Environmental Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environmental Politics - Essay Example ltinational companies, carbon trading and offset organizations, and global cities that have entered this policy arena and have developed their own initiatives and approaches to addressing this [global warming] issue† (Schroeder 2009). Thus, the preventive measures against the phenomenon under consideration are being developing by global community. Global warming is a widely discussed topic. There are many scientific works, which discuss the phenomenon and its consequences. Some scientists recognize the fact of global warming, while a great part considers the issue to be a myth. The change of climate on the planet is evident, but the question is if it can be called â€Å"global warming†. Thus, the theory of global warning is rather controversial. According to the web research results, the phenomenon under consideration seems rather a myth than reality and the myths about it are created by press. Mass media creates false representation of global warming. In 1990s very few experts believed in this phenomenon. Cook argues: â€Å"scientific skepticism is healthy. In fact, science by its very nature is skeptical. Genuine skepticism means considering the full body of evidence before coming to a conclusion. However, when you take a close look at arguments expressing climate ‘skepticism’, what you often observe is cherry picking of pieces of evidence while rejecting any data that don’t fit the desired picture. This isn’t skepticism. It is ignoring facts and the science† (Cook). Many countries signed Kyoto protocol in addition to Framework Convention on Climate Change, but it did not mean that the points of it were fully accepted and followed. Framework Convention on Climate Change is the agreement signed by more than 180 countries of the world including all the countries of the former USSR and all the developed countries. The document is about the common principles of the countries’ activity on the issue of climate change. The Convention was accepted in 1992 and

Visual arts and film studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Visual arts and film studies - Essay Example On the board, was also an artist from Navajo nation. His name was Nataani which means son of Ogla Lakota. He is an activist and he tells stories depicting the everyday hardships of 21st Centuary.Though,he is inspiring his performance art in songs is political oriented. His songs play politics because it attacks the current leadership on how they have managed. It has highlighted some various social injustices such inequality, corruption and unfair representation. He has also involved fiction and exaggeration in narration in the music. This is to emphasize the magnitude of how people have been forgotten in America. There was also background from the real world and also imaginary which had unknown and alien logic of different temporal and special conditions to emphasize his political theme. The paintings reveal power of image, words, history and symbols to pass information. The images were used as communication tools in the native American history.There was also a common visual artist a nd rapper Witko who uses his music to shade some light on the common issues that affect his people. His artwork is politicized. He uses fine and performance art in his effort to pass the information. He insists on good virtue in his music and respect for one another in the society. Witko has a tattoo to represent fine art, a symbol which communicates louder even than the song for the people to have peace. This is to suggest an index of cultural memory such that various cultures and destinies and mission of the regions are represented by the symbol.

Theories of Addiction Explanations for Continuing Drug Use and Relapse Essay Example for Free

Theories of Addiction Explanations for Continuing Drug Use and Relapse Essay Theories of addiction, many have been proposed and a variety of preclinical models have been constructed. several theories were utilized in this study to better understand the basis of addiction. The first theory, negative reinforcement, suggests that the continued use of the psychoactive substance is to avoid withdrawal dysphoria. The next theory subject to research during this study was positive reinforcement. The positive reinforcement theory of addiction suggests the subject continues use of the psychoactive substance simply because they enjoy it. These theories, positive reinforcement the more familiar of the preclinical models of addiction, stem from the associative learning theory. Either of these preclinical models are a perfect example of operant conditioning. Both subjects have associated their use of the psychoactive substance with consequences, reinforcing the behavior. Operant conditioning is the easiest form of associative learning and the hardest to correct once behavior is learned in this manner. There have been several studies done to understand operant conditioning. The most prominent was the operant chamber, a Skinner box. It was built in the mid sixties by B. F. Skinner and brought modern behaviorism to the forefront of psychology. Though a very controversial study much was learned in behavior control and was called the law of effect, stating that rewarding behavior is likely to recur. Another crucial model in understanding addiction is stimulus response learning. This model suggests, unlike that of associative learning where the response follows the stimulus, the stimulus itself creates a habitual response. This this occurs through classical conditioning and is a conditioned response. This conditioned response is developed through conditioned reinforcement. When the subject comes in to contact with paraphernalia, like the light in the skinner box, they know they are going to receive their primary reinforcer. This can easier be illustrated with Pavlovs studies on classical conditioning. Pavlov began to notice that dogs salivating whenever he w ould present the with a bowl of food. This is an example of an unconditioned stimulus eliciting an unconditioned response. When you introduce a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus. In this case the paraphernalia, you receive the unconditioned response. Eventually, if this is repeated over time the once neutral stimulus elicits the same response as the unconditioned stimulus. The once unconditioned response is now a conditioned response and can be controlled with exposure to the conditioned stimulus. When the subject is exposed to the paraphernalia the body begins adjusting for the use of the psychoactive substance and causes the cravings associated with addiction. The next model researched in the study was incentive salience. This is a motivational attribute given by the brain to reward predicting stimuli, causing the craving for the psychoactive substance. For example, if the subjects addictive behavior is extinguished and is then exposed to an illustration once associated with the stimulus, the craving can return. Cravings can also return through spontaneous recovery. This is when the subjects addictive behavior is extinguish and, without stimuli exposure, the subjects craving for the substance returns briefly. This is believed to be cause of relapse in some subjects battling this disorder. The final model to be discussed is the inhibitory control dysfunction model. Inhibitory control consists of neural impulses that act to dampen or stop a specific activity. The area of the brain that this function occurs is in\the pre-frontal cortex. This area of the brain is in control of personality, decision making, and other functions. If damage or a dysfunction is present in this area of the brain it could alter the subjects personality and decision making abilities. Other symptoms of this is impulsiveness and altered judgment. As a result if the subject has a dysfunction in this area they are more likely to begin, continue, and possibly relapse use of a psychoactive substance. The study was comprised of seventy-three non-treatment seeking Methamphetamine u sers both men and women. They were given a survey with questions of self perceived reasons why a methamphetamine user would continue use or relapse. They found that fifty-six percent of the participants use psychoactive substances due to positive reinforcement, forty-four percent would relapse for the same. This theory was rated the highest next was inhibitory control dysfunction at twenty- seven percent, stimulus response learning at twenty-five percent, negative reinforcement at twenty- three percent, and incentive salience at nineteen percent. Most of the participants that rated positive reinforcement high also had correlations in there answers. They rated incentive salience, stimulus response learning and inhibitory control dysfunction. This suggests that other concepts of theories of addiction are needed for a better understanding of addiction. This study also shows that not all methamphetamine users are alike, treatment should be further focused in subtypes. If treatment were focused and developed in subtypes it may be more effective. By issuing the survey to non-treatment seeking methamphetamine users they were able to identify possible patient subtypes. Thus bringing the treatment to the subject instead of the disorder.

Dominant Theories Of Neorealism And Neoliberal Institutionalism Politics Essay

Dominant Theories Of Neorealism And Neoliberal Institutionalism Politics Essay 1. While neorealism and neoliberal institutionalism are now considered the dominant theories in international relations, neorealism can be viewed as the more dominant of the two because it more accurately portrays state behavior from a positivist standpoint. Unlike neoliberalism which can only adequately explain the economic relations of nations, neorealism is able to explain how states react to one another in terms of security affairs. Quite empirically, neorealism argues that states only act in its own interest vis a vis the material structural incentives of the international system (Griffiths, OCallaghan and Roach 282). How states behave is reflected upon how they are also positioned in a hierarchy within the international system. In the end, states will behave in a manner that allows them to improve, or at the very least, maintain their positions in the hierarchy. The more powerful states are likely to be more influential in deciding the fate of global affairs while the weaker st ates will have relatively less say on matters of international import. Therefore, among neorealists, how the international system is divided is dependent on how the capabilities of states are distributed. The international system is essentially a system of anarchy. States pursue maximum utility in order to achieve their interests. From the neorealists point of view, states need the same things but are not equally capable of meeting their needs. For instance, states in the North American continent are relatively well-positioned economically than states in Africa. A consequence of the disparate capabilities between the states from both regions is that their cooperation is limited since partnerships will end up either in dependence or exploitation. On another note, the more affluent states engage in cooperation and competition to maximize relative gains and power. This desire and the ability to maximize power on the part of states results in what is called balance of power. Neorealists believe that the unequal positions of states in the international system gives rise to a security dilemma where states struggle to balance power either by 1) building more powerful armies and increasing mi litary spending, and 2) forging regional alliances or diplomatic ties with other states to check more powerful nations. Neorealists are able to characterize the distribution of power in the international system based on capabilities of nations: unipolar (a singular power), bipolar (two great powers), and multipolar (more than two powers). The establishment of European Union, for instance, is an attempt to balance power and promote a multipolar world in a present unipolar system ruled by the United States of America. On the other hand, neoliberal institutionalism uses positivism to explain why states cooperate and why they do not cooperate with each other. Using game theory as its method of analysis, neoliberal institutionalists explain that behavior of states depends on their analysis of gains and losses. States are interested in cooperating only with states and institutions that can deliver mutual gains and profitable arrangements. Neoliberalism responds to the neorealist conception of the international system as anarchic. While it does not contest or deny this, neoliberalism purports that this is exaggeration. Neoliberals contend that states do not compete all the time and that cooperative behavior among states is possible if the international system is decentralized. Leaning on the classic liberal view of the state as a rational and self-interested actor, states, when allowed to compete fairly in a decentralized environment, are able to maximize their relative gains in power and resources. 2. Neoliberalism and neorealism are considered modern interpretations of the classic positivist theories on international relations. While different in some conceptions of state behavior, both theories are complementary and mutually enforcing. They more alike than different; both theories are rooted in the explanation of international relations using the state as primary unit of analysis. They cannot be considered alternative theories to international relations, merely, a modern version of the traditional positivist view of IR. In some ways, neorealism and neoliberalism contradict but they are essentially mutually reinforcing interpretations of international relations. Both recognize anarchy in IR but at different extents. The neorealist believes that the global system is anarchic by nature and that the main preoccupation of states is how to ensure their survival. Thus, whatever alliances and cooperation is forged among nations is hinged upon the need to survive. Other states, like North Korea, rely on their own processes of survival, even violating international law to ensure that it is not crushed by the more powerful states. Its concept of balance of power requires it to develop its own nuclear problem to deter threat. If states do not recognize anarchy, they will be weakened. From a neorealist perspective, international cooperation is illusory, if not outright impossible to achieve. Neoliberal institutionalism recognizes that there is anarchy but there are creative ways to go about it, such as the building of regimes or institutions to mitigate anarchy. Neoliberals value the existence of international institutions such as the World Trade Organization, the United Nations, and other international regimes that ensure mutually beneficial relations among nations. The WTO for instance, sets norms and rules for global trade. The UN acts as an arbiter of international conflict. 3. Marxism remains of the most relevant theories that provide alternative explanations to international relations. First of all, departing from the traditional realist and liberal view of the state as the fundamental unit of analysis, Marxism treats class as the unit of analysis. Marxism argues that the international system was established to protect the property interests of the upper classes and the most affluent states. Hence, the struggle in the international system is essentially a class struggle between rich and powerful nations and the exploited nations. Variants of Marxist theory of international relations include the world-systems theory, dependency theory, and neo-Marxism. Marxism divides the world not into political entities but economic classes. Using its analysis of the base and superstructure, Marxism contends that economics supersedes politics in the global order. International relations was developed by the capitalist class to ensure capital accumulation of wealthy corporations and affluent states. The world-systems theory developed by Wallersten argues that the world can be divided into economic classes: 1) First World represents the most affluent or the core, and 2) Third World represents the poorest and underdeveloped or the periphery. According to the world-systems theory, only the core countries are able to benefit from international relations because they own the means of production while the periphery countries are exploited. The dependency theory which grew popular in Latin America propose that the poor countries (classes) are transformed into mere source of cheap labor and raw materials, hence, keeping them utterly dependent on affluent nations. International institutions such as the WTO are said to perpetuate this inequality. To resist this unequal relations, Marxists argue for protectionism and economic control policies that will liberate them from the control of the global economic regime, including import substitution to replace export-based economic models. Work Cited Griffiths, Martin, OCallaghan, Terry, and Steven Roach. International relations: the key concepts. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2002.

Robert Frost - A Comparisson Of 3 Poems Essay -- essays research paper

Comparing Frost’s "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", "Birches", and "The Road Not taken" Robert Frost was an American poet that first became known after publishing a book in England. He soon came to be one of the best-known and loved American poets ever. He often wrote of the outdoors and the three poems that I will compare are of that "outdoorsy" type. There are several likenesses and differences in these poems. They each have their own meaning, each represent a separate thing and each tell a different story. However, they are all indicative of Frost’s love of the outdoors, his true enjoyment of nature and his wistfulness at growing old. He seems to look back at youth with a sad longing. Each of these three poems are alike in that they are all about woods and outdoors or an item in the woods. The word "wood" or "woods" is used in each of these poems, at least once. It is used to represent both literally t he tree or trees, and figuratively, they represent a journey to peace, a climb to "heaven". In "The Road Not Taken", the "wood" is merely the setting. It is described as a "yellow wood". This is obviously fall. I can see the orange, yellow and red leaves, lying all around. The gray/brown bark of the trees where the leaves are already fallen. The bright plumes where they have not. The trees also hide the road as it passes from sight around the bend. This symbolizes the uncertainty of the future. You can look ahead, but there is no way to know what is around the next bend. "Birches" is seems to be entirely about woods and trees. As the name implies, this is the main focus though the story. They are shown as an opponent for a boy that, once beaten, though very resilient, will never rise again. He describes them as being laden down with the results of an ice storm, but that he would like to think of them as being bent over by this boy. H is use of the ice storm and the boy seems to represent his wistfulness at growing old and his desire to be young again. This was written when he was about 45. About the time that he would have a mid-life crisis. He can see that he is no longer the young man that once he was, not able to climb the trees like he did nor able to p... ...an hear the ice falling now and again, and the cracking of the birches as they blow one against another. In "The Road Not Taken", the focus is not on the woods themselves, but on the road that passes through them. The woods are the setting and they hide the road after it curves, as time hides the future from our eyes. Outwardly, this poem is about two roads, one that is well traveled and one that is not. Though both are worn about the same. The author takes the road that had not been taken, the grass tall and the leaves still freshly fallen and not trod on. This also symbolizes the choices that we have to make in our lives. We can follow others like sheep or we can boldly go our own way. The author went his own way and "that has made all the difference"! As has been shown, Frost uses his love of the outdoors to pull the reader there as well. His style of writing tells us much of the poet. He is leery of growing old and he looks back on youth with wistfulness a nd longing for another, happy time. This is something that we all share with him and this shared experience helps us to enjoy his poetry all the more, as it seems to tell our own story too.

Technology in Greg Bears Blood Music Essay -- Blood Music Essays

Technology in Greg Bear's Blood Music      Ã‚   Different genres of literature are particular responses to society; therefore, cyberpunk, as a genre, is a response to our contemporary society, known as the information age. One of the attributes given the genre is that it has an apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic tone, warning the reader of the perils of technology, while at the same time celebrating the possibilities of technology, usually through a strong character in the novel. In Greg Bear's Blood Music, technology is seen as having a destructive and creative forces as it reshapes the world biologically, and incorporates every living thing, including a slow girl named Suzy, into the system. Blood Music demonstrates the perils and benefits in a world full of diverse technology, typical of the cyberpunk genre, responding to frightening and powerful possibilities in the secrets of technology which are just on the brink of discovery.    First, a demonstration of the kind of technology available today would lend to a better understanding of some of the biological possibilities. Already we can clone and manipulate individual genes. We can replicate DNA patterns and build proteins. Information is available at the touch of a button on the newest technology, so that it can be ingested by the younger generations just by browsing the Net. Also, the beginnings of nanotechnology, manipulating individual atoms to create new structures, is beginning to develop. James Graves wrote in a paper focused on the technological advances in our time, that nanotechnology, not too unlike the theories behind Vergil's experiments in Blood Music, would allow us to create tiny "organisms" that could show us more about ourselves, r... ...ction is a particular response to society, and our society is in the information age, then it is incredibly appropriate to include Blood Music to the genre when we are making biological leaps and bounds today. Bear uses his characters to show that the effects may not be so bad for the individual, although technology will probably change the entire face of society as a whole. Perhaps someday cosmetic things will matter less, and we will be able to include a slow child into the ranks and make her feel whole, just like a part of each personal wants to feel at least normal, hopefully exceptional.    Works Cited Bear, Greg. Blood Music. New York: Ace Books, 1996. Graves, James C. "Technology and Its Effect on Society." Online. Purdue Lib. Internet. 9 October   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1997.(http://nonotech.rutgers.edu/nanotech/papers/graves.hist).      

Jim and His Father Essay

How would you describe Jim’s self-concept? I noticed that Jim has a negative image about himself. Jim believes that his father has a unrealistic expectation of him. 2) How is self-concept affecting the interaction? Is it helping it? Hindering it? Explain using concepts from the text. Jim having a negative self-concept is really bothering him. While his dad is telling him he isn’t trying hard enough he actually thinks that no matter how hard he does study he still wont do well. 3) Using the process of human perception starting on page 64. Explain the situation from your perspective as a student. Selection-â€Å"We attend to certain stimuli based on a number of factors† (Wood, 2012, p.65). â€Å"We notice things that stand-out, because they are larger, more intense, or more unusual than other phenomena† (Wood, 2012, p.65). When I read this and see the video I see that Jim’s father isn’t seeing that Jim is actually trying hard to get good grade, he is just having some hard time..Organization-â€Å"Once we have selected what to notice, we have to make sense of it† (Wood, 2012, p.66). â€Å"Prototypes, personal constructs, stereotypes, and scripts are cognitive schemata that we use to organize our perceptions of people and phenomena† (Wood, 2012, p.66). I seen in the video that Jim knows that he is actually going to need to study a lot harder and more to bring his grade up to make his dad happy. Interpretation-â€Å"Is the subjective process of explaining our perceptions in ways that makes sense to us† (Wood, 2012, p.70). Attribution â€Å"is an explanation of why something happened or why someone acts a certain way† (heider, 1958; Kelley, 1967; Manusov & Spitzberg, 2008). I think that Jims father is being hard on Jim because his dad paid for college on his own and it was not hard for him to get good grades. Attributional error-â€Å"Researchers have identified a common error that people make in their attributions† (Wood, 2012, p.71). â€Å"Self-serving bias this is a bias toward ourselves and our interests we tend to avoid taking responsibility for negative actions and failures by attributing them to external, unstable, and specific factors that are beyond personal control† (Wood, 2012, p.71). The  best example I seen in the movie is when Jim states that no matter how hard he does study he will still get bad grades because of how hard his classes actually are. 4) Using the guidelines for improving perception and communication starting on page 79 of the text, provide at least two tips for both Jim and his father on how to handle the situation in an effective way. Make sure to incorporate the text guidelines with proper in-text citations to support your points. Jim’s father 1) Distinguish between facts and interferences-â€Å"A fact is based on observation. An interference involves an interpretation that goes beyond the facts† (Wood, 2012, p. 81). Jims dad assumed that because jim is not making good grades , instead he is goofing off with his friends more. I think instead of yelling at him for goofing off he should ask what he can do to help. 2) Guard against the self-serving bias-â€Å"Because the self-serving bias can distort perceptions, we need to monitor it carefully† (Wood, 2012, p.82). I think that Jims dad needs to stop yelling at him because he is not as good as he is when he was in school. Jim 1) Guard against the fundamental attribution error-â€Å"This occurs when we over estimate the internal causes of others undesirable behavior and underestimate the external causes, and when we underestimate the internal causes of our own failings or bad behaviors and overestimate the external causes† (Wood, 2012, p.82). With Jim’s dad underestimating him it causes Jim to underestimate what he can do. Jim feels like he will never be able to make his dad proud of him. 2) Avoid mind reading-â€Å"Mind reading assuming we understand what another person thinks, feels, or perceives† (Wood, 2012, p.82). Jim knows that his dad is constantly on him about his grades. So when he calls home he knows that his grades are going to come up during the conversation.