Metaphysics - ontology Essay Example for Free

Metaphysics ontology Essay â€Å"I think therefore I am-Descartes;† â€Å"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare- Spinoza. † Decorates and Spinoza are unique; they are like nothing this class has studied previous. They focus on nature, existence and power as the fundamental building blocks to their unique philosophies. The beauty of these two men’s philosophies is not only in their contrasts but in all the ideas the students can draw from their logically thinking strategies; ultimately creating an individual philosophy and bettering ones own life from it. They both use logic but the use of language is the â€Å"wild card† that allows the real questioning to happen. Spinoza and Decorates are masters at using concrete facts and twisting them in such a way so as to question their existence entirely. Almost like one is pressing the reset button on life and starting fresh. The best example I can give is our day-to-day class discussion. Previously our tangents have been focused and connected. But with Spinoza and Decorates they have been different. They have become sporadic, wide spread, and eye opening. Yes the focus has and will always remain to be on the ideals that these men present; but the beauty in these philosophies are not restricted to just their points. The beauty lies within what the student (since we are all students’ not philosophy kings yet) can question and provide. This paper will discuss all the points crucial to these two men’s philosophies; however, throughout the paper the tangents I will draw will reveal my own conclusions that I have been taking note off from our class discussion in order to shed some light on the impact these philosophies have had to myself and philosophy itself. First thing that this paper will cover, and the biggest topic of debate between the two is the dialectic about the mind and body. Descartes is a substance duelist. He believes substance is divided into two things: mind substance and body substance. They are also independent entities in his eyes. In the second meditation he concludes that doubt is possible about the existence of the body but there can be no doubt as to the existence of the thinking mind; the mind simply cannot doubt the existence of thinking, since even the doubt itself would require thinking to exist (this concept itself is confusing and brilliant at the same time basically embodying who Descartes is in a one thought). Therefore Descartes is able to conclude that since there is doubt about the existence of the body, the mind can think without the use of the body. Thus independence is the only logical result. After all of that, duality in substances is born and realized. On the contrary, Spinoza believes mind and body are the same substance. Mind is dependent of the body and vice versa. The mind is united to the body because the body is the object of the mind (Ethics 2, prop 21). However one does not determine the other: The body cannot determine the mind to think, nor the mind the body to remain in motion or at rest (Ethics 3, 2). † Simply put, it is illogical to believe that one act causes the other act to happen. The mind is in place to insure the survival of the body. He rejects the idea of substances that Descartes suggests. Spinoza believes that there is only infinite substance, and no finite substance; which is a contradiction and a double negative (proving a statement false with false evidence). Each thing, mind and body, is both a thought and an extension. The thought is what is known through ideas and the extension is what exists and is sensed physically. Therefore thought is mental and extension is physical. For Spinoza, the mind and body act as a mirror image of each other; neither has any freedom from the other; dependence is therefore born. Then the role of infinite substance is introduced. Spinoza argues that God is the only infinite substance in nature. There can be only one substance that satisfies the idea difference between the two philosophers and that is that Spinoza views thought and extension as inseparable not having independent extensions. While in Descartes philosophy there are two distinct extensions. The mind substance is further divided into infinite and finite thinking. The infinite is God, the finite is each individual mind and soul. There is only one infinite thinking substance and that is God. Thinking is not a physical action (it is a behavior). It is an individual act that only the individual can control. One doesnt have to think a normal way, Descartes would argue. This connects to his views on education and how it can sometimes â€Å"cloud† individuals from their true passions and loves in life. Thinking with a clear mind is something that goes hand in hand with self-knowledge; learning from experience through one’s own paths and mistakes. Accepting that one cannot control everything (only one’s thoughts and physical actions) and understanding the necessity for an open mind to nature. Only then when this is all applied is it possible to live an active life; living life to the fullest and embracing all it has to offer. This leads into Spinoza’s definition of affect. He defines it as â€Å"the modifications of the body whereby the active power of the said body is increased or diminished, aided or constrained, and also the ideas of such modification (Ethics, prop 130). † Simply put, that which is affected does not exist; meaning the only thing that can possibly exist is God. Everything is dependent on something in order for it to survive; a book, a tree, a person, is dependent on something else for its survival. One could argue (and will now) that the mind has the ability to affect too. The only thing that can affect the mind is the mind itself. But the mind can be deceiving. Overthinking or over analyzing can change our perception of what reality is. Emotions and senses also add to the deception the mind can cause. A smell could lead somebody to not eat a meal; hearing somebody’s voice can be appealing or completely â€Å"turn off† the individual from furthering the conversation. The mind can also cause passive moments. Being passive is a huge part of nonexistence to Spinoza. Although the passive moments in ones life are inevitable, Spinoza suggests that we must attempt to control them in order obtain maximum freedom in life. Freedom is that in which someone lives an active life (living in the moment, embracing all that life can offer). By developing good habits, living actively, one can limit the passive moments and bounce back (not fall too far down the divided line). The goal in life is to live the most active life and experience nature to the fullest. Descartes believes in the exact opposite. He beliefs that mind and body are two separate substances that dont rely on each other. Therefore the mind cannot affect the body and the body cannot affect the mind. Thus all that Spinoza would suggest is a â€Å"waste. † The four cores of life are sadness, joy, weakness and power. Each person will experience one in his or her lifetime (if one does not then their alien [interesting what an alien is or is not]). The key, Spinoza would argue is that one experiences the cores in their own way. The question he would ask is: â€Å"will you live your life or the way others tell you too. † God is the key answer to this question. What does it mean to say that God is substance and that everything else is â€Å"in† God? Spinoza suggests that rocks, tables, chairs, birds, mountains, rivers and human beings are all properties of God. Thus all we are is a creation off God. It’s crazy to think that we are merely just part of an image of some other higher substance. When a person feels pain, sadness and joy; does it follow that all the emotions are ultimately just a property of God, therefore suggesting that God feels it too (chills run down*). This is the gut of Spinoza’s philosophy as he devotes the first 15 proportions to defining God and all that he does. Descartes is similar on his view with God. Gods existence is inferred, simply because of existence. For example, God is not an extended thing but only a thinking thing; God exists in a higher form, and he and only he can cause its existence. The idea of God is the idea of an infinite substance. Since a finite substance is less real than an infinite substance. A finite substance does not have enough reality to be the cause of its own idea. But the idea must have come from something. So that something is God, which must be an infinite substance. Therefore, God exists as the only possible cause of this idea. These comparisons that the two philosophers naturally bring to the table lead the mind to wonder. The possibilities are endless when it comes to questions and conclusions. The beauty lies within these questions. It is up to the individual, as Spinoza would say, to stop living a passive life and â€Å"attack† these philosophers in order to create something beautiful.

Black Boy :: essays research papers

Childhood is a time of sunny days. Sweet breezes blow friendly cloud shapes across the deep blue sky. The days are never-ending-joy—a black canvas to paint with beautiful memories - - unless your childhood was Richard Wright’s. His youth was a cold bleak existence, carved with hatred and overlaid with hunger. There seemed to be little hope for one born to such a lot. For it was not to the caring bosom of his family that Richard could turn. And the hard, unfeeling eyes of the world were turned away from him. It was a great feat that could struggle through life’s battles with his conscience unscathed. It was his experience that provided the color which enhanced the sketch of his personality he was given at birth. Richard’s family despaired of him. They believed him to only be on the wide path go hell as was evidence by the family confrontations Richard constantly found himself in. There was the time Aunt Addie punished an innocent Richard in school, and the fight raged on even once they were home. After pulling a knife on her and being thrown to the floor, eternal hate was born between the two relatives. He believed him to be devilish and would have nothing to do with him while Richard regarded her with untarnished enmity. He also fought with Uncle Tom. Richard pulled razor blades on Uncle because he was gong to be beaten for an unknown reason. This event constructed an impenetrable wall between the two that was never to come down. It was here Richard learned not to trust. For who would offer kindness towards him if family members did not. And finally, Richard fought with Granny over working on the Sabbath . She did not understand what he needed, reasoned Richard. That boy is a hopeles s case, felt Granny. They completely misunderstood one another, and each one’s pride was too great to do anything about the damaged relationship. So between Aunt Addie, Uncle Tom, and Granny, Richard existed in a place of hard and in indifferent stares which would cause him to search for brighter colors elsewhere. He first turned to the streets. He found no solace there but rather a malice between races that surpassed the hostility at home. He saw this when he was he was bitten by the brickyard owner’s dog. The man cared nothing for Richard and didn’t care if he lived or died because all blacks were trash in the white man’s eyes.

After failing

Europe was needed as an ally because if Lincoln had dated that he wanted the abolishment of all slavery in all territories then Europe would have joined the war which have resulted in a much more complicated situation, meaning the North would have lost. The Union war effort wanted not only to include reunification but also to abolish slavery. To achieve this so called emancipation the Union was forced to invade the South and take over their lands. Unable to use limited war tactics for victories, the North needed to take more drastic measures to ensure victory.After failing to cake the lead in the war, the decision to use total war was enforced by taking on the goal of eliminating slavery. Knowing the slaves were crucial to their way of life, the North used this ‘fault' as motive for the spirit of the war. The war effort was being promoted throughout the North as it became more than just a war to preserve the nation. The attack on the Southern way of life allowed the North to ru in the economic framework oftener opponents. 2.Careful Union diplomacy managed the Civil War crisis with Britain and need British flirtations with the Confederacy by providing cautious tactics on dealing with the, at the time, easily provoked 3. The primary military strategies of each side were that the Confederacy could fight defensively behind the interior lines, the South had an advantage in morale, they had the most talented officers including General Robert E. Lee himself, and that Southerners seemed always prepared to fight. The North's great strength in the Economy made up for the South's great lack in that area.The North had about three-fourths of the nation's wealth and three-fourths of the railroads. They had control over the sea which was a huge advantage because they were able to cut off Southern supplies and crush the Southern morale. Their sea power also enabled them to exchange big grain quantities for munitions and supplies from Europe. The North also had the vast ma jority Of the men with a population Of 22 million to 9 million in the seceding States. Each side attempted to carry them out by using each one of their advantages o the best of their abilities throughout the Civil War.

Engage in personal development in health, social care or children Essay

Outcome 1 Understand what is required for competence in own work role 1) Describe the duties and responsibilities of own work role To assist service users with everyday tasks such as washing, toileting, dressing, eating, drinking. To assist with mobility and disability. To help in the promotion of mental and physical activity through talking and reading with them, taking them out, hobbies and recreation. House cleaning and laundry. Read and write reports. Take part in training updates regularly. Follow policies and procedures at all times. Report any changes to service user’s health or circumstances. Encourage service users to be as independent as possible. Be mentor to new staff and complete their supervision plans. Carry out medication duties. Complete methodologies, action plans and evaluations for individual residents on a monthly basis. 2) Explain expectations about own work role as expressed in relevant standards There are two main standards that I am expected to be able to comply with – National Miniumum Standards The purpose of these Standards is to set out the National Minimum Training Standards for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England. These standards define the minimum you should know, irrespective of your individual work role. Often you will gain this knowledge during a period of induction in the first weeks or months of your employment. While meeting these minimum standards is not the same as being competent in your role, they do provide the foundation for safe and effective practice. The  standards do not seek to set out competences for workers, but correspond to the underpinning knowledge within the Core Competences for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England. The National Minimum Standards consist of 10 Standards – 1. The roles of the Healthcare Support Worker and Adult Social Care Worker 2. Your personal development 3. Effective communication 4. Equality, diversity and inclusion 5. Duty of care 6. Safeguarding 7. Person-centred care and support 8. Health and safety 9. Handling information 10. Infection prevention and control Each Standard has several units within. For example, the first Standard has 4 units – 1. Understanding your own role 2. Your relationship with others 3. Working in ways that have been agreed with your employer 4. Working in partnership with others Each unit then has it’s own elements. For example, the first unit has 3 elements – 1.1.1 Understand your main duties and responsibilities 1.1.2 Understand the standards and codes of conduct and practice that relate to your role 1.1.3 Be aware of how your previous experiences, attitudes and beliefs may affect the way you work National Occupational Standards National Occupational Standards have been developed in most industries. They – Describe best practice in particular areas of work Bring together the skills, knowledge and values necessary to do the work as statements of competence Provide managers with a tool for a wide variety of workforce management, quality control and specification tasks Are the basis of training and qualifications. Skills for Care and Development develops standards with the care sector that focus on all levels of work, with an expectation that the standards will be used at least as much in human resource and operational management, as they will be in the development of qualifications. Skills for Care and Development works with employers and others to contribute to and promote the developing uses of the standards. I am expected to be able to carry out my duties to the best of my ability, competently and to at least the minimum standards set out in both of the above Standards. Outcome 2 Be able to reflect on practice 3) Describe how own values, belief systems and experiences may affect working practice Everyone has different values, beliefs and experiences which are important to them and what we see as acceptable or desirable is an important part of who we are. For example, Someone’s religion, diet, class, sexuality and ability are individual to them. The way we respond to people is linked to our beliefs, what we class as important and what our interests are. We are more likely to respond positively to someone who shares our values, than to someone who has different values. It is natural to want to make friends and spend time with people who share our interests and values. In a work place, problems can arise when we start to assume what we know is ‘right’ or ‘normal’ for someone. Everyone sees things in different ways. For example, if i was to put ‘songs of praise’ on the tv, I am forcing everyone to watch a program following MY own religous beliefs. As a professional, it is my duty to provide the same quality of care and support for all, regardless of their values, beliefs and what they consider to be important. If I was to allow my own preferences to interfere with my work, I will be failing to perform to the standards of the Code of Practice for social care workers. All Care Workers are to respect and promote people’s individual views and wishes. Outcome 3 Be able to evaluate own performance 1) Evaluate own knowledge, performance and understanding against relevant standards To be able to evaluate my own knowledge, performance and understanding, I need to be able to reflect on what I do and the way I work. I also need to know my own weaknesses and strengths. Once I am able to do this, I can learn to think about the way I work, in a constructive way, and use this to identify areas for improvement. For example, during the day, I would make a cup of tea for all the residents. But, after reflecting on this, I can see that I should have given the residents a choice of drink and not assume that they all wanted tea. This would then be in accordance with Standard 3, of the National Minimum Standards. Outcome 5 Be able to use learning opportunities and reflective practice to contribute to personal development 1) Evaluate how learning activities have affected practice Although I had been a carer for a while, when I became a carer for residents with dementia , I was unsure of how to communicate with them. I shadowed the Senior Carer for a while and learnt quickly that although the residents have dementia, most can communicate verbally on a basic level . I learnt how to communicate through not only speech, but using hand signs as well. I learnt that some of the residents are quite hard of hearing, so I have to speak up. If I had not of shadowed the Senior Carer, It would of taken me longer to adjust to communicating with the residents in a way that they would understand me, and I would understand them.

Free Essays on The End

The last days of Socrates, immediately before his execution was going to take place in Athens. In the dialogue, Socrates’’ friend, Crito, proposes that Socrates escape from prison. Socrates considers this proposal, trying to decide if escaping would be â€Å"â€Å"just†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally justified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Eventually, Socrates concludes that the act is considered â€Å"â€Å"unjust†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally unjustified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Socrates decides to accept his death penalty and execution. Socrates was a man who would obey truth in all matters. In his refusal to accept exile from Athens or silence as a penalty, he takes the penalty of death and is thrown into prison. While Socrates is awaiting his execution, many of his friends, including Crito, arrive with a foolproof plan for his escape from Athens to live in exile voluntarily. Socrates calmly debates with each friend over the moral value and justification of such an act. Crito believed that by helping Socrates to escape, he could go on to fulfill his personal obligations. Also, if Socrates does not follow the plan, many people would assume that his friends did not care about him enough to help him escape or that his friends are not willing to give their time or money in order to help him. Therefore, Crito goes on to argue that Socrates ought to escape from the prison. After listening to Crito’’s arguments, Socrates dismisses them as irrelevant to a decision about what action is truly right. In the arguments that Socrates makes, what other people think does not matter. The only opinions that should matter are the ones of the individuals that truly know. According to Socrates, the only opinion that he is willing to consider would be that of the state. The argument moves from one of a general moral decision to the morality of his specific case. He basically says avoiding the sentence handed down by the jury would be disobeying the state, Socrates decides not to es... Free Essays on The End Free Essays on The End The last days of Socrates, immediately before his execution was going to take place in Athens. In the dialogue, Socrates’’ friend, Crito, proposes that Socrates escape from prison. Socrates considers this proposal, trying to decide if escaping would be â€Å"â€Å"just†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally justified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Eventually, Socrates concludes that the act is considered â€Å"â€Å"unjust†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally unjustified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Socrates decides to accept his death penalty and execution. Socrates was a man who would obey truth in all matters. In his refusal to accept exile from Athens or silence as a penalty, he takes the penalty of death and is thrown into prison. While Socrates is awaiting his execution, many of his friends, including Crito, arrive with a foolproof plan for his escape from Athens to live in exile voluntarily. Socrates calmly debates with each friend over the moral value and justification of such an act. Crito believed that by helping Socrates to escape, he could go on to fulfill his personal obligations. Also, if Socrates does not follow the plan, many people would assume that his friends did not care about him enough to help him escape or that his friends are not willing to give their time or money in order to help him. Therefore, Crito goes on to argue that Socrates ought to escape from the prison. After listening to Crito’’s arguments, Socrates dismisses them as irrelevant to a decision about what action is truly right. In the arguments that Socrates makes, what other people think does not matter. The only opinions that should matter are the ones of the individuals that truly know. According to Socrates, the only opinion that he is willing to consider would be that of the state. The argument moves from one of a general moral decision to the morality of his specific case. He basically says avoiding the sentence handed down by the jury would be disobeying the state, Socrates decides not to es...

Cognitive Dissonance Definition and Examples

Cognitive Dissonance Definition and Examples Psychologist Leon Festinger first described the theory of cognitive dissonance in 1957. According to Festinger,  cognitive dissonance  occurs when people’s thoughts and feelings are inconsistent with their behavior, which results in an uncomfortable, disharmonious feeling. Examples of such inconsistencies or dissonance could include someone who litters despite caring about the environment, someone who tells a lie despite valuing honesty, or someone who makes an extravagant purchase, but believes in frugality. Experiencing cognitive dissonance can lead people to try to reduce their feelings of discomfort - sometimes in surprising or unexpected ways. Because the experience of dissonance is so uncomfortable, people are highly motivated to try to reduce their dissonance. Festinger goes as far as to propose  that reducing dissonance is a fundamental need: a person who experiences dissonance will try to reduce this feeling in much the same way that a person who feels hungry is compelled to eat. According to psychologists, our actions are likely to produce a higher amount of dissonance if they involve the  way that we see ourselves and we subsequently have trouble justifying why our actions didn’t match our beliefs. For example, since individuals typically want to see themselves as ethical people, acting unethically would produce higher levels of dissonance. Imagine someone paid you $500 to tell a small lie to someone. The average person probably wouldn’t fault you for telling the lie- $500 is a lot of money and for most people would probably be enough to justify a relatively inconsequential lie. However, if you were paid only a couple of dollars, you might have more trouble justifying your lie, and feel less comfortable about doing so. How Cognitive Dissonance Affects Behavior In 1959, Festinger and his colleague James Carlsmith published an influential study showing that cognitive dissonance can affect behavior in unexpected ways. In this study, research participants were asked to spend an hour completing boring tasks (for example, repeatedly loading spools onto a tray). After the tasks were over, some of the participants were told that there were two versions of the study: in one (the version the participant had been in), the participant was not told anything about the study beforehand; in the other, the participant was told that the study was interesting and enjoyable. The researcher told the participant that the next study session was about to start, and that they needed someone to tell the next participant that the study would be enjoyable. They then asked the participant to tell the next participant that the study was interesting (which would have meant lying to the next participant, since the study had been designed to be boring). Some participants were offered $1 to do this, while others were offered $20 (since this study was conducted over 50 years ago, this would have been a lot of money to participants). In actuality, there was no â€Å"other version† of the study in which participants were led to believe the tasks were fun and interesting- when participants told the â€Å"other participant† that the study was fun, they were actually (unknown to them) speaking to a member of the research staff. Festinger and Carlsmith wanted to create a feeling of dissonance in participants- in this case, their belief (that lying should be avoided) is at odds with their action (they just lied to someone). After telling the lie, the crucial part of the study began. Another person (who appeared to not be part of the original study) then asked participants to report on how interesting the study actually was. Results of Festinger and Carlsmiths Study For participants who were not asked to lie, and for participants who lied in exchange for $20, they tended to report that the study indeed wasn’t very interesting. After all, participants who had told a lie for $20 felt that they could justify the lie because they were paid relatively well (in other words, receiving the large sum of money reduced their feelings of dissonance). However, participants who were only paid $1 had more trouble justifying their actions to themselves- they didn’t want to admit to themselves that they told a lie over such a small amount of money. Consequently, participants in this group ended up reducing the dissonance they felt another way- by reporting that the study had indeed been interesting. In other words, it appears that participants reduced the dissonance they felt by deciding that they hadn’t lied when they said the study was enjoyable and that they really had liked the study. Festinger and Carlsmith’s study has an important legacy: it suggests that, sometimes, when people are asked to act in a certain way, they may change their attitude to match the behavior they just engaged in. While we often think that our actions stem from our beliefs, Festinger and Carlsmith suggest that it can be the other way around: our actions can influence what we believe. Culture and Cognitive Dissonance In recent years, psychologists have pointed out that many psychology studies recruit participants from Western countries (North America and Europe) and that doing so neglects the experience of people who live in non-Western cultures. In fact, psychologists who study  cultural psychology  have found that many phenomena that were once assumed to be universal may actually be unique to Western countries. What about cognitive dissonance? Do people from non-Western cultures experience cognitive dissonance as well? Research seems to suggest that people from non-Western cultures do experience cognitive dissonance, but that the  contexts  that lead to feelings of dissonance might differ depending on cultural norms and values. For example, in a  study  conducted by Etsuko Hoshino-Browne and her colleagues, the researchers found that European Canadian participants experienced greater levels of dissonance when they made a decision for themselves, while Japanese participants were more likely to experience dissonance when they were responsible for making a decision for a friend. In other words, it seems that everyone does experience dissonance from time to time- but what causes dissonance for one person might not for someone else. Reducing Cognitive Dissonance According to  Festinger, we can work to reduce the dissonance we feel in several different ways. Changing Behavior One of the simplest ways to address dissonance is to change one’s behavior. For example,  Festinger explains  that a smoker might cope with the discrepancy between their knowledge (that smoking is bad) and their behavior (that they smoke) by quitting. Changing the Environment Sometimes people can reduce dissonance by changing things in their environment- in particular, in their social environment. For example, someone who smokes might surround themselves with other people who smoke instead of with people who have disapproving attitudes about cigarettes. In others words, people sometimes cope with feelings of dissonance by surrounding themselves in â€Å"echo chambers† where their opinions are supported and validated by others. Seeking Out New Information People can also address feelings of dissonance by processing information in a  biased way: they may look for new information that supports their current actions, and they might limit their exposure to information that would make them feel greater levels of dissonance. For example, a coffee drinker might look for research on the benefits of coffee drinking, and avoid reading studies that suggest coffee might have negative effects. Sources Festinger, Leon.  A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance.  Stanford University Press, 1957.  https://books.google.com/books?isbn0804709114Festinger, Leon, and James M. Carlsmith. â€Å"Cognitive Consequences of Forced Compliance.†Ã‚  The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology  58.2 (1959): 203-210.  http://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Motivation/Festinger_Carlsmith_1959_Cognitive_consequences_of_forced_compliance.pdfFiske, Susan T., and Shelley E. Taylor.  Social Cognition: From Brains to Culture. McGraw-Hill, 2008.  https://books.google.com/books?id7qPUDAAAQBAJdqfisketaylorsocialcognitionlrGilovich, Thomas, Dacher Keltner, and Richard E. Nisbett.  Social Psychology. 1st edition, W.W. Norton Company, 2006.  https://books.google.com/books?isbn0393913236Hoshino-Browne, Etsuko, et al. â€Å"On the Cultural Guises of Cognitive Dissonance: The Case of Easterners and Westerners.†Ã‚  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology  89.3 (2 005): 294-310.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7517343_On_the_Cultural_Guises_of_Cognitive_Dissonance_The_Case_of_Easterners_and_Westerners White, Lawrence. â€Å"Is Cognitive Dissonance Universal?†.  Psychology Today Blog  (2013, Jun. 28).  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/culture-conscious/201306/is-cognitive-dissonance-universal

Suez Crisis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Suez Crisis - Term Paper Example Ever since the proposal of the Suez Canal was suggested, controversy broke out among key nations. The canal offered an important strategic advantage which was recognized by many different powers. The assignment will focus on the construction and opening of the canal in order to better understand its importance in the modern world. The factors which contributed to the beginning of the Crisis will also be examined. The Crisis itself will be explored with its complex political goings on and brutal military action. The assignment will also take a look at how and why the Crisis ended. Finally, the aftermath of the Crisis will be examined and assessed in order to see how it affected the countries involved and their future relations. 2. THE SUEZ CANAL The Suez Canal was opened on 17 November 1869; there by, creating a water way between Africa and Asia; for, it allowed ships to sail directly between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. The canal was 160 km [101 miles] long and 296m at its narrowest point. [New World Encyclopedia Contributors, 2008] Although, Napoleon had entertained ideas of opening such a canal, it was Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French diplomat who put the dream into motion for a linking water way which would be accessible to ships of all nations. He presented his idea to Egypt and in 1854 the Viceroy of Egypt, Mohammed Said Pasha, agreed upon the construction of the Suez Canal. A prospectus was circulated among the leading nations of the time in order to promote the idea of the canal and to find investors to sponsor the construction. This lead to the formation of the Universal Company of the Suez Maritime Canal on 20 December 1858. Due, to rivalry between France and Britain during this time, Britain was loth for France to extend its power in the region where the canal was to be constructed. Therefore, Britain refused to invest in the canal and campaigned against its construction. This led to a lack in foreign investors; thus, it was that Egypt receiv ed 44% in shares of the canal. Construction on the canal was finally begun on 25 April 18599. [British Broadcasting Corporation, 2009] It has been reported that the French employed forced labor from Egypt to construct the canal. Britain used this leverage to disrupt work on the canal by insighting unrest among the workers. It has been estimated that over 30 thousand Egyptians and 1.5 million foreigners helped in the construction of the canal. Due, to the hard working conditions over 120 thousand laborers died. [NWEC, 2008] The construction of the canal cost almost double the original estimate, totaling $100 million, making it $1 million per mile. France conducted the tariffs which were to be paid by vessels travelling on the canal. [Penfield, 1907 p7] It is ironic that three quarters of the traffic of the canal during the first year was made up of British vessels transporting goods to and from their colonial territories as well as transporting military and administrative personnel m ore quickly to Africa; thus, aiding Britain in the expansion of its colonies. [New World Encyclopedia, 2008] It took only 14 to 16 hours to traverse the canal. The canal shortened the route from Britain to Bombay in India from 10,860 miles to just over 4,600 miles. [Penfield, 1907 p15] Egypt’s Viceroy, Said Pasha, died before the completion of the canal and was succeeded by his nephew, Ismail Pasha. He was an ambitious man who