Palestinian VS. Israeli debate Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Palestinian VS. Israeli debate - Research Paper Example In that context the proposal extended by the Israeli side is a two edged sword in the sense that it not only seeks cooperation of the Palestinian side, but also in a very sophisticated manner labels the genuine acts of armed resistance on the part of Palestinians as â€Å"Palestinian acts of terrorism and violence†. The very act on the part of the state of Israel to dub the just and right freedom struggle of the Palestinian people as acts of terrorism is objectionable and unacceptable. The contemporary wars are fought in media newsrooms. The best way to compromise the legitimacy of any freedom struggle is to brand it as being Islamist and Jihadist. Just throw the right words and soon the world will distort acts of legitimate resistance into what will be looked as acts of terrorism and violence. It’s the time that Palestinians agree to the fact that Israel certainly has a better PR infrastructure as compared to them. But, it is also time for the Israeli side to agree to the fact that just because they dub each and every act of Palestinian resistance as being jihadist or terrorist will in no way stop the Palestinian people from carrying on with their struggle for independence.

Environment Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environment - Lab Report Example Nonetheless, the soil experiment in this essay aimed at analyzing or testing two different types of soils based on the characteristics including texture, color, and levels of pH or the acidity, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen as well as Potassium. Two different soil samples were to be obtained from different sites including soil sample collected from flat land covered by grass (Sample ID: NAltarki-2) and soil sample collect away from any environmental barrier (Sample ID: NAltarki-1). The collected data are to be subjected to the same soil testing with the sample parameters including texture, color, and levels of pH, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Potassium. Difference in quantities of these parameters will be a clear indication that soil samples obtained from different environmental setting usually have different physical and chemical properties. Two different soil samples from different environmental settings were collected for the experiment. From the data provided in tables above (1 and 2), there are clear indication that these two soil samples have different physical and chemical properties. For the physical properties, these samples have different textures; thus, they are identified as different soil types. For perfect comparisons, the two data tables can be merged into one. From the table 3 below, sample one test to be Silky Clay loam while sample two was sandy loam in texture. For the color sample one showed 4 and 2 while sample two indicated 3 and 2 on the soil color value and soil color Chroma respectively. From the soil color sheet, both sample indicated they were within the same year range of 10 years. The chemical properties of these samples are related to the amounts of pH, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and potassium. Notably, with the same chemical properties, both samples had the same pH, Nitrogen, and Potassium values that were at 7, L, and H respectively. However, these samples had different phosphorus contents with sample one recording L levels while

Political Theory Essay Example for Free

Political Theory Essay Envy Test—The theory that the division of resources is actually equal if and only if one person does not prefer someone else’s portion of the wealth to his own. That means that if everyone in society is ahppy with what they have as compared to what everyone else has then the society passes the envy test. This has never happened and seems contrary to human nature. The further fallacy is that it could ever be achieved in that some people are born with innate talents that cannot be changed to give them fewer resources. Unremunerated rights—Proponents of this political theory argue that the Bill of Rights was not intended as a list of all the rights a person should be guaranteed under the Constitution. They argue that rights not listed, for instance the right to privacy, still exist. This theory was first put forth by the Warren Court in arguing that people had a right to privacy. It is also frequently used in the abortion rights debate as a justification for a woman’s right to control her own body. Politics of recognition—this is the political theory that argues we can only achieve enlightenment and equality when we recognize that people are not homogenous and acknowledge the inherent differences among people. This is almost the exact opposite of politics of equality which claim that all people have the same basic needs, wants and desires and should be treated all the same. Civic engagement—is the term used to define a person’s involvement in the social and political causes of the world around them. In psychology, it used primarily to describe how involved a person is in social causes—volunteering at a soup kitchen, etc. In political science terms, it is used to define how involved a person is in the participatory aspects of government—do they just vote, take an active role in campaigns, support certain candidates, etc. Black consciousnessprimarily used in relation to South African politics, this is the theory than being black is more than a skin color and represents the way the minority chooses to act toward itself and toward others. The movement argues that blacks in South Africa exploit each other more than whites exploit each other and that part of the problem is a culturally defined set of values and attributes that they have accepted about themselves. The movement calls for blacks to band together to change the way they treat themselves and to change the way they are treated by the remainder of society. Veil of ignorance—this is the theory that citizens are deliberately kept in the dark about the actual effects of certain legislation. In 1971, philosopher John Rawls argued that social justice requires that people be blind to the way something will impact them in particular and look instead to how it affects society as whole. In recent years, the argument has been made the special interest groups have lifted the veil of ignorance making everyone consider how legislation affects them personally. Universal citizenship—the goal of universal citizenship is to eliminate all barriers to participation in the political process. Thus, under a proposal for it in the European Union, even children would have the right to vote, though this would be carried out by their parents until they reached a certain age either 16 or 18. It assumes that everyone should have an equal right to participate in the political process. Anthropocentrism—is the process of viewing things from a solely human perspective and the word is usually used in a derogatory sense implying that by being so self-absorbed in the wants, needs and desires of humanity we may be ignoring the needs of another equally important species. This is completely in opposition to the concepts of survival of the fittest and to the victor goes the spoils. According to Dworkin, Adrian (the gardener) owes nothing to Bruce (the tennis player), as a matter of justice. Although they will have unequal goods, this is not unjust. However, Adrian might owe something to Claude (the unsuccessful gardener), and Adrian’s descendents may owe something to Bruce’s descendents. Why? In your answer, be sure to identify and apply Dworkin’s theory of distributive justice. In Dworkin’s theory of distributive justice, the beginnings are the all important state as is their impact on the end.   In this scenario, the statement that Adrian owes nothing to Bruce implies that they began life with equal resources or that Bruce began life with greater resources. It does not discuss whether Bruce might owe something to Adrian. Likewise, by saying that Adrian might owe something to Claude, who is unemployed, it implies that Claude and Adrian have equal resources and equal talents, but that Adrian has been successful where Claude has not. Furthermore, by saying that Adrian’s descendants might owe something to Bruce’s descendents the question implies that those descendants might have unequal beginning resources and ending statuses. The key to Dworkin’s distribution of wealth theory is that equal resource means equality. Therefore, if both Adrian and Bruce have the same basic resources—family, education, etc.—then they have met the initial requirement for equality. However, when a situation develops so that Adrian envies the things that Bruce has, the equality is gone. The problem with Dworkin’s theory is that it fails to address the impact of talents in the equation and also fails to address non-financial aspects of the envy test. For example, if Adrian and Bruce are able to achieve equal financial success with their respective professions, they should be equal under the envy test, but if Adrian believes (accurately or not) that Bruce has a more glamorous life with less work, more access to fame, etc., then the situation may still fail the envy test. This example perfectly demonstrates the flaws in the envy test and in Dworkin’s theory. Regardless of the flaws, Dworkin’s theory has been largely employed and thus the other caveats of the question.   The way that Dworkin’s theory has been employed, it is accepted as a given that Claude, who is unemployed, will be envious of Adrian and therefore they will be unequal. To even out this inequality, the government application of the theory has been to take resources (in the form of taxes) from Adrian and give them to Claude. The problem with this solution is that it can create envy in the opposite direction. To make them equal, you would have to remove half of what Adrian has and give it to Claude so that he would not be envious of Adrian. Then, the two would have equal resources.   Then, however, Adrian is likely to be jealous of Claude who has all the same things that Adrain does but who has not had to work for them; he will envy Claude’s lifestyle. Ultimately, much of the bashing done about the distribution of wealth system comes down to just that—another form of envy. The liberal view of universal citizenship has been challenged by feminists and advocates for race-based identity politics. What is this view, what about it has been challenged, and what is it alleged to be missing? In your answer, discuss the theories of Young/MacKinnon and Fanon/Biko. The problem with the liberal view of universal citizenship is that it requires as basis equality. If all people were equal, had always been equal, and would always been equal, then the concept of universal citizenship would be not only valid, but the appropriate thing to promote. However, the reason that it is widely-challenged by feminists and advocated for race-based identity politics is that at no point in human history have individuals ever been treated as true equals. MacKinnon and other feminists argue that it is more likely that without identifiable and motivate sub-groups of voters, the system will default o maintaining the status quo and will as a consequence promote dominance by white male society. Fanon’s argument is similar though not exactly the same. He argues that to appreciate the value of citizenship, one must have been involved in a violent struggle to attain it. This is sort of revolutionary politics at heart. It assumes that people do not value rights that they are given so much as those that they fight for. The basic premised is that in fighting, through violent struggle to attain citizenship and later the rights conveyed with citizenship, the African-American (and to a lesser extent other racial groups) has gained a self-identity that would be lost if they had been granted universal citizenship. It is possible that the opposition to universal citizenship comes from our ingrained belief in traditional political theory as developed by dead white men who placed huge limitations on citizenship including social class, race, gender, age, land ownership and literacy as well as other requirements through the ages. It should also be considered whether, despite their high-minded motivations, feminists and others who have been granted citizenship and the rights therein are not opposing universal citizenship in their own out-moded version of us versus the other. As they are no longer a distinctive portion of the other, it is possible that they desire to continue to bestow that status on different individuals including recent immigrants and children. Conservative opponents to universal citizenship say that the concept eliminates concepts of national allegiance and even racial allegiance, leading to a homogony of people that destroys diversification and eliminates cultural differences. While some proponents would say that is exactly the point, opponents point out that assimilation of all different ideas into one mainstream is counterproductive and eliminates the desire for and will to change. Kymlicka claims that all approaches to contemporary political theory endorse the proposition that all persons should be treated as equals, and that their disagreement comes down to the practical question of what that entails. What must be done to treat all persons as equals, according to libertarianism, liberal equality, utilitarianism, feminism, and Marxism? According to libertarian philosophy, equality happens when people do not use force against one another and people are given all rights which do not impose on the rights of others. This is the ultimate culmination of the Wiccan creed of â€Å"It harm none, do what though wilt.†   Libertarians believe in the defensive use of force to protect what is yours, but are staunchly opposed to the use of aggressive force. Aggressive force can never be used to promote equality. Those who argue for liberal equality believe that it is the opportunity matters. If people are given an equal chance at success, then the system has been successful according to those who support liberal equality. Utilitarians believe that people are equal when the common good is enacted for the rights of all people and that the common good applies equally to all members of society. Proponents of this theory argue that good is the important motivator and if all the actions are taken in a strict moral and ethical stance for the good of all people then the actions are inherently equal. Feminism comes in two distinctive branches: one simply promoted that after years of oppression a woman is equal to a man and can therefore do anything he can do. In an extreme form of feminism, some believe that the woman’s capability of imbuing life and her propensity for compassion make her superior to the male of the species.   The problem in extreme forms of feminism is that they also believe women should be given more than equal opportunities in an effort to make up for the centuries of oppression by men and that men should be denigrated to the class of secondary citizens.  Ã‚   Marxist theory claims that men are unequal in their talents and abilities, but that one talent or ability should not be more highly valued than another—thus a person whose talent is in digging ditches should be as valued as a person whose talent is neurosurgery. Are equal rights sufficient for realizing justice? Why or why not? In your answer, consider and discuss those theories of justice that find equal rights sufficient as well as those that do not. Equal rights are not sufficient for justice. There must also be an equal application of those rights. For instance, if a black man and a white man are accused of a crime, both have an equal right under the law to a jury of their peers, but depending on the racial makeup of the jury selection pool, they may not have an equal opportunity for the enforcement of those rights. A black man may find himself facing a just or only white Americans and vice versa.   Likewise, technically a rich man and a poor man have the same right counsel if accused of a crime, but the reality of access tells us that the rich man will likely hire an independent lawyer and will be less likely to serve time for his crime.

lord of the rings, fellowship of the ring :: essays research papers

Lord of the rings, Fellowship of the ring By: J.J.R Tolkin, print date: Oct, 1965 The story starts with the 33rd birthday-party for Frodo Baggans, and the 111th birthday party for Bilbo Baggans, Hobbits who live in a mythical land called the Shire. Frodo’s best friend is his gardner Sam. Frodo owns a magic Ring which makes him invisible when he wears it, a gift from his cousin Bilbo who stole it from Gollum years ago. One day the old wizard Gandalf comes to the Shire, and he tells Frodo of an evil named Sauron who wants to capture the Ring for himself. In ages long past Sauron stole the Ring from the Elves, to protect him from the Powers of Good; but the Ring was stolen from him by a creature named Gollum, and then stolen from Gollum by Bilbo, who finally gives it freely to Frodo. "Sauron has been searching for the Ring for years," Gandalf tells Frodo, "and now he has sent his nine Black Riders, to the Shire to look for it." Frodo and Sam consult with their loyal friends Merry and Pippin, and when the Black Riders appear, the hobbits trick them into going into a mushroom-patch, disorienting the Black Riders just long enough to escape the Shire. But the tone of the book rapidly becomes more serious as the Black Riders pursue the hobbits through the forest. The hobbits come to the village of Bree, and arrive at the home of Tom Bombadil. Frodo meets a man named Aragorn, or ‘Strider’, who convinces him to go to the city of Rivendell. "In Rivendell you will be safe from their magic," Aragorn tells him, "for Elrond is a sensible man, and does not believe in it." With that Aragorn leads them rapidly to Rivendell, with the Riders in hot pursuit. As they ford the last river between them and Rivendell there is a spell cast on the river-water, causing it to rise up and wash away the Black riders, and our heroes make it to the safety of Rivendell. At Rivendell, Elrond holds a Council where the fate of the Ring is discussed. The only way to keep Sauron from recovering the Ring, they decide, is to throw it into the volcano of Mount Doom where it will be destroyed. During the Council Gandalf arrives late, saying that he had been held prisoner in the tower of Orthanc, the Wizards' Tower.

Oedipus and Hamlet as Father Figures :: William Shakespeare Sophocles

Oedipus and Hamlet as Father Figures Oedipus and Hamlet are two very well known characters in literature. They both stand out in a reader's mind through their actions, conflicts, strengths, and weaknesses. A reader becomes involved more in the action through these two characters. They allow us, the reader, to gain a greater sense of the stories plot. In many ways these characters hold similar traits to one another but the one that stands out most in my mind is their relationships with their fathers. Their father's prior conflicts and decisions influenced these characters to the point of their own demise. In Hamlet Prince of Denmark young Hamlet is left facing the outcomes of the conflict his father had with his brother. Old Hamlet is dead, killed by his own brother for the thrown of Denmark. Young Hamlet is in deep morning over the loss of his father and now he has to handle the remarriage of his mother to his own uncle, the man who in cold blood killed his father. Hamlet, with the death of his father, is acting strangely but his whole outlook changes for the worst when his father's ghost visits him. He finds out the true causes of his death and he is influenced by his father to seek revenge. Hamlet's father tells his son to kill his uncle, Claudius because he is the cause of his death. Hamlet loved his father deeply and would do anything for him. He becomes enraged with anger and hate for Claudius and begins to plot his revenge, Claudius' own death. Throughout the play his father's ghost visits Hamlet. Even after his death he has a great control over his son and his action s. These visits are a constant reminder to Hamlet of the truth. Knowing the truth of his father's death has driven Hamlet to the brink of insanity. The only thing he can think of is revenge. His father's death and prior conflict with his brother has left Hamlet in a position of honoring his father and doing right by him, and the only thing he sees fit to do is rid himself of the man that brought about the anger Hamlet is feeling. In the end Hamlet finally gets the revenge he sought with the death of Claudius.

Black Death Cause and Effect Essay

The Bubonic Plague or the Black Death has been in the history books since the medieval times. This deadly disease has claimed nearly 1. 5 million lives in Europe (Gottfried). The Black Death hit Europe in October of 1347 and quickly spread through most of Europe by the end of 1349 and continued on to Scandinavia and Russia in the 1350s. Not only did the plague effect the European population by killing one-third to two-thirds (Gottfried), it also hurt the social and economic structures of every European society. How it spread The Black Death actually first appeared in the Himalayan region around 1250 AD. There are several theories as to how the disease made its way to Europe. One theory is that since the plague is transmitted from a bite of a flea, that fleas that lived on marmots that were indigenous to the region were the original transporters (Clay,1). The first recorded appearance of the plague in Europe was at Messina, Sicily in October of 1347. It was believed to have arrived on trading ships that came from the Black Sea, past Constantinople and through the Mediterranean (Gottfried). This route was used to bring import items such as silks and porcelain, which were carried overland to the Black Sea from as far away as China (Gottfried). No one know the exact point of origin of the Black Death but what most scholars will agree with is that the disease reach Europe by rodents. The reason given was due to the climatic shifts in the area which caused a shortage of food. The disease ridden rodents’ migration put them in contact with human populations, thus, putting humans in contact with the disease carrying fleas. So many people were impacted because most people lived in very crammed and tight spaces. This also made waste disposal an issue, which caused people to just tip their waste out the window of their home, bringing the rats. Because everyone was so close, the fleas could easily infect hundreds of people in one day, so no one was safe (Gottfried). The people that did manage to escape death was due to the fact that their immune systems being able to withstand the plague (Gottfried). Types of Plague What killed so many wasn’t due to just one type of plague going around; The disease that devastated Europe was caused by three different types of plague: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. All three are bacterial infections caused by Yersinia pestis (Gottfried). The most common form was the bubonic plague. Fleas that lived on the plague-infected rats spread the bubonic plague (Gottfried). After 6 days people who were infected with this strain would develop flu-like symptoms and blood pressure drops, heartbeats faster, and a sudden fever erupts, accompanied by chills, weakness, and headache. Next, a black pus filled bump surrounded by an inflamed red ring shows up at the place that was bitten (Gottfried). The lymph node would begin to swell with pus. When the enlarged lymph nodes would burst they would also emit dark colored blood and pus. This is how the name â€Å"Black Death† came to be coined (Vunguyen). A second type of plague was that of pneumonic. This plague could spread with a sneeze and could quickly jump from person to person and though it was less common than the bubonic form, but more deadly. This form was contracted through breathing in a mutated, airborne strain of the bacteria. The infected person would experience fluid building up in the lungs. This very unfortunate circumstance would, in turn, cause suffocation of the infected individual. This particular form of the bacteria would cause death within a short time span, usually two or three days (Boeckl). The third type of plague was speticemic plague. Though it was the least common out of the three, it was the deadliest. Septicemic plague was carried in the blood and was contracted only through blood-to-blood contact. The person infected with this type would develop a high fever but they would not develop many outward symptoms that they had contracted the plague. The individuals who were infected with this final strain of the bacterium were usually dead within 24 hours. Almost all who contracted either the pneumonic or septicemic plague died from the infection (Boeckl). Causes of the Black Death The causes of the Black Death – the flea, the rat, and the bacillus Yersinia pestis– have been labeled the â€Å"unholy trinity† (Boeckl). The flea is able to live in environmental conditions of about 74 ° Fahrenheit and 60% humidity (Ibid). Before the Black Death reached Europe, they were experiencing those same types of weather conditions. The rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis and the human flea, Pulex irritans, are both capable of transmitting plague (Boeckl). Sometimes, an infected flea cannot ingest blood because Yersinia pestis obstructs its digestive tract. The blockage causes a flea to regurgitate into a bitten host rather than ingest the host’s blood, thereby infecting the host with plague (Boeckl). Unable to eat, the famished flea will bite with more frequency, accelerating the spread of plague. A flea can be carrying Yersinia pestis without it blocking the flea’s digestive tract, in which case the flea does not transmit plague when it bites a host. Also, Yersinia pestis can only enter a victim through a bite, as the bacilli cannot pass through intact skin (Gottfried). Social Changes The disease took a major toll on the population of Europe but as it wiped out communities it also caused changes in the social structure of European society. Europe was run by a feudal system (Vunguyen). As death took its toll, people started to question the way of life. When the Black Death swept over Europe and wiped out a third of its population, it also dismantled Feudalism. The feudal system was structured like a pyramid with the King being at the top and having complete control. The King owned everything; he had the power to decide who he would lease the land to. If he did allow a citizen to lease part of his land, before doing so they had to swear to an oath of loyalty (Vunguyen). People who did rent the King’s land were called Baron/Baronesses (Vunguyen). The leased land was called a manor, and the Barons were often called the ‘Lord of the Manor’ (Vunguyen). They were allowed to establish their own system of justice, mint their own money and set their own taxes. The Barons had to serve on the royal council, pay rent and provide the King with Knights for military service when he demanded it in return for the land they had been given (Vunguyen). When the King and his court travelled around the country, the Barons also had to provide lodging and food. The Barons kept as much of their land as they desired, then divided the rest among their Knights (Vunguyen). Knights were given land by the Baron in return for military service when demanded, and to protect the manor. The Knights kept as much of the land as they wished for their own personal use, and distributed the rest of it to serfs – although they weren’t as rich as the Barons, Knights were quite wealthy (). Serfs were given land by Knights in exchange for free labor, food and services whenever it was desired. They had no rights and weren’t allowed to leave the Manor. They had to ask their Lord’s permission before they could marry, and were often mistreated and poor (). The serfs or peasants were a key group in the population so when they started to die off, everything went downhill. The serfs served everyone on the pyramid and now Barons were willing to pay higher wages and offer extra benefits (Vunguyen). All their life they had lived off the serfs’ hard work, and were willing to pay them to stay on the manor to continue slaving for them. When the serfs died, the foundation on which feudalism relied upon was broken. The pyramid of power broke, and everything was a mess. Serfs left to find high wages due to the labor shortages. The land that had usually been the primary source of wealth was now worthless (Vunguyen). Entire estates were deserted as families fell to the plague and died, or fled in a vain attempt to escape its fury, were there for the taking (Vunguyen). As Europe evolved away from relying on land as the main source of prosperity, a rising middle-class claimed more and more wealth and prestige, as the once-noble began to quickly lose both (Vunguyen). The end of Feudalism had started and progressed each day as the plague claimed more lives. As the days went on people wondered, if they needed to change the way they lived or worshipped God. Many found that if they continued to live and worship as they had for centuries, the plague was not being pacified (Clay). This caused many people to abandon the way of life that they were accustomed to and chose a life that contrasted with social norms. A large group of people, desperate to point their fingers at someone, alleged and accused many different ‘groups’ which included ‘witches,’ lepers and Jews (Clay). In central Europe, the flagellants convincingly charged the Jews. On a tragic day in Strasbourg alone, over 8,000 Jews were killed for being the target of vain suspicions (). This quote shows just how the mind of Europeans changed: â€Å"Many were uncertain about the cause of this great mortality. In some places, they believed that the Jews had poisoned the worlds, and so they killed them. In some other areas, that it was a deformity of the poor, so they chased them out; in others, that it was the nobles, and so they [the nobles] hesitated to go out into the world. Finally, it reached the point where guards were posted in cities and towns, and they permitted no one to enter, unless he was well known. And if they found anyone with powders or unguents, they made him swallow them, fearing that these might be poisons (Clay, 2-3)†. Someone who survived the plague wrote â€Å"Everyone appeared to be rich because they had survived and regained value in life. Now, no one knows how to put their life back in order†(Clay, 3). No one knew how to put their life back together after the plague hit. When all the chaos died down and order was restored, the society was much different than what it once was. The disease did not discriminate; it killed people from all different social classes. The peasants now saw that everyone was made up of the same flesh, even though who once ruled over them. This epiphany led the serfs see the inequality of the system and they saw it as unfair and unjust (Clay, 3). â€Å"Because of all the affliction and misery there was much lawbreaking and because most of the law enforcers had also been hit by the plague there was not much that was done about it (Clay, 3). † This quote shows just how their mentality was changing. Lawbreakers could not be stopped especially by the lords and so once peasants realized all ties could be broken, they gained a new level of freedom (Clay, 4). Peasants and lord relationships were not the only thing that changed; individuals in the same social circle were forced to interact with one another differently. As a result of so many deaths, women were now being served by male servants and it did not matter if they were of noble birth or not. Men serving women was something taboo and unheard of before the plague, but the disease made that change. Noble women had to a find a different lifestyle under normal circumstances, these women would have been dishonored and shunned but this was not the case. Economic Effects All the death that fell upon Europe created a major labor shortage. It was a dominos affect, if the plague hit an area or manor in the summer, there wouldn’t be enough serfs to harvest the crops in the fall. If it hit in the winter, there wasn’t enough workers to plant new crops in the spring (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). So inevitably there wasn’t any one left on farm and maintain the land. The one’s who did withstand the plague, moved else-where for better wages (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Not only did it affect the farms, it hurt businesses or building projects. Cathedral that usually were beautiful and performed weekly services were left eerily empty with no priests to conduct services. The barons did not have enough knights and serfs to cater to them and so many manors were abandoned. When someone dies normally, there would be a service and immediately be buried, well that didn’t happen during the Black Death era. No one was left to bury the dead. Citizens, lower and middle classes were scared, they stayed in the homes believing they would be safe. The shelter did not stop the disease from entering and since they were poor they did not get the care and attention they needed and most of them died (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Instead of suffering, many decided to take their own lives and committed suicide in the street; others died in their homes but only found because their neighbors smelled the decaying body. Dead bodies were everywhere on every corner and in every home that wasn’t abandoned (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). â€Å"Most of them were treated in the same manner by the survivors, who were more concerned to get rid of their rotting bodies than moved by charity towards the dead. With the aid of porters, if they could get them, they carried the bodies out of the houses and laid them at the door; where every morning quantities of the dead might be seen. They then were laid on biers or, as these were often lacking, on tables† (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Bodies upon bodies were brought to the church every day and almost every hour so it was impossible to give them a proper burial especially since they wanted to bury each person in the family grave, according to the old custom (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). â€Å"Although the cemeteries were full they were forced to dig huge trenches, where they buried the bodies by hundreds. Here they stowed them away like bales in the hold of a ship and covered them with a little earth, until the whole trench was full† (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Cultural Effects The plague not only affected humans it also impacted the arts. In the Medieval period, people had concentrated mainly on the Church, God, and personal salvation. The plague was evident in paintings, sculptures, and architecture, everything was centered on death. The arrival of plague â€Å"harkened in a new darker era of painting. Paintings were overflowing with tortured souls, death, dying, fire and brimstone† (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Thousands of painters, craftsmen, patrons of the arts died during the plague. The disease tore a hole in the heart of the cultural world. The effects of the plague were lasting, bringing a somber darkness to visual art, literature, and music (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Writers and painters imaginations became dark and gloomy. The unknowing survival created a atmosphere of gloom and doom influencing artist to move away from optimistic themes and turn to images of Hell, Satan and the Grim Reaper (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Many painters simply gave up art with the idea that it was hopeless to try and create beauty in a hellish world. The Decameron by Boccaccio, a collection of medieval tales and folklore is the most famous literary work that came from that time period (â€Å"The Black Death†). The collection is set in the Italian countryside where aristocrats, fleeing the Plague as it ravages Florence, are stranded without their usual entertainments. To pass the time, they tell each other stories, from which Boccaccio harvested a rich storehouse of traditional narrative. The Decameron eventually became the foundation for many other Renaissance works, including several of Shakespeare’s plays (â€Å"The Black Death†). Positive Consequences It’s hard to find positive in so much death but the plague actually helped in a few ways. First being manpower, because of the shortages, manpower had so much more value. Peasants weren’t readily available in large numbers so the ones still alive found themselves in high demand (â€Å"The Black Death†). The ones who had all the power, kings and dukes, now found themselves bargaining with laborers over working conditions, and also the lower class were able to demand better pay for their services (â€Å"The Black Death†). Also, serfdom was terminated, so those peasants that were slaves and tied to the land were no longer obligated to farm and serve. And one other positive result of the bubonic plague was the development of medicine as a science in the West. Islamic doctors had advocating general cleanliness and the value of studying anatomy but Western healers prior to the black death were still using practices like the theory of humors (â€Å"The Black Death†). But when Plague wiped out nearly all the doctors of Europe, because the doctors had to attend to the dying and because of this were exposed at a higher rate to the more virulent pneumonic form of Plague. With so many doctors dying, it created a change in both personnel and precept (â€Å"The Black Death†). Strangely, western medicine owes much to plague. Conclusion The Black Death started in 1347 and continued for a full five years, this devastating plague spread throughout Europe, leaving more than twenty million people dead. The consequences to Europe were profound. Besides immeasurable death, traditional medieval society broke, the economies were fractured, and art and literature took a turn from light to dark. Though it spread throughout Europe, the Black Death was world-shattering and shows how even the smallest of things, the microbial world, can at times steer the course of human civilization.

Holistic care approaches used in healthcare Essay

The objective of this assignment is to evaluate Holistic care approaches used in healthcare within the acute care setting specifically relating to the role of Assistant Practitioners. Holistic care takes into consideration an individual’s psychological, sociological and mental health needs. Using a holistic approach to care enhances the experience for my patients and families (Erickson 2007). The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) defines holistic medicine as a system of comprehensive or total patient care that considers the physical, emotional, social, economic and spiritual needs of the person, taking into consideration a person as a whole. Over the past few decades the focus of medical care has shifted from treatment of a disease and or injury to treatment of a patient (Henning, 2013). Holism has a long history derived from a Greek-indo -European root holos or hale, meaning whole, healthy, healing, holy and the act of caring (Auyang,1999). The first published literature in relation to holistic care was produced by Florence Nightingale in her book Notes on Nursing, which described the work of nurses as putting patients in the best condition for nature to act upon them (Nightingale, F 1969). However the concept of holism was first defined by polymath Jan Smuts in 1927, as the tendency in nature to form wholes that are greater than the sum of the parts through creative evolution (Smuts. 1927). Different theories on holism have been widely supported and promoted in healthcare since the 1960’s, when Florence Nightingale first identified the importance of treating patients individually, as opposed to solely treating the illness (Dossey & Keegan 2009). However this concept is new in Emergency medicine, and has been derived from the recent conflict in Afghanistan. The Army pain management task force published best practice based on a holistic, multidisciplinary, integrative approach to care (Schoolmaker, 2009). The Nursing Midwifery council (2008) states that all nurses must practice in a holistic, non-judgemental, caring and sensitive manner. Throughout this assignment the names of patients, and family members have  been substituted to comply with the Data Protection Act (1998) in order to safeguard their identities and ensure confidentiality is maintained as per NHS Policy (2012). Mr. T attended the Emergency Department (ED) after taking a poly-pharmaceutical overdose and collapsing sustaining superficial lacerations to his arms and face. Mr. T was an unkempt gentleman of middle age who was wearing soiled clothes and looked malnourished. Mr. T was known to have some minor learning difficulties and was a frequent attendee to the ED, due to his long extensive history of alcohol and illicit drug abuse. Regular attendees to the ED often suffer from alcohol and or substance misuse, where homeless and socially disengaged (Cherpitel C 1995). Little & Watson (1996) found that frequent attendees to the ED where at risk of bias care, because they often did not adhere to medical advice or except support resulting in frustration amongst staff during busy times. Pirmohamed et.al. (2000) published figures stating that the majority of alcohol-related ED patients are 18–60 years of age, and about 20% of these involve a serious health problem due to long-term alcohol and drug misuse. Blenkiron et.al. (2000) identified that 15-25% of suicides and deliberate self-harm is associated with prolonged alcohol misuse, a battle Mr. T had been fighting against for several years. Mr. T had been using cannabis from a young age which studies have indicated an increased risk of self-harm and suicide attempts, (Beautrais, et.al 1999). Cannabis has also been well documented to contribute to psychiatric and depressive disorders (Andereasson, et al 2002) & (Moore, et.al. 2007). Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was a humanistic psychologist who developed his theory, ‘the hierarchy of needs’ (1943) a five stage model of motivational needs often depicted as a pyramid. The five stages are divided into; Psychological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization. He believed that the lower levels of the pyramid have to be satisfied before a person could move up. Each stage was further defined stating the lowest level was what every human required to survive such as food, shelter, water, sex, air, clothing, to the top being the pinnacle of each person’s potential in life who is able to pursue inner talent, creativity and fulfillment (McLeod, 2007). At this point Mr. T was barley functioning at the lowest level as he  was unable to meet his basic nutritional needs and lacked warm clean clothing or shelter. Lack of food can affect a person’s mood, behavior and brain function, (Pessoa, 2008). I provided Mr. T with food and clean warm clothing , in order to assist with some of Mr. T’s basic humanistic psychological needs, as advocated by Maslow (1943) alongside his medical treatment, demonstrating a comprehensive holistic approach to care. Rutledge (2011) another psychologist disagreed with Maslow’s theory and developed her own theory Maslow Rewired, stating none of these needs starting with basic survival on up, are possible without social connection and collaboration, and that humans require community, Love and the feeling of belonging before harvesting the ability to survive, although this is very much more associated with the 21st century. However substantive evidence has accumulated over the past few decades showing that social ties and social support are positively and casually related to mental health, physical health and longevity (Berkman, 1995). However Mr. T had no relatives other than his brother, who was estranged due to Mr. T’s extensive alcohol abuse. He was disengaged from services, refused social support and often did not adhere to medical advice. The tablets and quantities Mr. T had taken did not require any immediate treatment likewise the lacerations to his arms and face required minimal intervention, however Holistic nursing as advocated by Dossey & Keegan (2009) treats the entire patient. Therefore as a holistic practitioner I investigated Mr. T’s Psychological issues through gentle discussion whilst a colleague dressed his wounds and administered medication to reduce the effects of alcohol withdrawal, thus assisting with Mr. T’s Physical effects which in turn will assist with his psychological needs. Alcohol is a drug with complex behavioural effects that can be pleasurable when consumed in moderation but can be unpleasant when misused, (Swift, 1999). Mr. T was initially withdrawn and reluctant to discuss his mental health problems, however through gentle questioning whilst undertaking basic tasks, a skill often used by nurses as indicted by Berg et al (2007). Mr. T started to disclose information in relation to his psychological behaviour. Whilst  discussing such issues with Mr. T it is important to maintain good eye contact and engage in a moderate amount of social touch, as this is perceived by patients as a more empathetic clinician (Montague 2013). A similar approach is advocated by, McCann & McKenna (1993) whilst Bamford – Wade & Kimble (2013) promote compassionate listening in addition to touch when dealing with patients in crisis. Therefore it was essential to speak slowly and use appropriate body and facial language to demonstrate empathy and understanding to the patient. Throughout the discussion non-verbal listening skills are respectfully used. Egan (1994) offers the acronym ‘SOLER’, an approach u sed in counselling which stands for; S – Sit square O – Open Posture L – Lean slightly forward E – Eye contact R – Relax However according to Stickley (2011) the school of nursing and midwifery has introduced a new model to student nurses, the Acronym SURETY, which stands for; S – Sit at an angle U – Uncross legs R – Relax E – Eye contact T – Touch Y – Your intuition This approach subsequently adds in ‘touch’ as advocated by McCann & McKenna (1993) along with your intuition. A nurse’s intuition is not a new concept and studies have been carried out since 1978, (Gerrity 1987) however it is a skill widely associated with experience (Hams 2000). Intuition has been acknowledged by clinicians and scholars as a vital component of clinical judgment and decision making (Rew 2007). Mr. T responded well to this approach of communication. Carl Rogers (1961), another humanistic psychologist developed the theory Core conditions which is the basic attitudes that councillors should display in order to show acceptance of the client and valuing them as a human being, and include Congruence, empathy and respect. Like Rutledge’s (2011)  approach, Rogers (1959) believed everyone needs to feel loved, valued and unconditional regard, to achieve Maslow’s findings that all humans aim to ‘self-actualize’ and fulfill their potential (1961). During the assessment it is essential to communicate effectively, minimise barriers such as using medical terminology in discussion as advocated by, Minardi & Riley (2007). Physicians frequently use medical words during consultations leading to ‘jargon’ that is potentially misunderstood thus impairing effective communication (Blackman & Sahebjalal 2014) Good communication skills allow patients and relatives alike to express their concerns and needs, subsequently building trust between them and the healthcare professional, demonstrating a two way circle of communication, identified as the most effective method by Schramm (1954). The Johari Window is a model created by Luft & Ingham (1995) and used by healthcare professionals whilst communicating with patients, that encourages self-awareness and understanding of others, ensuring practitioners are aware of their own beliefs, principles, attitudes and strengths in order to help their patients. There are some barriers to providing effective communication, as the ED is a very busy loud environment which can hinder effective communication and possibly result in communication overload Woloshynowych et al (2007). However by simply taking a patient or relative away from these areas and into a quiet room, communication barriers can be minimised. Mr. T responded well to the approaches used, and had not spoken of his feelings or depression for a long time. Mr. T explained that he had lived with his mother up to the age of twelve when she passed away following a lifetime of alcohol abuse and that this was the only life he knew. Psychologist Albert Bandura believed children imitate behaviors witnessed as they grow up which was illustrated in the experiment ‘The Bobo Doll’, (McCleod 2007). Since becoming reliant on drugs and alcohol Mr. T’s mental state had significantly deteriorated thus exacerbating his addiction and leading to unemployment and subsequently homelessness. Due to the fact Mr. T was disengaged from services and had no family support he was feeling  increasingly isolated and unloved thus amplifying Rogers. C (1961) theory OF â€Å"Core Conditions† however Mr. T was reluctant to change. DiClemente & Prochaska (1998) developed the â€Å"Transtheoretical Model of Change† which is primarily associated with addiction and the willingness to change. The five stages of this are; 1. Precontemplation – Unwillingness to change 2. Contemplation – Consideration of change 3. Preparation – Commitment to change 4. Action – modification of behaviour takes place 5. Maintenance – lifelong avoidance of relapse Mr. T was currently at the precontemplation phase and unwilling to make changes to his current circumstances. Due to increasing pressure from NHS targets, Emergency practitioners have a very limited amount of time to address such varied and extensive issues due to all patients needing to be transferred or discharged within four hours of arrival. As strong advocates of holistic practice the department strives to ensure all patients are treated holistically and provided with the relevant knowledge and support required to address and manage their problems. Mr. T was referred to the mental health team for further assessment of his psychological needs assisted with housing, and referred to the Alcohol and Drug Misuse Team in order to address his addictions. These services work in both the interests of staff and patients providing support to patients with complex alcohol and drug dependence in order to reduce the number of attendances to the ED and help to reduce care costs. The home office published data relating to alcoholism which showed the cost to the NHS is in excess of  £3.5 billion annually (Government’s Alcohol Strategy 2012). Layard (2005) concurs with these statistics stating that ‘Mental Health’ is our biggest social problem. In conclusion a Holistic approach to care considers the physical, emotional, social, economic and spiritual needs of a patient taking in to account a person as a whole not only treating the physical and medical needs of a patient. It is evident that treating patients as a whole and not the presenting complaint alone is key to providing effective healthcare for the patient and can result in fewer admissions and reduce pressure on resources. The evidence provided in this assignment has shown that the emergency  department uses all resources available, working as a multi-disciplinary team to assess and treat patients with complex mental health needs and drug and alcohol dependencies fairly without passing judgement. Effective communication plays a vital part in effective treatment of a patient although there is potential for communication to be hindered. The communicative approaches used proved favourable with Mr. T and enabled the practitioner to gain the relevant information required. The psychological approaches used with Mr. T proved effective and by treating Mr. T in a holistic manner contributed to the effective management of his care. Based on the research and evidence published holistic care significantly improves patient outcomes leading to greater patient satisfaction and contribute to reducing healthcare costs which will subsequently assist in providing a longer sustainable national health service.