully pleasing measure of the belongings of tourism, there is hesitation that, in approximately all tourism contexts, there is a utmost figure of tourists who can be productively house. The detail remains, but, that in approximately every imaginable context, there will be an higher limit in provisos of the information of tourists and the quantity of advance associated with sightseeing that the target can withstand mentions (Shipp 1993). Once these echelons are surpassed, by and large in undesirable form. The environment of tourism itself modifys, the natural world of the purpose changes, the attractively and therefore the feasibility of the purpose declines, and tourism becomes no longer sustainable in its original form. If overeat and overdevelopment continue unabated, then any form of tourism may become indefensible in that location (Butler 1991; Cooper 1996; Zanetto Soriani 1996). An input part of scenery aim for sustainable tourism is the establishment of the tourism carrying faculty of a destination area (1996). In fact little, development suggestions classify or advise such restrictions. If sustainable increase ethics are incorporated in expansion plans in everything more than name barely, they are as a rule understood in indistinguishable terms which are long on sentiment and short on details. This is describes, in part, by the detail that researchers and policy makers in tourism have never grabbed the agitate of haulage capacity or confines and have never fashioned measures that could be used in such contexts (Butler 1996). The burning necessitate to take such steps at the local altitude as well as at new superior levels of government has been harassed more strongly just (Coccossis C Parpairis 1996; Johnson and Thomas 1996). Methodology The research methodology enables the researcher to collect the significant and relevant data for a particular research. In order to understand the recent developments in sustainable tourism, a secondary research has been conducted. Data in this research has been analyzed using graphs and charts. Some of the data is also presented in the discussion format to get the deeper knowledge. Moreover, secondary data included google books, academic articles as well as research journals in order to find accurate and precise data. Industry professional interviews were also considered. Findings and Conclusion In trying to identify where the state of the art of current research on tourism in the context of sustainable development stands is rather difficult. There is now a sizeable body of literature on this subject, which is growing rapidly. The topic has even resulted in the appearance of a journal {Journal of Sustainable Tourism) devoted to this field. A great deal more research by geographers and others has been conducted and is just reaching the publication stage (Pigram c Wahab 1997; Hall C Lew 1998; C. Becker, University of Trier, personal communication). Thus one cannot conclude simply that there is little written and that much remains to be done, nor can one argue that the key questions have been resolved. Although a great deal has been written, particularly in the last 5 years, I feel that much research does still remain to be undertaken. The key problem, in my mind, is the current inability to define to the satisfaction of all, or even most, of the stakeholders in tourism, exactl y what is meant by sustainable tourism. As noted above, this remains a major problem and, because ambiguity exists, almost any form of tourism can, and often is, termed sustainable. Related to this fundamental issue is the question of how sustainability might be monitored and measured if and when a satisfactory definition of sustainable tourism is established and accepted. It is clear that current research in all disciplines involved with tourism has not really tackled the problem of monitoring the effects of tourism in any context. Despite the real need to benchmark and monitor, first called for many years ago (Mathieson 8>C Wall 1982), such efforts have, by and large, been at best sporadic and non-systematic. Given the hype that exists in industry and political circles to persuade people that much is being done to achieve sustainable tourism, there is implicit, if not overt, opposition to research that might show that very little new or existing tourism development is sustainable, or at best that a decision on its sustainability cannot be made for many years to come. Also, many proponents of the idea of sustainable tourism seem unwilling to accept that, because an operation calls itself sustainable, it may not be so in reality. To assess the real impacts of tourism and the level of sustainability achieved requires in-depth longitudinal research and environmental, economic and social auditing. This requires stable funding and a willing- ness on the part of researchers to commit to a research programme for a considerable period of time. There is very little evidence that this sort of commitment currently exists and good long-term research on sustainable development in tourism or any other field is extremely scarce (Wall 1996). One can argue, therefore, that the greatest research need is to develop measures of sustainability and to apply these to existing and new forms of tourism development to help determine what affects sustainability and how it can be achieved; in other words, to operationalize the concept and evaluate it in operation. This is far more complex than it sounds because, as discussed above, a multi-sectoral approach is essential, and this requires much more than simply estimating the direct effects of tourism on the physical and human environments of destination areas. Even when the elements and processes of sustainability are identified and understood, there is still no guarantee that it will be practised in destination areas. It will be necessary, if sustainability is to be achieved, to ensure that all stakeholders are willing participants in the process. If the industry, at all scales, cannot be persuaded that it is in its own direct interest to commit to some principles of sustainability, then efforts ofother stakeholders will have little effect. If the public sector is not willing to educate and, if necessary, enforce sustainable policies and actions, then few are unlikely to follow them. Simply listing appropriate actions and strategies and calling for their adoption (Table 2), as some governments have done (Tourism Canada 1990), is but a first step specific action and enforcement are necessary as well. If local residents cannot see the short-term as well as long-term benefits to themselves of sustainable policies, they will subvert or ignor e them. Finally, if the tourists themselves do not enjoy or anticipate satisfaction from sustainable forms of tourism, they will not participate and not visit destinations geared to offer this type of tourism. One of the other tasks facing researchers, if they wish to ensure the application as well as the understanding of sustainable development of tourism, is to find ways to ensure the necessary policies and actions are acceptable to all stakeholders in tourism. Simply saying that all is well and that sustainable tourism is the way of the future because there is a growing interest in the concept will not ensure its adoption or success. At present, there is a disturbing tendency, in the desire to promote sustainable tourism, to claim that any small-scale, environmentally or culturally focused form of tourism is sustainable, particularly where it is developed by or for local residents. In the absence of accurate and reliable indicators and monitoring, one cannot comment on the sustai nability of any enterprise until many years after its establishment, and only then, after comparing its operation and effects, to the state of the environment at the time of its establishment. Given that the term sustainable development did not enter the lexicon until 1987, it is still too soon to say if anything created since then is truly sustainable or not.

Essay --

Danah Boyd is a researcher at Microsoft Corporation, a research assistant professor at New York University, at Harvard Law School, and an associate professor at the University of New South Wales (Boyd, Danah, 2013). In the article â€Å"Restricting Classified Advertising Websites Helps Pimps and Human Traffickers†, Danah Boyd writes about the damaging effect of censoring the â€Å"Adult Service† section on the Craigslist website has provided another avenue for human traffickers. Danah Boyd’s argument is directed towards law enforcement to realized that targeting Craigslist Adult Services section will not halt the cycle of abuse in the Sex-Power Industry, but the main focus should be centered around other internet cites in general. What is human trafficking? According to "Human Trafficking: Today’s Slave Trade" (2008), human trafficking is taken an individual against one’s will. One major reason for human trafficking is for sexual exploitation. Throughout her article, Danah Boyd argues that there are no support systems for the victims of human trafficking, creating an emotional connection with her readers. Danah Boyd used pathos to as an appeal by stating in the beginning of her article that for the past 12 years, she has contributed both money and time fighting against victimization against women and children and being a victim herself, this angers her to know that law enforcement is targeting the wrong avenue. Pathos is also effectively used by Danah Boyd when she explicitly mentioned her personal outrage against law enforcement mandated a censorship against Craigslist. The author also sympathizes with her readers by thoroughly explaining the horrendous phases a victim of human trafficki ng and prostitution experienced. For exampl... ... traffickers to conduct illicit activities such as exploiting women and children. Case and point, the Phillip Markoff case. Phillip Markoff was a brilliant medical student who has been charged with armed robbery, rape and the killing of a woman whom he met on Craigslist (BostonGlobe, 2009). This case brought critics to scrutinized Craigslist as an unsecured internet company. In concluding, Danah Boyd’s article on â€Å"Restricting Classified Advertising Websites Helps Pimps and Human Traffickers†, have summarized one aspect of how Craigslist can be used as a tool to stop illicit online activities. The author did annotate any substantial evidence such as statistics to support her argument, but she have chosen pathos, ethos, and logos appeals to prove her stance that censoring Craigslist will not hinder the lucrative business of human trafficker.

Use of Aphorisms in Steinbecks The Winter of Our Discontent :: essays research papers

In John Steinbeck’s classic novel The Winter of Our Discontent, one can find many general truths and principles, also known as aphorisms. Ethan Allen Hawley, the main character, seems to gift the reader with another aphorism at the turn of every page, but some of these sayings may be considered more remarkable than others. One of the more noteworthy aphorisms is a statement made by Ethan at the end of chapter 6: â€Å"To be alive at all is to have scars†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While this may not be the theme that Steinbeck concentrates on the most, it is surely one of the most important. Ethan is the most prominent example of this, as he has suffered many misfortunes in his life. Every other mature character in the book also carries these emotional scars; scars on one’s morality, character, and soul. Perhaps what the author was trying to convey is that from the moment one is born, one knows pain and suffering. However, many of these wounds heal with time, and become the scars of the past. Ethan compares the scars that his lack of morality will bring to the scars that his failure has produced, but the truth is that these are not scars at all, but injuries that time will not heal, and conscience will only make worse. His wounds will never mend, they will weigh down on him until drastic measures must be taken to escape the constant reminders of what he has done. Ethan considers and then nearly commits suicide, but he realizes that n o matter what he has done, his daughter needs him above anything else. So he must go on living, scar after scar becoming layers upon layers of discontent on his heart.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every human being on earth accumulates scars of this nature. From errors made in the past come forth blemishes on the soul that serve as permanent reminders of one’s mistakes, and the scars provide maps to roads not to be taken again.

Janis Groupthink

Have you ever thought about speaking up in a meeting and then decided against it because you did not want to appear unsupportive of the group's efforts? If so, you have probably been a victim of â€Å"Groupthink†. Irving Lester Janis (26 May 1918 – 15 November 1990) was a research psychologist at Yale University and most famous for his theory of â€Å"groupthink† which described the systematic errors made by groups when taking collective decisions(Wikipedia). Janis described â€Å"groupthink† as â€Å"a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group. When the members’ striving for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action†(Janis,1972,p. 8). Janis identified eight symptoms(features) of groupthink. They were- 1)Illusion of Invulnerability-This leads the group to excessive optimism, over confidence leading them to take extraordinary risks. It may also lead them to ignore clear signs of risks. 2)Collective Rationalization-Victims of groupthink construct rationalizations and discount and discredit negative feedback and advice from the oppositions. )Illusion of morality-Group members often tend to ignore the ethical and moral consequences of their decisions. 4)Stereotyped views of others-Victims of Groupthink have a stereotyped view towards opponents who give different opinions. They consider them to be too stupid or weak to handle the problem. 5)Pressure on Dissent-Group members apply direct pressure on anyone who opposes the idea or validity supporting a decision or opini on favored by the majority. Example-Body language,Voice tone. 6)Self-censorship-They tend to censor themselves when they have opinions opposing the majority of the group. This minimizes the members doubts and opinions to themselves and not to the group. They withhold dissenting views and counter arguments. Example-Keeping quiet and not giving an opinion due to opposing views. 7)Illusion of unanimity-Victims of groupthink have an illusion that the whole group is in unanimity. This symptom is caused by the preceding symptom. This is due to the false assumption that anybody who doesn’t give an opinion is in unanimity with the group’s decision. Silence is taken as consent. )Mindguarding-A few group members take up the role of mind-guards so as to protect the other members of the group from excessive information and facts that might destroy the majority decision. They stand up to prove the information wrong and label them stupid(stereotyped). This type of dysfunctional operation of an organization has many opportunities for failure. The basic fundamentals of this process are the beginnings of failure as groups seeks conformity and unity as th ey sacrifice everything in order to maintain peace within the group. These eight symptoms of groupthink identified by Janis leads to defective decision making. Victims of grouthink never consider all the alternatives,they do not re-examine the alternatives,they reject negative information and have no contingency plans. The above are due to the stereotyped view of the victims and they act in this way to not disrupt the idea of the majority. This is what the organizations should be careful of. A real life example of â€Å"groupthink† leading to a defective decision making is Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. This occurred on January 28,1986 launched from John F. Kennedy space centre. It was considered to be the most tragic event after John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The presidential commission that investigated the accident showed that defective decision making was the main cause. MTI engineers presented that the mission would fail as the shuttle would not succeed in such cold temperatures. But,the flight officials put forward technical rationalizations faulting MTI’s analysis. One of these rationalizations was that the data was incohensive showing their stereotyped view. The officials also forced Thiokol officials to change their recommendation from avoiding delay to the launch. This shows pressure on dissent. Hence,as expected the mission failed after 73 seconds of the launch killing 7 astronauts aboard. This example shows us how the officials had symptoms of groupthink and how it lead them to a defective decision making process. The challenge for any team or group leader is to create a working environment in which Groupthink is unlikely to happen. Hence we could avoid groupthink by exploring objectives,exploring alternatives,encouraging ideas to be challenged without reprisal,examining the risks if the preferred choice is chosen,testing assumptions,gathering relevant information from outside sources,processing this information objectively,have at least one contingency plan. References: 1)Moorhead,Gregory,Ference,Richard and Neck,Chris P. 1991 ‘Group decision fiascos continue:Shuttle challenger and a revised groupthink framework’. Human Relations 44/6: 539-550. 2)Wikipedia.

Descartes †Meditations on First Philosophy Essay

â€Å"Give a detailed account of Descartes’ systematic doubt or methodical doubt in Meditation 1, making it certain that you distinguish between real doubts and so called hypothetical/metaphysical doubts. Then, explain in detail, exactly how Descartes dispels each and every one of these doubts during the course of the subsequent Meditations beginning with the cogito. Do you think that Descartes has been completely successful? Explain.†The main goal of Descartes in Meditations on First Philosophy was to find truth behind all of his beliefs in order to build a solid foundation of certainty, and to focus his beliefs strictly on his idea of certainty; essentially to question knowledge. Descartes beliefs are mainly based on the theory that, if someone thinks that they really know something, they must be correct. Descartes meditations bring about 3 key issues that are discussed throughout the entire book; the existence of him being a thinking thing, God as a supreme being and being deceived by the Evil Genius, as well as the idea that the body is an extension of the mind. Descartes provides a solid argument throughout the entire book, calling into question every aspect of what I is, and the world around him. Descartes is trying to decipher whether or not he, anybody or anything in fact is real and he also goes on to argue that our knowledge is gained via our everyday experiences. Through examining each meditation, discussing the cogito, as well as what he discusses in terms of his senses and the external world, the dream hypothesis and his evil genius theory; I will conclude that in fact he does exist, knowledge exists, and God exists. There are two real doubts in which Descartes talks about throughout the meditations. The first being the senses and external world in which he believes causes one to doubt. He claims that in order for him to believe that of his senses he must acquire complete certainty, and he says that we should ask ourselves whether perception is really a legitimate means for attaining knowledge, can we trust our senses? If not, what grounds do we have to deny? Descartes claims that at times the senses can become deceiving under certain circumstances. He says that certain lighting, distance and even depth perception can cause one to conclude incorrectly with regards to their senses. With this in mind, he introduces the lunatic hypothesis. He believes that he can doubt his senses even if the external conditions are  perfect as long as the internal conditions are not. The idea of common sense realism is also established which is the idea that truth come from the senses and the way that they appear. Common sense says that the only way to know the body is through the mind because it is visible and touchable. Descartes then dismisses the idea because he says he would not be able to perceive with his meditations if he were to deem this belief as being true. The second real doubt that Descartes brings to our attention is the dream hypothesis. This is the idea that sleeping and reality cause one to doubt. Descartes says that everyone is prone to dream and that if he is dreaming, everything he thinks he is experiencing is in fact false. This doubt then goes from a real doubt to a metaphysical doubt. He asks, if I am dreaming, is there anything that is true, reliable and certain? If not, then everything must be an illusion. He says that we sense while we are sleeping therefore when we are awake, or what we believe to be awake, how do we know that we are not actually asleep? He says †¦let us assume that we are sleeping and these particulars are not true; that were opening our eyes; moving our head, and extending our hands (pg 60). He claims that if in fact we were dreaming these issues they must be true because in order to dream something, one must have had to experience it at some point. Therefore we must acknowledge that things seen in our dreams are painted images which must be true and exist. The idea of the Evil Genius is a metaphysical doubt, logically speaking. In this sense, God is perfect, and would never allow deception and error to take place because they are imperfect and God consists only of perfect qualities. God would not allow one to be deceived because he is supremely good, therefore deception and error must be a result of another source. He says that if his origin is from something other than God, he could have easily created him so that he makes mistakes and until he finds his origin doubt is going to occue. Descartes supposes that God is just a tale so he says let us just fraction him out of the equation entirely. Descartes decides that he is just going to doubt everything based on two principles. The first being that everything should be doubted at some point by those who seek the truth and the second being that things that are considered doubtful  should be treated as if they are false. With that in mind he concludes that he does exist even against all doubts because the Evil Genius can never say that Descartes is non-existent because he thinks he is something therefore he must be. I think, therefore I am. In meditation one Descartes starts off talking about the foundations of his beliefs in order to gain better knowledge on the grounds of certainty. He says that any sort of knowledge he has previously to the meditations he received through his senses and that they can at times be deceptive. What grounds do we have to deny the idea that knowledge comes from the senses. Descartes claims that because we sense while we are dreaming, there is really no way of determining whether or not we are awake or asleep. What we perceive through the senses could have be obtained during slumber and we would be none the wiser. He says that I extend this hand consciously and deliberately, and I feel it (pg 60). He argues that if he were in fact sleeping while doing so, it would not have been so clear and distinct. He uses the example that what we dream of are like painted images. For instance, he uses the example of an artist creating a siren or a hippogriff, they combine parts of other animals or something that we have never seen before to make it even though it is false. However Descartes goes on to argue that what her perceives through the sense could in fact be false, but since other things that are simple and universal are true, what is to say that we cannot trust our senses. He states..it is not improper to conclude from this that physics, astronomy, medicine, and all other disciplines that are dependent upon the consideration of composite things are doubtful and that on the other hand, arithmetic and geometry, which are simple and general and indifferent as to whether these things do or do not exists, contain certainty†¦ (pg 61). Descartes believes that it is completely impossible that these obvious truths are all under suspicion for being false. Going back to the argument regarding whether or not God exists he claims that the idea of God has been inside him forever and it must have been put in him by his creator. He begins to question if he is a deceiver or not, God is said to be supremely good so it must be something else, something foreign that allows him to be  deceived since deception is an imperfection and God does not contain any imperfections. Thus the idea of the evil genius is born, the idea that this clever and deceitful being is dedicating every bit of energy into deceiving and misleading him. By creating this theory, Descartes now believes that all of his former opinions and views are false and he continues on with his meditations. In the second meditation, Descartes is trying to determine what truth is, and what is not. He claims that he feels as though he is lost at in a sea of knowledge and he cannot keep his head afloat. His main goal throughout this meditation is to find something that is certain and absolutely unshakable. He believes that if nothing in his mind exists and it is only deceitful, what is true, maybe nothing is. Descartes says is there not some God who puts theses thoughts in my head? I could be the creator. Am I not something? Am I so tied to a body and senses that I cannot exist without them? (pg 63) He believes that the deceiver can never bring about that he does not exist because as long as he thinks that he is in existence, then he must be. This is where the Cogito comes into play, the idea that whatever thinks, I think therefore I am. With that in mind, Descartes spends the next little bit trying to find what I is. He says that he has a face, hands and arms in which he refers to as his body and that surely sensing does not take place without the body to feel, touch, smell, taste etc. Descartes also argues that thought does exist and it cannot be separated from him, he believes I am, therefore I exist, and as long as I continue to think I will continue to exist. If he ceases to think, he then ceases to exist. He says that he is †¦nothing but a thinking thing; a mind, or intellect, or understanding, or reason†¦ and that †¦knowledge or I does not depend on things of whose existence we have zero knowledge (pg 65). In other words, he means that knowledge, or I does not depend on things of which we have no knowledge of. He even says that corpeal things [images formed by thought and which the senses themselves examine]; are more clearly and distinctively known to the I. He believes the mind is prone to error and that one must try to differentiate between perceiving through the mind as opposed through vision. Descartes then introduces us to the example of wax. He says that  although it has melted, and that the shape, smell, taste and everything else that he once witnessed no longer exist, the wax is still the same wax and it is the essence that has not changed. He claims that he knows wax not through what he saw but through the inspection of the mind alone. He states that what he thought he saw in terms of the wax was really only a result of his judgement, which is a part of his mind. He claims what when he first saw it, it was perceived through an external sense or common sense and that it cannot be perceived without human mind. If I judge that the wax exists from the fact that I see it, certainly from this same face that I see the wax, is more evidence that I must exist (pg 69). He believes that since he knows our bodies are not professed through senses or imaginations but rather from the mind and intellect; he now knows that nothing can be perceived more easily and readily then his mind. He is basically saying that the senses provide us with observable traits about a subject whereas the mind and intellect give us understanding; his main point is that our perception is nothing but judgement. The third meditation brings up the idea of the Cogito again. He cannot be doubted when he says, I think therefore I am, and that the ideas in which he has are real. Descartes says that †¦there can never be more objective reality produced then formal reality because it is impossible to create something out of nothing (pg 70). He says that he has an idea of what a perfect or infinite substance is and that is God, and since everything he perceives clearly and distinctively is true, then God must be perfect and infinite. Because I have no reason for thinking that there is a God who is a deceiver, the basis for doubting, depending as it does merely on the above hypotheses [whether God exists or not], is tenuous or metaphysical (pg 71). He says that the certainty of the belief of the cogito lies in his clear and distinct perception; saying, thinking, and believing it make it true. Then he asks, what if something clear and distinct turned out to be false, but he quickly answers by claiming that he would not have known because he has already accepted it as being true. Descartes then begins to talk about his thoughts and puts them into three classifications: ideas (images of objects), volitions or emotions (adding  something to ideas), and judgements (either affirm or deny). He claims that there are three different kinds of ideas out there; innate ideas which are ideas that are born into a person and exist as long as the mind exists in which every mature rational being would have these. The next would be adventitious ideas which are acquired through sensations, he says these are ideas that are gained again his will for example hearing a noise or feeling heat. The final type of idea Descartes believes exists is fictitious or fabricated ideas which are ideas that are invented by the imagination. These ideas cannot be trusted and it is in this sense that one must learn to separate mind from imagination. The mind perceives through the senses; and sense perception does not occur without the body, therefore the body must exist. Descartes uses an example of the sun, which he says arises from two different ideas, one which comes from the senses [derived from outside of him] and one which arises from astronomy or innate ideas. Through that notion the sun is known to be a large ball of fire, but through the senses the sun is perceived as being rather small and bright. He says that †¦if we assume that something is found in the idea that was not in its cause, then it results from nothing (pg 75). For example he uses the idea of hot and cold. He says that cold could be a privation of heat and vice versa but since ideas can only be of real things, the idea that cold is determined as a result of the absence of warmth, the idea of cold as something real is not true. In sum, the perception of what is infinite was placed in my mind previous to the idea of finite substance, that is that what he believes God to be came before his idea of himself because God is infinite and you cannot add to perfection. Descartes said that he now knows that he depends on another being for existence and that he gained his idea of God not from his senses or unexpectedly but from his innate or natural ideas. He concludes that it would be impossible to exist unless God did exists because: †¦it is manifest by the light of nature that all fraud and deception depend on some defect (pg 80). In meditation Four Descartes is trying to clarify why God is no deceiver. The main question that needs explanation is if God is no deceiver then why and  how do we make mistakes? He believes that all men are prone to make mistakes because like God, our wills are never-ending but our intellect and understanding unfortunately is not. Our mind only allows us to observe things clearly and distinctly which is how we know that they are true. He says when I take note of the fact that I doubt or that I am a thing that is incomplete and dependent there comes to mind a clear and distinct idea of a being that is independent and complete, that is the idea of God (pg 81). Descartes believes that it is possible; if we use our ability properly we will not agree with false judgments. He says I note that these errors depend on the simultaneous concurrence of two causes: the faculty of knowing that is in me and the faculty of choosing, that is the free choice of will, in other words, simultaneously on the intellect and will. Through the intellect alone, I merely perceive ideas about which I can render a judgement (pg 83). God has created us in a way that if we perceive things in a clear and distinct our, way of thinking will not be incorrect. In the fifth meditation, Descartes is basically trying to examine the essence of tangible things. Since Descartes proved that we gain our beliefs and understanding through ideas, he is able to prove that God exists. He then uses the example of a triangle by saying that if God does not exist then a triangle does not have three sides. Since God is believed to be a supremely perfect being, there is no way that he would deceive because then that would conclude that he lacks some perfection. Descartes then attempts to explain the separation between mind and imagination. At this point doubt again gets the best of him and he must try to look beyond the unreliability of the senses. Descartes goes on to say that what I believe must be considered above all here is the fact that I find within me countless ideas of certain things, that, even if perhaps they do not exist anywhere outside me, still cannot be said to be nothing (pg 88). He believes that our knowledge of material things is based on our belief that God exists. I cannot think of God as not existing no more than I can think of a mountain without a valley, nevertheless it surely does not follow from the fact that I think of a mountain without a valley that a mountain exists in the world (pg 89). Material things must be real because God does not deceive. In meditation six Descartes is trying to prove once and for all if material things exist. Descartes then reflects all of the previous meditations to figure it out. He believes that material things can and do exist and that it is through our understanding that this is proven. He says that his senses perceive his body, therefore he must have one. assumes to have a body based on what his senses perceive. He begins to explore this notion that he had previously dismissed to doubt. He inquires whether his senses give him reason for bodies to exist. He says that God has given us a great inclination to believe that these ideas proceeded from corporeal things† (pg 94). Descartes thinks that it is from life that we differentiate other bodies and their explanation. He believes entirely that the mind is a thinking, un-extended thing, but the body is a physical and extended thing because the body can be separated. Descartes then dismisses the dream hypothesis because he realizes that being awake is a part of both the mind and body. He proves that our essence is of the mind and is a lot more known to us than the body. Throughout all the meditations Descartes constantly re-examines each belief and attempts to find the grounds of absolute certainty. It is through the dream hypothesis, the idea of the Evil Genius and his ideas about the senses that he concludes in fact that he is an existing thing, God does exist and so does knowledge. His arguments, although confusing at times were pretty accurate in deciphering between what is false and what is reality. By the end of the meditation it seems as though he is right back where he began and that in fact he did not get anywhere. He was better off to just believe what he originally believed then to question it and put him through such torture. In essence it was almost as though the only thing that he proved was that his senses were intended to help him figure out the world and everything about it not lead him to discovering the truths of the universe. â€Æ'Bibliography Descartes, Rene. Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy. 4th ed. Indianapolis: Hackett Company, 1998.