The importance of literacy Essay Example for Free

The importance of literacy Essay Literacy is known as the ability to read and write. It is the ability to communicate with each other, and to understand the concepts of everything. It does not mean that you will find literacy in a book because it can be found at any place on a daily basis. For example, while watching television, reading a magazine, when communicating with people in social networks, and especially in school. All of that has something related to literacy because there are words and signs that have a significance. It is very important for us to read and write, because it is a way to express and communicate with each other. Strong literacy skills are closely linked to the probability of having a good job, decent earnings, and access to training opportunities. Individuals with weak literacy skills are more likely to be unemployed or, if employed, to be in jobs that pay little or that offer poor hours or working conditions Without literacy civilization as well as communication would be entirely different, it is the key for our future, because it means education, and with education we all would have a better future. Literacy is fundamental for learning in school. It has an impact on an individuals ability to participate in society and to understand important public issues. Since we were kids, we were taught to learn a language step by step. We first learned to understand it, then to speak it, and at school we learned to write it and read it. Nowadays the population of people that know how to write and read is bigger than before. Some of our grandparents are illiterate due to their poor education. My grandmother said that back in the day there was not enough money for education and only a few could afford it. But things had changed, now the government helps the students by providing them with financial support and it is easier for them to afford and education. I am one of the luckiest people that have the privilege to attend to college. I said privilege because not everyone can do it and I am the first one in my family that made it to college. A literate person has more possibilities to succeed in life. Why? Because it opens more paths tosuccess, more job opportunities and better earnings. For example if a company is looking for people to hire and they have a couple of options in which there are people with high education and people with less education, of course they are going to hire that ones with the most education. It is because they want the best for their company and they know that people with higher education would make a good job, because they have knowledge and the capacity to understand things better. An individual that is unable to read and write is called illiterate. He cannot calculate his own income and expenses, nor can keep his own accounts. An illiterate man is generally exploited by the clever men in the society. They take full advantage of his ignorance of the language or wisdom. For example, let’s suppose that you own a business, but you do not know how to administrate it. You must hire a person to do it for you, because you have no idea of how to deal with numbers. What if the person you hire is taking money from your business and you do not notice it, due to your illiteracy. That is why it is very important to go to school and learn. Some people think that going to school is a waste of time, but it is not. We need education in order to survive the daily basis. It makes a big difference in an individual’s life. Literacy is found in our daily basis, the internet, television, books, etc. But in the social networks it is very common to find a lot of misspellings. This is why you have to be aware and not believe that every word in there is right spelled. This all happens because people are being more and more adapted to the way of texting, or they simply do not care about how they a spell a word on their social networks. It is affecting our society because it makes them look illiterate and is affecting other people that are learning a language, for example English, and these people make them think that what they write is spelled right. I had a hard experience with literacy before. When I was a freshman in high school I had to learn English, since my first language is Spanish it was difficult for me to understand the English language. It took me a long time to learn it. My teacher told me that it would be very helpful if I started to read books for at least one hour a day and also to watch television in English. She told me to practice as much as I could. So I did it and as time passed by, I started to notice that my learning skills got better and my pronunciation too. The hardest part of learning a new language is when you write it, but with time and dedication you will understand itbetter. Comprehending English can be difficult, because sometimes a word sounds the same but means something different. For example, â€Å"they’re† and† there† sound exactly the same but both have completely different meaning. We get confused, that is why it takes time to dominate it, but with practice and dedication you would notice that little by little it would get easier. I read all the books I could and every time I read these books I learned new words and their meanings. Books can seem boring but once you start reading them, they are really interesting. By reading you will notice that your writing and reading skills would get better. My English teacher would always tell me that reading was very important when it comes to learning a new language, because in a book I would find different words that would help me with my literacy skills. I am looking forward to pass this course and I would do my best in this class. My expectations for this course are to better my writing skills and learn how to develop and organize a good essay, since I have problems with it. I would like to learn new strategies of writing and understanding words. I know this class would not be easy but I am going to give my best and turn in all my work. My goal is to be a highly educated person, so I need to study hard to achieve this. I hope that my literacy skills get better with time and practice and I am motivated to do it. I know that by the time I graduate I would be more educated, and this all would be because of what I learned in college, and I know that everything I learned in school would be very useful in my future. Literacy is essential in our lives. Without it we would not be able to communicate with each other or to be successful in life. We would have less chances of getting a nice job and we would be exposed to be manipulated by other individuals that want to take advantage of our ignorance. Education is the key to success and the laws state that every person has the right to an education. This is why we have to take advantage of the government help, to improve our learning and education. I feel honored to be in college right now, because not everyone has the chance to attend to school, and I will do my best in order to succeed and accomplish my goals. â€Å"Once you learn to read. You will be forever free†. – Frederick Douglass.

Network Security Essay Example for Free

Network Security Essay Firewall:- A firewall is a software program or a piece of information that help screen out hackers, virus, worms and Trojan horse that try to reach to your computer over the internet. If you use a computer at home the most efficient and important step to help your computer to protect by turning on your firewall. If you have a more than one computer connects in home. It is important to protect every computer. You should have a hardware firewall (such as router) to protect your network, but you should also use software firewall on each computer to prevent the spread of virus your network. If your computer is a part of business, you should follow the policy established by network administrator. How it works:- When your firewall protection is turned on, everything that goes in and out of the network is monitored. The firewall monitors allows ‘good data’ in and block ‘bad data’ from entering your network. Firewall uses one or combination of the following method to control the traffic in and of the network:- 1) Packet filtering:- The most basic form of firewall software uses pre-determined rules to create different filters. If an incoming packet of data (small chunk of data) is flagged by the filters, it is not allowed through. Packets that make it through the filters are sent to requesting system and all others are discarded. 2) Proxy services:- A proxy service is an application that acts as an intermediary between systems. Information from the internet is received by the firewall and sent to the requesting system and vice versa.   Proxy server operates at the application layer of firewall, where both ends of the connection are forced to conduct session through the proxy. They operate by creating and running a process on the firewall that mirrors a service as if it were running on the host end, and thus centralize all the information transfer to the firewall for scanning. 3) Stateful inspection:- The most modern method of firewall scanning that does not rely on memory intensive examination is ‘Stateful inspection’. A Stateful firewall  holds significant attributes of each connection of trusted information for the duration of session. These attributes which are collectively known as state of the connection may include ip addresses, ports involved in the network and number of packets being transferred. Types:- There are two types of firewall that are as follows:- Hardware firewall. Software firewall. 1) Hardware firewall:- Hardware firewall built into the device such as routers and can protect every single machine on a network and require little configuration for efficient work. They mostly use packet filtering technique to examine the header of the packet, determining source and destination, then comparing the data to a set of predefine rules, they decide whether to ignore the packet or forward to the next step or to its final destination. 2) Software firewall:- Software firewalls are the most popular protection method for home users. They usually come as standalone applications or as a part of complete antivirus protection software. That is why it is mostly used in personal network. Antivirus such as bull guard provides besides providing protection for inbound and outbound traffic. A software firewall also protects against worms and Trojan horses. The software firewall must be regularly protected to keep up the latest technology updates and provides effective protection. NOTE:- Each type has advantages and disadvantages, ranging from ease of implementation to high initial cost. Companies should use the firewall as part of overall information security program that includes data integrity, application integrity and data confidentiality and authentication.

Communication Strategy Development Project

Communication Strategy Development Project Subject: to develop the communication process Amicus and to improve system relating to information and knowledge. Faysal Mahmud Shafayet zaman Executive summary As we have been assigned to create a formal report on Managing Communication, were our objective is develop communication process and be able to improve systems relating to information and knowledge. For this we have collected our data thoroughly through the primary methods, which is through questionnaires and through face to face meeting Task one Communication is basically interaction, which can be oral, visual, written or any other channels to express ones feeling. Hence we can take it granted that it’s the most vital element of an organization and if it’s not proper it will possibly influence the organization in it’s down fall, vice-versa. As I was assigned to assess the business communication process of Amicus, while assessing I found out the communication process the organization in terms of their suppliers, consumers as well as their own. Communication process of Amicus: Top to lower level management: When a policy or a guide line for the organization is implemented or when taking a new strategic decision the approach that Amicus utilize is the formal top-down approach, for example when taking a strategic decision the directors call a formal meeting where they inform the manager about the strategic decisions. Afterwards the manager calls a formal meeting for the lower level management to brief them about the strategic changes. Same level management: When making an agreement or facing an unexpected scenario the approach Amicus follows is the formal horizontal method, for example when information needs to be passed within the same level management they call a formal meeting which is notified by phone or a formal letter ( as it is within the organization ). Lower to top level management: This occurs when a report regarding a project (construction) or feedback is received, for this kind of situation the communication approach Amicus apply is the formal upward vertical communication, such as when a lower level employee wants to present his feed back of the task he was assigned, he takes an appointment and formally presents the feedback face to face. Then the manager via appointment meets the directors and presents them the feedback. Networking system: Sharing data’s between different departments can be time consuming, to avoid this Amicus uses LAN as their networking system. Dissemination of data for consumer as well as organization purpose: Amicus disseminates their data via ad on paper, billboards, brochures and their own web page. Organization meeting for all level management: As Amicus is a developing organization, for which meetings are held monthly as this industries scenario fluctuates a lot. Communication process of Amicus regarding consumer and suppliers In terms of agreement: Basically in terms of agreement the communication approach Amicus always prefers is the formal face to face communication and the approach of the agreement is always written. Dissemination of data for consumer as well as suppliers: Amicus disseminates their data mostly through ad on newspaper; billboard or brochures were there can be an ad about both product/service and recruitment for supplier. Feedback process of Amicus for their consumers: there are four channel through which feedback can be received and they are via letter, face to face, telephone call and e-mail. Most of the feedbacks are received through the phone. Overall what our team found out that, in the present state Amicus is formal in its communication process and desires to follow formal communication process in the future but will allow change in circumstances. In the present scenario Amicus has finished a luxurious project in Mirpur DOHS, for which a communication process is made for notifying the potential customers. Where the director being the sender sends a message, where the message is to promote the new project via ad on news paper, this message is transmitted through formal meeting. Then the recipient is the marketing manager and in the receiver stage the message is interpreted so that the recipient who is the marketing managers can understand the actual meaning of the message. But in the feed back stage it shows they didn’t get positive feedback as the interaction with customer was not up to the organizations estimation. A communication process diagram of the marketing department is given below. Communication process diagram of the marketing department of Amicus regarding the new projects promotion: Task two After conducting research on the overall communication process of Amicus we found some lacking in the communication process, regarding the regarding. As we have found out that the customer’s interaction is not up to the mark in organizations view point. Judging from the previous communication process we can see that they have done there promotion through only one media which was ad on newspaper. In the improvised communication process the director of Amicus being the sender sends a message which is to promote the new project by variety of media and to promote it in the right place for example giving add on billboards in places like Gulshan, Bonani and baridhara and also selecting a targeted segment and handing out brochures to them. This message is transmitted by a formal meeting and is indicated to the marketing manager of Amicus, who is the recipient. In the receiver stage the message is explained so that the recipient can understand the actual meaning. Hence an Improvised Communication process diagram of the marketing department of Amicus regarding the new projects promotion is made. Task Three As we have seen in the first communication process, here the director being the sender sends a message, where the message is to promote the new project via ad on news paper, this message is transmitted through formal meeting. Then in the recipient is the marketing manager and in the receiver stage the message is interpreted so that the recipient who is the marketing managers can understand the actual meaning of the message. But in the feed back stage it shows they didn’t get positive feedback as the interaction with customer was not up to the organizations estimation. Due to its feedback a new improvised communication process is made, where the director of Amicus being the sender sends a message which is to promote the new project by variety of media and to promote it in the right place for example giving add on billboards in places like Gulshan, Bonani and baridhara and also selecting a targeted segment and handing out brochures to them. This message is transmitted by a formal meeting and is indicated to the marketing manager of Amicus, who is the recipient. In the receiver stage the message is explained so that the recipient can understand the actual meaning. In the first scenario we can see that they have done their promotion through only one media which was ad on newspaper for their upcoming luxuries project in Mirpur DOHS but this promoting strategy had some drawbacks such as, not all people read newspapers, everyone does not read the same newspaper and it is also received by a lot of un potential customers as it is luxurious project in a luxurious place and every social class people reads the newspaper. Advantages on implementing improvements when implementing the improvised communication process, the director being the sender sends a message which is to properly promote the upcoming project by the proper use of media and by promoting it in the right place such as giving add on billboards in places like Gulshan, Bonani and baridhara and also selecting a targeted segment and handing out brochures to them. Through promoting like this by using proper media and promoting in the right place, Amicus will be able to find the potential customers better than before and attract them according, which will lead to the estimated interaction of Amicus between the Amicus and potential customers. This was not possible following the old communication process. Task Four How to improve own or individual communication skills. After being enlightened in managing communication we have found out some effective steps that can help someone to improve their communication skills and they are: Providing a precise verbal speech about the task so that it will clear to the recipient. Also providing a clear written document about the task, this will help them if they don’t understand speech. When an individual has problem understanding the task you can use open conversation and non verbal communication, so that he can understand When giving a speech about the task it is a necessity that receiving end listens carefully When the individual faces confusion in the speech of task they should ask the manager and clear his confusion at that time When a group work is given by the manager, the group’s individuals to be selected should have the communication skill to understand where each individual stands and how much work they can do. If a problem arises after the task is given it is better to do informal communication at that stage , as through informal communication they can get rid of their confusion in a time consuming manner Task Five Existing approaches of data collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of Amicus After gathering information from their managers and directors we have found how Amicus collect their data, how they format it and how they store it. The approaches of these stages are given below: Approaches of data collection: There are two sources that Amicus uses for collecting data and they are the primary sources such as field visit, face to face meeting, via telephone, e-mail and etc. the other source they use is secondary sources for example newspaper, brochures, annual report, government data and etc. Approaches for data formatting, storage, security and back up: After the collection of data from primary and secondary sources they format their data in a few ways. If they get a written data they have to scan it first in order to format it into word file and after that the word file’s soft copy is kept in their computers such as desktops and laptops. When they receive the data’s soft copy they collect it via pen drive or memory stick and save it in the office computer for further use. If they need to edit any sort of data they edit through the help of MS word or Adobe. When formatting quantative data Amicus uses MS excel and make a spread sheet. After formatting all the data they store it in the files of their computers as well as in log books and for their data security of confidential data’s they use password so that only classified person can take a look but for their backup they just store it in their computer. All these formatted data are shared internally in the organization through the help of local area network (LAN). Task Six What our team has found out that the process Amicus follows for the collection of data, formatting and storing is good compared to their industry but their back up and security is very poor ,so here is an improvised process for back up and security given below. Approaches of data collection: There are two sources that Amicus uses for collecting data and they are the primary sources such as field visit, face to face meeting, via telephone, e-mail and etc. the other source they use is secondary sources for example newspaper, brochures, annual report, government data and etc Approaches of data formatting and data storage: After the collection of data from primary and secondary sources they format their data in a few ways. If they get a written data they have to scan it first in order to format it into word file and after that the word file’s soft copy is kept in their computers such as desktops and laptops. When they receive the data’s soft copy they collect it via pen drive or memory stick and save it in the office computer for further use. If they need to edit any sort of data they edit through the help of MS word or Adobe. When formatting quantative data Amicus uses MS excel and make a spread sheet. After formatting all the data they store it in the files of their computers as well as in log books and for their data security of confidential data’s they use password so that only classified person can take a look and for their back up and security they can use the virtual networking system such as Cloud Computing Service by IBM. Task Seven As we can see from the first existing process of data collection, formatting, storage, security and back up that their security and back up was poor for which an improvised process was made which was quite similar but was appropriately improvised in the security and back up stages. Existing process: After the collection of data from primary and secondary sources, such as field visit, face to face, brochures and newspaper they format their data in a few ways. If they get a written data they have to scan it first in order to format it into word file and after that the word file’s soft copy is kept in their computers such as desktops and laptops. When they receive the data’s soft copy they collect it via pen drive or memory stick and save it in the office computer for further use. If they need to edit any sort of data they edit through the help of MS word or Adobe. When formatting quantative data Amicus uses MS excel and make a spread sheet. After formatting all the data they store it in the files of their computers as well as in log books and for their data security of confidential data’s they use password so that only classified person can take a look but for their backup they just store it in their computer. Improvised process: After the collection of data from primary and secondary sources, such as field visit, face to face, brochures and newspaper they format their data in a few ways. If they get a written data they have to scan it first in order to format it into word file and after that the word file’s soft copy is kept in their computers such as desktops and laptops. When they receive the data’s soft copy they collect it via pen drive or memory stick and save it in the office computer for further use. If they need to edit any sort of data they edit through the help of MS word or Adobe. When formatting quantative data Amicus uses MS excel and make a spread sheet. After formatting all the data they store it in the files of their computers as well as in log books and for their data security of confidential data’s they use password so that only classified person can take a look and for their back up and security they can use the virtual networking system such as Cloud Computing Service by IBM. As we can see that both process is quite similar but in the improvised process for back up and security Amicus uses the virtual networking system such as Cloud Computing Service by IBM for they will get high security and back up for example that computer through which Amicus shares their data with the help of LAN has the possibility to crash which will make them loose all their data but if they use the virtual networking system such as Cloud Computing Service by IBM their data will remain safe in the virtual data base of IBM which can only accessed by the authority of Amicus. To keep confidential data’s classified they also use it as it is highly secured. Evidence Reference Amicus Properties (2013). About Us.  Available: http://www.amicus.com.bd/amicus/index.php  Last accessed 09th March 2014.

The Pursuit of Happiness - Four Revolutionary Words, by Andrew Sullivan

"It's a small phrase when you think about it: "the pursuit of happiness." It's somewhat over-shadowed in the Declaration of Independence by the weightier notions of "life" and "liberty." In today's mass culture, it even comes close to being banal. Who, after all, doesn't want to pursue happiness? But in its own day, the statement was perhaps the most radical political statement ever delivered. And when we try and fathom why it is that the United States still elicits such extreme hatred in some parts of the world, this phrase is as good a place to start as any." "What power four little words still have. And what carnage they must still endure to survive. " Andrew Sullivan's article, "The Pursuit of Happiness - Four Revolutionary Words", may have been the best or most intriguing story we have read thus far. But you didn't ask us to summarize it, besides how could we do that in only two pages. Instead you asked us to historicize this powerful piece, which yet is still a hard task to complete. In the opening line the Declaration of independence and its meaning of life and Liberty are mentioned. The Declaration came about on July 4, 1776, which recorded the proclamation of the 2nd American Continental Congress asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain (Webster's Dictionary). Sullivan immediately follows into references of the chaotic conditions of the 18th century. One example is that there were rumors and belief of witches; inurn innocent people were being burned at the stake, (where were their "certain unalienable Rights" then). As Sullivan states countries were being torn apart because of imperfection (I thought tha t "That all men are created equal, and, that they are endowed by their Creator )(God). Add... ... are watching the freedom that they feel we have as expressed though American television and businesses. A fear of total anarchy has arisen in the hearts of their leaders, and many are holding on for dear life to their old customs and beliefs of control, while others such as China and Russia are hesitantly going with the flow. Sullivan is unsure of the effect this Pursuit of Happiness will have on the future; can any of us predict, we only know the past and the present. "As I write I have no idea as to the conclusion of this new drama in world history except that it will have ramifications as large and as lasting as the Cold War." Works Cited ANDREW SULLIVAN. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS - Four Revolutionary Words. Forbes ASAP, "The Big Issue," November 2001. Web. 29 June 2015. http://homepage.eircom.net/~odyssey/Politics/Sullivan/Pursuit%20of%20Happiness.html The Pursuit of Happiness - Four Revolutionary Words, by Andrew Sullivan "It's a small phrase when you think about it: "the pursuit of happiness." It's somewhat over-shadowed in the Declaration of Independence by the weightier notions of "life" and "liberty." In today's mass culture, it even comes close to being banal. Who, after all, doesn't want to pursue happiness? But in its own day, the statement was perhaps the most radical political statement ever delivered. And when we try and fathom why it is that the United States still elicits such extreme hatred in some parts of the world, this phrase is as good a place to start as any." "What power four little words still have. And what carnage they must still endure to survive. " Andrew Sullivan's article, "The Pursuit of Happiness - Four Revolutionary Words", may have been the best or most intriguing story we have read thus far. But you didn't ask us to summarize it, besides how could we do that in only two pages. Instead you asked us to historicize this powerful piece, which yet is still a hard task to complete. In the opening line the Declaration of independence and its meaning of life and Liberty are mentioned. The Declaration came about on July 4, 1776, which recorded the proclamation of the 2nd American Continental Congress asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain (Webster's Dictionary). Sullivan immediately follows into references of the chaotic conditions of the 18th century. One example is that there were rumors and belief of witches; inurn innocent people were being burned at the stake, (where were their "certain unalienable Rights" then). As Sullivan states countries were being torn apart because of imperfection (I thought tha t "That all men are created equal, and, that they are endowed by their Creator )(God). Add... ... are watching the freedom that they feel we have as expressed though American television and businesses. A fear of total anarchy has arisen in the hearts of their leaders, and many are holding on for dear life to their old customs and beliefs of control, while others such as China and Russia are hesitantly going with the flow. Sullivan is unsure of the effect this Pursuit of Happiness will have on the future; can any of us predict, we only know the past and the present. "As I write I have no idea as to the conclusion of this new drama in world history except that it will have ramifications as large and as lasting as the Cold War." Works Cited ANDREW SULLIVAN. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS - Four Revolutionary Words. Forbes ASAP, "The Big Issue," November 2001. Web. 29 June 2015. http://homepage.eircom.net/~odyssey/Politics/Sullivan/Pursuit%20of%20Happiness.html

What Christians can do in a world of cultures in conflict? :: Religion

What Christians can do in a world of cultures in conflict? The main topic of this book is â€Å"worldview†. What’s â€Å"worldview†? It’s not easy to find completed answer. There is a story like that. King of Siam was surprise about story of Dutch ambassador that in winter elephant could walk on river. It’s hard for King of Siam living in the tropics to believe. The King’s worldview could not allow him to accept this. The aim of this book is to help reader will gain a better understanding of his own worldview. This book seems not interesting for me at the first time I read. However, I realized that sometimes I had asked myself such questions. After chapter 2 I gradually understand. In chapter 3 tell about â€Å"the secular world view†. It means the world without God and spirits. The rest tell about modernists’ thought. Some of these are Ludwig Feuerbach (1804 - 1872) he said: humanity created God. Another one is psychologist Richard Gregorg said that body is hardware and â€Å"mind† is software. The other is human is consider a biological mechanism. Sometime I surprise with assumption from it. This non-answer question I asked myself sometimes. The rest of chapter 3 tells about community, value (ethic), Marxism and why the secular worldview influences around the world, and the imperfect. In community, the worth of each member is more important than that of family and social responsibilities. Laws and ethical values are based upon man-made assumption. The Marxism’s view is â€Å"nothing remains exactly the same† or the new generation is better than previous generations. According to this, communism is better than capitalism. Nex t, the reason why secular worldview influences most the world is affecting the economy and technological development. Therefore, this affects the country economic in specially. However, this worldview has some weakness. The secular worldview has result in major scientific develop but it has failed to provide answer to some of the basis question of human life. In chapter 4 tell about the traditional worldview. I read this chapter very quickly because I live in a traditional worldview. This chapter compares secular and traditional worldview. For example, person‘s soul is external which differ to Western worldview. In traditional worldview community or society is more important than individual desires. I always believe that important decisions are made by the community as a whole and age is important and respect. However, some thought is not up to date such as the viewing time of traditional worldview.

Psychology Essays -- Wundt, Descartes, Watson

Psychology is the investigation of the mind and how it processes and directs our thoughts, actions and conceptions. However, in 1879 Wilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig in Germany. Nevertheless, the origins of psychology go all the way back thousands of years starting with the early Greeks. This foundation is closely connected to biology and philosophy; and especially the subfields of physiology which is the study of the roles of living things and epistemology, which is the study of comprehension and how we understand what we have learned. The connection to physiology and epistemology is often viewed as psychology, which is the hybrid offspring of those two fields of investigation. It was not until the later part of the 19th century that psychology would emerge as a science. Rene Descartes, a famous French philosopher, contributed a major work to the development of psychology. Descartes presented his theory of dualism as a response to the body and mind conflict between scholars (Schultz & Schultz, 2008). According to Descartes, humans are made up of two dimensions: body and mind. Before the body mind concept, it was believed that humans thought with their souls (Wozniak, 1995). Descartes also believed that humans had tendencies of a mechanism but are different from animals because of the ability to think and reason. His perception of humans led to the theory of dualism. The dualism theory contended that the humans mind is a separate function form the body. However, the mind and soul work in unison in the brain, through the pineal gland to create human behavior. The mind was considered to develop and use innate ideas and derived ideas. Essentially, Descartes ca me to the conclusion tha... ...nd getting the information when necessary. A significant thought is information processing, which takes place in a sequence of steps. The information processing theorist’s method of learning is primarily by way of the study of memory. Presently, because of the hybrid heritage, psychology is not thought over as one of the social sciences such as sociology, economic science, government science, and cultural anthropology. Psychology is viewed as an ally to the natural sciences such as biology, chemistry, laws of nature, and mathematics (Thornton, 2009). Psychology is also seen as humanities, which are philosophy, human speeches, music and art. Most psychologists join forces on research and other conceptions with intellectuals and scientists in distinctive fields. This adds to the diversity of interests, which can be seen in the modern psychology department. Psychology Essays -- Wundt, Descartes, Watson Psychology is the investigation of the mind and how it processes and directs our thoughts, actions and conceptions. However, in 1879 Wilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig in Germany. Nevertheless, the origins of psychology go all the way back thousands of years starting with the early Greeks. This foundation is closely connected to biology and philosophy; and especially the subfields of physiology which is the study of the roles of living things and epistemology, which is the study of comprehension and how we understand what we have learned. The connection to physiology and epistemology is often viewed as psychology, which is the hybrid offspring of those two fields of investigation. It was not until the later part of the 19th century that psychology would emerge as a science. Rene Descartes, a famous French philosopher, contributed a major work to the development of psychology. Descartes presented his theory of dualism as a response to the body and mind conflict between scholars (Schultz & Schultz, 2008). According to Descartes, humans are made up of two dimensions: body and mind. Before the body mind concept, it was believed that humans thought with their souls (Wozniak, 1995). Descartes also believed that humans had tendencies of a mechanism but are different from animals because of the ability to think and reason. His perception of humans led to the theory of dualism. The dualism theory contended that the humans mind is a separate function form the body. However, the mind and soul work in unison in the brain, through the pineal gland to create human behavior. The mind was considered to develop and use innate ideas and derived ideas. Essentially, Descartes ca me to the conclusion tha... ...nd getting the information when necessary. A significant thought is information processing, which takes place in a sequence of steps. The information processing theorist’s method of learning is primarily by way of the study of memory. Presently, because of the hybrid heritage, psychology is not thought over as one of the social sciences such as sociology, economic science, government science, and cultural anthropology. Psychology is viewed as an ally to the natural sciences such as biology, chemistry, laws of nature, and mathematics (Thornton, 2009). Psychology is also seen as humanities, which are philosophy, human speeches, music and art. Most psychologists join forces on research and other conceptions with intellectuals and scientists in distinctive fields. This adds to the diversity of interests, which can be seen in the modern psychology department.

A Hope in the Unseen

Cedric Jennings, the main character of Ron Suskind’s novel A Hope in the Unseen is an anomaly at Ballou Senior High School, an inner city public school of Washington, D. C. Raised by a single mother on a measly salary from the Department of Agriculture, Cedric is accustomed to working hard for everything he receives in life. An honors student and participant of Ballou’s special science and math program, Cedric dreams of pursuing education as a means to escape D. C. and carve out a better life for himself. Being a star pupil in a poorly performing school that scorns academic achievement is no easy role to play.Viewing the Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science summer program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an imperative step on his path towards a new life, he is shocked to find himself drowning in the work and competition around him. Cedric is surprised to find solace in returning to Ballou. After receiving admission to Brown University, Cedric feels he has finally proven himself to all of his naysayers and earned a ticket out of D. C. In his new Brown environment, Cedric struggles to adjust to the intense diversity and intelligence surrounding him.Although it takes the majority of his freshman year, eventually Cedric finds his own niche at Brown and transforms into a man capable of caring for his beloved mother. A Hope in the Unseen offers itself as a lens through which to examine sociological themes. Specifically, education, social deviance, religion and their respective implications can be thoroughly analyzed through the pertinent events of Cedric’s journey. Living in a credential society like the United States, the institution of education holds immense importance in terms of facilitating social placement and earning potential.Cedric observes his mother, Barbara, and her inability to climb the ladder of society without a strong education. Without the necessary credentials she is destined to remain in her low-inc ome bracket, struggling to make ends meet each month. On her five-dollar-an-hour salary, finances are perpetually tight. One evening Barbara casually reminds Cedric, â€Å"I hope you knew to eat big lunch today? You know, it’s the first week with rent and all. † (Suskind, 41) Cedric responds in the only way he can, â€Å"Yeah, I knew. Got seconds on salad. Ate all I could† (Suskind, 41).This culture of poverty also manifests itself in the school culture at Ballou. Every school possesses a hidden curriculum consisting of the implicit attitudes and rules of behavior (Henslin, 507). At Ballou however, this hidden curriculum reinforces beliefs of solidarity found through gangs, street slang, and repression of aspirations outside of their immediate purview. For example, at an inner-city school like Ballou, teachers accept the use of street slang in formal writing with the belief that refined speech will be unnecessary in their future occupations.This hidden curriculu m exhibits itself in Cedric’s peer, Delante Coleman. His leadership in one of the school’s largest gangs, his reputation as an established drug dealer, and his silver Lexus compose Delante’s status; an ideal status for a large percentage of Ballou students. Delante is â€Å"every bit as driven as Cedric. It’s what each does with his fury and talents that separates these two into a sort of urban black yin and yang† (Suskind, 19). In order to escape absorbing the intense hidden curriculum, Cedric actively works to isolate himself and remain focused on his ultimate goals.James Henslin describes the function of education as a system that sorts people according to abilities and ambitions (Henslin, 505). Barbara raises her son to take pride in his academic abilities and to use them to actualize his ambitions. Ballou High School utilizes a method known as tracking to control the gates of opportunity. â€Å"The idea: save as many kids as you can by separa ting out top students early and putting the lion’s share of resources into boosting as many of them as possible to college. Forget about the rest. † (Suskind, 8) The impacts of such methods are long lasting and affect job opportunities, income, and lifestyle.While, Cedric is fortunate enough to be viewed as one of the college-bound, most students simply cannot conjure up the motivation to succeed in the Ballou environment. Attendance is scanty at best, homework is reduced to optional, and teachers rest satisfied so long as their students show up to class. This learning environment renders even the brightest students incapable of competing with the national pool of college applicants. Cedric is aware of this challenge and fears â€Å"whether any amount of work will be enough to propel him to a new life† (Suskind, 9).Ultimately, education and its effects come down to family background, as Henslin clearly illustrates. The U. S. education system reproduces social cla ss structure and its racal-ethnic divisions (Henslin, 510). Adults without college degrees, in general, tend to work low-paying, dead-end jobs, which further inhibits social movement. With the cost of higher education ever on the rise, inner-city students must work harder still to obtain scholarships if they wish to attend college. â€Å"Acceptance to college is meaningless for many kids at Ballou without financial aid† (Suskind, 124).For Cedric’s friend, James Davis, receiving no scholarship money means the disintegration of his acceptance to Florida A&M, his first choice university. Despite receiving the necessary scholarship to attend Brown, Cedric’s achievement is still spited in the community. By those who know the reputation or even location of Brown, which is not many, Cedric’s decision to attend an Ivy League school is viewed as pretentious and a waste of both time and money. When Cedric arrives at Brown, he becomes acutely aware of how different his family background is from that of his peers.His roommate, Rob Burton, was raised in Massachusetts by two college-educated parents and an older sister who attends Harvard. Additionally, both his parents are doctors. The two boys find themselves at extreme odds in terms of common interests and experiences. For Rob, â€Å"there was never any question about whether he would use his quick mind and good manners to excel. It was assumed in everything that cosseted him† (Suskind, 178). Even these expectations stand in stark contrast to Cedric’s experience as a first-generation college student.When Cedric befriends the only other black student in his dorm unit, Chiniqua, he finds they have much in common in terms of their racial identity and its inherent culture. However, she matriculated through a program called Prep for Prep in New York and was privately educated from seventh grade onward so as to pave her path to the Ivy League. â€Å"Chiniqua, who scored an 1100 on her SATs, received years of counseling – both academic and social – to assist with the collision of cultures she ingested each day crossing fifty blocks of Manhattan† (Suskind, 202).Cedric has had no experiences, other than the MITEs program, in the intense process of racial and cultural mixing characteristic of the university. Intimidated by the impressive SAT scores and credentials of his peers, Cedric elects to take all of his first semester courses as pass/fail. When he returns home for winter break however, he lies to his community claiming to maintain a 4. 0 grade point average. The intense societal focus on grades has stemmed from grade inflation. As Henslin points out, â€Å"Theletter grade C used to indicate average, and since more students are average than superior, high school teachers used to give about twice as many C’s as A’s. Now they give more A’s than C’s. Students aren’t smarter – grading is just easierâ⠂¬  (Henslin, 514). This practiced inflation places increased pressure on students to bring home A’s. Passing or performing â€Å"averagely†, is no longer acceptable. For so long, Cedric has clung to grades and perfection in school as the one thing he could control. He discovers that in order to allow himself to be educated he must let go of the grades and focus on the learning.Realizing he cannot handle a five-lass course load he reflects, â€Å"it doesn’t feel as bad as he thought, not like a retreat so much as a reasonable fallback position. Far different from the swallow-your-pride, lowered bar of the first semester†¦he wouldn’t accept limits or impose limits on himself out of some fear of failure† (Suskind, 308). With new, higher expectations in place at Brown, Cedric is able to adapt and perform on the level expected by professors. This demonstrates the sociological principle that students perform better when they are expected to meet h igher standards (Henslin, 515).In June, when his final grades arrive, Cedric is filled with pride reading his A, B, and two S’s, for satisfactory. â€Å"Full membership in the Brown community, won fair and square† (Suskind, 357). From his position in a higher learning community, Cedric can reflect on Ballou and other schools like it. He voices his observations in a final paper assignment. â€Å"How do we lift poorly educated minorities to an equal footing in the classroom? How do we do this while respected that being singled out for special attention †¦ can result in crippling doubts about one’s abilities?† (Suskind, 338). In asking these essential questions, Cedric truly removes himself from his upbringing and its implications and aligns himself instead with a community of intellectuals. Throughout the novel, multiple characters grapple with the challenges of conforming to the norms of their society and the omnipresent option of social deviance. Hen slin describes deviance as any violation of norms, minor, major, or in between (Henslin, 198). At Georgetown University, located in Washington, D. C. , intellect is valued and being a serious student is the norm.However, at Ballou, truancy and apathetic sentiments towards education comprise the norms. Norms make social life possible as they render behavior predictable. As exemplified in the comparison between Georgetown and Ballou these expectations differ even within schools of the same district. As one of few serious students, Cedric struggles to find his own niche, realizing that he â€Å"simply has no social currency at Ballou† (Suskind, 21). Sociologist Robert Merton would describe Cedric’s state as anomie, lacking feelings of belonging (Henslin, 209). An acquaintance of Cedric, Phillip Atkins, also grapples with deviance.Despite possessing the intellectual capacity, Phillip hides his intelligence in school. He struggles to recognize his true identity. At Ballou h e puts on an act as the popular class clown oozing toughness and coolness. However, at home, he is a well-mannered boy whose dreams of tap dancing have been stifled by his father. He had been a nerd too at one time, but in an effort to conform to the norms of society, â€Å"He began a slow but steady shift in outlook and appearance to creating an identity†¦ He is now a popular member of Ballou’s mainstream†¦He’s earned himself some comfort and security† (Suskind, 67).While Cedric stands by his own morals and commitment to education, Phillip falls victim to the intense societal pressure to conform. After returning from his MITEs summer program, Cedric toys with the idea of conforming to the mainstream culture at Ballou. On the first day of school he dresses for the part which entails a leather jacket and a hat tilted to one side. Almost immediately Cedric is asked to remove his hat, as is the school policy. Trying to play his new role Cedric responds, à ¢â‚¬Å"No way, Dr. Jones, this hat is phat† (Suskind, 102).It takes the honest words of his peer, James Davis, to snap Cedric out of this new act. James, the stereotypical popular scholar-athlete, removes Cedric’s hat adding, â€Å"Boy, keep that hat off. You don’t need to be doing all that. You’re supposed to be a role model. You’re fine, just the way you are† (Suskind, 103). Cedric smiles realizing that he has wanting to hear someone say that since freshman year. In an inner-city school like Cedric’s, Edwin Sutherland’s term of differential association is applicable.As Sutherland explains, â€Å"the different groups with which we associate give us messages about conformity and deviance†¦The end result is an imbalance – attitudes that tilt us in one direction or another† (Henslin, 202). At Ballou, the norm is conformity. Solidarity develops from these conformist communities. In general, society desires conform ity. It simplifies groups when all members are working by the same means to achieve the same cultural goals. By choosing to be a social deviant and pursuing his own goals, Cedric renounces all solidarity.Throughout his life, Cedric is constantly receiving sanctions for his deviant behavior. The negative sanctions range from being mocked and beaten up by his peers in school to being spited by adults for acting â€Å"too good for the community† and attending an Ivy League school. Such negative sanctions contribute to social unity. â€Å"To affirm the group’s moral boundaries by punishing deviants fosters a ‘we’ feeling among the group’s members† (Henslin, 207). However, positive sanctions do come to Cedric from key characters. His teacher, Mr. Taylor, constantly encourages Cedric and pushes him to pursue his goals.Additionally, Clarence Thomas positively sanctions Cedric by inviting him to his office to discuss his recent enrollment at Brown Un iversity and offer guidance. Tired of the countless negative sanctions he receives for pursuing his dreams, Cedric retaliates through his impassioned speech at graduation. He seizes the opportunity to explain how students must â€Å"[learn] to fight off Dreambusters†¦Many of us have been called crazy or even laughed at for having big dreams†¦I will never forget being laughed at for saying I wanted to go to the Ivy League† (Suskind, 136-137).In an ultimate act of deviance, Cedric names his naysayers and asserts that he will follow his abnormal dreams, no matter how hard they try to push him down. In times of hardship and strife, it was God and religion that allowed Cedric to prevail. His mother instills in Cedric a devotion to God and religious services at Scripture Cathedral, to which Barbara and Cedric are devout members. Throughout the constant upheaval the two experience they find solace in God’s word and their faith community.In fleshing out the functions of religion, Henslin touches on the need for religion in lives of individuals like Barbara and Cedric. He explains, â€Å"the answers that religion provides about ultimate meaning also comfort people by assuring them that there is a purpose to life, even to suffering† (Henslin, 525). With the constant worry of how she can pay the bills and feed her son, faith in God is Barbara’s method of coping and getting from one day to the next. She is willing to give twenty dollars she cannot afford to do without in the church offering each week.However, this offering is essential to Barbara’s faith. As Pastor Long preaches in church one week, â€Å"Faith is taking the last $10 from your checking account and saying, ‘God, I give this to you, because I have nothing but faith, I live on faith, and I know in my heart that you’ll bring it back to me† (Suskind, 30). Many religions emphasize that money and material belongings are of no importance to God and t hat all money should go to helping those less fortunate. Barbara lives by the words of the Gospel even when her checkbook cannot afford her kindness.She thrives on the social solidarity of religion; for her it is enough. Having returned to the church herself at around thirty years of age, Barbara consciously decides to raise Cedric with a strong grounding in faith. â€Å"It’s faith, all about faith, she decides. If she can just keep [Cedric’s] faith in God and in righteousness living intact for a little longer, blessings will come† (Suskind, 30). In many instances, it is Cedric’s faith that gives him the power to persevere and actualize his dreams. He places his acceptance to Brown in God’s hands praying, â€Å"God, this is where I want to be†¦I worked so hard.I deserve it. Yes, I believe this is it. This is the place I want to be. Bless me, Lord. Let your will be done. If this is where I’m supposed to be, let your will be done† (Suskind, 109). This prayer exemplifies the influence of religion in everyday life. Believing his life is part of God’s greater plan, Cedric places decision-making power in God’s hands. Individuals who lead lives grounded in reason would place decision-making power in the hands of Brown admissions officers who undoubtedly read all applications.His speech at the graduation ceremony reads like a sermon itself. Starting by thanking God for giving him the strength and courage to be where he is today, Cedric proclaims, â€Å"THERE IS NOTHING ME AND MY GOD CAN’T HANDLE† (Suskind, 137). This quotation epitomizes Cedric’s ultimate confidence in God. He concludes his speech with a quote from the Bible. The language of the Bible is crucial to the social solidarity of religion. It creates a culture, made up of language, values, symbols, goals and norms that pious people can share.Throughout the novel, both Cedric and Barbara reference biblical passages. The B ible possesses the ability to capture the complexity of life and beliefs in God. Henslin touches on this concept explaining, â€Å"the shared meanings that come through symbols, rituals, and beliefs unite people into a moral community. People in a moral community feel a bond with one another†. Henslin goes on to address the power of community. â€Å"Not only does it provide the basis for mutual identity but also it establishes norms that govern the behavior of its members.Members either conform or they lose their membership† (Henslin 530-531). For Cedric and Barbara, who build their identities on religion, no action or possible outcome is worth defying God’s word. They lead their lives by God’s word. Barbara’s final words to Cedric after moving him into Brown are, â€Å"Trust in God, let Him guide you† (Suskind, 165). Bishop Long leaves Cedric with the final words â€Å"Yes, all you find students must ask your questions and get your good gr ades†¦But, never forget – never- that the only real answers lie with God† (Suskind, 153).As Cedric adapts to Brown, he finds religion inefficient in providing answers to his many complex questions. Overwhelmed with his schoolwork and social struggles, Cedric makes no attempt to attend religious services in Providence. When he returns to Scripture Cathedral during winter break and is asked whether he’s found another church at school, Cedric responds â€Å"I just know there’s no way I could ever replace Scripture Cathedral† (Suskind 263). While his faith remains strong, Cedric falls away from the active practice of his religion.Over thanksgiving, which he spends at his mentor, Dr. Korb’s home, Cedric overhears a conversation about religion versus reason. Speaking to a small group of people, Dr. Korb remarks â€Å"The ultimate egotism, more broadly, is a belief in the existence of God†¦Faith, in a way, is egotism. I know it’s a t the center of Cedric’s life, what keeps him going. But ultimately, it can’t get him where he needs to be†¦he needs to find his place through reason, not faith† (Suskind, 256). Unable to understand this Cedric brushes off the comment. However, Dr.Korb touches on a relevant debate in society. Henslin explores this secularization of religion and its ability to splinter a group into those who live by reason and those who live by religion. Henslin argues that for individuals who have had less worldly success, this shift in focus from spiritual matters to worldly affairs represents â€Å"a desertion of the group’s fundamental truths, a ‘selling out’ to the secular world† (Henslin, 550). In the scholarly community of Brown, it is challenging to compartmentalize religion and reason and people today so often do.This debate comes to the forefront of the mind for Cedric. The two can certainly exist together, however, it requires some sacrif icing on the side of strict religious believers. Cedric speaks to Bishop Long about his conflict explaining, â€Å"I feel I’ve outgrown the church† (Suskind, 359). Long tells Cedric that as long as he carries God along for those times when he will need Him, then he can venture out into the world. Despite his questioning, Cedric’s faith in God never wanes.Even at the conclusion of the novel though â€Å"more than anything else, mustering that faith, on cue, is what separated him from his peers and distinguishes him from so many people it these literal sophisticated times. It has made all the difference† (Suskind, 365). Reading A Hope in the Unseen through a sociological lens allowed me to access the course material and its presence in daily interactions through Cedric’s experiences. I was raised in an affluent, predominantly white community with a strong public school system.As a result, I lack the experience to relate to Cedric and the intense adve rsity he overcomes. The text acted as both a sociological document, and a novel with adept language and development of literary themes. I found this paper immensely helpful in rendering the sociological themes and theories applicable to one individual’s life in such a wide spectrum of ways. I would highly recommend the use of this novel as an additional sociological perspective for the course next semester.The novel contains countless sociological themes, which allows any individual to draw upon what he or she finds interesting or worthy of further exploring. I chose to draw on religion although we have not yet covered it in class because I have personal ties to religion and connected with Cedric’s religious motivation and support throughout his journey. As many Georgetown students come from privileged backgrounds and become involved in the D. C. public school system throughout their four-year experience, A Hope in the Unseen is a pertinent text for all sociology stude nts.