The Importance of Science to Civilization

The importance of science to civilization It is said that modern civilization is a scientific civilization. For an individual, science has rendered us great comfort nowadays. We no longer have to travel on foot; instead, we can just sit comfortably without any fatigue in cars, air-conditioned trains, buses, etc. We are free from hard labor which our uncivilized forefathers suffered from. Neither do we follow barbarous practice of having slaves, since science has provided us with slaves of a new kind, which undertake most of the work, that is, machine.On top of that, we are also free from diseases and various pains since drugs and operation techniques have been developed dramatically. Maslow's theory of hierarchy of needs suggests that the physiological needs must be met before the individual will strongly desire (or focus motivation upon) the secondary or higher level needs, which means the human that lacks food, love, esteem, or safety would consider the greatest of his/her needs to be food. And as mentioned above, it is science that satisfies our basic demands; thus, we have opportunities to pursue something higher, such as art and literature.Science also promote the development of spiritual civilization. With the advent of the internet, and extraordinary growth in information and communication technologies in recent years, more information than ever before is made freely available and easily shared. Almost all the masterpieces of artist, musicians, writers, philosophers, scientists, etc can be enjoyed at fingertips. We are not only consumers, but also producers. When Gangnam Style was released, tens of thousands people made their own versions and uploaded on the internet, which could be appreciated by millions of netizens.For a nation, science is of critical significance for the progress of its civilization. China's long history has seen some extremely important inventions emerge, most noticeably gunpowder, paper making, printing and the compass, which, in t he words of Roger Bacon, changed the whole appearance and status of things in the world and also made China among the four great ancient civilizations. However, in the nineteenth century, Europe entered into world history with immense developments in technology, which was later identified as the Industrial Revolution.From then on, China lost its advantages over the the rest of world in various aspects, and it was invaded by the great powers into a series of Unequal Treaties. Chinese civilization were, during that period, regarded inferior and the Chinese nation was referred to as â€Å"Sick Man of East Asia†. Even the Chinese people abandoned their own cultural identity and turned to the Western civilization. Therefore, science is the foundation as well as the major force behind the progress of civilization. 0101102027

International marketing plan guide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

International marketing plan guide - Essay Example However, understanding of the market conditions in Qatar for efficient service delivery and success of the marketing channels for use by the university is mandatory. This study aims at analyzing the international pricing that will fit the Qatar market to be adopted by Marywood University for success in accessing international students from Qatar. The different aspects of price will be used to analyze the qualities of the Qatar market to provide insight to effective pricing mechanism for the Qatar market. The high demand in Qatar results in low price sensitivity for established university institutions. However, for a new entrant in the market the prices have to conform to the levels of pricing to the Qatar market, owing to sensitivity to new universities in the region and the need for quality education (Ibp, 209). After some time, the prices can be adjusted upwards when Marywood University has established a high acceptance in Qatar and has convinced the public and the regulatory authorities of the quality of its programs both graduate and undergraduate. There are many substitutes for education in Qatar from both international and local universities and the pricing have to reflect the rates offered by the competition, if not better to allow for augmented market share (Ibp, 203). The most notable competition in Qatar is Qatar University offering both graduate and undergraduate programs. Therefore, using the prices offered at Qatar University, Marywood University should develop prices to meet these needs at a region of QAR 176,191. A high and continuously increasing demand for university education exists in Qatar owing to the few Qataris having attained high education levels to allow them to access jobs requiring high skills and understanding (Abougomaah, 67). There has been an increased need by the Qatar government to reverse the use of highly skilled expatriates resulting in high demand for education in Qatar. The current and expected future demand for

Blackhead Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Blackhead - Essay Example Two of such conditions are mentioned below; tetany and diabetes. Tetany: Calcium ion, Ca+2, is an essential ion in the proper functioning of all cells in the body. Hence, its maintenance in the blood within a narrow range is very important, as both its excess and deficiency can have very unpleasant effects. Normally, it is kept at a concentration of around 10mg/100ml. This is achieved by the antagonistic effect of two hormones; calcitonin and parathyroid hormone (PTH). Calcitonin is released by the thyroid gland in cases of excess calcium ion concentration in the blood, and so it reduces the concentration by causing increased calcium deposition in the bones, and reducing uptake of the ion by the intestines and the kidneys. On the other hand, parathyroid hormone (PTH) is released by the parathyroid glands in cases of a lowering of blood calcium levels from the normal, and so it induces an increased absorption of the ion by the intestines and the kidneys, and an increased decomposition of mineral calcium into the calcium ion by osteoclasts in the b ones, thereby increasing the concentration in the blood and returning it to normal. However, in the condition known as tetany, there is a dramatic decrease in the blood calcium levels, resulting in uncontrolled convulsive contractions of the skeletal muscles. If worsened, tetany can be fatal. Hence, the homeostatic control of calcium levels in the blood is compromised, resulting in dire effects on the body. Diabetes: the blood glucose levels are maintained around a narrow set point of 90mg/100ml. Glucose levels are monitored and controlled with the antagonistic functioning of two hormones, both released by the pancreas; insulin and glucagon. Insulin lowers the blood glucose level by inducing an increased uptake of glucose by the cells, and its conversion to glycogen to be stored in the liver and muscles, a decrease in the conversion of amino acids and fatty acids to glucose, and inhibiting glycogen breakdown in the liver. Glucagon, on the other hand, reduces blood glucose levels by decreasing an uptake of glucose by the cells, so that more glucose is present in the blood, an increase in the breakdown of glycogen to glucose in the liver, and an increased conversion of amino acids and fatty acids into glucose. However, in the condition called diabetes, be it Type1 or Type2, there is a drastic increase in the blood glucose levels, either due to insufficient insulin production by the pancre as (Type1), or a decrease in the response of the target cells to insulin (Type2). Glucose concentration if increased so much that it is secreted by the kidneys in urine, and as excess urine is formed, this leads to dehydration and glucose accumulation in the blood. However, this glucose can not be utilized by the cells for metabolism due

News Article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

News Article - Assignment Example According to the report by National Center for health Statistics and the newspaper, data indicates a 76% increase in the rate of twin births in the US (BAKALAR). The article educates about the dangers of using fertility drugs. The fertility drugs interrupts with the cycles and induces hormones in the bodies of females. The drugs also enhance sexual activities leading to more sexual contacts and eventual fertilization. The most important poit to learn from the article is that the fertility drugs interfere with women cycles hence may increase the rate of fertilization. The article is valid scientifically and can be supported by various points. One is the fundamental reason that hormones, which can be induced or suppressed by drugs, control the process of pregnancy. This knowledge has led to increased use of drugs to enhance the process of pregnancy. The drugs have several effects amongst them being the multiple births. BAKALAR, NICHOLAS. Twin Births in the U.S., Like Never Before. 23 January 2012. 2013 . Two-thirds of the increase is probably explained by the growing use of fertility drugs and assisted reproductive technology. The remainder is mainly attributable to a rise in the average age at which women give birth. Older women are more likely to produce more than one egg in a cycle, and 35 percent of births in 2009 were to women over age 30, up from 20 percent in 1980. This age-induced increase applies only to fraternal twins, though; the rate of identical twin births does not change with the age of the mother. From 1980 through 2004, increases in twin birth rates averaged more than 2 percent a year, but from 2004 to 2009, the increase slowed to 1 percent annually. Joyce A. Martin, the lead author of the report, suggested that better techniques in fertility enhancement procedures may have

The Religious Life of Planet Earth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Religious Life of Planet Earth - Essay Example Therefore, I set criteria that helped me determine the devoutness of people on planet Earth: their one God, the prophet who serves as the people’s leader, the holy book which provides people spiritual guidance, and scriptures or teachings that impact people’s values and behaviors. Before I further describe the criteria which I established for my religious quest on planet Earth, I believe it would be necessary to endeavor to define what religion on planet Earth means. Different perspectives offer different definitions of the term â€Å"religion.† In its very essence, religion on Earth symbolizes its people’s relationship with a supernatural being, or a deity, who is believed to have control over some aspects of living and of the world (Idinopulos, 1998). People call this supernatural being differently: some call it their â€Å"God,† while others call it their â€Å"Allah.† Nonetheless, this supernatural being helps people in understanding the world and the meaning and importance of human existence. This understanding provides structure and stability within their society, and exposits the undertakings and purposes for the humankind (Idinopulos, 1998). ... They further believe that their God controls all forms of life on the planet and therefore has the ability to take all these life forms back. As much as possible, people on the planet endeavor to live rightfully and spiritually to make their God happy and satisfied. In addition, for an institution to be considered as religion there needs to be a certain character, a prophet as they call it, that serves as the people’s leader. This prophet possesses supernatural abilities and extraordinary characters which allow the prophet to speak to their one God and provide guidance to the people. In short, the prophet is the messenger of God. Apart from their God and prophet, another common criterion of religions on Earth is the holy book. Every religion on the planet has a holy book that provides guidance for humanity to the right direction for salvation that shows the way to paradise (Elsaie, n.d.). The holy book, in addition, outlines the actions and behaviors which are morally acceptab le for the institution, and clearly summarizes the divine standards that people have to follow. Lastly, religious groups of people on Earth involve devotional and ritual teachings which contain the moral code governing the values and behavior of human matters. In order to further scrutinize the truth behind the criteria I set for my religious investigation on Earth, I looked deeper at the three major religious beliefs on Earth based on number of adherents: Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism (Adherents.com, 2007). On planet Earth, there are approximately 1.9 billion Christians, or 33% of the world’s entire population (Adherents.com, 2007). It is believed to be the largest religion on the planet. Christianity believes

The Gospel Of John's View Of The Role Of The Holy Spirit Research Paper

The Gospel Of John's View Of The Role Of The Holy Spirit - Research Paper Example This research aims at studying John's Gospel view of the Holy Spirit using the existing literature. In his article "John 14:17 and the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John", Sloan gives a breakdown of earthly ministry of Jesus giving the leads to the permanent ‘indwelling of the Holy Spirit’ among his disciples on departure to heaven. Further, Carsons (1991) gives the descriptions of ‘the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit’ during the final discourse of Jesus. It emerges that the Holy Spirit hovers through those baptized in it (known as indwelling). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is independent of the father and the son due to the nature of the work allocated. The Holy Spirit is responsible of the Christendom and the spread of the church within boundaries and beyond. The institution of the church survives on the mercy of Holy Spirit who is responsible for this valuable task (Stott 2006). The Holy Spirit fills the followers of Christ with the yearning to know God more as the ethics dictate. The responsibilities further stretch towards the power to redeem and reconcile humans and their God whenever they wrong him (Barth 1993). The regeneration of human beings is entirely dependent on the functions of the righteous Spirit as evident from Owen's "Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit.† He has more than one function as Linzey puts it in her book "The Baptism with the Holy Spirit.† The illumination of the human believer's mind depends on the efforts of the divine Spirit as indicated in John 3:5. This is because the Holy Spirit knows better about God's will than any other supernatural power in existence thus engages the believers in their day-to-day activities that related to Godliness (Rogers 2009). 1 Introduction The Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John is first introduced in Chapter 1 verse 33. The functions of the Holy Spirit in a believers’ life are discussed in three chapters (14-16). â€Å"But the helper, the Holy spirit whom the father will send in my name, He will teach you all things.† These verses show the Holy Spirit as a helper and teacher. Other roles that will be discussed in this paper are the Holy Spirit as a comforter, giver of life, living water and as a reminder of Christ among other roles. This paper will also look at who is the Holy Spirit, how does one receive Him and how it is viewed in the Old Testament. This paper has considered the Holly Spirit in the perspective of the gospel of John. We have taken the entire gospel through references to the Lord’s Ministry as provided in the first thirteen chapters. Then, it extends to God’

Economic Effects Of U. S. Sugar Subsidy Policy Essay Example for Free

Economic Effects Of U. S. Sugar Subsidy Policy Essay Economists have for a long time studied and discussed the various effects of government subsidies and government support for specific industries and markets. In fact, in many colleges and universities, there are specific courses that are dedicated to the effects of public policy to both private and public firms as well as the overall market in which these firms operate in. These economic concepts, in turn, help policymakers make sense of the causes and effects of various incentives that are driven by government interventions to the market. However, as we shall soon discover in the discussion in our paper, even the science and economics have conflicting theories regarding such public incentives and support to industries. In fact, over the decades in the development of public policy and micro economic choice, steps have been made so much so that various domino effects work experience. However, this does not mean that any theoretical or conceptual model could not be applied to real world situations even various market imperfections where in traditional economic theories break down. In fact, even with the assumption of perfect markets which is a basic impossibility especially in todays complicated economy and arena of public policy economics may be able to predict and forecast various results from decisions that are made by the government with respect to incentives and disincentives within industry. In this paper, we shall be looking at the effects of the United States sugar subsidy policy. In order to do this, we would be using the three basic analytical tools that come from the larger body of micro economic analysis. The first is by using a comparative static model of incentives within a market by government intervention. The second analytical framework that we shall use is another comparative static model with regards to the median voter theorem and its effects to public choice in sugar subsidy policy in the country. The third framework which we shall be using is that which has been developed by recent Nobel Prize in economics winners in the analysis of government support and its overall effect in the arena of globalization and international trade. By using these analytical frameworks, we hopefully could be able to capture the economic effects of the United States sugar subsidy policy not only in the industry itself but also in the country as well as the consumers living in the country as well. Comparative Static Analysis of the United States Sugar Subsidy Policy in an Economic Market The first analysis that the papers shall be using is a comparative static analysis of a subsidy granted by the United States government to the sugar industry in the country. A comparative static analysis is simply an analysis of an economic incentive or even a disincentive while holding all other things constant. In the real world, a comparative static analysis may be difficult to implement and make sense of especially because variables affecting the market, the industries, or even individual firms, interact with each other all the time. However, if we are to integrate all the variables involved perhaps using econometric estimation and lean your regression analysis in order to indicate these variables we still would not be able to segregate the effects of a single factor in this case a policy which gives the sugar industry subsidy the overall economy. The discipline of economics usually makes use of such all other things held constant rule in order to make the analytical framework more clear and the analysis more concise by segregating just one variable. The analysis of the sugar subsidy policy uses a micro economic model of the firm. In this micro economic model, we assume a horizontal demand curve because the firm is a price taker and imposition of the marginal cost, the average cost, the average variable cost, and the total cost curve. In such a situation, sugar firms would choose to produce at that point where in price equals marginal revenue equals marginal cost. In such a condition, the affect of aggregating all the firms in the sugar industry would give us the traditional perfect market situation downward sloping demand curve upward sloping supply curve. This is a situation where in there is not yet any subsidy which the government had chosen to implement in the sugar industry. However, in the case that the government chooses to give subsidy to the sugar industry, the effect would be to significantly reduce the average cost and total cost curves of the firm by reducing the fixed costs. In a partial equilibrium model, it would result to the shifting of the supply curve to the right and therefore the ability to produce higher quantities by the firm while at the same time effectively decreasing the price of sugar. This is the approach using traditional analytical frameworks of microeconomics in order to understand the subsidy that is made by the government. In fact, this analysis may be implemented into any kind of industry which is subsidized by the government in order to produce its final output. However, we must remember that this is approach only using an economic model. In order to understand the applications of such a theory and to prove it, economic researchers have estimated and made various studies to show that this is indeed the case that the curse in real-world events and could have a significant effect even considering all variables into the analysis. Of course, in order for the theory to hold, econometric estimation must also be able to prove that subsidies do in fact affect the supply curve of the industry. This is exactly what has been constituted in the larger body of research regarding government interventions to specific industries. As early as a study made in 1977 which analyzed the equilibrium effects of United States sugar policy, significant supply curve shifts were estimated by economists after such super policies regarding subsidies had been implemented by the government (Gordon Gemmill, 1977). In fact, as the research noted, although there was only a minor influence on the price that was implemented after subsidies had been injected into this sugar industry, quantities significantly change as a result of the increased supply that was allowed by the subsidy. Earlier in 1970, there was already indicate that legislative bias for the United States sugar program which involved a high degree of domestic protectionism which simply means that injection of policy by the government to sugar producers. However, an interesting thing to note in such study is that not only were the policy recommendations for the domestic sugar industry but also for international and foreign countries sugar industry as well locations which have comparative advantage in sugar production and which could directly benefit the United States in the long run if such industries were conducted. This analysis would be integrated into the third concept and discussion of our paper. What is important that this research is pointing out, however, for this section, is that sugar subsidies do indeed increase quantities of sugar producers because of the lowering of costs as a result of the subsidy. In fact, such quantity increase effects are not only segregate into the United States but other countries as well. In many developing economies, and in economies which are significantly different from the United States, an increase in market subsidy to the sugar industry also increases quantity in those countries, showing that such economic effects are not only segregate into one geographical location and one kind of economy but also to the spectrum of economies of countries as well (Nelson Panggabean, 1991). In such a partial equilibrium analysis, perhaps the immediate conclusion that could be made is that it is beneficial to consumers as a whole. Using the framework, it would be obvious that the lowering of price and the lowering of the production cost of sugar in the sugar industry would be beneficial both for sugar farmers as well as the consumers who would be buying sugar. However, a negative effect that a subsidy may make in such a framework is that it could be unfair to those directly competing against the sugar markets. However, such an argument may not be so strong. The arguments against the subsidy is made by the United States government to the sugar industry could be further developed in the second and third section and analytical framework of the paper. The Median Voter Theorem and Why There Are Sugar Subsidy Policies in the United States An argument that has been developed by economists which goes against recommendations for implementing subsidies on certain industries is the implementation of the median voter theorem. Remember that subsidies are basically policy recommendations that are made by individuals such as lawmakers, legislators, and the greater body of politicians. According to standard economic theory, these individuals in a representative government are selected by the population through the mechanism of voting. And if we consider the population distribution to be a perfectly normal bell curve, there are individuals in extremes of the issue in this case not to implement a subsidy and to implement full subsidy but a larger number of people in the median area of the population distribution. However, the median voter theorem also states that there are discrepancies within the voting situation. A powerful group which has lobbying power, although would derive less benefit from the summation of all consumers, could be able to conceivably shape electoral results because of such lobbying powers and financial support since they are the ones who have a larger incentive in the choosing of a certain candidate which would eventually approve a sugar subsidy policy. For example, consumers would not give a few dollars each in order to lobby against support for a certain policy, but the sugar producers, who have enough incentives, maybe both lobby themselves to carry out such a vote. Even though the elected body of government representatives may in fact be the winner of the elections, it is not necessary that they won because they have the largest and best purpose of the consumers into mind. There are literature regarding such topic proving that the median voter theorem indeed does work in society where in there are individual lobbying powers and incentives for groups. In 1991, a study was made on electoral and voting process where there are specific preferences for individuals with larger incentives and the aggregate society. This study points out that even though there are larger benefits and welfare implications for the whole society if a specific policy is not implemented, having less incentives than those wishing to implement the policy would eventually drive the vote towards those with greater incentives (Caplin Nalebuff, 1991). Another article published earlier in 1989 presented such a theoretical model in the analysis and determination of the level of Social Security that is provided to individuals. Again, they use the median voter theory in a representative democracy and capital market. As has been shown, there are more incentives for some individuals to lobby against the policy and even though Social Security increase would benefit the society greater, it was not implemented fully because of such lobbying power of specific sides (Boadway Wildasin, 1989). Trade Theories and the United States Sugar Subsidy Using standard economic trade theories and frameworks, we could perhaps be able to develop the best argument against the government implementing a specific policy for protection reasons or for any other reasons that are offered in the legislative body. Instead their trade theory, implementing a protectionist policy such as the subsidy would lead to a less efficient comparative advantage situation in the sugar industry in the United States. Although it would definitely be able to provide short run increases in the income of producers, there are much worse effects. The first is that prices would be much higher in the domestic market. A subsidy together with a protectionist policy would make and force consumers to buy sugar at a higher price than that is offered in a global competitive market without such protectionist policies. If it was the subsidy alone, then it could be perhaps beneficial to the consumers while there are certain losses in the government model. However, usually, and specifically for the United States sugar policy with regards to subsidies, protectionist policies are also implemented. This means that consumers are forced to buy sugar at higher prices in the domestic market than they would otherwise pay if sugar was imported by countries which offer the same goods at lower prices in a perfectly competitive model of trade. As an overall result, there would be welfare increases for the side of the producer surplus but decreases in the consumer surplus and the government revenues. However, the dominant argument made by past and even some precedent economists is that some industries have to be protected because they do not have comparative advantage to other producers of sugar taking into consideration the implementation of free trade in the world today. Such arguments for example are the import substitution industrialization that had been put forward by two German economists in the 1960s which says that by protecting domestic industries in the short run, they would be able to catch up to the ventral comparative advantage. In fact, it is not only the United States sugar industry which implemented such policies but domestic agricultural goods all over the world especially in third world and developing countries. At first, this might have seemed like a good idea. However, eventually, it was found that implementing a specific subsidy to the sugar industry might have long term problematic effects. For example, by implementing such a subsidy, local domestic sugar producers would not have enough incentives in order to improve such sugar production technology. In fact, this has been proven to be the case. In the implementation of local production protection of sugar, less and less farmers were willing to innovate in the productive capacity given that there are even available technologies for such an improvement. The reason for this is that they are already enjoying lower production costs because of the subsidies. Such a framework eventually results in the shifting of the production frontiers of sugar in other countries while the production function of sugar in the domestic economy remains the same. The lack of incentives is a direct result from the lack of competition in an industry and the result is after a few years perhaps a decade productive technologies and capacities by other sugar markets would eventually overtake that of the domestic protected market. It is in fact already an interesting point that the United States is even implementing such sugar subsidy policies even though past economies and studies have been made regarding its detrimental effect to the long-run profitability of the market and the welfare of producers (Pollitt, 1997). In fact, we do not even need to look so far away for sugar subsidy policies have been implemented in the United States and the historical proof of the infectivity of such subsidy policies have already been well documented and studied by economists and policymakers (Horton, 1970). Even recently, trade liberalization policies were studied between the United States and the European Union sugar trade industry and were found to have detrimental effects in one market implemented a specific policy on the production of their sugar supply (Won W. Koo, 2002). Conclusion using these three frameworks, we could be able to conclude that by implementing a subsidy in the United States sugar industry, the country may be able to see short-term benefits because of price reduction and the welfare increase of sugar farmers and producers as low as those involved in the sugar market distribution. However, in the long run, as our analytical framework and even the practical research in previous literature and references have shown, implementing such a sugar policy is not only inefficient because of the actual background of decision-making through the median voter theorem, but also would be able to hurt the farmers and sugar producers themselves in the long run because of implementing a protection industry and the continuous decrease of comparative advantages as a result of the increase in technology in perfectly competitive markets which have not been subsidized by the government. To this end, economics teaches us that a subsidy, although helps in the long run producers, would hurt short run government revenues and consumers as well as long-run profitability of sugar markets from all aspects. References Boadway, R. W. , Wildasin, D. E. (1989). A Median Voter Model of Social Security. International Economic Review, 30(2), 307-328. doi: 10. 2307/2526649. Caplin, A. , Nalebuff, B. (1991). Aggregation and Social Choice: A Mean Voter Theorem. Econometrica, 59(1), 1-23. doi: 10. 2307/2938238. Gordon Gemmill. (1977). An Equilibrium Analysis of U. S. Sugar Policy. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 59(4), 609-618. doi: 10. 2307/1239388. Horton, D. C. (1970). Policy Directions for the United States Sugar Program. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 52(2), 185-196. doi: 10. 2307/1237489. Nelson, G. C. , Panggabean, M. (1991). The Costs of Indonesian Sugar Policy: A Policy Analysis Matrix Approach. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 73(3), 703-712. doi: 10. 2307/1242822. Pollitt, B. H. (1997). The Cuban Sugar Economy: Collapse, Reform and Prospects for Recovery. Journal of Latin American Studies, 29(1), 171-210. doi: 10. 2307/158075. Won W. Koo. (2002). Alternative U. S. and EU Sugar Trade Liberalization Policies and Their Implications. Review of Agricultural Economics, 24(2), 336-352. doi: 10. 2307/1349764.