Forgetting and Hope :: essays research papers

Forgetting, as defined by the Webster dictionary, means to be unable or fail to remember. There are many theories as to why people forget. Some of which include encoding failure, decay theory, interference, consolidation failure, motivated forgetting, and prospective forgetting. Encoding failure happens when the information was not stored in long-term memory in the first place. If information did not transfer from short-term memory to long-term memory, most likely the information will not be retained. Probably the oldest theory of forgetting, decay theory, assumes that memories, if not used, fade with time and ultimately disappears entirely. The â€Å"neural trace† or physiological record of an experience may decay within a very short period or over a much longer period. (Boyd, D., Wood, Ellen Green, & Wood, Samuel E. (2004). Mastering the World of Psychology, Pearson Education, Inc.) Another cause of forgetting is interference. There are two types of interference forgetting. The first, proactive interference happens when information already stored in long-term memory makes the tasks of remembering newer information difficult. For example, you may already know a particular version of software and an upgraded version may not have the some â€Å"short cut† keys that have been stored in long-term memory. The second type of interference forgetting is retroactive interference. Retroactive interference occurs when new learning interferes with the ability to retain previously learned information. The more similarities there are to the new learning’s, the more interference there may be When memories are being encoded into stores memory, a process called consolidation is occurring. If a tragic incident, such as a car accident leading to the loss of consciousness during the time of the consolidation process happens, the memory may not make it to long-term memory. Therefore, there many be loss of memory or events taking place before the accident, referred to as consolidation failure. Occasionally events happen in our life that we may choose to forget because the even was painful or unpleasant. Forgetting that these events took place is called motivated forgetting. There are two types of motivated forgetting. Sometimes a person is still aware that an event happened even after making an effort to put it out of their mind, referred to as suppression. Other times, during repression, a person is able to remove the memory from consciousness and are not longer aware the event occurred. Lastly, prospective forgetting happens when people forget to so something that may seem unpleasant, like going to the dentist.

Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman Controversial Tragedy Essay

Tragedy was a very controversial issue in literature until recent years. Recent figures in literature have set a clear definition for tragedy. Author Miller is one of these figures. Plays and novels have distinguished the definition of tragedy. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary tragedy is a serious piece of literature typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror. Miller’s explains that a tragic hero does not always have to be a monarch or a man of a higher status. A tragic hero can be a common person. A tragedy does not always have to end pessimistically; it could have an optimistic ending. The play Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, is a tragedy because it’s hero, Willy Loman, is a tragic figure that faces a superior source, being the American dream and the struggle for success. Loman also excites pity in the reader because of his defeat and his ina bility to become a success or teach his children how to make their lives successful. Miller defines a flaw as â€Å"an inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what one conceives to be a challenge to one’s dignity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Loman fulfills many of the requirements of being a tragic hero. Willy is not â€Å"flawless† in his actions, which by Miller’s standards make him a tragic hero. It is not wrong for Willy to have flaws and it does not make him a weaker man but a tragic figure. Miller designed the play so that Willy could be a tragic hero and for this he needs to have a flaw. Willy’s flaw is that he is unable to see things in a more realistic perspective. Charley says something in the play that sums up Willy’s whole life. He asks him, â€Å"When the hell are you going to grow up?† Willy’s spends his entire life in an illusion. He sees himself as a great man that is popular and successful. Willy exhibits many childlike qualities. Many of these qualities have an impact on his family. His two sons Bif f and Happy pick up this behavior from their father. He is idealistic, stubborn, and he has a false sense of his importance in the world. The extreme to which he followed the dream brought him to disillusionment and a loose sense of reality. Willy created a reality for himself where he â€Å"knocked ’em cold in Providence,† and â€Å"slaughtered ’em in Boston.†(p.33)  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Five hundred gross in Providence† becomes â€Å"roughly two hundred gross on the whole trip.† The ultimate result of his disillusionment is his suicide. It is ironic that he dies for his ideals although they are misconstrued. Another of Willy’s flaws is his disloyalty to Linda. Willy is unable to hold strong against temptations such as the women he slept with in Boston. Biff’s faith in his father is lost after he encounters the situation. This may have been the cause for Biff’s failure in life. Another of Miller’s guidelines for a tragic hero is that a common man can be a tragic hero. Willy sums up to many of the characteristics shown in Arthur Miller’s article, â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man.† Willy is the common man Miller speaks of in the article. Willy awakes each day to face the hard struggle of work. Although Willy is not very successful as a businessman he still goes to work everyday because he must support his family. Willy placed a great deal of importance on the success of Biff. Willy believed that the best way to achieve success was the fast way. Willy’s dreams for his children to become successful shows his role as a common man. Willy went to extremes to try and reach his goal of Biff becoming successful. Biff is the most important thing in Willy’s life because he is Willy’s last shot at success. If Biff doesn’t want to be successful and doesn’t love him, then Willy would be more satisfied in killing himself in order to try and show Biff that he really is a success. If Biff does love him and wants to become a success then Willy is satisfied in killing himself in order to give Biff a better shot at success with his life insurance money. Willy’s actions and his desire for Biff to become a success and live happily make him a common man. Miller says a tragedy usually deals with a greater power that is taking the freedoms of a lesser power. The lesser power deals with this and fights back against the greater power, while putting something of importance on the line, making him/her a tragic hero. Willy is unable to become a success because he is not able to reach the American dream and work for this successfulness. Although he fights for this successfulness, he fails. Willy has wasted his life on trying to become a success. Willy puts his final stride toward success is in Biff. Willy has spent his life raising Biff and  trying to teach him how to become successful. The problem is that Willy doesn’t know how to reach success and he teaches Biff that success is fast and easy when it’s not. Willy always believes he can achieve that kind of success. He never lets go of his wasted life. He dreams of being the man who does all of his business out of his house and dying a rich and successful man. Furthermore, Willy also dreams of moving to Alaska where he could work with his hands and be a real man. Biff and Happy follow in their father’s footsteps in their lofty dreams and unrealistic goals. Biff wastes his life being a thief and a loner; furthermore, Biff, along with happy try to conjure up a crazy idea of putting on a sporting goods exhibition. Biff really knows that Willy has never been successful and he looks down upon Willy for teaching him the wrong ideal. Biff does realize that Willy has wasted his life in order to make Biff’s better. â€Å"Miss Forsythe, you’ve just seen a price walk by. A fine, troubled prince. A hardworking, unappreciated prince. A pal, you understand? A good companion. Always for his boys.† (p. 114) Another idea that supports the fact that Death of a Salesman is a tragedy is that there is a possibility of victory. Miller speaks about the things that make a piece of literature a tragedy is his article â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man.† Miller says that for a piece to be truly tragic an author can not hesitate to leave anything out and must put in all the information they have â€Å"to secure their rightful place in their world.† Although it does not happen in this play and Willy is unable to overcome the greater force, he is able to make an impact on it. Willy’s failure sets an example that Biff understands. Willy could have still been successful if he was able to see the flaws in his ways and teach Biff the right way to be a success, which is in hard work. If Willy had not killed himself and taught Biff that working hard at anything would make his successful then Biff may have reached success for himself and make Willy a successful father as well. The reader must look at Willy’s suicide through Willy’s eyes. He killed himself in order to give Biff a better shot at being a success. Willy doesn’t understand that killing himself is wrong and he is not looking for any pity. Willy has sacrificed his own life so that Biff could have a better life. This truly does make him a tragic hero. Willy Loman is a tragic figure in the play Death of a Salesman. Willy faces a superior source in the play and puts his life on the line for his beliefs and the beliefs of others. He meets the requirements of Miller’s article for a tragic hero. Death of a Salesman also meets Miller’s requirements for a tragic play because of Willy’s role in the novel along with the other standards that Miller sets for a tragedy. The exploration of tragedy by people such as Miller helps to define it more clearly.

Importance of computer in education system Essay

The computer and its related technologies are now such an integral part of every day life that it must be an ingredient in educating for participation in present and future society. For educators it is a tool for lesson preparation: – research information on any topic – find activities to print and use – gather ideas used by other teachers for presenting lessons – using word processing, page layout and presentation software to produce activity pages and audio/video lesson presentations The internet in particular keeps teachers up to date when they join in on forums and blogs about teaching practices etc. Online courses are also available for adding to teaching credentials. (This is a boon for those who are not living close enough to a large city centre where classes, conferences and meetings can easily be attended. ) For students, access to computer (and in particular internet technology) at school can be a great leveler. While most students are comfortable using the computer, those who do not have one at home are at a disadvantage for completing assignments that require research and producing a printed document. The computer can be a tool for learning in many areas of the curriculum: – math teachers should take advantage of the opportunity to allow students to create spreadsheets to manipulate data – formal teaching in the finer points of using word processing and presentation software to produce polished presentations of creative writing or research reports would prepare students to meet the expectations of the business world – music classes can be dynamic when students are given the opportunity to explore composition using computer software. Learn about varieties of music by listening to files available on the internet – set up pen pals in another city or country for their students to learn communication skills (also a great way for students who are learning another language to practise by â€Å"chatting’ with another student Teachers are constantly discovering new ways to integrate computers into their programs. In today’s education the computer has become the new pencil and paper, text book, library and in many cases   teacher.

Seepage Tank Lab Report Essays

Seepage Tank Lab Report Essays Seepage Tank Lab Report Paper Seepage Tank Lab Report Paper Measure the water level (head) difference. 2. Once the flow reaches its steady state (i. E. When a constant outflow rate is maintained), record the elevation head (by reference to an arbitrary datum such as the base of the tank) and the pressure head at each viscometer. Also measure the water and sand levels (relative to your datum), and the dimensions (length, depth and width) of the tank. 3. By injecting a small dose of dye just below the surface of the sand (against the glass) on the upstream side, trace the path Of the flow line by marking its movement with time on the glass. . Observe the change in velocity of the flow as it travels from the upstream sand surface to the downstream sand surface. Explain Why the velocity increases as the flow gets closer to the barrier wall and reduces as it moves away from the wall. 5. Repeat the above to trace a few more flow lines with an aim to provide enough information to assist you to sketch a flow net. Comment: LAMI NAR FLOW note the flow through the sand is laminar as the path traced by each shot of dye is a streamline flow and is not dispersed as in a turbulent situation. Confirm this by putting a shot to dye into the sand but this time away room the glass. The dye will reappear at a mirror position on the other side of the barrier wall. Also note that the now from the sand surface to the outlet on the right side is also a streamlined flow. 6. Measure the outflow rate by using a beaker and a measuring cylinder, Convert this flow rate to litter per second per meter width of the tank. 7. With the preceding flow line information, sketch a flow net (to scale) to represent the seepage flow in the sand. . From the flow net, calculate the discharge (per meter Width Of the flow net model). The k value of the sand can be estimated from the Hazes Equation low: k = 100 0210 where k is in units offs/sec, and DISC in units of CM (DID of the sand is posted near the model) 9. Compare this calculated discharge with the flow rate measured in (6). Suggest reasons for the difference (if any), 10, Based on the flow net, calculate the total head at each viscometer, Compar e each calculated value with the one measured in (2). A small dose of dye is injected just below the surface of the sand on the upstream side and the path of the flow line is traced by marking its movement with time on the glass. The final result when all the dye emerges at the downstream side is shown in Figure 1. Figure I : Traced glow Lines 4. The flow velocity increases as the flow gets closer to the barrier wall and educes as it moves away from the wall. This is because as the flow rate is constant (Conservation of mass) while the area of the flow cross section decreases when it gets closer to the barrier wall, the flow velocity increases. This is best understood by referring to the continuity equation, Alternatively, it can also be explained by referring to the equation , where the k value is constant while the hydraulic gradient i defined by AL/L increases because the head difference is constant while the flow length L becomes shorter when it gets closer to the barrier wall. 5. The final result when all the dye emerges at the downstream side is shown in Figure I _ 6. The outflow rate is measured by using a measuring cylinder _ It is measured 3 times and averaged for a more accurate result. The results are shown in Table 2. Measurement Average Flow rate (l,sec) 4. 17 Table 2 : Flow rate measurement The result is converted to mm/sec per unit width as shown below 7. With the preceding flow net information, a flow net is sketched and presented in Figure 3 of the attached Appendix 1. 8. From the flow net in Figure 3, the flow rate is calculated as shown below.

Hades, Patron God of the Underworld in Greek Mythology

Hades, Patron God of the Underworld in Greek Mythology The Greeks called him the Unseen One, the Wealthy One, Pluoton, and Dis. But few considered the god Hades lightly enough to call him by his name. While he is not the god of death (thats the implacable Thanatos), Hades welcomed any new subjects to his kingdom, the Underworld, which also takes his name. The ancient Greeks thought it best not to invite his attention. The Birth of Hades Hades was the son of the titan Cronos and brother to the Olympian gods Zeus and Poseidon. Cronos, fearful of a son who would overthrow him as he vanquished his own father Ouranos, swallowed each of his children as they were born. Like his brother Poseidon, he grew up in the bowels of Cronos, until the day when Zeus tricked the titan into vomiting up his siblings. Emerging victorious after the ensuing battle, Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades drew lots to divide up the world they had gained. Hades drew the dark, melancholy Underworld, and ruled there surrounded by the shades of the dead, various monsters, and the glittering wealth of the earth. Life in the Underworld For the Greek god Hades, the inevitability of death ensures a vast kingdom. Eager for souls to cross the river Styx and join fief, Hades is also the god of proper burial. (This would include souls left with money to pay the boatman Charon for the crossing to Hades.) As such, Hades complained about Apollos son, the healer Asclepius, because he restored people to life, thereby reducing Hades dominions, and he inflicted the city of Thebes with plague probably because they werent burying the slain correctly. Myths of Hades The fearsome god of the dead figures in few tales (it was best not to talk about him too much). But Hesiod relates the most famous story of the Greek god, which is about how he stole his queen Persephone. The daughter of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, Persephone caught the eye of the Wealthy One on one of his infrequent trips to the surface world. He abducted her in his chariot, driving her far below the earth and keeping her in secret. As her mother mourned, the world of humans withered: Fields grew barren, trees toppled and shriveled. When Demeter found out that the kidnapping was Zeus idea, she complained loudly to her brother, who urged Hades to free the maiden. But before she rejoined the world of light, Persephone partook of a few pomegranate seeds. Having eaten the food of the dead, she was compelled to return to the Underworld. The deal made with Hades allowed Persephone to spend one-third (later myths say one-half) of the year with her mother, and the rest in the company of her shades. Thus, to the ancient Greeks, was the cycle of seasons and the yearly birth and death of crops. Hades Fact Sheet Occupation:Â  God, Lord of the Dead Family of Hades:Â  Hades was a son of the Titans Cronos and Rhea. His brothers are Zeus and Poseidon. Hestia, Hera, and Demeter are Hades sisters. Children of Hades:Â  These include the Erinyes (the Furies), Zagreus (Dionysus), and Makaria (goddess of a blessed death) Other Names:Â  Haides, Aides, Aidoneus, Zeus Katachthonios (Zeus under the earth). The Romans also knew him as Orcus. Attributes:Â  Hades is depicted as a dark-bearded man with a crown, scepter, and key. Cerberus, a three-headed dog, is often in his company. He owns a helmet of invisibility and a chariot. Sources:Â  Ancient sources for Hades include Apollodorus, Cicero, Hesiod, Homer, Hyginus, Ovid, Pausanias, Statius, and Strabo.

Minimum Legal Drinking Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Minimum Legal Drinking Age - Essay Example The MLDA has proponents and opponents, who hold fast to their respective positions in this debate (American Medical Association, n.d.). Morris E. Chafetz, in â€Å"The 21-Year-Old Drinking Age: I Voted for it; It Doesn't Work,† and Toben F. Nelson, and Traci L. Toomey, in â€Å"The Drinking Age of 21 Saves Lives,† adopt opposing views on this issue. Chafetz argues that the MLDA of 21 â€Å"has not worked,† and is not linked to reduced drunk-driving fatalities (7). He holds that enforcing a minimum legal age for drinking does not take into consideration the deaths caused by alcohol off the highways, and drives teenagers to binge drinking in unsupervised surroundings. On the other hand, Nelson and Toomey take the position that the MLDA of 21 has reduced drinking-related deaths, and decreased binge-drinking in underage college students. Although both authors have credibility and are knowledgeable and logical about the subject, and Chafetz is more accommodating of op posing viewpoints, Nelson and Toomey make a more convincing argument as their stand is supported by extensive references to research studies. Both the essays are authored by writers with impeccable credentials. Chafetz is a credible speaker in the MLDA debate, as he is the founder of the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse and The Health Education Foundation in Washington. His reputation is further bolstered by the fact that he was a member of the Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving, Director and Executive Member of the National Commission Against Drunk Driving and the Presidential appointee at The White House Conference for a Drug-Free America. He is also a Doctor of Psychiatry, with a long history of association with social issues, such as alcoholism and drug abuse. Chafetz’s credentials are more than matched by Nelson and Toomey, who belong to the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. Their argument is further supported by a group of academicians and researchers. The reputation of the writers contributes to the trustworthiness of the essays and makes them both credible. Sim ilarly, both the essays are written by knowledgeable authors who make their respective positions clear through unambiguous declarations. Chafetz emphatically states that â€Å"Prohibition – is not working among 18-20 year-olds now† (8). On the other hand, Nelson and Toomey are equally firm in their conviction that â€Å"A drinking age of 21 has led to less drinking, fewer injuries and fewer deaths† (9). There is no room for ambiguity in either essays and the authors’ tones convey their absolute belief in the correctness of their respective positions. Similarly, both the authors display knowledge about the issue being debated. As the founder of The National Institute for Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, Chafetz is obviously conversant with the issue of alcohol consumption and quotes statistics from his institute â€Å"that 5,000 lives are lost to alcohol each year by those under 21† (Chafetz 7). As a Doctor of Psychiatry, Chafetz also demonstrates know ledge about brain impairment and alcohol dependency, in line with his profession as a medical doctor. Nelson and Toomey are significantly knowledgeable about the effects of alcohol on college students – this is in keeping with their University background.

Response Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Response Paper - Essay Example According to Yallop, although the official cause of sudden death was disclosed by the Vatican as heart attack, he allegedly uncovered information that revealed otherwise. Apparently, it was theorized that the pope was allegedly poisoned for reasons that range from uncovering anomalies in running and operating the Vatican Bank; as well as in his bold planned to end strict prohibition in the use of artificial birth control, one of the firm Catholic dogmas conservatively retained through the years. The book comprised of seven chapters where the first six were presented to provide an effective overview of Albino Luciani’s background, the kind of man he truly is, and the alleged facts surrounding operating the Vatican Bank (Yallop, 2007). Chapter 5 was devoted to the pope’s 33 days as Pontiff and leading to the fateful night when he was allegedly poisoned. Yallop specifically inferred that six men (Marcincus, Villot, Calvi, Sindona, and Gelli) connived to orchestrate the pop e’s death, to wit: â€Å"I am equally convinced that one of these six men had, by the early evening of September 28th, 1978, already initiated a course of action to resolve the problems that Albino Luciani’s Papacy was posing. One of these men was at the very heart of a conspiracy that applied a uniquely Italian solution† (Yallop, 2007, p. xxiv). ... The contents were highly sensitive leaning towards suggesting the possibility of murder, connivance, and cover-ups within the strict confines of the Pope’s chamber – surely one of the most guarded global institutions given the authority and power relegated to the position occupying it. Likewise, the risks included tarnishing the writer’s reputation in case that his allegations were effectively proven wrong; as well as the reputation of the Vatican, the Catholic organization which Yallop alleged was filled with anomalous transactions and shielded from public scrutiny. Apparently, the effect of the risk taking endeavor by Yallop yielded beneficial and rewarding results for him in terms of generating as much as 6,000,000 copies sold of the book (Yallop, 2007). Despite the optimistic side of his risk-taking pursuit, he was criticized for the veracity, credibility and reliability in the contents of his writing. According to an article published in The Telegraph, Damia n Thomson’s review of Yallop’s writing indicated that â€Å"Rome dismissed his book as trash†¦ Then along came John Cornwell, an 'independent' author unsympathetic to the Vatican, who checked out Yallop's case. It crumbled into dust like an ancient parchment exposed to sunlight. The 'murder' of John Paul turned out to be just another conspiracy theory, glued together with innuendo and non sequiturs. Cornwell's book A Thief in the Night, which demonstrated that John Paul I had died of natural causes, left Yallop's theory looking jolly silly† (Thompson, 2007, pars. 1 & 2). In the most current article referring to the official statement on the cause of Pope