Portrait of a Cartographer :: Creative Writing Essays

Portrait of a Cartographer Someone must decide how to color maps. Where to put the pale yellow, coral pink, the olive green, burnt orange, magenta. Where to put the darkest shades of blue. The lightest. There is something of symmetry, of composition. There is topography to consider. Demographics. The vast expanse of open land, open water, the sensuous curves of coastline, of mountain ranges, of rivers with their writhing bodies and forked tongues. The color of the ocean is according to its depth. In terms of Indonesia, of Nova Scotia, of Sudan, colors are arbitrary. They reject symbolism, existing only to say look here, I am this and not the other. Differentiation, identity within borders. To imagine each color as a body, each convex to the concave of another, like spoons stacked, like lovers in bed, like the earthen layers of sedimentary rock. Pages of a history book warped from moisture. In the skies of the northern hemisphere, I have learned to trust Orion. His delicate belt of three hanging sensuously off-center, suggesting contraposto. I imagine he must look much like stone, marble perhaps. Michelangelo's David. Head of frozen curls, rippled abdomen, arms to the side, large curled hands like leaves. A summer sky in Africa, I could not find him so I trusted the Southern Cross. Four stars are one more than three. I am the space between stars. In stellar cartography, you will know me as such. Smothered by darkest nebula, clusters of blue-white giants. Orphaned objects in deep sky, brilliant for the taking, I push them apart with my palms. I could swallow them whole but my throat is too small, my belly distended and blue like an infant. And that is the way I cry. There in my narrow boat cutting across a black sea, no moss. Carina the keel, Vela the sail. Flapping of white light across my face. Carry me from this world of names, of butterflies asphyxiated, pinned down across blue velvet. Each wing goes unremembered in this sky, this world of moon stations. The phoenix was remembered too late. She needed room to breath; she has choked on ash. No one heard her cry out, but I felt the earth, the night sky quake. The Pleiades are seven sisters, a young and hot open cluster of stars. Daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Violet beauties, a core of white heat.

How useful is the term ‘cultural revolution’ when applied to the sixties?

The sixties are definitely remembered by its generation as a time of significant change. Many associate the period fondly with memories of groups such as The Beatles and The Kinks, at the same time remembering the many protests and movements that hoped to change the ideas and values of society. In answer to whether the term ‘cultural revolution' is useful when applied to the sixties, study of these disciplines is most certainly necessary. Despite the period of study being only a matter of decades from present day, we still face the same problems any historian would face given the same question applied to a time centuries ago. The validity of the sources is of utmost importance; fortunately in regards to the music of the sixties we have records from the time, and charts to show the popularity of groups and artists. In regards to the field of science, there is a great variety of primary source material due to the nature of the profession. One could safely assume that the documented research and findings were indeed accurate and reliable information from educated professionals. Science in the sixties is very much associated with protests, surprisingly not only by rebellious radicals but respected public figures and people at the top of their fields and professional careers. With figures such as Eisenhower raising concerns regarding the dominance and excess of military weapons the public had to stand up and listen. People's faith in the government was undermined by the disillusionment of events that happened in the Vietnam War. The sixties almost certainly contributed to the changing in attitudes towards authority, leading the way for if not a cultural revolution, then a shift in peoples thinking, and an intolerance for civilians to be left in the dark. People were willing to stand up for what they believed in, which resulted in a number of forces converging to cause traditional values to be thrown aside. However, at the same time we must acknowledge that these concerns that were being voiced in the early sixties were primarily a result of the military development in technological warfare in the forties and fifties such as the atomic bomb. The question was, why had these concerns taken so long to be voiced? A major part in the many protests and movements had to be the media; both television and radio were in the position to sensationalize an issue and selectively control the information they presented. Therefore, people began to be driven more by drama than by tradition and reflection. Images of devastation from around the world were transmitted into people's living rooms and for the first time they were able to see for themselves the devastation of war and military arms. If we understand the term ‘cultural revolution' as a transformation in the attitudes towards authority and a change in the everyday lives of people then television had to be at the forefront of this revolution. It was a huge influence behind the protests at MIT opposing America's involvement in the Vietnam War. These images outraged people and this rage ignited movements to oppose the war and resist the conscription. Attitudes to authority changed, there was an outrage against a government who were sending the sixties youth to their deaths for a war that didn't involve America. As a result of scientific research in aid of war, the sixties saw the introduction of chemical warfare; biological weapons such as DDT were developed and used to kill vegetation and crops that the Vietcong were using as groundcover and as food sources. This was a huge revolution and advancement in scientific development but further fuelled the concerns of movements of two kinds, those that were anti-science, and those that were not against science; but the practices of scientists in the late sixties. The revolution also affected the way in which scientists carried out their work, they had lost their intellectual freedom; the military governed what research they conducted and prohibited them from publishing their findings in journals and publications. These were definitely the results of a technological revolution. The irony is, that whilst the government and military funded expensive scientific research, putting not only finances but also great amounts of control and trust into the scientists, it was these scientists who had the most power over the country. Opposition to military involvement wasn't the only counter-movement regarding scientific research in the sixties; there was also huge objection in the roles of women in scientific study. The grievance was more than the issue that there were few women working in the science field, but also that the majority who had been successful in pursuing a career in science weren't able to sustain their posts. A study by Rossi in 1965 showed that compared to males, more females across a range of occupations voluntarily left their posts, more so in the field of science. The study also showed that women counted for only 10% of individuals who worked in science. It was findings like this that began movements for the cause of ‘women's liberation' and were a sign of changing times and a revolution in the role of women who sought for the same rights to education and employment opportunities as men. It was also two women in science who played a major role in revolutionizing ideas about the human embryo. Lenz and Kelsey's research went against all that previously been believed about pregnant women and their unborn children. They're research tackled and exposed the ignorance of traditional practices; primarily challenging the idea at the time, that what didn't harm the pregnant mother, couldn't harm her child. Through their insistence that babies react differently to drugs, nicotine, alcohol etc, they radically transformed neonatal studies. When applied to the struggle for women to be acknowledged in the field of science, the term ‘cultural revolution' is extremely useful, because movements in the sixties paved the way for more women into education. For example, the demand for advanced education to be more accessible to women saw the number of women graduate in primatology go from zero in the 1960's to eight out of ten students in the 1990's. This was clearly an outstanding achievement that shows the impact of the sixties. Music was another field that underwent a radical transformation during the sixties. It wasn't simply a case of new trends being introduced however. The sixties music scene was about existing trends, the revival of early music and the introduction of original sounds. In terms of music, the sixties could be seen as a cultural revolution. The variety of styles contributed to challenging existing ideas about music, and showed the importance for them to co-exist to establish a rich and lively music scene. The sixties music scene is renowned for being associated with the Beatles and rebellious figures such as Jimi Hendrix and The Kinks, however, at the same time existing trends were still hugely popular as was the early music revival. It was the co-existence of the three that made the sixties revolutionary. Bands and artists embraced the rich and diversified music styles, and the sixties saw much experiment with lyrics and instruments. Not least, among these were The Beatles, their shift from usual music styles is evident in Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Heavily influenced from eastern styles, this was nothing innovative; however, it was a relatively unheard style among the British fans. It appealed to the sixties generation who sought alternative lifestyles and the blending of cultures set to challenge pre-conceived ideas of Brit-pop. Jimi Hendrix was also at the forefront of the sixties music revolution, with erotic and suggestive mannerisms he appealed to the generation who consumed sexual liberation. His rebellious and aggressive music was something that protesters and anarchists at the time could identify with, finding their own voice in this expressive form. The early music revival, although established in the late fifties, was at its most prevalent in the sixties. This interest in a period of music that had previously been ‘forgotten' demonstrated a transformation in the tastes of the sixties generation. Although classic composers such as Handel and Bach had been popular in earlier periods, there was one main difference in the appreciation of early music during the sixties. The emphasis of the early music revival was the desire for authenticity; the sixties saw a change to how these compositions were performed; which led to experimentation in tempo, instruments and styles of singing. It is argued that the sixties were not an isolated period for cultural change; and that the sixties merely followed on from what had began in the late fifties. The changes that were seen to happen in the sixties could just as well be attributed to the upshot of the end of the war. Families had experienced a great disruption in their lives; many had been killed in the war and had left families shattered. The women's liberation could be a reaction to women resenting their return to domestic duties and pre WWII lifestyle, after having filled the roles of men in the workplace when manpower was limited. The seventies also played their part in this cultural change; despite the rise of feminism and gay rights initiating in the late sixties, they didn't fully come into fruition until the seventies. However, in spite of the roles the fifties and seventies played in what is seen as a ‘cultural revolution', the sixties is undoubtedly synonymous with all that was radical and new at that time. In conclusion, having only looked at two disciplines, it leaves us limited to answer whether the sixties were indeed a ‘cultural revolution'. However, in regards to the examples we've seen in both the fields of music and science, there is certainly proof that the sixties were a significant time for change. Its impossible to know for certain whether these changes would have taken place if not for situations and circumstances that arose during the sixties, and whether they were in fact just a consequence of a nation recovering from war. Despite this, the term ‘cultural revolution' is certainly useful when applied to the sixties in a number of examples; attitudes to authority were challenged, women gained greater access into education and music appeared to unite and give voice to rebellious protesters who sought a change in ideas and values.

Cultural Relativism And Moral Relativism - 1620 Words

Introduction Cultural relativism is a certain perspective, which was adopted by the anthropologists in the course of the early years of 1900’s. Cultural relativism basically states that every culture is equal to any other culture and all cultures are legitimate expressions of the human spirit. In accordance to the specifications of cultural relativism, people are expected to attempt to gain an understanding of the other culture by basically viewing them through their individual â€Å"cultural lens†. In that regard, it requires that people aim at getting the emic perspective of other cultures in order to be in the position of gaining insight about the historical background of the cultures that they are studying. Therefore, people are not expected to ethnocentrically impose their own beliefs, as well as, opinions that are actually the products of their own enculturation. However, it has to be understood that cultural relativism is a crucial stance while learning about the other culture but it should not be considered to be similar to moral relativism. Within this paper, I will take a critical review of an aspect of my individual culture through the etic (outsider’s) lens so as to be in the position of gaining an outsider’s perspective, then review an aspect of some other culture from the emic (insider’s) perspective so as to get relatively familiar with the various motivation behind a certain practice. Particularly, I am going to review the non-veiling of American Muslim womenShow MoreRelatedCultural Relativism And Morals And Codes883 Words   |  4 Pagesits long history. Cultural relativism is a very interesting and controversial topic in the philosophical/ religious world. To further understand cultural relativism one must first learn the definition. Cultural relativism is the view that Different cultures have different moral codes and values, therefore culture is subjective and arbitrary. When given a closer look at cultura l relativism we come to the conclusion that it is not as plausible as it first appears and that certain moral values are neededRead MoreCultural Relativism : A Moral Theory1676 Words   |  7 PagesCultural relativism is not Objectivism, which is a moral theory that states that there are certain moral standards that everyone should follow regardless of their opinion and indifference towards them. Cultural relativism is one of the two forms of Ethical Relativism. The latter one belongs to a form of moral skepticism. It states that moral standards are not objective, but relative to the standards of a person or a society. Consequently, cultural relativism is based on the belief that a moral standardRead MoreThe Theory Of Cultural Moral Relativism1627 Words   |  7 PagesMichael Atefi Professor Walker Phil-1020 29 September 2015 First Exam 1.) The theory of cultural moral relativism is based on the beliefs that it is arrogant to judge the moral codes of other cultures and that people should be tolerant towards the practices of other cultures (Rachels 19). By holding these beliefs, the theory implies that all cultures are equal and should be treated as such. Cultural moral relativism is also based on the idea that there is no universal truth in ethics (Rachels 18). IfRead MoreCultural Relativism : Moral And Immoral846 Words   |  4 Pages1. Cultural Relativism Relativism is the concept which show that there is no absolute truth in morality, only the truth that particular individual or cultures happen to believe. In other words, the definition of moral depends on a person’s culture, society or his or her group of people. If you believe in relativism, then you think different people can have different views about the question: what is moral and immoral? Likewise, everyone have to choose upon his or her ethics because there are no absolutesRead MoreCultural Relativism : The Moral Code Of A Culture1470 Words   |  6 PagesCultural relativism is self-explanatory in its name but goes deeper beyond that. Cultural relativism states that standards are relative to one’s culture. There are no standards of morality shared by all societies; all rules are controlled by the society in which a person lives. If the moral code of a culture says that an action is right than according to those standards, the action is right. If the society say s that a certain action is wrong, without any input from other cultures, the action is wrongRead MoreCultural Relativism And The Moral Code Of Society Essay1768 Words   |  8 Pageshave different moral codes. Cultural relativism claims that ethics is relative to individuals, groups, cultures and societies. Relativism resists universal moral normal. The moral code of society determines what is right or wrong in that society. There’s no objective standard that can be used to judge one’s society code against another. Its arrogant to judge others cultures. We should always be tolerant of them. Cultural relativism for many people is a response to the complexity of moral issues and theRead MoreEssay on The Cultural Differences Argument for Moral Relativism1299 Words   |  6 PagesRuth Villagra The Cultural Differences Argument for Moral Relativism. Moral Relativism is generally used to describe the differences among various cultures that influence their morality and ethics. According to James Rachels, because of moral relativism there typically is no right and wrong and briefly states : â€Å"Different cultures have different moral codes.† (Rachels, 18) Various cultures perceive right and wrong differently. What is considered right in one society could be considered wrongRead MoreCultural Relativism And The View That Ethical Systems Or Moral Actions1351 Words   |  6 PagesSection 1 1. Cultural relativism Cultural relativism refers to the view that ethical systems or moral actions that are perceived to vary across cultural diversity are all equal and valid and as such, no one culture is better than the other is. For instance, by taking how words are used in one culture to mean a thing, the same words may be employed in a different culture to mean another thing. Another example is prayer announcements in Saudi Arabia can be heard from far distance which legal. EvenRead MoreEvaluate †©Rachels †©Arguments †©Against †©Cultural†© Relativism Essay1682 Words   |  7 PagesPHIL1001 ESSAY Evaluate†©Rachels†©arguments†©against†©cultural†©relativism.†©Is†©he†©right†©to†©endorse†© objective†©moral†©realism? DINH NAM TRAN 308213904 Cultural relativism, as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. â€Å"Is the thesis that a person’s culture strongly influences her modes of perception and thought† Most cultural relativists add to this definition saying that there is no standard of morality. This means that morality is relative to the particular society that one lives inRead MoreCultural Relativism Essay1702 Words   |  7 Pagessociety, cultural relativism is an acceptable theory to adhere to. A society is a collective group of people who are either figuratively or literally aggregated together. There are many societies, sub-societies, and communities that are overlapping. At the same time, every living individual in the world makes up an umbrella society or community that constructs the present-day society. In â€Å"The Challenge of Cultural Relativism,† James Rachels claims that there are consequences to accepting cultural relativism

Slavery Refers To A Condition - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 656 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/05/13 Category Society Essay Level High school Topics: Slavery Essay Did you like this example? Slavery refers to a condition in which individuals are owned by others, who control where they live and at what they work. Near two million slaves were conveyed to the American South from African and the West Non mainstream players amid the Atlantic slave exchange. The American South represented over 20% African Americans. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Slavery Refers To A Condition" essay for you Create order One of the prime roles in the enslavement of blacks was the economy. The colonies in the South wanted to produce the most goods for export as possible; therefore requiring the cheapest labor. The Europeans in what was known as The Triangular Trans-Atlantic Slave Exchange transported the African locals from Africa. This was a sorted out course where Europeans would venture out to Africa bringing produced merchandise, catch Africans and take them to the Caribbean, and after that take the yields and products and take them back to Europe. The African individuals, so as to impart designed a dialect that was a blend of all the African dialects consolidated. This languages currently changes from island to island. They additionally kept their way of life, which represents calypso music and the instruments utilized in these melodies. In the 1600s when John Rolfe established tobacco, tobacco turned into the principle wellspring of salary for a large portion of the pioneers. The monetary success of the states was essentially reliant on the measure of tobacco created. The developing of tobacco required a lot of land, with a vast stable work drive. The expanded interest for a huge, stable work compel joined with the accessibility of African slaves, prompted the utilization of subjugation in the provinces. The slaves would just require being instructed a bit, rather than teaching the obligated hirelings over after such a significant number of years have past by. Family life among subjection was to a great degree impacted and formed by persecution. Families were shaped around, and torn separated by the malevolence of their masters and the outcomes of their activities. Kids were sold far from their moms and fathers never to see them again and set to work at an early age. The bosses ensured that their slaves couldnt peruse and compose for the simple truth that on the off chance that they ever were to learn, there would be a fairly vast uprising of obstruction. A few slaves did learn and got away effectively. Others be that as it may, were not as effect ive or as capable as others and were in no methods fundamental ready to control their very own destiny. Slavery additionally was intensely affected by religion. Slaves sang tunes, murmured spirituals, constantly and discharge themselves from the grasping hands of bondage. They went to chapel on in some cases a normal premise however it was not exactly as it ought to have been. Whites continually administered the majority and ensured that the Blacks were trained that bondage was great by White evangelists. The slaves made up tunes that were encoded with a message that just they knew so they could convey securely without having the ace discover. They sang these tunes in cheerful occasions and additionally during hopelessness or distress. To conclude slavery was a heartless, avoidable foundation which caused a great deal of unnecessary passings, distress and disorder to African Americans and abolitionists alike over a time of a few hundred years. Abolitionists were a slaves solitary expectation in this timeframe. The danger of being gotten was high, and the discipline was much more extreme. It took a lot of bravery for the conductors to help slaves, as well as to really be the slave who was fleeing. They never surrendered their confidence, and battled some of the time until death for what they had faith in. With the death of the Liberation Decree, subjugation didnt promptly arrive at an end. In any case, this gave a kick off to all captives to continue holding tight for only somewhat longer until the point that genuine change could happen.

Symbolism In Edgar Allen Poes The Tell Tale Heart

How does the symbolism affect the meaning of a written piece, does it make it more or less important? Symbolism is used to represent ideas; that may imply deeper, hidden meaning than what the text directly states. Symbolism can be used in different ways throughout different books; for example, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, by Edgar Allen Poe and â€Å"Once upon a Time†, by Nadine Gordimer, contain a variety of symbolism that have the possibility of having two or more meanings. The problem with this is identifying what the text could really mean, and how that changes the story. How does comparing the use of symbolism in both stories and showing the difference in the stories direct text and length, with and without the implied symbolism, answer the†¦show more content†¦He has the old man murdered in his personal bedroom in his bed as the killer s weapon. Symbolism in this work of literature is highly important; without it the story would be a slightly confusing,sh own in the ending of the story when the murder hears the heartbeat, getting louder and louder, but nobody else can hear it and then admits his guilt attempting to stop the sound, metaphorically saying that the guilt (represented by the heart) he carried with him after murdering the old man grew and grew as if it was going to burst out of him, leading him to confess so his subconscious (also represented by the heart ) would be put at ease. Evident by the following quote,†Villains!† I shrieked ,†dissemble no more!I admit the deed! --tear up the planks!--here, here!--It is the beating of his hideous heart!†. Without the use of symbolism in these quotes, the meaning of the quotes and the rest of the piece would mean something completely different; Similar to what would happen in, â€Å"Once Upon a Time† by Nadine Gordimer, if you took out the symbolic pieces and read it specifically as it was written. Like in Poe’s previously stated piece, â€Å"Once Upon a Time†, by Nadine Gordimer is mostly made up ofShow MoreRelatedSymbolism in Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart Essay863 Words   |  4 PagesSymbolism in Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart In Poes The Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator claims that he is not mad but his behavior tells a different story. He is truly determined to destroy another male human being, not because of jealousy or animosity but because one of his eyes resembled that of a vulture- a pale blue eye, with a film over it (1206). The narrator sees the man with this ghastly eye as a threat to his well being, but it is he who is a menace to his own being. HeRead More Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart and the Symbolism of the Eye1221 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allen Poe is the genius responsible for dark, twisting, and often uncomfortably wondrous gothic tales, and one of the best is The Tell-Tale Heart. This is a classic tale of a confused man who is so incredibly bothered by his housemates eye, that he (I am assuming this sexless character is male) thinks the only solution is to resort to cold-blooded murder. Poe incorporates the symbol of the old mans eye in The Tell-Tale Heart, which has both ph ysical and psychological meaning, it alsoRead MoreEdgar Allen Poe and His Work Essay1480 Words   |  6 PagesEdgar Allen Poe and His Work Outline I. Introductory Paragraph I.1. Thesis statement I.2. High points II. First Paragraph II.1. Brief history of life III. Second Paragraph III.1. Edgars Writing Style III.2. Examples IV. Specific poems and short stories IV.1. Examples V. Conclusion Paragraph V.1. Restating thesis statement V.2. Restating high points of the paper Edgar Allen Poe was one of the great writers of this world. He created several poems and short stories of aRead MorePoe: An Analysis of His Work862 Words   |  4 Pages The Portable Edgar Allen Poe, edited by J. Gerald Kennedy, is a phenomenal compilation of works from one of Americas greatest writers of the nineteenth century. Published in 2006, the book contains short stories, poems, and letters, written by Edgar Allen Poe. Full of lies, hope, revenge, and guilt, the stories in this assemblage are suspenseful and convey powerful messages. Of all the amazing stories that comprise this anthology, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, â€Å"The Black Cat†, and â€Å"The Pit and theRead MoreComparitve Analysis of the Raven Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe1257 Words   |  6 PagesComparative Analysis of the Tell Tale Heart and the Raven Edgar Allen Poe was the author of several daunting works of literature. Two examples of Edgar Allen Poes literature are The Tell Tale Heart and The Raven. If we compare these two works, one a short story and the other a poem, we will see that Poe shows great mastery of symbolism, as well as other forms of literary technique. In these two stories, many people would say that Poe uses the tales to reflect the way he perceivesRead MoreThe Gothic Theme of Edgar Allen Poes Work1357 Words   |  6 PagesEdgar Allen Poe was an English short-story writer whose work reflects the traditional Gothic conventions of the time that subverted the ambivalence of the grotesque and arabesque. Through thematic conventions of the Gothic genre, literary devices and his own auteur, Edgar Allan Poe’s texts are considered sublime examples of Gothic fiction. The Gothic genre within Poe’s work such as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, and The Raven, arouse the pervasive nature of the dark side of individualism andRead MoreSymbolism In The Tell Tale Heart And The Tell Tale Heart987 Words   |  4 Pages How does the symbolism affect the meaning of a written piece, does it make it more or less important? Symbolism is used to represent ideas; that may imply deeper, hidden meaning than what the text directly states. Symbolism can be used in different ways throughout different books; for example, â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†, by Edgar Allen Poe and â€Å"Once upon a Time†, by Nadine Gordimer, contain a variety of symbolism that have the possibility of having two or more meanings. The problem with this is identifyingRead More The Ghastly Writings of Poe Essay1466 Words   |  6 PagesThe Ghastly Writings of Poe Edgar Allen Poe makes tales of imagination and fantasies the irrefutable realms of fear. His tales and poems â€Å"have influenced the literary schools of symbolism†¦as well as the popular genres of detective and horror fiction (Stern xxxviii). However, as many of Poe’s tales and poems conjure terror and trepidation, they also penetrate the imagination with fantasy. Poe repeatedly attempts and succeeds at making his readers endure analogous feelings as those charactersRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s Writing Style1071 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allen Poe’s writing style was not well received during his life time, however his writing gained recognition as time passed turning him into a famous figure in the world of literature. Born in 1809, Poe died at the young age of 40 in 1849. Poe was one of the first writers to use short stories as a serious literary style. Most readers are unaware of the vast symbolism in Poe’s writing, but do enjoy the tonality and imagery he creates. Attention to detail and imagination allowed Edgar Allan PoeRead MoreEssay about Edgar Allan Poe1258 Words   |  6 Pagesfor much of his life could not share that with the world. Once he got into college, Poe started sharing his works with others. Soon he became famous and earned the name â€Å"Father Of Horror†. Edgar Allen Poe’s tragic life led to a fascination with the dark side which is certainly evident in â€Å"The Raven†. Edgar Allen Poe was a talented poet, who wrote many poems and books. Poe was born on January 19th 1809 in Boston Massachusetts(biography.com). He passed away on October 7th 1849, after being found unconscious

Possible Extra Terrestrial Life Free Essays

Benjamin Hastings April 10, 2013 Did Someone Move in Down the Street? An Exploration of Possible Extraterrestrial Life in the Universe, Perhaps Our Own System Other life in the universe just makes sense. Think about it, there are trillions of other stars in existence in our universe, and most of those stars have satellites, and those satellites have satellites. There are literally hundreds of trillions, if not more, planets or planet-sized satellites orbiting stars. We will write a custom essay sample on Possible Extra Terrestrial Life or any similar topic only for you Order Now To think that none of these could have life on them is just to be naive. If it happened to our planet, out of hundreds of trillions of them out there, it can happen to another, and another. We can’t be alone; distant, maybe, but alone is just too far-fetched a theory. Belief in extraterrestrial life dates back quite far, even back to ancient society. â€Å"Regarding the existence of other worlds, the ancients of both Greece and rome were deeply divided. Arguing affirmative were the Epicureans, so called after Epicurus (341-270 B. C. ), who developed certain ideas that had originated with Democritus and Leucippus two centuries earlier. Among the theories that we today consider most modern are†¦ hat life exists elsewhere in the universe†¦ Modern though these ideas may seem to us, they all indisputably date from antiquity†¦ † (Crowe- 3) We aren’t the first people to think that life must exist elsewhere, we’ve simply brought the thought back into popularity. But where could life be sustained? Bacteria have been obser ved to endure extreme conditions â€Å"in environments with very high or low temperature and where conditions are very acidic or very alkaline. † (Fix) Principles such as this suggest that â€Å"the search for life in the solar system should not be confined to the most benign environments. (Fix) Research and discoveries by Dr. Gene D. McDonald in Siberian permafrost showed that â€Å"single-celled organisms such as bacteria, archaeans, and fungi repair cellular damage for tens of thousands of years – and perhaps many times longer—after being frozen solid. † (Hart) This is incredible when considering the damage the organisms sustain while being frozen; â€Å"even when all life processes appear to have stopped, processes that affect life do not. Organisms frozen in soil continue to be bombarded by radiation from elements within the soil itself. And at any temperature above absolute zero, all molecules vibrate a little. Thus, cells’ DNA and other important molecules continue to sustain life-threatening damage. For organisms to remain viable for long periods of time, they must somehow maintain a minimal level of molecular repair. † (Hart) A breakthrough such as this suggests that if bacteria on Earth could survive temperatures this low, then certainly organisms outside of What we consider to be the inhabitable temperature zone could certainly adapt and survive on distant moons or dwarf planets. Mars, the fourth and last Solar terran planet, could hold, or have held, life on its surface. Recent study of an ancient meteorite strengthens this theory. â€Å"The meteorite†¦ is made of igneous rock that solidified about 4. 5 billion years ago at the time that Mars formed. About 3. 6 billion years ago globules of carbonate minerals were deposited in cracks in the rock. The carbonate minerals may have been deposited when liquid water seeped into the cracks. The impact of an asteroid or comet on Mars 16 million years ago ejected the rock from Mars into interplanetary space. About thirteen thousand years ago the rock fell into the Antarctic ice fields as a meteorite. † (Fix) This meteorite was carefully studied for two years, revealing several different types of evidence of primitive life on the red planet. â€Å"Another piece of evidence was the discovery of inorganic compounds like iron sulfides that can be produced by bacteria and other terrestrial organisms. The most dramatic evidence, however, is tiny structures in the carbonate globules that resemble microscopic fossils of ancient terrestrial bacteria. (Fix) Life may be closer than we think, but it also may have died out eons ago when the liquid water on the surface of Mars seemingly refused to stay in liquid form any longer. Titan, or Saturn VI, the largest Moon of Saturn, and second largest moon in the Solar System, seems promising for handling life. While being much cooler than our own planet, again, organisms that live there could adapt to the temperature, as well as atmospheric pressure it sustains; a pressure of 1. 6 bars, 60% than greater that of Earth. Titan’s atmosphere brings interesting points to itself because of its composition. Titan’s air is predominantly made up of nitrogen with other hydrocarbon elements which give Titan its orange hue. These hydrocarbon rich elements are the building blocks for amino acids necessary for the formation of life. Scientists believe that Titan’s environment may be similar to that of the Earth’s before life began putting oxygen into the atmosphere. † (Hamilton) This means that life on Titan has a potential to begin as it did theoretically on Earth, or could even have already even begun in very early stages, although these organisms would have to be highly resilient if they are anything like us. Titan’s surface temperature appears to be about -178 °C (-289 °F)†¦ scientists believe lakes of ethane exist that contain dissolved methane. Titan’s methane, through continuing photochemistry, is converted to ethane, acetylene, ethylene, and (when combined with nitrogen) hydrogen cyanide. The last is an especially important molecule; it is a building block of amino acids. † (Hamilton) Europa, a moon of Jupiter, is another highly considered candidate for life. Its surface is covered completely by a shell of ice, cracked and scarred by tidal forces deep beneath. The moon’s tidal forces â€Å"raise and lower the sea beneath the ice, causing constant motion and likely causing the cracks we see in images of Europa’s surface from visiting robotic probes. This â€Å"tidal heating† causes Europa to be warmer than it would otherwise be at its average distance of about 780,000,000 km (485,000,000 miles) from the sun, more than five times as far as the distance from the Earth to the sun. The warmth of Europa’s liquid ocean could prove critical to the survival of simple organisms within the ocean, if they exist. (HarveyBurdick) This ocean, thought to span globally â€Å"with more than twice the volume of Earth’s seas,† may have deep hidden secrets, â€Å"with conditions that might not be completely alien to some forms of life on Earth. Under its frozen crust, Europa may harbor the key ingredients required to create a habitable environment. † (Harvey) Europa’s closer, though still very far distan ce from the sun, along with what may be hidden in its ocean, make it possibly a better candidate for life within our own star system. One great physicist, Stephen Hawking, believes the possibility of life outside of our planet is too great to ignore. He jokes that â€Å"Primitive life is very common and intelligent life is fairly rare. † Although he is very fond of the theory of extraterrestrial beings, he does warn us heavily about them. â€Å"We should be careful if we ever happen upon extraterrestrial life†¦ Alien life may not have DNA like ours: ‘Watch out if you would meet an alien. You could be infected with a disease with which you have no resistance. What we normally think of as ‘life’ is based on chains of carbon atoms, with a few other atoms, such as nitrogen or phosphorous†¦ we can imagine that one might have life with some other chemical basis, such as silicon. † (dailygalaxy. com) Life to him seems undeniable in other parts of the universe, but he does suggest logically that it just may very likely not be like us. This theory is to be respected, because many p lanets and subterran objects may fall in every planetary guideline to support life, just not in the way we see it in ourselves. Life must exist elsewhere, whether it be out neighbor, next door or down the block, or whether it be outside of our closely knit family of planets, moons, asteroids, etc. It could host similar structure to our own, or be composed differently, and therefore could survive completely different conditions from our own. Simply put, it may be considered to be foolish to completely ignore the possibilities of any terran planet to sustain life, because life is almost certainly out there somewhere, and it may be the in last place we think to look. Works Cited Crowe, Micheal J. The Extraterrestrial Life Debate 1750-1900. Cambridge UP. 1986. Print. Fix, John D. Astronomy: Journey to the Cosmic Frontier. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2008. Print. Hamilton, Calvin J. â€Å"Views of the Solar System: Titan. † solarviews. com. Solarviews, 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Hart, Stephan. â€Å"Bacteria: Survival in Siberia† astrobio. net. Astrobiology Magazine, 2002. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Harvey, Samantha and Autumn Burdick. â€Å"Solar System Exploration. † nasa. gov. NASA, 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Stephen Hawking on the Possibility of Non-Carbon-Based Extraterrestrial Life. † dailygalaxy. com. The Daily Galaxy, 2009. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. How to cite Possible Extra Terrestrial Life, Papers

Journalism on the Internet Essay Example For Students

Journalism on the Internet Essay The common forms of media in todays world each have both advantages and disadvantages. The Internet has been around for an almost equal amount of time as most of them, but only recently has it become a popular way of retrieving information. The Internet takes the best of all other medium and combines them into a very unique form. The Internet is the best way to retrieve information. This combination of paper publishing, TV, radio, telephones, and mail is the future of communications. The internet has several types of journalism which can be defined into three sections. One section is online magazines, online broadcasting, and other online services. The next group is resource files and web pages. The third is discussion groups/forums and e-mail. I will investigate these areas of the net, showing the advantages and disadvantages of each in comparison to the conventional forms. In order to understand what all these topics are you must first understand what the internet is. The internet has several types of journalism which can be defined into three sections. One section is online magazines, online broadcasting, and other online services. The next group is resource files and web pages. The third is discussion groups/forums and e-mail. I will investigate these areas of the net, showing the advantages and disadvantages of each in comparison to the conventional forms. In order to understand what all these topics are you must first understand what the internet is. The simple answer is that it is computers all over the globe connected together by telephone wires. It was first made by the military, No one owns the Internet, to have a network with no centre. That way it could never be destroyed by nuclear war. Since then, universities have used it and it has evolved into what it is today. It is a library that contains mail, stories, news advertising, and just about everything else. In a sense, freenets are a literacy movement for computer mediated communication today, as public libraries were to reading for an earlier generation. Now that the term the net is understood lets look at some sections of the net. An online magazine is a computer that lets users access it through the net. This computer stores one or more magazines which users can read. PC magazine and other magazines are available on the Web Macleans Magazine and Canadian Business online; and Reuters Canadian Newsclips. This form is much better that conventional publishing, we are using the online service to enhance the print magazine, for several reasons. It is environmentally safe, Publish without Paper, most are free, $50 a month on CompuServe, you can get any article from any year at the touch of a button, and you can search for key words. Search engines make it easy pinpointing just the information you need. The articles dont have space limits so you will get a specially edited full story version (depending on the reporter) and other articles that didnt make the print. It is easy to compare the story with another journalists view, or get the story from a journalist from another country. This way, the reader can make informed decisions on anything, without bias. A few people complain that there is too much information to receive, mass jumble, but there are filter programs that will cut the information to any set amount. CNN online is a broadcast web page (another computer). CNN not only has the articles to read but video, and sound clips too. Anyone can get up to the minute news, and reports. We will send a reporter to the game, who will interview people like the coach and uplink the story while the game is being played. This is an excellent addition to TV. It is a mix of TV and publishing. TV has a schedule to keep and might cut out parts simply for time but there is no time limit online. Also, because it is interactive, users will remember the information longer than if they watched TV. An online service is a web page that sells something. It is easy to order anything, from flowers to even airline tickets. Darren Heath Essayopportunity to buy tickets through TicketMaster. But even this has problems, the Internet is new and many possible types of fraud must be dealt with, but the solution is software, Secure Couriera secure means of transferring financial transactions. This service is the home shopping, catalogue, and printed flier replacement. Their advantage is that you can buy directly, or skip them if you wish, unlike TV. Web pages on the internet are computers that are dedicated to letting people access them. Many companies have a web page that offers help to customers, news, services, product updates, advice from experts, even information on elections, government programs, and so forth. These new, online services include daily industry news, classified, a directory of suppliers, an interactive forum, and tons of reference material, including government documents, surveys, speeches, papers, and statistics. Even .