The Nature of Science Essay Example for Free

The Nature of Science Essay Science plays an important role in development of mankind, its cultural and technological progress. Science helps humanity to understand natural phenomena and biological changes, evolutionary processes and shifts. Science can be defined as a particular way of knowledge and perception of the world and human beings based on historical information, hypotheses and experiments. Biology and Earth Sciences allows researchers to understand the evolution of species, explain natural phenomena and predict possible changes in the Universe. In fact, the revolutionary changes are invariably prompted by contradictions which occur when the previous concepts are applied to particular phenomena, and it is in the attempts to remove these contradictions that the changes are made. Science can be seen as the criterion of truth. Science is logic of discovery as well as of confirmation. Seeking to reconstruct what happened in the past, Biology and Earth Sciences must and do take as data only presently available written reports, and the presently surviving physical remnants of antiquity; and part of the interest of the research lies in its relevance to present and future situations somehow related to those of the past (Gierer 2000). Science is not a self-contained or self-sustaining activity. The most important it is conducted only in a community that has reached a certain level of intellectual development, which involves and implies social organization, culture, art, and religion, as well as philosophy. Biology and Earth Sciences are closely connected with and depend upon historical progress and cultural development of society which determine that main trends and direction in experiments and research. For instance, during the Middle Ages, Biology and Earth Sciences were influenced by inquisition and dominance of theological doctrines while at the end of 17th-18th century these sciences flourished because of new economic conditions and separation of church and the state. These examples show that Biology and Earth Sciences are part of a culture and cannot exist apart from it. For a long time, people supposed that Earth was flat and the stars related directly to the earth. When humans mastered the cosmos (1961), it has opened a new era in scientific discoveries and the evolution of knowledge. A link between culture, society and biology is evident in current analysis of social settings and impact of biological perquisites on humans: â€Å"One way of asserting the relevance of â€Å"biology for understanding human social behavior is to propose that our understanding of human activities can be greatly enhanced by specific consideration of humans as evolved species shaped by processes of natural selection† (Freese et al 233). In Earth Sciences, scientists can achieve control in the laboratory where results are reproducible. In both Biology and Earth Sciences, the course of science may solve the puzzles researchers have encountered in the application of their theories, anomalies and contradictions arise. For instance, â€Å"serious scientific debates about the neo-Darwinist synthesis as the overarching explanation of the origins of our species are, in the larger scheme of things, disagreements over details† (Freese et al 234). Today, Earth scientists argue about the impact of global warming on population and climate change. These research fields are determined by cultural conditions and historical importance for the mankind. In many cases, changes in philosophical and cultural paradigms paralyze the advance of knowledge producing a crisis which is only removed when eventually a revolution occurs in the thinking and practice of scientists with the introduction of a new conceptual scheme (Gierer 2000). In sum, the nature if science is determined by historical, cultural and philosophical paradigms and the discoveries of the scientists made during a particular period of time. Accepting these restraints on his freedom, the scientist secures to himself the protection given by the community of others who accept the same canons of science and scientific knowledge. References Gierer, A. (2000). On Modern Science, Human Cognition and Cultural Diversity.   Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin. Retrieved 20 March 2007 www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/Preprints/P137.pdf Freese, J., Li, Jui-Chung Allen, Wade, L.D. (2003). The Potential Relevances of Biology to Social Inquiry. Annual Review of Sociology, 29, pp. 233-235.

Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire - Ghosts of the Past :: A Streetcar Named Desire Essays

Ghosts of the Past Haunt A Streetcar Named Desire  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Our lives are consumed by the past. The past of what we once did, what we once accomplished, and what we once could call our own. As we look back on these past memories we seldom realize the impact these events have on our present lives. The loss of a past love mars are future relationships, the loss of our family influences the choices we make today, and the loss of our dignity can confuse the life we live in the present. These losses or deaths require healing from which you need to recover. The effects of not healing can cause devastation as apparent in the play A Streetcar Named Desire. The theme of A Streetcar Named Desire is death. We encounter this idea first with the death of Blanche and Stella's relationship as sisters. Blanche and Stella had a life together once in Bel Reve and when Stella decided to move on in her life and leave, Blanche never could forgive her. This apparent in the scene when Blanche first arrives in New Orleans and meets Stella at the bowling alley. Stell a and Blanche sit down for a drink and we immediately see Blanche's animosity towards Stella. Blanche blames Stella for abandoning her at Bel Reve, leaving Blanche to handle the division of the estate after their parents die. As result of Stella's lack of support, we see Blanche become dependent on alcohol and lose her mental state. Blanche comes to be a a terrible reck through out the play as we learn of the details of her life at Bel Reve. Her loss of the entire estate and her struggle to get through an affair with a seventeen year old student. This baggage that Blanche carries on her shoulders nips at Stella through out eventually causing the demise of her relationship. As Blanche's visit goes on with Stella, the nips become too great and with the help of Stanley, Stella has Blanche committed to a mental hospital, thus symbolizing the death of the realtionship they once had. The next death we encounter in the film is the death of Stella and Stanley's marriage. Our first view of S tanley is of an eccentric man, but decent husband who cares deeply for his wife. However, as as Blanche's visit wears on, we come to see the true Stanley, violent and abusive.

Bread Givers Summary

Bread Givers is written by AnziaYezierska. This book demonstrates how a girl prevent to follow her sisters’ steps and choose her own way of living. The narrator of this book is Sara Smolinsky. She is a ten year’s old little girl who always worried for the house as a mother. She is such a sweet and strong minded girl. Sara’s family is extremely poor and if Sara’s sisters don’t find a job, the whole family will be kicked out of the house for not paying rent. Sara has three sisters; Bessie is the oldest, then Mashah and Fania, and none of them has a job.Sara’s mother, Shena, is a traditional housewife who thinks women can only be wife and mom, no women get to learn knowledge and their whole life will rely on a man. Her traditional minds affect her daughters sometimes. Reb, Sara’s father, he studies religion all the time and only care about his bible and beliefs. He does not have a job and does not take the responsibility for his entire fa mily even though he is the only man in the house. The whole family was hanging on Bessie’s neck for her salaries since she is the oldest girl.Everyday all the girls except for Sara needs to go out and try to find a job because the family has no income if there is nobody in the house has a job. Mashah kept buying herself some fancy stuff like soap and towel which is a big waste of money. Later on, the tax collectors came into the house and ask for the rent that the Smolinsky has been arrear for a while. Reb slapped the tax collector for thrown his bible on the floor, and surely Reb got into jail. As the plot going, Bessie fell in love with a guy named Berel Bernstein who is a cutter in the shop where Bessie works.As soon as Reb came back home, he started question Berel about religious belief and Reb embarrassed Berel. Reb didn’t agree with the marriage simply because Bessie earns him the biggest wages. Reb and Berel kept arguing for a while because Reb asked Berel to pa y for the wedding and buy outfit for himself. Finally, Berel found out the only thing Reb cares about is money. Berel rushed to the door and slammed himself out. The next day, Berel talked to Bessie if she wants to marry him without her father’s allowance. Bessie’s answer is no because she couldn’t leave her father, he needs her.Weeks later, Berel announces his engagement with another girl which made Bessie extremely upset. For Mashah, she fell in love with Jacob Novak who is a piano player. Jacob’s family is so rich that his father did not want Mashah to marry his son. Jacob listened to his father and left Mashah. Later on, Jacob felt regret and wanted to date Mashah again but Reb intervened because it happened once and there will be the second time and he pushed Jacob out of the apartment. In chapter five, Reb got a letter from Morris Lipkin saying he wanted to marry Fania.Obviously Reb refused Morris’ quest simply because Morris is poor. Later, Reb brought a guy Moe and introduced Moe to his family in front of Morris but ignored Morris. Morris took offense at it and walked away without return. Few weeks later, Reb brought a cloak dealer named Abe Schmukler and he asked Fania to marry him. Both Mashah and Fania got married that day. It seemed like both of the girls married a rich guy. Reb became well known for his deed that he found two excellent husbands for both of his daughters. However, Mashah and Fania soon discovered both of their husbands are liars.Moe and Abe aren’t rich at all. Later in the book, a fish –peddler named Zalmon married Bessie because he gave promises to give Reb a few hundred dollars to set Reb in business. Till now, all three of Reb’s daughters were married and none of them have a happy marriage. In the very end of chapter 8, Reb got mad at Sara for two cents. A girl didn’t have all twelve cents to buy a pound of rice, instead, she had ten. Sara trusted the little girl tha t she will bring two cents back so Sara sold the rice for ten cents and that made Reb exceedingly angry.Finally Sara couldn’t stand it anymore and she decided to leave home by herself. At first, Sara went to Bessie’s house and willing to live with them. As soon as Sara got there, Bessie told her she is too poor to help Sara. Then Sara went to see Mashah. However, Sara found out Mashah’s life isn’t as well as everybody thought of. Mashah’s house is spotless and Moe treated Mashah very poor. Later on, Sara made a plan which changed her life forever. Sara decided to go to night school with a goal of earning a teacher’s certificate. Then Sara rent a room and found a job as an ironer.Except for sleeping, Sara spent ten hours at work, two hours at school and another two hours to study on her own. Sara is barely eating enough and she is starving. For a few days Sara was hungry, and she burned a shirt due to can’t focus her mind during the da y. She had to pay a couple of dollars to make up her mistake which put her finance into a worse situation. Sara worked hard both at school and at work so that there was no spare time for her to visit home. Later on, Sara met Max who is Fania’s husband Abe’s business partner.Max fell in love with Sara but she would rather stay out of this relationship. However, Sara’s father Reb, suddenly came to Sara’s apartment and checked with her whether she refused to marry Max. Reb tried his best to preach Sara in order to make get married with Max. Again, Sara rejected Reb’s persuasion. In chapter 16, Sara got into a college and soon she figured out college life is way harder than she thought of. Sara had a great desire to learn and she rent a room next to her professor which made her have to pay more for the rent since the room is nicer and bigger than the one she used to rent.The professors’ were all interested in Sara’s story about her life i n Hester Street which is a good thing to Sara, because, as an exchange, the professors taught Sara more knowledge. Time flies by, Sara smoothly graduated from college and she got her certificate as a teacher. Her goal was achieved and she is now on her way to visit home since she had been away from home for over six years. Everything around Sara seemed so lovely and Sara was filled with new hope. However, after Sara returned home, she found her mom; Shenah was desperately ill and refused to go see the doctor.Later on, Shenah dead due to illness and her only wish to Sara was to take good care of her husband, Reb. Sara soon visited Reb, for her mother Shenah willing her to take care of Reb. As soon as Shenah dead, Reb started wearing his nice clothes and married his neighbor Mrs. Feinstein later on. However, Reb soon realized that her new wife only cares about his money and she had been waiting for him to die so that she can take all of his money away. Reb felt sad and willing to leav e her. Later, Sara got to meet Hugo Seelig, the principal.Sara repected him and she soon became friend with Hugo. They begin walk home together every day and their relationship was a step further. A few months passed by, Sara ran into a guy who was selling gum and surprisingly Sara recognized that old man was her father. Sara realized Reb was sick and she began take care of him every day after school. The good thing is, Reb was getting better and better each day. Then, Sara brought Hugo home to her father, and it seemed like they got along well with each other. Hugo said that Reb must come live with them.

Analysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible - 1732 Words

Charles Whatley Dr. Bonnie Ronson English 1102 Sunday, June 14 2432 I. Topic Sentence The conflict that presents itself to the characters Reverend Parris, Reverend Hale, and John Proctor forces them to reflect upon themselves and ultimately change the nature of how the deal with conflict in the world. II. Biographical Arthur Miller was a controversial playwright during the 1950’s and 60’s, note because of the material that he choose to write about, but because of the events that took place surrounding one of his best works: The Crucible. One of his friends and a fellow playwright Elia Kazan was accused of being a Communist by the house Un-American Activities Committee. Elia, who had admitted to being previously a Communist during the 1930’s (long before the cold war) was asked before the committee to testify what he knew of Communists in the United states. Elia was afraid of losing his career to the charge of being a communist and cooperated with the community. Arthur Miller had previously testified to the committee and revealed no information to them, earning him jail time. These were the events that inspired Arthur Miller to visit Salem Massachusetts and research the witch trials. Ultimately this lead him to creating his most well known work: The Crucible. IV. Illustrations Reverend Parris At the beginning of the play Reverend Parris portrays himself as a very upright puritan that is only interested in protecting his flock and keeping the church together.Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 961 Words   |  4 Pages Movie paper analysis of The crucible The circumstance brought upon a person can change them greatly. The Crucible edited and rewritten by Arthur Miller, is a movie which takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The leading actors are Daniel Day-Lewis as Proctor, Winona Ryder as Abigail, Paul Scofield as Judge Danforth, Joan Allen as Elizabeth, Bruce Davison as Parris, and Rob Campbell as Hale. It was directed by Nicholas Hytner and was Based on the witch hunt which surrounded MassachusettsRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 1052 Words   |  5 PagesArthur Miller was one of the leading American playwrights in the 20th century. Arthur Miller was born on October 17, 1915 in Harlem New York City to Isidore and Augusta Miller (GradeSaver). After graduating from high school, Miller worked a variety of odd jobs including hosting a radio program; this was before the University of Michigan accepted him. At school, he studied journalism, became the night editor of the Michigan Daily, and began experimen ting with theater and writing plays. He lived throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 1457 Words   |  6 PagesSteven Huang Ms. Folkrod English 3, Period 7 26 October 2014 Proctor’s Pride and Downfall A tragic hero is a hero in a story whose natural flaws or wrong judgments, associates with bad fate, causes his downfall or death. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, there are tragic heroes. In the late 1600s, there are a series of witch trials happens at Salem, MA. John Proctor, a farmer who lives in a farm with his wife Elizabeth Proctor, is the protagonist during the Salem witch trial. John is a candid, frankRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 3926 Words   |  16 PagesA.P. English Language August 11, 2014 Novel Analysis Assignment The Crucible by Arthur Miller Plot and Conflict At its core, The Crucible is a chilling depiction of a community engulfed by hysteria. A fanatically religious community in Salem, Massachusetts becomes embroiled in a witch-hunt initiated by a group of adolescent girls. At the start of the play, Reverend Parris finds his teenage daughter, Betty Parris, â€Å"sick† in bed after she, along with his niece Abigail, his slave Tituba, and a fewRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 883 Words   |  4 PagesName: Lauren Ciesielski Period AP NOVEL FORM 1. Title: The Crucible 2. Author (first and last name) and date of first publication: Arthur Miller and 1953 3. List four main characters with a one-sentence description of each. a. John Proctor – A farmer in Salem that is married to Elizabeth Proctor and is trying to get Elizabeth to forgive him for his sins of lechery on Abigail. b. Abigail Williams- A young lady who tries to throw herself at John Proctor due to their previous affair andRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 908 Words   |  4 PagesDel Giudice Mrs. Schmiedeler English 2F 21 October 2015 Crucible Essay â€Å"It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.† This is a quote by Benjamin Franklin and it explains how the puritan society in The Crucible work. this quote shows how fragile a reputation can be, you can spend your whole life increasing your reputation, but one wrong move and it’s completely wrong. In The Crucible, many of Arthur Miller’s characters are very concerned with their reputationRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 1122 Words   |  5 PagesErin Kelleher English II Honors Mrs. Hagerty 14 January 2015 Corruption in The Crucible Good leaders are essential to the functionality and prosperity of a community. They should be honest, genuine, and selfless. Good leaders keep the interests of the people they lead in mind when making all decisions instead of focusing on their own personal goals. It can be quite disastrous when leaders have ulterior motives or bad principles. When leaders are dishonest, deceitful, and selfish, it causes problemsRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible Essay1424 Words   |  6 PagesMatthew Shults A.P. English Language August 11, 2014 Novel Analysis Assignment The Crucible by Arthur Miller Plot and Conflict The Crucible is a play that takes place in the 17 century in Salem, Massachusetts. As the play starts, Reverend Parris caught some girls naked dancing in the woods. Apparently the girls where stirring up spirits and to escape the punishment of the accusations of being witches, they blame other women in Salem. Later on in the play, Elizabeth Proctor finds out about John ProctorRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 1842 Words   |  8 PagesDiscuss Arthur Miller’s approach to U.S. history in The Crucible. Arthur Miller combines his experiences during the McCarthy reign of the 1950s and the factual events of the Salem witch trials in 1692 to create an elaborated historical tale of the panic caused by witchcraft. Although, the morals behind the events are relevant no matter what the period of time the audience is in. Arthur Miller uses the semantic field of truth throughout the play, ‘The Crucible’, to show his audiences that no matterRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Miller s The Crucible 2138 Words   |  9 Pages Crucible Character Essay - John Proctor #6 In Arthur Miller’s â€Å"The Crucible† the protagonist is a man by the name of John Proctor. Proctor is a very complex character because he doesn t have the cleanest history. He is a man in about his forties who had committed the sin of cheating on his wife with a young girl. This act of his gives a bad first impression to the reader. Proctor however does try to become a better man and do the right thing to save his wife s life, which changes feelings