Knowledge, Love and Character Analysis on the Film “Last Night” by Don McKellar Essay

Knowledge is commonly defined as expertise and skills developed by a person out of an experience or from education. Basically, it is the theoretical or practical understanding of an issue or subject. It is what is known in a certain field or in other words, facts and information. It can also be defined as awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation (Kunii, Ramamoorthy, Ching, & Wu, 2007). Our brain is the one responsible for processing the data or information that a person receives. Aware or unconscious, everything that the brain encounters, is filtered and stored. For this reason, we acquire the knowledge and eventually learn new things. Learning is a huge part of human development. Knowledge is acquired through different means. It can be from learning or an experience. Learning can be stated as an acquisition and development of memories as well as behaviors which include skills, knowledge, understanding, wisdom and values. There is presently no agreed definition of knowledge but there are several existing theories about it. Knowledge acquisition involves a complex cognition processes like perception, communication, learning, reasoning, and association. The word â€Å"knowledge† is also used to define concrete understandings of a subject or context thus uses it for a specific purpose.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the movie â€Å"Last Night† by Don McKellar, this knowledge of possible future events are portrayed. The characters are subjected to a situation where they know that they only have few hours left to live. Their response on this issue changes their usual character trait making them do things they won’t usually do. Knowing that they only have six hours away from the very end, each character planned what they want to do with their remaining life. Like the case of Patrick Wheeler, an architect played by Don McKellar, after knowing that he’s only six hours away from death, decided to go home and face it alone in his apartment because of his wife’s death still hangs heavily upon him. Because his wife was already dead, it has greatly affected him and made him suffer in his solitude. It brought him the feeling of being incomplete. (Leong, 1998).   Patrick best portrays a type of love called Agape. It is often referred to as Divine Love and involves  Self-sacrificing love. Peter decided to sacrifice the chance of loving another woman. He only loved one woman – his beloved wife. Also, there are the characters like the young married woman (Sandra Oh), who rushed home planning to commit suicide along with her husband, but she got stuck across the town away from him and may not make in time fulfill the promise made. This portrayal of character exemplifies love where she wants companionship till her last breath. Her idea of true love is based whether they will end up together whatever happens. She believed that by doing this, she loves him that much that she is willing to die with him (Block, 1998). This type of love can be categorized as Mania. It is a kind of love could lead to obsession or craving. It can also lead to exaggerated feelings and excessiveness where one would willingly take his or her life because on the emotion. Patrick’s friend, Craig (Callum Keith Rennie), is a womanizer who intents on living out a compulsively detailed sexual wish-list. His character displays the love for pleasure. He wants to achieve his fantasies before his life come to an end. This symbolizes the type of love called Eros. It deals with sexual desires and considers that physical attraction is a way of expressing love. On the other hand, Duncan (played by director David Cronenberg) alertly calls each of his customers to assure them that their service will be continued until the final moment. On this part of the movie, Duncan displays the types of love called Philia or brotherly love. It represents the love that is generated or even related because of common goal or interest. It bonds every one in unity and cooperation. It also displays Storge, or friendship love, which expresses and involves respect and concern for another person’s interest and welfare. Patrick’s mother (Roberta Maxwell), after realizing the situation, insists that the family hold a pseudo-Christmas dinner (Block, 1998). She portrays love for her family and her satisfaction of seeing them together even at the very end. It can also serve as a celebration of the years of their life. Jennifer (Sarah Polley), Patrick’s sister, decided to go to a street party with her boyfriend Alex (Trent McMullen). This shows her love for her partner that she wants her last moments with him. This could portray Romantic love (venus). Each of the characters is trying to find a sense of achievement in their last hours, so that before their death they will be satisfied that they had not wasted their life. In overall, the movie emphasizes the human behavior towards the awareness of future events. It illustrates human response when one has the knowledge of what may occur. An individual, for the reason that his brain process the information, tends to think hard about it and make him draw conclusion, makes plans on what to do and others. This is because of complex learning and cognition which motivates the brain to function (Ormrod, 2007). There are still remaining types of love like Ludis or the flirtatious and teasing Love. This type of love is associated with a kind of love for teen agers. In this kind of love, game playing plays a big role of expressing love and it is like an outward expression of love. Furthermore, is most often intended to arouse another to physical attraction, which can lead to Eros â€Å"sexual Love†. Another is Pragma or the Logical Love which expresses unification though common goals and interests. It is the kind of love that is based on shared interests and common backgrounds. This love is influenced by a system of principles, and the application of reason, and deductions to common experiences that describe and define relationships among propositions in terms of implications, contradictions, and contrariety. (Records, 2007) References: Block, T. (1998). Last Night (1998) [Electronic Version]. Culturevulture: Choices for Cognoscenti. Retrieved October 20, 2007 from http://www.culturevulture.net/Movies/LastNight.htm. Kunii, T. L., Ramamoorthy, C. V., Ching, H., & Wu, T.-Y. (2007). Money, Health, and Happiness. Complete Automation Laboratory. Leong, A. (1998). Last Night Movie Review. Ormrod, J. E. (2007). Human Learning (5th ed.): Prentice Hall. Records, P. (2007). Love [Electronic Version]. Retrieved October 24, 2007 from http://proagency.tripod.com/love.html.

Instructional planning Essay

Introduction Proper planning is a core prerequisite to an effective instruction process. Teaching disabled persons poses great challenges to instructors and calls for the careful planning of a lesson so that it may meet the needs of the learners. Disabled persons have special needs occasioned by hearing impairment, vision impairment; nervous problems as well as physical movement problems, therefore any good lesson plan must make sure that children with special needs receive as much gains from the learning process as their regular students. The learning process is very important; there is a need to avail services and facilities such as walking chairs for the physically disabled, hearing devices for the hearing impairment and any other necessary facilities. Another necessary adoption teachers can make to lesson plans to make them more responsive to the needs of the disabled includes the use of technologically mediated communication through computers to aid the learning process. In all adjustments to suit lessons to the special needs of learners, cognitive needs, psychomotor needs and the affective needs of the learner must be borne in mind. From both lesson 1 and 3 it is very clear that the lesson plan is only effective for a regular class. Notably the action verbs used for the objectives such as ‘by the end of the lesson learners should learn the colors’ is biased because the students are supposed to learn by sight or observation. When the teacher uses pictures as a resource material in the lesson, it implies that only the students with visual ability can benefit. The lesson can be adjusted to cater for the disabled and especially the visually impaired by deemphasizing the color aspect of the pictures and concentrating on shapes and texture which can effectively guide a disabled student to meet the lesson objectives. Another objective in lesson 1 and 3 requires the student to participate in physical activity. This again favors the students who are physically normal but it portends a challenge to the physically disabled to which physical activity may be a barrier to the learning process. The lessons can be adapted to suit the disabled students by only choosing the physical activities that the disabled can participate in or availing the necessary equipment to aid the physical activities. The lesson plans involve a lot of drawing and writing activities something that may be a barrier and a challenge at the same time to the physically disabled. Some students are not able to draw or write while others may not be able to even hold a pencil or crayon. Further, the lesson activities involve the use of music that is again insensitive to the hearing impaired. To make the lesson fully useful to the disabled students, the lesson plans should incorporate only special types of music which is responsive to the needs of the hearing impaired. The other key instrument to the lesson involves use of Braille or special computers, use of special needs expert to assist in the lessons as well as the strict use of materials that are responsive to the needs of the disabled learners. The other adaptation of teachers or disabled children is to involve a lot of games in the lesson plans activities. The games can help children to discover their ability to serve in spite of their challenges (Basil, & Reys, 2003). As a principle, every lesson plan should be a fit-all type of lesson plan to cater for different disabilities of the disabled students. Conclusion For a lesson plan to be effective, it has to bear in mind the cognitive, affective and psychomotor needs of disabled students. There is a need for teachers to design lesson plans factoring in the special needs of the disabled students so as to give such an equal opportunity as their regular counterparts. Only making changes to the lesson plan to reflect the needs of disabled learners can help teachers achieve learning objectives. References Basil, C. & Reys, S. (2003). Acquisition of literacy skills by children with severe disability. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, vol. 19, no. 1.

Effects of pollution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Effects of pollution - Assignment Example This essay discusses the effects of specific pollution with regard to human health, land, water, and land. Pollution is one of the aspects that have a detrimental effect on human health. This occurs in various ways. For instance, over the years, agriculture has experienced major technological developments in order to enhance food production. To a considerable extent this has also resulted in improvement in the standards of health and safety for those individuals working in agriculture. This is through their enhanced awareness of personal protection and awareness of hazards. However, there remains much to be done in order to improve the health status of individuals and prevent injuries that are related to agriculture. This is because agriculture continues to expose individuals to long term health risks. The modern farming practices contribute to respiratory illness and exposures. These expose individuals to several acute and chronic respiratory diseases. Mostly, people in agriculture are exposed to organic dusts, toxic gases, and biaerosols. Similarly, exposure to inorganic dusts from soil components that have silicates results in nodules and macules. Additionally, exposure to pesticides results in differernt adverse effects on humans. For instance, reproductive effects include miscarriages and preterm delivery, as well as infertility among women that are highly exposed. Furthermore, various studies show that the modern farming practices are a cause of hearing loss among the individuals exposed. Notably, the current farming practices include high levels of noise from vacuum pumps and tractors, among other machineries that exceed the standard noise levels by OSHA (Schenker, M. & Kirkhorn, 2011). Apart from modern farming practices, municipal service also does have a negative impact on human health. Municipal waste is the waste that is generated from homes, schools, small businesses, and shops. This waste is collected by local authorities,

Victim of Servre Depessive Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Victim of Servre Depessive Disorder - Essay Example Here, too, Betsy is ripe for succumbing to the availability heuristic on the easily remembered situation of her brother, and the recent data coming from her parents. Framing contributes to Betsy's anxiety because of the natural tendency of children to believe parents. "Framing is a process of selective control over media content or public communication"(Wikipedia.org, 2006). Probably without realizing it, Betsy's parents have exerted "selective control over media content" by not researching the facts further, thereby leaving Betsy with only two assumed facts; one, her brother suffers from severe depression; and two, there is a 40 percent chance she will also suffer from depression. The parents comment constitutes a "frame" that easily calls to mind the common mis-perception that depressive diseases are hereditary. When in fact, the list of causes determining depressive disorders is lengthy and complicated. Confirmation bias will add to Betsy's depressing conclusions because it is "a phenomenon wherein decision makers have been shown to actively seek out and assign more weight to evidence that confirms their hypothesis, and ignore or under-weigh evidence that could disconfirm their hypoth

(What is happening with tobacco companies, that electronic cigarettes Research Paper

(What is happening with tobacco companies, that electronic cigarettes are becoming popular, Why is it rising)(Tobacco developing countries)(Electronic Cigarettes phenomenon - servicing a need) - Research Paper Example who have developed new varieties of cigarettes and have captured a huge market share across the globe. But over the last few years the increasing awareness of health care among people and also the governmental policies that are against smoking conventional cigarettes has grown up at a huge rate. This has affected the tobacco companies in a huge way in their sales and also in their financials. Because of this there is a continuous decline in their sales. The companies thus are looking for other options to start for not allowing their business from declining and also for the revamp. Companies like Lorillard and Philip Morris International are; looking to launch the new concept of electronic cigarettes in the market to capture the market share again and to attract more customers. Electronic cigarette is the new product that is been launched in the market for people who are looking to quit smoking but are not able to quit and also taking the health factor of the people in mind. The electronic cigarettes are not filled with tobacco instead they have a liquid containing nicotine which is b een diluted in glycerin or propylene glycol and water. The level of nicotine does vary based on the cartridges and they also have certain flavors added to them. In this research it can be seen how the market for the tobacco companies is going down with the increasing demand of electronic cigarette in the market using secondary research and understanding the impact of electronic cigarette over the tobacco industry in the global market. What is happening with tobacco companies, that electronic cigarettes are becoming popular, why is it rising and affecting in the Tobacco developing countries? What is the phenomenon behind the electronic cigarette and the need for service in this category? This research over the reasons for the decline in the demand for tobacco and also with the

Reaction paper of Ideoligy explore in venezuela Essay

Reaction paper of Ideoligy explore in venezuela - Essay Example Given its huge oil resources Venezuela should ideally command a lot of respect internationally as a economically stable state. This however doesn’t seem to be true with the larger percentage of it’s population living below the poverty line. At the time president Chavez took over the rains around 70% of the population was below the poverty line. It was expected and hoped that this condition would change. This however did not happen largely due to the ideologies adopted by the government. The gap between the rich and the poor is just too big considering the massive capabilities that the country has. The very thing that should generate prosperity seems to be driving the disparity. Oil should be good for any given country but when combined with corruption which is rampant in the country then the effects can be catastrophic as they are in this country. The oil industry is controlled by the rich and affluent political class. This class is well known for the greed with which they want to line their pockets with more wealth. They rarely consider the poor. The oil industry is very labour intensive which contributes for the high unemployment rates. Another factor that fuels this state is the fact that the country for the most part is dependent on imports which has never made it easy for any economy. Add to this the fact that every citizen is always trying to enrich themselves. Hoarding of these imported goods is rampart driving inflation in the country high (Dunaway 55). The high prices cause the government to try and rectify this and the most popular way for them is to make more money fuelling inflation. This inflation seems the poorer even poorer. One would argue that the best way to cure this would for a total overhaul the ideologies prevalent in the political class. Them being the main stakeholders in both the economy and the social level they are the ones who would drive any change in the country, ideological or otherwise. They need to

Excersice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Excersice - Essay Example Then, there is need to acknowledge counterarguments from opponents which would then be factually refuted to support the thesis (Axelrod and Cooper 201). This convinces the audience of the argument. I have applied this understanding, not just in writing argumentative essays, but also in leisure writing. I have strived to back up all my writing works with credible evidence. I now appreciate that I write best in a quiet environment and when I have adequate time. Quietness enables me to understand the arguments I would want to raise and passing across such arguments in written form. The need for adequate time is informed by the need to proofread and appropriately revise the given work. As such, I have better understanding on writing. Furthermore, the course made me more aware of critical writing aspects. First, I have gained knowledge on how to effectively support my ideas. Whereas I could have ideas, effective writing would require that I support such ideas with evidence from other sources. Among the many possible sources, credibility of such sources would directly impact on the credibility of my writing hence the need to support my arguments with evidence from credible sources. Scholarly sources are credible. Such evidence could be borrowed word for word from the source of evidence. This would require such evidence to be under quotes if not more than forty words. If more than forty words, then it would be cited in block form and indented without quotation marks (Axelrod and Cooper 433). Of importance is to attribute it to the author(s) and indicating the page from which such was borrowed. Even when paraphrasing, it is important to indicate the author and the page from which the information was borrowed from. A cquiring this knowledge has made me more aware about academic writing. To become a better and effective writer, I seek to continue honing my writing skills. During my leisure, I intend to pick random

Management of Discretionary Costs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Management of Discretionary Costs - Essay Example If one is starting with MRP f the product, care should be taken that prices do not include sales tax, and are typically net f distribution expenses. In case f an FMCG product (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) unit realization f the company, which will appear as gross sales will be typically 65% f MRP price which the consumer pays. Many a times, companies give their volume figures under generic product category name. The volume figures include products f different sizes, types and prices. The analyst has to take care f expected changes in product mix while forecasting. Keep a broad picture f the competitive scenario and its impact on pricing. Also, understand key drivers f pricing, like for petrochemicals, India is a price taker, so global price trends have a bigger influence in determining Indian price trends. Material Costs Estimate material costs, which in most cases is the most significant cost item. Key variables - Raw material prices - Production efficiency, conversion norms and yield improvement have a significant bearing on cost estimation. The analyst has to understand the basic manufacturing process and get a fix on input output norms. Labour Costs For estimating labour costs, one can start with previous year's labour cost and adjust it for the following factors. Key variables - Additions/ adjustments for additional capacity/ new plant, - Reduction for retrenchment/ sale f a unit etc, - Salary increases on settlements with union etc. Many companies plan for settlement hikes and make provisions even if negotiations are delayed, - Bonus, profit linked incentives, - Salary increases. Fuel and power cost... Financial challenges faced by Kramer and Associates, and especially by the director of this investment consulting company deal with attempting to manage clients’ portfolios to suit each and everyone’s future financial needs. In summary, the simulation involves three clients with different risk profiles. Adrian O’Donnell has a high-risk growth profile, and wants to see returns as quick as one and a half to two years time. Tonya Davidson has a conservative-risk growth profile, and wants to see a steady growth of her investment over the span of 10 years. John Barrett has a moderate-risk growth profile, and wants to see steady returns over a period of five to six years. The challenge arises on how to allocate their investment funds to meet their desired risk and returns level. With treasury bills, the returns are almost exactly what was promised initially, therefore making them an almost risk-free investment. The returns on T-bills are on average about five percent. Stocks on the other hand, have returns of average 10 percent per year. In this case, companies may eventually experience bankruptcy, which means a depletion of one’s stocks in that company, or that company may experience enormous growth, meaning that the investor will experience enormous returns. Therefore, the simulation challenges the consultant to find the right mix of investment options to satisfy the goals of each client.

2 Exercises Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

2 Exercises - Assignment Example What appears to be the least satisfying? In what area(s), if any, do you feel improvements should be made? Discuss and provide appropriate descriptive statistics. As shown in the pie chart describing the total level of satisfaction, the most satisfying aspect to the nurses is work with a total score of 42%. The mean percentage that is satisfied by work is 81.428571%, with a median of 82% and a mode of 72%. The least satisfying aspect to the nurses is pay with a total of 28%. The mean percentage that is satisfied by pay is 55.571429%, with a median of 55.5 % and a mode of 60%. 3. On the basis of descriptive measures of variability what measures of job satisfaction appears to generate the greatest difference of opinion among the nurses? Explain and illustrate appropriately by citing part 1. Based on the basis of descriptive measures of variability what measures of job satisfaction, work and pay show the greatest difference. Work satisfaction has a mean score of 81.428571, with a median of 82% and a mode of 72%. The maximum score of work is 95% and the minimum score of work is 63%. The first quartile is 72%, 2nd quartile is 82% and the third quartile is 86.75%. The score of the variance is 68.693878% and a standard deviation of 8.288177. Pay on the other hand has a differing satisfaction with a mean score of 55.571429%, with a median of 55.5 % and a mode of 60%. The maximum score of work is 90% and the minimum score of work is 25%. The first quartile is 45.5%, 2nd quartile is 55.5% and the third quartile is 60%. The score of the variance is 217.47796 and a standard deviation of 14.747134. 4. What can be learned about the types of hospitals? Does any particular type of hospital seem to have better levels of job satisfaction that the other types? Do your results suggest any recommendations for learning about and/or improving job satisfaction? Discuss and provide appropriate descriptive statistics from part1. From the types of hospitals in the

How does the overall diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography Article

How does the overall diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography enterography compare with magnetic resonance enterography for assessing disease activity in small bowel Crohn's disease - Article Example CTE is also similar in accuracy to the MRE. Both techniques are highly accurate in identity of abscesses and fistulas (sensitivities and specificities are greater than 0.80). However, MRE should be preferred over CT in young patients because of the absence of radiation. Both CTE and MRE have high accuracy in the assessment of suspected, as well as, established CD and are reliable in measuring complications and disease severity and give the probability of monitoring disease progress. Studies describe Crohn disease as a chronic inflammatory disease associated with the gastrointestinal tract and characterized by segmental and transmural swelling of the walls of the intestines. Its prevalence is increasing while its etiology is not known, though evidence suggests that genetic predisposition in combination with the abnormal interaction of the gut and enteric microbes is likely to play a role in its pathogenesis.1, 3,9,11 Studies investigating the pathology of CD have established that Crohn’s disease present with insidious or abrupt onset of diarrhoea and abdominal pain; this is accompanied by weight loss and fever. Bowel ulceration may cause fistulas and extramural abscesses. Pathologic findings of Crohn disease in the alimentary canal encompass deep ulcers, transmural granulomatous inflammation. 2, 3, 5 This may progress to fistulae and sinus tracts, discontinuous involvement with areas between diseased segments and structures that can result in intestinal o bstruction. Extra-intestinal manifestations include: cholelithiasis, arthritis, dermatologic abnormalities, growth retardation in children and ocular manifestations. Evaluation of inflammatory lesions in the intestines is crucial for managing CD patients, identification of disease extension and location during diagnosis is required in establishing a good management plan. These techniques are also accepted for the detection of all

Culture and Language in Society Essay Example for Free

Culture and Language in Society Essay In a world that is rapidly moving toward a predominantly technological and uniformed system, language and culture are becoming increasingly crucial to defining an individual. For many people, culture still completely dictates their way of life, as is evident in many religions, such as Hinduism, where the line between religious traditions and everyday life is blurred. Just as Henry Trueba can be quoted in Afforming Diversity, Whatever knowledge we acquire, it is always acquired through language and culture, two interlocked symbolic systems considered essential for human interaction and survival. Culture and language are so intricately intertwined that even trained scholars find it impossible to decide where language ends and begins, or which one of the two impacts the other the most (189). Without language, culture would be, as Trueba stated, virtually non-existent, as certain emotions can only be conveyed in certain languages. The same holds true for language, as it is often impossible to translate texts while retaining the same literary and emotional connotations the original version contained because certain words only exist in those languages. Moreover, language, especially in literature, leaves much up to interpretation, and translations often omit any ambiguity that the author may have originally intended. When searching for English versions of Fyodor Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment, several versions are available, each translated by different individuals. In each of these books, differences can be observed in the way the plot is described, though they seldom make any difference in the larger scheme. Even the spelling differs (e. g. Dunya and Dounia) simply because of the way the translator thought the word sounded phonetically. By the same token, reading a Tang dynasty poem in Chinese differs greatly from the English translation. Though the English version manages to retain most of the poets original message, it lacks the fluidity and the poetic essence that can be found in the same poem in Chinese. As with all subjective issues, language is subject to interpretation, and to take away a literary works original language is to deduct from the piece as a whole. Knowledge, however, is not, as Trueba described, acquired solely through culture and language. It is not necessary for language to exist in order for us to know that fire is hot, or that water is wet. Though we may not be able to place these feelings with these specific words, we know that they exist because our sense of touch tells us so. If I chose to call fire water, the flames would still burn my hand when I touched it even if I had attributed a word that would normally extinguish the flames to it. By doing so, I have not changed the entity I have renamed, but have simply categorized it under a different label. A baby does not need to know the meaning of the word hot in order to know that a burning stove is extremely warm to the touch, or the meaning of the word light in order to know that it is brighter in the day than it is at not. After all, a rose by any other name would be just as sweet (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet). Ever since ancient days, culture and language have played integral roles in defining an individual and dictating ones everyday life. The morals that we live by are directly related to our cultural values, which are evident in ancient texts, such as the Koran, Bible and Torah. These books, however, have been translated so many times that their meaning has no doubt been at least slightly changed. In the Jewish culture, the Torah must be recited in Hebrew, the original language of the Jews. In this instance, Hebrew is much more than just a language; it also symbolizes the religious beliefs and customs of the Jewish people, and in this way, much of their traditional culture can be retained. Likewise, Catholics conduct Mass in Latin (though it is not as common anymore) and like in Judaism, much of the culture is maintained that way as well. Language leads directly to culture and culture to language in a cyclical process so that the boundaries between the two become virtually nonexistent. By the same token, language (be it English, Russian, Greek or Japanese) would differ greatly from what we know today if culture were to cease to exist. Much of culture as we know it would be lost without language, as it would be next to impossible to carry on cultural traditions from generation to generation without a means of communication. Much of the vocabulary accumulated in languages is a direct result of cultural practices, traditions and innovations. Each time a new revolution in society or technology takes place, a string of new words is developed. It is estimated that a few dozen new words are added to the English language alone each year. 1 Common words such as television, Internet, and telephone would have meant nothing two short centuries ago. The word silhouette only came into existence after the French Minister of Finance under Louis XV, Etienne de Silhouette, began decorating his office with cheap, black paper cutouts. Back then, the word was associated with stinginess, as the people felt oppressed by the strict financial measures he set on the French in order to replenish the treasury, which had suffered as a result of wars with Britain and Prussia. 2 Today, however, the word is often used to described stylish, chic products, and can be found on cars like the Oldsmobile Silhouette, and shoes, such as Silhouette, a Dutch shoe store. As culture develops, language, too, must evolve to accommodate the new changes as people feel the need to identify objects and feelings with words. A persons way of utilizing language can also tell a lot about his/her cultural background. For someone raised in a normal urban environment, the word Negro will have a very meaning as opposed to the individual who had grown up in the Ku Klux Klan. For the urban New Yorker, Negro would be a derogatory and offensive term that should never be used. For the Klan member, however, the term would equate to ignorant and degraded and altogether sold to the devil. Likewise, the word woman could be considered a derogatory insult depending on the context it is used in. For many women in this modern era, if a man were to say Hey woman, get over here and help me with this, it would warrant the man getting a slap across the face, because it not only is insulting, but also reminds women of the days when they were considered inferior to men. This attitude exists particularly in Western culture where women are considered equal to men (even still, discrepancies exist, particularly in positions of power and politics). In many Islamic countries, however, this kind of deprecating behavior towards women is acceptable to the point that a woman basically becomes her husbands property. Calling someone hey woman would certainly not be regarded as derogatory or insulting by the majority of the people in these countries (e. g. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan). For the women there, such behavior is acceptable because it is tolerated within their culture. The word itself is simply another label that describes who they are. In a culture that believes that women are inferior to men, sexism towards women in language would be common. Three centuries ago, the same attitude would hold true in Western civilizations as few women could hope to rise above the system and hold a position other than that of a housewife. It had been a belief that too much learning for women would result in evil. Thus, women often obtained an education only to the third grade level. Since society had deemed this acceptable and even necessary back then, calling someone woman would not be as offensive as it would be today. Though the word has remained unchanged, the connotation it carries differs greatly as a result in cultural changes. The number of languages one knows also reflects on the level of cultural awareness one has. The more languages one knows, the more likely it is he/she will have a deeper sense of the various cultures that exist in the world. Being bilingual in Chinese and English, I am able to understand Chinese culture better than someone who does not know the language because my view of the Chinese culture and traditions is subject only to my own interpretation, rather than that of a tour guide, publisher, author or another individual. As stated previously, it is impossible to translate everything word for word and thus certain phrases can only be communicated effectively in the original language, yet such expressions are often imperative to further understand a culture. For example, the words Long live the people of the world appear on the Tiananmen gate in Beijing. To translate it literally, however, the same phrase would be May the people of the world live for 10,000 years. Though the general meaning is the same, slight differences still exist. Language and culture are inextricably linked in defining an individual, society and nation. Without one, the other would cease to exist as we know it. Simply by listening to the language, or even a dialect, a person speaks, one can often tell a lot about their cultural background. Generally speaking, the Californian accent shows that the person is most likely laid back and easy going, while the Southern drawl may depict a persons tendency to take things slowly. As it would be unlikely to find a member of the social elite speaking Ebonics (Black English), it would be safe to assume that the individual who speaks the dialect is from an urban environment, and is culturally aware of the urban scene. Just as Trueba had states, there is no division at which language ends and culture begins, as they continue in a cycle with one completing the other. In order to understand ourselves better, we must first understand our heritage, which is composed largely of language and culture. To find a definite distinction between the two would be impossible and would call for a change to language and culture as we presently know it.  https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=tlsmarketinge=com

The Neuropsychological Double Dissociation Psychology Essay

The Neuropsychological Double Dissociation Psychology Essay Uncomfortable bedfellows; according to Bishop this constitutes the relationship between cognitive neuropsychology and developmental disorders. Boyle et al. (2011) showed that one out of six children suffer from a developmental disorder. The ICD-10 (WHO, 1992) defines developmental disorders (DD) as fulfilling three categories: an early onset, a delay in developmental functions relating to the CNS or biological maturation and a lack of remission. The DSM-IV (APA, 2000) takes a different direction by categorising Pervasive Developmental Disorders as characterized by impaired development of reciprocal social interaction and communication skills and the presence of stereotyped behaviour, interests, and activities. Whilst the first definition describes DD like developmental Prosopagnosia (face blindness, DP) which affects around 2.47% of the population (Kennerknecht, Grueter T., Welling, Wentzek, Horst, Edwards, Grueter M., 2006), the latter definition matches the triad of impairments of autism (ASD) which has a prevalence of 1% (Boyle et al., 2011). Comorbidity of DD such as ASD and prosopagnosia can result (Bate, 2012). At the same time, around 20% of individuals over 18 years suffer from acquired brain disorders and diseases (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2012). Deficits in acquired and developmental individuals are commonly mapped out using functional models and explored via double-dissociations. These are usually derived from acquired disorder (AD) patients rather than DD patients. How these factors influence the debate of cognitive neuropsychology and DD making uncomfortable bedfellows shall be explored in the following. Several points will be discussed as having an influential role in the debate of cognitive neuropsychology (CN) accounting for developmental disorders (DD). These are: modularity, plasticity and compensation, competence and performance, differences between exploring AD and DD and the role of double-dissociations in relation to developmental versus acquired disorders as displayed in CN. The association between structural and cognitive development is gaining recognition. Developmental changes in task-specific processing such as that of faces have been argued to play an important role in the amalgamation of various brain networks and experience-based growth of neural architecture (Westermann, Sirois, Shultz, Mareschal, 2006). Also, a bidirectional interaction between behavioural and neuronal development has been established as learning supposedly influences brain structuring and vice versa. Similarly, the rate of neurogenesis arguably depends on learning and environmental circumstances (Westermann et al., 2006). (Bishop, 1997, p.902) Following on from that, cognition is executed by the growing neurofunctional network. This distributed parallel processing arguably is organised into interacting modules (Table 1), which comprise of different levels of complexity depending on the cognitive task or function carried out (Jackson, 1958). This can be illustrated by Theory of Mind (Baron-Cohen, 1995) in ASD: ToM proposes developmental impairment of the ability to appreciate own and others mental states (beliefs, desires or intentions etc). Adams (2010), Brothers (1990) theory of the Social Brain and Leslies (1991) ToM Mechanism argue that key features of ToM can be explained in terms of modularity. Marchery (forthcoming) supports this as modularity poses a crucial characteristic of biological development. Arguably, deficits are not due to minor developmental brain problems in lower-level input and consequential cascading abnormal interaction between input and higher-level systems that affect all cognitive capacities (Karmiloff-Smith, 1998; 1992; Machery, forthcoming). Nonetheless, this is what Gerrans P.,T. and Stone (2008) argue. Additionally, low-level deficits such as gaze and face processing prevent ASD individuals from having the same experience as typically developing individuals, caused by a deficit in domain-general capacity. This has the aforementioned cascading interaction effect during development rather than leading to a dysfunctional mindreading module. However, Gerrans et al. do not see development as single causality. Reconciling, Baron-Cohen (1995) postulates that ToM is either seen as innate module or explained by deficits in general learning mechanisms and unifies both in the intermediate model of Social Perception of Minimalist Innate Modularity. (Amaral, Schumann, Nordahl, 2008, p.2) Figure 1 displays brain structures associated with dysfunctions in ASD. Amaral et al. (2008) join the debate of modularity suggesting that despite functional identification of modules no clear pathology has emerged yet but rather, that e.g. Schumann and Amaral, (2004) have demonstrated that the developmental trajectory itself rather than the final product exhibits most disruption and by this posing a further point against applying CN to the explanation of DD. Functions of modularity imply, on the other hand, that one zone can belong to several overlapping neuronal networks (Damasceno, 2010).Disordered brain development can lead to structural disruption and thereby to several dysfunctions which may not appear as a specific deficit but as a syndrome (a collection of symptoms) as demonstrated in the triad of impairments in ASD (Wing Gould, 1979). Similarly, lesions to a localised brain area do not always cause isolated but sometimes collective symptoms (Kolb, Brown, Witt-Lajeunesse, Gibb, 2001). These are caused, i.a. by disturbances in interconnected regions which might appear intact on functional brain imaging scans. However, changes in neurotransmission, excitatory or inhibitory processes or blood flow might cause secondary symptoms not predicted by the data. One interesting example was proposed by Sandel, Weiss and Ivker (1990): their patient was described as amnesic after traumatic brain injury. Her impaired cognition was considered a secondary deficit as her EEG and other clinical tests proved negative. No other disruptions were present until she was eventually diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. Therefore several unexpected and seemingly unconnected functional disruptions might result from a single localised lesion. These points argue against the notion of using CN in explaining DD due to the assumptions held. Advancing to the next argument, functional (mal)development following lesions or disrupted neurogenesis might also demonstrate individual differences in brain structure, due to varying input, demands and circumstances. Thomas and Karmiloff-Smith (2003) added that specialisation/modularity is not directing development but contrarily, is the outcome of this. On the other hand, the brain activity of healthy individuals supports a normalisation process to facilitate models being created for generalisation purposes. As Tager-Flusberg (1999) counter-argues, functional variation in dysfunctional individuals is similar to that of typical population. Allegedly, localisation is universally alike thereby plasticity, compensation or adaptation to damage are neglected. Examples of compensatory processes and resulting behaviour (or v.v.?) are stimming in ASD for sensory overload (Grandin, 2009) or remembering haircuts in prosopagnosics for identification (Bate, 2012). Adaptation can express itself by change in neurochemistry, psychomotor stimulants and compensatory behaviour while it is argued that the behaviour triggers alteration in neurochemistry (Kolb et al., 2001). This in turn, points to the aforementioned bidirectionality of structure and learning which has implications for acquired as well as developmental patients and goes against explaining DD in a CN framework. At this point, double-dissociations are commonly applied to provide clues to brain-behaviour relationships. In 1955, Teuber introduced the term double-dissociation referring to mirror-deficit patients. Buchaine, Parker, and Nakayama (2003) proposed the example of NM, a prosopagnosic whose abilities support previous findings (Young, Newcombe, De Haan, Small, Hay, 1993) of a double-dissociation of identity and emotion recognition. Van Peelen, Lucas, Mayer, and Vuilleumier (2009) added that emotional guidance of attention to facial expression can be unimpaired and thus functionally differ from face identification. Interestingly, Teuber did not establish double-dissociations to discover networks within cognitive architecture (Van Orden, Pennington, Stone, 2001) as localising a lesion does not imply a responsibility for dysfunctions. Further, modularity of functional networks has not been unanimously established. Nonetheless, modularity is one key feature of CN serving the notion of double-dissociations. CN informs theories of normal cognitive function by analysing the break down of cognitive systems in atypical patients (Bullinaria Chater, 1997). However, inferring theory from damage patients is full of obstacles and depends on models of normal functioning. As Caramazza (1984) argued, double-dissociations are valid forms of inference but only if the cognitive model is well developed; only single-case studies can provide information relevant to our understanding of cognitive architecture. Contradicting, Shallice (1988) argued that a double-dissociation between two tasks does not necessarily imply a double-dissociation between cognitive processes. Since the argument concerning emergence of CN models and the role of AD and DD has not been resolved yet, a need of inclusion of further aspects becomes apparent. One aspect is Residual Normality which claims that atypical development impairs only specific domains while the rest functions typically (Thomas Karmiloff-Smith, 2002). Similar behavioural impairments demonstrated by adult brain damage and infant-onset disorders are assumed to support modularity of typical neuronal system structure. Opposing the assumption of RN, compensation due to damage causes alterations in various other modules (Thomas, 2003). Shallice (1988) introduced deriving knowledge about the neuronal system from behavioural impairments in AD and DD, such as malfunctioning ToM in autism (Leslie, 1991). As argued by Bishop and Karmiloff-Smith (1997; 1998) such an inferential process within the static model of CN leads to invalid explanations of dysfunctional development. Functional Models on the other hand do not possess a developmental component, and display what is expected to happen under various conditions in terms of functionality and processes (DMello Franklin, 2011). Thus impairments can be analysed under the assumption of RN as it has been done, for example in the study of autism and prosopagnosia (Thomas et al., 2002). Examples of models are given in Figure two and three. Despite this, it has been suggested to use connectionist models where in AD the damage is applied at the end of training and for DD prior to it as this is argued to reflect actuality in a truer light. Connectionist models indeed are suitable for the investigation of DD as behavioural deficits such as in autism (Thomas et al., 2002) can be captured well following simulated atypical development. It is highlighted that AD and DD are studied using separate models, thereby arguing against functional models within CN. Figure 2: Functional model of face-processing (Wright, Wardlaw, Young, Zeman, 2006) Figure 3: Models of Autism (Anderson and Herbert, 2008) The aforementioned factors influencing whether cognitive neuropsychology is suitable for explaining DD have given a mixed picture. Jackson and Coltheart (2001) defended the use of CN in DD stating that development itself (thus distal causes like genes or background) are irrelevant for the identification of un/healthy functions, given modularity. Whether acquired or developmental proximal (what is wrong right now) and distal causes can be deduced independently from each other. Indeed, Jackson et al. argue that common architectural issues in AD and DD can be established using CN. Bishop on the other hand postulates against this as deficits are focused on while intact processes are neglected. Further, top-down and bottom-up interactions are dismissed. Karmiloff-Smith (1998) deems these highly relevant for understanding DD. Thirdly a uniform modularity is assumed without accounting for alterations in development. Bishop proposed that AD should be researched using single-case double-dissociations while for DD, as they are likely to demonstrate associated deficits, group studies are recommended. Problematically, the debate on what constitutes a module has not been clarified yet (e.g. Fodor (2000): encapsulation, Coltheart (1999): domain specificity). Until this is established functional models and CN will not carry valid explanations nor reveal (mal)development well (Thomas et al., 2002). This underpins the view against exploring DD within a CN framework. Additionally, modularity/plasticitys scope of variation in DD and AD remains unestablished (Tager-Flusberg, 2000; Thomas et al., 2003). Humphreys, Ewing, and Karmiloff-Smith (2002) proposed the example of Williams syndrome patients possessing intact face recognition which is, however, achieved by applying processes diverging from typicality. Initially, face recognition was seen as intact despite visuospatial deficits, reduced sensitivity to inverted faces and lack of progressive development of localisation (Grice, Spratling, Karmiloff-Smith, Halit, Csibra, De Haan, Johnson, 2001). Hypothetically, assuming RN, this could be seen as double-dissociation between developmental prosopagnosia and WS. Basing modelling of DD on highly debated assumptions poses a problem for validity of the framework. Additionally, CN is accused of focusing on representational (competence) rather than processing (performance) deficits (Bishop, 1997). This, however, appears to be crucial in terms of applying research to DD. Weigelt, Koldewyn, and Kanwisher (2012) demonstrated a lack of qualitative difference (how facial identity is discriminated or remembered, competence) but rather a quantitative (how well, performance) difference in that ASD patients are impaired in memory and perception despite indication of intact face identity recognition. According to Bishop, this is another argument against applying CN to exploring DD. Concluding then, the much debated assumption of modularity held in cognitive neuropsychology overshadows exploration of disruptions during the trajectory of neuronal development. Applying double-dissociations to DD arguably yields invalid results and is more suited to acquired disorders. This is due to the assumptions within CN of Residual Normality, directionality of impact within disorders and its dependence on localisation of disruption, universality of localisation, neglect of plasticity and the focus on (in)competence. All in all, it has been proposed, while certain aspects could be overlooked, connectionist models rather than functional models would yield better results. Also, cognitive neuropsychology focuses on adult processes thus damage after complete development which is hard to match onto disorders of development. In order for CN to account validly for disorders, different models have to be applied for acquired and developmental cases.

Interrelationship between Human Rights and Natural Law

Interrelationship between Human Rights and Natural Law In the second half of the 20th century, the growth of interest in human rights has been accompanied by a revival in natural law. Consider why this should be so, critically exploring the interrelationship between human rights and natural law; and also, by using concrete examples, critically assess ONE or TWO theories that critique human rights with particular emphasis on the grounds for such critique. Word count: 5293 words (body) + 504 words (footnotes) = 5,797 words (+ 962 words bibliography, not including list of reports referred to) There is an assumed correlation between what is good and what comes naturally. For example, parental affection, heterosexual love and support for the elderly are all natural concepts, and therefore, arguably, good. Anything that ignores or distorts human nature is bad[1]. Legislators and lawyers have referred to naturalistic arguments in the past, particularly where the issues at stake are those not already covered by legal precedent[2]. Harris notes that the jurists who developed the law of the Roman Empire frequently made references to the nature of the case as a basis for dealing with matters not covered by previous authority. The compilers of the Corpus Juris used the word ‘naturalis’ as a tag to distinguish natural obligations from their counterparts in the Jus Civile[3]. More recently, in Corbett v Corbett[4], a judge held that a marriage between a man and a person who had undergone a sex change was a nullity because it could not fulfil the natural, biologically determined consequences of marriage[5]. Such lawyer type references to the natural helped evolve the concept of natural law. Classically, natural law is â€Å"right reason in agreement with nature†[6]. It is â€Å"universal and immutable†[7], â€Å"unchanging and everlasting†[8], available at all times and in all places to those whose responsibilities include enacting and developing the law. It is a concept of justice so far as it is there to right wrongs and properly distribute benefits and burdens. It is also a higher law, in that it is superior to any law created by a political authority: it is not possible to be freed from its obligations by â€Å"Senate or People†[9]. Natural law determines whether or not ordinary laws are morally binding on subjects. The rules of natural law are not created by anyone, but are instead discoverable by reason. Since all men have natural essences, or ends (just like in nature, to become an oak tree, for example, is an end for an acorn[10]), knowledge of those qualities allows us to draw conclusions by rational steps about what justice requires to best fulfil man’s ‘end’[11]. Although some natural law philosophers have cited God as the basis for the existence of these natural laws, the theory does not fail if God is taken out of the equation. Even if God does not exist, it is through that natural law would â€Å"have the same content†; and just as God cannot cause that two times two shall not be four, so he cannot cause the intrinsically evil not to be evil[12]. According to Acquinas, human laws derive their legal quality and power to bind in conscience from natural law, guided by a reasoned assessment of the common good. The content of the law is deducible from the first principles of natural law, which include, for example, that one should ‘do no harm to no man’. Any apparently conflicting law is a corruption of the law and so is not binding[13]: in the Seventeenth Century, when it was still accepted that the Courts could hold invalid any Act contrary to natural law, it was said that â€Å"even an Act of Parliament made against natural equity, as, to make a man judge in his own case, is void in itself†[14]. Intrinsic to the concept of natural law is the fact that humans have rights ascribed to them that they possess merely by virtue of being human[15]. They follow directly from the necessary ends fixed by human nature, that is â€Å"from the single fact that man is man†[16]. Schneider describes the basic human rights as â€Å"the right to existence or life, to personal freedom, to the pursuit of perfection of moral and rational life, to the pursuit of eternal good, to keeping ones body whole, to marrying according to ones choice and raising a family, and to free associations†[17]. Whilst not all would agree exactly on what set of rights follow directly from what is ‘natural’, these arguments have been used throughout history to support action taken when ‘natural rights’ have been infringed. The American Colonists justified their overthrow of British rule in 1776 on the basis that the government had impaired their rights to ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’, claiming that it was ‘self evident that man was endowed with such rights’. Indeed, that phrase is the cornerstone of the American Declaration of Independence which states: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evidence, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among those are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness†[18]. This is an adaptation of the phrase used by John Locke, who believed that â€Å"the state of nature has a law of nature to govern it which obliges ev eryone. And reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought harm another in his life, health, liberty and possessions†[19]. During the 19th Century, natural law theory lost a lot of its influence as positivism, materialism, utilitarianism and Benthamism became dominant. In the 20th century, however, particularly towards the second half, natural law theory received new attention[20]. This can partly be attributed to peoples’ reaction to the rise of totalitarianism: dictatorships such as those held by Hitler in Germany and Stalin in the USSR, based on terror and on mass support mobilised behind an ideology prescribing radical social change[21]. Such dictatorships are linked to the other factor that can be attributed to the rise in interest in natural law: an increased interest in human rights throughout the world[22]. In particular, the barbarism of the Second World War moved the United Nations General Assembly to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 which, whilst not legally binding, urged member nations to promote a collection of human, civil, economic and social rights. The Asse mbly called these rights part of the ‘foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world’. These words are echoed in the preamble to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1984[23], which has been signed by the United Kingdom, Spain and Chile and by over 100 other nations in acknowledgement of a â€Å"clear recognition by the international community that certain crimes are so grave and so inhuman that they constitute crimes against international law and that the international community is under a duty to bring to justice a person who commits such crimes†. The preamble acknowledges that â€Å"recognition of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world† and recognises that â€Å"those rights derive from the inherent dignity of the human person†[24]. So natural law theory has been frequently cited by lawyers and forms the basis for many of our human rights conventions and agreements. Throughout history, certain ‘inalienable rights’ have been afforded to human beings simply by virtue of them being human. As well as the American Declaration of Independence and Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations, both of which we have looked at, the English Bill of Rights (1689), the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (1789), and the first 10 amendments to the Constitution of the United States (‘the Bill of Rights 1791’) all contain similar references. Natural law enables us to identify which ‘basic goods’ should be fundamental and unchangeable; in contrast to positive law, which is human-made, conditioned by history, and subject to continuous change[25]. Further, philosophers endorsing natural law theories have argued that the basic goods that natural law identifie s enable us to have objective knowledge of morality: and that they are sufficiently precise to rule out many kinds of injustice[26]. But natural law theories have attracted much criticism from other philosophical schools of thought. Jeremy Bentham for example, states: â€Å"Right is the child of law; from real laws come real rights, but from imaginary law, from laws of nature, come imaginary rights. ‘Natural rights’ is simple nonsense: natural and imprescriptable rights, rhetorical nonsense nonsense upon stilts†[27]. Bentham thought that the way judges insisted upon relying on natural law to justify their decisions was merely to ward off criticism of the law: he believed that judges stretched the notion of rights to the point of vacuity[28], and that what they appealed to as the basis for their decisions involved no publicly assessable reasons whatsoever[29]. For Bentham, natural law theory was no more than a cloak of mystery used to clothe the exercise of unfettered discretion; and an unwritten law based on the general dictates of natural reason was a mere metaphor and convenient fiction, whe re the real basis for the decisions being made remained elusive[30]. Such an approach was inconsistent with how matters should proceed in a democratic society since, where the law is open to question, â€Å"unless citizens are able to know what the law is and are given a fair opportunity to take its directives into account, penal sanctions should not apply to them†[31]. It is, of course, abhorrent to the rule of law that judges should be free to render decisions that reflect their personal or social biases[32] and there is common agreement in modern times that Courts are better suited to resolving disputes by reference to what the law actually is than for getting involved in the creation of legalisation itself[33]. â€Å"The existence of law is one thing; its merit or demerit another†[34]; and judges are not concerned with the latter. Bentham was a utilitarianist: he believed that the fundamental basis of morality and justice was the requirement that happiness or goodness should be maximised. There are three basic elements to this theory. We will examine the three elements in the context of a moral dilemma – the use of organs or tissue from a deceased person without the consent of their parent or relative. The first element to consider is that the rightness or the wrongness of an action, which depends upon the consequences it produces. In this context, the failure to obtain parental consent, perhaps also with an element of intentional deceit in obtaining the organs or tissue, may be outweighed by the potential research benefits that may be afforded society, such as decreasing mortality rates and the potential development of new treatments for disease[35]. The second element establishes a claim with regard to who is to be considered when estimating what the likely consequence of the act will be[36]. The logic behind this principle being the promotion of the aggregate welfare or the maximisation of happiness[37]. Taking this into context, medical staff would need to balance the potential pain and suffering of the parents or relatives of the deceased at the discovery of the retention of organs, with the claim society has on the benefits that are made as a result of the retention[38]. The third element makes a claim as to what makes a good state of affairs good and a bad one bad. In our context, failure to use organs or tissues from a recently deceased person for research and education (regardless of parental or other consent) must be weighed against the possible benefits that such use could bring to society. Failure to use the material would be classified as being a bad state of affairs, whilst its subsequent use, regardless of how the material was obtained, would be viewed as being a good one[39]. This method of reasoning appears to be very powerful in comparison with natural law theory, as it requires no religious faith or explicit moral code[40]; natural law theory in contrast would simply claim that the organs should not be used because the human has some inherent right to dignity and completeness by virtue of them being human. The medical profession sought to rely on similar principles to justify their exclusion of families from the decision-making process in the organ retention scandals brought to public attention by the Bristol, Kennedy, Redfern, CMO and Isaacs Reports[41]. The response to this was that to exclude relatives from such decisions relating to their loved ones would undermine family autonomy, and would be â€Å"objectionable, unethical, paternalistic and reflective of a stance no longer acceptable in contemporary Western medicine†[42]. It is clear that natural law theories are the basis for reasoning behind our development of the law of human rights that we see today. But the use of such theory as a basis for human rights is problematic because, firstly, there is no common agreement on what is ‘good’. The basic human goods mentioned earlier that Schneider identified were not available to all persons during Schneider’s lifetime, and indeed it is not until recently that some have been secured by the law today. Schneider thought that marrying according to ones choice was a right that humans should have by virtue of being human, but only recently by the Civil Partnership Act 2004, which came into force on 5 December 2005, same sex couples have been allowed to marry in the United Kingdom[43]. Before that time, everyone did not have the right to ‘marry according to one’s choice’ because same sex-couples could not marry. Even now, there are some restrictions on who can get married à ¢â‚¬â€œ for example, a marriage solemnised between persons either of whom is under the age of 16 is void[44]. Similarly, as Bentham asserts, men are not really ‘free’ and there is no real freedom. Bentham states: â€Å"All men, on the contrary, are born in subjection, and the most absolute subjection the subjection of a helpless child to the parents on whom he depends every moment for his existence. In this subjection every man is born in this subjection he continues for years for a great number of years and the existence of the individual and of the species depends upon his so doing†[45]. Secondly, even if certain fundamental rights can be agreed upon, conflicts arise between the fundamental rights of one person and another. The obvious questions that arise from these issues are, how do we determine what fundamental rights should be available to all persons? How do we decide on the level of state interference that is ‘right’ when it comes to people making choices? And, where ethical decisions are at stake, how do we effectively balance the fundamental rights of one person against another? For example, with reproductive technology, couples may use screening to avoid implanting an embryo identified as having genetic predispositions towards disease. They may also select the sex of their baby, or even identify if their embryo has the right tissue match to make it a compatible donor for another family member[46]. It is extremely difficult to decide how far the state should restrict such reproductive choices using natural law theory alone. The rights of the parents, the unborn child and the potential beneficiary of a donor, must be considered: all of which we may argue have a set of inherent right s afforded to them by virtue of them being human, but whose rights should prevail? Even if such choices can be agreed on now, Bentham points out that future governments may not have honesty to be trusted with the determination of â€Å"what rights shall be maintained, what abrogated what laws kept in force, what repealed†. Similarly, future subjects â€Å"will not have wit enough to be trusted with the choice whether to submit to the determination of the government of their time, or to resist it.†[47] There can be no agreement on the fundamental ‘goods’ and even if an agreement is reached, it may be that those in power in the future will change their decision as to what rights are inherent. It may also be that those subject to that power do not agree on the decisions that have been made for them. Because natural law makes no reference to anything (the right is just based on is inherently deducible from what is natural) and there is no real marker by which to measure decisions and laws, these cannot be immutable. Further, even if natural law theory is successful in identifying inherent rights that we can agree on, it does not state what limits there are in enforcing morally legitimate directives[48]. This begs the question: if a person has an inherent right by virtue of being human, how far can they go to enforce that right? The actions of Dr Martin Luther King demonstrate how far some have gone: King protested against segregation laws which he claimed violated natural law, and as a result he urged civil disobedience, which entailed violating the law[49]. A person held in captivity might for example need to go so far as to encroach on other people’s inherent to protect their own: in order to protect their right to life and freedom, a prisoner may have to kill their captor to escape. Bedau, in fact, suggests that Bentham misses the opportunity to make a further attack on natural law theory because of this lack of reference to what a citizen should do if their rights are encroached upon, the absence of which could be viewed as a â€Å"tacit invitation to insurrection, violence and anarchy†; since it is â€Å"hardly surprising that believers in â€Å"natural and imprescriptable rights might use direct and violent measures in an effort to secure those rights†[50]. The act of citizens using violence to secure their natural rights which encroach on others’ natural rights is an issue of balancing. There are many other scenarios where balancing respective rights are a problem: abortion, for example, could be seen as the murder of innocent lives that have inherent rights as human beings. Per natural law theory, laws that permit abortion must be invalid and Doctors who conduct abortions must be murderers. Arguably then, the execution of abortion doctors is a legitimate defence of others, and perhaps also a justified punishment for their evil behaviour and violation of natural law principles[51]. But to deny abortion is encroaching on the mother’s ‘natural’ rights of freedom and autonomy. These are arguments that are ongoing today. Bentham proposes that the whole concept of natural rights is flawed: there are simply no such things as natural rights. Rights anterior to the establishment of government do not exist; neither do rights that are opposed to, or in contradistinction to, legal rights. The expression, according to Bentham, is merely figurative; and as soon as one attempts to give it a literal meaning, it leads to error[52]. As well as attacking the use of natural law reasoning by judges, Bentham gives sound logic for his disapproval of the theory. First, men who have lived without government, live without rights: and such men are part of ‘savage nations’, with no habit of obedience and therefore no government; no government and therefore no laws; no laws and therefore no rights; and consequently, no security, property or liberty against regular control. Bentham argues that (since life without government brings unhappiness and savagery) we have a want for happiness and therefore a want for, and a reason for wanting, such rights. But â€Å"reasons for wishing there were such things as rights, are not rights; a reason for wishing that a certain right were established, is not that right want is not supply hunger is not bread.† In other words, simply stating that we are free because we want to be free, does not make us free[53]. Bentham points out that something which has no existence cannot be destroyed – and if it cannot be destroyed, it cannot therefore require anything to preserve it from destruction[54]. So for example, freedom does not exist and so we can’t destroy it; and since we can’t destroy it we don’t need to protect it from destruction by creating and being signatory to conventions like the Declaration of Rights which he attacks. To seek to do so is dangerous because as soon as a list of those natural rights is given, they are expressed to represent legal rights; but no government can abrogate or uphold them because they are a fallacy. They are not something we can rely on because they are non-existent. We have already examined Bentham’s alternative to natural law. Bentham’s model sees the virtue of the law expressed not in terms of morality, but instead, in efficiency: the greatest good of the greatest number, secured not by different decisions taken by different officials who rely on their own diverse judgements, but by detailed policy schemes whose complex consequences can be carefully considered in advance, laid down in detail, and enforced to the letter. Where in contrast moral tests are used to determine the law, which allow citizens and officials to disagree about what morality requires and to substitute their own judgement about what standards have been established, the consequent disorganisation will produce chaos[55]. Applying Bentham’s logic, the law is whatever the sovereign ruler or parliament has decreed. That Ruler or Parliament, in turn, restricts individuals only so far as is necessary to enable the law to maintain every other individual in the possession and exercise of such rights; and the law is consistent with the greatest good of the community that he should be allowed. The marking out of boundaries is the job of the legislator, and should not be left to any individual, such as the judge, to make ‘occasional and arbitrary’ decisions[56]. But utilitarianism does not necessarily hold the answer to the shortcomings of natural law theories. Since it promotes the idea of the greatest good for the greatest number, this implies that someone should be in charge, with the authority and duty to sacrifice any one person’s property, liberty, and life, for the greater good. It also assumes that the person in charge has the capacity to make those decisions selflessly and to correctly weigh the interests of one person against another. This may not necessarily be the case; and the decisions and actions made could be as ‘occasional and arbitrary’ as those made by supporters of natural law theory. Further, because the decisions are made by those in power, the decisions will become part of the law; and so they are harder to change where they seem unjust; in contrast to natural law theory where natural law (usually in the form of human rights law and conventions) is used to challenge existing laws. A further difficulty is that the greater good approach ignores the individual. Any one person is expendable for the greater good: and so, for example, it is difficult to make a convincing utilitarian argument that rape should be unlawful. Without a moral basis, spiritual basis or teleology for rights, there is an increased risk of materialist or secular ends justifying the means, thereby leading to disregard for individual welfare[57]: laws made for the greater good, based on this logic alone and ignoring reference to a moral code, can be brutal to the individual. Morality is, arguably, a valuable accompaniment to the law: it judges law, and moral attitudes shape the law. Law has moral ambitions; and morality may bear on the validity of law[58]. Bentham’s approach has yet further practical problems, with the stance that judges and such individuals may not interfere with the law, or expand it in any way. Firstly, whilst the law may be set out in great detail, the way it is applied by each judge is not entirely certain. Judges are humans and subject to human imperfection. Secondly, the law will never be able to cover every scenario in every detail as Bentham describes. There will always be some legally unregulated cases in which on some point no decision either way is dictated by the law and the law is accordingly partly indeterminate or incomplete. In such instances, the judge has to exercise his discretion and make law for the case, by expanding the application of existing principles, rather than merely applying already pre-existing settled law[59]. Perhaps a better solution, although not perfect, will draw inspiration from both natural law theory and Bentham’s theories of utilitarianism. Laws, for example, believes that the search for a good constitution of rights is an exercise in moral philosophy: and necessarily involves a reflection on how people in society ought to live. As a constitution of rights exists for the benefit of individual citizens, the primary task will be to identify the essential needs and requirements of mankind. This need not be by reference to purely moral arguments, and need not ignore the needs of the individual when considering the greater good. According to Laws, it starts with the Kantian perception that the individual is an end in himself, never a means. From this, we can generate a constitutional model that prevents the human tendency to interfere with others to the extent that their ability to act autonomously is undermined. The creation of rights to protect autonomy will protect individual s from such interference. Therefore, autonomy â€Å"gives rise to rights†[60]. For this model to work, Laws believes that there must be an institution capable of enforcing the autonomy-protecting rights against the powerful, and especially the government. This institution, he believes, is the Courts. Such a model for human rights does not abolish altogether the difficulties that arise from natural law theory. One still has to agree on the ‘essential needs and requirements’ of mankind. But if one assumes for a moment that not they, nor anyone else, is in a position to state what those needs really are, then the only solution is to allow every individual to decide for themselves that their needs are. Restricting autonomy only to the extent where it encroaches on other people’s autonomy will allow this. It takes away the requirement that there has to be some higher moral order and allows each individual to make the decisions for themselves. This addresses one of the fundamental flaws of natural law theory. Natural law, as we stated, assumes man has an ‘end’ and that rights should be put in place to help him achieve that end. But man does not necessarily want to achieve that end: perhaps instead he wants to terminate his life before he reaches that en d. Human rights in the UK and Europe do not permit him to do so: to protect him from himself. But man is equipped with skills of reasoning, and reason, unlike natural growth, is â€Å"constituted by deliberative qualities like, reflection, analysis, prudence, principle, coherence and consistency. In a way therefore reason is precisely the opposite of a natural quality†[61]. Man may reason that he doesn’t want to follow what is natural, and ought to be permitted not to do so, provided his actions do not directly affect the choices of others. This is somewhat along the lines of John Mills’ harm principle, which denotes that: â€Å"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant†[62]. Of course, no man is an island[63] and our conduct necessarily involves interaction with others[64]; this is what makes the model imperfect, because it is simply theoretical and not practical. The degree of autonomy we could be afforded without affecting others in our actions is minute. But it is a starting point for considering what human rights should be enforced, and it gets around some complicated ethical problems (such as that of abortion, since autonomy must be restricted to prevent the taking of life of the unborn child, who would have no opportunity for autonomy at all if it were not). Bentham’s greater good theories are not entirely redundant, as in a balancing of autonomous rights question (such as where an organ is available for transplant but the relatives will not consent), the autonomy of the live person, dead person, relatives and medical professionals will still need some form of assessment. The action permitting the greatest autonomy (i.e. the transplant taking place or the unborn life surviving) should perhaps prevail. In conclusion, whilst we have seen a progressive inclusion in human rights into constitutions since the eighteenth century, the upholding of those rights has hardly been a success[65]. The aftermath of the Second World War, which saw the violation of human rights on a massive scale, and the rise in totalitarianism, has spurned a growth in interest towards establishing the security of such rights. In formulating what rights should be included in various conventions, there have be

Essay --

Deep in the south in the make belief Maycomb County, Alabama, in the 1930s, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is straight forward and clearly showing black and white. It brings a brushing portrayal and eye view of the racism that Africa Americans suffered. Lawyer Atticus Finch who was a white liberal fought to equal and make fine lines with in the community. Scout and Jim, who were the children of Atticus, experience a whole journey in a period of three years, as their father worked on one of the biggest cases in his life and the communities. Atticus was defending Tom Robinson, who had been accused of rape by a white girl name Mayella Ewell. The story focuses not so much on the court case as it does the children and the daily activities they take in daily. They have a extreme fascination for the people who live in their neighborhood but most especially for a hermit named Boo Radley. Their relationships with certain friends at school and on their street starts to really grow when people learn that their father Atticus is not just going to work a case of a black man being accused of rape, but also going to defend him to the best of his ability. I first read the book in senior English class, being forced to of course, but to get a deep understanding of â€Å"To Kill a Mocking Bird† will allow you to enjoy the book more. I've never really had the option myself to go to Alabama, but Harper Lee’s writing was able to put me right there is the boiling summer of 1935, when the case begin to really take a pull on things knew that the accused was an innocent black man accused of a horrible crime simply because of the color of his skin. The whole story of the trial is told by scot she speaks of how it felt to grow up during that trail and the personal affe... ...he segregation years; Blacks socializing with whites was unseen during this time. Blacks being accused of crimes by whites at this time had a little chance at being proved innocence. According to the law they were giving a trial but everyone knew that they would be found guilty. Atticus becomes recognized as the hero when reading the book. Atticus teaches the jury to look past race and to see the facts of the crime committed, showing them that judging by race is wrong. His speaks with passion and power during the whole trail, doing this grabs the attention of the court room. Atticus goes beyond his duty and even reveals the true suspect with evidence. Doing this makes Atticus family a target by people in town putting their lives in danger. This book thought the lesson of equal justice no matter who you are, that a man should not be guilty by the color of their skin.

The Killer Angels :: essays research papers

The novel starts out when Harrison, a Confederate spy, reports to James Longstreet that 80,000 to 100,000 Union soldiers have marched within 200 miles of Lee's position near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Harrison also bears news of a change in Union leadership. Major General George Meade had replaced "Fighting Joe" Hooker as commander of the Union Army. Lee sees this change as an opportunity to strike while the new commander gets his bearings. He decides to concentrate on Gettysburg, the small town where several roads in the area converge, where he intends to cut the Union army off from Washington, D.C. First shots are fired at dawn as Rebels attack Buford's dismounted cavalry. Later that day Lee orders Ewell to take control of Cemetery Hill. Ewell did not follow orders and the union gained control of the Hill instead. Late in the afternoon, on the second day, Colonel Chamberlain's 20th Maine regiment is moved into the woods. Colonel Vincent orders Chamberlain not to withdraw from his new position at the left flank of the Union line. The Confederates engage with the Union troops and Chamberlain’s 20th Maine time and time again. Finally when ammunition is low Chamberlain gives the order to â€Å"fix bayonets,† and charges down the hill driving the rebels back. That same day Lee orders Longstreet to attack the Union center, and Longstreet advises against it. â€Å"They will break," Lee insists. He directed Longstreet to take three divisions. Longstreet passes the order along to his generals Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble. Pickett and other commanders lose mos t of their men in the battle. As the survivors pull back, Lee finally admits his error to Longstreet, who gives his order to retreat. The two personalities that stand out the most in my mind are Robert E. Lee and Joshua Chamberlain. Lee and Chamberlain share many similarities. They are idealistic, optimistic, and have faith and pride in their men. Both care about their men, yet do not hesitate to use them, including Chamberlain’s own brother, for the sake of the cause. The men under Lee and Chamberlain show them a great deal of respect. Chamberlain is somewhat of a father figure to his men, as is Lee to James Longstreet. Joshua Chamberlain is an unusual man, formerly a college professor, and views the war and the men around him more as a philosopher then a military man. On his march toward Gettysburg he sees a row of dead confederates from a previous battle, and wonders whether the town’s people will give them a decent burial or leave them for the buzzards.

Solar Energy is not a Solution to the American Energy Crisis Essay

Solar Energy is not a Solution to America’s Energy Crisis With the growing cost of fuel for cars and the rolling blackouts of last summer, the need for an alternative, cost-effective, environment friendly energy source is escalating. Many possible solutions have been presented, such as nuclear power, wind power, and hydrogen fuel cells; prevalent among these is solar power. Solar cells directly convert photons from the sun into electricity (Wikipedia). Solar cells that convert both solar and non-solar light are called photovoltaic cells (Wikipedia 2006). They are made of semi conducting materials, most often silicon (Aldous 2006). The simplest photovoltaic cells power watches and calculators while larger, more complex systems can add to the power grid and provide power for homes. How Solar Power Works Most solar cells are made of crystalline silicon. Pure silicon has 14 electrons that form 3 different tiers around the individual atom. In the last tier there are only 4 electrons, but as each tier desires 5 electrons there is one missing from this tier. To fill the last spot the electrons will join together to share their electrons. This linking is what forms the crystalline structure, which is vital for photovoltaic cells. (Aldous 2006) Solar Energy 3 Pure silicon is not a good conductor for electricity because it has no free electrons, so we add impurities to the silicon. The process of adding impurities is called doping. Phosphorus is an impurity that can be added into the silicon used for solar cells. This type of impure silicon is called N-type and is much better as a conductor than pure silicon. This is because phosphorus has five electrons in its final tier so every atom of phosphorus has one electron not shared with ... ...sidered as a viable alternative energy source at the present, nonetheless if, with further research, efficiency continues to increase and the cost to produce solar panels continues to decrease, solar energy could be a major contributor to power in the future. Solar Energy 7 References Aldous, S. How Stuff Works. How Solar Cells Work. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http://www.howstuffworks.com/solar- cell.htm Carlstrom, P. (2005, July 11). The Chronicle. As solar gets smaller, its future gets brighter Nanotechnology could turn rooftops into a sea of power-generating stations. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi- bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/11/BUG7IDL1AF1.DTL SOLAR CELLS. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http://www.solarnavigator.net/solar_panels.htm Wikipedia. Solar Cell. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell

The God of Small Things Book Analysis

The God of Small Things Book Analysis Character: Esthappen, referred to as Estha, and Rahel are twins. Both are innocent children who are still learning their manners. When they grow up and separate, Rahel moves to America and gets married, and Estha leaves to go with Babu, their father who has left them. When he returns to Ayemenem, Rahel also returns because they have a special bond. Their mother is referred to as Ammu. She raises her children well with structure. Ammu has an affair with Velutha, an untouchable, getting her banished from her home.Velutha is a servant in the Ayemenem home, aand the twins grow to admire him. Mammachi is the twins’ grandmother; she does not talk much, but often plays the violin. She is married to Pappachi, and he physically abuses Mammachi with a vase until Chacko, their son, tells him to stop. Chacko is the twins’ uncle. His ex-wife Margaret is British, and they have a daughter named Sophie Mol. Margaret Kochamma and Sophie Mol move to Ayemenem when Joe, Sophie Mol’s stepfather, passes away in London. Baby Kochamma is the twins’ grandaunt.She is very sneaky; for example, she accuses Velutha of raping Ammu, and forces Estha to tell the police that Velutha kidnapped the twins. Conflict: Many conflicts are presented in the book. One major conflict is the affair of Ammu with Velutha. Since he is an untouchable, he is not allowed to even come in contact with a touchable. Because of this affair, Ammu was banished from her own home and died early. Baby Kochamma accused Velutha of raping Ammu, but it was a lie only to protect their family image. Another conflict occurred during the death of Sophie Mol.Sophie Mol joined the twins on a boat when they were trying to escape because Ammu was angry at them. The boat flips, and Sophie Mol drowns in the river. Estha and Rahel are unconscious and wake up next to Velutha, who Baby Kochamma accuses Velutha of kidnapping the twins, and she forces Estha to tell this to t he police. Master Plot: One major master plot in the book is forbidden love. Velutha is loved by Ammu, and Estha and Rahel become attached to him later on. However, he is an untouchable servant so this love is forbidden. Because of this, Velutha is fired and Ammu is forced to leave her own home.Another master plot is discovery. Estha and Rahel discover how they family interacts and how certain actions affect the relationships between family members. Another master plot is maturation. This book shows how the twins start off as innocent and naive children, but through experiences, such as Estha with the Orangedrink Lemondrink man, they become more mature as they become adults. Archetype: One archetype that appears in this book is the mother. Ammu has to raise Estha and Rahel on her own because their Babu left them. She is motherly in teaching them manners and being polite in public.She also employs the father archetype. She has the highest authority over the twins and is powerful over them. The self is also sound in this book because Estha and Rahel are basically parts of a whole. They unconsciously think alike and have similar personalities. The trickster in this book is Baby Kochamma. She is deceiving because she forced Estha to tell the police that Velutha kidnapped the twins, in order to make her statement valid and avoid her own persecution for lying to the police. She also accuses Velutha of raping Ammu when they were actually in a secret love affair.Theme: One theme portrayed in this book is tensions between social classes. The book mentions several times where Touchables and Untouchables are not allowed to interact with each other because Touchables are superior. Rahel and Estha’s family have a higher status than others because they own the pickle company, so they did not interact with poorer people in the book. Estha and Rahel are not allowed to interact with Velutha, but they try to do so anyways. Another theme is betrayal. Chacko is betrayed by Margaret Kochamma, his ex-wife, who does not care about him anymore.The man selling drinks at the theatre betrays Estha. Tone & Irony: Roy writes in various tones. She writes in a sorry tone when describing moments of betrayal and family problems. When writing about the childhood of the twins, she sounds happier because of their innocence. An example of irony is that Comrade Pillai is a communist but does not want Velutha to join the revolution just because he is an untouchable. A revolutionary leader would want all the support he can get, but because Velutha is inferior, he does not accept him.Setting & Location: The book is mainly set in Ayemenem, India during the 1960s. Most of the plot occurs in the Ayemenem House, which is also the Paradise Pickles & Preserves factory they own. Another setting includes the movie theatre called Abhilash Talkies in the city of Kerala when the family goes to watch The Sound of Music. Another setting is in the airport when the family picks up Soph ie Mol and Margaret Kochamma. Writer’s Style: Arundhati Roy’s style is very different from others. She writes with great detail and incorporates deep imagery.She writes in flashbacks to show how the twins’ childhoods still affect them as adults. She begins with the family’s lives when they are older, and go back to when the twins were children. This helps readers know what happens to the family before finding out about the events that occur in between. Symbols: Pappachi’s moth symbolizes fear. It is first mentioned in chapter 2 when Pappachi discovers a new moth species, but does not claim that he discovered it. This moth appears when Ammu is angry at Rahel for talking back to her.It also appears when Rahel realizes that Sophie Mol died by drowning in the river. Another symbol is the toy watch that Rahel wears. It does not function but has a time painted on it. This shows that the tragic events that occurred during the twins’ childhood are f rozen and cannot be changed. These events affected the entire family until the twins’ adulthood. Summary: The book begins when the Rahel finds out that Estha has returned to Ayemenem, so she returns there as well. A flashback then occurs, and the family is at the funeral of Sophie Mol; the twins are seven years old at this time.Rahel does not understand that Sophie Mol is dead, and believes she is about to be buried alive. The entire family ignores Estha and Rahel throughout the entire funeral. The story fast forwards and Rahel visits their old home in Ayemenem, and Paradise Pickles & Preserves. It is also mentioned how the death of Sophie Mol affected the relationships in their family. Then another flashback occurs, and the family goes to Cochin airport to pick up Sophie Mol and Margaret Kochamma. Before going to the airport, they go to the movies to see The Sound of Music.Here at the theatre, Estha cannot help but sing during the movie so he leaves and goes to the lobby. He re, an Orangedrink Lemondrink Man molests him, and this event haunts him forever. After the movie is over, they stay at a hotel. The next day, they pick up Sophie Mol and Margaret Kochamma from the airport. The twins are rude in greeting them, and Ammu becomes mad at them. The story fast forwards and Rahel meets Comrade Pillai. He shows her a picture of the twins with Sophie Mol before her death. The story flashes back to when the family is leaving the airport to go home.The story is fast forwarded again to when Ammu passes away during work. She is cremated, and Chako and Rahel bring her to the crematorium. Estha is not with them, and a letter is sent to him informing him of Ammus’ death. There is another flashback and Sophie Mol has a welcome party. Rahel begins to bond with Velutha, and Ammu notices him and becomes attracted to him. Estha is not at the party, but he is in the factory. They find an old boat, and row to Velutha. He promises to fix the old boat. It is fast for warded to the present, and Estha and Rahel meet in a temple.It is flashbacked to Chacko and Margaret Kochamma’s wedding, and this wedding does not last. Margaret divorces Chacko and marries Joe, who dies later on. His death is what made Margaret Kochamma and Sophie Mol move to Ayemenem. Sophie Mol’s death is finally described. Baby Kochamma keeps Ammu locked up in her room in order to accuse Velutha of raping her. Velutha supports the communist movement, but Comrade Pillai, the leader of the movement, does not defend Velutha whatsoever. Velutha is banished, and Roy begins to refer to his as the â€Å"God of Small Things† because of Sophie Mol’s short death.Sophie joins the twins on their boat ride down the river. The boat flips over, and Sophie Mol drowns and dies. The twins are unconscious and wake up next to Velutha. Because of this, Baby Kochamma accuses him of kidnapping the twins and she forces Estha to tell the same to the police. After this, Estha leaves Ayamenem and lives with Babu. This affects Rahel because her other half is leaving her. In the present, they meet in Ayamenem again and make love. They continue to meet up at the riverbank and admire â€Å"the small things†, which are creatures that they see there.