Drug Research Paper

Drug Research Paper Inhalants are wide variety of substances that young adults use as another way to get high. Inhalants cause mind-altering effects and typically someone would not think of these products as drugs because they were never intended for that type of use. Inhalants are very easy for young adults to find and many different types are even in their own homes. Inhalants can be anything from household cleaners to aerosols to gases. Inhalants are administered by breathing in through the nose or mouth in a variety of ways sniffing or snorting the fumes from the containers.People who use them can also inhale fumes from a balloon or a bag which would be filled with the inhalant of choice. The high from the inhalant only lasts a few minutes which causes users to continue to inhale substances many times over a short period of time and having greater effects. The physical impacts caused from inhalants are very similar to what someone would be like if they were to get drunk from alco hol. Symptoms would include slurred speech, little to no coordination, euphoric, and dizziness. Users may also experience hallucinations, and delusions.Users who frequently inhale will feel less control of their body for a longer period of time and may feel drowsy and have severe headaches for several hours and can possibly carry over to days with the same headache symptoms. Depending on the chemical inhaled users will experience added effects such as confusion, nausea, increased heart rate, and throwing up. The behavioral impact from inhalants can be a short state of excitement and also confusion and hallucinations. Users also will have sudden mode swings and the inability to made clear and smart decisions.Long term effects from inhalants that are very harmful and some irreversible effect areas all over the body. One of the long-term effects that is very serious and is from excessive inhalants is the break down of myelin. Myelin is a fatty tissue that surrounds and protects nerve f ibers and helps messages get sent all over the body. Due to excessive use of inhalants will cause serious damage to the myelin and that will lead to muscle spasms, tremors, and the high possibility of losing basic abilities such as walking, bending down, and talking.Other serious irreversible long-term effects from inhalants are hearing loss, limb spasms, severe brain damage, and bone marrow damage. The use of inhalants among teens and adults is very high due to the easy access they have to wide varieties of them. Over 17 million people have experimented with inhalants. Inhalants are also the fourth most abused substance in the United States. Rohypnol is a drug that is very common and targets the central nervous system. It is used as a depressant medicine and is currently illegal for all use in the United States. Rohypnol has many names but is most commonly know as roofies or the â€Å"date rape drug†.Rohypnol’s sedative effects are about 7 to 10 times stronger than Va lium. Effects hit the victim within 15 to 20 minutes after being taken. Rohypnol is administered by young adults recreationally but most often and most commonly given to someone without them knowing they have just taken the drug. Due to its odorless and tasteless characteristics it can easily be slipped in a drink and dissolve quickly and therefore the person being administered the drug has no idea was has happened or that they have or are about to take it. The physical impact of rohypnol is it is known to cause temporary muscle relaxation, sleep, and impaired motor skills.Rohypnol also increases the effects of alcohol and other drugs without your knowledge. Also rophynol causes people to no remember certain things that went on such as events at a party or bar. Rohypnol also causes drowsiness, dizziness, loss of motor skills control, lack of coordination, blurred speech, confusion, all lasting up to and sometimes beyond 12 hours. The behavioral impact from use of rohypnol is depende nce for the drug and the withdrawal syndrome when the drug hasn’t been taken in a period of time. The most common effect from rohypnol is memory loss and the feeling of not being able to control yourself.Although rohypnol is most commonly used a sedative, chronic use of the drug can cause very aggressive behavior and possibly seizures. Also if a person has overdosed on rohypnol it is possible they can have problems breathing and fall into a coma. Long term effects from rophynol use are physical and psychological dependence. People who suffer from excessive use of the drug feel like they can’t live without it and are unable to do anything or feel good and have major withdrawal effects. The drug is most prevalent with teenagers and adults from ages 13 to 30.Due to its low cost only about $5 dollars per pill it makes the drug more available to people and then making it more abundant in the areas such as parties and bars. My assigned treatment plan is the Motivational Inte rference Therapy. What this treatment plan does is it offers counseling session’s motivational therapy and multiple step programs to help pull the patient out of addiction and back to living a healthy life. The first stage involves encouraging the patient to overcome their dependency behavior and tries to help them see the life without their addiction and try to convince them it is possible and build their confidence up slowly.The second step is to show the effects of their addiction on themselves and how they can remove it from their life just like it came in. This session is done 2 to 4 times depending on the patient’s addiction. The final step is to motivate the patient to completely give up on drugs and show them it is possible and that they can do it. The pros to this method are that they are consistently motivating, reminding, and showing you the positives to getting out of addiction.The cons to this method are that I think this style might not work for everyone and that some people may need a different type of program one that moves at a slower pace that allows them to really see themselves and what addiction has done to them. Also I think patients would need to spend more time at each stage to really break through their addiction. The drug addiction this method is made more is all cases of addiction but not so much the heavy addictions of drugs and alcohol but it can definitely help most cases of addictions.

Military Enlistment

Mandatory military service has been an issue which has been debated and practiced for hundreds of years.   Currently, there are several countries such as Brazil, Demark, Germany, Russia, Israel, Turkey, and Singapore which have mandatory service for men at a young age, while countries such as Israel make both men and women serve a term in the armed forces (Williams).   Although countries such as Israel, who are at a perpetual war with tightened border defense, may benefit from conscription, there are many disadvantages to mandatory service which other countries experience.The United States has had a history of conscription during times of war or times of crises.   The first conscription act in 1863 called for men 20 to 45 to serve.   With the ability to buy your way out of service, many people felt that this was unfair to the poor causing riots to occur in New York (Freeman).   Again, the US drafted citizens during WWI allowing for exemptions to people who were in critical domestic positions, disabled, or had dependent families (Should US Draft).   In 1940 the Selective Training and Service Act was passed, making it the first peacetime draft in preparation for the potential involvement into WWII.   This Act lead the way for the much criticized daft into the Vietnam War, which lead to the final termination of the military draft in 1973 (Should US Draft).Canada has also had a history of conscription during wartime involvement with equal dissatisfaction by the general public.   Prime Mister Borden placed a high emphases on Canadian involvement in the war effort since be believed that it would bring unity to the country, and would show the world (mainly Britain), that Canada was more than just a colony, but a major contender in the global community.   This however, did not come true since he was unable to win the support of the opposition leadership, the gap between rich and poor commitment and reward was prevalent, and the French community did no t support dying overseas (Conscription for Wartime Service).During the Cold War, Russia was a country which required large numbers of conscripts for the purpose of defense.   Currently, Russia is having difficulty maintaining the level of conscription, stated by one general that only 11 percent of able men do their service.   Most used one of the 22 exemptions such as illness or education to excuse themselves from their duties.   To compound the issue, Russia’s military has experience a high level of desertion due to harsh physiological and living conditions (Agence France-Presse).Sweden has also raised issues with their conscription, questioning on whether women should be required to have a mandatory service similar to what the men are required to do.   Although their goals in mandatory service is based on building an effective and egalitarian defense force, the reality of budget cutbacks has prevented more than two thirds of eligible candidates to be called up for s ervice (Associated Press).One of the strictest countries for mandatory service may be Israel which requires all males at the age of 18 to serve the Israel Defense Force (IDF) for 3 years, and all women to serve for 2 years.   Despite the current requirements, and the 60% acceptance of conscription by the general youth, it is estimated that only 50% of those required will actually serve any military service (NYS in Israel).   Although there has been an exemption for young Israelis with particular religions affiliation in the past with no major quarrel in the political area, recent years have lead to public criticism and lawmakers questioning the current position on the issue (NYS in Israel)Due to the severe involvement of military in the lives of almost every family, Israel’s culture, political and economic structure has been built around military service.   It has become an important test to personal and group acceptance, as well as a gateway to personal transformation.    Because of this, as the involvement of youth in the military decrease, the institute for social behavior disappears, and needs to be replaced with an alternative social structure (NYS in Israel).   This shows that not only has conscription become a necessity for defense, but also a necessity for social and economic beliefs.In 2003, Democratic Representative Charles Rangel proposed a bill for mandatory service for the United States, based on a different social aspect to conscription.   It was his belief that families, and Congress in particular, took war too lightly. Having mandatory service for all youth would make the country take a harder look at military options and be more likely to look for diplomatic solutions (Rangel Calls for Service).Further arguments for mandatory service believe that there has been a growing lack of respect among youth, as well as a decrease in overall academic capabilities with the increase of crime and substance abuse.   It is believed that t he discipline, honor, and value system built within the military, along with the need for respect for the chain of command, would make a better society as a whole if conscription existed (Williams).Williams also argues that conscription would create a society that is better fit and mentally strong (Williams).   This idea brings up the concern of the current health level of the general public.   With such high levels of obesity and related health issues, would such conditions make a person exempt from mandatory service, or would basics training endanger their lives?Studies have shown that there is a relationship between obesity and poverty, stating that food that are higher is fats, sugar, or starch are typically cheaper than their healthier alternatives (Degginger).   If this is the case, then as history has shown there is a fundamental flaw in conscription where one class (typically the rich) are exempt from service, while another class are expected to enlist.This trend has a lways caused social criticism as it did with the riots in New York and the protests among the French communities in Canada.   The fundamental difference in this scenery however, is that it would be the poor who would be most likely exempt do to health concerns, while the rich with their lower obesity rates, would be expected to serve in the military.Economically, mandatory service is more costly than an all-voluntary military.   In 1968, Richard Nixon formed the Gates Commission to examine the shift to voluntary service after pressure from the unpopular draft for the Vietnam War.   The Commission found that the opportunity costs of a draft is higher on society as a whole then the opportunity costs of labor under a voluntary military system, decreasing output.   As people who would make higher incomes in civilian jobs be forced into lower paying military jobs, society loses as a whole (Should US Draft).As history and current issues have shown, mandatory service creates a syst em which separates two aspects of society, manly economical.   This separation has not gone unnoticed by the general public and usually leads to public outcry and politic pressure placed on governments.   As Israel has shown us, a successful conscription program does not go without consequences; a society where its social and economic background become reliant on the military and war.   Although there are some advantages to the personal development of a fraction of individuals through military service, the cost for society as a whole may be too great to consider mandatory military service for our youth.BibliographyAssociated Press.   Sweden Considers Mandatory Military Service For Women. News-Star.com 27 June 2003.   Retrieved 27 November 2006 Agence France-Presse. Only 11 Percent of Russian Men Enter Mandatory Military Service:General. Space Daily. 06 December 2002.   Retrieved 27 November 2006 Conscription for Wartime Services. Center for Canadian Studies. 2001.   Re trieved 27 November 2006 Degginger, Craig. USDA Study to Address Obesity and Poverty. University of Washington 22 June 2004.   Retrieved 27 November 2006Freeman, Johanne. Timeline of the Civil War. Library of Congress 27 November 2006. Retrieved 27 November 2006 NYS in Israel. Carmel Institute For Social Studies.   27 November 2006.   Retrieved 27 November 2006 < http://www.carmelinstitute.org.il/YouthService/nysinisrael.htm>Rangel Calls for Mandatory Military Service. CNN.com 30 December 2002.   Retrieved 27 November 2006 Should the US Reinstitute a Military Draft.   South-Western. 2003.   Retrieved 27 November 2006 Williams, Armstrong. Mandatory Military Service Would Benefit the U.S. NewsMax.com 19 June 2006.   Retrieved 27 November 2006

Analytical reviews Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Analytical reviews - Assignment Example His approach is to focus on the major ideas that bind a civilization together, rather than territorial advance through conquest or any technical achievements. Book 1 focuses on the geneses of civilizations and their disintegration. He does not have a universal explanation for this process, but rather explains how each civilization faces its own challenges and comes up with its own solutions. The variation in different outcomes is to be expected, and decline comes when a civilization ceases to produce the necessary resilience to face whatever problems it encounters. A similar undertaking was done by the German historian Oswald Spengler (1880-1936) but with a more pessimistic approach, looking at contemporary Western civilization and foreseeing its downfall. His book Decline of the West was written just before and during the First World War, which no doubt colored his view of things somewhat, given the slaughter of thousands of soldiers and civilians in the first fully mechanized war i n human history. Spengler conceived of civilizations as all following the same general pattern of rise, reign and fall, and proposed that this is a natural life cycle, much the same as that of a biological organism. He covers a much smaller range of civilizations, in a range of nine, culminating in Western civilization which he sees as being in a state of decline. An interesting and possibly prophetic perspective is given on the Islam and the Arab nations, (volume 2, pp. 191-193) which he regards as having been stopped in its tracks in ancient times by the advance of Graeco-Roman civilization. Spengler died before the worst of Nazi atrocities occurred and this may explain his rather pro-German stance. His approach is too broad-brush to contribute much to our understanding of history and both his work and Toynbee’s more extensive study suffer from too much emphasis on philosophy and culture, and too little understanding of economic factors. Both authors also writer from a west ern perspective, and of the two Toynbee is the least objective, since he interprets moral issues from a strong Judeo Christian perspective. Their great contribution to the field of history is that they extended the perspective beyond national boundaries and tried to analyse things on a grander scale, even though they did not achieve a fully global perspective. Part 2: Culture and development. In the introduction to his book The Wealth and Poverty of Nations David Landes takes a global perspective and argues that an age of division between East and West in world history has now been replaced by a division between North and South. He contrasts the wealthy developed world (largely northern and western) with the less developed southern half of the globe and tries to work out why this is the case. Two common hypotheses are rejected as too easy, namely that the western nations were superior in ability and industriousness, which gave them an edge over other nations, or conversely the weste rn nations were more ruthless and greedy (p. xxi). Landes concludes that there is an element of truth in both, and that â€Å"Things are always more complicated than we would have them† (p xxi) and proceeds with a Eurocentric approach, having acknowledged this fact at the very outset. Paul Gootenberg in the introduction of his book Andean Cocaine:

Anti-Semitism in Indonesia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Anti-Semitism in Indonesia - Research Paper Example In most Islamic countries, the anti-Semitic attitudes felt can be alluded to some underlying cause, but in Indonesia, the cause is just because of the country’s affiliation with Islam and the general dissatisfaction in the country. This paper will trace the history of anti-Semitism in Indonesia; give the relationship of the anti-Semitism with Islam and the factors that have contributed to the discrimination of minorities in the country. History of Jews in Indonesia According to Hadler (2004), after the discovery of raw materials and other resources in the 17th century by the Dutch, the development of the island was mainly helped by the Dutch Jews present then. Some of the earliest history indicates that the first Jewish settlement was first developed in the Sunda Island as early as 1850, and in that period, most of the Jews in the country were either of Dutch or German descent. These Jews lived primarily in Jakarta, Indonesia, and in that period, the first efforts were done to organize the Indonesian Jews into one community. However, these efforts failed, and the few families that lived there remained scattered. Later, in the early 1900s, arrivals of Jews from other countries like the Netherlands led to the formation of different Jewish centers in the country. As early as 1921, it is estimated that as many as 2,000 Jews lived in the main Jewish settlement or congregation in Surabaya. Most of these were originally the Baghdadi Jews who moved into the country. In these settlements, the Jews in then Indonesia were mainly traders or operated financial institutions in the country. After the Nazi scourge in the 1930s, more Jews arrived in Indonesia to escape Hitler’s war, but in the late 193os, the arrival of the Japanese

History of Transportation in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

History of Transportation in America - Essay Example During this time period, transportation in America was initially slow, tedious, and difficult. There were limited choices of transportation and they were all exhausting. Variations on the horse and buggy were the most popular means of transportation, which was adequate for journeys across town, but not for longer trips. Longer trips were very costly as well as dangerous. Covered wagon crossings were notorious for their hazards yet did not deter the pioneer spirit. The Civil war had both a positive and negative effect on transportation in America. Parts of the country - most notably the South were in ruins, and many citizens were bankrupted by the war and thus unable to travel. The B&O railroad suffered severely during Confederate raids. In one summer alone, Stonewall Jackson made off with fourteen locomotives. (Stover 1970) However many advancements were made in the name of warfare including a larger transportation system that was previously used to help move troops. With the development of the transcontinental railroad, and the final meeting of the two lines in 1869 transportation became more significantly easier. The project was originally established in the Pacific Railway Act of 1862. It quickly surpassed the former means of travel such as stagecoach lines and wagon trains. The achievement of a uniform gauge for the railroad tracks greatly assisted in the development of the transcontinental railroad. (Stover 1970) Also of note was the development of a uniform time zone system, allowing the trains to arrive and depart on a agreed upon schedule. (Stover 1970) The outcome of these advances led to drastic changes in the landscape of the country. The far reaches of the country were now reachable with a little bit of time and money. What would have previously taken months, and a significant risk and investment was now accessible for $65 and a 7 day train ride. (Stover 1970) Unit 2 1877-1920 Transportation in the time period between 1877-1920 was a fast paced race to development. Advancements in railroads continued, while the automobile, electric cable systems, and underground railway (subway) systems began their rapid growth. Socially speaking, Americans were now on the move with easier access to both personal and mass transit. Mass transit systems of electric cars became commonplace in the 1880's and 1890's, replacing the roads previously clogged with horses and buggies. (Carson 1999) The first underground subway system was built in Boston and opened in 1897. This allowed city dwellers to travel within their city with relative ease and comfort. Inter-city travel was still primarily by either train, or traveling along the mail route roads on some sort of horse-driven apparatus. People who resided further out in the country were still rather isolated as the only transportation accessible was the railways which usually ran only between larger cities with few stops in between. (Carson 1999) The railroads also catered to the wealthier clientele, leaving the common passenger looking for an alternative means of transportation. Then, the automobile arrived. The automobile is a four-wheeled vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine. It was the result of a series of inventions which began in 1769 with Cugnot's steam-powered road vehicle. A breakthrough in

Internet Article Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internet Article Analysis - Essay Example In the case of the two articles analyzed, both of them have focus on the first aspect mentioned above, the control of what happens in the environment. As we can see one of the articles is closely related to the Car Industry and the other to Telecommunication Industry. Both the Hybrids cars and the VOIP services are trends that are being consolidated in the market, and are opportunities as well. According to the article (Schoen 2006) that talks about "The future of the auto industry", U.S. sales of hybrid vehicles roughly doubled in 2005. And additionally, based on HybridCars.com the hybrids cars sold have increased from less than 10,000 in 2000 to more than 200,000 in 2005, which means that is only about 1 percent of the roughly 17 million cars and light trucks sold overall. On the other side, based on what the article (Alexander 2006) "Forecast 2006: VoIP" talks, 2006 will be the year VoIP becomes widely adopted. "The big advance will come in corporations rather than the government sector," Wolfe predicts (CIO for the state of North Dakota). The facts mentioned made these two trends quite relevant to economics and managerial decision making. Managers can make immediate improvements in performance by better matching the firm's strategy to its business environment. As any manager should recognize, conditions change over time, so that strategies that are appropriate to today's business environment may be inappropriate in the future. 2. How economics influences the decisions made by those in charge The link between the decisions managers control and a firm's profitability is mediated by a host of economic relationships. The success of any strategy depends on whether the firm's decisions are compatible with these relationships. The most basic is the law of demand. The law of demand says that, all other things being the same, the lower the price of a product, the more consumers will purchase it. Whether the increase in the number of units sold translates into higher sales revenues depends on the strength of the relationship between price and the quantity purchased. This is measured by the price elasticity of demand. Price-elastic demand implies that a price cut translates not only into higher unit sales, but also into higher sales revenue. That firm's higher sales revenue translates into higher profit depends on economic relationship between the additional sales revenue that a firm's price cut generated and the additional cost of producing more products. That profits rise rapidly after the price reduction suggests that the additional sales revenue far exceeded the additional cost of production. Applying the economic analysis of strategy to what the article of Auto Industry informs, the added cost of a hybrid compared to a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle makes these cars to follow a premium price,

Criminal Procedures Seminar - Week 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Criminal Procedures Seminar - Week 2 - Essay Example The contact is only consensual if a citizen voluntarily stops to communicate with a law enforcer. For instance, traffic stops do not require a suspicion to justify the contact. On the other hand, a Terry stop, which is often a brief detention, lies between a consensual encounter and an arrest. Even so, it demands â€Å"reasonable articulable suspicion† of an ongoing or future criminal activity. An arrest occurs if a police stops a citizen and they are not â€Å"free to leave†. There are basic factors used to coerce a search or an arrest. A â€Å"probable cause† of arrest exists if there is hard evidence or coherent facts that signify the presence or future occurrence of a crime by the person the police stop (Law Enforcement Bulletin, 2014). A person can only be under arrest if police are aware of a crime and have substantial evidence, for instance, if they smell drugs, or see a weapon. During encounters, the searches are often appropriate, although there are times when it is inappropriate. A search is only appropriate if there is â€Å"reasonable suspicion† of a current or future occurrence of a crime. A search is appropriate if a person seems anxious or answers questions contradictorily. One is often in more trouble for telling a lie as compared to simply keeping quiet. In any case, police will inform them of their rights, such as the right to remain silent, in the process of an

Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Analysis - Essay Example ts by exhorting the people to alter, to abolish, and to institute a new government when it comes the time when the declaration is already destructive with respect to the rights. Same principles must also apply to uphold the same qualities of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, should there be an alteration of the state’s constitution. The people were also encouraged to look at the declaration as eternal and not fleeting. But, it emphasized the rights of the people to throw off the government if it continually claims constitutionality under shadows of usurpation and abuses. One is really amazed at the constitution’s gist of solid principles. And, if historians are to digest the declaration, there are many things to learn upon the classic example of the America’s Declaration of Independence. Democracy is not only a nomenclature for the kind of government, but also a state or quality of the governanment with life, liberty and pursuit of happiness in the end. It attempts to liberate the people. It attempts to establish the people as partners of the bureaucracy. And, it looks at people as highly-minded constituents, and as collaborators as well. It is learned that the true intentions of the framers of the constitution is to do good for the people and for the people in the next generations; that all people should be guaranteed with the same inalienable rights. It also intends to protect the people against abuses and usurpations. It will always be remembered that the framers had sincerely put in place the safeguards for the people. And, the people should be put away from harm. Lastly, it is comforting to note that the Americans can overcome challenges if it will be united as one. And the global community can take it as a catalyst to provide better lives for the entire

Unconsious Mind Essay Example for Free

Unconsious Mind Essay 1.) Explain how the use of substances alters a person’s state of consciousness, including depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Include in this explanation what happens to the neurotransmitters and body chemicals as well as how you might recognize if a person at work or in your family is in an altered state of consciousness due to the influence of drugs. The use of substances can alter the person’s state of consciousness in many ways. The depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens affect the level of consciousness in different ways due to their specific alterations in the level of brain chemistry in brain cells. When the substances taken breach the blood/brain barrier and reach the brain, they cause alteration in the normal levels and activities of neurotransmitters that include dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. Any alteration in the level and functioning of neurotransmitters can cause changes in the body chemistries that in turn can cause changes in the normal functioning of the body. Every neurotransmitter has roles to play in the control of level of consciousness. Alterations in the level of neurotransmitters can trigger temporary arousal or relaxation that affect the functioning of the body (Sheldon, n.d.). For instance, low levels of monoamines that include norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin can cause depression. Excessive levels of dopamine level, underactivity of glutamate, and abnormal levels of serotonin and amino acids for can cause psychomotor excitement. Altered state of consciousness caused by drugs can be recognized through observation of the person’s behavior. For instance, by taking stimulants, the levels of monoamines will be increased causing temporary arousal or stimulation effects in the body functioning. The person under the effects of stimulants will manifest some signs of unusual sudden and temporary excitation and increase in energy level. The person under the effects of stimulants can be observed on emotional high, with flooding of ideas that may be full of irrationality, and highly energetic that can cause long sleeplessness. The use of depressants that include barbiturates can cause relaxation and sedative effects than can make the person less tensed, less anxious, less active, emotionally low, sleepy, and with very low level of energy. The use of hallucinogens can make the person feel unusually elated  with heightened senses giving temporary pleasurable experiences. 2.) This question has five parts. One of the cornerstones of Freudian theory is the concept of the unconscious not to be confused with the state of being knocked unconscious by a blow to the head. (a) What did Freud mean by the concept of the unconscious? Freud concept of the unconscious refers to the hidden part of the human mind beyond the person’s capability to bring them out into conscious awareness. The hidden information is stored like the invisible part of an iceberg. The unconscious part of the human mind refers to the id mainly seeking for the satisfaction of pleasurable desires that come from biological instincts and primitive urges (McLeod, 2009). The stored information in the unconscious mind is beyond the person’s awareness yet can significantly influence human behavior. b) When is it beneficial for much of our behavior to be unconscious? The unconscious behavior can be a source of power and creativity. The development of good skills and habits where the mastered skills got stored in unconscious mind makes much of the unconscious behavior beneficial. For instance, the skills learned in playing guitar or piano turns as a habit. The formed habit becomes stored in unconscious mind. Playing guitar and piano can later performed out of unconscious behavior. There is no need to think much as the behavior becomes automatic. In the same way, learning the skills of better understanding of life and others can also help in making unconscious behavior of putting control on impulsiveness. The skills can help in making better decisions and dispositions in day to day situations. It can help in influencing others and produce better judgments that enhance better relationship and social life. (c) When is it not beneficial? The unconscious mind that comes out into uncontrolled unconscious behavior can be significantly disturbing. When being unable to control behavior that comes from unconscious mind, the unconscious behavior becomes not beneficial. The unconscious mind is the center that operates pleasure principle. It seeks satisfaction of the instinctual and primitive desires. The behavior can be disturbing to others, can be destructive, or and be out of morals and acceptable norms set by the society. The person’s behavior driven by unconscious mind produces action done without sound judgment  inviting troublesome and chaotic situations. The developed bad habits that are expressed in unconscious behavior are definitely not beneficial. The habit of bickering, telling lies, and smoking for instance are done out of unconscious behavior and all brings no good effects or impacts to the person and the society. (d) If much of our behavior is unconscious, can you recognize unconscious behavior in yourself and in others? If much of our behavior is unconscious, yes, you can still recognize the unconscious behavior in yourself and others. Human mind is not under the total control of unconscious but the subconscious and conscious aspects will help every person to realize the way he acts. Behavior mostly driven by the unconscious mind tends to produce unwanted consequences that can make the individual resentful, guilty, confused, and unhappy. A point will be reached when an individual will start to understand what drives the behavior to bring trouble and unhappiness. The subconscious and conscious parts of the mind help in modula ting the behavior driven by primitive and instinctual desires. (e) How would you know behavior was unconsciously driven? The unconscious mind drives the person to act unconsciously. He may not know why and how he acted such way. The actions are done without prior thinking or good judgment. The behavior comes out of control that can be impulsive, irrational, and lack of thinking. Unconsciously-driven behaviors are usually followed by wondering and regrets in most instances. The question â€Å"Why I behaved such way?†, â€Å"Why I did that?†, or â€Å"How I behaved such way?† are among the questions that follow after any behavior that was unconsciously driven. 3.) Group think is a concept that involves individuals abandoning their critical sense and agreeing to group process even when they know it will have disastrous consequences. (Challenger disaster, Enron, Iraq war, etc.). Your will encounter these pressures in your work life and need to be prepared. Have you ever done something in a group that you would not have done if you were alone? What happened? How did you feel? What have you learned from this chapter that might help you avoid this behavior in the future, and avoid group think? Due to pressures, yes, I have done something in a group that I would have not done if I were alone. On the next steps I felt not happy with what the group has been doing according to the plans. My decision to agree under the influence of group think made me feel uncomfortable as I realize that I could hardly convince myself to do what the group has agreed unanimously. Along the way, I felt dissatisfaction and lost any motivation to participate in carrying out the group activity. I felt like doing the activity under control like an operated machine. From the chapter reading, I learned that you may need to allow yourself to think impartial on group ideas. Every planned action in the group requires critical evaluation. Every member must be given the chance to have their voices heard and air the differences. The decision made by the group must be well discussed and consider critiques from outside experts when needed. The decision made by the group must be made with free participation of every member. The voice of every group member is valuable as the group needs coordinated efforts to successfully accomplish something. 4.) How does prejudice develop and how might it be supported in families and in the work place? Do you believe that you are free of prejudice? The biased prejudgment influenced by stereotypes and discrimination play huge roles in the development of prejudice. For instance, seeing a senior new member in the workplace will already make some young members to underestimate the capabilities of the aged member. The prejudice drives them to think that the new senior co-worker is not different from old staffs that are less productive. Prejudice has strong powers to change the perception. Under the influence of prejudice, the good can become bad while the bad can become good before he eyes of anyone. The biased treatments driven by prejudice can be supported in families and workplaces by keeping the mind free of stereotypes and discrimination. Every person is unique and deserves fair treatment and judgment based on his personal character and abilities. Well, I think it is within the inherent human behavior to be sometimes driven by unconscious mind to think out of control that sometimes allow the mind to be influenced by prejudice. I can say I am not an exception as prejudice sometimes plays in my mind when I look at other people. For instance, when I see a funky guy walking in the street at night, I develop some fear as I  think that the guy might be a rapist or a theft. The thought usually comes from the unconscious mind. References McLeod, S. (2009). Unconscious mind. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/unconscious-mind.html Sheldon, J. (n.d.). Motivations for drug use. Retrieved from http://www.fredonia.edu/athletics/health/davis/drug_book/chapter3.htm

Assessment for Learning Essay Example for Free

Assessment for Learning Essay â€Å"Assessment for learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there†. Assessment Reform Group, 2002 The teacher has ultimate responsibility for setting schemes of work for the class with clear objectives (Formative assessment) and writing end of term and end of year reports drawing together the information gained through assessment for learning. (Summative Assessment) The learning objectives are delivered to the class by the teacher and it is the TA’s responsibility to be aware of: †¢ the learning objectives, †¢ the personalised learning goals for individual learners. †¢ the success criteria for the learning activities †¢ the assessment opportunities and strategies relevant to their own role in the learning activities While taking the children through the scheme of work the TA will support the children by discussing their individual objectives this can also be done with groups of children who are working at the same level with the same learning outcomes. This is done to check that the children understand what is expected of them. This needs to be reviewed throughout the lesson. It is the TA’s job to pace the session to the learning style and ability of the children. At the end of the session the TA needs to give positive, factual feedback to the children and the teacher. This will include your observations on how the pupils responded and the strategies that were useful. The discussion between the teacher and the TA will enable further objectives to be set for the next lesson. Both the teacher and the TA are fully involved in the assessment of learner’ achievement with the TA fully supporting the teacher. 1. 2 Summarise the difference between formative and summative assessment. In 2004, at a conference of Assessors, Professor Paul Black pointed out â€Å"An assessment activity can help learning if it provides information to be used as feedback, by teachers, and by their students, in assessing themselves and each other, to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged. â€Å" Formative and Summative Assessment are the two main forms of assessment used by the teaching profession. Formative assessment (Assessment for Learning) is the type of assessment that takes place day to day during lesson time. It is the reviewing of progress and understanding of the pupil, against the learning objectives set by the teacher. This can be done in a variety of ways such as observation, open questioning of pupils, checking understanding and allowing the children to be involved in the reviewing process during and at the end of a lesson. It allows learners to self-assess and self-evaluate their learning experience hopefully enabling them to become responsible learners who understand what they have to improve to allow them to meet their goals. Formative Assessment: †¢ occurs during the learning †¢ done with learners †¢ processed focused †¢ to improve learning †¢ is personally referenced Summative Assessment (Assessment of Learning) is the pulling together of the learning outcomes of tests at the end of a scheme of work, formative assessment and professional judgements to provide an end of term report showing what the pupils have achieved, it could also take the form of a Key stage SATs. It is outcome focused, occurs after the learning has been taught and is a way of measuring and proving learning. Summative Assessment: †¢ occurs after the learning †¢ done to learners †¢ outcome focused †¢ to prove learning. †¢ externally referneced While the two forms of assessment are entirely different the resulting information from both types can be used to help with setting learning objectives. The two types of assessment are not necessarily to be used separately they should complement each other, as the use of Afl can help pupils perform better on summative assessment tasks and summative assessment can reflect the impact of Afl. 1. 3 Explain the characteristics of Assessment For Learning. Assessment for learning encourages the learner to take responsibility for their own learning and achievements. This is done by providing them with the following information: Learning intentions A learning intention is simply a description of what you want your pupils to know, understand or be able to do by the end of a lesson. It tells pupils what the focus for learning is going to be. They can also be call â€Å"Learning Objectives†, â€Å"Learning Goals† or† Learning Aims† Making sure that he pupils are aware of their learning intentions before the lesson begins in language that the pupils will identify with, focuses their attention to the learning and how to achieve their intention rather than the activity they are undertaking. This can help keep the pupil focused on task for longer by increasing their motivation. The pupils should be reminded of the learning intentions throughout the lesson. Success Criteria This shows the learners what they need to achieve to meet the ‘Learning Intentions’ Success Criteria: †¢ are linked to the learning intention; †¢ are specific to an activity; †¢ are discussed and agreed with pupils prior to undertaking the activity; †¢ provide a scaffold and focus for pupils while engaged in the activity; and †¢ are used as the basis for feedback and peer-/self-assessment. Formative feedback About the quality of their work and what they can do to make it better; Giving pupils’ feedback and allowing them to feedback to the teacher how they feel their learning went. . Ambergate school regularly asked the children how they think they have done by giving a â€Å"thumbs up†, â€Å"thumbs down† or â€Å"thumbs sideways† to indicate how the children feel about what they have been taught. Sometimes the children will be asked what they know of the subject about to be taught and to mark themselves out of ten in their books. At the end of the lesson they then give themselves another mark out of ten and compare how they have fared. Effective Questioning To create a classroom climate where pupils come up with their own ideas, think aloud and explore their understanding. Questioning should take the form of open-ended questions to encourage the children putting their own ideas forward without being led by an adult. The adult can then ask the children’s peers what they think of another child’s idea to generate feedback. Generally in the lessons in Ambergate school the children are reminded when working to ask, who, what, when, why and how to ensure they get sufficient feedback to enable them with the tasks set. Peer and Self-Assessment and Evaluation. Peer and Self-Assessment enables learners to recognise success in their own and others’ work and to focus on how they are learning as well as what they are learning. Ambergate school regularly asked the children how they think they have done by giving a â€Å"thumbs up†, â€Å"thumbs down† or â€Å"thumbs sideways† to indicate how the children feel about what they have been taught. Sometimes the children will be asked what they know of the subject about to be taught and to mark themselves out of ten in their books. At the end of the lesson they then give themselves another mark out of ten and compare how they have fared. To summarise Assessment for learning meets individuals needs and maximises their full potential through continual monitoring. All staff are allowed to contribute to future planning by feeding their findings back to the teacher. 1. 4 Explain the importance and benefit of assessment for learning. Continuous assessment improves performance and behaviour, allows pupils to work more independently and it also improves motivation and risk taking. By increasing two way communications Assessment for Learning helps to strengthen the teacher pupil relations. From the teachers point of view AFl improves planning and delivery of the lessons while creating an opportunity to check the quality of the lessons and amend activities to ensure they meet the learning needs. For the child it tells them where they are with their learning in each subject, gives them ideas on how to further achieve to ultimately get success in the given goal. Assessment approaches need to promote learner engagement and ensure appropriate support so that all learners can achieve their aspirational goals and maximise their potential. It has been proven that children who do not feel part of the learner process quickly lose interest. Therefore, responses should be based on thoughtful questions, careful listening and reflective responses and effective feedback strategies. 1. 5 Explain how assessment can contribute to planning for future learning carried out by †¢ The Teacher Assessment for Learning helps the teacher to make well-founded judgements about pupil’s attainment while placing responsibility for managing learning on the child, with the goal of pupils being more actively involved with the learning process. As indicated above, the process involves explaining learning outcomes to pupils, providing them with feedback on their progress and enabling them to develop their self-assessment skills so that they are able to reflect on, and recognise, their own achievements. Knowing precisely what the pupil understands then moving them on leads to effective learning. †¢ The Learners The process will keep the pupil informed of on-going process, giving them an insight into how they learn and which areas they need to improve to achieve the objectives set. This helps to increase their confidence, motivation and independence and also how to recognise when they need to ask for help. †¢ The Learning Support Practitioner. Assessment for learning will provide you with information of how each child learns and the knowledge they already have, which will help in how you further question the pupil. This can be tailored to suit the individual pupils pace and ability to learn. In a recent Maths lesson on Division techniques, on periodically checking the children’s understanding it became clear that they knew how to divide using the Chunking Method but the answers that some of the children were getting were incorrect. This caused the TA to check their work and come to the conclusion that the children’s knowledge in subtraction of 3 figure numbers was letting them down. On feeding back to the teacher she said she had noticed the same problem with the group of children that she was supporting. With this feedback, the TA and the Teacher implemented a refresher lesson on subtraction in the next Maths lesson to fill the gap in the children’s knowledge and allow the children to move forward with their knowledge and ultimate success with Division Techniques. Bibliography www. education. gov. uk Assessment for Learning for KS1 and KS2 Northern Ireland Supporting Teaching and Learning L3 – Louise Burnham.

Unconventional Beauty Treatments by Celebrities

Unconventional Beauty Treatments by Celebrities In today’s world, in order to achieve recognition in a particular field that you are pertaining to, the first and the foremost thing that counts is ‘the persona’ with which you carry yourself! Be it Multi National Companies or small scale companies, one of the most crucial things that can get you one step closer towards achieving your goals is having a good and magnificent personality. You ought to look presentable in any case whatsoever! And with regard to the celebrities in the Hollywood and Bollywood fraternity, it goes without saying as they have no other choice but to look beautiful and handsome in order to make a living! These celebs come up with the most queer beauty treatments ever! Recently, there was an article published in one of the most well known newspapers about these most bizarre of the beautifying treatments undergone by celebs. What we need to understand and assess is that, how beneficial are these so called beauty treatments from a scientific and a medical point of view! Let’s have a look on these various ‘freakish beautifying treatments’. Liquid Gold Facial: The heart of Liquid Gold, Seabuckthorn, was known for many years in northern states, as a skin care remedy and nutritional supplement. The berries of this shrub are always been associated with regeneration as they are rich in vitamins and nutrients. The oil of these berries assist in combating dry skin, visible fine lines, wrinkles and various signs of early ageing. These yellow-orange berries comprise of more than 100 nutrients, bioactive substances like phytosterols, water soluble vitamins (B1, B2, C, P, Folic acid, K) and fat soluble ones such as A, E and EFA (80-95% essential fatty acids), free amino acids, alpha and beta carotenes etc. The Hollywood supermodel Bar Refaeli lately got a Liquid Gold Facial done which is also favored by Ayurveda since it is said to possess anti-aging properties. When we look at this from a medical point of view, Liquid Gold is a strong resurfacing and firming treatment in order to reduce wrinkles, pigmentation and sun damage. This formulation is fortified with silk proteins, licorice extract and Glycolic Acid. It increases the skin’s metabolism, thereby adding on to tightening the enlarged pores and makes the complexion brighter and clearer. Also, this formulation is immediately absorbed by cell membranes, reinstalling a golden glow to even the most lack-luster skin. It helps to fight hyperpigmentation, acne, wrinkles, fine lines and large pores thereby making you look young and evergreen. There are no evidences available in form of articles or papers to prove the authenticity of this liquid gold facial. Facelift tape: Lady Gaga uses facelift tape in order to pull the skin around the cheekbones and neck to look younger. As per the experts, medically it is just not advisable to do daily face taping since it could lead to internal scarring, which may give rise to poor absorption of nutrients to the skin and early ageing. Moreover, doing face-taping everyday may cause the facial muscles to loosen, causing wrinkles and fine lines to appear earlier than usual. There are some benefits of using a facelift tape as well. Like for example, if applied correctly, it can make a drastic change in the way you appear, only till the tape is in place! Also, it’s much reasonable as compared to surgeries and even some wrinkle creams. It can also prove to be beneficial to those celebs who are willing to go for a facelift surgery as it will give them an idea of what they will look after they have undergone the surgery and hence assist them in making a better decision in such a case. Japanese nightingale droppings facial: This does sound nasty. But Tom Cruise vouches for this ‘bird poop facial’. Making a preparation of nightingale droppings, rice bran and water and rubbing it on the face, makes his face look shiny which contributes in making him look good as ever! This ‘nightingale poop facial’ which is also referred to as â€Å"Geisha facial† originates from Japan. Hence the name, â€Å"Japanese Nightingale Droppings Facial†. It is said to carry out exfoliation of the dirt from the skin causing it to appear shining bright and squeaky clean. There are proclamations that the powder made from the excreta/faeces of Uguisu bird (which is used in Geisha Facial) has properties which provide multiple skin benefits. It may be useful for cleansing skin pores, whitening skin pigment of dark spots and discolorations from scars and sun spots, balancing and evening out and thus making the skin tone brighter. It also helps in healing and re-energizing of the skin which has been hampered because of the exposure to sun and aging. This powder is fit for oily skin, rough and aging skin, although it might not be suited to a skin type that is sensitive and prone to allergies. There are no evidences to prove that it works or vice versa. All the so called â€Å"skin-gains† are obtainable in a variety of other skin products. We might hear of people using human faeces in future for skin treatment! That’s so sickening! Mayonnaise as a moisturizer! Past years’ legend, Joan Crawford was said to make use of Mayonnaise to moisturize her skin and hair. This is really like taking your breakfast â€Å"spread tad bit seriously! Taking into consideration the medical background, the chief ingredients in Mayonnaise are soya bean oil and eggs, which make it a potent treatment for dry facial skin. Mayo also comprises of vinegar, which helps in encouraging the turnover of skin cells, leaving the face feeling as if it has been exfoliated. Experts say that doing a gentle mayo massage on skin daily may help boosting up skin’s moisture. Mayonnaise is said to be the possessor of moisturizing properties that extend beyond your skin. It is also observed to be a good hair conditioner as it gives a healthy shine to the hair. But it would be much preferable to limit the mayonnaise to just your bread and instead make use of so many easily available wonderful hair cosmetics for giving that shine to your hair! Snake Venom as a replacement for Botox! Snake Venom is the first choice for Katy Holmes as a replacement for Botox injections. It seems that, she believes that this synthetic venom product has some kind of ‘muscle-shocking’ effect. It smoothens out the wrinkles and relaxes the muscles of the face. When we look at this from a medical point of view, we can see that Scientists firstdiscovered a link betweenanti-agingand the paralysis-inducing properties ofviper venom,a few years ago. If thevipercould send its victims into a permanent stupor with itsvenom, they hypothesised thatperhaps the same science could be used to tamecrow’s feetandforehead furrows. The synthetic venom like counterpartSYN-AKEisatopical synthetic tripeptidewhichwhen applied to the skin, relaxes the â€Å"frowning and grimacing† muscles that lead todeep wrinkles. Clients of the Sonya Dakar clinic in Beverly Hills line up for thesesnake-venom facials, whileHollywood gossip sitesproclaimGwyneth Paltrow’s love beliefforDakar’s UltraLuxe-9 Age Control Complex($190), aSYN-AKE-infused skin cream. But there is absolutely no evidence or any independent medical research to prove the authenticity of the same. Bee venoms have been used as a replacement for Botox treatment. The research has shown that this product contributes in producing natural collagen, a special kind of protein that provides elasticity to the skin cells and keeps the skin young. To add on to it, increases the number of keratinocytes – special cells, protecting them from getting influenced by certain harmful extrinsic factors like dehydration, agents of infectious diseases, ultraviolet (UV) radiation. De-puff with Piles cream! Sandra Bullock believes that haemorrhoid tube works wonders to tighten up facial skin. These haemorrhoid creams comprise of vasoconstrictors – which are responsible for shrinking the blood vessels. This is helpful when it’s about haemorrhoids, since there are swollen veins, but not so helpful when it concerns sensitive area below the eyes. As a matter of fact, certain ingredients in these creams may cause irritation in the eyes and worsen the situation. Also, there’s never been any convincing or high quality medical study to prove the effectiveness of the same. Hence, not being enthusiastic about this choice will be the best thing to do. Shine with red wine! Actress Teri Hatcher pours Red Wine in her bath which helps softening her skin. Studies have proved that there are certain ingredients present in red wine such as the tartaric acid, an alpha hydroxyl agent helps in exfoliation of the skin, thereby making it softer. Drinking red wine is also beneficial as because of the antioxidants present in red wine, the skin is prevented from ageing. What we can gather from all this is that, when it comes to your skin particularly your face, dare not take chances! Some of these bizarre treatments by celebrities do have a scientific base and some kind of possible reasoning but not all. Hence, consulting the expert Dermatologist and/or Facial Plastic Surgeon for such skin treatments is always advisable. References: http://debrajshome.wordpress.com/2014/04/27/bollywood-hollywood-celebrity-beauty-tips/ http://www.theestheticclinic.com/dr-debraj-shome.html

Crime Control versus Due Process in Canada :: Criminal Justice Papers

Crime control and due process are two different ideal types of criminal justice. One could say they are extremes on a continuum. The role of crime control is to get the criminal off the street and to protect the innocent. The due process model of criminal justice is like an obstacle course, you have to keep going through legal obstacles to ensure in the end you convict the right person. In Canada the police lean toward crime control and the courts lean toward due process. This causes tension between the police and the courts. I will argue for both crime control and due process, putting more weight on due process If we did not have due process in Canada, people in positions of power, could manipulate the system for their own personal or political gain and railroad the innocent off to prison. One of the benefits of due process is demonstrated in the Belshaw case. The inquisitorial system of justice is based on crime control; the Swiss police had a hard time in Canada with Mr. Belshaw, because of his right to due process, under Canadian law. Both systems of justice share common beliefs, for example, they both look for proof beyond a reasonable doubt. In Canada we fight about facts and laws, where-as the inquisitorial system searches for the facts. The adversarial system has a separation of powers with the police, crown, defense, and the judge. It is quite different for the inquisitorial system of justice, the police do the arrest, then they present the facts to crown, which then decide if they have a case and turn over the evidence to the judge. The only problem is that the judge decides what will lead them to the truth. How any evidence was collected is irrelevant. In due process if the police obtain evidence and violate the law or a persons charter of rights and freedo ms the judge will exclude the evidence from the hearing, even if it would help or prove that the person is guilty. These two systems of justice are generated in democratic traditions. In the case of Alois Dolejs the crime control model, was swift and took the criminal off the streets. The police had a lot of circumstantial evidence, for example, bloody cloths and two different types of blood. On the advise of his attorney, he was instructed not to disclose the location of the bodies, until after the trial.

Abortion: A Woman Has the Right to Choose Essay -- Argumentative Essay,

The right to choose what happens to YOU is an American right that every person should be allotted. Though the First Amendment clearly states that all Americans have the right to freedom of speech, the topic of abortions continues to be challenged. Abortions poses moral and ethically challenges that many Americans ponder over. The major two sides involved in this is heated issue is â€Å"Pro-Life† vs. â€Å"Pro-Choice†, pro-life being against and pro-choice supporting abortions. This research paper will examine the many different court cases affecting abortions and the two different arguments What is an Abortion? â€Å"An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of a fetus or embryo from the uterus before it is viable†, (Grimes, 2007). An abortion can happen for two different ways, either because of problems during pregnancy or by inducing one because of choice. Abortions usually refer to the induced terminations while terminations related to medical issues are commonly called miscarriages. Obviously the controversy comes into play when dealing with the induced terminations. †Induced abortion has a long history and has been facilitated by various methods including herbal abortifacients, the use of sharpened tools, physical trauma, and other traditional methods. Contemporary medicine utilizes medications and surgical procedures to induce abortion. The legality, prevalence, cultural status, and religious status of abortion vary substantially around the world. In many parts of the world there is prominent and divisive public controversy over the ethical and legal issues of abortion. Abortion and abortion-related issues feature prominently in the national politics in many nations, often involving the opposing pro-lif... ...stitution and what it means today: Supreme Court decisions of 1973, 1974, and 1975, page 36 (Princeton University Press 1985): "The abortion cases afforded the Supreme Court another opportunity to caress the Ninth Amendment without embracing it." 3. Chrisrs. (March 2011). Belotti vs. Baird. Bullentin; For Law Students.com. Retrieved from http://4lawnotes.com/showthread.php/2613-Bellotti-v.-Baird 4. Graber, Mark A. Rethinking Abortion: Equal Choice, the Constitution and Reproductive Politics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999. 5. Lowdermilk, Perry, Cashion, and Alden. (2012). Maternity and Women’s Health Care. Elsevier Mosby. St. Louis, Missouri. 6. Potts, Malcolm et al. Abortion, page 347 (1977). 7. â€Å"Webster v. Reproductive Health Services." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 2 Dec. 2011 .

Amistad: Natural Law vs. Positive Law Essay

Throughout the movie Amistad, directed by Steven Spielberg, conflict between Natural Law and Positive Law appears to be an underlying theme. The story is of a group of African slaves that effected a mutiny on their slave ship. After killing many Spaniards, the African slaves were then captured and put on trial. The story is based on a historical trial which took place in the United States during the years of 1939-1940. This trial ultimately became a very tricky political game between the North and South of the United States over the case of slavery, as well as an international issue between the U.S and Spain. The main question being posed throughout the movie is, were the slaves justified in their actions, and should they have been rewarded or punished for their actions? When referring to the two philosophers Thomas Hobbes and Plato, it is evident to see that both believed the slaves actions were in fact justified, however, and both believed they should not have been rewarded. Philosopher Thomas Hobbes, born April 5th 1588, was a strong believer in positive law. The definition of positive law is the theory that law is a body of rules formulated by the state, and that citizens are obligated to obey the law for the good of the state as a whole. (Alexandrowicz et al., 617) Thomas Hobbes believed people were naturally war-like and evil, (77) and also believed that all men were created equally; it is because of this equality that conflict would constantly occur because of the human properties of competition, diffidence, and glory. (Stanford University) These three factors are evidently found throughout the primary actions of the slaves in Amistad. Initially, Cinque, the main character of the movie, breaks lose from his slave chains and initiates fighting and chaos between the Africans and Spaniards. In Thomas Hobbes mind, he would justify Cinques actions as a man in competition with the men around him, which is one of his described war-like qualities. An example of diffidence can be seen when Cinques face reveals a sense of shock and anguish after he steps back and looks at what he had done to the Spanish man. And finally, a sense of glory is seen when Cinque slowly raises the sword out of the mans chest, leaving him with his last breath. Although Hobbes would believe that the slaves actions were in fact justified, he would also believe that they should be punished for what they have done. Again, it all goes back to positive law  Hobbes believed that since people are war-like and evil, law should be set in order to rule over evil and maintain law and order in society. Since Cinque and the slaves acted on their war-like, evil qualities, in Thomas Hobbes mind, they should be punished. Opposite to the beliefs of Thomas Hobbes, another philosopher named Plato believed very strongly in the philosophy of Natural law. Natural law is the theory that human laws are derived from eternal and unchangeable principles that regulate the natural world and that people can become aware of these laws through the use of reason. (Alexandrowicz et al., 617) Opposing Hobbes, Plato believed that people are naturally born as good people. He believed that God gave us the ability to make good decisions and gave us instincts to live our life with. All men are by nature equal, made of all the same earth by one working man (www.publicquotes.com) This famous quote by Plato is a perfect example to describe why Cinque and the slaves acted in violence, and why they are in fact justified in their actions. Cinque and the slaves recognized that all individuals are equal and therefore, no one person has control over anothers life. Once the slaves saw the treacherous pain their fellow friends were going through, they resorted to their God-given survival instincts. Although Plato, like Hobbes, would agree that what Cinque and the slaves did was in fact justified, Plato would ultimately believe the slaves should be punished for their actions. Plato, who was a student of Socrates, believed that each person is to do what is right and avoid what is wrong. Even though the slaves were in a life threatening situation, the law is still the law, and should be followed inevitably. When comparing and contrasting Thomas Hobbes and Plato, it is evident to see that both would in fact feel the slaves had a justifiable reason for their actions, however, the motives as to why are contradictory to one another. Thomas Hobbes believed that since all humans are born evil, it is simply in their nature to act out in such violence. Whereas Plato believed that all humans are born good and have God-given instincts; the slaves defended themselves using their survival instincts. On the other hand, a comparison between the two is also evident. The reasoning as to why both believed the slaves should be punished has the same underlying principle; the law. Both  believed that laws are created to maintain order in society, and refusal to obey the law would both ultimately end with consequence. Steven Spielbergs Amistad is an excellent representation of the many ways the law can be interpreted. Thomas Hobbes believed all law and justice is based on the fact that people are born evil, while Plato believed that humans are born naturally good and laws are created by the use of reason. Natural law and Positive law are two very diverse views, which in the case of Amistad contain one crucial similarity; the importance of following the law. Both philosophers Thomas Hobbes and Plato evidently believe Cinque and the slaves actions were in fact justified, however, deserved punishment. Works Cited 1) Alexandrowicz, George et al.. Dimensions of Law. Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications Ltd., 2004. 2) Stanford University. Hobbes Moral and Political Philosophy Feb 12, 2002. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral (march 29,2008). 3) Public Quotes. Quote: God is truth and light his shadow http://publicquotes.com/quote/7118/god-is-truth-and-light-his-shadow.html (March 29, 2008).

The Lost Symbol Chapter 40-43

CHAPTER 40 What's taking Trish so long? Katherine Solomon checked her watch again. She'd forgotten to warn Dr. Abaddon about the bizarre commute to her lab, but she couldn't imagine the darkness had slowed them down this much. They should have arrived by now. Katherine walked over to the exit and heaved open the lead-lined door, staring out into the void. She listened for a moment, but heard nothing. â€Å"Trish?† she called out, her voice swallowed by the darkness. Silence. Puzzled, she closed the door, took out her cell phone, and called the lobby. â€Å"This is Katherine. Is Trish out there?† â€Å"No, ma'am,† the lobby guard said. â€Å"She and your guest headed back about ten minutes ago.† â€Å"Really? I don't think they're even inside Pod Five yet.† â€Å"Hold on. I'll check.† Katherine could hear the guard's fingers clicking on his computer keyboard. â€Å"You're right. According to Ms. Dunne's key-card logs, she has not yet opened the Pod Five door. Her last access event was about eight minutes ago . . . at Pod Three. I guess she's giving your guest a little tour on his way in.† Katherine frowned. Apparently. The news was a bit odd, but at least she knew Trish wouldn't be long in Pod 3. The smell in there is terrible. â€Å"Thanks. Has my brother arrived yet?† â€Å"No, ma'am, not yet.† â€Å"Thank you.† As Katherine hung up, she felt an unexpected twinge of trepidation. The uneasy feeling made her pause, but only for a moment. It was the same exact disquiet she'd felt earlier when she stepped into Dr. Abaddon's house. Embarrassingly, her feminine intuition had failed her there. Badly. It's nothing, Katherine told herself. CHAPTER 41 Robert Langdon studied the stone pyramid. This isn't possible. â€Å"An ancient encoded language,† Sato said without looking up. â€Å"Tell me, does this qualify?† On the newly exposed face of the pyramid, a series of sixteen characters was precisely engraved into the smooth stone. Beside Langdon, Anderson's mouth now gaped open, mirroring Langdon's own shock. The security chief looked like he had just seen some kind of alien keypad. â€Å"Professor?† Sato said. â€Å"I assume you can read this?† Langdon turned. â€Å"Why would you assume that?† â€Å"Because you were brought here, Professor. You were chosen. This inscription appears to be a code of some sort, and considering your reputation, it seems obvious to me that you were brought here to decipher it.† Langdon had to admit that after his experiences in Rome and Paris, he'd received a steady flow of requests asking for his help deciphering some of history's great unsolved codes–the Phaistos Disk, the Dorabella Cipher, the mysterious Voynich Manuscript. Sato ran her finger over the inscription. â€Å"Can you tell me the meaning of these icons?† They're not icons, Langdon thought. They're symbols. The language was one he had recognized immediately–an encrypted cipher language from the seventeenth century. Langdon knew very well how to break it. â€Å"Ma'am,† he said, feeling hesitant, â€Å"this pyramid is Peter's private property.† â€Å"Private or not, if this code is indeed the reason you were brought to Washington, I am not giving you a choice in the matter. I want to know what it says.† Sato's BlackBerry pinged loudly, and she yanked the device from her pocket, studying the incoming message for several moments. Langdon was amazed that the Capitol Building's internal wireless network provided service this far down. Sato grunted and raised her eyebrows, giving Langdon an odd look. â€Å"Chief Anderson?† she said, turning to him. â€Å"A word in private, if I may?† The director motioned for Anderson to join her, and they disappeared into the pitch-black hallway, leaving Langdon alone in the flickering candlelight of Peter's Chamber of Reflection. Chief Anderson wondered when this night would end. A severed hand in my Rotunda? A death shrine in my basement? Bizarre engravings on a stone pyramid? Somehow, the Redskins game no longer felt significant. As he followed Sato into the darkness of the hall, Anderson flicked on his flashlight. The beam was weak but better than nothing. Sato led him down the hall a few yards, out of sight of Langdon. â€Å"Have a look at this,† she whispered, handing Anderson her BlackBerry. Anderson took the device and squinted at the illuminated screen. It displayed a black-and-white image–the X-ray of Langdon's bag that Anderson had requested be sent to Sato. As in all X- rays, the objects of greatest density appeared in the brightest white. In Langdon's bag, a lone item outshone everything else. Obviously extremely dense, the object glowed like a dazzling jewel in a murky jumble of other items. Its shape was unmistakable. He's been carrying that all night? Anderson looked over at Sato in surprise. â€Å"Why didn't Langdon mention this?† â€Å"Damned good question,† Sato whispered. â€Å"The shape . . . it can't be coincidence.† â€Å"No,† Sato said, her tone angry now. â€Å"I would say not.† A faint rustle in the corridor drew Anderson's attention. Startled, he pointed his flashlight down the black passageway. The dying beam revealed only a deserted corridor, lined with open doors. â€Å"Hello?† Anderson said. â€Å"Is somebody there?† Silence. Sato gave him an odd look, apparently having heard nothing. Anderson listened a moment longer and then shook it off. I've got to get out of here. Alone in the candlelit chamber, Langdon ran his fingers over the sharply carved edges of the pyramid's engraving. He was curious to know what the message said, and yet he was not about to intrude on Peter Solomon's privacy any more than they already had. And why would this lunatic care about this small pyramid anyway? â€Å"We have a problem, Professor,† Sato's voice declared loudly behind him. â€Å"I've just received a new piece of information, and I've had enough of your lies.† Langdon turned to see the OS director marching in, BlackBerry in hand and fire in her eyes. Taken aback, Langdon looked to Anderson for help, but the chief was now standing guard at the door, his expression unsympathetic. Sato arrived in front of Langdon and thrust her BlackBerry in his face. Bewildered, Langdon looked at the screen, which displayed an inverted black-and-white photograph, like a ghostly film negative. The photo looked like a jumble of objects, and one of them shone very brightly. Though askew and off center, the brightest object was clearly a little, pointed pyramid. A tiny pyramid? Langdon looked at Sato. â€Å"What is this?† The question seemed only to incense Sato further. â€Å"You're pretending you don't know?† Langdon's temper flared. â€Å"I'm not pretending anything! I've never seen this before in my life!† â€Å"Bullshit!† Sato snapped, her voice cutting through the musty air. â€Å"You've been carrying it in your bag all night!† â€Å"I–† Langdon stalled midsentence. His eyes moved slowly down to the daybag on his shoulder. Then he raised them again to the BlackBerry. My God . . . the package. He looked more closely at the image. Now he saw it. A ghostly cube, enclosing the pyramid. Stunned, Langdon realized he was looking at an X-ray of his bag . . . and also of Peter's mysterious cube-shaped package. The cube was, in fact, a hollow box . . . a small pyramid. Langdon opened his mouth to speak, but his words failed him. He felt the breath go out of his lungs as a new revelation struck him. Simple. Pure. Devastating. My God. He looked back at the truncated stone pyramid on the desk. Its apex was flat–a small square area–a blank space symbolically awaiting its final piece . . . that piece which would transform it from an Unfinished Pyramid into a True Pyramid. Langdon now realized the tiny pyramid he was carrying was not a pyramid at all. It's a capstone. At that instant, he knew why he alone could unlock the mysteries of this pyramid. I hold the final piece. And it is indeed . . . a talisman. When Peter had told Langdon the package contained a talisman, Langdon had laughed. Now he realized his friend was right. This tiny capstone was a talisman, but not the magic kind . . . the far older kind. Long before talisman had magical connotations, it had another meaning– â€Å"completion.† From the Greek telesma, meaning â€Å"complete,† a talisman was any object or idea that completed another and made it whole. The finishing element. A capstone, symbolically speaking, was the ultimate talisman, transforming the Unfinished Pyramid into a symbol of completed perfection. Langdon now felt an eerie convergence that forced him to accept one very strange truth: with the exception of its size, the stone pyramid in Peter's Chamber of Reflection seemed to be transforming itself, bit by bit, into something vaguely resembling the Masonic Pyramid of legend. From the brightness with which the capstone shone on the X-ray, Langdon suspected it was made of metal . . . a very dense metal. Whether or not it was solid gold, he had no way of knowing, and he was not about to let his mind start playing tricks on him. This pyramid is too small. The code's too easy to read. And . . . it's a myth, for heaven's sake! Sato was watching him. â€Å"For a bright man, Professor, you've made some dumb choices tonight. Lying to an intelligence director? Intentionally obstructing a CIA investigation?† â€Å"I can explain, if you'll let me.† â€Å"You will be explaining at CIA headquarters. As of this moment, I am detaining you.† Langdon's body went rigid. â€Å"You can't possibly be serious.† â€Å"Deadly serious. I made it very clear to you that the stakes tonight were high, and you chose not to cooperate. I strongly suggest you start thinking about explaining the inscription on this pyramid, because when we arrive at the CIA . . .† She raised her BlackBerry and took a close-up snapshot of the engraving on the stone pyramid. â€Å"My analysts will have had a head start.† Langdon opened his mouth to protest, but Sato was already turning to Anderson at the door. â€Å"Chief,† she said, â€Å"put the stone pyramid in Langdon's bag and carry it. I'll handle taking Mr. Langdon into custody. Your weapon, if I may?† Anderson was stone-faced as he advanced into the chamber, unsnapping his shoulder holster as he came. He gave his gun to Sato, who immediately aimed it at Langdon. Langdon watched as if in a dream. This cannot be happening. Anderson now came to Langdon and removed the daybag from his shoulder, carrying it over to the desk and setting it on the chair. He unzipped the bag, propped it open, and then hoisted the heavy stone pyramid off the desk and into the bag, along with Langdon's notes and the tiny package. Suddenly there was a rustle of movement in the hallway. A dark outline of a man materialized in the doorway, rushing into the chamber and approaching fast behind Anderson. The chief never saw him coming. In an instant, the stranger had lowered his shoulder and crashed into Anderson's back. The chief launched forward, his head cracking into the edge of the stone niche. He fell hard, crumpling on the desk, sending bones and artifacts flying. The hourglass shattered on the floor. The candle toppled to the floor, still burning. Sato reeled amid the chaos, raising the gun, but the intruder grabbed a femur and lashed out with it, striking her shoulder with the leg bone. Sato let out a cry of pain and fell back, dropping the weapon. The newcomer kicked the gun away and then wheeled toward Langdon. The man was tall and slender, an elegant African American whom Langdon had never seen before in his life. â€Å"Grab the pyramid!† the man commanded. â€Å"Follow me!† CHAPTER 42 The African American man leading Langdon through the Capitol's subterranean maze was clearly someone of power. Beyond knowing his way through all the side corridors and back rooms, the elegant stranger carried a key ring that seemed to unlock every door that blocked their way. Langdon followed, quickly running up an unfamiliar staircase. As they climbed, he felt the leather strap of his daybag cutting hard into his shoulder. The stone pyramid was so heavy that Langdon feared the bag's strap might break. The past few minutes defied all logic, and now Langdon found himself moving on instinct alone. His gut told him to trust this stranger. Beyond saving Langdon from Sato's arrest, the man had taken dangerous action to protect Peter Solomon's mysterious pyramid. Whatever the pyramid may be. While his motivation remained a mystery, Langdon had glimpsed a telltale shimmer of gold on the man's hand–a Masonic ring–the double-headed phoenix and the number 33. This man and Peter Solomon were more than trusted friends. They were Masonic brothers of the highest degree. Langdon followed him to the top of the stairs, into another corridor, and then through an unmarked door into a utilitarian hallway. They ran past supply boxes and bags of garbage, veering off suddenly through a service door that deposited them in an utterly unexpected world–a plush movie theater of some sort. The older man led the way up the side aisle and out the main doors into the light of a large atrium. Langdon now realized they were in the visitor center through which he had entered earlier tonight. Unfortunately, so was a Capitol police officer. As they came face-to-face with the officer, all three men stopped, staring at one another. Langdon recognized the young Hispanic officer from the X-ray machine earlier tonight. â€Å"Officer Nunez,† the African American man said. â€Å"Not a word. Follow me.† The guard looked uneasy but obeyed without question. Who is this guy? The three of them hurried toward the southeast corner of the visitor center, where they arrived at a small foyer and a set of heavy doors blocked with orange pylons. The doors were sealed with masking tape, apparently to keep the dust of whatever was happening beyond out of the visitor center. The man reached up and peeled off the tape on the door. Then he flipped through his key ring as he spoke to the guard. â€Å"Our friend Chief Anderson is in the subbasement. He may be injured. You'll want to check on him.† â€Å"Yes, sir.† Nunez looked as baffled as he did alarmed. â€Å"Most important, you did not see us.† The man found a key, took it off the key ring, and used it to turn the heavy dead bolt. He pulled open the steel door and tossed the key to the guard. â€Å"Lock this door behind us. Put the tape back on as best as you can. Pocket the key and say nothing. To anyone. Including the chief. Is that clear, Officer Nunez?† The guard eyed the key as if he'd just been entrusted with a precious gem. â€Å"It is, sir.† The man hurried through the door, and Langdon followed. The guard locked the heavy bolt behind them, and Langdon could hear him re-applying the masking tape. â€Å"Professor Langdon,† the man said as they strode briskly down a modern-looking corridor that was obviously under construction. â€Å"My name is Warren Bellamy. Peter Solomon is a dear friend of mine.† Langdon shot a startled glance at the stately man. You're Warren Bellamy? Langdon had never met the Architect of the Capitol, but he certainly knew the man's name. â€Å"Peter speaks very highly of you,† Bellamy said, â€Å"and I'm sorry we are meeting under these dreadful circumstances.† â€Å"Peter is in terrible trouble. His hand . . .† â€Å"I know.† Bellamy sounded grim. â€Å"That's not the half of it, I'm afraid.† They reached the end of the lit section of corridor, and the passageway took an abrupt left. The remaining length of corridor, wherever it went, was pitch-black. â€Å"Hold on,† Bellamy said, disappearing into a nearby electrical room from which a tangle of heavy-duty orange extension cords snaked out, running away from them into the darkness of the corridor. Langdon waited while Bellamy rooted around inside. The Architect must have located the switch that sent power to the extension cords, because suddenly the route before them became illuminated. Langdon could only stare. Washington, D.C.–like Rome–was a city laced with secret passageways and underground tunnels. The passage before them now reminded Langdon of the passetto tunnel connecting the Vatican to Castel Sant'Angelo. Long. Dark. Narrow. Unlike the ancient passetto, however, this passage was modern and not yet complete. It was a slender construction zone that was so long it seemed to narrow to nothing at its distant end. The only lighting was a string of intermittent construction bulbs that did little more than accentuate the tunnel's impossible length. Bellamy was already heading down the passage. â€Å"Follow me. Watch your step.† Langdon felt himself fall into step behind Bellamy, wondering where on earth this tunnel led. At that moment, Mal'akh stepped out of Pod 3 and strode briskly down the deserted main corridor of the SMSC toward Pod 5. He clutched Trish's key card in his hand and quietly whispered, â€Å"Zero-eight-zero-four.† Something else was cycling through his mind as well. Mal'akh had just received an urgent message from the Capitol Building. My contact has run into unforeseen difficulties. Even so, the news remained encouraging: Robert Langdon now possessed both the pyramid and the capstone. Despite the unexpected way in which it had happened, the crucial pieces were falling into place. It was almost as if destiny itself were guiding tonight's events, ensuring Mal'akh's victory. CHAPTER 43 Langdon hurried to keep pace with Warren Bellamy's brisk footsteps as they moved without a word down the long tunnel. So far, the Architect of the Capitol appeared far more intent on putting distance between Sato and this stone pyramid than he did on explaining to Langdon what was going on. Langdon had a growing apprehension that there was far more going on than he could imagine. The CIA? The Architect of the Capitol? Two Thirty-third-degree Masons? The shrill sound of Langdon's cell phone cut the air. He pulled his phone from his jacket. Uncertain, he answered. â€Å"Hello?† The voice that spoke was an eerie, familiar whisper. â€Å"Professor, I hear you had unexpected company.† Langdon felt an icy chill. â€Å"Where the hell is Peter?!† he demanded, his words reverberating in the enclosed tunnel. Beside him, Warren Bellamy glanced over, looking concerned and motioning for Langdon to keep walking. â€Å"Don't worry,† the voice said. â€Å"As I told you, Peter is somewhere safe.† â€Å"You cut off his hand, for God's sake! He needs a doctor!† â€Å"He needs a priest,† the man replied. â€Å"But you can save him. If you do as I command, Peter will live. I give you my word.† â€Å"The word of a madman means nothing to me.† â€Å"Madman? Professor, surely you appreciate the reverence with which I have adhered to the ancient protocols tonight. The Hand of the Mysteries guided you to a portal–the pyramid that promises to unveil ancient wisdom. I know you now possess it.† â€Å"You think this is the Masonic Pyramid?† Langdon demanded. â€Å"It's a chunk of rock.† There was silence on the other end of the line. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, you're too smart to play dumb. You know very well what you've uncovered tonight. A stone pyramid . . . hidden at the core of Washington, D.C. . . . by a powerful Mason?† â€Å"You're chasing a myth! Whatever Peter told you, he told you in fear. The Legend of the Masonic Pyramid is fiction. The Masons never built any pyramid to protect secret wisdom. And even if they did, this pyramid is far too small to be what you think it is.† The man chuckled. â€Å"I see Peter has told you very little. Nonetheless, Mr. Langdon, whether or not you choose to accept what it is you now possess, you will do as I say. I am well aware that the pyramid you are carrying has an encrypted engraving. You will decipher that engraving for me. Then, and only then, will I return Peter Solomon to you.† â€Å"Whatever you believe this engraving reveals,† Langdon said, â€Å"it won't be the Ancient Mysteries.† â€Å"Of course not,† he replied. â€Å"The mysteries are far too vast to be written on the side of a little stone pyramid.† The response caught Langdon off guard. â€Å"But if this engraving is not the Ancient Mysteries, then this pyramid is not the Masonic Pyramid. Legend clearly states the Masonic Pyramid was constructed to protect the Ancient Mysteries.† The man's tone was condescending now. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, the Masonic Pyramid was constructed to preserve the Ancient Mysteries, but with a twist you've apparently not yet grasped. Did Peter never tell you? The power of the Masonic Pyramid is not that it reveals the mysteries themselves . . . but rather that it reveals the secret location where the mysteries are buried.† Langdon did a double take. â€Å"Decipher the engraving,† the voice continued, â€Å"and it will tell you the hiding place of mankind's greatest treasure.† He laughed. â€Å"Peter did not entrust you with the treasure itself, Professor.† Langdon came to an abrupt halt in the tunnel. â€Å"Hold on. You're saying this pyramid is . . . a map? † Bellamy jolted to a stop now, too, his expression one of shock and alarm. Clearly, the caller had just hit a raw nerve. The pyramid is a map. â€Å"This map,† the voice whispered, â€Å"or pyramid, or portal, or whatever you choose to call it . . . was created long ago to ensure the hiding place of the Ancient Mysteries would never be forgotten . . . that it would never be lost to history.† â€Å"A grid of sixteen symbols doesn't look much like a map.† â€Å"Appearances can be deceiving, Professor. But regardless, you alone have the power to read that inscription.† â€Å"You're wrong,† Langdon fired back, picturing the simplistic cipher. â€Å"Anyone could decipher this engraving. It's not very sophisticated.† â€Å"I suspect there is more to the pyramid than meets the eye. Regardless, you alone possess the capstone.† Langdon pictured the little capstone in his bag. Order from chaos? He didn't know what to believe anymore, but the stone pyramid in his bag seemed to be getting heavier with every passing moment. Mal'akh pressed the cell phone to his ear, enjoying the sound of Langdon's anxious breathing on the other end. â€Å"Right now, I have business to attend to, Professor, and so do you. Call me as soon as you have deciphered the map. We will go together to the hiding place and make our trade. Peter's life . . . for all the wisdom of the ages.† â€Å"I will do nothing,† Langdon declared. â€Å"Especially not without proof Peter is alive.† â€Å"I suggest you not test me. You are a very small cog in a vast machine. If you disobey me, or attempt to find me, Peter will die. This I swear.† â€Å"For all I know, Peter is already dead.† â€Å"He is very much alive, Professor, but he desperately needs your help.† â€Å"What are you really looking for?† Langdon shouted into the phone. Mal'akh paused before answering. â€Å"Many people have pursued the Ancient Mysteries and debated their power. Tonight, I will prove the mysteries are real.† Langdon was silent. â€Å"I suggest you get to work on the map immediately,† Mal'akh said. â€Å"I need this information today.† â€Å"Today?! It's already after nine o'clock!† â€Å"Exactly. Tempus fugit.†

Prediction of Cross-Axis-Sensitivity of Inertial Micro-Sensor Through Modeling and Simulation

Prediction of Cross-axis-sensitivity of inertial micro-sensor through modeling and simulation B. P. Joshi1, A. B. Joshi2, A. S. Chaware2 , S. A. Gangal*2 1 Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), DRDO Ministry of Defence, Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan Pune-411021, India Ph. No. +91-20-2588 4795, Fax No. +91-20-2589 3102 E-mail:[email  protected] org 2 Department of Electronic Science, University of Pune, Pune-411 007, India Abstract: In addition to sensitivity and bandwidth, the cross-sensitivity is an important design parameter for acceleration/ inertial sensor design. In this paper prediction of cross-axis sensitivity of cantilever type of piezoresistive accelerometer is discussed. The effect of variation in geometrical parameters such as width and thickness of flexure & proof mass (PM) on crosssensitivity are studied. Optimization of cross-sensitivity by varying geometrical parameters has been attempted. This paper deals with simulations of skewed type (Flexure perpendicular to proof mass) and planar type (Flexure in plane with Proof mass) structure for cross-axis sensitivity analysis. The simulation and modeling has been carried using Coventorware MEMSCAD software. Keywords: Inertial sensor, Cross-sensitivity, MEMSCAD, FEM. 1 Introduction Micromachined accelerometers are widely used in many applications. Large number of scientists all over the world are working on MEMS based acceleration sensors that are mostly either capacitive or of piezoresistive type. A piezoresistive type of acceleration sensor basically consists of a proof-mass attached to a micro-cantilever (Flexure) all made out of silicon. [1-4]. For piezoresistive accelerometer sensitivity S is defined as relative change in resistance per unit of acceleration. Following mathematical equation defines relation between sensor dimensions and its sensitivity [5]. Equation for sensitivity can be written as: S = K . g . L t 2 (In Pa. ) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Eq. 1 Where, S is the sensitivity [stress level], g is the applied acceleration, t is thickness of flexure in  µm, L is length of flexure in  µm, K is the constant of proportionality. An accelerometer is expected to have only one sensitive axis. However, cantilever type of accelerometer is also sensitive in other direction. This undesired sensitivity is called as cross axis sensitivity. Cross axis sensitivity is the maximum sensitivity in the plane perpendicular to the sensitive direction relative to the sensitivity in the measuring direction. It is calculated as the geometric sum of the 1 sensitivities in two perpendicular directions in this plane [6]. If Z is sensitive axis then cross sensitivity is defined as †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Eq 2 Where suffix (x, y, z) denotes axis in which sensitivity is measured. Effect of cross sensitivity is one of the most important design considerations. Many attempts have been made to reduce cross sensitivity by the accelerometer designers. 7-8]. Since it is a structure deflecting under influence of inertial force, stress is developed in the flexure due to its bending. Therefore it can be stated that if the width of flexure is much greater than its thickness the cross axis sensitivity will be low. Different types of mechanical designs and structures have been tried by designers to reduce cross-sensitivity effect. Efficient use of four-piezor esistors in bridge structure is mostly tried structure [7]. Another way to reduce cross sensitivity is multi flexure accelerometer [8]. However, all these structures have a major drawback, that is, they require more processing steps as well as larger size on chip. In this paper, single cantilever type piezoresistive accelerometer is presented. The crosssensitivity is analysis is carried out by varying width as well as thickness of flexure and proof mass. Paper discusses simulations carried out for skewed and planner structure accelerometer using Coventorware software. 2 Simulations Cantilever (Flexure) type of piezoresistive accelerometer is modeled and simulated using Coventorware 2003 software. Fig. shows Skewed type acceleration sensor structure, in which Flexure is perpendicular to proof mass and sensitive axis is Y-axis. The sensor is modeled with proof mass having dimension of 2000 µm X 400 µm X 200 µm (LxWxH) and flexure is having dimensions of 100 µm X 50 µm X 12 µm (LxWxH). In this structure, flexure width is in Z-axis and flexure thickness is in Y-axis. Fig. 2 shows the planar type of accelerome ter of the above dimension, in which flexure is in plane with Proof Mass. In this case, flexure width in Y-axis, thickness is in Z-axis. Z-axis is sensitive axis. Simulation is carried out using MemMech solver. The Max stress values are considered for discussion in terms of sensitivity. Z Y X Fig 1: Skewed piezoresistive Accelerometer Fig 2: Planar Piezoresistive Accelerometer 2 Simulations are carried out to find cross-axis sensitivity by varying flexure thickness & flexure width. Simulations are also carried out to find cross-axis sensitivity by varying thickness and width of proof mass. 3 Results and discussions 3. 1 Skewed structure (Fig 1) Simulations were carried out on skewed type of structure (of dimension mentioned in simulations above) by varying its lexure thickness. Flexure thickness is varied from 50  µm to 200  µm and flexure width is kept as 12  µm. Skew structure response for variation in flexure thickness is shown in table No. 1. Here sensitive axis is Y-axis. Table 1: Cross axis sensitivity w. r. to variation in Flex thickness for skewed structure Flexure thickness In  µm 50 100 150 200 Sz Sx Sy (In MPa) (In MPa) (In MPa) 82 6. 5 340 22 1. 5 170 9. 8 0. 52 110 5. 6 0. 19 81 % Cross-Sensitivity 24. 19 12. 97 8. 92 6. 92 Thickness to width ratio 4. 17 8. 33 12. 50 16. 67 It is observed that as the flexure thickness is increased while keeping the width same, cross axis sensitivity decreases but at the cost of sensitivity, which is not acceptable. To minimize this undesirable cross-sensitivity effect, structure is modified. In modified structure, flexure is in plane with proof mass. [Fig no. 2] Further simulations are carried out with Planner structure. 3. 2 Planar Accelerometer Planner accelerometer of above-mentioned dimensions was simulated. Varying geometrical parameters like thickness & width of proof mass as well as flexure simulations were carried out. The results are given in following paragraphs. Here sensitive axis is Z-axis. 3. 2. 1 Variations in flexure width(FW) Simulations are carried out in MEMMECH Solver by varying flexure width from 12 µm to 30  µm while keeping flexure thickness same as 50  µm. Following table shows effect of flexure width on sensitivity as well as cross-sensitivity. Table 2: Cross axis sensitivity for various flexure widths of planar structure Flexure Width (In  µm) 12 18 24 30 Sensitivity Sx Sy Sz(In MPa) (In MPa) (In MPa) 330 28 25. 2 150 13 11. 29 83 7. 4 6. 34 54 4. 9 4. 07 % Cross axis Sensitivity 11. 42 11. 48 11. 74 11. 80 Thickness to width ratio 4. 7 2. 78 2. 08 1. 67 3 It can be seen from the above results that as thickness to width ratio reduces cross-sensitivity marginally increases but effecting drastic reduction in sensitivity of the sensor. 3. 2. 2 Variation in flexure thickness (FT) Simulations are carried out in MEMMECH solver by varying flexure thickness from 50 to 125  µm. F ollowing table shows effect of flexure thickness on sensitivity as well as cross-sensitivity. Table 3: Cross axis sensitivity for various flexure thickness of planar structure Flexure Width (In  µm) 50 75 100 125 Sensitivity Sx Sy Sz(In MPa) (In MPa) (In MPa) 330 28 25. 220 19 14 160 14 8. 8 130 11 5. 9 % Cross sensitivity 11. 42 10. 73 10. 34 9. 60 Thickness to width ratio 4. 17 6. 25 8. 33 10. 42 The simulation results show noticeable reduction in cross-sensitivity as the thickness to width ratio increases. This is because as the flexure becomes more and more stiff, cross-sensitivity decreases. 3. 2. 3 Variation in Prof mass width (PMW) Simulations are carried out in MEMMECH solver by varying proof mass width. It is varied from 400 µm to 1000 µm. Here the flexure dimensions are kept original as 100 µm X 50 µm X 12 µm (LxWxH). Following table shows the effect of proof mass width on sensitivity as well as crosssensitivity. Table 4: Effect of Proof-Mass Width variation on cross sensitivity of planar structure PM Width (In  µm) 400 600 800 1000 Sensitivity Sz(In MPa) 330 490 660 830 Sx (In MPa) 28 41 54 66 Sy (In MPa) 25. 2 37. 8 50. 5 63. 2 % Cross axis Sensitivity 11. 42 11. 38 11. 20 11. 01 It can be seen from above results that Variations in Proof mass width have negligible effect on cross sensitivity but helps to increase the sensor sensitivity by many folds. This is due to increase in proof-mass weight. 3. 2. Variation of Prof mass thickness (PMT) Simulations are carried out in MEMMECH solver by varying proof-mass thickness. It is varied over from 50 µm to 200 µm. Here also the flexure dimensions are kept as 100 µm X 50 µm X 12 µm (LxWxH). Following table shows effect of proof mass thickness on sensitivity as well as cross-sensitivity. 4 Table 5: Effect of Proof-Mass thickness variation on c ross sensitivity of planar structure PM Thickness (In  µm) 200 150 100 50 Sensitivity Sz(In MPa) 330 250 160 82 Sx (In MPa) 28 16 6. 8 1. 6 % Cross axis Sy Sensitivity = RMS of Sx (In MPa) &Sy / Sz 25. 2 11. 42 13. 57 8. 39 5. 47 5. 45 0. 95 2. 27 It can be seen from above results that cross-sensitivity decreases considerably with decrease in Proof Mass thickness but at the heavy cost of sensitivity. This due to decrease in proof mass weight. Fig No. 3 gives summary of variation in cross-sensitivity with respect to each of the above discussed parameters. Cross Axis Sensitivity for various geometrical parameters. 14. 00 12. 00 % cross-sen. 10. 00 8. 00 6. 00 4. 00 2. 00 0. 00 1 2 3 4 FT PMW FW PMT Fig 3: Graph of summary of variation in cross-sensitivity for geometrical parameters The proof mass width and flexure thickness doesn’t have much impact on cross sensitivity. In case of flexure width variation, cross sensitivity decreases along with increase in flexure width. The bending stress caused by transverse acceleration in X, Y direction is much less then stress caused by desired acceleration in Z direction. Thus for low cross-sensitivity, Ratio of width to thickness should be high. These results have good agreements with earlier reported results [7-8] 4) Conclusions A cross sensitivity effect is studied by varying geometrical parameter like thickness as well as width of flexure and proof mass. Following conclusions can be drawn from all of the above simulation Skewed structure has much higher cross-sensitivity as compared to planar type of structure for the same thickness to width ratio of flexure. (Compare values of in table 1 and 2 for thickness to width ratio of 4. 17). But they have similar sensitivity. When Thickness to Width ratio is increased to 8. 33 in case of skewed structure its crosssensitivity drastically reduces but is still higher than plan structure. One can safely increase sensor sensitivity by increasing proof mass weight by increasing width in planar structure. Variations in flexure thickness and Proof Mass width doesn’t affect cross ensitivity. For better low cross-sensitivity, thickness to width ratio of flexure for planar type of design should be as low as possible and further sensitivity can be enhanced by increasing proof mass width. 5 Acknowledgements The authors thank ARDE, Pune, Ministry of Defence for funding the research work on development of micro accelerometer at University of Pune. Shri BP Joshi, Scientist ‘F’, would like to thank Director ARDE for giving opportunity to work on the project and also to Dr. S. K. Salwan (Guide for Ph. D. ) for his valuable guidance and suggestions. References 1. J. A. Plaza, J. Esteve, E. Lora-Tamayo, Simple technology for bulk accelerometer based on bond and etch back silicon on insulator wafers, Sensors and Actuators, A68, 1992, p199-302 2. Aaron Partridge, J. Kurth Reynolds, Benjamin W. Chui, Eugene, M. Chow, A HighPerformance Planar Piezoresistive Accelerometer, JMEMS, vol 9, No. 1, March 2000, p 58-66. 3. R. P. Van Kampen, R. F. 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