Monism Philosophy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Monism Philosophy - Research Paper Example It follows the main formula which depends on the target and the unit. Monism is the opposing concept of pluralisms and nihilisms, because these concepts are focused on the importance of plurality in the nature of things (Scaffer â€Å"Monism†). The objective of the paper is to present a perspective on materialistic monism, one of the main types of the concept. Due to the numerous types of monism, one can surmise that any individual can have one of his or her own but the pressing question is which one is the most applicable to be used and to be prioritized. Materialistic monism is the feasible paradigm that can justify the interrelatedness of entities in nature. Supporting Evidences of Monism There are different concepts in the historical and contemporary knowledge that can be used to support the connection between natural phenomena and materialistic monism. One of the main evidences in that of the biological realism specifically the manner by which the brain works. The human b ody is one of the examples of entity in nature. Monism explores the manner by which different entities exist as one. It can be translated that the different matters are composed of similar units. The human body as that of nature is composed of units that can be considered related to every other component of matters and entities in nature. ... In this scenario, it is needed to be pointed out that the process of the mind cannot be separated from that of the brain, thus, the functions of the organ can be perceived in the holistic sense (Fingelkurts, Fingelkurts & Neves 264-68). Another evidence in relation to monism is related to the blobject, which is a concept related to the oneness of the matters in the universe. It defines the concept of materialistic monism (Scaffer â€Å"Monism†). Materialistic monism had been defined as God and nature. It is the law of substance as presented by William James (Worthen, Ellis & Kinkead-Weekes 179). Based on Spinoza’s work entitled Ethics – â€Å"Except God, no substance can be or be conceived† – which means that the entities in nature just transform through reorganization of components and not made. In addition, at a particular point, the components cannot be divided anymore but can only be defined as part of a whole (Bachli & Petrus 65). These concept s can be considered as the main evidences in the thesis of the interrelatedness of entities in nature, both living and non-living matters. According to the basic view in environmental science by Earnst Haeckel, he advocated the monism in nature which was defined as the unity in the mind and body. The main examples are the living matter and their basic components which if analyzed are also similar as that of the non-living things in the surroundings. Basically, the main point of the proposition regarding monism is the fact that every natural occurrence can be attributed to and be supported by the principle of monism. Even the transfer of energy from one matter to another reflects the interrelatedness of entities

Inherit The Wind Essay -- essays research papers

Brady and Drummond, two former partners, beginning their legal lives working together. Now each one strives to be superior, confident in their ways and beliefs, trying to out-do the other. Despite a common goal, the two gradually became very different people, as is evident in the play and movie,Inherit the Wind. Throughout the years, as each one fought cases, established a name for themselves, and gained popularity (or notoriety), they kept a careful watch on the other. Learning of the others triumphs, which pushed them to try even harder, become more set in their ways, believing that their heterogeneous beliefs were right, and that if they kept those beliefs the focus of their existence, they could eventually prove themselves the victor. Yet the two had never met head-on in court. They both knew that until so, everything they did, every case they fought and one, would only be a form of practice, and a silent taunt at their foe. But until they truly fought together in court, this two man war would never be over. Thus, when the time finally arrived, when the two ingenious legal warriors who had trained together met at last for that one final battle to the death, they entered Hillsboro planning to put every single legal idea and tactic they had used and believed in over the years to work, believing that they had followed the correct path and that their long thought over battle plan was superior to the other’s. Brady loved the public. He knew that, even before the time of radio and television, if he controlled the media, he controlled the masses. Thus, his first move every time was to choose the side which the public sided with, knowing that people listened to what they wanted to hear, which would be him, so he would essentially become the media. And thus, he would create a flock of loyal followers. And with the public behind him, a case was usually much simpler. Besides, he loved being adored by people. He relied upon public approval and easy answers for legal guidance, as was evident when, upon hearing some of his former admirers turn to Drummond’s side, he broke down in tears. He enjoyed using the people as a weapon. Upon hearing the news of Drummond being appointed as the defense, he quickly realized a chance to gain the upper hand in the battle he had been preparing for his entire life. Before the townspeople had even met Drummond, he... ...portant battle for free speech, and man’s right to think. Brady, on the other hand, when faced with the revival of his seemingly unstoppable foe and a major setback for which he had not planned, instead of handling it in a sophisticated manner, as Drummond did, fell to pieces. He became flustered and began looking for pity in what was left of his flock of ignorant followers upon seeing part of his legal empire crumble and collapse. As he scrambled to pick up the pieces, he lost more and more until he was left with only a shred of his former greatness. Even after he had been declared the winner (though he knew that, in reality, Drummond had been the one who truly emerged victorious from this brawl of words and law), he fought to regain his once loyal group of admirers, as he watched many of them walking out of the courtroom door, their backs turned upon him. He screamed over the din, trying to regain something, anything, he once had. And all this only took from him the one thing he still had left... the steady beating of a human heart. And Drummond, Bible and Darwin in hand, was the only one of the two extremely different ex-partners to walk out of the courtroom that day.

Mirror, Mirror on the Mind Essay

The sight of a stranger’s foot getting hammered induces an instant surge of sympathy within us. Watching a friend nauseate after eating something repulsive quickly causes our own stomachs to turn. This ability to understand and relate to another individual’s internal state has provided great motivation for research. One source of explanation arose from research on mirror neurons-which fire both during execution and observation of a behaviour (Rizzollati & Arbib, 1998). This particular class of neurons plays a crucial function in human social interactions. The importance of the mirror neuron system (MNS) for communication can be understood through its influence on nonverbal communication including facial expressions and hand gestures and verbal language. Furthermore, disorders affecting human communication-such as autism and schizophrenia-convey the impression of stemming from a malfunctioning MNS. Generally, human social interaction involves both verbal and nonverbal forms of communication. Obvious examples of nonverbal communication are facial expressions and hand gestures. A recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study by Montgomery and Haxby (2008) found evidence supporting the claim that the MNS contains distinct representations for facial expressions and hand gestures. Particularly, this study examined the inferior parietal lobule and the frontal operculum as the potential MNS brain regions involved in nonverbal communication. Further evidence comes from another fMRI study by Montgomery, Isenberg and Haxby (2007)-which demonstrated the activation of the MNS during hand movements used to manipulate objects and hand gestures used to communicate. A third fMRI study by Van, Minderaa and Keysers (2007) highlighted similar results by examining other putative MNS brain regions-inferior frontal gyrus, posterior parietal cortex, insula and amygdala-thought to be associated with facial expressions. Activity spontaneously increased in the MNS of participants that produced and observed certain facial expressions (Van et al., 2007). A study by Enticott, Johnston, Herring, Hoy, and Fitzgerald (2008) demonstrated an associations between mirror neurons and facial emotion processing. Instead of using fMRI as a method of analysis, Enticott and colleagues (2008) used the transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technique. In brief, much evidence supporting the involvement of the MNS in the processes of facial expression and hand gesture exists. Such forms of communication form the basis for the later, more complex, verbal language development. Taking this thought further, verbal language also seems to be linked to the MNS. Firstly, Rizzollati et al. (1998) marked the discovery of mirror neurons in the F5 area within the monkeys’ frontal cortex. This primate-specific F5 area has been considered to be the homolog of the human Broca’s area, which is a region crucial for language (Rizzollati et al., 1998). With this in mind, Horwitz et al. (2003) demonstrated that both spoken and signed language are associated with mirror neurons firing in Broca’s area as a result of the production of language. In addition, an fMRI study by Aziz-Zadeh, Wilson, Rizzollati, and Lacoboni (2006) made evident that the MNS of the premotor cortex is activated both when participants observed mouth, hand and foot movements and when participants read phrases related to these body parts. Overall, these findings suggest that indeed the MNS influences verbal language. Moreover, another way of understanding the importance of the mirror neurons’ influence on human social interaction is by considering the consequences of a malfunctioning system. Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by social and language impairments. In other words, individuals with autism tend to be less interactive when it comes to communicating with others. Part of the MNS-the posterior inferior frontal and rostral inferior parietal areas are affiliated with social behaviour and imitative learning; however these areas have deficits in autistic individuals (Locoboni & Mazziotta, 2007). In one study individuals with autism spectrum disorder showed significantly different electroencephalography (EEG) recordings of mirror neurons compared to a control group consisting of healthy individuals (Oberman, Hubbard, McCleery, Altschular, Ramachandran, & Pineda, 2005). Similarly, schizophrenia is another disorder characterized by deficits in social communication, especially of the nonverbal type. Research by Kato Y., Muramatsu, Kato M., Shibukawa, Shintani, and Mimura (2011) using magnetoencephalography recordings on the right inferior parietal cortex showed atypical mirror neuron activity in non-treated schizophrenia patients. Likewise, similar results were found in a study that tested mirror neuron activity using TMS,; it was demonstrated that during action observation a reduction in motor facilitation occurs in schizophrenia patients (Enticott, Hoy, Herring, Johnston, Daskalakis, & Fitgerald, 2008). Clearly, communication impairments observed in individuals with autism and schizophrenia are influenced by the MNS. In conclusion, human social interaction is influenced by mirror neurons. Evidence supports this statement through research done on the involvement of the MNS in nonverbal communication, including facial expressions and hand gestures and verbal language. Research has also suggested that an impaired MNS negatively affects social interaction, which is exemplified in the cases of autism and schizophrenia. Taken as a whole, combining mirror neurons’ role in imitative behaviour and social interaction-the process through which humans possibly acquire new social knowledge becomes evident. Additionally, the presence of mirror neurons in primates as well as humans provide evidence for the development of social interaction over the course of evolution. Thus, in order to further strengthen their existing relationship, future research should examine the co-evolution of mirror neurons and social interaction.

Learning And Ivan Pavlov s Discovery Of Classical...

Learning can be considered as the process by which skills; attitudes, knowledge and concepts are acquired, understood and extended. While we learn some concepts and ideas through instruction or teaching, we also learn through our feelings and experiences and these feelings and experiences influence what we learn, how we learn and why we learn, (www.egyankosh.ac.in). In order for us to plan and enable learning we first must understand the theories and principles that underpin them. During this essay I will examine some of these theories and endeavour to relate them to my own teaching practice Behaviourists view the environment as the key to learning and Ivan Pavlov’s discovery of classical conditioning was fundamental to the Behaviourists theory and came about from his famous experiments with dogs. Whilst studying digestive processes, Pavlov noticed his canine subjects would begin to salivate whenever an assistant entered the room, triggered by the sight of the assistants white lab coat. The animals had come to associate them with the presentation of food. He realized that this salivary response was not due to an automatic, physiological process and suggested that it was a learned response. In order to prove this hypothesis he carried out a number of experiments which entailed firstly presenting the food to the animals and ‘unconditional stimulus’ which made the dogs salivate. He then introduced a ringing bell (conditional stimulus) before presenting the food and graduallyShow MoreRelatedIvan Pavlov s Theory Of The Conditioned Reflex1706 Words   |  7 Pagesreflex. His name was Ivan Petrovich Pavlov. Ivan Pavlov conducted a well-known experiment for teaching a hungry dog to salivate at the sound of a bell when presented with food. This experiment led Ivan Pavlov to become known for his development on Classical Conditioning, which captured the attention of everyone, especially physiologist and psychologist. Ivan Pavlov was born September, 14, 1849 in Russia. Ivan Pavlov’s father was a priest and his mother was a homemaker. Initially, Pavlov studied theologyRead MoreThe Theory Of Classical Conditioning1448 Words   |  6 PagesIvan Pavlov a Russian physiologist who lived from (1927-1960) first observed and conceived the concept of Classical conditioning. The concept of classical conditioning is widely distinguished and understood as the most basic form of cognitive learning. Even before Ivan Pavlov named the process of conditioning, his work was considered ahead of his time (Feeser, 2002, p. 24). In fact, Pavlov was pres ented a Nobel Prize in Physiology and Nero Medicine for his research on the digestion system of dogsRead MoreThe Theory Of Classical Conditioning1419 Words   |  6 PagesClassical conditioning was first observed and developed by a Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov who lived from (1927-1960). The concept of classical conditioning is widely considered to be the most fundamental form of learning. Even before Ivan Pavlov named the process of conditioning, his work was considered ahead of his time (Feeser, 2002, p. 24). In fact, Pavlov was presented the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Nero Medicine for his research on the digestion system of dogs (Feeser, 2002, p. 24).Read MoreIvan Pavlov s The First Development Of The Experimental Model Of Learning827 Words   |  4 Pagesnamed Ivan Pavlov was doing research on digestion, which led to the first development of the experimental model of learning. Ivan Pavlov was born on September 14, 1849 in Ryazan, Russia. Poverty was always an issue with Pavlov’s family as he was growing up. His father was the priest of the village, where Pavlov attended regularly. Many of Pavlov’s characteristics, including a strong will to succeed was inherited from his father. Pavlov began school at the Ryazan Ecclesiastical High. Pavlov enteredRead MoreThe Evolution Of Pavlov. Southwest State University Essay1477 Words   |  6 PagesTolbert The Evolution of Pavlov Southeast Missouri State University Abstract Pavlov was a Nobel Prize-winning physiologist who contributed a great deal to the field of psychology. His research into the process of the conditioned reflex is considered a milestone discovery in behavioral psychology as well as modern physiology. Pavlov focused on digestion studies which then would lead him to the act of learning and the discovery of conditioned reflexes. â€Æ' Ivan Pavlov was born in 1849 inRead MoreEssay Operant Conditioning1743 Words   |  7 PagesIvan Pavlov Classical conditioning is a method used in behavioral studies. It is known as classical because it is the first study of laws of learning/conditioning, It is a learned reaction that you do when evoked by a stimulus. Ivan Pavlov was the scientist who discovered classical conditioning. Ivan Pavlov was born in Russia. He lived from 1849 - 1936 . Pavlov’s field of study was physiology and natural science. One of Pavlov’s discoveries was the conditioning of dogs. WhileRead MoreBehaviorism As A Psychological Theory Of Human Development942 Words   |  4 Pagesenvironment also known as conditioning. Conditioning is a learning process in which an environment stimulus elicits a response, and an individual learns from the association between that stimulus and response. (Cherry, 2010 ) Among John B. Watson s studies of behaviorism there were several others who contributed towards the idea behind behaviorism. Ivan Pavlov was a major contributor to the theory of behaviorism. Ivan Pavlov accidentally discovered the idea of conditioning through his observationalRead MoreClassical Conditioning Paper1235 Words   |  5 PagesClassical Conditioning Paper Lakeshia Jackson Psy 390 August 1, 2011 Gary Burk Classical Conditioning Paper Although classical conditioning is something that most people experience in a daily basis, it may also be the first thing someone remembers in a day. According to Olson and Hergenhahn (2009) classical conditioning is defined as a type of learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to elicit a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally brings about that response. InRead MorePsychological Conditioning and Theories of Behavior1013 Words   |  4 Pagesand measured). Ivan Pavlov, for instance, was researching the digestive systems of dogs and led him to the discovery of classical condition, a way to modify behaviors using conditioned responses. Pavlovs views intrigued American John Watson, who pushed the idea forward in up through the 1950s. Building on these theories, but amending the model with the effects of punishment and reward, B.F. Skinners work had a revolutionary effect on behaviorism, now called operant conditioning (Shiraev, 2010,Read MoreIvan Pavlov s Classi cal Conditioning1441 Words   |  6 Pagescame to a close, the studies of psychology were just beginning. Ivan Pavlov opened the door to the idea of classical conditioning with his tests on salivating dogs. The discoveries brought light to the way both animal and human minds work regarding associative learning. After Pavlov’s experiment, many more experiments came after. Even today Pavlov’s findings are so apparent it seems the idea of associative learning and conditioning of animals seems to be common sense. Today there is a lot of speculation