Ben Franklin Essay Example for Free

Ben Franklin Essay As early as the founding of the United States of America, Mr. Franklin observed society using the excuse, I dont have enough time†¦ and it negative effects on their lives. Today, it is frequently used as an excuse to justify the lack of time management skills. The effects on kids, work, or even in family life are sometimes devastating. In a day there are 24 hours, and time is available to juggle the daunting task of daily routines and prevent unwanted consequences. The first area the phrase’s unwanted results prevail is in children. While frantically circling the kitchen, trying to prepare supper, a neighbor of mine completely astounded me. Janes son, Mathew, came into the kitchen through the old saloon style double doors, and asked his mom if he could walk uptown with his friends. Without batting an eye Jane answered the young boy, saying Go ahead son. I dont have enough time to worry about you right now,† as she carried on with the twirling of a whisk in a pot of stew. It was only a couple hours before I peered out the window to see Mathew coming home in the back of a police cruiser. I don’t have time†¦ opened the doors for the young, misguided youth to go astray. As a parent, I also find that I struggle with difficulties of my childrens academics when I dont have enough time for them. My oldest daughter, Krista, has made excellent grades throughout her entire academic career. Recently, she has asked if I can help her research paper and answer some questions she may have. I dont have enough time,† was my immediate response. Around three days went by and I found myself looking online through her grades. I noticed that on the research paper she turned in, she received a below standard grade. â€Å"I don’t have enough time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  left my daughter without important information she needed from me to complete her assignment. Another area the deceptive words, â€Å"I don’t have enough time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  has shown its unappealing effects are while interviewing for a new job. In 2010, my friend Jesse and I departed from the militar y. Throughout life Jesse continued to apply the values of neatness and time management he acquired from his military training to his life, while I chose to be stubborn and do the opposite. During an interview for a sales representative position at Bob Pforte Dodge, I noticed that Jesse had also applied for the position. While speaking to him, I noticed that he had dressed in his deep blue suit, red tie, and his hair had been neatly combed to the left. His presence demanded attention, with a look that showed his desire for the position. I on the other hand, had worn mildly tattered blue jeans, a pullover shirt, and my hair had been quickly brushed straight down. I don’t have enough time†¦ was the excuse I thought of at that moment. When Jesse came out of the interview room, he spun towards me and gave a smile with the proverbial, â€Å"Nailed it,† thumbs up. After entering the office I discovered what the excitement was about. Jonathan, an interviewer at Bob Pforte Dod ge, sat behind an old mahogany desk with his peppered hair slicked back, still euphorically commenting on how, That was a business man! As he continued to describe Jesse’s charismatic appearance and ‘top-notch’ charm, things he remembered to make time for, I dont have enough time, continued to rattle through my brain. Today, Jesse is the top sales representative at Bob Pforte Dodge, while I now wake up thirty minutes earlier and take time to assure that my appearance shows my positive characteristics. Finally, I dont have enough time†¦ ultimately affects the physical or mental attributes of humans. When time is not made to unwind and do something enjoyable, the outcome on our physical and/or mental well being could prove devastating. My grandfather worked hard his entire life. He never was able to find time for his family, friends, or even take a few minutes to enjoy life. Grandpa’s children would continuously ask their father to watch a movie, or play ball with them, during which he would reply sharply with â€Å"I don’t have enough time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He retired at the age of fifty-five, only to find that time found him. Sitting alone at home, all the people who once begged for his attention now find themselves with the same excuse. I dont have time right now, Dad, they would respond as they managed to juggle their own families, jobs, and children. He passed away at the very early age of fifty-seven. I dont have enough time, stole the valuable time his family needed with him and the unrelenting need the body has for ‘time’ to relax and heal. Thus proving the effects of using the old adage is not only devastating to the mental development of families, but also could have fatal effects on physical health as well. Our daily routines, should be closely examined when we find ourselves saying I dont have enough time. The consequences could be as small as losing the promotion or as large as hurting the people who cherish the valuable time they crave. I dont have time†¦ is a statement that, if possible should be avoided. The effects could prove to be less than anticipated. Making time for the things that are important is a valuable skill in life. â€Å"I don’t have time†¦,†as Mr. Franklin implied, is an excuse to spend more time doing things that are seldom good for anything.

Arthur Birling and inspector goole Essay Example for Free

Arthur Birling and inspector goole Essay Priestley shows this in the section after the inspector has left I remember what he said, how he looked, how he made me feel. Fire and blood and anguish. This shows the affect that he had on certain characters was very big. In his closing speech the Inspector left with a warning; And I tell that the time will soon come when, if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. This could be referring to the first world war, where men from all different backgrounds, and classes, would have to stand together, as equals, and fight for their country. This contradicts Mr Birlings prediction at the start of Act 1; Just because the Kaiser makes a few speeches The Germans dont want war. Nobody wants war, This shows the difference between the philosophies of the Inspector and Birling, it also demonstrates Priestleys idea that Mr Birlings capitalist views are wrong, and how the Inspector, who is right about war, is probably right about everything else. Priestley uses this to show the benefits a socialist society would bring to the world. Priestley is suggesting that Birlings every man for himself idea will end in tragedies like Eva. Whereas the Inspectors Philosophy of shared responsibility would avoid such terrible events. The experience of the Inspectors questions changes some characters, but has no effect on others. It starts off with all of the family sitting down feeling no guilt whatsoever, but after the Inspector comes Eric and Sheila realise the seriousness of what they have done, whilst the others, at this point believing it is a practical joke, feel no guilt. What Mr and Mrs Birling and Gerald didnt seem to understand is that even if it wasnt the same girl (and no one was sure if it was or not) that they still did these cruel actions, and millions of other people do similar things without knowing the consequences, many young men and women will come to a similar end. Another point to the structure of the play is that the inspector only reveals small parts of Evas story to certain characters, never letting more than one person see the photograph at once. This gives the twist at the end more mystery. The Inspector affected different characters differently, depending on how much they understand what was going on in the world at that point in time. Mr Birling was affected slightly at the start, but being a weak character, and because of his wifes superior class always follows her lead. Therefore after watching his wifes interrogation, and seeing the way she refused to give in to the Inspector, and not feel guilty about what she has done, he follows suit. He and Mrs Birling were the least affected characters, in the end, possibly because they didnt understand what life would have been like for Eva Smith without all the things they did to her. Gerald felt very guilty at first, because he had feelings for her, but then he went for a walk and didnt feel as guilty anymore. This is probably because Gerald has grown up used to money, and inherited his parents capitalist views. Eric and Sheila were most affected by the Inspector, especially his final words, this is shown when Sheila repeats them Fire and blood and aguish. Sheila and Eric understand most about what goes on in the world, this is demonstrated early on but what about war? and when Sheila knows about Erics drinking problem. They understand more that this sort of thing can happen to people, and these small actions can lead people to commit suicide, this is probably why the inspector affected them more. After watching the play, the audience can interpret the character of Inspector Goole in many different ways. You could think of him just as a normal man, who, having heard of the Birling familys selfish acts, wishes to help them change for the better. Or he could be a conscience to make them feel guilty about what theyve done, and stop distancing themselves from the working class. He could also be the ghost of Eva Smith in another form to make them pay for what theyve done. His surname also indicates this as it is a homonym of ghoul, another word for ghost. I conclude that Birling represents the views of capitalists and the inspector represents the views of socialists. Priestley makes Birling a weak, unintelligent, ignorant and Selfish character who rambles on a bit and desperate to fit in with the higher class that he follows his wifes lead. Sybil seems to guide her husband, Telling him what he should or shouldnt say, this is made evident when she disapproves with him saying: Good dinner too Sybil tell cook for me. Mrs Birling would disapprove because saying what good food it was, wasnt considered a polite thing because it is like fishing for compliments from Gerald. She doesnt like him saying tell cook for me because it implies they talk to their servants, which wouldnt have been done in those days. Birling also copies Geralds fathers (his social superior) choice of wine, to make Gerald think that he is marrying into a family with as much money as his. In contrast, Priestley makes the inspector appear as a person who speaks carefully, is intelligent, knows what is going on in the world, is very strong and comes across as a kinder, selfless person; Priestley uses this to make the audience think that a socialist society will provide a fairer, more just solution to the worlds problems.

Study on Development of Education in the UAE

Study on Development of Education in the UAE UAE social development is heading in the right direction. Education and its development is one agenda that top the lists of UAE government, be it development of primary, secondary, and higher education. The attempt of this paper thus, is to trace the theme of development of education in UAE. The methodology undertaken focuses on the primary and secondary resources as defined. Structurally this paper is organized to brief the purpose of the research, followed by subject matter issue, the research questions and literature review, as a step to reach an analysis to the core subject matter in relating to the discussion and finally its conclusion. . Introduction Knowledge as one basis of human life is an important aspect. But how does one acquire knowledge? We can readily agree that education is one factor of it Education in the contemporary context is very vital. A lot of talks in recent time among global leaders and educationist also have gone at length to emphasize the need of education as one basis of human life and growth. Debate surrounding the development of education in many nations around the globe also is one heated theme. As we take a leap towards knowledge economy, the need and requirement of education cannot be sided apart. As human, we have the capability to learn. However, in that regard education also plays a bigger role in the society to impart the learning process. This is where we can begin our arguments encompassing the subject matter and the theme in general encompassing education and its developments. Summing it all up, education and the role that it plays in the society today is very crucial. However, factor surrounding the same is that proper facilities and infrastructure also have to be met with as far as fostering quality education is concerned. The state machinery also requires a through look into the matter of such great importance to facilitate a process that is meaningful and feasible to expand the realms of education and its reach among people. Purpose and objective of the research The purpose and objective of this research in particular is to take an analytical look into the theme encompassing education and it developmental phase in the society today. Together with it, reason behind the study also is to have a better understanding on the theme of education primarily as one factor to take an in-depth analysis that limits itself to the development of education in UAE. Thus, to simply the objective and purpose of this research, it would be prudent that the following is also highlighted: To have a better and deeper understanding on the topic of Development of Education in UAE in recent time. To emphasize on the study and research encompassing how education machinery works in UAE. To understand the educational system and infrastructure in UAE, when it matter to primary, secondary and higher education process and its development. To know about the different aims and objectives of Education policy and the machinery of educational development phase in UAE in the contemporary context. Most important objective was the experience and learning objective that can be garnered by doing a thorough research on the subject matter, which we are of the opinion provides a basis for a better and deeper understanding on how the development of education in UAE is taking shape in recent times, which would otherwise have not been possible without undertaking this project. Subject matter issue The subject matter issue of this work limits itself on Development of Education in UAE. In that reasoning, we feel that there is no lack of issue to be identified. For example, UNESCO also have highlighted in the recent report that dates back to 2000 on the prospects and necessary change required to strengthen the UAE economy and to build a future of bright minds and solid leadership in the country. Not surprisingly, the report states that the UAE have taken a great and formidable stride as far as development of education in the society are concerned. In that respect the development of education in UAE also have made substantial progress to facilitate a foundation for basic education in the society and is machinery towards the ambitious goals of providing education for all. (WorldEducationFurum, 2000) From this analysis in parts, we can identify as where to reflect the basis of our subject matter issue. There is no doubt that education processes in UAE is heading in the rights direction. However, how far such progression is, or when it matter to the reality surrounding the development of education in UAE is still subjected to debate, which this paper and the attempt made herein is to identify the pros and cons of the development of education in UAE today, and in particular how the educational machinery in the state works. Research Questions Following the subject matter issue as briefed above, the research question that arises in that regard are detailed as follows:- What are the educational machinery and its developmental processes in UAE? What role did the UAE government played in the development of education in UAE? What are the measures undertaken by UAE government in making the education practices in UAE at par with global standards? What are the goals and objectives of the new organizational framework for the development of education in UAE? In that regard, how has the ministry of education and youth affair in UAE contributed to the ambitious goals of education and its development in the society? What are the roles played by private and public educational undertaking in contributing to the development of education in UAE? Finally, do the UAE and the society at large have proper educational facilities and infrastructure to be at par with global education standards that strives for quality, assessments, feasible learning environment of the student community from the primary level of education until the higher education level? Methodology To gather information about this project on the theme of Development of Education in UAE much of it has been gathered through electronic sources relevant to the subject matter that relates to the UAE and in particular to educational forums that discusses the topic. Literature reviews and study in that regard also is one crucial methodology undertaken to reach an understanding as far as education, the value attached to it and most importantly the development stage in the contemporary society today. Simply, the methodology undertaken for the study of this research is differentiated between primary and secondary methodology. Primary Research Methodology: Electronic sources that assisted in gathering information relevant to the subject matter analysis can be accorded as one primary methodology, which has been vital for in enabling the research to focus on the core of the subject matter. In those aspects, resource acquired includes news articles and reports. Together wit it, the questionnaire developed for the purpose of the subject matter is also one aspect of the primary research and methodology. Apart from it, forum for educational discussion such as the UNESCO reports that limits itself to UAE and its educational phase is also one aspects of the primary methodology. Overall, it can be sum up that the primary resource and information gathering in that capacity is to justify the facts that are salient to the subject matter, which to a great extent news reports have been feasible for the analysis overall. Secondary Research Methodology: For other secondary information, literature review related to the theme of the subject matter has been beneficial enough to provide a clear understanding as far as the subject matter concerns. Literature review also provided a basis to lay emphasis to the crucial issue surrounding educations and its processes in general, which further assisted to limit the analysis in crucial arena that reflects to UAE and educational development in that regard. Literature Review To begin with in this note, we are of the opinion that education is one significant factor and there are several noble goals attached to it. Above all, Plato, one of the most renowned Greek thinkers also asserts that the direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life. (Plato, 1996) This quote in particular gives a precise and clear impression as to why education is of valuable importance. When we begin to ponder on these thoughts and to limit our analysis on educational and its developments, we see that many nations around the globe today also stresses that education and its foundation in the society today is significant as a measure undertaken to strengthen the foundation of the nation and its future. As the contemporary society takes a leap and bound as far as growth and development is concerned, education and its developmental phase also find a place of representation in that regard. Many renowned personalities and leaders also have emphasized the fact that education is one tool of empowerment and a powerful tool indeed. To begin with in that regard, scholars also are of the opinion that schooling is unavoidably a moral enterprise, and its impact in that regard also is both intrinsic and extrinsic. (Pandey, 2005, p. 1). Driving home from this point in contention, we fully agree that educational facilities and learning environment that are fostered through schooling have a powerful impact on the morality of human and their behavior. This salient factor of education is the basis of analysis when we reflect from a social and cultural context. Together with it, many educationist who advocates the values of education also relates to the fact that education as one basis of it all in the cultural and societal realms provides a formidable foundation to learning, especially when it matter to embodied the aspects of self-esteem, community services, multicultural educations, civic education, etc to name but a few. (Pandey, 2005, p. 2) Hence, from this part of the analysis, we can derive as to where education finds its place of representation in the society today. It is not surprising that policy makers also take a great measure to address the value of education. That is why we see reason enough that measure and initiation undertaken for the development of education readily register with the society and policy makers who are aware that the value of education in the society also marked the foundation of empowerment of individuals and as well as the future of the society. The Development of Education in UAE As far as UAE goes, one important point to relate to the theme of the subject matter can be related to the latest reports available with Arabianbusiness.com in which it is highlighted that the president of UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also stresses the need of the hour is to formulate policies for the effective development of educational processes, which tops the Agenda of the government. (Attwood, 2010) In that essence we can emphasize as to where the basis of education and its development in UAE is progressing. As we are aware, the foundation of education system in UAE is already there. Take for example the fact that investment taken by UAE government and policy makers as far as education is concerned is impressive, either when it matter to the structure that gives importance to primary education, secondary education and higher, plus technical education, where the foundation of infrastructural needs and system machinery are all being met out. (UAEInteract) Together with it, what we can further augment the fact of educational development in UAE also can be related to the social development aspects of education in UAE. What the news reports highlighted is that since the foundation of the state of UAE way back in 1971, the UAE government have emphasized to showered greater importance and interest in the development of education in the society, especially the development of education system in the country. (UAEInteract, Investment in UAE education sector on the rise, 2010) Hence, on the basis of this report, we can relate as to where the development course of education in UAE is heading. The foundation and roots of educational system in UAE have been there since the emergence of the state way back in 1971. However, recent measure undertaken by the government to initiate programs such as free and compulsory education for all is also a positive step of the development phase, which showed in the way of the literacy rate that have shot up from 53.5% in 1989 to 79% in 2000. (ArabianCampus.com) Furthermore, the education system in UAE in particular also is structuralized to meet the standards of global education. Add to it, the basis of the educational system in UAE also is to meet the requirement of the society for comprehensive education starting from the primary level till the secondary level, as well as university education. What is crucial to note is that educational sector in UAE have blossomed tremendously as a measure to reach individuals in the society and their needs for formal education. (ArabianCampus.com) Discussion When we lay emphasis to the analysis above, we can drive home the idea that the development phase of education and its process also have taken a new leaf of life in the contemporary context. In that respects, discussion that follows also reflects the opinion of public in UAE as per the survey carried out by GulfNews.com surrounding the theme Money vs. education, which is interpreted below. As per the reports available with Gulf News relates, many readers in the survey undertaken viewed their opinion that education provide a foundation to be financially sound as well as to be educated. (Khan, 2009) Some other readers who participated in the survey also are of the opinion that money and education are both important. Yet the greatest response that has been reached among participants in the survey is that education is very important and most respondents are in favor of education as a factor to means to earn money. The adage knowledge is power also represents the responses of respondent. (Khan, 2009) Conclusion This study has been crucial to understand the salient aspects surrounding education, especially the matter of the theme that relates to Development of Education in UAE. Thus, what we can conclude is that education is very vital in today contemporary context. The measure undertaken by UAE government to facilitate formal education in the society and necessary actions undertaken to invest in the development of education is impressive. As we have highlighted above, measure undertaken by UAE government in context of educations, be it providing free and formal education, setting up infrastructure for educational purposes, investing and attracting investment in the private educational sector overall reflects what we can conclude as the development stage that have reached its pinnacle. Yet there is every reason to belief that a lot of development in other fronts is also required to be undertaken. Hence, setting the standards of education that emphasize on meeting the objective to be at par with global educational system is also crucial, given that today education emphasize on a global arena and plays a pivotal role for employment and empowerment.

Epic of Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf’s Christian Tone Beowulf is an epic about a larger than life hero, who becomes leader of his people. The overall tone of Beowulf is predominantly Christian, "owing to a vision of evil in the world, a belief in the power of Fate to rule human destiny, and resignation to the certainty of death." Parallelism between fate and providence, constant battling between good and evil, and the virtues of consideration of others, moderation, and unselfishness all support this overall Christian tone. "Beowulf is more than a conflict involving monsters, but it is an allegory depicting the constant battle between the forces of Good and Evil." The Evil in this case is Grendel. Grendel is portrayed as God’s antagonist, Satan. "Out from the marsh, from the foot of misty hills and bogs, bearing God’s hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot." Grendel is cursed with every feature rejected by God. "He was spawned in that slime, conceived by a pair of those monsters born to Cain, murderous creatures banished by God, punished forever for the crime of Abel’s death." Beowulf is the protagonist in this epic. He is the supreme Good. No man can match his qualities. "But the truth is simple: no man swims in the sea as I can, no strength is a match for mine." Beowulf was the ideal warrior; everyone believed in him. "Hrothgar†¦ believed in Beowulf’s bold strength and the firmness of his spirit." Beowulf was also very determined. "I will fight until he (Grendel) dies or I’ll die trying." His main purpose in Beowulf was to gain glory and fame in order to distinguish himself. And by doing so he proves to be a man of wisdom and integrity who has fought the good fight and has defeated the inferior evil. Another important Christian principle, which was emphasized, was the constant parallelism between fate and providence. There was a belief in wyrd, a belief in the power of Fate to rule human destiny balanced by the power of God, who is ultimately in control. "God must decide who will be given to death’s cold grip." Your fate was impossible to change. "Fate will unwind as it must!" The future of a person was destined by their fate. "Fate saves the living when they drive away death by themselves!" The virtues of consideration for others, moderation, and unselfishness are also depicted and appreciated.

Wired to Another World :: Technology Computers Internet Papers

Wired to Another World So a duck walks into a convenient store and says, â€Å"Hey you got any gwapes?† Annoyed the clerk responds â€Å"No we don’t have any grapes.† The next day the duck comes back into the store and asks the clerk, â€Å"Hey you got any gwapes?† The clerk replies, â€Å" Didn’t I tell you yesterday we don’t have no grapes! You come back in here asking for grapes and I’ll staple you beak shut, got it?† So the next day the duck walks into the convenient store and says. â€Å" Hey you got any staples?† The clerk replies, â€Å"No, no staples†. So the duck asks, â€Å"Well than you got any gwapes?† (â€Å"All Work and No Play Makes Eddy Go Crazy 2/15/03). I heard this joke from Wahoo, a person I met on an online community for the television show Friends. I had requested that anyone with any jokes leave them in my thread because I needed a good laugh to relieve my stress from school. I was requested to join a online â€Å"community† by my writing professor and then decide if it truly was a community. Webster’s dictionary defines community as â€Å" a unified body of individuals†¦an interacting population of various kinds of individuals† (233). Although many people dismiss online communities as silly and a waste of time, they actually provide many average people with a place to socialize at the end of the day or retreat to on a work-break when everyone else they know is busy. I chose the Friends online forum because I enjoy the show and watch it every week. I figured that it would be easy for me to connect with people and start conversations. Unfortunately, I was mistaken. When I visited the site I noticed that the majority of the topics had little or nothing to do with Friends. Simply put, it was people talking about cars, movies, love lives, and any other subject on someone’s mind. I found this interesting since this was a forum dedicated to a television show. But it did remind me of how people would act if they attended an automobile convention, for example. Although automobiles are the main topic, people would diverge and speak of other issues. Of course there where topics pertaining to the show, however most of the conversation where so precise that often times I couldn’t remember the exact episode they were speaking of.

Japanese Identity Essay -- Japan Culture History Essays

Japanese Identity Throughout its history, Japan has striven to define its national identity not by its own means, but by those predefined by foreign, and most recently, Western powers. Despite legends of the island archipelago being created by the sun goddess Amaterasu, Japan seems to have consistently maintained a indecisive self-image with respect to its neighbors. In the past, China had represented the pinnacle of culture and technology and had tremendously influenced other surrounding countries in Asia and in the world. Indeed, Japan owes its written language to imported and adapted Chinese characters. Without question, China remained for a long time the most influential force upon Japan. However, island nation maintained a rather precarious self-identity: How could a country like Japan, which was supposedly created by the gods and therefore a divine nation, consider itself the apex of the world, given China’s tremendous influence and power? Could Japan truly consider itself the greatest l and in the world if China, or Chugoku in Japanese, literally meant â€Å"the central country?† For this reason, Japan never truly accepted a position of â€Å"belonging† to Asia. That is, despite a considerable amount of imported culture, Japan was still somehow inherently different from other Asian countries. So, if Japan does not â€Å"belong† to Asia, does it belong to some other amorphous collection of nations, namely Europe or the West? Certainly in the modern post-WWII era Japan has seen phenomenal economic growth, even to the point of threatening the US as the primary global economic power during the height of the â€Å"bubble economy.† Some credit this success to the changes implemented during the US occupation. Undoubtedly without US assistan... ...th can be seen walking around in some of the most bizarre looking clothing. I once saw a young girl wearing a swan dress not unlike the one worn by Bjork. I have seen some of the worst â€Å"fashion faux-pas,† with severely conflicting colors, completely mismatching styles of the top, bottom, and shoes, makeup seemingly done by a five-year-old. As one might like to hope that these styles were mistakenly created by the individual, it is clear that they are intended, whether for shock value or for personal satisfaction. It seems as though in places such as Harajuku, the more â€Å"unique,† the better. While Miyake seemed to have far reaching consequences for Japanese identity on the international level, Kawakubo’s constant questioning of societal norms helped foster individual deviations, thereby creating a new identity which, ironically enough, is not limited to or by itself.

Nature vs. Nurture: Do We Have Control Over Our Destiny Or Is It Pre-determined For Us?

Do we have control over our destiny or is it pre-determined for us? This age-old question, which has been pondered since the age of Socrates, continues to cause much debate today. Psychologist will favor one side or the other with much controversy on the issue. They have been trying to explain or excuse human behavior in order to have a deeper understanding for development. Many professions have solicited the assistance of psychologists in trying to pre-determine the psychology of potential people for areas such as employment and placement. The legal profession has sought out psychologists on both sides to prove their theories of the mental abilities, behavior explanations or predictions of behavior of a defendant or plaintiff. â€Å"Society has been fighting a continuous fight from the debate nurture to nature, leaving behind a number of bewildered social scientist. Yet we still love to phrase everything in terms of one influence or the other, rather than both. † (Waal, 1999). In the educational profession, understanding the balance or affect of both nature and nurture is essential to designing an effective plan for each pupil’s advancement. Even though, today, it is widely accepted that the child’s culture interacts with his or her genetic traits to determine the kind of adult he or she will become, it is worth looking at this centuries’ long debate. The central dispute in the study of human development is the nature-nurture controversy. It is the continuing debate over whether the individual’s various traits and characteristics are influenced more by inborn factors or by experience. The nurture debate stresses the importance of cultural influences and other aspects of the environment that influence human development. Theorists, who share this view, believe that human development can be controlled by manipulating the environment. The nature debate refers to the idea that biological heredity is the only factor that determines differences among individuals. Nature refers to the traits, capacities, and limitations that each individual genetically acquires from his/her parents. Some of those traits are physical characteristics, diseases, athletic and intellectual abilities, etc. At the end of the eighteenth century, a debate began about the nature of human beings, the influences of the mind on behavior, and the differences between humans and animals. On one side of the debate were people who believed that newborn babies were born without any knowledge or skills. John Locke, a British philosopher, suggested in the 1690s that the human infant is like a blank slate, on which experience in the form of human learning and it writes messages on the infant’s unformed mind. This view is known as empiricism. It credits human development to experience. What directs human development is the stimulation people receive as they are nurtured (Berger, 1988). Several years later, Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that children are capable of discovering how the world operates without adult teaching. He believed that children should be allowed to grow as nature dictates, without guidance or pressure from adults. This view is known as nativist. It argues that people’s heredity is the mold that shapes development (Cranston, 1991). John Watson, the founder of behaviorism, argued that the environment and not nature, was the key to human development. His theory states that most human behavior is learned, or conditioned. In 1918, he began conducting a series of highly controversial experiments with children. The results of these experiments demonstrated that an infant could learn to fear an object he or she previously perceived to be harmless, and he or she could come to fear similar objects. From his experiments, Watson inferred that children learn everything from skills to Nature vs. Nurture 4 fears. Watson showed that childhood learning experiences could have lasting effects in people’s lives (Crain, 2000). In Sigmund Freud’s theory, development was the product of both internal urges and external conditions, particularly children’s sexual and aggressive urges and how parents handled them. His theory incorporated both nature and nurture. Freud was the founder of Psychoanalysis, a theory that stresses the influence of unconscious motivation and drives [on not needed] all human behavior (Bee, 2002). In the 1970s, the theory of Jean Piaget dominated the developmental psychology field. Piaget suggested that nature and nurture are inseparable and interactive. His theory states that at each age, people develop schemas. Schemas are general ways of thinking about ideas and objects. According to him, as children actively manipulate and explore their surroundings, internal mental images of objects and actions guide them. Experience modifies these schemas. These schemas, in turn, organize past experiences and provide guidelines for understanding future experiences. Human development is accomplished by a process of organization and adaptation (Berger, 1988). Erik Erickson’s psychosocial theory of human development proposes that individuals are influenced by the interaction of physical characteristics, personal experiences, and social forces. In his view, each culture greatly influences each person’s ability to deal with the most significant tasks of psychological development (Crain, 2000). Nowadays, it is accepted in the developmental psychology field that both heredity and environment contribute to human development. The degree to which nature or nurture influences Nature vs. Nurture 5 a person’s development varies according to the different characteristics. Although some human characteristics are more influenced by external characteristics and others are more influenced by internal conditions, nature and nurture interact to determine behavior. The environment encourages or discourages the expression of an individual’s inherent potential; at the same time, genetic characteristics affect an individual’s environment. In other words, in terms of human development, nurture and nature complement each other. Reference Bee, H. (2002). Child and adolescent development (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing. Berger, K. S. (1988). The developing person throught the lifespan (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers. Crain, W. (2000). Theories of development: Concepts and applications (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Cranston, M. (1991). The noble savage: Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Waal, F.,(1999). The End of Nature versus Nurture. Scientific American. Retrieved March 9, 2005, from http://www.sfu.ca/~dant/projects/psyc100/de_waal_nature_nurtute.pdf.