Math 221 Week 5 Assignment Essay - 1149 Words

Buried Treasure Ashford University MAT 221 Buried Treasure For this week’s Assignment we are given a word problem involving buried treasure and the use of the Pythagorean Theorem. We will use many different ways to attempt to factor down the three quadratic expressions which is in this problem. The problem is as, â€Å"â€Å"Ahmed has half of a treasure map, which indicates that the treasure is buried in the desert 2x + 6 paces from Castle Rock. Vanessa has the other half of the map. Her half indicates that to find the treasure, one must get to Castle Rock, walk x paces to the north, and then walk 2x + 4 paces to the east. If they share their information, then they can find x and save a lot of digging.†¦show more content†¦Running with this information can now write out the equation AB2 + BC2 = AC2. One important thing is that we must note that AB is equal to â€Å"X† and the line segment of BC is equal to that of 2x+4, and that AC will be equal to that of 2x+6. So we will now input this information to create (x)2 + (2x + 4)2 = (2x + 6)2 and begin factoring each term into two sections. These two sections will be as x*x + (2x + 4)(2x + 4) = (2x + 6)(2x + 6). x times x is x2. An important tool to use now would be the FOIL method, so we will take (2x + 4)(2x + 4) and create 4x2 + 16x + 16. Right off the bat we notice that we have like terms. So we will add x2 to 4x2 to get 5x2. This will create 5x2 + 16x + 16 = 4x2 + 24x+ 36. Now we will use the subtraction property to get 5x2 – 4x2 + 16x – 24x + 16 – 36 = 0, however we still have like terms, so because 5x2 is a like term with -4x2 we will add them together to get x2. We will also combine 16x and –24x and also 16 and –36 which are also like terms and create –8x and –20, our equation should now look like x2 – 8x -- 20 = 0.We will now factor the equation from left to right, first factoring x2 which has 1 coefficient so the fact will be 1 and -1. The other term will be 20 which have no coeffici ent so we will do 5x4 and then 4 still can be divided so 2x2. This will create 20=225. We will now take a look using the Prime Factorization formula which will aid us in finding the numberShow MoreRelatedMath 221 Complete Course2525 Words   |  11 PagesMATH 221 COMPLETE COURSE A+ Graded Tutorial Available At: http://hwsoloutions.com/?product=math-221-complete-course Visit Our website: http://hwsoloutions.com/ Product Description PRODUCT DESCRIPTION MATH 221 COMPLETE COURSE, Discussions Week 1 Descriptive Statistics (graded) If you were given a large data set such as the sales over the last year of our top 1,000 customers, what might you be able to do with this data? What might be the benefits of describing the data? 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Changing Family Roles Women No Longer Want the Free Essays

There has been a drastic change in the definition of marriage ranging the past fifty years. Today more and more women are joining the workforce rather than staying home to take care of the children. It is evident that women have been getting, so to say, the short end of the stick, where in heterosexual marriages with or without children (same sex marriages are being left out for arguments sake), the husband is seen as what Steve Mitz in New Rules; Postwar Families 1955-present commonly refers to the â€Å"breadwinner father. We will write a custom essay sample on Changing Family Roles: Women No Longer Want the or any similar topic only for you Order Now This husband†s responsibilities are to take care of the financial aspects of the family while the â€Å"stay-at-home mom†(Mitz, 16) takes care of the children, does all the laundry, cleans the house, goes to the grocery store, takes little jimmy to the hospital, to school, to his soccer game, does the dishes, is the husband†s secretary, all on top of working full-time. The reason for this long list of responsibilities is to compare whether the husband†s contributions to the family are equal to that of the wives. No, they are not equal. Women are not happy with having to go to work on top of cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children, while the husbands have the same responsibilities as before. It seems only fair to split the family responsibilities down the middle taking into consideration general male muscular superiority. Some men have a preconceived notion, usually established from their parents, that women are supposed to cook and clean, and every night dinner should be on the table with the biggest piece of chicken on the husband†s plate. We†ll times are changing and it is time for the husband to start sharing the chicken(not literally). It is time for the husband to start sharing duties that now working mother†s have on top of their â€Å"stay-at-home mom† responsibilities. Steve Mitz says it best when he replies, â€Å"American Family life has undergone a historical transformation as radical as any that has taken place in the last 150 years. † In the quotation above Mitz is implying that drastic changes are redefining gender roles in today†s marriages. In the fifties it was common practice that women stayed home and men worked. Today things are different, women are more educated disabling the husband†s ability to control their wives. Instead of a mutualistic marriage, men in the fifties used uneducated women, to put it point blank, as their slaves. It is apparent in today†s changing society that women are reexamining their situations at home, they are realizing that they are not being treated fairly. Women are reexamining societal norms, increasing their education, and changing unjust laws making it abundantly clear that they are sick of getting â€Å"the short end of the stick† in their marriages. The saying â€Å"the short end of the stick† is used in this essay to mean that wives are holding down full time jobs on top of cooking, cleaning etc, while husbands are not pitching in helping with the stereotypical women duties i. e. , cooking, cleaning, laundry etc. Societal norms must constantly be reexamined and changed. For example, in the days of Frederick Douglas, an African American pioneer, it was an established norm that slaves were prohibited from learning to read. Douglas, who was curious, decided that he would learn to read by tricking the white boys of the time into playing games that would teach him new words. Also, Douglas would try to read the notes his master would send with him on errands. Once Douglas learned to read, it changed his world, he realized that the white slave owners oppressed him and his people. Douglas became so upset over the fact that slavery was so widely accepted by his people that he sometimes thought he would have been better off it he had never learned to read. Since the majority of slaves of the time couldn†t read, they were unknowing of their oppression, while Douglas realized his surroundings needed to change. The point of this tangent story relates to how the husband of the fifties(fifties is used as a generalization for the past regarding the time frame Mitz talks about) is like the slave owner and the wife like the unknowing slave. Today women are like Douglas, but in a different time frame. Once they had the ability to see their situations in a different light, as Douglas did, they could do something about it. Societal norms of the fifties said that if men and women didn†t marry, they are â€Å"denigrated as sick, neurotic or immoral, and couples who did not have children were seem as selfish. â€Å"(Mitz, 18). This indicates to the reader that the norms of marriage and children masked the true light of the wives oppressive lives. Through reexamination, people eventually realize that what was once suits society no longer accommodates some divisions within that society. If these established norms exclude change, how can we as a people, let alone a couple that has to share a life together, grow and change? The answer is we can†t change unless norms are reexamined through increased education and opportunity. Increased education and opportunities are big reasons women are realizing that they are getting the â€Å"short end of the stick. Education, as it allowed Douglas to see his oppression, allows women to realize that they are involved in a marriage that is not fair to them. Today more and more women are getting college degrees. These degrees enable women to acknowledge inequalities within their marriages. Without education, wives are repressed individuals. Degrees can also change what wives classify as their deepest satisfactions. A mother of the fifties may have been content with watching little jimmy grow up, which is satisfying in a different way, however, intellectual curiosity may spark a change in personal value. Do the majority of people with increased education, regardless of sex, want to work at McDonalds? Does the complexity of thought increase with education? In the fifties women â€Å"passed on education†(Mitz, 18) entering into marriage relying on a husband to take care of them. This reliance on the husband sets the wife up to be taken advantage of. Today women are more careful about entering in the state of holy matrimony. â€Å"Till death do you part† is a long time where shifts in values can make that creed nearly impossible. Being more critical before getting married can save the couple and any future children headaches. Another reason why women in the past didn†t go to college is because their parents only pressured the male children in the family to go to college. Males in the past also got more recognition for playing sports than their female counterparts. Again, this is due to the fact that in the past young females would not need to know how to kick a soccer ball, but rather to know how to separate whites from the darks when doing laundry. Young women in the past were almost predestined to follow the traditionalist values of getting married and having children. Not only does increased education and opportunity reveal to women the inequalities within their marriages, but also the changes in unjust laws further show that society knows that women are getting the â€Å"short end of the stick. † According to the article New Rules; Postwar Families 1955-present Mitz†s gives the statistic that â€Å"fifty percent of all court business involves domestic relations. This astounding statistic shows that women are fed up with getting â€Å"the short end of the stick. † Also in the same article, Mitz expresses how women are getting â€Å"the short end of the stick† legally when he replies , Nineteenth century legal presumptions about the proper roles of husband and wife has also been called into question. Until recently, the law considered the husband to be ‘head and master† of his family his surname became his children†s surname†¦ he was immune from lawsuits initiated by his wife, and he was entitled to sexual In the quotation above, Mitz provides examples of the unjust laws regarding oppressed women. These laws catered to the husband†s needs and not their wives. Mitz then says, Since the 1970†³s several state supreme courts have ruled that husbands and wives can sue each other, that the husband cannot give the children his surname without the wives permission, and that husbands can be prosecuted for raping This quotation shows that women are speaking out getting unjust laws changed. These laws, which we know to be morally wrong, are now being rewritten to fit the needs of today†s wives. Laws from the past and future are going to have to be constantly reexamined in order to continually fit the needs of our changing society. Finally, wives are going to continue to get â€Å"the short end of the stick† until husband†s start to really help women with family responsibilities. Today†s society is ever changing and through education and reexamination of social norms and laws, the definition of gender roles are going to have to be redefined in order to distribute the family responsibilities in a fair and neutral manner. How to cite Changing Family Roles: Women No Longer Want the, Papers

Compare Lawrence of Arabia Film with the Historical Perspective free essay sample

Contrary to the films adaptation, Lawrence, a â€Å"Jut jawed, deceitful man†, standing at 5ft, 4in opposed to Peter O’toole at 6ft, 2in was a committed Arabist who had been working as an archaeologist for several summers in the Middle East through the influence of his mentor, David George Hogarth who was the keeper of the Ashmolean Museum. He had studied under Hogarth at university and had a great comprehension of military, political, historical and archaeological aspects of the region. Lawrence had been taking part in military surveys whilst on these archaeological digs. By 1914, when war looked likely, Lawrence was already a major part in the British espionage system known as the Arab Bureau. Its aim was to bring down the Ottoman Empire. The head of the Arab Bureau was ‘Bertie’ Clayton, which in the film, is Mr. Dryden. As opposed to the film where Mr. Dryden sent Lawrence to assess the prospects of Prince Faisal in his revolt against the Turks, in reality the Arab Bureau and Lawrence supported the idea of an Arab Revolt as outlined in the McMahon Letter. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare Lawrence of Arabia Film with the Historical Perspective or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This letter, a case of conflicting promises is better understood as described by Edward Said. He describes â€Å"Orientalism† as the way European’s viewed the inhabitants of the Orient as inferior politically, economically and culturally. As outlined in Perry’s: The Australian Light Horse (Novel), Sharif al Far qi who was a deserter from the Ottoman army, wanted the British to support a revolt against the Sultan of Turkey. Clayton and Lawrence supported this. They saw Arab nationalism as a means to overthrow the Ottoman Turks. Lawrence did not believe in modernization through revolt but was obsessed with the Bedouins and their nomadic lifestyle rather than â€Å"Town Arabs†. He wanted self-determination for traditional Arabs and al Faruqi seemed to represent this. Lawrence was concerned that the French would back the revolt before the British did and pushed hard for Britain to take control of Alexandretta (Northern Syria). Lawrence believed if (after the revolt) the Arabs were properly handled, they would be incapable of uniting as a nation. He had no intention of giving any Arab group freedom or independence but being under British control. Unlike the movie Lawrence was aware of the Sykes-Picot Agreement, which would divide the Middle Eastern territory, under Ottoman control, by France and England after the war was won. This Arab deception was necessary for a fast, un-costly success (after the Gallipoli catastrophe) in the Middle East. On 16th June 1916 the revolt began by Hussein – the Sharif of Mecca. This stalled in September 1916, as Hussein did not have the capacity to gain wide Arab support. Feisal – Hussein’s second youngest son was a leader of a Bedouin coastal tribe and in him, Lawrence saw a true leader so he developed the relationship by offering riches. With the film focusing on Lawrence, detail of the war and Arab Revolt was lost. The film saw Lawrence and the Bedouin forces alone attacking the Hejaz railway. The fact that there were British attacks on the railway by January 1917 and a French mission led by Colonel Bremond (not mentioned in the film), a good month before Lawrence first attacked in March 1917. 1917 saw the Bedouin tribe’s momentum building with more tribes joining the swelling force. The Turks were on the defensive and getting pushed back to Medina, loosing control of the railway, which was how they supplied their spread out army, as the Arabs pushed north. The character of Sharif Ali was purely fictional; Lawrence did not serve with any one Arab leader throughout the war. There is no mention of the Balfour Declaration in the film other than a vague reference by Bentley the American reporter who, when speaking to Feisal in late 1917, after the fall of Aqaba, said he was looking for a hero that will draw America towards the war. By this time though, America had been in the war for several months. The reporter Bentley by the way is fictitious and his character is based on the American journalist Lowell Thomas who did not start reporting on Lawrence until after the war. The Balfour Declaration, stating that a â€Å"national home for the Jewish people would be found in Palestine while preserving the civil and religious rights of non-Jewish people. † This again is a blow to the Arab cause and Britain could not resolve the conflicting principles. This declaration was a teaser for American Jews, who would help influence the US government to commit further to supporting the allied cause. The fact that once Damascus was taken by the Arabs and the Arab Council was established is true, but as apposed to the film; it lasted until 1920 when the French deposed Feisal. In conclusion the film did not help put into perspective Lawrence’s role in the Middle East. He was an Arabist but held the â€Å"Orientalism† beliefs that Edwards Said reflected. The fact that he knew about the Sykes-Picot Agreement and that his deception was working for the British Empire showed where his true alliance was. This â€Å"double crossing† only added to the complexity that unraveled in the already complex issue of the Arab-Israeli situation. BIBLIOGRAPHY: * Class hand out sheets. * Roland Perry; The Australian Light Horse. * My father.

Ken Kesey Essays - Counterculture Of The 1960s, Ken Kesey

Ken Kesey During the course of the last fifty years, society has changed significantly. In modern society a great emphasis is placed on individualism and diversity within a society. It is rare that an individual would be ridiculed or forced to change simply for not complying with what society views as "normal". This has not always been the case though. The nineteen fifties were much different. This was an era of social conformity. The members of society who were intent on maintaining this social state ostracized individuals who were considered "abnormal". Such "abnormal" individuals just simply accepted the fact that they were not part of this normal society. Because of society's influence, these people sought help in psychiatric wards in attempts to better themselves and thus fit into society. By doing so, they let society conform and mold them into what was thought as "normal". Ken Kesey was a man in this era that did not believe in social conformity. Kesey, along with his followers set off on a mission to open the minds of people who were focused on maintaining this status quo. Ken Kesey's journey led him to write One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. This novel focuses on the struggle between individuals who are intent on keeping things the same with those who are considered "different". Harding is a character in the novel that is limited by opposing forces of society and who in turn, seeks refuge in hopes to be accepted. With the influence of McMurphy, Harding changes from an apprehensive "rabbit" to a self-assured man. This change illustrates Kesey's view that an individual can realize the worth of their life through self-acceptance and reliance on ones self rather than conforming to social norms. Harding admits himself in the psychiatric hospital because he is "abnormal" in a society that highly values normality. "[He] discovered at an early age that [he] was...different? ...[He] indulged in certain practices that...society regards as shameful"(pg. 294). Admitting himself in the hospital is Harding's way of succumbing to the forces of society. He simply accepts the fact that without help he will never fit in the "real world". Harding knows that "This world belongs to the strong..."(pg.62). For this reason he felt that is why he belonged in the hospital. The hospital is a place where "[a] good strong wolf like the Nurse [could] teach [them their] place"(pg.62). Initially with no self-esteem, Harding lets the Nurse and the other hospital staff tell him how to live. When initially questioned of his abnormal life by the other patients and the staff, "Harding [had] his thin shoulders folded nearly together around himself...his hands trapped between his knees...trying to look calm-but he's chewing his cheeks...not calm at all" (pg.54). Harding is a nervous man who finds it difficult to deal with his differences and simply follows society's commands in order to keep things easy. Harding's views and behaviors start to change slowly as he associates more with Randle McMurphy. McMurphy enters the ward involuntarily and has a much different outlook on life than the other patients. McMurphy places a great influence on being an individual and goes to great extents to be just that. He is a leader and not a follower. His straightforward tactics and self-confidence allow him to freely express his values. Along with these attributes, McMurphy also treats the other patients normal and does not treat them how society does. By treating them as equals and by instilling into them his views and ethics, they are able to see the world differently. McMurphy's concern with the music that "dulls the senses" shows another side of him as well. It shows his concern and consideration for his peers. A more important feature of McMurphy is that he shows no shame. This shows the patients, including Harding, that there is no need to fell shame for being who they are. Amongst these things, McMurphy teaches the patients the power of trying and believing in ones self. McMurphy attempts to lift the panel in order to try to escape and he fails. Even though he failed in the end, he still had enough confidence to try. The lesson is learnt that it is far better to try and fail than to never even try. Looking at McMurphy's actions and values shows that he is perceptive and sensitive to others. He is able to see the men's weaknesses and attempts to build them up. He hopes that in the end they will see Big Nurse's strategy and be able to stand on their own feet and fight

Mob Involvement with Prohibition essays

Mob Involvement with Prohibition essays In 1917 Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution which prohibited the export, import, manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States. This new law is believed to have had the greatest effect on the twenties creating a feeling of rebellion and wild behavior. Many people thought this law violated there right to live by their own standards and have a good time. The Volstead Act passed by Congress set up penalties to all violators of the Eighteenth Amendment. Prohibition is one of the best things ever done by the United States Government. It single-handedly created new business opportunities and brought people together like never before. It had also created a booming new industry, and created a new way of life for many people. Unfortunately, none of these things were good things. The new business opportunities were all in the organized crime realm. With the banning of alcohol they saw an incredible boom in business. No longer did they have to rely on robbery, brothels and cons. There was a whole new business out there and it was making millions. Prohibition also united the American people more than anything since the World War. Everyone, from the poor to the rich, united to break the law. Even the police, yeah sure they will serve and protect, unless they find a better deal. The police were letting alcohol be made and sold right under their noses. The rich buy the booze to spice up their parties and the poor spend their time and money in bootleggers houses getting drunk. Rarely do the rich and the poor agree on anything. But, prohibition contributed to an increased sense of community and neighborly love. Prohibition also brought big business to the small businessman. Alcohol making used to be done by all the large companies. With prohibition the big companies were put out and the small businesses had to meet the demand. ...

Analysis on Climate Change and the Deterioration of the Environment

Analysis on Climate Change and the Deterioration of the Environment In the years spanning the twentieth through twenty-first centuries, global climate change and environmental degradation have steadily worsened due to human activity. Fracking, emissions, industries, modern agriculture, and poorly managed waste are just some of the many devastating ways that the human community has contributed to Earth’s environmental decline. Evidence of climate change cited by NASA include the following: the rise of sea levels, the rise of global temperature, warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, declining arctic sea ice, glacial retreat, extreme weather events, ocean acidification, and decreased snow cover (Climate Change Evidence†). These multitudes of scientific evidence support the phenomenon of global warming, making it an unequivocal occurrence that severely impacts the health of the Earth and, in turn, the well being of the global human community in its survival on planet Earth. Despite the mass amounts of evidence for climate change and environm ental degradation, there still exist populations that deny the validity of global warming on the basis of personal or religious belief. Whatever the reason for disbelief may be, the issue of global climate and environmental change does not fundamentally involve belief, but rather is a matter of scientific fact. The drastic change in the Earth’s environment is a phenomenon without borders and has induced worldwide concern. Unless more awareness is raised and greater environmental action is taken, the Earth’s environmental condition will only continue to worsen. Thus, global climate change and environmental pollution are part of an ongoing, grave, and pressing issue that demands the collective action of the international community, regardless of differing religious or ethical outlooks. That is not to say that religion cannot have a role in motivating people in taking environmental action because some religious teachings certainly do emphasize the importance of environmen tal ethics. Western religions teach that humans are to reflect the same care that the Creator has for them. For instance, the biblical teaching of mutual care for people, â€Å"love your neighbor as yourself,† and the idea of sacraments, or Christian expressions of divine love, can be geared towards care for the environment. Although religious thoughts and beliefs can influence environmental ethics, its fundamental guide must be scientific. In other words, even though religion can posit reasons for environmental action, science provides the more correct reasons and therefore, should act as the key motivator. Unlike religion, science provides universally undeniable evidence for the fragile reality of the Earth and this evidence should be the true elicitor for morally correct action in the environmental movement, demanding participation from the global community as a whole, regardless of individual moral or religious principles. Therefore, the need for environmental ethics and action owes more to the fact that it is essential for human survival than to a matter of choice or moral obligation guided by religious thought. One of the major opponents to enacting widespread and effective environmental action is social disposition, politics and legislation. Because religion is regarded with bias and controversy in the mainstream media, and thus society, it would not be substantial or appropriate as the main proponent for environmental ethics. Debate over what is right or wrong and what one religion teaches better than another would inhibit proper environmental progress. One scientific writing that did cause major social change through raising public awareness and, in turn, political action is the book, Silent spring, by Rachel Carson. In her book, Carson discusses the deadly effects of the pesticide, DDT, on the environment. She meticulously and scientifically described the process of DDT entering the food chain and building up in the fatty tissues of animals, humans included, and causing cancer and genetic damage. Expecting major reactions from chemical companies producing DDT, Carson collected a mass am ount of evidence supporting her writing that led to government investigation and ultimately the ban of DDT. One of the major legacies of Carson and Silent Spring is a new level of public awareness regarding environmentalism. With knowledge and this new awareness, everyone now had the potential to enact major social change. In chapter 17 of Carson’s book, she states the following: â€Å"We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frosts familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road — the one less traveled by — offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth† (Carson 114). Here Carson argues that, with the knowledge and awareness to act, society now needs to decide to take the appropriate action. Having the right to know, the knowledge that is needed to act, and the full ability to act are the parts of a successful formula for enacting mass environmental change. By writing Silent Spring, Carson provides the middle part of the formula, thereby changing the course of environmental activism for the better. The current environmental situation is similar to the DDT situation in that society has all the evidence it needs to act and, indeed, has made great strides in mediating the global climate change crisis. Therefore, following Rachel Carson’s model of using science to increase public awareness, modern environmental ethics has no necessity for religious guidance since morality—right or wrong—does not depend on religion, and science can provide the middle part of the discussed formula to enact social change. That is not to say that environmental ethics cannot be at least partially influenced by religious teachings, as this would not interfere with environmental action on a grand scale. Although religion should not provide the basis for environmental ethics, it certainly does have its merits in that it can motivate individuals enact positive environmental change under the moral guidance of their religions. In a lecture on religious environmental ethics by Keith Douglass Warner and David DeCosse at Santa Clara University, Warner and DeCosse discuss the environmental morals that are inherent in religious teachings. They argue that due to modernization of societies, the traditional religious attitudes toward nature have mostly disappeared. The lecture presented various writings on the issue of religious environmentalism and ultimately draws the conclusion that environmental action is an essential part of religion. Warner and DeCosse posit that western religious institutions had failed to lay out a â€Å"religious rationale for environmental protection,† but have since posited that the ecological crisis is a moral obligations for all human beings. They also put f orth the claim that environmental action is a sacrament, or â€Å"expression of divine love† since the creation of the whole world has religious significance for the religious community (Warner DeCosse). The position that is mainly argued is that the environmental ethics part of religion is something that is ancient and lost, but needs a revival to solve environmental issues in our modern world. Warner and DeCosse argue that the incorporation of environmental activism into religious teaching is a phenomenon occurring in almost every religion, but drawing general conclusions is difficult to do. This is due to the variety of religions on the planet and the fact that many religious environmental teachings and ethical practice are of a local scale while climate change is a matter of a global scale (Warner DeCosse). Thus, as this Santa Clara lecture explains, environmental ethics is an aspect of religion that has significant history. However, due to the diversity and locality of these teachings, it is difficult to draw a generalized and unified approach to solving environmental issues using religion alone. This idea of having a multitude of religious ideas within the broad spectrum of environmental ethics is explored in the article written by Jane Freimiller in the journal Capitalism, Nature, Socialism about the book Earth’s Insights: A Multicultural Survey of Ecological Ethics from the Mediterranean Basin to the Australian Outback by J. Baird Callicott. This article discusses the main points of the book: the cataloging of religious systems of thought, the provision of theoretical justification for doing so, and the report on the environmental movements that had religious backings. The article characterizes the book as a survey of world beliefs from the perspective of environmental ethics. In the discussion of the various perspectives on environmental ethics, the idea of the â€Å"shopping mall† dilemma arises, where one belief system out of the many varied beliefs in the world is picked over another in the grand goal of religious environmentalism. The solution proposed b y the book is to integrate all elements of the world’s religions and harmonize it with modern science (Callicott 152). The author of the article argues that a multicultural survey of environmental ethics, one that accounts for the differing views of several cultures regarding environmentalism, is a step in the right direction instead of formulating a new, integrated environmental ethic, as the book suggests (Freimiller). Therefore, Freimiller’s argument is convincing, as religion is so multifaceted that it is hard to unify the environmental movement under religion. Instead, a survey of world beliefs regarding environmental ethics seems like an appropriate part of the environmental solution that can incorporate religious thought, but is fundamentally scientific, as science is straightforward and universal. As demonstrated from the discussion of the two sources above, although religion can positively influence environmental ethics, it is too varied across the globe to form a consensus on environmental ethics. Thus, science would form the better basis for environmentalism as it is uniform and its proof is undeniable. The relationship between science and religion in the sphere of environmental ethics is one that carries great significance in the environmental movement. In Rebith of the Sacred: Science, Religion, and the New Environmental Ethos by Robert L. Nadeau, the author argues that to resolve the environmental crisis, it is essential that society changes its political and economic institutions as well as adapt to new standards for moral and ethical behavior. Nadeau proposes that the solution can be found if sufficient numbers of environmentally concerned people participate in the dialogue between the truths of science and religion. The truth of science, according to Nadeau is that it provides a link between the spirituality of religion and the human mind. That is, science can account for evolutionarily produced cognitive faculties that gives humans â€Å"the capacity to engage in spontaneous moral behavior and to experience the other as oneself† (Nadeau 143). Thus, Nadeau argues that m oral behavior is inherently derived from nature not nurture. In regards to the truth of religion, the author states that despite â€Å"differences in the narratives of the major religious traditions of the world, the most profound religious and moral truths are virtually identically† (Nadeau 145). Thus, Nadeau believes that all of the world’s diverse religions are interconnected and unified by the same thread of spiritual awareness. The author cited scientific research to align with this idea of common spiritual awareness when he stated the following: â€Å"Since the brain scans of the Buddhist monks and Catholic nuns were virtually identical, this strongly suggests that they were in very similar states of profound spiritual awareness.† Together, the truth of science and the truth of religion can be incorporated in Nadeau’s â€Å"New Environmental Ethos,† which is the combination of a â€Å"spiritual and physical reality†. Those who embrace this ethos, according to Nadeau, will view human pollution as immoral and see that neuroscience can explain emotional and unconscious processes that influence human behavior (Nadeau 146). Thus, Nadeau argues, science is in accordance with religious or spiritual morality as science provides the biological explanation for the neurology from which moral thoughts stem. In other words, the fundamental scientific truths are fully compatible with spiritual truths, as defined by Nadeau. However, having a common spiritual awareness across different religions may not translate to taking environmental action in the same fashion. Thus, discord can arise from differences in approaches to environmental action. This is supported by the fact that the Buddhists in the study mentioned by Nadeau sees a different spiritual being than the nuns. This may mean that the ways they worship and what they worship may differ and thus, the approach they take in environmentalism may differ. For instance, one may take direct action while the other takes on advocacy. What is essential for the health of the environment and the human population is not differing routes of environmental activism that may result in inefficiency but rather a unified, well-backed, and efficient approach that can lead to a common solution. Although Nadeau’s â€Å"New Environmental Ethos† does not necessarily conflict with the discord in differing religious views that lead to different environmental ac tion, his thesis treats science and religion as equally important components in environmental ethics, which they are not, and is not completely holistic. In his book, Nadeau states that moral reasoning is not the same as proactive moral behavior (Nadeau 147). In this sense, if science is assumed to be the basis for moral behavior, then the basis for environmental action can be mostly scientific. Then, the spiritual aspect of the â€Å"New Environmental Ethos† is simply an extraneous factor that can act as a motivator for environmental action. Nadeau’s religious environmentalism argument, which is heavy on spirituality, can also encounter a potential conflict with the atheist community. Since environmental change is a global issue, then a global solution encompassing all people must be devised. Nadeau’s â€Å"new environmental ethos† disregards atheists, which equates to disregarding the atheist community. This community makes up 11% of citizens that participated in the 2015 Gallup pole regarding religion (Losing our religion?†). Therefore, the â€Å"New Environmental Ethos† proposed by Nadeau i s not a holistic solution in that a necessitated global environmentalist approach needs to include all people, not just those who are religious or spiritual. While science is undeniably the basis of environmentalism, some may argue that religion can have a role of equal or greater importance in guiding environmental ethics. As mentioned before, various religions across the globe have long stressed environmental action and taking care of nature through religious teachings, texts, and the previously mentioned idea of â€Å"sacraments.† In Warner and DeCosse’s lecture, they also discuss a global, trans-religious phenomenon called â€Å"the Greening of Religion† in which many of the world’s religions are stressing environmental action as a moral obligation (Warner DeCosse). This similarity of environmental teaching among religions support the argument that religion does indeed have a role that is as or more important as science in guiding environmental ethics. In regards to the scientific side of the objection argument, some may say that science cannot account for morals and thus cannot account for environmental e thics. The same people may also posit that the purpose of religion is to impart moral values and thus influence environmental ethics in that fashion. That is, religious teachings influence moral values and what is right or wrong when it comes to environmentalism. In response to this argument, it is important to note that global warming is a scientific process. Without scientific evidence, there would be not enough awareness of global warming in the first place for the religious institution to call for environmental action. Though, with this scientific knowledge, religion is not necessarily essential to enact social change, as demonstrated by the impacts of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Science therefore can account for ethics and religion is not the only proponent of morality in regards to environmentalism. Thus, science is the only necessitated part of environmental ethics while religion can act as a possible secondary motivator in enacting environmental action. Through the holistic analysis of religion, the relationship between science and religion as they relate to environmental ethics, and the unified, mass social change that science alone is capable of initiating, as proven by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, it can be concluded that the fundamental guide to environmental ethics is science. Without the multiplicity of differing views and approaches that exists within religion, science can provide a clear and unified basis for environmental action for global community as a whole, regardless of individual moral or religious principles.

An issue Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An issue - Assignment Example But on the other hand, pro-choice activists argue that this is essentially a red herring, as it assumes that life is automatically good, and that if the baby is brought to term everybody will be happy. Ultimately, although it is a very sticky issue morally, allowing individual women the right to practice abortion legally seems more moral than issuing a blanket denial of abortion for any women at all. The decision to make abortion legal in the early 1960s is one that was, and that continues to be, very controversial. However, it is an unquestionable fact that â€Å"legal abortion has unquestionably benefited women and their families† (Joffe, 54), in the main because these women no longer have to seek out dangerously unsanitary, black market options if they do not wish to bring a child to term. From this viewpoint, it is clear that one of the strongest arguments for legalizing abortion does not necessarily assume whether or not abortion itself is moral. It simply states that sin ce women will get abortions anyway, it is more moral to ensure that they can get abortions legally, as these abortions are safer. Joffe also notes that this is one of the biggest moral problems with anti-abortion movements, as they make for a situation where â€Å"the United States may well return to the situation of the pre-Roe era, when women of means managed to get safe abortion care and poor women often did not† (59) due to lack of easy access to abortion clinics. However, many people argue that the woman is not the person who has the strongest moral right in cases of abortion. Instead, they say, it is the unborn child or fetus who deserves to be protected the most. This is because they argue from a mostly Christian or at least religious standpoint, which holds that â€Å"life [is] a precious gift from God and that man [does] not have the right to kill the innocent child in the womb† (Karrer 528). From this standpoint, allowing abortion to be legal is essentially t he same as legalizing murder, as it kills a potential child who may otherwise have lived. This fact is central to understanding the pro-life view of abortion as an immoral evil, and explains why, despite the Roe V Wade case which legalized the practice nation-wide, there continue to be a number of groups who describe themselves as trying â€Å"to promote respect for the worth and dignity of all human life, including the life of the unborn child from the moment of conception† (Karrer 554). Nonetheless, this argument is a bit of a red herring. If all human life is worth upholding equally, then the woman’s life must also be upheld with dignity and worth. This is at the heart of why abortion is such a sticky issue, as the pro-life arguments must necessarily—or at least should—also focus on how to preserve and treat the life of the woman who wants the abortion. Apart from women’s health, keeping abortion legal can also have a big impact on women’ s social liberation. M. Castle notes that such religious arguments about abortion can sometimes turn from rhetoric to reality by making politics â€Å"profoundly anti-female and sustaining gender inequality† (1). In this argument, the morality of keeping abortion legal moves from a simple matter of health and to one of human rights. It is not just that legal abortion means