Self Of Damasio And Descartes Essays - Philosophy, Metaphysics

Self Of Damasio And Descartes 1. Explain Damasio's view as to what Descartes' error is, and why he thinks Descartes is "in error"? How do Descartes and Damasio differ as to what the"self" is? Damasio and Descartes differ greatly as to what the "self" is all about. They have different answers to the philosophical question of what makes up the self, and determines who a person is. A person's identity is more than just the body they both agree, but have different reasons why. Descartes is also known as " the founder of modern philosophy" he is most known for his cogito argument of "I think therefore I am". He thinks that one cannot doubt their own existence because something must be doing the doubting. Although, that statement was refuted later by some, who said the fact that you think pre-assumes existence. Descartes also refutes skeptics by saying that they cannot deny they are thinking and something must be undergoing that thinking, so one cannot deny that they exist. Descartes starts his arguments by saying that God is the guaranteed, and uses his existence to prove other things. First though, he says he will not believe anything until he proves that God exists. Once he does this using the circular argument, he proceeds to talk about the separation of mind and body and his beliefs. The circular argument simply states that if you believe in the light of nature, you believe in God, and if you believe the causality principles you believe in the other two. He believes that the mind and body are two entirely separate entities, the soul is independent from the body, and the mind is for reason and rationality. The emotions of the body are what interfere with reason, and the body is used for all of the sensory things such as sound, sight, and pain. Based on this, he thinks that a person cannot know a substance. The way a person can "know" a substance is only through its qualities. For example, one cannot know soap; they can only associate its qualities such as scent, shape, and color. "How does one know the notion of color?" he speculates. One can only know a substance through experience. Descartes argument with the wax shows his idea of how one does not experience the thing itself, but its properties. These physical characteristics are the only way to relate to the body, which one cannot know. One can only experience or "know" the mind. This leads to his discussion of complex and primitive ideas. Primitive ideas require experience, and complex ideas do not. A complex idea is something like the notion of infinity, or language. Descartes believed there was no definition of infinity, and would not accept a negative definition to resolve his problem. He believed that God was the infinite thing. The only widely accepted belief at that time was that mathematics were undeniable, and ever present in the world. Essentially the world is composed of mathematics, which gave a lot of merit to his proof of the existence of God. Another two principles Descartes used to further his arguments were that of formal and objective reality. The idea of formal reality is that formal reality is what is actually out there in the world, kind of the ultimate truth. Objective reality on the other hand is the ideas that are in our minds, what we perceive to be true. Descartes comes to the conclusion that an idea must have at least as much formal reality as objective reality. He also uses this notion to further his proof of God's existence. He wants to find an idea that has more objective reality than formal reality. This, he deduces, is God. He also comes to the conclusion that people cannot be the cause of an idea like God because it doesn't have as much formal reality as objective reality. This means that as humans we cannot know for sure what the formal reality is, but what we do know is objective reality. Unless God is a deceiving demon this must mean that he exists, because why would he create a world of deception, when he is a perfect being? In other words, God obviously exists because what we know to be true about him must be true, because there is no truer formal reality in regards to the idea of God. Eventually a problem arises for Descartes known as the Mind-Body problem. He observes that one can fully understand their own mind, thus understand their

Job Interview Advice 9 Ways to Ruin a Job Interview

Job Interview Advice 9 Ways to Ruin a Job Interview Toward the end of last year, U.S. News World Report published an article by Rebecca Koenig entitled Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid. Ms. Koenig highlighted 25 job interview mistakes, and I was inspired to share some of them. Amongst the many blatant interview faux pas, you will find answering your cell phone during the interview, wearing overly casual clothing, and flirting with your interviewer. But its not just these obvious gaffes that will create problems for you with your potential next employer. Here are 9 of my favorite ways to ruin a job interview: 1. Be negative about anything or badmouth an old boss. Never say you didn’t like the kind of work you were doing at your prior job. If you didn’t like something before, the interviewer will assume you probably won’t like the work at the next job either. If you’re asked specifically to name something you didn’t like, find something minor and emphasize what you learned and what you did like. As a side note, also do not act rude or say anything negative to the receptionist. How you treat everyone in the office is part of your interview and will be judged! 2. Be late. When it comes to job interviews, being on time is being late. I don’t care whether your car broke down or your subway stalled or your printer cut off part of the address of the firm. Plan to get to the interview an hour early and none of these events will make you late. And always have the employer’s phone number somewhere where you can’t possibly lose it so if anything does happen (despite your plan to get there an hour early) you can call as soon as you know there is a problem. 3. Question whether you want the job. The interview is not the place to have doubts! Fake it till you make it. After you get a job offer, worry about whether you want the job. If you express doubts even subtly during the interview, you can be sure you won’t get the offer. 4. Apologize for any aspects of yourself or your life. Doubting yourself or any hints of low self-esteem will not help you in your interview. You are who you are and you’ve made the choices you’ve made. Be proud or at least accepting, state the facts as the facts and never apologize! 5. Fail to answer the questions. Too often, job candidates will follow the interviewer’s question with a stream of consciousness answer that does not answer the question that was asked. You might do this out of nervousness. So after each question, take a deep breath, repeat the question to yourself, and make sure you answer it – clearly and concisely. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use the question to make points you want to make. If you can find a way to slip in a story that highlights your accomplishments, go ahead! Just make sure you’re addressing the topic the interviewer wants you to address. 6. Ask salary information. This is a big no-no! You will get your salary information after you get the offer! However, do be prepared with a strategy in case your interviewer brings up the topic. 7. Come unprepared. You absolutely must do your research before every job interview! If you dont look at the company’s website, know the company’s brand and values, and use Google to find out about any newsworthy events, you are not prepared. If you don’t do this research, the interviewer will wonder whether you’ll do your research on the job. A sure sign that you haven’t done your research is asking a question you could have known the answer to by reading a company website. So don’t mess this up! In addition to researching the company, research your interviewer. Know their LinkedIn profile top to bottom – where they’ve worked, what their interests are, and who your common connections are. Come prepared with questions and conversation topics! 8. Use casual/chatty language or get too personal. We all want to be friendly, but don’t get too buddy-buddy with your interviewer. You are interviewing as a professional and your demeanor will be judged. Exhibit the demeanor in an interview that you would exhibit in the office. 9. Lie. I’d rather you make any of the other 7 mistakes listed in this article than mess up on this one. Even if you’re hired, when your lies are discovered you will be fired. What are your favorite interview stories? Please share your successes and bloopers below! A great resume and LinkedIn profile are key to landing any job interview. If you need writing help, check out our  resume  and  LinkedIn profile writing services and then  contact us with your questions.

Intercultural and Business Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Intercultural and Business Organization - Essay Example It is important to know that many shops are closed on Fridays in Malaysia because most of the people there are Muslim. Otherwise, regular store hours are much like the ones seen in the United States. The point is that Friday scheduling for meetings should be avoided. They expect you to be punctual to meetings, but they may be more relaxed than you in that department.People have the tendency to carry umbrellas with them daily in Malaysia because the weather is so humid and it tends to rain a lot. The weather is hot and humid, with showers arriving at a moment’s notice. Lightweight suits and shirts should be worn for comfort. Do not wear yellow as only royalty in Malaysia wears yellow (Associated Content, 2005).â€Å"Begin by dressing for the office: jacket, slacks, shirt, and tie, but if you see that others are going without their jacket and tie you may remove them discreetly. Women should choose knee-length skirts and long-sleeved blouses but avoid pantsuits since these might be inappropriate in some offices. Although it is acceptable to wear jeans, in public, shorts are simply not worn by adults. In some cultures, you would never dare ask someone how much they weigh and other personal questions. Not so in Malaysia. Be prepared to be subjected to very personal questions concerning the marital status or even income. Graciously avoid the questions if you don’t want to answer. Acting upset or annoyed will cause the person to be embarrassed, or to lose face. Losing face is a very serious matter in Malaysia†.

Compostion article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Compostion article - Essay Example Freshman students, including those studying in AUC, also experience the same problem. In addition, since most of the students are Egyptians, English is only a second language. Thus, the present study utilized a hybrid concept/mind mapping online strategy (E-mapping) in order to enhance text comprehension and develop critical reading skills. AUC has a core curriculum course required for all students, Scientific Thinking, which emphasizes on the scientific process and scientific approach in dealing with the world. This curriculum is a basis that students do not usually read texts assigned to them, or cannot analyze the texts. With the use of E-mapping, researchers aim to explore if such strategy could enhance critical thinking and text comprehension, as well as increase student participation in the Scientific Thinking course of the school. Through this study, it will also be determined if the technique would improve the quality and quantity of interaction with text and among students a nd instructors (p. 635). Review and Analysis I. Methods Because graphic strategies are said to aid in visual approaches to reading better than the traditional linear text presentations, the researchers used concept mapping and mind mapping as strategies to help improve text comprehension and retention. ... 635). In two semesters, E-mapping was incorporated into the syllabus of three Scientific Thinking sections, introduced gradually to students due to its unfamiliar approach. Initially using a pen and paper introduction and then shifting to a free online software, the students were exposed to the mapping techniques. Assignments of increasing difficulty were given to the sample of 70 students enrolled in the course. Data gathering techniques used comprised of student E-maps, early and late semester anonymous surveys, and mid-semester small group instructional diagnosis (SGID) (p. 638). Surveys were based on students’ perceptions, the SGID on their suggestions, and the E-maps evaluated their performance. II. Results and Conclusions Outcomes of the research project show that E-mapping has several strengths. The strategy encouraged the students to read the texts assigned, and participate in class discussions. In addition, they were obliged to read the text in a critical manner in or der to come up with maps as representations of the linear text. Through the maps they construct, knowledge, perceptions, or misconceptions regarding a topic are assessed. Generally, the tool has the benefits expected from it, but student’s reaction to the approach differs. The main concern of the students regarding E-maps is the workload it demands from them. They perceive it as time-consuming, and require â€Å"too much work,† concluding that E-mapping is an active learning strategy but not a unique way of testing content or critical thinking, and presenting that such technique permits students to have improved visualization skills important in communicating ideas (p. 645). III. Strengths and limitations The goals of the research project are clearly

Essay questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Questions - Essay Example Claims made by Matthew are geared towards the Jews to whom Jesus had come to set free by returning them back to their creator. Through connecting Jesus with King David, Matthew was trying to make his message more appealing to the Jews since they were well informed about the courageous acts of King David and how he was able to unite the entire nation of Israel and to bring peace to it. So the people were to believe that Jesus was to do the same although his approach was to be more spiritual than physical. On the other hand, John seeks to affirm the fact the fact that Jesus was God and was part of the trinity. Jesus was not just the messiah but he was God and this is demonstrated by John through the miracles that he performed such as changing water into wine, walking on water, raising the dead and healing many sick people. The claims of John were not just meant to be for the Jews but for the whole human race to whom Jesus being God had created and cared about (Neville,

Impact of Rapid Application Development (RAD)

Impact of Rapid Application Development (RAD) Impact of Rapid Application Development ABSTRACT This report is submitted in context to a study that was performed to analyze the Impact of Rapid Application Development (RAD) on the software industry using the context of the NASA weather forecasting system. The NASA existing weather forecasting system was studied for a new feature of exposing the NASA weather data to the other countries of the world using Rapid Application Development Platform. NASA is a world renowned organization that deals in space research and forecasting systems. NASA has an internal software system that collects weather data from the various NASA satellites and produce variety of forecasting reports for the next 24 hours that includes temperature, pressure, humidity , wind speed as the major reports. The other countries of the world has requested NASA to give them an API (Application programming Interface ) or a port from which they can import the weather data of NASA into XML format into their local servers after which they can use the it for their countries weather forecasting. The various system development methodologies including the popular Software Development Lifecycle method, Iterative method and Rapid Application Development methods were analyzed to choose the best methodology according to NASA requirements. During the course of the study it was observed that Rapid Application Development methodology works best when you have times and budgetary limitations as well as when you are assigned a limited but elite programming resources. The only thing that need to be maintained is that all the team members work together and there is We attached to the product/project development rather than I , because I word in these sort of small team can become a big danger of losing one or two good team members altogether. The report also includes the principles, realities and myth of the Rapid Application development Paradigms. It was observed that the timelines and the project deadlines can be achieved sooner in an efficient way by using Rapid Application development methodology and RAD project executed and implement at least the twice the speed and half the time taken by the regular Software development Life cycle. It was concluded from the study that Rapid Application Development will form the future backbone of software industry because of its effectiveness, less development and implementation time and more flexibility. Keywords:- Following is the list of important keywords and their definition which might be used through this report:- RAD :- Rapid application development SSADM :-Structured System Analysis and Design Method DSDM:- Dynamic System Development Method Waterfall Model Time Boxing Iterative Model UML :- Universal markup language OOP:- Object Oriented Paradigm/Programming UCD:- Use Case Diagram OOM:- Object Oriented Modeling GUI:- Graphical user Interface IDE:- Integrated development environment API:- Application Programming Interface NASA:-North Atlantic Space Association DLL:-Dynamic Linking Libraries. XML :- Extensible Markup Language Class Diagrams Sequential Diagrams Inroduction NASA or North Atlantic Space Association is a United States Government owned Space Research and Development Company. NASA has its own internal Weather forecasting department and specialized custom build weather forecasting software that connects to the US satellites receive various weather inputs from them and then calculates and forecasts the next 24 hour weather report that includes Temperature, Pressure, Humidity and Wind Speeds. During a recent United Nations Conference US government has accepted the proposal of other countries of the world to provide them weather forecasting data from NASA weather forecasting servers. Following are the project requirements that NASA has to fulfill:- The project development, testing and final implementation should not take more than 3 months. The project will only have the budget for 5 software developers. The project has to contain bare minimum only required important documentation and should not contain detail system specifications The first prototype for the other countries technical experts review has to be release withing15 days of project initialization. The rest of the project phases will work in iterative manner and based on client feedback. The feasibility study on various software development methodologies include software development Life Cycle (SDLC) and RAD was done , keeping in vision the product development cost and the stricter timelines and it was accepted to use Rapid Application Development or RAS as the software development methodology for the current system. LITERATURE REVIEW IMPACT OF RAD ON SOFTWARE INDUSTRY Before starting our discussion on RAD, let us take a closer look of what Agile Methodology is and a brief overview of its history and manifesto What is Agile Software Development? Agility is more attitude than process, more environment than methodology (Jigh Highsmith , April 6,2004 , Agile Project Management : Creating Innovative Projects ) Agile Software Development is a set of software development Methodologies based on iterative development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self organizing cross function team. According to (HighSmith, 2002) Agility is the ability to both create and respond to change in order to profit in a turbulent business environment. Agility is the ability to balance flexibility and stability. Agile Modeling is based on a collection of principles, derived from the principles of Agile Alliance, such as importance of assuming simplicity when you are modeling and embracing change when you are working, because requirements do change in future (Scott Ambler , 2002 , Agile Modeling: Effective practices for extreme programming and the unified process, Wiley) History and Manifesto of Agile software development The definition of the agile software development methodology started evolving in mid 1990s as a part of strong opposition against the already existing standard, micro managed use of Waterfall Model for development. There were heavy cost and time schedules escalations in Waterfall Model because of the freezing of design phase first and then starting up with the development and implementation phases. The time when product use to get ready to be deployed at the client side, it is already obsolete for use, because most of the time client requirements change during the product development phase. In 2001, some most important prominent figures in the field of Agile development came together in Utah to discuss the ways of creating software in a lighter, faster and more people centric way. It was then only the Agile software development and Agile methodology term gets coined. In the same meet, they create Agile manifesto that includes the canonical definition of the Agile Development and accompanying agile principles. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agile_software_development ) Values and Principles of Agile Methodology:- As per the 2001 Agile Manifesto, following are stated as the values of the Agile methodologies:- Individuals and Interactions over processes and tools used. Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer Collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan Some of the principles envisioned behind Agile Manifesto are:- Customer satisfaction by rapid and continuous delivery of software system Working software is the principle measure of progress Even late changes in requirements are welcomed Close , Daily Cooperation between business people and developers Communication Simplicity Feedback Courage Humility

Alcohol, Violence and Crime in America :: essays research papers

Alcohol is a dominant tool that controls the human’s body when it takes over its major systems. In addition, alcohol has a huge impact on people’s behaviors so that their behaviors go out of their control and could lead to things rather more serious. As a consequence of the impact of alcohol, crime rate increases dramatically under the influence of alcohol. On reason that supports this conclusion is that people who are addicted to alcohol but can’t afford buying would act aggressively to get access to alcohol by unmannered behaviors that some times could lead to serious crimes. In general, religions constitute the way of life humans should live no matter what kind of religion is that, and since the use of alcohol is either completely prohibited or not recommended, alcohol should be eliminated from any society to comply with god’s law’s just as people respect their government’s laws. However, the elimination of alcohol from a society at once is almost impossible and could result in severe incidents that could go beyond the control of the authorities. The best way to keep people away from alcohol is to make it hard enough for people to get alcohol; make them suffer to get the alcohol they need. Some of the ways a government could limit the use of alcohol is to increase its price dramatically by adding additional taxes and fees on those who sell alcohol so that its price will increase and wont be affordable for most of the people. The income of this increment should be spent on national awareness through media which would spread out the word about alcohol to people and warn them about the use of this evil product. Another restriction would be increasing the legal age of alcohol buyers from 21 to a higher age at which people would be responsible and think twice about the consumption of alcohol; a reasonable age would be around 25 I believe. Increasing the requirements of issuing alcohol licenses would limit the number of stores that sell alcohol so that people will need a bit more of time to get alcohol from a far place. In addition , limiting the quantity of alcohol sold to one individual would make him waste lots of time each time he wants to buy alcohol. Prohibition is not always the key of eliminating something from a society, but education is rather a better idea.