Biology Investigation Woodlice - 1925 Words

* Biology Investigation 3.1 Porcellio Scaber (Slater, Woodlouse) Task 1 The crustacean Porcellio Scaber, or more commonly known as the woodlouse, is a species usually found in leaf litter or in fallen trees and bark. It feeds on detritus like many other isopods of its type, and is generally predated on by small mammals, lizards and some insects. The woodlouse habitat reflects its need to avoid warm and dry areas. The woodlouse is prone to desiccation (drying out) due to its body’s large surface area to volume ratio. This results in a variety of behavioural adaptations that help it conserve moisture and avoid desiccation. The woodlouse exhibits negative phototaxes behaviour, this results in them moving away from brighter areas in†¦show more content†¦Draw a 2cmx2cm grid with the crayon covering the section of black paper. 11. Place the bucket onto the grid with the open end facing down. 12. Trace the buckets circumference onto the black paper with the crayon. Dot the square in the centre of this circle. This will be the starting point for the woodlice. 13. Turn on the bulb to the specific voltage for the trial. 14. Take readings for Lux, Humidity and Temperature (In this investigation, readings were taking by putting the sensor up through the lip of the bucket). In future trials attempt to match them to these readings. It is more efficient to do all trials on the same day to make sure of the same humidity and temperature. 15. Place woodlouse onto starting square and quickly start the stopwatch while counting the number of squares the woodlouse moves. 16. After 2 minutes stop the stopwatch and note the amount of squares the woodlouse travelled in that time. 17. Repeat steps 13-16 for each specific voltage. 18. Change woodlice and start the next set of trials. 19. Repeat until 7 trials have been conducted. Results: * Column1 | * Average | * 10V | 27 | * 11V | 34.7 | * 12V | 40.9 | * 13V | 45.6 | * 14V | 64.3 | * 15V | 97 | Conclusion: In conclusion the hypothesis proved to be correct. During the investigation the woodlice did indeed have a fasterShow MoreRelatedEdexcel Mock Biology2329 Words   |  10 PagesWrite your name here Surname Other names Centre Number Candidate Number Edexcel GCE Biology Advanced Subsidiary Unit 4: The Natural Environment and Species Survival Wednesday 16 June 2010 – Morning Time: 1 hour 30 minutes You do not need any other materials. Paper Reference 6BI04/01 Total Marks Instructions black ink or †¢ Usein the boxesball-point pen. page with your name, at the top of this †¢ Fill number and candidate number. centre †¢ Answer all questions. in the spacesRead MoreEcological Niche1283 Words   |  6 Pageswater by eatting food Rate This Answer Upper Hutt College Year 13 Biology Slater Study Achievement standard: biology 3.1 Introduction to experiment: In this investigation of the ecological niche of the woodlouse, I chose to experiment the amount of soil moisture that the slaters tend to prefer. I chose this aspect, as moisture is a vital part in the survival of this small creature. Internet sources provided information of the woodlice that shows that they are from crustacean descent and formerly aquaticRead MoreEssay about Effect of Rotanone2814 Words   |  12 PagesInsectisides Pirimicarb and Rotenone on Blowfly, Blowfly larvae, Woodlice and Daphni Abstract The LC50 of insecticides rotenone and pirimicarb were compared by testing blowfly, blowfly larva, woodlice and daphnia. Rotenone is a NADH dehydrogenase inhibitor causing death by oxidative stress however pirimicarb causes toxicity through acetylcholinesterase inhibition. It was found that rotenone had large toxic effects on daphnia, blowflies and woodlice but not maggots and pirimicarb had low toxic effects onRead MoreSlater Study2592 Words   |  11 PagesUpper Hutt College Year 13 Biology Slater Study Achievement standard: biology 3.1 Introduction to experiment: In this investigation of the ecological niche of the woodlouse, I chose to experiment the amount of soil moisture that the slaters tend to prefer. I chose this aspect, as moisture is a vital part in the survival of this small creature. Internet sources provided information of the woodlice that shows that they are from crustacean descent and formerly aquatic even though now theyRead MoreSlater Study2600 Words   |  11 PagesUpper Hutt College Year 13 Biology Slater Study Achievement standard: biology 3.1 Introduction to experiment: In this investigation of the ecological niche of the woodlouse, I chose to experiment the amount of soil moisture that the slaters tend to prefer. I chose this aspect, as moisture is a vital part in the survival of this small creature. Internet sources provided information of the woodlice that shows that they are from crustacean descent and formerly aquatic even though

Microsoft Office Review Assignment Page Win34 Free Essays

2. Shelly folder-lists location Computer-shows the disk drives and hardware connected to this computer. Recycle bin-Contains the files and folders you have deleted. We will write a custom essay sample on Microsoft Office Review Assignment Page Win34 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mozilla Firefox-Lists location HP photosmart-HP Photosmart Essential 3. 5, also listed location McAfee Security scan-listed the location Windows update-Delivers software updates and drivers and provides automatic updating options. Microsoft Security Assentials- Microsoft Security Assentials Malwarebytes anti-malware-malwarebytes anti-malware, also listed where it’s stored. . 22 4. 1 5. 2 6. The button on the task bar is highlighted and the top of the screen says untitled paint. 8. 0 9. I right clicked the paint button on the taskbar and right clicked close window. 10. cut, copy, paste, undo, redo, select all, layout, folder and search options, delete, rename, remove properties, properties, and close. 11. I clicked help and then went down to view help and clicked on that. This dialog box is used to offer helpful suggestions on recovering files from the recycle bin. 2. I clicked libraries on the left side of the window and documents was right underneath of it. 13. It contained one video clip called Wildlife. 14. I selected extra large icons and the icon looked the same just became large. 16. I chose understanding security and safe computing from the bulleted list of options to choose from in the help and support window. I learned that there are 4 ways you can protect your pc from security threats. 17. 12 topics, 30 topics How to cite Microsoft Office Review Assignment Page Win34, Essay examples

Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island free essay sample

This paper is a book review of the different themes found in the book Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. This paper discusses the books setting and goes into great detail about the different characters, paying special attention to their individual roles in the storyline. The writer also discusses the many different conflicts in the book and how they contribute to the major theme in the book, good versus evil. According to this author, `Treasure Island,` by Robert Louis Stevenson is still a classic tale of the coming of age of a young boy in a time that is filled with adventure that todays youth can still appreciate and enjoy. His maturity really begins with the arrival of Billy Bones, the old captain Billy describes as having breath hanging like smoke in his wake as he strode off (12). Billy seems a typical roughneck who frightens people but at the same time knows his match and backs down. We will write a custom essay sample on Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When he tries to intimidate Dr. Livesey at first meeting, Billy is put in his place with, I have only one thing to say to you, sir, replies the doctor, that if you keep on drinking rum, the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel (10). This statement gives the reader important insight into not only Billy Bones vulnerability against authority but also aptly describes Dr. Livesey character. He is an educated and knowledgeable man, well respected for his competence and loyalty. He always does what is reasonable and practical, unlike the impetuousness of the pirates and Jim.

Professional Ethics free essay sample

The Ethical Question is the question of the morality of free and responsible human conduct. It is the question of right, of wrong, and of duty, in mans conscious and deliberate activity. The department of philosophy which answers this question is called Moral Philosophy or Ethics. This science grows out of the rest of philosophy. For when we have a philosophical grasp of the possibility of achieving certitude and of right formulas for reasoning out truth, then we are necessarily aware of the need of the true program for right human living. General Ethics Topics.Ends of Human Acts; c. Norms of Human Acts; d. Morality of Human Acts; e. Properties and Consequences of Human Acts. a) Human Acts The term human act has a fixed technical meaning. It means an act (thought, word, deed, desire, omission) performed by a human being when he is responsible; when he knows what he is doing and wills to do it. We will write a custom essay sample on Professional Ethics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page An act is perfectly human when it is done with full knowledge and full consent of the will, and with full and unhampered freedom of choice. If the act is hampered in any way, it is less perfectly human; if it is done without knowledge or consent it is not a human act at all.An act done by a human being but without knowledge and consent is called an act of a person but not a human act. In the terminology of classical realistic philosophy, a human act is actus humanus; an act of a person is actus hominis. The essential elements of a human act are three: knowledge, freedom, actual choice. (1) Knowledge: A person is not responsible for an act done in ignorance, unless the ignorance is the persons own fault, and is therefore willed (vincible ignorance), in which case he has knowledge that he is in ignorance and ought to dispel it. Thus, in one way or another, knowledge is necessary for responsible human activity. 2) Freedom: A person is not responsible for an act over which he has no control, unless he deliberately surrenders such control by running into conditions and circumstances which rob him of liberty. Thus, in one way or another, freedom is necessary for every human act. (3) Actual choice or voluntariness: A person is not responsible for an act which he does not will, unless he wills to give up his self-control (as a man does, for instance, in allowing himself to be hypnotized, or by deliberately becoming intoxicated). Thus, in one way or another, voluntariness or actual choice enters into every human act.Now, a human act is a willed act. It proceeds from the will, following the knowledge and judgment of the mind or intellect. Since what refers to the freewill is usually described as moral, a human act is a moral act. Since the will is free, a human act is a free act. A human act comes from the will directly or indirectly. When the act itself is the choice of the will, it comes directly from the will and is said to be willed in se or in itself. When the act comes indirectly from the will, inasmuch as the will chooses rather what causes or occasions the act than the act itself, it is said to be willed in its cause or in causa.Thus a man who wills to become intoxicated, wills it directly or in se; a man who does not wish to become intoxicated, but who seeks entertainment where, as experience tells him, he is almost sure to become intoxicated, wills the intoxication indirectly or in causa. This distinction of direct and indirect willing (or direct and indirect voluntariness) raises a notable issue, and we have here two of the most important principles (that is, fundamental guiding truths) in all ethics. These are: (1) The Principle of Indirect Voluntariness: A person is responsible for the evil effect of a cause directly willed when three conditions are met: hen he can readily foresee the evil effect, at least in a general way; when he is free to refrain from doing what causes the evil effect; and when he is bound to refrain from doing what causes the evil effect. But is the agent (that is, the doer of an act) not always bound to avoid what causes an evil effect? Is not the fact that the effect is evil a sufficient reason for rendering the act which leads to it unlawful? Not always, for sometimes the act has two effects, one good and one evil. In this case, the following principle applies.Sound human reason vindicates the value and trustworthiness of these two leading ethical principles. The basic law of morals, called the natural law, is summed up in this plain mandate of reason: We must do good; we must avoid evil. And, developing the second point, that is, the avoidance of evil, we have this basic rational principle: We must never do what is evil, even though good may be looked for and intended as a result of it. Human acts are modified, that is, affected, and made less perfectly human, by anything that hampers or hinders any of the three essentials of human action: knowledge, freedom, voluntariness.Chief of the modifiers of human acts are these: (1) Ignorance. Ignorance that may be overcome by due diligence is called vincible ignorance or culpable ignorance; ignorance that cannot be expelled by due diligence is called invincible ignorance or inculpable ignorance. The reasoned ethical principle on this point is: Invincible ignorance destroys voluntariness and relieves the agent of responsibility; vincible ignorance lessens but does not remove voluntariness and responsibility. (2) Concupiscence.By concupiscence we mean any of the g human impulses or tendencies technically called the passions. These are: love, hatred, grief, desire, aversion, hope, despair, courage, fear, anger. When concupiscence sweeps upon a person without his intending it, it is called antecedent concupiscence; when a person wills it (as in the case of a man who nurses his injuries, or stirs himself to revenge, or who allows a suddenly envisioned obscene image to remain in his mind or before his eyes) it is called consequent concupiscence.The ethical principle here is: Antecedent concupiscence lessens voluntariness and responsibility but does not take them away; consequent concupiscence does not lessen voluntariness and responsibility. Of all the types of concupiscence which influence human acts, fear has a peculiar significance, and we have a special reasoned principle for it: An act done from a motive of fear is simply voluntary; the agent is responsible for it, even though he would not do it were he not under the sway of fear. Of course, if the fear is so great that it renders the agent insane at the moment of his act, he is incapable of a human act and is not responsible.Civil law m ake provisions for the nullifying of contracts made under the stress of fear (that is, of threat, or duress), for the common good requires that people be protected from the malice of unscrupulous persons who would not hesitate to enforce harmful bargains by fearsome means. (3) Violence. Coaction or violence is external force applied by a free cause (that is, by human beings) to compel a person to do something contrary to his will. The ethical principle with respect to violence is: An act owing to violence to which due resistance is made, is not voluntary, and the agent is not responsible for it. 4) Habit. Habit is a readiness, born of repeated acts, for doing a certain thing. The ethical principle is: Habit does not take away voluntariness; acts done from habit are voluntary, at least in cause, as long as the habit is permitted to continue. (5) Fear. Fear is the shrinking of the appetite from some evil that is difficult to avoid. Actions taken on account of fear are voluntary and so are IMPUTABLE (we are responsible for them). Fear of some great evil may excuse people from immediate compliance to human law, but not in cases where this would involve some violation of the Natural Law.For example, lawyers, doctors and priests have a grave obligation to keep secrets told to them in confidence. b) Ends of Human Acts An end is a purpose or goal. It is that for which an act is performed. It is the final cause of an act. An end intended for itself is an ultimate end; an end intended as a measure or means of gaining a further end is an intermediate end. The first end (in order of attainment) is proximate; other ends are remote. An ultimate end is ultimate in a certain series of ends, or it is the crowning end of all human activity.The ultimate end of a series is called relatively ultimate; the crowning end of all human activity is called absolutely ultimate. A young man entering medical school has, as proximate and intermediate ends, the passing of his exams, and the advance from the first to the second class; more remote ends are the exams and classes further on; the ultimate end of the whole series of his studies and efforts is the status of a physician. But this end is relatively ultimate, not absolutely so. Why does he wish to be a physician? Perhaps to do good and to have an honorable means of livelihood.But why does he want this? For a full life, a rounded satisfaction in his earthly existence? But why does he want these things? Inevitably, in view of a still further end. For all human ends are directed, in last analysis, to an all-sufficing absolutely ultimate end. This is the completely satisfying end or good; it is the Supreme and Infinite Good; it is the Summum Bonum; and, for theists, it is God. An end as a thing desired or intended is called objective. The satisfaction looked for in the attainment and possession of the objective end, is the subjective end.Man, in every human act, strives for the possession of good (for end and good are synonymous), and for infinite good or God. This is the absolutely ultimate objective end of all human activity. And man strives for the infinite good as that which will boundlessly satisfy; he looks for complete beatitude or complete happiness in the attainment and possession of God. This is the absolutely ultimate subjective end of all human activity. Saint and sinner alike are striving towards God. The Saint is striving in the right direction, and the sinner in the wrong direction.But it is the one Goal they are after, that is, the full, everlasting, satisfaction of all desire. The good man in his good human acts and the evil man in his evil human acts are like two men digging for diamonds; the one digs in a diamond mine, the other perversely digs in a filthy heap of rubbish; the one works where diamonds are to be found, the others work is hopeless of success. But it is to find diamonds that both are working. Man necessarily (and not freely) intends or wills the supreme and absolute end of all human acts. Man freely (and not necessarily) chooses the means that is, intermediate ends) by which he expects, wisely or perversely, to attain that end. c) Norms of Human Acts A norm is a rule; it is the measure of a thing. The norm of human acts is the rule which shows whether they measure up to what they should be, and indicates the duty of bringing them up to full standard of what they ought to be. The norms of human acts are law and conscience. More precisely, the one norm of human acts is law applied by conscience. Law is an ordinance of reason promulgated for the common good by one who has charge of society.Fundamentally, law is an ordinance of Infinite Reason for all mankind and for every creature. In this sense, law means the Eternal Law which is Gods plan and providence for the universe. Inasmuch as this law is knowable by a normal mind which reasons to it from the facts of experience, the Eternal Law is called the natural law. For when a person ceases to be a baby and becomes responsible, this is owing to the fact that he recognizes the following truth: There is such a thing as good; there is such a thing as evil; I have a duty to avoid evil and to do good. A child of ten that knew no distinction between lies and truth, theft and honesty, obedience and disobedience, would rightly be classed as an imbecile. Indeed, we say that a person comes to the use of reason when he begins to have a practical grasp of three things: good, evil, duty. In other words, reason makes evident the basic prescriptions of the natural law. The natural law is general. But man needs, in addition to general prescriptions for conduct, special determinations of the law such as, for instance, the enactments of the State in civil and criminal laws. Law is for the common good.Special regulations for individuals or groups are called precepts. A precept is like a law inasmuch as it is a regulation or an ordering unto good. A precept is unlike a law inasmuch as it is rather for private than for common good. In human laws and precepts, a further distinction is made. A law is territorial; it binds in a certain place and not in other places; a precept is personal, and it binds the person subject to it wherever he may be. Again, a law endures even though the actual persons who formulated and promulgated it are dead and gone; a precept ends with the death (or removal from office) of the preceptor. True law is a liberating force, not an enslaving one. A true law may be compared to a true map. The map does not enslave the traveler, but enables him to make his journey without hindrance or mishap. The man who says he will not be enslaved by maps, is a prey to ignorance, and is thus truly enslaved; the man who uses the map is liberated from the enslavement of ignorance and is freed to make the journey. For liberty does not include in its essence the ability to do wrong. This ability is a sad condition of earthly human existence; it is not a part of liberty itself.God can do no wrong, yet God is infinitely free. The souls in heaven can no longer sin, and yet they have not lost freedom, but have used freedom and brought it to its crowning perfection. Mans freedom is freedom of the choice of means to his ultimate end; when the end is attained, means are no longer needed, and the freedom which won to success is forever crowned in full perfection. Law that is set down in recorded enactments is called positive law. The moral law as knowable to sound human reason (that is, the Eternal Law as so knowable) is called, as we have seen, the natural law.A law is called moral if it binds under guilt. It is called penal if it binds under penalty (such as a fine). It is called mixed if it binds under both guilt and penalty. It is a debated question among ethicians whether there can be a law that is entirely and exclusively penal. All true laws have sanctions, that is, inducements (of reward or punishment prescribed) sufficient to make those bound by them obedient to their prescriptions. Human positive law usually has the sanction of penalty, not of special reward. In individual human acts, law is applied by conscience.Conscience is the practical judgment of human reason upon an act as good, and hence permissible or obligatory, or as evil, and hence to be avoided. Conscience is the reasoned judgment of the mind. It is no instinct, no sentiment, no prejudice born of custom or what moderns call mores; it is no still small voice; it is no little spark of celestial fire. It is the pronouncement of reason, the reason with which we work out a problem in mathematics, only, to be called conscience it must be the working out of a judgment or pronouncement in the domain of morals, of duty.When the judgment of conscience squares with facts, conscience is called correct or true. When the conscience-judgment is out of line with facts, conscience is called false. When the conscience-judgment is wholly assured and unhesitant, conscience is called certain. When the conscience judgment is hesitant, and amounts to no more than opinion, conscience is called doubtful. Doubt is speculative when it is a lack of certainty about what is true; it is practical when it is a lack of certainty about what is to be done.A doubt is positive when the mind hesitates between two opposites because there seems good reason for each; it is negative when the mind hesitates because there seems no good reason on either side. A most important reasoned principle is the following: It is never lawful to act while in a state of positive practical doubt. The doubt must be dispelled and replaced by at least moral certitude. To dispel positive practical doubt, a person must use the direct method of study, inquiry, finding all the facts.If this method prove unsuccessful, or if it cannot be applied, then the indirect method (called the appeal to the reflex principle) must be employed. This means that the person in doubt about the licitness or illicitness of an act can make sure that he is not bound by applying the reflex principle: A law that is of doubtful application cannot beget a certain obligation. In this case, certitude is attained, not of the case itself, but of the persons freedom from obligation: thus, it is an indirect certitude. Out of the use of the reflex principle just mentioned, emerges the theory called Probabilism. It amounts to this : If there exists a solidly probable opinion against the applicability of a law in a given case, that law is of doubtful applicability. In other words, it is a doubtful law. But a doubtful law cannot beget a certain obligation. Therefore, if there exists a solidly probable opinion against the applicability of a law in a given case, there is no obligation. The moral system of Probabilism is of value only when there is question of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of an act; it has no place when the question is one of the validity or invalidity of contract.Further, the phrase a solidly probable opinion does not mean a strong inclination or liking on the part of the agent; it means a reasoned opinion, especially such as is defended by men of known learning and prudence. Probabilism, or the application of the reflex principle, a doubtful law does not bind, cannot be employed except in the failure or the inapplicability of the direct method of solving a doubt. Nor can it be used when there is question of a clear and definite end to be achieved. d) Morality of Human Acts Morality is the relation of human acts to the norm or rule of what they ought to be.As we have seen, the norm of human acts is law applied by conscience. And the basic law is the Eternal Law, especially as this is knowable by sound human reason (it is then called the natural law). The squaring up of free and responsible human conduct with law as applied by conscience is the morality of human acts; the lack of such agreement of human acts with their norm is immorality. But, as we have indicated, morality is generally used to signify the relation (whether of agreement or disagreement) of human acts to their norm or rule. Thus we speak of morally good acts and of morally bad acts. A human act considered as such, as an act, as a deed performed, stands in agreement or out of agreement with the norm of what it ought to be. Thus it has objective morality. Many mistaken people of our day, especially those of university training, are fond of talking as though a human act took all its morality from the intention of the agent, or from his viewpoint. They are full of expressions such as, As I see it , To my mind . . . , I dont look at it in that way . . . , Its all in the point of view . . . etc. Now, there is an immense field for human opinion.Where certitude cannot be had, opinion is the best man can achieve. But in matters of essential morals, certitude can be had (as we have seen, by direct method, or, this failing, by the reflex method). Hence the lawfulness or unlawfulness of an act, its morality, in short, is never a matter of opinion, viewpoint, prejudice, or preference. It is a matter of fact. It is an objective thing. Human acts have objective morality. A person blamelessly mistaken about the objective morality of an act is exempt (by reason of invincible ignorance) from responsibility for such act.Thus, a person who is invincibly ignorant of the fact that a lie is always unlawful, and who is convinced with full certitude that in certain circumstances a lie is permissible, is not guilty of formal falsehood for telling such a lie. But this does not mean that the objective morality of a lie is a fiction or an illusion; it does not mean that the morality of an act depends on the agents convictions. The lie is objectively evil and remains so. Only, in the case mentioned, invincible ignorance excuses the agent from responsibility for it. And so much the worse for the agent, for ignorance is always a blight and a burden. Some acts have their objective morality in themselves by reason of their nature. Murder, lying, calumny, injustice, are examples of acts intrinsically evil. Respect for life, truthfulness, charity, justice, are examples of acts intrinsically good. Other human acts have their objective morality by reason of positive law, which is an extrinsic determinant. Thus, hunting out of season, violating the speed laws, are acts objectively but extrinsically evil.Obeying civil ordinances, performing the duty of true citizens as expressed by law, are, in the main, acts objectively but extrinsically good. The basic virtue of being a good citizen, however, is intrinsically good. In the concrete, as a deed done, every human act has true objective morality. But when a human act is considered in the abstract, in general, and not as a concrete deed performed, it is sometimes found to be indifferent, and neither good nor bad. In other words, some human acts are not intrinsically good or intrinsically evil in themselves as abstractly considered.But in their actual performing, they take on morality (and truly objective morality) from the circumstances. For the determinants of morality are the act performed and the circumstances of the act performed. The act performed is technically known as the object. Human acts that have intrinsic morality are good or evil by reason of the object, that is the act itself. Such acts, if evil, are never permissible. If good, and if circumstances do not vitiate them, they are lawful. Some of them are not capable of being vitiated by circumstances, and these are always lawful, and also of obligation.Such, for example, is the duty of professing the truth, of working justice to all men. The circumstances of an act performed determine its morality when the object does not do so. Circumstances are various, but the most important are those of person, of the intensity of the act, of place, of time, of helping influences in the act, of manner, and of intention. The last named (that is intention of the agent or doer) is the most notable circumstance. Of circumstances in general, the ethical principles are these: an indifferent act is made good or evil by circumstances; good act may be made evil by circumstances but an evil act cannot be made good by circumstances; an act is made better or worse by circumstances; a circumstance gravely evil ruins the morality of the whole act and makes it evil; a circumstance slightly evil, which is not the entire motive of a good act, does not utterly destroy its goodness. Of intention in special, the ethical principles are these: a good act done for a good intention has an added goodness from the intention, and a bad act for a bad intention has an added evil from the intention; And therefore he tends to act in the same way again. In a word, human acts tend to follow patterns called habits. By habit in the present instance we mean an operative habit, a habit of acting. Such a habit is an inclination, born of frequently repeated action, for acting in a certain way. An operative habit that is morally good is called a virtue. An operative habit that is morally bad is called a vice. Virtues and vices are the consequences of human acts. The chief-virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.These are called the cardinal virtues (from the Latin cardo, stem cardin-, a hinge) because all other virtues depend on them as a door depends on its hinges. Vice, or habit of evil doing, is a habitual defect, a habitual failure to measure up to the norm of right conduct and of the virtues. A single bad act is a sin, but not a vice. Vice is the habit of sin. It stands opposed to virtue either by defect or by excess, but in either case it is a habitual failure (a negative thing) to measure up to the standard of what a human act ought to be. Professional Ethics free essay sample Nurses represent the largest group of health care professionals† (Sarikonda-Woitas Robinson, 2002, p. 72). Professional nurses are accountable for his or her ethical conduct. Medical professionals have a legal and ethical responsibility to deliver safe, quality care taking into account the patients’ individual needs and allowing self-determination. The nursing codes of ethics are formal statements guiding professional conduct and informing the public of the nursing professions commitment and beliefs. This nursing code of ethics along with specific state law nurse practice acts, guide nurses in practicing safely within legal and ethical boundaries. Wacker Guido (2006) stated, â€Å"Ethics, like values, is individualistic† (p. 2). Legal and Ethical Relationships Wacker Guido (2006) stated, â€Å"The disciplines of law and professional nursing have been officially integrated since the first mandatory nurse practice act was passed by the New York legislature in 1938† (p. 15). Laws are created to govern the public. According to Dictionary. com (n. d. ), â€Å"the legal system interprets and enforces laws† (legal system). We will write a custom essay sample on Professional Ethics or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When a person violates a law his or her freedom is at risk and can be taken from him or her. Wacker Guido (2006) stated, â€Å"Created by individuals and capable of being changed, the legal system is a general foundation that gives continuing guidance to health care providers, regardless of their personal views and value system† (p. 3). Ethics are based on a framework of values, philosophies and can be interpreted differently by individuals (Wacker Guido, 2006). Ethics can be defined as beliefs, standards, or morals accepted and agreed upon by a specific group. The American Nursing Association (2001) website code of ethics with interpretive statements advises that each individual nurse is responsible for his or her own individual practice. It would not be outside the realm of consideration that he or she may have a legal action, that is held to be unethical and vice versa that an ethical action would be held to be illegal. With this, dilemmas arise and require the nurse to seek assistance from a board of ethics or simply make their decision with the full knowledge that he or she will be held accountable for their decisions. As the scope of professional nursing practice becomes more complex, the individual nurse must exercise judgment in accepting responsibilities, seeking consultation, and assigning activities to others who implement nursing services† (Milton, 2008, p. 301). Personal and Professional Values I consider my values to be closely linked with my morals. I use my values and morals to personally gauge what I consider right fr om wrong. I believe that my values were formed early on in my childhood. I was raised by a multi-viewed religious family. I believe this allowed me to understand that while each person held a strong conviction, it was not necessarily aligned exactly with my own. It was permissible in my family to entertain other’s beliefs without fully incorporating them into my own value and belief system. I did not realize how strongly my own beliefs were until I married into a devout Catholic family. I took the educational courses to convert but when it came time to agree with their basic principles with the priest, I could not do it. That surprised many of my friends who told me to say I did and be done with it. They asked me what the big deal was. The priest however had a differing view and agreed with my final decision. If I could not accept their beliefs, I would not pay lip service to it for a ceremony. My husband agreed and though his family did not like it, we were married outside the Catholic Church. I believe much the same way with my professional ethics, when I took the Nightingale Pledge I meant every word and I review it as well as the American Nursing Association code of ethics and my state nurse practice acts at least once a year. Professional ethics is my framework for functioning in my professional role. It is important that I remember that health care values can change and this could impact mine and others professional ethics. When I worked in the hospital, I used to attend the ethical boards when open and accessible. It was always interesting to hear the rationale behind some of the decisions made and how at times the legal and ethical thoughts were not congruent. Ethical Theories and Principles According to Wacker Guido (2006), there are a number of ethical theories that have evolved over time. There are two basic distinctions in ethical issues called nonnormative and normative ethics. Normative ethics are concerned with analyzing the meaning, justification, and inferences whereas nonnormative are concerned with how choice of action is related to everyday life (Wacker Guido, 2006). Wacker Guido (2006) stated, â€Å"Ethical principles actually control professional decision making much more than do ethical theories† (p. 5). Deontological This theory holds that as a person facing ethical dilemmas, the person should maintain their commitments and fulfill his or her duties. It means not breaking promises made and following all laws, rules, and adhering to policies set. Accountability is important in this theory, and it is classified as non-consequential because doing one’s duty is more important than outcomes (Wacker Guido, 2006). I see this applying in my personal practice as a community nurse when I stop and offer assistance at a crash. I feel it is my duty to offer assistance when I am able. I am held accountable that I do not offer assistance outside my nurse practice act however; the Good Samaritan law will protect me regardless of outcomes. My intention of my action outweighs any consequences that may occur. I have many nurse friends who refuse to offer assistance worried of being sued. I know my state laws and that guides my actions. Teleological This theory is also called utilitarianism (Wacker Guido, 2006). This theory holds that the outcomes or whether the action was beneficial will determine whether or not it was ethical. This theory does not take into account the action itself but is concerned with the outcomes of the action. I tried to find an example of where I performed an act strictly because of the consequences regardless of whether or not the action was ethical or legal and I was somewhat at a loss. I at one time refused to release patient information to a police officer regarding a patient’s rape though it could have led to the perpetrator’s arrest, the patient did not wish her information released. â€Å"Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 there is no absolute requirement for healthcare staff to disclose or not to disclose information to the police† (Beech, 2007, p. 5). Principalism Principalism is a theory that combines theories and attempts to answer ethical issues and dilemmas by application of multiple theories. Wacker Guido (2006) stated, â€Å"Because most nurses do not ascribe to either deontology or teleology exclusively, but to a combination of the two theories, principalism is growing in popularity† (p. 5). Ethical Principles There are seven ethica l principles that can be applied in every day practice. The first is autonomy. This ensures the patient’s right to self-determination. Though it is not an absolute right in some rare instances, it allows for the patient to decide against medical advice in keeping with his or her own beliefs. I have treated many Jehovah Witnesses throughout my career and have seen them decline blood products sometimes resulting in his or her death. It is their right to make that decision and was made with full knowledge of the possible outcomes of their decision. The second principle is beneficence and nonmaleficence. I see these tied hand in hand. It is my job to do well and to do no harm. There are occasions when the good outweighs possible harm, and â€Å"dual effect† must be considered. I have seen this done in hospice when to alleviate pain may impair respiratory function. The outcome is not to cause death but to alleviate suffering. The third is veracity. This principle holds that truth is to be told and not to make promises that cannot be guaranteed (Wacker Guido, 2006). I will not lie to a patient. I have been asked my many family members throughout my career not to tell the truth to a patient. If the patient is of age and in charge of their own decisions and care, I will not lie to my patients. The fourth is paternalism. This is a principle that I have a hard time with. It allows for the making of decisions for others. I believe that I can assist my patients by offering him or her the education and expected outcomes of treatment and refusal of treatment but I will not tell a patient what I would do in his or her circumstances. In truth, I have told many patients’ I do not know what I would do in their circumstances because I have never been in their particular situation. The adage of walk a mile in my shoes always comes to mind when I am asked this question. The fifth is justice. I embrace this principle with open arms. I do believe that everyone should be treated fairly and equally. I have had this tested when I have had to treat a rapist brought in by the local prison. I have my own baggage that I carry, and it took some self-reflection but I performed as I would expect anyone else in that situation that was a professional. The sixth and last is respect for others. Wacker Guido (2006) stated, â€Å"seen by many as the highest principle, incorporates all other principles† (P. 7). It is my belief that in doing this we treat others as we wish to be treated. It is also the first principle in the American Nurses Associations code of ethics (Wacker Guido, 2006). I use this principle every day. I am not perfect but I want to think that I try to, and succeed on a more rather than less scale to treat others in my personal and professional lives with as much respect as I expect to be treated with. I allow patient’s his or her right to choose and I can entertain your ideas without necessarily agreeing with him and her. Conclusion Nurses and all healthcare professionals come with their own unique personal values and interpretation of ethics. Ethical and legal issues as well as their resulting dilemmas are an integral part of nursing and can result in some interesting challenges. â€Å"Articulating and acting upon professional values with accountability is essential for the discipline of nursing in order to fortify and enhance its integrity and trust with global communities â€Å"(Milton, 2008, p. 303). As a nurse, I strive to assist my patients to make informed autonomous decisions regarding their healthcare. Each healthcare discipline must question, challenge, and reflect upon its practices in order to hold one another accountable so that the healthcare recipients’ human dignity, freedom, and personal autonomy to choose and make healthcare decisions may be enhanced†.

Profile of Jodi Arias and the Murder of Travis Alexander

Profile of Jodi Arias and the Murder of Travis Alexander Jodi Arias was arrested on July 15, 2008, and charged with shooting and stabbing to death her 30-year-old ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander, in his home in Meza, Arizona. Arias pleaded not guilty, claiming that she killed Alexander in self-defense. Background Jodi Ann Arias was born in Salinas, California, on July 9, 1980, to William Angelo and Sandy D. Arias. She has four siblings: an older half-sister, two younger brothers and a sister. Beginning at the age of 10, Arias showed an interest in photography which continued throughout her adult life. Her childhood years are unremarkable, however, she has said that she was an abused child, claiming her parents hit her with wooden spoons and a belt. The abuse allegedly began when she was 7-years-old. Arias dropped out of Yreka Union High School in the 11th grade. She continued to pursue her interest in professional photography while working at various part-time jobs. Darryl Brewer During the fall of 2001, Arias began working as a server at a restaurant located at the Ventana Inn and Spa in Carmel, California. Darryl Brewer, who was the food and beverage manager for the restaurant, was in charge of hiring and training the restaurants employees. Both Arias and Brewer lived in staff housing and in January 2003, they began dating. At the time Arias was 21 and Brewer was 40. They had already engaged in sex together before they began to officially date. Brewer said that that time, Arias was a responsible, caring and loving person. In May 2005, Arias and Brewer purchased a home together in Palm Desert, California. The agreement was that they would each be responsible for paying half of the mortgage payments of $2008 a month. In February 2006, Jodi began working for Prepaid Legal, while keeping her servers job at Ventana. She also began getting involved with the Mormon Church. She started having visitors to the home who were of the Mormon faith for Bible studies and group prayer sessions. In May 2006, Jodi told Brewer that she no longer wanted to have a physical relationship with him because she wanted to practice what she was being taught at church and save herself for her future husband. It is also around the same time that she decided to have breast implants. According to Brewer, during the summer of 2006, Jodi had begun to change as her involvement with Prepaid Legal increased. She became financially irresponsible and began defaulting on her financial responsibilities, including what she owed in living expenses. As the relationship began to deteriorate, Brewer made arrangements to move to Monterrey to be closer to his son. Jodi was not planning to move with him and it was agreed that she would remain in the house until it could be sold. Their relationship ended in December 2006, however, they did remain friends and would occasionally call each other. The following year the house went into foreclosure. Travis Alexander Arias and Travis Alexander met in September 2006, in Las Vegas, Nevada, while attending a Prepaid Legal Services conference. Alexander was 30 and worked as a motivational speaker and a sales representative for Prepaid Legal. Arias was 28 and was living in Yreka, California, working in sales for Prepaid Legal and trying to develop her photography business. There was an immediate attraction between the two and according to Arias, the relationship became sexual a week after they met. At the time, Arias was living in California and Alexander was in Arizona. They began traveling together to several states and when apart the relationship grew through emails (over 82,000 were eventually exchanged) and talking together on the phone daily. On November 26, 2006, Arias was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in order, in her words, to get closer to Alexander who was a devout Mormon. Three months later Alexander and Arias began dating each other exclusively and she moved from California to Mesa, Arizona, to be closer to Alexander. The relationship lasted around four months, ending in the latter part of June 2007, although they continued to have sex together periodically. According to Arias, the relationship ended because she did not trust Alexander. She later alleged that Alexander was a sexual deviant who was physically and sexually abusive to her and that he wanted her to be his personal slave. Stalking After the relationship ended, Alexander began dating other women and allegedly complained to friends that Arias was jealous. He suspected that she had slashed his tires twice and sent threatening anonymous emails to him and to the woman he was dating. He also told friends that Arias had snuck into his home through a dog door while he was sleeping. Secret Relationship Despite the claims of being stalked, Alexander and Arias continued to travel together during March 2008 and maintained their sexual relationship. According to Arias, she grew tired of being Alexanders secret girlfriend and when it came time for her to find another place to live after her roommate married, she decided to return to California. Evidence shows that after Arias left Arizona, that the two continued to exchange sexually explicit internet messages and pictures. According to Alexanders friends, in June 2008 he had enough of Arias after suspecting her of hacking into his Facebook account and bank accounts. He allegedly told her he wanted her to stay out of his life forever. Alexander is Murdered According to police records, on June 2, 2008, Arias rented a car from Budget Rent-a-Car in Redding, California, and drove to Alexanders home in Mesa, where they took pictures of them having sex together and in various nude poses. On June 4, Arias drove back to California and returned the rental car to Budget-Rental. Alexanders friends became concerned about him when he missed an important meeting and failed to show up for a planned trip to Cancun, Mexico. On June 9, two of his friends went to his home and woke up one of his roommates, who insisted Alexander was out of town. He then checked Alexanders room which had been locked and discovered him dead on the floor of his shower stall. Through an autopsy it was determined that Alexander had been shot in the brow, stabbed 27 times and his neck had been severed. Evidence The detectives handling Alexanders murder were able to collect a lot of forensic evidence at the murder scene. This included a camera which was found in the washing machine, which appeared to have been washed. It was general knowledge that Alexander had grown annoyed with Arias stalking. It was first suggested that Arias could be involved in Alexanders death during the 9-1-1 call that was made after Alexanders body was discovered. Other friends and family members who were interviewed by the detectives also suggested that the police should interview Arias. Recovered Photos and DNA Results Arias began calling Esteban Flores who was the detective that was in charge of the case. She asked about details of the murder and offered to help in the investigation. She claimed that she had no knowledge of the crime and that she had last seen Alexander in April 2008. On June 17, Arias allowed herself to be fingerprinted and swabbed for DNA, as did many of Alexanders friends. Two days after being fingerprinted, investigators questioned her about a series of photos which had been recovered from the memory card of the camera that was found in the washing machine. The photos, which were time-stamped on June 4, 2008, showed images of Alexander in the shower, likely minutes before he was killed. There were also images of him lying on the floor bleeding. Other pictures, which had been deleted but recovered, were of Jodi, nude and posed in provocative positions, also time-stamped on the same day. Arias continued to insist that she had not seen Alexander since April. A week later lab tests showed that a bloody print found at the murder scene contained DNA that matched Arias and Alexander. There was also a DNA match to Arias on hair found at the scene. Happy Birthday Over the following weeks, Arias attended a memorial service for Alexander, wrote a lengthy sympathy letter to his grandmother, arranged for flowers to be sent to his family and posted loving messages about Travis on her MySpace page. On July 9, 2008, which was Arias birthday, a California grand jury indicted her on first-degree murder. Six days later she was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and in September she was extradited to Arizona to face trial. Lies and More Lies Just days after being incarcerated in Arizona, Jodi Arias granted an interview with the Arizona Republic. During the interview, she insisted that she was innocent and had nothing to do with the murder of Alexander. She gave no explanation for why her DNA was found at the murder scene. A few weeks later, on September 24, 2008, the television show, Inside Edition also interviewed Arias, but this time she admitted that she was with Alexander when he was murdered and that it was two intruders who did it. She explained more about the murder in another interview for 48 Hours on June 23, 2009. She said that she had been miraculously spared during what she called a home invasion. According to her story, Alexander had been playing around with his new camera and suddenly she found herself lying on the bathroom floor after hearing a loud pop. When she looked up she saw a man and a woman, both dressed in black, approaching. They were carrying a knife and a gun. She said that the man pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger, but that nothing happened. She then ran out of the house, leaving Alexander, and did not look back. She explained her reason for not calling the police was because she was afraid for her life and she was pretending that none of it happened. In fear, she drove back to California. The Death Penalty The Maricopa County Attorneys Office described the crimes of Jodi Arias especially cruel, heinous and carried out in a depraved manner and sought the death penalty. Representing Herself Months before the trial was to begin, Arias told the judge that she wanted to represent herself. The judge allowed it, as long as there was a public defender present during the trial. A few weeks later, Arias attempted to get letters into evidence that she alleged were written by Alexander. In the letters, Alexander admitted to being a pedophile. The letters were tested and found to be forged. Within days of the forgery discovery, Arias told the judge that she was over legally her head and her legal counsel was reinstated. The Trial and Sentencing The trial against Jodi Arias began on January 2, 2013, in Maricopa County Superior Court with the Hon. Sherry K. Stephens presiding. Arias court-appointed lawyers,  L. Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott,  argued that Arias killed Alexander in self-defense. The trial was live-streamed and quickly gained worldwide attention. Arias spent 18 full days on the stand and talked about being abused by her parents, shared intimate details about her sex life with Travis Alexander and described how the relationship had become verbally and physically abusive.   After deliberating for 15 hours, the jury found Arias guilty of first-degree murder. On May 23, 2013, during the sentencing phase, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. A second jury convened on October 20, 2014, but they too were deadlocked 11-1 in favor of the death penalty. That left the sentencing decision up to Stephens, although the death penalty was now off the table. On April 13, 2013, Arias was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.   She is currently residing at the Arizona State Prison Complex - Perryville and is classified as a high-risk level 5 prisoner and remains in maximum security.

Exploring the Discipline of Geography as a Science

Exploring the Discipline of Geography as a Science Many secondary education institutions, particularly in the United States, include very minimal study of geography. They opt instead for separation and focus of many individual cultural and physical sciences, such as history, anthropology, geology, and biology, which are encompassed within the realms of both cultural geography and physical geography. History of Geography The trend to ignore geography in classrooms does seem to be slowly changing, though. Universities are starting to recognize more the value of geographic study and training and thus provide more classes and degree opportunities. However, there is still a long way to go before geography is widely recognized by all as a true, individual, and progressive science. This article will briefly cover parts of the history of geography, important discoveries, uses of the discipline today, and the methods, models, and technologies that geography uses, providing evidence that geography qualifies as a valuable science. The discipline of geography is among the most ancient of all sciences, possibly even the oldest because it seeks to answer some of man’s most primitive questions. Geography was recognized anciently as a scholarly subject, and can be traced back to Eratosthenes, a Greek scholar who lived around 276-196 B.C.E. and who is often called, â€Å"the father of geography.† Eratosthenes was able to estimate the circumference of the earth with relative accuracy, using the angles of shadows, the distance between two cities, and a mathematical formula. Claudius Ptolemaeus: Roman Scholar and Ancient Geographer Another important ancient geographer was Ptolemy, or Claudius Ptolemaeus, a Roman scholar who lived from about 90-170 C.E. Ptolemy is best known for his writings, the Almagest (about astronomy and geometry), the Tetrabiblos (about astrology), and the Geography – which significantly advanced geographic understanding at that time. Geography used the first ever recorded grid coordinates, longitude and latitude, discussed the important notion that a three-dimensional shape such as the earth could not be perfectly represented on a two-dimensional plane, and provided a large array of maps and pictures. Ptolemy’s work was not as accurate as today’s calculations, mostly due to inaccurate distances from place to place. His work influenced many cartographers and geographers after it was rediscovered during the Renaissance. Alexander von Humboldt: Father of Modern Geography Alexander von Humboldt, a German traveler, scientist, and geographer from 1769-1859, is commonly known as the â€Å"father of modern geography.† Von Humboldt contributed discoveries such as magnetic declination, permafrost, continentality, and created hundreds of detailed maps from his extensive traveling – including his own invention, isotherm maps (maps with isolines representing points of equal temperature). His greatest work, Kosmos, is a compilation of his knowledge about the earth and its relationship with humans and the universe – and remains one of the most important geographical works in the history of the discipline. Without Eratosthenes, Ptolemy, von Humboldt, and many other important geographers, important and essential discoveries, world exploration and expansion, and advancing technologies would not have taken place. Through their use of mathematics, observation, exploration, and research, mankind has been able to experience progress and see the world, in ways unimaginable to early man. Science in Geography Modern geography, as well as many of the great, early geographers, adheres to the scientific method and pursues scientific principles and logic. Many important geographic discoveries and inventions were brought forth through a complex understanding of the earth, its shape, size, rotation, and the mathematical equations that utilize that understanding. Discoveries like the compass, north and south poles, the earth’s magnetism, latitude and longitude, rotation and revolution, projections and maps, globes, and more modernly, geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), and remote sensing – all come from rigorous study and a complex understanding of the earth, its resources, and mathematics. Today we use and teach geography much as  we have for centuries. We often use simple maps, compasses, and globes, and learn about the physical and cultural geography of different regions of the world. But today we also use and teach geography in very different ways as well. We are a world that is increasingly digital and computerized. Geography is not unlike other sciences that have broken into that realm to advance our understanding of the world. We not only possess digital maps and compasses, but GIS and remote sensing allow for an understanding of the earth, the atmosphere, its regions, its different elements and processes, and how it can all relate to humans. Jerome E. Dobson, president of the American Geographical Society writes (in his article Through the Macroscope: Geographys View of the World) that these modern geographic tools â€Å"constitute a macroscope that allows scientists, practitioners, and the public alike to view the earth as never before.† Dobson argues that geographic tools allow for scientific advancement, and therefore geography deserves a place among the fundamental sciences, but more importantly, it deserves more of a role in education. Recognizing geography as a valuable science, and studying and utilizing progressive geographical tools, will allow for many more scientific discoveries in our world

New Product Deployment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

New Product Deployment - Research Paper Example This makes the company strong in thinking globally and act locally. Further to gain grip over the local markets it spends significant amounts on social responsibilities (http://www.unilever.com). The consumption of quantity of tea is followed by the consumption of drinking water. On an average about 3 million metric tons of tea is produced in the globe. The largest producer-countries are the largest consumers as well, and the rest is traded either directly to value-added resellers in other countries or bought through auction on the open market (http://shop.jaxteacompany.com). 'The UK is the largest per-capita consumer of tea averaging about 3.5 to 4.0 cups per day. India and China are the largest consumers of tea on the basis of total leaf used, and this consumption is largely from internal production.' (http://shop.jaxteacompany.com). Tea brands are more and more number of people drink tea in the globe. 'It is revealed that tea is the most preferable drink after water' (http://www.unilever.com). Many flavours (as per local and global preferences), different sizes (such as 1000 Gms, 500gms, 250 Gms, 100 Gms, 50 Gms dip tea bags) are brought by research and by the firms including Unilever. There are different blends of tea namely; premium blend which is costly and tasty where as regular blend is cheap and not so strong and tasty. Similarly leaf teas, yellow tea, green tea, iced tea, ice tea are also in the market. Earlier days tea used to be served in hot and now tea also is served in cool. Further 'all teas - black, green, oolong or white provide with an antioxidant boost and just one 200ml cup of Lipton Yellow Label will provide you with around 135mg of antioxidants' (http://www.unilever.com). a) Core product description and potential for differentiation Tea is mostly available in powder format packed in vaccum evaporated packing system. Most of the parts of the globe tea is served hot. Household customers buy and pour in their bottles or containers at the time of using. With this the customers can not take the benefit of packing. Size reduction (form of sachets), to some extrent, solves the problem but increases the cost of the product and is inconvenient to stock the prooduct (unhygenic) after using partially as each sachet can be used for 4 cups of tea to be served hot.. b) Expected product

Candombl Religion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Candombl Religion - Research Paper Example The religion is founded on the soul of Nature, but also displays elements of African mythology and culture. The popularity of Candomblà © is due to the combination of many religions into one, making it agreeable to a variety of potential followers and one of the most sough-out religions in Africa and Europe. When a religion is considered to be syncretistic, it means that it is a combination of two or more religions or cultures, pulling beliefs, stories, and, oftentimes, deities from other religions. Candomblà © is a combination of three main African religions, Yoruba, Fon, and Bantu. Muslim traditions have also been incorporated, though these were more common during the slave trade in Brazil. The only Muslim tradition that is still observed in Candomblà © is believing, and thus practicing, the use of Friday as the only day worthy of worshipping deities, praying, and meditating. Many local Native American deities were also used in rituals, though this practice did not last long due to the Catholic Church looking down upon such practices, thus not allowing their slaves to implement them into their practices. Catholicism is yet another religion whose beliefs and practices have been adopted by the Candomblà © religion. This was due to the fact that â€Å"many Christian slave owners and Church leaders felt it was important to convert the enslaved Africans. This was in order to fulfill their religious obligations [...] (â€Å"History of Candomble).† A connection was found between the worshipping of saints in Catholicism and the worshipping of ancestor deities in Candomble, so the Candomble practitioners secretly combined their deities with the saints of Catholicism. Deities and Beliefs Candomble is a polytheistic religion, recognizing and worshipping more than one god. They believe in an all-powerful God, Oludumare, and the lesser deities that serve him. These lesser deities are known as orixas, voduns, and inkices. Orixas are ancestors that, upon death, become viewed and treated as gods. They each represent a specific force in nature and a certain food, animal, or color. Voduns and inkices are spirit gods, similar to orixas; the three lesser deities share the duty of acting as a connection between the spiritual world and the human world, passing along messages or searching for cures to illnesses. The greatest difference between orixas and voduns and inkices is that it is believed that every human being has their own orixa, whose duty it is to control the destiny of that person, as well as to protect them (Voeks 57). It is also a belief of Candomble practitioners that a person’s personality and defining characteristics are dependent on that person’s orixa. Candomble maintains a belief similar to that of karma, which is more common in Buddhism and Hinduism. Karma is the belief that a person’s actions in the present will influence or have an effect on their lives in the future or in another life. Candomble holds t hat there are no concepts of good and evil. Each person has the task of fulfilling their destiny in whatever way they need to, regardless of what that destiny is. However, if a person succumbs to evil to fulfill their destiny, their actions will come back to them, essentially returning their evil. This belief prevents people from doing anything that they want, allowing them to understand that their are consequences to their actions. The Candomble have a variety of moral codes that they most follow, though these tend to change from generation to generation. It is the job of the Baba Egum to regulate and update the moral responsibilities of their people. The Baba Egum are in charge of making sure that the essential moral codes

Biographical Analysis of the Crucible Essay Example for Free

Biographical Analysis of the Crucible Essay What lies deep down in the Crucible characters that not everyone can see? The former husband of Marilyn Monroe managed to keep one aspect of his life private from the media for over four decades. Was it because of shame, selfishness, or fear? The Crucible is based on the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Miller has read all about the Witch Trials, but has never really understood it until he read the book published by Charles W. Upham, the mayor of Salem at that time (â€Å"Why I Wrote The Crucible†). He knew right away that he had to write about that time period. Even though the play provides an accurate representation of the trials, the truth lies in Arthur Miller’s past history. Pursuing this further, Arthur Miller has hidden a life-long secret that recently has come out. When his son, Daniel was born, Miller was very happy, but immediately knew something was wrong. The doctors had diagnosed the baby with Down syndrome. He was the son of Miller’s third wife, Inge Morath. Miller said. â€Å"I’m going to have to put the baby away†, but Inge wanted to keep him (â€Å"Arthur Miller’s Missing Act†). Within days the baby was gone. They sent him to one of the Connecticut institutions for the mentally retarded. Inge went to see him every day, but Arthur never wanted to set eyes on him. Afterwards, nothing was mentioned of Daniel. He was cut out from Miller’s life. Was it because of selfishness, or fear that the world will know? His personal story seems to contradict his theme in The Crucible. Through the character Abigail Williams, we can see that people are willing to give up and abandon their connection with their own values in order to protect themselves. Just as Abigail hid the fact that she had an affair with John Proctor, Arthur Miller has hidden the fact that he also had a brief affair with Marilyn Monroe. Abigail William is the girl who leads this play into disaster. She is most responsible for the meeting in the woods and when Paris finds out, she tries to conceal it as fast as possible, because if she reveals that she has cast a spell on Elizabeth, it will reveal the affair she had with Elizabeth’s  husband, John Proctor. To protect herself from future punishment that may come, she starts to accuse others of witchcraft. By telling lies, that is how she manipulates the whole town into believing that she is innocent (Miller 114-115). Abigail is independent and she knows that nothing is out of her grasp. Once she finds herself attracted to Proctor, she won’t suppress her desires that she wants him. However many times she reviews her memories, the more she is sure that she is the ideal wife for John. The only thing in the way is Elizabeth. Declaring witchcraft among the majority will keep the secret out of reach. She uses this to create fear and intimidation among the townsmen people. The only reason her evil little plan is working is that the girls have got her back. She has threatened them with violence if they refuse to do as she says. â€Å"Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that is all. And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. †¦ And I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!† (Miller 20). In order to get Proctor, she must eliminate Elizabeth and choose her individuals she will accuse wisely. She thinks nothing of the fact that the individuals will be hanged based upon her accusation. When she sees her plan failing, she will react the same by not showing any signs of fear. She has condemned Proctor to hang and flees right away from the town, leaving all the action well behind. John Proctor is the protagonist of the play, while Abigail is the antagonist. One of his flaws is his temper. Proctor leads to shouting and even physical violence. There are occasions in the play where he threatens to whip his wife, servant, and even his ex-mistress, Abigail. He was the average good man, who owned a farm and was respected by everyone he knew. He had three children a good wife to raise a family with and all was well until Abigail came into his life. At first Abigail was the housekeeper, who has quietly come into the life of Proctor. He must have been tempted by her fiery personality, which he cannot resist. This affair only happened, because at that time Elizabeth was sick, which allowed Abigail to make her  first move. John may have also been attracted to Abigail’s personality shown in Act 1. She tells John that the witchcraft isn’t true and that the girls were just having a party with Tituba. â€Å"PROCTOR, his smile widening: Ah, you’re wick ed aren’t y’! You’ll be clapped in the stocks before you’re twenty† (Miller 22). From this line we can conclude that Proctor is charmed by Abigail’s naughty tricks. The temper of John Proctor ties into the anger of Arthur Miller towards the McCarthy hearings. The Crucible relates to the McCarthy hearings, because Arthur Miller claimed to have written The Crucible to criticize the theme, while many people saw the resemblance between the Salem Witch Trials and the McCarthy Hearings. Just like McCarthy, the people of Salem were not interested in facts; instead, they took their hatred towards the people of their community. Miller himself was brought to the House of Un-American Activities Committee and was falsely accused of Communism. (â€Å"Fear as Governance: Arthur Miller The Crucible as Contemporary Reflection†). For the first two acts we see John doing little effect to the play. However, when Act 3 comes into play, he is there to protect his wife. He has three weapons that he can use against the court. First is Abigail’s admission that there was no witchcraft, proof from Mary Warren that the girls were faking, and the fact that he had an affair with Abigail. All this declines in the favor of Abigail. He only ends up ruining his name and getting himself condemned for witchcraft. The only way to save him from being hanged is by admitting that he is with the Devil and that he justifies that he was a bad person anyway. Horror struck when asked to sign his name. By signing his name he believed he will be signing his soul away. Even though, he is so close to being free once again, he refuses to sign his name. He says, â€Å"I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs.† (Miller 144). At first we may believe that The Crucible is just a story about witch trials that took place in Salem, but by paying a greater attention to the  minor details we can understand that the book has another meaning to it. Every detail can be connected to Arthur’s personal life.

orange county choppers :: essays research papers

Orange County Choppers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I first saw the show, Orange County Choppers, on the Discovery Channel, I was a little bit confused about the premise of it. At first, the show is expressed as one about a family run business that builds custom motorcycles. But then, as I continued to watch the show, it occurred to me that it was intended to be a little bit more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unlike traditional texts, â€Å"The structure of television makes us watch passively.† (The World is a Text, by Jonathan Silverman and Dean Rader, p.105) Orange County Choppers contradicts this statement. Through the development of the episode, the writers of the show force you to start analyzing the text of the show, actively. Paul Sr., mentions many events that have happened within the family, outside the show. Paul Sr. is the ‘old wise man’ in the show. He is father to Paul Jr. and Mikey. Mikey does all of the basic tasks required to run the business. Paul Jr. and Paul Sr. do most of the work on the bikes. There are other members of the staff at O.C.C. that are sometimes seen working on the bikes. The three Teutuls appear in every episode. In almost every case, family activities are never shown in any of the episodes. In the 9/11 Bike episode, Paul Sr. mentions a family reunion that later delays the completion of the bike. This tells you tha t the Teutul family is very loving and they do spend time together outside the show.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This world renowned motorcycle shop has built bikes for many celebrities and sports stars. Orange County Choppers built a chopper for Shaquel O’Neal in one of the episodes. The dimensions of the bike were inconsistent with other bikes they have produced due to the height of Shaq.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After reading the show actively, I realized that many of their family values don’t appear to be as one would expect. Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. continuously fight about features to add to a certain bike or how to go about adding them. Mikey, son of Paul Sr. and brother of Paul Jr., is always energetic and joking around. These contrasting personalities make for a great show but don’t represent your typical American family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The whole family works together to run the business, with most of the women in the family working behind the desks and keeping things organized, and most of the men in the family doing the labor.

Kant and Socrates

Morality is generally defined as the rightness or wrongness of an action or conduct based on an agreed standard or measure of ethical norms. This argues a society where there is no dissenting voice, which in reality is not true. Cultural subjectivism promotes tolerance, but not for all, as fundamentalist thought excludes any deviation from their prescribed moral values (Jowett, 2000). Society, on the other hand, is a group of individuals that share a common system of beliefs, intent and thought. Moral standards are required so that a stable society may exist; however, the dilemma in ethics theory is how the morality within a society is formed (Vlastos, 1991). Morality and society, apparently, is in a state of flux while ethics theorists attempt to come up with an adequate ethical formula to qualify what is right and wrong based on all cultural, social, political and religious realities.The notion of morality is often taken from a cultural context yet this presumes that societies are likewise always right in their judgments, so to disagree with society is morally wrong (Nikolaos, 2005). Among the most noted for their philosophical studies regarding morality and ethics are Socrates and Immanuel Kant. Both point out that the definition of what is evil depends on culture and experience and motivations of the individual and society. Their definition of morality discusses not only the concept itself but also its implications to man’s existence (â€Å"Kant's Moral Philosophy†, 2007). Thus, understanding what is moral is not to be considered as an intellectual discourse alone but is an endeavor to understand better the world.SocratesSocrates has provided great food of thought in his studies for what he knew but more importantly because of his treatise and understanding of what he does not know. Socrates did not believe in the need to explain his actions or thoughts and instead questioned others’ exhaustively. Socrates’ regard for Sparta, his association with the Thirty Tyrants and his own personal philosophical stance was used by his enemies for the accusation of treason against the state (Vlastos, 1991). At the time of the trial, which led to his subsequent death by hemlock, there was not any element in Greek society that would represent modern day district attorney offices.At the same time jury selection also did not have the criteria that is implemented today and often represents the political dominants of the time. Civil cases were brought to trial by private individuals who often also acted as the prosecution. Thus, there was no way to determine whether there was probable cause as to accusations. There is also a presumption of guilt rather than that of innocence. In Plato’s recollections of the trial, he points out that the prosecution, the restored democrats, deliberately made assumptions contextually of Socrates’ teachings and philosophies (Jowett, 2000).Plato also recognizes that Socrates defense was one that seemed to have ultimately given the jury the behest to find him guilty. His defense did not actually defend his actions but rather questioned the institution by which he was being tried in. Though in hindsight it is obvious that he held Athens in high regard, his philosophical speeches during his lifetime were sufficiently vague that his detractors easily could manipulate to appear the opposite (Nikolaos, 2005).Socrates on MoralityUnlike traditional Sophistic views on the purpose of life which focused on public life or works, Socrates viewed the moral excellence of the soul or virtue as paramount. He considered morality as not just limited to internal aspects or characteristics of an individual but extended its definition into the public life of the individual. One of the key virtues according to Socrates is knowledge. Socrates proposed that rhetorical studies should consider morality practically rather than for the purpose of public service alone.According to Socrates, the lack of knowledge leads to the absence of virtue. Following this viewpoint, understanding what is moral is critical in understanding virtue which in turn is important to be able to lead a moral life. Socrates describes these efforts at gaingin knowledge and thus leaving morally as the means to create value out of life: â€Å"a man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance of living or dying; he ought only to consider whether in doing anything he is doing right or wrong – acting the part of a good man or of a bad† (Jowett, 2000, para. 55)The first step for this process is to understand what virtue is and what it is not. What is not moral is considered as evil: an act of evil can then be done by actions against another property causing him loss, against the person by physical harm or by treating him unjustly such as the denial of rights or freedoms.   In Plato’s Gorgias, Socrates states that â€Å"good and evil are not simultaneous, and do not cease simultaneously†, implying that though good and bad contradict each other, they can not exist without the other (Jowett, 1999, lines 361-362).Many of Socrates’ actions may be interpreted as satire on the Athenian society and even his statements during his trial can not be considered as defense was rather a philosophical treatise. When Socrates was asked why he did choose to flee before the trial or after it when his friends tried to liberate him from prison despite what they believed was a mockery of a trial, Socrates replied that since he chose to live in Athens, he must bow to its laws regardless of the trial (Nikolaos, 2005). However, if one already considers the ethical or moral components into the equation, it is then that the question of justice becomes more difficult to evaluate. Thus, Socrates may in fact be making a statement as to the justice of the trial if not to its legality. Considering the components of prosecution, defense, jury and judge alone , one can consider that the trial prescribe to all requirements for the delivery of justice.Kant on SocratesKant’s Moral philosophy is one of the main alternatives to utilitarianism which marginalizes moral humanistic virtues. Kant’s view on morality is essentially deontological which implies a focus on the action to be done regardless of the consequences (â€Å"Kant: The Moral†, 2001). This implies that if a person is doing something that is right, then even if the results of his actions create a negative outcome, then he still did the right thing. There is also a prescriptive quality to Kant’s view: the assumption is that everyone should do what is right and that it should be universally right (Wood, 2004).Thus, for an action to be considered moral, it should be within the capacity of everyone and viewed as a correct action universally (â€Å"Kant's Moral Philosophy†, 2007). Viewing Socrates’ action through Kant’s Moral Philosophy, there are arguments both to support the morality of Socrates actions. The challenge is in deciphering Socrates’ intentions and purpose which can sometime prove difficult since it is basic in and Socratic Method to question something.From Kant’s definition of morals in terms of the action rather than the outcome, Socrates can be considered as moral since his purpose for questioning the state and its leaders is to emphasize the need for the knowledge virtue (â€Å"Kant: The Moral†, 2001). According to Plato, Socrates did not question the institutions of the states but rather the ignorance behind it. Thus, Kant will consider Socrates moral because he in facts teaches other virtue by his philosophical studies. As stated by Socrates in Apology, â€Å"I can give you as proofs of this, not words only, but deeds, which you value more than words,† (Jowett, 2000, para. 59)Another example is Socrates’ lack of defense for himself during his trial. According to Plato’s Apology, the accusations against Socrates were an intimidation scheme gone badly. Rather than acceding to his detractors, Socrates chose not to give up his stands as a testament to his view of the mockery of justice that has become of the Athenian society. Supporting the Kant’s view of universality in the form of the law implemented in Athens,Socrates believed that he should be executed because of the fact that he has been found guilty according to Athenian law as attested by Socrates himself in his statement that to live in Athens, one must bow to its laws regardless. Even his efforts at defensce according to him are not for his sake but rather for the sake of the citizenry: â€Å"I am not going to argue for my own sake, as you may think, but for yours, that you may not sin against the God, or lightly reject his boon by condemning me† (para. 57)Just the same time, it can be argued that Socrates’ actions are immoral based on Kant’s views ( â€Å"Kant: The Moral†, 2001). Socrates questioning the state is indeed against the Athenian law and therefore regardless his intentions for enlightenment, it is considered as sedition. The absolute nature of Kantian moral philosophies leaves no exceptions: commands are imperatives without categories. Though Socrates argued that virtuous characteristics represent absence of virtue is evil, he also stated that â€Å"good and evil are not simultaneous, and do not cease simultaneously† (Jowett, 1999, lines 342-344).Socrates, Kant and MoralityThe main source of conflict between the two philosophies on morality is that Kant’s definition is so absolute and leaves very little space more the resolution of moral dilemmas which in contrast was the focus of Socrates work if not his own life (Wood, 2004). Consider Socrates’ closing statement during his trial:â€Å"For if I tell you that this would be a disobedience to a divine command, and therefore that I cannot ho ld my tongue, you will not believe that I am serious; and if I say again that the greatest good of man is daily to converse about virtue, and all that concerning which you hear me examining myself and others, and that the life which is unexamined is not worth living – that you are still less likely to believe† (Jowett, 2000, para. 63).The strict requirements for rationality then precludes morality for those who are fully rational such as those who are mentally incapacitated or limited because of retardation or any other psychological condition (â€Å"Kant's Moral Philosophy†, 2007). Though moral autonomy does exist in both perspectives, Kant’s moral philosophy leaves less flexibility towards its definition because of its requirement of universality.It should be kept in mind that the setting of the two works is distinctly different. In the case of Socrates, the motivation and the consequences are given as much importance as the act itself. When he was accus ed that he did spoke falsely of the gods, he used as evidence his belief in the spiritual, such as the existence of the soul, and divinities by stating that, â€Å"Can a man believe in spiritual and divine agencies, and not in spirits or demigods?† (Jowett, 2000, para. 49). In the case of Kant, this will not be a valid argument sinceIn Socrates’ discourse, punishment of the act contravenes evil and while in Kant, contravention is from the doing what is right alone. In both instances, what is not moral is considered a reality on man’s life and both definitions require affirmative action against what is not moral. To be able to do so, one’s character and virtue must juxtapose what is considered what is not moral. Therefore restoration of evil done is equated with the punishment that one receives for the act.The fundamental difference in the definition between the two is that Kant’s moral failure is an independent act to a moral right by virtue of the lack of impact of consequences while Socrates’ main model of immorality is based on injustice resulting form the action. Thus the dilemma of immorality in the former is an ethical one and immorality in the latter is presented as a social dilemma. Reflecting on both works, there is a realization that definitions of what is not moral may differ in many ways but all studies that focus on it have a common purpose. In understanding the nature and manner of what is not moral, a person is able to better not according it to it.ReferencesJowett, Benjamin (1999).Gorgias by Plato. Project Guttenberg. Retrieved on April 2, 2007 http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1672?msg=welcome_strangerJowett, Benjamin (2000). Plato’s Apology. Retrieved on April 2, 2007 http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html=

NeoMed Technologies Essay

NeoMed Technologies developed a diagnostic device used for cardiac testing, and is headquartered in Ohio. They developed a CAD screen system to detect coronary artery disease. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Cleveland, Ohio. NeoMed Technologies was faced with a lot of difficult decisions at the beginning when it came to where their product would best fit and be most successful. They had developed a technology that could fit into many markets, but needed to choose a product path and market. Their continued challenges occurred due to the changes in the market direction of venture capital opportunities and the funding available, all due to changes in the economy at that time. Due to the lack of funding, and a continued decline in Venture Capital funding along with a downturn in the economy; I believe had the economic situation been different at the time when they needed venture capital funding, the would’ve faced less challenges. The management team and Board of Directors were selected carefully and all had the experience and the background needed for success in the product market space. NeoMed Technologies had a strong business plan, and had conducted extensive research in initial planning stages. I believe based on the reading materials in this chapter; they did all the right things in the planning and early development stages. Although NeoMed Technologies had to contend with big name competitors and major players in the diagnostic and imaging market such as GE Medical and Philips, also located in the Ohio region; their strategy to be headquartered in Ohio was a sound decision. However, they should’ve investigated further in the opportunity to obtain venture capital funding outside of the Ohio region. Perhaps they could’ve spent more time studying competitive business cases of companies like competitor, HeartCheck, who specializes in the EBCT test. The HeartCheck product, although more costly, had seen success and was widely accepted in the Medical field. Despite the added cost of the HeartCheck EBCT test, they were seeing success in the market. One strategy change I would’ve considered early on was not applying all resources of their technology into one area. NeoMed Technologies should’ve considered  applying their initial product development to the technology of screening for drugs, drug delivery applications or detecting cancer. These areas would’ve possibly allowed for a quick to market product, without the additional approvals, quality standards applied in the medical equipment space, and FDA approvals needed. Bringing a simpler product to market first could’ve brought in revenue to fund the long-term product focus of a CAD screen system. The profits from a drug screening or drug delivery product could’ve assisted in funding their long-term product focus, they missed an opportunity to develop a quick revenue steam. In addition, NeoMed Technologies could’ve seen success early on in the Homeland Defense space, for detection of nuclear weapons, or dirty bombs. With the shift later in Venture Capital funding opportunities, they could’ve experienced success in this area as well. Bottom-line, they put all their eggs in one basket; they failed to have a backup product to develop a quick revenue stream to further fund their long-term goal. However, without a crystal ball that was a difficult decision. There were clear signs of shifts in investment opportunities, the shift indicted investments being shifted towards Homeland Security, military applications, and protection from various biological and chemical threats. NeoMed Technologies should shift some of their resources to developing a product to fit into that area, thus allowing them the opportunity to obtain additional venture capital funding, and perhaps developing a profitable product in the Homeland Security space. The revenue stream from this product would allow them later to proceed with their CAD screen system. There was another area of investment that should’ve been further investigated, â€Å"Angel Investors†, most of who are Entrepreneurs themselves currently, or at some point in their career. Inviting one of the Angel investors a seat on the board, as well as leveraging the experience they have gained from starting their own company, dealing with the challenges of starting a business, and investigating further Venture capital funding areas. NeoMed Technologies should’ve reached out farther than just the Ohio-based Venture Capital firms, this would’ve allowed them a broader audience of investors and opportunity. I don’t believe holding off for perfection is necessarily wrong, especially when dealing with, and factoring in the value of human life. The NeoMed Technologies board of directors and  upper level management all appeared to encompass strong ethics and while that might be a weakness to others, ethics are important and should never be compromised. Too many companies take the short cut to success and people get hurt.

Serial Killers Essay Example

Serial Killers Essay Example Serial Killers Paper Serial Killers Paper Michaud, in â€Å"The Hollow Men’, states that 1999 was the year of the murderous moral imbeciles, with the likes of Killer kids, the janitor at Yosemite, the ‘Railway Killer’ Angel Maturino Resendez, Mark Barton, and the deranged bigot Buford Furrow, to name a few. I say a few because, there remains an undisclosed number of cases still to be zeroed in.   The name of Ted Bundy stands well above the rest. A handsome, well educated psychopathic law student, Bundy would stalk young women; win their confidence, before murdering them (Michaud, 2007).Though many revelations have elucidated serial killers as habitual or addicted murderers, who show no remorse to refrain from indulging in their sadistic rites, there have been cases of some psychopaths refraining from their continued activities approach the police and confess their deeds. The mental state of these serial killers is quite intricate and psychologists work continuously in an effort to reveal this mystery.D rug abuse, diminished mental state, personal tragedy, and the likes are causes attributed to such behavior. The law has been constantly working overtime to bring as many sinister offenders to book and their efforts are beginning to show. The number of related cases has shown a marked decrease, yet there remain a number of files, that has accumulated dust over the years.The Serial Killer-An AnalysisSerial Killers use various techniques to kill their victim. Clubbing, stabbing, and strangulating are common methods used to kill their victims, some just butcher their unsuspecting victims. The motive and sadism were also quite different for each one of them. Mike DeBardeleben, a sexual sadist said that he found no greater power over another person than inflicting pain on his victims, mostly women.â€Å"To force her to undergo suffering without her being able to defend herself thrilled me. The pleasure in the constant domination over another person is the very essence of the sadistic dri ve† (Michaud, 2007).Ted Bunty was a very bright and handsome person. For this reason, he could attract women without much trouble. This, he used to his advantage in luring women to him. He would pick up young college women who looked quite similar to the young woman who broke off her relationship with him. What led this innocent-looking well-mannered psychopath to commit such heinous crimes?Just before his execution, Ted Bundy granted an interview to psychologist James Dobson. He was executed on January 24, 1989. In that interview, he described the agony of his addiction to pornography. When he was thirteen years old, Bunty came across a few dirty magazines near his home. He took an instant liking to it. This made him seek more magazines and hire videos that showed violent images of women having sex. Gradually, he experienced deep pleasure in seeing women being tortured and murdered. His addiction to sex and violence grew and this fueled the terrible crimes he committed (Dobso n, 1995).He was a very clever killer, using his countenance and skills to perfect alibi. He would fake a broken arm in a sling to convince young women to help him carry his textbooks to his car. Once in his comfort zone, he would batter them with a baseball bat and take away to secluded placed for his ghoulish rituals.In his interview to Dr. James Dobson, he related his actions to kill to, â€Å"a compulsion, a building up of destructive energy.† Alcohol also was a factor that made him act this way, he said. â€Å"In conjunction with my exposure to pornography, alcohol reduced my inhibitions and pornography eroded them further† (Dobson, 1995).â€Å"The F.B.I.’s own study on serial homicide shows that the most common interest among serial killers is pornographers. It’s true† (Ted Bundy in an interview to Dr. James Dobson).According to Ted Bunty, the initial sexual encounter that he had with his victims was more or less voluntary, as the victim would sense danger if otherwise. However, such sexual overtures did not satisfy the full spectrum of desires that he intended. The helpless, motionless victim would re-kindle his desire to ‘possess’ her. He would abuse the victim before strangulating her. The word, possess, is central to all his crimes and this distinguishes him from other criminals, deviant or otherwise.Bundy desired a lifeless female form; comatose or dead. Possession meant a lot to him. Just before his execution, he admitted to keeping some of his victims in such a state for hours or days before disposing of them. He buried most of his victims in shallow woodland graves, only to revisit them often. So possessed was he of his victims that it was found that one of his victims was found in the frozen mountains of Utah in a post-mortem shampoo state, and another was found with fresh application of make-up before being discarded. â€Å"If youve got time, they can be anyone you want them to be,† he told FBI agent Bill Hagmaier.â€Å"Murder isnt just a crime of lust or violence. It becomes possession. They are part of you You feel the last bit of breath leaving their bodies Youre looking into their eyes A person in that situation is God!† (As told to Bill Hagmaier by Bunty in an interview in the 80s)On January 15, 1978, Lisa Levy and Martha Bowman were mercilessly raped and later clubbed to death by Bunty. Lisa Levy was raped, strangled, and beaten on the head, while Bowman was strangled with a pair of pantyhose and severely beaten on the head.  Neither had struggled. Bunty had taken his weapon with him so that no evidence was left at the crime scene. Police searched for clues, apart from the description given by Nita Neary, who saw a stranger run away from the scene of the crime. They found some blood smudges, a few print smudges, and sperm samples, but none of them could be linked to the killer. It was only a piece of evidence that became the centerpiece during the tri al: an odd bite mark on the left buttock of Lisa Levy.  Ted Bunty was very severe on his victims, getting thrills at seeing his victims suffer physically. In his act of perversion, Bunty had bitten Lisa on her breasts and buttock. The bitten mark on her breast was of less impression than the one on her buttock. During trial, the state called Dr. Lowell Levine, the chief consultant in forensic dentistry to New York Citys Medical Examiner.  He testified that the victim had to be lying passive for the marks to be left as they were, and also pointed out that odontology had a longer legal history than most people realized. For Bunty, he was known to be possessive of his victims, and he could have done this damage after immobilizing Lisa. The counter was perfect and impressive for a witness.Along with the eyewitness testimony of Nita Neary, this evidence was good enough.   Bundy was found guilty and sentenced to die in the electric chair.   This was the first case in Floridas lega l history that relied on bite-mark testimony, and the first time that a physical piece of evidence was linked to Bundy (Ramsland, 2007).Resendez is another serial killer who is sexually motivated. He was charged with killing as many as nine women in four different states, and of rape of another. There is also word that Resendez was known to have had sex with one of his victims even after murder. In almost all cases, there is a strong bond between sex and murder. Are the words of Ted Bunty true in connecting sex to murder? Cary Stayner is another who is accused of brutally dispatching four females at Yosemite, two by strangulation and two by slitting their throats, decapitating one, and nearly decapitating the other (Michaud, 2007).Forensic psychiatrist Park Elliott Dietz of Newport Beach, California, says that most mass murders are committed by the depressed and the paranoid, who see themselves as the deliverer of good, angrily lashing out at a world they fear and hate.Roy Hazelwood spoke of Harvey Glatman, the Lonely Hearts Killer of the 1950s. According to Hazelwood, Glatman, who was executed in 1959, would incapacitate his victims in their apartments, then bind and transport them out into the desert, where he would finally kill them. â€Å"He could have raped and killed these women in their apartments; instead, he kept them alive at increased risk to himself. He enjoyed the thrill of knowing the risk he took by keeping his victims alive for so long,† said Hazelwood. Glatman enjoyed the power to possess and the power to destroy (Michaud, 2007).