Musical Taste Buds: How and Why We Have Musical Tendencies Essay exampl

Music is a universal language. All around the world, music exists and lives in many forms and genres. Personally, I have yet to hear a song or composition that I did not thoroughly enjoy. Throughout my life, I have learned my take on music is not the typical one. Most people I know lean towards certain genres and have at least one they avoid completely. Sometimes, it is a certain band, artist, or sound that others find unappealing. I have always wondered why I seem to be so unbiased to music compared to other people I know. Why do so many people tend to limit themselves to only enjoy certain music? For me, enjoying music is about the experience and the feeling presented in a composition. For me, music is, first and foremost, audio art. As an Art major, I can see and understand music as beauty rather than just sounds. This I feel is the difference that allows all music to be enjoyable for me. It is simple enough to understand the things that make music appealing. The real questions about music are about what makes music different for each listener. Why do people to like and/or dislike songs, sounds, genres, etc.? I value and find beauty in the fact that there are so many different sounds, it is these variances that I think create our musical taste buds. Musical â€Å"taste buds† is an expression I use when thinking about a developed preference to music. My musical palate is open, eager, and willing to try something unknown, while others may lean toward tastes with which they are already familiar. One can’t help but wonder whether or not music can be appreciated simply for what it is or are there other factors such as the artist’s life, inspiration, or media that create our varied tastes. Music is a form of art that exists specificall... ... not consistent with one’s own musical taste buds. Bibliography Fink, Bob. "FANG or FLINT? What Made the "Neanderthal Flute"?" Crosscurrents -- Journal of Ancient Music, Pre-history, Archaeology & Origins (& Other Social History & Science Matters) 198 (2008): 1-10. EBSCO. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. Goldstein, E. Bruce. Cognitive Psychology Connecting Mind, Research and Everyday Experience (with Coglab 2.0 Online Booklet). Belmont: Wadsworth, 2007. Print. Levitin, Daniel J. The World in Six Songs How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature. New York: Dutton Adult, 2008. Print. Ruwet, N. "Musicology and linguistics." International Social Science Journal 19.1 (1967): 79-78. EBSCO. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. "Origin of music - encyclopedia article - Citizendium." Welcome to Citizendium - Citizendium. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .

Ethics and Morality Essay

There is an inherent question on the basis of morality and whether or not it is a man-made, almost religious invention or if it is intrinsic to our beings as humans. I think that the rope that is the argument between is too complicated and tightly knotted to have a short conversation about, but by fraying the ends of the rope we can inevitably decide that morality is innate and that religion may have a part in building upon it, but not in creating it. The curiosity behind the topic of morality is normally fashioned by religious arguments for the assumption that a deity endowed us as humans with some sort of moral compass. However, by searching the brain for its different functions and activities during moral dilemmas and religious interactions, along with historical clues and a little knowledge of sociology, determining that morality is not created, only built upon, is inevitable. Morality is defined as normatively to refer to a code of conduct that, given specified conditions, would be put forward by all rational persons (Stanford). With this as a definition, the first question to rises is the following: What is one moral action that a believer can do that a non-believer cannot do? There are few answers to the inverse, if any, but non-believers do not pose that they have any stronger of a moral compass than believers, while believers do. It is incredibly important to think about an answer to this question because if there truly is no answer to this challenge, then a road has been paved toward an objective that we can already see, which is that being ethical and moral is not necessarily a religious view, so such claims can immediately be cast off and the topic can stay on a strictly scientific road. Now the consideration lies upon what is deemed as an ethical person. Is the president ethical in his decisions? Is a doctor ethical in his decisions? Of course, there is an ethical code in these circles, but does that immediately mean that any decisions outside of the codes are immoral? A moral person is normally described as somebody who takes into account the possible consequences of his or her actions and rationally decides on a choice based on how it may affect those around him. We call these people morally good because their contributions to whomever they are around are normally well thought-out, harmless contributions to the topic. However, this is simply a definition, and the person is simply his or her self. Take into account the thoughts of those around the subject. A religiously-convicted man would say that his religion is the reason for his good nature, while one not necessarily supporting religion would say that he is simply a good person. As an aside, there are multiple people who would take the chance to point out many historically immoral figures, such as Mao Zedong, Stalin, Pol Pot, who were atheistic. While it is true that these figures were indeed non-believers, it is important to distinguish the reasons for their immorality. It was not based on religion, but rather by social constructs and a greed for power that caused them to act out. Some may cite Hitler as an atheist as well, but they’d be digging their own grave. Hitler, in Mein Kampf, even gives credit to the Christian god, and had religious inscriptions on every Nazi-uniform belt. To get back to the previous point, it is important to take into account what those around the subject would perceive, and although the religiously-convicted man might have millions of people around the world following his train of thought, research done Dr. Pyssiainen and Dr. Hauser from the departments of Psychology and Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University offers an interesting perspective on the topic: â€Å"†¦Despite differences in, or even an absence of, religious backgrounds, individuals show no difference in moral judgments for unfamiliar moral dilemmas. The research suggests that intuitive judgments of right and wrong seem to operate independently of explicit religious commitments. † Pyssiainen’s and Hauser’s study grants us that although religious backgrounds may indeed build upon moral constructs, as good religion is only positively influential to a good person, a complete lack of religious background is perfectly plausible if an individual wishes to be moral because moral judgments are not linked to religious commitments. This finding is absolutely crucial to determining whether or not morality is man-made or inherent to humans because it breaks the perceived bond between belief and morality. So their contribution to the topic has been seen through and accepted as a welcome source of reference. However, it is essential to look at the other side of the argument. Which studies show that seem to show that religion is a key factor in morality? Unfortunately, they are found few and far between. As a matter of fact, there are literally no scientific studies that show religion is crucial in the formation of morality. It’s widely granted that religion, in some aspects, can further construct upon morality and cause others to be exceedingly altruistic and generous, and that is conceded by Paul Bloom of Yale University, but it is not a formative agent. In his paper, â€Å"Religion, Morality, Evolution,† he accepts that religion can be a guiding influence on a positive path. However, he points out that it is by no means the reason for morality, and that religion itself may just be an accident by which humans needed an answer to questions that they couldn’t fathom without the help of a deity. Necessity dictates that there should be some rather fueled individuals on a topic as flammable as the topic of morality and religion. Speaking as an outsider looking in, I cannot very well use the words of Christopher Hitchens, though I would love to dearly, because he was so against religion. While he was indeed logical in most of his claims, he was a self-described anti-theist, meaning that he was against a spectating deity who watched over each individual. Thus, his words would seem rather biased. However, Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, and Sam Harris, a well-known neuroscientist, are individuals who speak strictly through logical and provable means. Richard Dawkins posed the same point as Paul Bloom that religion is most likely an accident through evolution that was used as a possible answer to the world’s greatest questions, and Harris poses multiple reasonable points. The most relevant, though, is that if the bible were the only book in the world, it would be rational to use it as a basis for morality. However, because the bible is not the only book in the world and society is far more civilized now than it was when the bible was conceived, it is reasonable to assume that the bible is not the best book for building a moral compass. To end on a rather short note, there are few, if any, scientific studies arguing that religion is the factory that builds moral compasses. However, there are studies being conducted which follow Pyssiainen’s and Hauser’s and should end up corroborating their finds that morality works independently of religious constructs and confines. Thus, it is both rational and reasonable to assume that, after looking through history at the reasons for extreme wrongdoings and the social situations that facilitated them, and the evidence against opposing claims, morality is indeed intrinsic to our human nature and that it is simply augmented by outside forces, such as good religion. References Bloom, Paul, Religion, Morality, Evolution (January 2012). Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 63, pp. 179-199, 2012. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn. com/abstract=1982949 or http://dx. doi. org/10. 1146/annurev-psych-120710-100334 Cell Press (2010, February 9). Morality research sheds light on the origins of religion. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 12, 2013, from http://www. sciencedaily. com /releases/2010/02/100208123625. htm Harris, Sam. Letter to a Christian Nation. New York: Random House, Print. Harris, Sam. The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason. New York: W. W. Norton, Print. Pyysiainen, Hauser et al. The origins of religion Q1 : evolved adaptation or by-product? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, February 8, 2010 â€Å"The Nature of Morality and Moral Theories. † Morality and Moral Theories. University of San Diego. Web. 12 May 2013. .

Democracy Essay

Professional politicians, if by nothing else than by a simple Darwinian processes, are very good at perceiving such things, and give the people exactly want: age government deficits. For example, in every present and past democracy, the people always claim that they want politicians who will not accept bribes, when in fact this is the farthest thing from the truth.What the people really want, as they repeatedly demonstrate from the voting, is politicians who will spending huge amounts of money on multi-media campaigns to win votes, who will spend massive amounts of time coming to their towns to speak to the local rotary club or school (for a fee), and who will spend massive amounts of time influencing legislation to win government contracts for local businesses. There are, of course, many other robbers with democracy. In all known democracies, the media flourishes.Science has not yet found a solution to this problem. In a democracy, you will Incessantly be subjected to hearing the Id eas, speculation, and bizarre prognostications of everyone around you. The media multiplies this problem a thousands. TRIAL BY JURY: When one Is accused by the state of a crime, the second scariest thought you can have Is that you will be tried by a Jury of your peers. The only thing scarier than this Is to be tried a Jury of your peers.The only thing scarier than a democratically elected government which allows Its citizens to own sophisticated weaponry Is a democratically elected government which goes NOT allow Its colleens to own sophisticated weaponry. Democracy – Essay 3 By Vienna POLLS: One way in which the media attempts to tell people what to think is by again, you will understand it. Fortunately, the results of these polls invariably conflict with each other and with reality, so that prolonged exposure builds up immunities.People who live in a democracy, since they believe they have some influence over the law, tend to extrapolate this into the belief that the law me ans whatever they want it to mean. (The media probably plays a role in this, though we LAWYERS: They come with litigation. Experiments show that when the population of incessantly be subjected to hearing the ideas, speculation, and bizarre thousands. When one is accused by the state of a crime, the second scariest thought you can have is that you will be tried by a Jury of your peers. The only thing scarier than this is to be tried WITHOUT a Jury of your peers. WEAPONRY: The only thing scarier than a democratically elected government which allows its citizens to own sophisticated weaponry is a democratically elected government which does NOT allow its citizens to own sophisticated weaponry.

Art Therapy: Is It Effective? Essay

Georgia O’Keeffe once said, â€Å"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way. Things I had no words for. † The actual creation of art triggers an unconscious process helping a person connect with his emotions (Kotwas). The process is said to enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The expressive arts do not discriminate and is an effective alternative to traditional psychotherapy and certain prescribed medications. The production and reflection of art helps people cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences. Creation is an essential part of life, much like eating, sleeping, and breathing, and we all possess unique artistic and creative tendencies and needs. Many people do not know what art therapy actually is, and it is not to be confused with an art class. Art therapy is unlike art education, where the focus is on teaching the use of artistic tools and techniques as well as the quality of the finished product. Expressive arts therapy combines visual arts, music, writing and other creative processes to help a person express and visualize emotions, and to aid growth and healing (Artful). Art class consists of being criticized, graded by others, and can even become a stressful environment. Opposite of that is art therapy, where no judgment exists, therefore no pressure exists, and the focus is on self-growth and awareness. Adding the therapeutic aspect to art creates a calmer environment and encourages a positive setting for allowing an individual to be more focused and to create distinctive and sometimes eye opening products. Visualizing and expressing emotions is the language of the unconscious mind. Serving as a more primitive and direct mode of personal expression than words. Art therapy is successfully filling the gaps where general clinical psychology may not be able to reach. The expressive arts offer an alternative insight into the workings of the psyche, and it is an area of study that adds further depth to the field of child psychology (Kotwas). Instead of diagnosing children with ADD or ADHD and prescribing those 2. 7 million children medication to take every day for the rest of their life, they could create. Art therapy is an effective alternative to the medications that are being prescribed to children, and making those children act like zombies, which is no way any human should ever act. Parents are too busy to spend time with a child and it seems as if they are afraid of parenting these days. Hyperactive children should not be drugged to the point of acting like a different person all together; instead they should be worked with patiently. Art naturally opens up a person’s mind and creates a euphoric and relaxed feeling. Also the creation of art lowers stress, eliminates negative thinking, and improves confidence. Expressing more than a child could possibly express by simply talking. Children tend to have a hard time articulating the way they feel, because they do not know what it is they are feeling or why they are feeling this particular way. When children cannot verbalize the effect that violence has on them, they sometimes express it by drawing says Dr. Spencer Eth. He says that when children too traumatized to talk are told, â€Å"Just draw about anything you want,† their pictures reveal much about what is on their minds. Enabling therapists to ask children to tell a story, which usually has some connection with the trauma they have suffered. Eth continues by saying, â€Å"Drawing is one of the most effective techniques we have for getting a child to open up and confront difficult feelings – the first step in healing. † (Timnick). The idea of getting a child to open up seems pretty difficult, but the adolescent child is a whole new level of difficulty which can be done with the use of art. Teenagers have a preconceived view of talking psychotherapies that has been shaped by movies and television. They often think that these therapies are only for serious mental cases or people that are dying. In contrast, they come to art therapy without such preconceived ideas, and this form of therapy has proved effective with adolescents. The greatest difficulty for an adult seeking to establish a relationship with an adolescent is the teen’s resistance to authority and lack of trust in the adult world. These stages of adolescent development are normal, but they work against the traditional forms of verbal therapy. This casual approach is a surprise to the teen and counteracts the fears of exposure and pain that may have been expected. The teens feel that they lucked out by having a therapist who is not interested in verbal cross-examination. Instead, their therapist is interested in their opinions of their world as expressed through imagery. Using art in therapy provides a pleasure factor that is not what teens expect to encounter, and it stimulates their desire to be expressive. Drawing is in tune with adolescents’ development, as evidenced by the tagging and graffiti that is abundant in many cities. It is hard to restrain an adolescent’s urge to make their mark (Riley). Art can reach into certain depths of the mind revealing underlying feelings that even an adult may not know he has. Not only can children and adolescences benefit from art therapy, but adults can as well. Creating art gives adults a sense of empowerment and control. This empowerment often influences individuals to reflect if they have performed well at something they had not realized they could master, perhaps they could similarly master other activities that had previously seemed impossible. A sense of control and empowerment in one area increases the level of comfort with exploring new challenges in general outside of the class. Arts provide some of the best opportunities to experience a new sense of control or mastery. In the arts, the opportunities to create something new and beautiful are endless and offer an enormous sense of satisfaction and empowerment (Cohen). Giving a person the self-esteem they need to openly express his inner thoughts and buried feelings. Art therapy is based on the idea that the verbal, rational mind often throws a wall between the wounded unconscious and the outside world. Drawing is a way for the unconscious to break down the wall says Dr. McGrath, â€Å"You can communicate and express feelings that can’t come out in words. Things come out that you may not expect. † Once those pictures break out, the therapist and patient can discuss them, and the healing can begin. Local art therapists empathize that the method can help people of all ages (Lemley). Not only all ages but, all mindsets as well. Art therapy is sometimes found in the school setting, but more prominently it is found in the clinical setting. Creative arts can have an equally secure place in the hospital setting if we expand that psychosocial need component, by recognizing that we are all artistic. The creative arts serve as a form of therapeutic intervention intended to increase and improve the quality of life for both clients and their families thereby, reducing the impact of the crisis caused by the illness. The arts serve as a tool and means for creative expression and communication, especially during the final stages of life (Orser). When pain becomes overpowering, a patient’s creative impulses may be an important ally. ABC News wrote an article on art therapy saying that for some time now scientists have known that a wide range of creative activities, ranging from listening to or performing music, to engaging in an energetic dance routine, may reduce pain felt by persons who are ill. And more recently researchers have shown that creating a piece of art can do the same thing, even if the art is not all that great. In the latest study, 50 cancer patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago lowered eight out of nine symptoms associated with pain and anxiety after spending one hour painting, or drawing, or trying to make a piece of pottery or jewelry. Even though a person may not have control over their medical condition, they do have control over the artwork they create. In the hospice setting, dying patients are not the only people to undergo art treatment. Art therapy also has a program that aims to help the recovering service members find a creative haven where their buried post-war thoughts and emotions can come to the surface through art and therapy. By working on their art projects in a personal manner, they confront the circumstances of their injuries and begin to overcome the uncertainty they might feel. Creating art slows down the brain so people can focus and improve their cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination. Sharing and discussing artwork establishes a sense of community and bonding with one another, which is particularly helpful to those with post-traumatic stress disorder who tend to isolate themselves and do not trust others (Cronk). Art therapy is especially beneficial to active service members, because a patient’s picture is worth a thousand words and a psychotherapy patient does not always effectively produce any words at all. Art therapy is a much more effective form of traditional therapy. Expressive arts benefits children, adolescents, adults, and elders. Very few disadvantages if any are found in the creation of art. Verbalizing an emotion is sometimes very difficult to do, yet can easily be expressed through images. People tend to bury traumatic events causing a shift in personality and a barrier between communications. Art therapy is a new and upcoming form of therapy that will become more prevalent as the years progress. It is an effective alternative to traditional therapy and prescribed medications for all sorts of disorders ranging from ADHD to patients that are dying, to post-traumatic stress disorder. Works Cited â€Å"The Artful Life – Counseling Center and Studio. † Expressive Art Therapy. Artfullifecenter. org. , 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2013. Cohen, Gene D. â€Å"Research on Creativity and Aging: The Positive Impact of the Arts†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Generations Vol. 30, No. 1. Spring 2006: 7-15. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. Cronk, Terri. â€Å"Therapist Uses Art to Help Troops Heal. † US Department of Defense. 08 Mar. 2012. Web. 24 Jan. 2013

Boing 737 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Boing 737 - Assignment Example However, in the early 1990s many commercial aircraft manufacturers including Douglas Aircraft, McDonnell Aircraft, and Boeing switched to horizontal integration through mergers. The major drivers to this shift were technology that progressively became more specialized, costs of production using vertical integration became uncompetitive and the dire need for management efficiency. On the other hand, factors such as lower costs due to increased economies of scale and increased market power made Airbus maintain vertical integration. Horizontal industry structure seems to be a benefit since it helped resuscitate Boeing that had stagnated after many years of vertical integration structure. It helped it install a lean system and clean up the production of the 737. The evolution of the auto industry is similar to that of the commercial aircraft industry. Major players in the industry have adopted the â€Å"lean production system†. However, competitive forces are far from being static, and hence vehicle manufacturers can no longer rely on excellence in production only (Shih and Pierson

John Denver plane crash Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

John Denver plane crash - Essay Example This report summarizes the findings of the National Transportation Safety Board and several reports on the probable causes of the accident that killed John Denver: human factors or aircraft design and integrity.Air traffic control records. At around 1640 of October 12, 1997, the pilot, a middle-aged male Caucasian arrived at the Monterey Peninsula Airport to conduct a practice flight on his plane, an Adrian Davis Long-EZ model with markings N555JD. At 1702 Pacific daylight time, the pilot contacted ground control and obtained a taxi-for-takeoff clearance from the hangar. At 1709, the pilot reported to the local controller that he was ready for takeoff on runway 28, and requested to stay in the traffic pattern for some touch-and-go landings. The plane was cleared for takeoff at 1712, and the pilot performed three touch-and-go landings before departing the traffic pattern about 1727. At this time the controller asked the pilot to recycle his transponder code and the latter did so.At ar ound 1728 Pacific daylight time, the plane was flying in a westerly direction when it began to lose altitude, went into a steep nose-down descent, and hit the water. Witnesses said they heard a strong "pop" and a reduction in engine noise level just before the airplane's impact with the water. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed from start to the end of flight.The point of impact was an area in the Pacific Ocean off Pacific Grove, California. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. Rescue workers from the area were dispatched to the site to recover the pilot's body, secure the crash site, and recover the wreckage. An autopsy on October 13, 1997 by the Monterey County Medical Examiner revealed that the cause of the pilot's death was multiple blunt force trauma. Investigation of the Accident This report summarizes the findings of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB, 1999; AW, 1999) and several reports (CNN, 1998; CIR, 1999) on the probable causes of the accident that killed John Denver: human factors (Sumwalt, 1997) or aircraft design and integrity. Air traffic control records. The pilot did not file a flight plan. The Air Traffic Control (ATC) tapes revealed no distress calls from the pilot, who did not indicate any aircraft or engine malfunctions. A certified audio re-recording of the transmissions between the accident airplane and the Monterey ATC Tower local control position was subjected to audio spectrum analysis to identify background sound signatures that could be associated with engine trouble. Analysis of nine transmissions between 1714 and final transmission at 1728:06 showed engine speed harmonics between 2,100 and 2,200 revolutions per minute (rpm). Accident Witnesses. Of twenty witnesses interviewed: Four saw the airplane as it was flying west; five observed the airplane in a steep bank, with four of those reporting the bank was to the right (north). Twelve saw the airplane in a steep nose-down descent, of whom six saw the airplane hit the water near Point Pinos some 150 yards offshore. The airplane was flying at an altitude estimated at 350-500 feet over the residential area. Pre-flight Witnesses. Two pre-flight witnesses gave important testimonies related to the accident. The first was an aircraft maintenance technician who assisted the pilot in removing the airplane from a hangar. He observed the pilot perform a preflight check for 20 minutes and borrow a fuel sump cup to drain a fuel sample to check for contaminants. He did not observe the pilot visually verify the quantity of fuel aboard the airplane, nor did he see the pilot check the engine oil level. The technician and the pilot talked about the location of the cockpit fuel selector valve handle behind the pilot's left shoulder and its resistance to being turned. They attempted to extend the reach of the handle with a pair of vice grip pliers, but this did not work, as the pilot could not reach the handle. The pilot said he would use the autopilot in-flight to hold the airplane level while he turned the fuel selector valve. The technician observed that the fuel selector handle was in a vertical pos ition (meaning that the right tank was in

Article review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Review - Article Example The acts proposed to control ware pollution such as the water Act (1974), The Environmental Protection Act EPA (1986) are acts geared to protect water bodies from affluent from the industries. The acts have limitations in that they do not arrange for policies to measure pollutants from households and agricultural production3 (pg. 289). The methods used to collect data included observation methods. Researchers were strategically placed and monitored the movements of individual around various sources of ground water. The researchers also employed the use of questionnaires and interviewing method. Water pollution encourages the infection of waterborne diseases. 90% of the Indian of underground users reports of having contacted waterborne diseases on a weekly basis. The municipal of India needs to strategies policies that will minimise the disposal of industrial and other wastes in the water systems4 (pg. 295). The articles will enable the researcher to carry out the research process successfully; as the researcher will have back ground information on the strategies set to reduce pollution in underground water sources5 (pg.