Religion vs magic in dealing with problems Essay -- essays research pa

All societies and human beings have a set of beliefs for ordering the world. Religion and magic are belief systems used by many societies. This essay will discuss the function and moral dimensions of both magic and religion, and focus on the need to explore human beliefs and behaviours in the context of the society in which they occur. I will also discuss the way in which magic and religion use various processes to provide psychological reassurance to individuals, leading to the conclusion that both belief systems incorporate equally rational ways of dealing with problems. Religion can be seen as an overarching controlling force in the universe that sustains the moral and social order of the people, serving to validate people’s lives. The main purposes of religion function to set a moral code and sense of community and security, to explain misfortunes in life and most importantly, to help people through crisis and problems, providing hope and faith. There is some evidence of hostility in Western belief systems toward magic, with magic tending to be understood as an erroneous and unreliable belief knowledge system. Some anthropologists believe it is necessary to distinguish between religion and magic, seeing religion as a rational belief system and magic as irrational. Many evolutionist anthropologists maintain the belief that magic and religion equate to different stages of social evolution, holding that ‘the deeper minds may be conceived to have made the great transition from magic to religion’ (Frazer, J 1890). This phrase is misl eading because it suggests that some societies are less complex, rational or primitive than other ‘advanced’ societies, enhancing the common misconception that religion is a more rational way of dealing with problems than magic is. Religion is generally associated with developed cultures and magic is associated with undeveloped, so-called primitive cultures, hence encouraging the idea that magic belongs to superstitious, irrational individuals with limited intellectual abilities. Magic, through various forms including activities and rituals, provides a means to influence the supernatural. It is a way of gaining information about the unknown, and also gives a sense of control over events and happenings of life. Magic, like religion, provides meaning and purpose, reducing uncertainty, effectively counteracting the forces of fe... ... breadth of experience in terms of something fundamental. There is a basic human unwillingness to think of the universe as random†¦For events that have moral dimensions, as unexpected misfortunes do, we often seek moral causes (Bowen, J. 1988:88). Both magic and religion, with differing methods, aim to seek patterns, causes and reasons for things. There is little point distinguishing between magic and religion. They both provide a way of dealing with problems, are rational within the context of society they exist in, and in some cases, coexist in society. Anthropologists should explore what forms of religion and magic mean to people, how they help to make sense of the world and solve problems, and how they give meaning and direction to different forms of human existence (Eriksen 1995:211). References: Bowen, J. R. 1998. Explaining misfortune: witchcraft and sorcery. Chapter 5 of J.R. Bowen Religions in Practice: An Approach to the Anthropology of Religion. Allyn and Bacon. Eriksen, T. H 2001. Small Places, Large Issues: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology. London: Pluto Press. Evans-Pritchard, E. E. 1965. Theories of Primitive Religion. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Family Assessment: Pratt and Cartwright Essay

The movie Tyler Perry: The Family That Preys is about Charlotte Cartwright (Kathy Bates) who is a white wealthy socialite and her dear friend Alice Pratt (Alfre Woodard), an African-American working class woman of high ideals. These two have enjoyed a lasting friendship throughout many years after all the ups and downs of life. Alice Pratt, a hard working Christian woman, who raised her two daughters Andrea (Sanaa Lathan) and Pam (Taraji Henson) while managing a simple diner of her own. While Charlotte owns a very profitable construction company in the area in which they both live. After graduation from college Andrea decides to work in a construction corporation owned by Charlotte Cartwright while her sister stays with Alice to work in the diner. Andrea is married to construction worker Chris (Rockmond Dunbar), who works in the same corporation as his wife but dreams of starting up his own business with his brother-in-law Ben (Tyler Perry). Throughout the movie Alice’s self-centered newlywed daughter Andrea is betraying her trusting husband Chris by engaging in a torrid affair with her boss and mothers best friend’s son William (Cole Hauser). While cheating on his wife Jillian (Kadee Strickland) with a string of ongoing dalliances with his mistress Andrea, William’s true focus is to replace Abby Dexter (Robin Givens) the COO of his mother’s lucrative construction corporation. Meanwhile, Alice’s other daughter Pam, a kind but no nonsense woman married to a hard working construction worker Ben, tries to steer the family in a more positive direction. While Alice travels with Charlotte on a road trip, the ambition and infidelity of William triggers a series of events that will affect relationships in both families. Suddenly, their lives become mired in turmoil as their adult children’s extramarital affairs, unethical business practices and a dark paternity secret derails family fortunes and unravel the lives of all involved. This movie is based in a modern day southern city, mostly likely Atlanta, Georgia, and revolves around two families from completely different financial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. Both of the main characters are business owners but that is one of few things they have in common. Alice is woman who is very religious woman but it comes to Charlotte’s religion it is implied that she is not very religious at all. Both women own their own businesses. Alice who owns a diner is depicted to be struggling to get by; while Charlotte is the head of a major construction company has everything she always wanted and seems to want for nothing. The educational level of these characters is not stated, but it seems that any education has nothing to do with life experiences, their friendship, and how they run their businesses.   Alice is depicted to be a loving mother to her two daughters, while Charlotte comes off to be cold and harsh to her son and daughter-in-law.   Both women are the matriarch of their families and are without a husband. Charlotte lives in a big mansion that sits on top of a hill. While Alice lives in town. Both women seem to be well known in the community. Alice is known for her gentle kind heart and Charlotte for her ruthless and witty business practices. Both women have various family issues that seem to be ignored by them throughout the movie. This denial of the past seems to brew its ugly head towards the end of the movie and causes both women to confront the issues they have been putting on the back burner. Alice tries to pass on her religious and moral beliefs to both her daughters, but Andrea seems to have plans of her own. She is very resentful towards her mother for letting her father run off with another woman. She feels like her mother should have fought for her father instead of letting him run off with some woman and leaving them behind broke and struggling. Alice tries to explain to Andrea that what happened to them happened thirty years ago and the path she is going down by having an affair with William isn’t going to come out the way she expects.   Alice tells hers daughter that she needs to try and let go of what happened in the past and that William and her are from two different worlds. She tries to tell her daughter that he will not leave his wife and child for her and that she is ruining her life by have this affair. She tells her daughter that this was not how she raised her children. She tells her daughter that she can’t make herself happy bringing misery to others. Andrea tells her mother she’s going to enjoy the ride all the way. On the other hand Charlotte doesn’t trust her son or his intentions. It seems that he reminds her of his father. She makes this evident when her daughter-in-law Jillian comes to her and tells her that she found out that William is having an affair and it has been going on for years. She tells her daughter-in-law that she thinks she’s weak and that’s why she’s never really cared much for her. She explains to her daughter-in-law that in order to be a Cartwright woman she has to be able to en dour many things to enjoy the comforts that comes with the title. She tells her that his father did the same thing to her and Cartwright men are the kind of men that wonder and they have to be the kind of women that stay a few steps ahead. She explains to her that she now has the upper hand in the relationship and she holds all the cards and it’s up to her how she plays them. Both the Cartwright and the Pratt families have unhealthy coping skills and have big problems with denial. Whether is the way Charlotte interacts with her son and daughter in-law or the feelings of resentment that Andrea feels towards her mother for letting her father leaving them for another woman. Both of these families have unresolved issues that affect their everyday lives and the decisions that they make. This is depicted in the movie by various actions by its main characters. Things such as: Andrea’s unhealthy relationship with a married man, William going behind his mother’s back to try and steal the company from up under her or even Charlotte, unbeknownst to Alice, convincing her to take a road trip West after finding out she has been diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s. Each person in this movie has a difficult problem with facing the truth that seems to be staring them right in the face. Each family’s core issues and their inability to resolve these problems are tearing them apart. I believe if it wasn’t for her Alice’s strong belief in God she would have buckled under the stress of her families poor decisions. Because she believed that when trouble hit if she stayed faithful and prayed that everything would work itself out. Whereas Charlotte believed that she controlled her own destiny through strategy and manipulation. The core differences between these two families are that the Cartwright’s believed that money and power are the most important things in life. Whereas the Pratt family, with exception of Andrea, believed that good things come to those who are faithful and good to others. References  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perry, T. (Director). (2008). Tyler Perry: The Family That Preys [Motion Picture].  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (2010). Retrieved April 28, 2010, from The Internet Movie Database:  Ã‚   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt114279  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Friedman, M., Bowen, V., Jones, E. (2003). Family Nursing: Research, Theory, and Practice 5th edition.   Ã‚  Saddle River, New Jersey. Pearson Education, Inc.

Remember by Christina Rossetti Essay

Choose the two poems that you have most enjoyed in our study of nineteenth century love poetry. Explain how these poems depict love and why you have chosen them. Draw comparisons with at least three further poems from the same collection Remember by Christina Rossetti: I chose ‘Remember’ because of the depth of the feeling of the sonnet. ‘Remember’ is a sonnet by ‘Christina Rossetti’. A sonnet has a typical regular rhyming scheme. This type of sonnet includes fourteen lines. It was written in the Romantic era, the poet talks to her lover and informs him to remember her when she dies by happiness rather than grief and sorrow. It is largely autobiographical, as she wrote it when she was in her death bed. She also tells him that he will be lonely when she leaves him. The poem ‘Remember’ and ‘A woman to her lover’ both refer back to the Victorian/Romantic era. The opening two lines of Rossetti’s sonnet â€Å"Remember† introduce the idea of separation. ‘Remember’ starts with a repetition of the main idea that echoes the title name ‘Remember’. The poet refers metaphorically to death in the phrase ‘Gone away’ and ‘Gone far away’ in lines 1 and 2. The phrase ‘Gone away’ is a repetition of the idea of parting between the couple, when the poet decides to leave her husband and be ‘Gone away’. In the next line which states the effective phrase ‘Gone far away’, it refers to death, separation and lack of communication between the couple. As readers we realize that ‘Silent land’ is a description of the place that Rossetti is going to. ‘Silent’ in this sentence means that there is neither happiness nor sadness. It is similar to ‘A Woman to Her Lover’ by ‘Christina Walsh’, which talks about a woman talking to her lover about equality and how he should treat her, for her to be his devoted lover. In line 26 in ‘A woman to her lover’, there is an extended metaphor ‘Laugh with joy’, it suggests harmony and balance between the couple, when her lover treats her with respect. Physical nearness is used in the third line using phrase ‘When you can no more hold me by the hand’; ‘by the hand’ is used to reflect this. Physical nearness is also referred to in her warning ‘You can no more’ where the consequences to that would be her departure to the ‘Silent land’. The poet uses personal pronoun ‘Me’ to hint to us that the man is the leader in this relationship. The word ‘Nor’ in the phrase ‘Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay’ reflects uncertainty of the time of death ever-present reality; it also verifies to the husband that the poet will leave him forever and never come back. The personal pronoun word ‘You’ in the phrase ‘You tell me of our future that you planned’, proves to us that there is great dependence on the man as the decision maker in this relationship, because he told her of their future. The reference to his ability to tell the future adds more emphasis to his superiority in this relationship. The fact that there is a long-term relationship between the couple is conveyed by ‘Our future’. The latter is a clear indication of the long standing relationship the couple enjoyed which lead the poet to refer to ‘Our future’ more so than ‘My future’. There is a shift in focus in this sentence from the poet talking about herself to informing her lover what to do. This is successfully deployed as a result of the change in personal pronouns from ‘Me’ to ‘You’. It is also evident in ‘A woman to her lover’, where there is an effective use of pronouns nearing the end of the poem. In line 8 the poet confers a sense of hopelessness and that time is running out by informing her husband that ‘It will be late to council then or pray’. The poet is notifying her husband that he will appreciate her presence when she is gone and as a result he will turn to God. ‘Pray’ is a break in the rhyming pattern, it provides a change in focus from selfish to selfless; it is indicated by the choice of personal pronouns as mentioned earlier. At the beginning of the next sentence the poet begins to state commands concerning her husband by the word ‘Yet’, which hints that the tone of the poet will change. The poet reflects on her wishes using the conditional sentence ‘Yet if’. In the same sentence there is a rapid change in tone from ‘You must remember me’ which was used in the second quatrain to ‘you should forget me’, this now proves that the she is selfless and does not want her husband to grieve over her for a long time, and wants him to move with his life. She goes on to say that it is better not to remember her if he is going to be sad every time he thinks about her. The effective sentence ‘Do not grieve’ is a command and ‘Pray’ provides evidence that her lover is a religious person. The two powerful words in the sestet ‘Darkness’ and ‘Corruption’ express the horror of physical death at the time. The word ‘Vestige’ means left over. The poet confers her conclusion that he should forget about her and smile rather than remember her and be sad. First Love by John Clare: I chose ‘First Love’ because it is similar to modern time ideas, although it was written in the 80’s. ‘First Love’ is a poem by ‘John Clare’, it talks about a young man who was the son of a farmer and grew up in a rural area. It mainly shows us how his break up in an early relationship with a young woman called ‘Mary Joyce’ caused him to be deeply affected and he never got over it. The poem has a regular rhyming pattern and an ababcdcd rhyme scheme in all 3 stanzas with equal lengths of stanzas. This reflects his regular pattern of life which is a predictable routine. In other words this means that he will be in a state of shock if something unexpected happens. In the first line of the first stanza it says, â€Å"I ne’er was struck before that hour†, this line informs us that the poet is physically and mentally in shock. In the second line it says, ‘With love so sudden and so sweet’, this line tells us that the poet fell in love so suddenly using the word ‘Sudden’. This line uses alliteration in the phrase ‘Love so sudden’ which again emphasizes how sudden and quick love struck him. Using a metaphor the poet refers to what is on the farm by the phrase ‘Bloomed like a sweet flower’. This is imagery from nature which is a typical characteristic of the Romantic era is also evident in ‘When we two parted’ in line 9 and 10 where metaphorically the dew represents his native feelings. This is also similar to a phrase in the poem ‘When we two parted’ by Lord Byron, which talks about how Lord Byron looks back in time with regret at a broken relationship with a woman whom Byron admired when he was a schoolboy. It is similar in ‘When we two parted’ in line nine and ten where imagery from nature is used in ‘The dew of the morning’ and ‘Sunk chill on my brow’. The poet’s heart was taken away as soon as he saw Mary-Joyce (the girl he broke up with). The poet’s lack of sophistication and naivety is revealed using repetition in the phrase ‘My face turned pale as deadly pale’, deadly pale here means that his face’s color and expression was as if he was dead. This Phrase is a sign that he is taking this relationship very seriously. A brilliantly placed rhetorical question ‘What could I ail’ has definitely reflected his bewilderment, as well as it echoes the title. In simple terms he is asking himself ‘what is wrong with me’. Preservation of old ways is present in the poem using the phrase ‘My life and all seemed to turn to clay’, using this phrase we identify the period of time that the poem was written. This means that everything in his life has changed. The poet described how he experienced issues when he saw the beautiful girl and how ‘Blood rushed to my face’. This description also hints that he had health issues, as there are types of diseases that might cause this type of unusual rush. The use of simile is present when Clare is describing his excitement of watching the girl, using the imagery from nature ‘The trees and bushes round the place seemed midnight at noonday’. The use of imagery from nature is also present in the poem ‘Villegiature’ by ‘Edith Nesbit’ which was written by Edith Nesbit in the late 19th century. The actual word villegiature means holiday or retreat in French. ‘Villegiature’ is a short poem which is about a woman who is being haunted by her former lover. Imagery from nature in ‘Villegiature’ is mentioned in the 8th line ‘Through the blossom climbed and kissed me’. The poet mentioned this description to frame her dream man, as well as it refers to the Romantic era. The word ‘Seemed’ is a sign that he is unsure of what is currently happening to him The third stanza opens with a rhetorical question asking if ‘Flowers’ are ‘winter’s choice’ emphasizing the fact that the relationship does not grow. We become conscious that the relationship doesn’t develop by the apparent reality that flowers don’t grow in winter. The ‘flowers’ contrast the chill of winter with warmth of summer and also inform us that he is falling in love for the first time. The next line also uses a rhetorical question, but rather to question if ‘love’s bed’ is ‘always snow?’ and wonder how it could be so cold. The first two lines show us that metaphorically speaking he sees himself as ‘Flowers’, whereas his love is ‘Snow’. This is The poet is wondering about how could his voice be silent, and it is proven using the oxymoron when the poet asks himself whether the girl could hear his ‘Silent voice’. The poet describes his voice as silent to describe how he was deeply affected by the break up. The phrase ‘Love’s appeal to know’ depicts love as an obsession and selfishness. The word ‘Sweet’ is repeated three times throughout the poem, in the fourth line before the end he uses alliteration with the word sweet to describe deeply ‘So sweet a face’. As readers this makes us believe that he is now obsessed with her and can never get over it. In his attempt to reflect personification of his obsession he uses the phrase ‘My heart has left’, as if his heart can leave its place. There is also a shift intense from past to present in the last two lines where he first says in the past ‘My heart has left’ and then ‘And can return no more’, this informs us about the final condition that he is left with. Finally to end the poem the poet states the word ‘can’ in the phrase ‘And can return no more’ to hint to us that his heart has taken its own choice and decided not to go back for her.

Molar Entropy Change of a Reaction - Example Problem

Molar Entropy Change of a Reaction Problem This example problem demonstrates how to find the entropy of reaction from standard molar entropy data on the reactants and products. Entropy is calculated as a change in the level of entropy before and after a chemical reaction. Essentially, it reflects whether the amount of disorder or randomness in the system increased or decreased as a consequence of the reaction. Standard Molar Entropy Change Problem What is the standard molar entropy change of the following reaction? 4 NH3(g) 5 O2(g) → 4 NO(g) 6 H2O(g)Given:SÂ °NH3 193 J/KÂ ·molSÂ °O2 205 J/KÂ ·molSÂ °NO 211 J/KÂ ·molSÂ °H2O 189 J/KÂ ·mol (Note, in this type of problem youll either be given the molar entropy values of the reactants and products or youll need to look them up in a table.)SolutionThe change in the standard molar entropy of a reaction can be found by the difference between the sum of the molar entropies of the products and the sum of the molar entropies of the reactants.ΔSÂ °reaction ÃŽ £npSÂ °products - ÃŽ £nrSÂ °reactantsΔSÂ °reaction (4 SÂ °NO 6 SÂ °H2O) - (4 SÂ °NH3 5 SÂ °O2)ΔSÂ °reaction (4(211 J/KÂ ·K) 6(189 J/KÂ ·mol)) - (4(193 J/KÂ ·mol) 5(205 J/KÂ ·mol))ΔSÂ °reaction (844 J/KÂ ·K 1134 J/KÂ ·mol) - (772 J/KÂ ·mol 1025 J/KÂ ·mol)ΔSÂ °reaction 1978 J/KÂ ·mol - 1797 J/KÂ ·mol)ΔSÂ °reaction 181 J/KÂ ·molWe can check our work using the techniques introduced in this example problem. The reaction involves all gasses and the number of moles of products is greater than the number of moles of reactants so the expected change in entropy should be pos itive. Answer The standard molar entropy change of the reaction is 181 J/KÂ ·mol.

How to Write a Short Story in 2019 7 Steps to an Unforgettable Story

How to Write a Short Story in 2019 7 Steps to an Unforgettable Story How to Write a Short Story in 2019: 7 Steps to an Unforgettable Story From Rudyard Kipling’s â€Å"The Jungle Book† to the bone-chilling works of Shirley Jackson and Edgar Allan Poe, short stories have always had the power to captivate and profoundly move us. But how to write a short story that makes such an impact - especially when you’ve never done it before?Luckily, this form is an ideal medium for beginners, as well as those hoping to get back in the writing saddle. It allows you to dip a toe into the vast ocean of literary creation without drowning, while also challenging you to be effectively concise. This post will show you how to write a story by taking you through the full process: starting with your basic understanding of the form and ending with the big, beautiful bow you’ll put on your finished piece before sending it out to the world.If you'd like to download our free checklist on submitting your writing, skip ahead to the appropriate section below! Otherwise, read on.  What is a short story?For those unfamiliar with the form, here are some stats to help you out:A short story is a piece of fiction typically no longer than 8,000 words.Most short stories are only 2,000 to 5,000, butMicrofiction might be less than 500, andA longer â€Å"short† story might be as many as 20,000 (novellas start around 30,000 words).â€Å"You become a different writer when you approach or write a story,† says Zadie Smith. â€Å"When things are not always having to represent other things , you find real human beings begin to cautiously appear on your pages.†Writing a w ell-done story means that you've achieved a microcosm for humanity. Regardless of what you write about or how you choose to portray it, your story will be a success if you do so with genuine heart. It could be about aliens or elephants or inanimate objects - as long as it contains that key emotion, other people will find themselves moved by it. You may even end up turning it into a novel or novella someday.But remember: writing short stories is not merely a path to greatness. A truly heart-wrenching short story is greatness in and of itself.Are you a writer of short fiction? What are your tips for writing a story? Leave any thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Police and Affrimative Action Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Police and Affrimative Action - Research Paper Example The main areas in the police selection process where affirmative action has had its effects include physical agility testing and use of written assessments. Today, people from the minority groups hold a significant number of positions in the police department. Affirmative action is a policy developed in United States in order to create guidelines to use either directly or indirectly in awarding jobs, promotions, and resources to persons from minority groups. Persons from minority groups who seek employment in the police force must prove their membership in a protected group for them to be employed. This move by the US government aimed at compensating people believed to be from minority groups for past discrimination. The main objective of the affirmative action includes ensuring that the number of women and racial minorities in the police department approximates the number of the majorities. The introduction of physical agility testing and written tests in the police selection process marked the beginning of reforms that were to be experienced in the police department. The use of physical agility testing used standards on height and weight at its inception. The process later adopted health based physical agility screening to end the inefficiencies of use of height and weight. The use of health based testing procedure incorporated gender based norms, which reduced gender based biases that occurred when physical agility testing was in place (COOP, 2005). Application of written tests was mainly concerned on the way minorities performed in the written tests. The use of written tests revealed that minorities had poor performances on police written selection tests compared to their majority counterparts. This appeared to be a form of racial discrimination and it discouraged the minorities from choosing policing as a career. Therefore, various concerned groups forwarded recommendations on the need to improve the use of written tests

Walmarts Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Walmarts Ethics - Essay Example Walmart is indeed a large organization with thousands of stores in the US and other parts of the world as well. It has employed millions of employees and hence increasing its fame. However, in a bid to maintain its leading retail position, Walmart has had to engage in unethical buyer power where those suffering are its employees, the suppliers as well as other businesses which Walmart has taken businesses from in a bid to continue with its reputation for lower prices. The employees’ medical benefits among other benefits are not offered to all employees even though they work excess hours without much compensation which is an indication of Walmart’s injustice and unfairness to their hard working employees. When the business continues to lower its prices and reduce the purchasing power of the suppliers in a bid to make more profit, it goes against the ethical principle of beneficence and makes small businesses close and moves the business from Americans. This is an indicat ion therefore that when Walmart uses its buyer power and reduces prices; it only benefits its stockholders but harms the rest of the people. If Walmart is to be ethical in using its buying power to reduce its prices, the profits from the reduced prices in their numerous stores would lead to the stores engaging in non-maleficence and more beneficence. It would also be fairer to the suppliers by compensating them for their efforts as well as exercising justice in the workplace about employee’s benefits and be truthful about it.