Science and its Impact on Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Science and its Impact on Society - Essay Example However, in the recent past, there has been a growing awareness among society that the effects of science and related research are not always beneficial. The perception amongst people is that science will only lead to the destruction of nature eventually. That no matter what advancement in technology is enjoyed; the harmful effect on our planet in the name of research and science is increasingly being felt. Only those aspects of science receive attention in society which suit the goals or which inspire awe - this indicates that people at large read science because it serves their purpose or because the subject is topical, sensational or controversial. At most, only a handful read science for the sake of the knowledge it might impart. Much research is required to identify those subjects so that science could be made more popular and effective. Science was a great investment towards a better life and this resulted in the discovery of light waves and radio waves, the electric motors, the first photograph and telephone, and the first publication of the periodic table. There was also great controversy when Charles Each society is faced with the challenge of keeping its proper place in a world defined by economic and political change. Knowledge, in particular science, technology and innovation, is indispensable to meet this challenge. Scientific and technological progress results in new innovations that are an integral part of international competitiveness. This translates into what the society's needs and aspirations are, such as peace, jobs, security, health and sustainable development of the planet. Viewing science from two angles: The benefits are many: medical advancements have saved many lives; internet and increased access to information is definite; research in the field of weather has led to the predictions of storms and the study of astronomy has given society knowledge of the formation of Earth and of the solar system. The adverse effects are: The medicines prescribed come with their own side effects; and nuclear technology! This scientific knowledge has helped in creating bombs which are used for massacres and gruesome killings; it has also been used for energy, releasing radiation which causes medical problems to many. Factors controlling the usage of science: The relationship between science, controlled by the government, and society is a hostile one because the society that enjoys benefits of science cannot do anything to prevent the side-effects of science - it is powerless to take action to curb the harmful turn of events that result from science; especially more so if the science is

Nursing home for aging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing home for aging - Essay Example Research indicates that more than 1.000 million people at the age of 60 or more will comprise of the total world population whereas approximately 700 million old individuals will be living in the developing countries by 2020 (Ayranci, 2005). This shows that there would be a significant change in lifestyle of people in the near future which will subsequently increase health care issues, family responsibilities of young individuals and the overall social set up. Furthermore, meeting the health care needs of the older generation will become a greater challenge (Ayranci, 2005). These problems can be met through facilitating nursing homes for aging at the government level. Based on ethical standards and traditional family systems it can be argued that nursing homes aren’t the right choice for aging persons fundamentally because they create distance between elderly and young while also transforming an individual in to an irresponsible and egotistic being. However, on the other hand old individuals who are particularly diagnosed with fatal or transferable diseases can be treated and cared more conveniently in nursing homes. This actually relates to careful assessment of an old person, safety factors, health care practices and interventions required to counter with the disease. Since nurses are trained to deal with aging people therefore these patients are usually shifted to nursing homes to get benefitted by the professional health care practitioners. Mobility and Portability: Nursing homes’ quality standards are mostly judged on the basis of technotherapeutic interventions that they have. In addition to this, they also need to develop freestanding clinics, significant nonhospital settings and the ambulatory care centers. Evidence-based Practice: It is one of the most common and widely acknowledged concepts of nursing care primarily because it is helpful in

Romance and Foundations Common Characteristics Essay Example for Free

Romance and Foundations Common Characteristics Essay Courtly love is characterized by the poetry of the troubadours in southern France which originated in in the late 11th c. Its ennobling effect on the male lover who assumes a subservient position in relation to the beloved, of the woman loved, and certain codes of conduct, whether implicit or explicit, that guide the lover in his amorous pursuit (COURTLY LOVE2012). After rereading the poem several times and understanding why she is saying what she said it was understandable for women to express their forbidden feelings through poetry. It’s surprising to learn that true love began in the medieval days. My Reactions to the Expression Romantic Love My reaction to romantic love is the need to express your true deep feeling for another in such a way that one could compare it to the feelings and loyalty showed in worshiping their God or Goddess. Surprising Contents Yes the content of the poetry surprised me totally. I have never absorbed the concept of what was being said in a poem or why it was said, but now I see that lust and adultery stated perhaps from the beginning of time. It seems in today’s world it’s written and expressed in poems lot less and committed more often than medieval days. Observation and Connections The observation and connection I gather about the role of women and their freedom of speech is very open and unconcerned by their husband if Contessa de Dia’s poem â€Å"Cruel Are the Pains I’ve Suffered,† from Lark in the Morning:† was written and published (Sayre, H. M. 2010). Contessa de Dia poem is really expletive and just written to the lust of her eyes, she talking like as if her husband can’t read. These female troubadours had noble backgrounds and they lived privileged lives. Women during this period also had power in that society. They had control over their land, and society was more accepting their noble women. Maybe it was of no concern because it was just feelings on paper or perhaps because of their nobility and power they were allowed to pursue their affairs with the person of whom they lusted. References COURTLY LOVE. (2012). COURTLY LOVE. The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012. Credo Reference. Web. 21 February 2013. Sayre, H.M. (2010). Discovering the Humanities. 2nd Ed. pp.166- 167. Pearson

The Tired Old Town Of Maycomb Society English Literature Essay

The Tired Old Town Of Maycomb Society English Literature Essay At the start of the novel, Scout describes Maycomb as a tired old town with lazy habitants. This gives us the impression that nothing much happens in Maycomb and that the area is dull. She describes it as being a small laidback town where everyone knows each others business. Scout also describes to us how there are few things to do in Maycomb: there was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. This sets the scene and justifies from a childs point of view how there is nothing to do and that Maycomb is a rather boring town. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. At this time there were many background problems in the USA caused by the economic downturn. At the height of the Depression in 1933, nearly 25% of the countrys total population, roughly 12,830,000 were unemployed. As poverty increased, people looked for someone to blame. They told themselves that things would be better without the ethnic minorities, and that it was their fault. At this point in history, prejudice and racial discrimination was at its greatest causing segregation between the blacks and the whites; they lived separately and had different benches, churches and bus priorities. In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected as the countrys president. He tried to clean up the economy and improve it but, despite all his efforts and the courage of the American people, the Depression hung on until 1941. The novel was written in 1959 and published in 1960. It is likely that many of its c ontent were based on the effects of the great depression, thus including the Scottsboro trials which formed the basis of Tom Robinsons trial in the novel. The novel also draws influences from the effect of the Civil Rights Movement, which was determined to establish racial equality. Although initially Maycomb may seem to have negative aspects, there are in fact, several positive aspects to be explored. Maycomb regards itself as a very religious town. Everything is kept in simplest form to prevent distraction from God. Jem tells Dill that they: Dont have any picture shows here, except Jesus ones in the courthouse sometimes. This shows how Maycomb does not want its inhabitants to become distracted and less faithful to the church. Throughout the novel there are many references to God, I couldnt go to church and worship God if I didnt help that man. This emphasises the relationship that the citizens of Maycomb have with the church. We also learn that the people spend a lot of their time at church during the week: In the long hours of church this reminds us of what a strong, religious community Macomb is, as its inhabitants are faithful and honest to the church. Church-going is described as Maycombs principle recreation. Maycomb is a close, strong bound community and everyone helps when there is a crisis. We see this during the fire at Miss Maudies house: the men of Maycomb, in all degrees of dress and undress, took furniture from Miss Maudies house to a yard across the street. This shows how Maycomb can be a supportive community and that most people help out when someone is in trouble. We see how many of the people act in a heroic way as they risk their lives to save some of Miss Maudies belongings: I saw Atticus carrying Miss Maudies heavy oak rocking chair, and I thought it sensible of him to save what she valued the most. Atticus seems to understand what is important to Miss Maudie and this shows how many of the neighbours are close friends since it is a very small community. Even though they do not get along terribly well, Miss Stephanie helps out by offering hospitality to Miss Maudie since she has nowhere to go. Towards the end of this chapter, it appears that even Boo Radley may have helped d uring the fire. Having watched the fire from in front of the Radley gate, Scout is appalled when she discovers that Boo may have helped by wrapping a blanket around her shoulders whilst she was freezing cold: I looked down and found myself clutching a brown woollen blanket I was wearing around my shoulders my stomach turned to water and I nearly threw up when Jem held out the blanket and crept towards me. This reveals how the rumours about Boo Radley may be untrue as he seems to help by showing kindness during the fire. We also notice how the community helps one another when Tim Johnson, the rabid dog, comes towards the inhabitants houses down the road. Calpurnia is very quick-to-think as she informs everyone on the street not to go outside. She even runs back outside to warn the Radleys not to come out. Also, despite the fact that neither of them want to shoot the dog, both Atticus and Mr Tate arrive quickly to deal with the situation, in order to keep the rest of Maycomb safe. Maycomb has many respectable citizens. Throughout the novel, we admire Atticus for his polite, modest and respectful behaviour. He sees people for who they truly are and does not judge them according to rumours and myths: you never really understand someone until you climb into their skin and walk around in it this is his method of understanding people and it is an important message in the novel. He is courteous to everyone, including those he does not get along with: Good evening, Mrs Dubose! You look like a picture this morning. This demonstrates how Atticus is a charming gentleman as he uses his politeness to deal with uneasy situations. Atticus understands Mrs Dubose and her condition and despite her demanding manners he remains pleasant and we think highly of his respectable manners, as he seeks to find the best in everyone. Miss Maudie is a kind, gentle, respectable person. She believes that everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally and does not wish to gossip about people. She is very respectful towards everyone; when Scout asks her if Boo is still alive, she corrects him by saying: His names Arthur. This shows that Miss Maudie does not believe he should be treated any differently from anyone else, just because of the rumours, and deserves to be addressed by his real name. When Aunt Alexandra arrives in Maycomb, everyone is very kind and welcoming to her: Miss Maudie Atkinson baked a Lane cake so loaded with shinny it made me tight; Miss Stephanie Crawford had long visits with Aunt Alexandra, consisting mostly of Miss Stephanie shaking her head and saying, Uh, uh, uh, Miss Rachel next door had aunty over for coffee in the afternoons, and Mr Nathan Radley went so far as to come up in the front yard and say he was glad to see her. This shows that the people in Maycomb are very polite and friendl y towards the right types of new citizens, giving pleasant first impressions. We also see this when we are told that Aunt Alexandra fitted in the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove. It shows how everyone has helped to settle her in and make her feel like part of their community. In Maycomb, there are rarely occasions where people are forced to face their fears, as the town is usually very quiet and nothing much happens. However there are some moments in the novel where we do witness some examples of courage. Chapter 6 shows an example of physical courage when Jem returns to the Radley house to collect is trousers. Previously in the scene, we notice how Jem is in fact the scared character of the children: Jem leaped off the porch and galloped towards usJems breath came in sobs- fence by the school yard! hurry, Scout!', this emphasizes the frightening atmosphere as he is the one who we would expect to be the bravest. We admire Jem for his courage and bravery when he returns to get his trousers and face his fears. Chapter 10, Atticus is reluctant to shoot the dog as he has not shot a gun for 30 years since he believes that he has been given an unfair advantage, he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things. This shows that he i s a civilised person and does not want to use his talent to destroy innocent living things. As he has not used a gun in such a long time, Atticus is slightly anxious as he is told miss and youll go straight into the Radley house. There is also the possibility that if he is inaccurate, he may wound the dog rather than killing it. All of these factors increase tension: Atticus pushed his glasses to his forehead; they slipped down, and he dropped them in the street. In the silence I heard them crack. This increases the tension and makes us feel sympathy for him. We respect him for the courage he has to shoot the dog for the benefit of Maycomb, despite the anxiety and problems he encounters. Despite Maycombs racial prejudice, Atticus agrees to represent Tom Robinson in the trial. He knows that it will cause difficulty for his family: when summer comes youll have to keep your head about far worse things its not fair for you and Jem, I know that we notice that he is foreshadowing the tria l and this tells us that things are going to get bad. We can sense it will be difficult as there will be added pressure created by the communitys attitudes. This is where we see courage: Ive got to live with myself. The one thing that doesnt abide by majority rule is a persons conscience, Atticus is making a stand which shows that he is determined to get through the difficult situation yet to be. Another member of Maycomb, who exhibits courage, is Mrs Dubose. This is where we see that although her physical state was weak, underneath she was strong and focused on what she wanted to achieve: her whole mind and body were concentrated on that alarm clock. This shows how determined she was to free herself form the morphine addiction. Atticus admires her for her bravery she said she meant to break herself of it before she died, and thats what she did this is a very powerful example of real courage in the novel as it shows independence and it brings to mind that with determination, almost anything can be overcome. We see how Maycomb values tradition as its inhabitants do not wish to develop or change their ways. Although at the time the North was becoming quite developed, many Southern states did not develop, and remained mostly farmers with their fields: stripped of everything but their land, yet the tradition of living on the land remained unbroken. This shows how they were quite happy with their usual, traditional methods of living. Maycomb is a simple town and there is little to do or to buy as it does not want any of the new modern technology: Dont have any picture-shows here, this shows how Maycomb is behind its time as other areas such as Meridian, Mississippi, where Dill comes from, have moved on from this stage and are more advanced with technology. Maycomb County is very proud of itself and people such as Mr Cunningham do not want to change their poor ways of living: Mr Cunningham could get a W.P.A. job, but his land would go to ruin if he left it, and he was willing to go hungry to keep his land and vote as he pleased. This shows how Maycomb values tradition as they are proud of it. However, there are also many negative aspects of Maycomb which we encounter. Maycomb is a divided society and suffers from class prejudice so everyone is treated differently. The Finches and Miss Maudie are both respectable whites and give the impression that they live pleasant easy-going lives. Although, later in the novel we find out that this is not the case as we see that Atticus is faced with many difficult challenges causing corruption in the neighbourhood. We therefore admire him for his talent at hiding his true emotions and feelings by misleading others to believe that he has an easy-going life. The majority of the community respect the Finches and Miss Maudie for their kind nature and pleasant personalities as they understand people and see them for who they truly are. We see that there are characters in the community who think themselves as respectable but do not behave in the correct manner, that they should. Mrs Dubose is rude and strong-minded when we come across her in the novel: Dont you say hey to me, you ugly girl! You say good afternoon Mrs Dubose!. Though she is impolite she has manners and demands people to behave in the same way. Aunt Alexandra is obsessed with the superiority of the Finch family. She bosses Calpurnia from the minute she arrives:-put my bag in front of the bedroom, Calpurnia. She does not seem to show any respect to members of the lower class as she believes she is far superior and therefore does not need to. She is also bossy to the children and wants them to live up to their name: she asked me to tell you that you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman you are. this shows how she is unsatisfied with how Jem and Scout behave and wants them to do as she says to change their ways. We notice there are two types of people suffering from the effects of poverty in the novel. The Cunninghams are very poor farmers who have been affected by the depression. They do not have the money to buy things, they own very few possessions and most of the time they are hungry. We admire them for their integrity as they never borrow things that they cannot pay back. The Ewells are also poor though they are also uneducated. The Ewells [are] members of an exclusive society made up of Ewells. They take the law into their own hands because they are incontrollable so no one can stop them. In chapter 3, we learn more about the Ewell family and begin to understand what their home life is like. Since they are poor, they are also very dirty as they do not have enough money to clean themselves and do not care. We first encounter this when Scout describes Burris Ewells appearance during school: he was the filthiest human I had ever seen. His neck was dark grey, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his finger-nails were black deep into the quick. He peered at Miss Caroline from a fist-sized clean space on his face. This tells us that he does not live a particularly healthy life at home and it is likely that his father hits him. We also see that he is very rude and cruel, due a tough family life. We see this put into action when Burris Ewell insults Miss C aroline: Aint no snot-nosed slut of a teacher ever born cn make me de nothin! You aint makin me go nowhere, missus. This emphasises the cruel, heartless characters the Ewells all inherit as they seem to enjoy insulting people and making them upset. We find out that Mr Bob Ewell is a very irresponsible father and we see this when he spends his relief cheques on green whisky his children have a way of crying from hunger pains. This shows how he neglects his children- he is an alcoholic so he is often drunk and takes his violence out on the children by hitting them, he doesnt make them go to school and does not feed them properly so they starve. We see from this how the Cunninghams are a much better class of people than the uneducated Ewells. However even the Ewells are not regarded as low as the black community, who are automatically seen as the bottom of the class system. They live beyond the town rubbish dump, which shows they are treated like rubbish, behind the Ewell residence and are kept away as far as possible. The black community are completely demonised and anything that goes wrong is always their fault, this is similar to how Boo is treated. When the children sneak into the collard patch everyone automatically assumes that it was one of the Negroes: Mr Radley shot at a negro at his collard patch. This shows how no matter the consequences, people will always accuse a member of the black community. In chapter 12, when Jem and Scout go to the first purchase church with Calpurnia, we are told that Negroes worshipped in it on Sundays and white men gambled in it on weekdays this shows that the white community do not show any form of respect and we see it as a disgrace, especially since it is a church. We also notice that it is challenging the stereotypes. The First Purchase church has a very humble nature: he stood beside a table in front of the pulpit and requested the morning offering. We see that they have good intentions as they plan to raise enough money to help Tom Robinsons wife and family, so we admire their humility, devotion and inspiration. We also see that the church really respects Atticus, This church has no better friend than your daddy. It shows that they really appreciate what he is doing for Tom, despite the difficulties and problems it is causing. Maycomb is a very prejudiced community and there are many racist citizens. Mrs Dubose tells the children that their fathers no better than the niggers and trash he works for! this shows how strongly opinionated some of the people are. Scouts cousin Francis says that Atticus is ruining the family and we see how Aunt Alexandra does not like to talk about important matters in front of Calpurnia and them these examples all show how Maycomb does not have any respect for the black community and are unwilling to understand that they deserve to be treated the same. However, we also see another form of prejudice: I wants to know why you bringin white chillun to nigger church. This is a new form of prejudice where we see black people being prejudiced to white people and also to one another: stop right there, nigger. It is possible that they are trying to devalue the meaning by using it to call one another. However, we notice how the black community act immediately on any form of prejudice and deal with the problem as they feel it is inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour. This is a different reaction from the white people as they do not try to control the prejudice and racial discrimination as they do not seem to care about it. This is an important chapter which the writer has included. It emphasizes how the black and white community differ in the way that they respond to prejudiced behaviour. We learn that the black community have a much more respectable and honourable way of dealing with uneasy situations as they are willing to solve any arising problem. We observe how Miss Caroline does not understand that the Maycomb children are tough and know how to do most of the things, that she has come to teach, already. She is oblivious to the fact that they come from a different world to her and are more experience than she thinks. We notice how the children are suspicious of outsiders and are prejudice and judgemental to begin with, since she has arrived from a different p art of the country. Maycomb is a very intolerant community and expects people who are different to conform. They are harsh and do not accept people for who they are, like Boo. Most of the community spreads rumours and gossip about Boo Radley, portraying him as a Malevolent phantom. They demonise him and blame him for morbid nocturnal events: Although the culprit was Crazy Addie, who eventually drowned himself in Barkers Eddy, people still looked at the Radley Place, unwilling to discard their initial suspicions. As he is different from everyone else, the inhabitants fear what might be and are very superstitious: the Radley chickenyard tall pecan trees shook their fruit into the schoolyard, but the nuts were left untouched: Radley pecans would kill you. They do not treat him the same as everyone else as they feel since he is an outcast from the community, he means danger. We see that Maycomb is very prejudiced, in chapter 5 when we learn about the Foot-washing Baptists. The author cleverly uses foot washers as a way to bring the intolerance of Maycomb into the story. They believe that anything that is a pleasure is a sin and that if people do not follow the correct ways of living, by staying inside and reading the bible, they might as well just go to hell: they thought I spent too much time in Gods outdoors and not enough time inside the house reading the bible and told me me and my flowers were going to hell. This is an example of intolerance taken to an extreme. It shows how the foot-washin g Baptists do not accept other peoples differences and it exaggerates the intolerant attitude that they have towards others. When Aunt Alexandra comes to stay, we see that she stereotypes people in Maycomb. She believes that everyone had a streak: Everyone in Maycomb it seemed had a streak: a Drinking streak, a Gambling streak, a Mean streak, a Funny streak. This shows how she is very judgemental of other people and their families. She is very different from Atticus- who sees people for who they are and does not judge people. She also has very traditional views of how women should behave and the appropriate clothing one should wear. We see several examples of this and one is when she tells Scout: it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It wont be many years before you are interested in clothes and boys this shows how Aunt Alexandra has high expectations for how a lady should behave. We also see how she is prejudice and does not see Calpurnia as an appropriate sourc e of feminine influence. She does not approve of Scouts personality or behaviour and describes her as sluggish. Throughout the novel, we learn about the attitudes of Maycomb from a childs point of view. Scouts naivety encourages us to look at the injustices from a new angle and to question the values of the town. The innocent six year old, questions the meaning of issues, like rape, which develops our social awareness of the novel. To begin with, on the surface of Maycomb, we see it as a friendly, harmless place where nothing much happens. Children play on the streets and ladies bathed before noon, after their three-oclock naps which creates an easy-going, innocent, trouble-free picture. However, the more we learn about it the more concerned we become about the serious problems with prejudice and racism that Maycomb holds. The author cleverly makes us realise that there is much more to Maycomb than what we thought at the beginning of the novel.

Changes in the Social and Political Fabric in 16th and 17th Century Eur

The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were periods of questioning and searching for truth. The practice of challenging traditional institutions, including the Church, was revolutionary. Individuals began to use reason to guide their actions and opinions and realized the oppressive nature of the Catholic monarchy. Individuals strove to act in their own best interest and in the name of what was true to them. The consensus was that society would be better off with an economy that shifted away from agriculture, looked globally, and decreased monopolies and the importance of Guilds, as economic opportunities would surface for all classes of men. This type of economy was only possible in light of religious reform, as religion was the foundation of all traditional aspects of the political and economic world. Religious reformers offered alternatives to Catholicism that attracted men from all social and economic classes. They delineated the problems associated with rule under a Catholic dominated state that the majority of men could relate to. A questioning of the nature of government resulted, and the role that religion should have in politics was addressed. Different opinions surfaced, and because of both differing religious views and an increased awareness of the Church's abuse of political power, religion lost its cohesive ability and diminished in importance in local politics. As individuals experienced life absent of former traditional and religious restraints, benefits were realized, many of which were economic. Additionally, economic ventures led men to encounter other cultures, increasing appreciation of differing spiritual views. Luther and Calvin offered alternatives to Catholicism, feeling that superstition guided man... ... questions considered heresy. In effect, the common man felt deceived by his passivity and realized that his world was quite different from the image constructed by the Church. Two of the most significantly effected aspects of people's lives during the 16th and 17th centuries were their religious practice and economic pursuits. People increasingly used reason to determine what their beliefs were and how they should carry out their lives. Absent of the stringent limitations posed by traditional Catholic culture, individuals could secure themselves better economic opportunities and lifestyles. References Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization: Fourth Edition. Vol. 2: Since 1550. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing, 2000. Walker, Mack. "Guilds." Social History of Western Civilization. Vol. 2. Golden, Richard M. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. 28-39.

Proof Of The Exsistence of God :: essays research papers

Proof Of The Exsistence of God Either God exists or He doesn't. There is no middle ground. Any attempt to remain neutral in relation to God's existence is automatically synonymous with unbelief. It is far from a "moot" question, for if God does exist, then nothing else really matters; if He does not exist, then nothing really matters at all. If He does exist, then there is an eternal heaven to be gained (Hebrews 11:16) and an eternal Hell to be avoided (Revelation 21:8). The question for God's existence is an extremely important one. One might wonder why it is necessary to present evidence for the existence of God. As Edward Thomson so beautifully stated it: "...the doctrine of the one living and true God, Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor of the universe, as it solves so many problems, resolves so many doubts, banishes so many fears, inspires so many hopes, gives such sublimity to all things, and such spring to all noble powers, we might presume would, as soon as it was announced, be received by e very healthy mind." Some, however, contrary to their higher interests, have refused to have God in their knowledge and thus have become vain in their reasonings and foolish in their philosophy (Romans 1:21,22,28). They do not see the folly (Psalm 14:1) of saying there is no God. The Christian has not only the obligation to "give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you..." (I Peter 3:15), but an obligation to carry the Gospel message to a lost and dying world (Mark 16:15-16, et al.). There will be times when carrying the Gospel message to the world will entail setting forth the case for the existence of God. In addition, we need to remember that Christians are not agnostics. The agnostic is the person who says that God's existence is unknowable. As difficult as it is to believe, some Christians take that same stance in regard to God's existence. They assert that they "believe" there is a God, but that they cannot know i t. They state that God's existence cannot be proved. `This is false!' God's existence is both `knowable' and `provable.' Acceptance of God's existence is not some "blind leap into the dark" as so many have erroneously asserted. The Christian's faith is not a purely emotional, subjective "leap," but instead is a `firm conviction' regarding facts based upon reasonable evidence. Proof Of The Exsistence of God :: essays research papers Proof Of The Exsistence of God Either God exists or He doesn't. There is no middle ground. Any attempt to remain neutral in relation to God's existence is automatically synonymous with unbelief. It is far from a "moot" question, for if God does exist, then nothing else really matters; if He does not exist, then nothing really matters at all. If He does exist, then there is an eternal heaven to be gained (Hebrews 11:16) and an eternal Hell to be avoided (Revelation 21:8). The question for God's existence is an extremely important one. One might wonder why it is necessary to present evidence for the existence of God. As Edward Thomson so beautifully stated it: "...the doctrine of the one living and true God, Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor of the universe, as it solves so many problems, resolves so many doubts, banishes so many fears, inspires so many hopes, gives such sublimity to all things, and such spring to all noble powers, we might presume would, as soon as it was announced, be received by e very healthy mind." Some, however, contrary to their higher interests, have refused to have God in their knowledge and thus have become vain in their reasonings and foolish in their philosophy (Romans 1:21,22,28). They do not see the folly (Psalm 14:1) of saying there is no God. The Christian has not only the obligation to "give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you..." (I Peter 3:15), but an obligation to carry the Gospel message to a lost and dying world (Mark 16:15-16, et al.). There will be times when carrying the Gospel message to the world will entail setting forth the case for the existence of God. In addition, we need to remember that Christians are not agnostics. The agnostic is the person who says that God's existence is unknowable. As difficult as it is to believe, some Christians take that same stance in regard to God's existence. They assert that they "believe" there is a God, but that they cannot know i t. They state that God's existence cannot be proved. `This is false!' God's existence is both `knowable' and `provable.' Acceptance of God's existence is not some "blind leap into the dark" as so many have erroneously asserted. The Christian's faith is not a purely emotional, subjective "leap," but instead is a `firm conviction' regarding facts based upon reasonable evidence.

The Pirate Bay

C ASE S TUDY The Pirate Bay: The World's Most Resilient Copyright Infringer? The Pirate Bay (TPB), a Swedish Web site (Piratebay. org), is one of the world's most popular pirated music and content sites, offering free access to millions of copyrighted songs and thousands of copyrighted Hollywood movies. In June 2011, The Pirate Bay reported that it had about 5 m illion r egistered u s ers, a nd 25 m illion n on-registered u sers ( so-called â€Å"free riders â€Å"). To p ut t hat n umber i n p e rsp ec tive, c onsider t hat i t is n early t hr ee t imes t h e p opulation o f S weden i tself (9 m illion).T he P irate Bay is r egularly i n t he t op 100 m ost p opular Web sites i n t he w orld, a nd r eac h es 1 % o f t he global I nt e rn et popula ­ tion, according to I nternet a nalysts i n 2 0ll. I n S weden, Norway, a nd t he Ne therlands, i t o ften r anks a s o ne o f t he t op 10 s ites. T his d espit e t he fac t t hat TPB h as b een s ubjected t o r epeated l egal effort s to s hut i t do wn . I t b ills itself a s â€Å"the world's m ost r esilient b ittorrent site. † But t he h attIe is far f rom over.T he I nternet i s b ecoming a t ough p lace f or m usic a nd v ideo p irates to m ak e a liv in g i n p art b e c aus e o f e nforce ­ ment a ctions, b ut m ore i mportantly b ecause o f new m obile a nd w ireless t echnologies t hat e nable h igh-quality c ontent to b e s treamed for j ust a s mall fee. Q. search Torrents I ~ I ~ 1::rt. J.!! 9! I! I ~ 1D! R..! 92 How d o I clo wn'o. d? == ­ F irst s ome b ackground. T he P irate Bay is p art o f a E uropean s ocial a nd p olitical m ovement t hat o pposes c opyrighted c ontent a nd d emands t hat m usic, v ideos, TV shows, a nd o ther d igital c ontent b e f ree a nd u nrestricted.I n t he w ords o f t he P irate Party, â€Å"the P irate B ay is a u nique p latform for d istributing c ulture b etween r egular p eople a nd i ndependent a rtists, a nd t hat's s omething w e w ant to p res erve. † I n a u nique t wist o n p rior e fforts to p rovide â€Å"free† m usic, T he P irate Bay d oes n ot o perate a d atabase o f c opyrighted c ontent. N either d oes i t o perate a n etwork o f c omputers o wned b y † members† w ho s tore t he c ontent, n or c reate, o wn, o r d istribute s oftware ( like BitTorrent a nd m ost o ther s o-called P2P n etworks) t hat p ermit s uch n etworks t o e xist i n t he f irst place.T hese w ere t he o ld t echniques for r ipping o ff m usic. I nstead, T he P irate Bay s imply p rovides a s earch e ngine t hat r esponds to u ser q ueries for m usic t racks, o r s pecific m ovie t itles, a nd g enerates a l ist o f s earch r esults t hat i nclude P2P n etworks a round t he w orld w here t he t itles c an b e f ound. By click ­ ing o n a s elected l ink, u sers g ain a ccess t o t he c opyrighted c ontent, b ut o nly a fter d ownloading s oftware a nd o ther files f rom t hat P2P n etwork. Voila' â€Å"No body, n o c rime. T he P irate Bay j ust l inks i ts u sers to s tolen m edia files. W hat c ould b e i llegal? T he P irate Bay c laims i t is m erely a s earch e ngine p rovid ­ ing p ointers to existing P2P n etworks t hat it d oes n ot i tself c ontrol. I t c laims t hat i t c annot c ontrol w hat c ontent u sers u ltimately f ind o n t hose P2P n etworks, a nd t hat it is n o d ifferent f rom a ny o ther s earch e ngine, s uch a s Google o r Bing, w hich a re n ot h eld r esponsible for t he c ontent f ound o n s ites l isted i n s earch r esults.F rom a b roader s tandpoint, T he P irate Bay's f ounders a lso c laim t hat c opyright l aws i n g en ­ eral u njustly i nterfere w ith t he f ree flow o f i nformation o n t he I nternet, a nd t hat i n a ny e vent, t hey w ere n ot v iolating S wedish c opyright law, w hich t hey f elt s hould b e t he o nly l aw t hat a pplied. A nd t hey f urther c laimed t hey d id n ot e ncourage, i ncite, o r e nable i llegal d ownloading. N ever theless, t he d efendants h ave n ever d enied t heirs w as a c ommercial e nterprise.D espite all t he t alk b y t he P irate P arty c alling for t he free, u nfettered s pread o f c ulture, T he P irate B ay w as a m oney-making o peration f rom t he b eginning, d esigned to p roduce p rofits for its founders, w ith a dvertising a s t he p rimary s ource o f r evenue. H owever, i n a r uling t hat p uts to r est t he n otion t hat t he l aw is a lways b ehind t he d evelopment o f t echnology, t he F irst S wedish C ourt i n S tockholm d eclared t he f our f ounders g uilty o f v iolating S wedish c opyright law, a nd s entenced e ach t o o ne y ear i n p rison a nd p ayment o f $3. m illion i n r estitution to t he p laintiffs, all S wedish d ivisions o fthe m ajor r ecord l abel f irms ( Warner Music, Sony, a nd EMI G roup a mong t hem). T he c ourt s aid â€Å"By p roviding a w ebsite w ith † . w ell-developed s earch f unc ­ tions, e asy u ploading a nd s torage possi bilities, a nd w ith a t racker l inked to t he w eb ­ site, t he a ccused h ave i ncited t he c rimes t hat t he file s harers h ave c ommitted. † T he c ourt a lso s aid t hat t he f our d efendants h ad b een a ware o f t he fact t hat c opyrighted m aterial w as s hared w ith t he h elp o f t heir site.T he p rison s entence w as j ustified b y † extensive accessibility o f o thers' c opyrights a nd t he fact t hat t he o peration w as c on ­ ducted c ommercially a nd i n a n o rganized f ashion. † I n o ther w ords, t he c ourt b elieved t he d efendants w ere e ngaged i n a c ommercial e nterprise, t he b asis o f w hich w as e ncouraging v isitors to v iolate t he c opyrights o f o wners. I n fact, t he p rimary p urpose o f T he P irate B ay w as to violate c opyrights i n o rder to m ake m oney for t he o wners ( commercial i ntent). Enable,† â€Å"induce,† a nd † encourage† c opyright i nfringement a nd † intent to sellà ¢â‚¬  a re k ey w ords i n t his r uling a nd T he P irate Bay case. T hese c oncepts g rounded i n W estern l aw a re n ot â€Å"disabled† b y n ew t echnology, b ut i nstead c an b e, a nd are, e xtensible to n ew t echnologies, a nd u sed to s hape t echnology t o society's n eeds a nd w ishes. I ndeed, t here's a c onsensus d eveloping a mong p rosecutors a nd c ourts w orld ­ wide t hat i nfringement is n ot j ustified s imply b ecause i t's t echnically p ossible to do i t o n t he I nternet.T he P irate Bay is a ppealing t he c ourt j udgment, h as p aid n o fine, a nd i ts o wners h ave, as yet, n ever s pent a n ight i n j ail. T he P irate Bay Web site c ontinues to o perate i n S weden m uch a s before. Well, almost. I n 2 0ll, t he f irm m oved i ts s ervers i nto c aves i n S weden, a nd d ispersed m ultiple c opies o f i ts p rogram to o ther c ountries j ust i n c ase Swedish police t ry t o confiscate its s ervers a gain. Meanwhile, t he u . S. g overnment p ressured t he S wedish g overnment to s trengthen i ts copyright laws to discourage r ampant d ownloading.I n S weden, downloading m usic a nd v ideos from illegal sites w as v ery popular, e ngaged i n b y 43% o fthe S wedish Inter ­ net p opulation. 1b s trengthen its laws, S weden a dopted t he E uropean U nion c onven ­ tion o n c opyrights, w hich allows c ontent o wners to receive f rom I nternet p roviders t he n ames a nd a ddresses o f p eople s uspected o f s haring p irated files. I n F rance, participat ­ ing i n t hese p irate sites will r esult i n b anishment f rom t he I nternet for u p to t hree y ears.As a result, I nternet traffic i n S weden d eclined b y 40 % , a nd h as s tayed t here. Like t he f ight a gainst t he o riginal C aribbean p irates o f t he s eventeenth c entury, g lobal forces c ontinue t o m arshal a gainst T he P irate Bay. N ot t he B ritish N avy t his t ime, b ut a l oose c oalition o f t he U nited S tates a nd a n umber o f E urope an c ountries .. T he f irm h as b een h ounded b y l awsuits, police raids, a nd c onfiscation o f s ervers i n F rance, Finland, Italy, G ermany, D enmark, I reland, t he U. K. , a nd G reece.T hese c ountries h ave i n s ome c ases r efused to allow I nternet s ervice p roviders i n t heir c ountries to h ost T he P irate Bay, o r l ink to T he P irate Bay, n o m atter w here i n t he w orld i ts s ervers a re l ocated. T he P irate Bay h as c aused E ngland, France, Malaysia, F inland, a nd m ost r ecently t he U nited States, to c onsider s trong i ntellectual p rop ­ erty p rotection l aws t hat w ill p revent d omestic s earch e ngines a nd ISPs f rom l inking to i nfringing sites, o r r esolving t heir d omain n ames. C alled t he P rotect IP Act, t he p roposed l egislation n ow i n t he U.S. S enate i s a n e ffort to s hut o ff t raffic f rom t he U nited S tates to offshore p irate s ites t hat h ave n o s ignificant u se o ther t han e ngaging, e nabling, o r f acilit ating t he illegal c opying o r d istribution o f c opyrighted m aterial i n † substantially c omplete form. † T he t arget s ites m ust b e † dedicated t o infringing. † I n a ddition, t he l aw w ould p ermit i ntellectual p roperty o wners a nd g overnment a gencies to s eek i njunctions a gainst i nfringing sites, p otentially s hutting t hem d own i mmediately u ntil t he i ssues c an b e a rgued i n c ourt.For o nshore sites, t he I mmigra ­ tion a nd C ustoms E nforcement (ICE) a gency a lready s eizes Web site d omains t hat v iolate U. S. laws o n I nternet g ambling a nd i ntellectual p roperty t heft, a nd r edirects t his t raffic to a Web p age h osted b y ICE e xplaining t he a ction. T he P rotect I P Act a nd s imilar l egislation i n E urope is o pposed b y civil l iberties g roups a nd s earch e ngine f irms s uch a s Google.T he E lectronic F rontier F oundation (EFF) b elieves d efining † dedicated i nfringing sites† c ould b e s omewhat a rbitrary, a nd t he l egislation i ntroduces t he p ossibility t hat g overnment a gencies c ould c ensor o r s hut d own Web sites, t hreatening f reedom o f s peech. Eric Schmidt, n ow C hairman o f Google, said i n May 2011 t hat Google will fight all proposed restrictions o n s earch e ngine linking b ecause t hey c ould â€Å"set a disastrous precedent† for freedom o f speech, a nd l ead to censorship similar to t hat i mposed b y C hina.Because Google's s earch e ngine is u sed b y m illions o f people e very d ay to find BitThrrent sites, Google itself is a major contributor to infringement, albeit unintentionally. Meanwhile, t he w orld's largest advertising agency, GroupM, h as k eelhauled T he P irate Bay a nd 2,000 o ther s ites worldwide b y p utting t he s ites o n i ts blacklist o f copyright infringing sites w here it will n ot b uy a dvertising space.Pirating intellectual p roperty is, above all, about t he m oney, as a ny good pirate knows. T h e P irate Bay case is j ust t he l atest i n a saga o f c ourt c ases involving t he r ecord industry, w hich w ants to preserve its d ominance o f c opyrighted music, a nd I nter ­ net u sers who w ant free music. I n 200S, after several years o f h eated c ourt b attles, t he c ase o f Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios v. Grokster, et al. f inally r eached t he u . S. Supreme Court.I n J une 200S, t he C ourt h anded d own its u nanimous decision: Inter ­ net file-sharing services s uch as Grokster, StreamCast, BitThrrent, a nd Kazaa could b e h eld liable for copyright i nfringement b ecause t hey i ntentionally s ought to induce, enable, a nd e ncourage users to share m usic t hat w as o wned b y r ecord companies. Indeed, i t w as t heir b usiness model: steal t he music, g ather a h uge a udience, a nd m onetize t he a udience b y a dvertising o r t hrough s ubscription fees. Since t he c ourt ruling, Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, BearShare, iMesh, a nd m any o thers h ave e ither . one o ut o f business o r s ettled w ith t he r ecord firms a nd c onverted themselves i nto legal file-sharing sites b y e ntering i nto relationships w ith m usic i ndustry firms. I n May 2010, M ark Gorton, founder o f t he l argest u. S. pirate site, LimeWire, lost a copy ­ right i nfringement case. I n May 2011, a dmitting h is guilt (â€Å"I w as wrong†), a nd h aving facilitated t he m ass p iracy o f billions o f s ongs over a lO-year period, Gorton a nd h is file-sharing c ompany a greed to compensate t he four largest record labels b y p aying t hem $10S million.T hese l egal victories, a nd s tronger g overnment e nforcement o f c opyright laws, have n ot p roven to b e t he m agic b ullet t hat m iraculously solves all t he p roblems facing t he m usic i ndustry. I n a ddition to t he i ssue o f illegal downloads, legitimate digital music sales h ave so far failed to m ake u p for falling CD s ales revenues. T he o nly h ope for t he m usic i ndustry is to cha nge its b usiness m odel a nd decisively move towards digital distribution platforms. H ere t hey a re m aking s triking progress b ut c ontinue to face r evenue declines.I n 2011, digital m usic sales a ccount for n early SO% o f industry r evenues, totaling $S. 7 billion, u p f rom $1. 9 billion i n 2006. I n 2 m2, digital sales o f m usic will exceed sales from CDs. I n 2011, a nnual r evenue f rom CD s ales is 1ess t han h alf of 200S1evels. Album sales o f 12 o r m ore songs, b oth digital a nd o n CD, a re also d own IS% a nnually o ver t he s ame p eriod. Since 2003, t housands o f r etail music stores have closed, a nd Walmart h as c ut b ack s helf s pace devoted to CDs a nd n ow c arries only t he t op titles.As CD sales o f complete albums p lummet, o nline m usic s ales o f singles are soar ­ ing rapidly, l ed b y iThnes. Sales o f digital m usic a t iThnes, Rhapsody, a nd e Music have b een growing a t a bout SO% p er y ear s ince 2006. Apple dominates t he m usical d ownload s cene a nd h as b ecome t he l argest retailer o f m usic i n t he U nited States, – SOURCES: â€Å"World's Biggest Ad Agency Keelhauls 2,000 Pirate Sites,† by Natalie Apostolu, The Register, June 14, 2011; â€Å"Internet Piracy and How to Stop It,† New York Times, June 8,2011; â€Å"The â€Å"Pirate Bay: FiveYears After the Raid,† by Ernesto, Torrentfreak. com, May 31,2011; â€Å"Why Google Would Defend Pirate Bay? ,† by Parmy Olson, Forbes, May 19, 2011; â€Å"The Protect IPAct: COICA Redux,† by Abigail Phillips, Electronic Frontier Foundation, May 12,2011; â€Å"Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft 01 Intellectual Property (Protect IP Act) 012011,† United States Senate, 112th Congress, 1st Session, 2011; â€Å"Pirate Bay Keeps Sinking: Another Law Suit Coming,† by Stan Schroeder, mashable. com, June 22, 2010; â€Å"Idea Man 01 LineWire at aCrossroads,† by Joseph Plambeck, New York Times, May 23, 2010; â€Å"Pirate Bay Sunk by Hollywood Injunction For Now,† by Charles Arthur, The Guardian, May 17 2010; â€Å"British PutTeeth in Anti ­ Piracy Proposal,† by Eric Planner, New York Times, March 14,2010; â€Å"How Pandora Slipped Past the Junkyard,† by Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, March 7, 2010. r eplacing Walmart. By 2011, t he i Thnes Store h ad s old o ver 15 billion songs, 450 million TV shows, a nd o ver 100 million movies, m aking i t t he w orld's m ost p opular o nline m usic, TV, a nd m ovie store.Its r evenues a re u p 75% i n t he l ast year. Driving t his p erformance, o f course, are t he s ales o f its various i-devices. By mid-2011, Apple h ad s old over 300 million iPods (all models), over 125 million iPhones, a nd 25 m illion iPads. A nd a ccording to a s tudy b y A rbor N etworks a nd t he U niversity o f M ichigan, p eer-to-peer t raffic is s hrinking d ramatically, a nd s treaming o f video a nd m usic f rom l egiti mate s ites h as g rown to o ver 10 % o f all I nternet traffic.R esearchers s urmise t hat c onsumers h ave j ust f ound i t a l ot e asier a nd m ore c onvenient t o access videos a nd m usic f rom t hese s ites r ather t han u sing P2P s haring s ites w here a m ovie c an t ake e ight h ours to download, a nd w here d ownloading m usic t racks c an also b ring a h ost o f m al ware w ith t he m usic. I n a ddition, t he w hole i dea o f â€Å"owning† m usic i n t he f orm o f records, tapes, CDs, a nd m usic files s tored o n y our h ard d rive is o ut o f d ate. While s ubscription m odels i n t he p ast d id n ot w ork, t hey w ere l imited t o s treaming m usic t o d esktop a nd l aptop PCs.I n t he w orld o f mobile I nternet d evices, t he i dea o f s treaming m usic all d ay l ong t o y our i Phone o r B lackBerry is m uch m ore a ttractive. I n 2011, P andora, t he m usic ­ streaming service, h as o ver 94 m illion r egistered u sers a nd 34 m illion s ubscribers, 30% o f w hom c onnect w ith s martphones. T he U. K. m usic s ervice Spotify o pened to U. S. c ustomers i n J uly 2011, a nd o ffers its 10 m illion s ubscribers a ccess to m ore t han 13 m illion s treaming m usic t racks t hat c an b e p layed i nstantly b y j ust d ragging t he s ong y ou w ant t o y our i Phone a pp.Users do n ot n eed t o w ait for d ownloads o r c lutter t heir h ard d rives a nd f lash drives w ith files, o r o rganize t he t housands o f s ongs o n t heir s torage devices. However, a d ownload s ervice was a dded i n 2011. I n e ach o f t hese n ew m edia d elivery p latforms, t he c opyright o wners-record c ompanies, a rtists, a nd H ollywood s tudios-have s truck l icensing d eals w ith t he t ech ­ nology p latform o wners a nd d istributors (Apple, Amazon, a nd Google).T hese n ew p latforms o ffer a w in-win s olution. C onsumers a re b enefitted b y h aving n ear i nstant a ccess to high-quality m usic t racks a nd v ideos w ithout t he h assle o f P2P software downloads. C ontent o wners g et a g rowing r evenue s tream a nd p rotection for t heir c opyrighted c ontent. A nd t he p irates? T he P irate Bay a nd o ther p irate s ites m ay n ot b e a ble to c ompete w ith n ew a nd b etter w ays to l isten t o m usic a nd v iew v ideos.Like t he r eal p irates o f the C aribbean, t echnology a nd c onsumer p reference for e ase o f use m ay l eave t hem b ehind. Case Study Questions 1. Do you think The Pirate Bay can continue to survive in a global Internet world? Why or why not? 2. Why is legislation like The Protect IP Act opposed by Google and civil liberties groups? 3. Do you think it is possible to reliably identify â€Å"dedicated infringing Web sites? † What criteria do you suggest? 4. Why does cloud computing threaten pirate sites?