Free Essays on Edward Abbeys Deep Ecology

in defense of the American West, Provides us with his look specifically correlating with the ideas of deep ecology. We need wilderness because we are wild animals... Because... Free Essays on Edward Abbey's Deep Ecology Free Essays on Edward Abbey's Deep Ecology Edward Abbey’s Deep Ecology In a growing world of consumerism, some questions exist on the horizon of our generation. Is our population growing too fast? Should we save the wilderness? Should we take measures now to save the wilderness? Consequently when pondering these, some new questions arise. Do we value consumerism more than our natural habitat? Are our non vital needs more important than the earth’s needs? These questions are the basis of the philosophical theory of deep ecology. A theory developed by philosopher Arne Naess and George Sessions in 1984 (McLaughlin, pg 2). An idea that human non vital needs are not more important than nature’s needs ( Palmer,299). Deep ecology is centered around two basic principals: First that we must see the world in a ecocentric view rather than an anthropocentric view. This would allow us to focus on the needs of every life system on the planet rather than just human needs. Second, that all humans need to experience some self realization: â€Å" Inst ead of identifying with our egos or our immediate families, we would learn to identify with trees, animals and plants, indeed the whole ecosphere.† (Zimmerman) Perhaps one of the most influential philosophers of deep ecology is the author Edward Abbey. Decades ahead of his time, Abbey addressed and provided his answers to those questions that our society will most certainly be facing in the future. He has written twenty books, twelve of which are non fictional, describing his experiences in the american wilderness. Born in Pennsylvania, Ed Abbey spent most of his adult life in the wilderness of the American west writing to defend it from being turned into another human settlement. The essay â€Å"Freedom and Wilderness† from The Journey Home-some words in defense of the American West, Provides us with his look specifically correlating with the ideas of deep ecology. We need wilderness because we are wild animals... Because...

Ancient Mayan Architecture - Temples and Palaces

Ancient Mayan Architecture - Temples and Palaces The Maya were an advanced society that flourished in Mesoamerica long before the arrival of the Spanish in the sixteenth century. They were skilled architects, building great cities of stone that remain even a thousand years after their civilization fell into decline. The Maya built pyramids, temples, palaces, walls, residences and more. They often decorated their buildings with intricate stone carvings, stucco statues, and paint. Today, Maya architecture is important, as it is one of the few aspects of Maya life that is still available for study. Maya City-States Unlike the Aztecs in Mexico or the Inca in Peru, the Maya were never a unified empire ruled by a single ruler from a single place. Rather, they were a series of smaller city-states who ruled the immediate vicinity but had little to do with other cities if they were far enough away. These city-states traded with and warred upon one another frequently, so cultural exchange, including architecture, was common. Some of the more important Maya city-states were Tikal, Dos Pilas, Calakmul, Caracol, Copn, Quirigu, Palenque, Chichà ©n Itz and Uxmal (there were many others). Although every Maya city is different, they tended to share certain characteristics, such as general layout.​ Layout of Maya Cities Maya tended to lay their cities out in plaza groups: clusters of buildings around a central plaza. This was true of the impressive buildings in the city center (temples, palaces, etc) as well as smaller residential areas. These plazas are rarely neat and orderly and to some, it may seem as if the Maya built anywhere they pleased. This is because they Maya built on the irregularly-shaped higher ground to avoid floods and dampness associated with their tropical forest home. In the center of the cities were the important public buildings such as temples, palaces, and the ball court. Residential areas radiated out from the city center, growing sparser the further they got from the center. Raised stone walkways linked the residential areas with each other and the center. Later Maya cities were built on higher hills for defense and had high walls surrounding most of the city or at least the centers. Maya Homes The Maya kings lived in stone palaces in the city center near the temples, but the common Maya lived in small houses outside the city center. Like the city center, the homes tended to be bunched together in clusters: some researchers believe that extended families lived together in one area. Their modest homes are thought to be much like the homes of their descendants in the region today: simple structures constructed mostly of wooden poles and thatch. The Maya tended to build up a mound or base and then build upon it: as the wood and thatch wore away or rotted they would tear it down and build again on the same foundation. Because the common Maya were often forced to build on lower ground than the palaces and temples in the city center, many of these mounds have been lost to flooding or encroaching wilderness. The City Center The Maya built great temples, palaces, and pyramids in their city centers. These were often mighty stone structures, over which wooden buildings and thatched roofs were often built. The city center was the physical and spiritual heart of the city. Important rituals were done there, in the temples, palaces, and ball courts. Maya Temples Like many Maya buildings, Maya temples were built of stone, with platforms on the top where wooden and thatch structures could be built. Temples tended to be pyramids, with steep stone steps leading to the top, where important ceremonies and sacrifices took place. Many temples are graced by elaborate stone carvings and glyphs. The most magnificent example is the famous Hieroglyphic Stairway at Copn. Temples were often built with astronomy in mind: certain temples are aligned to the movements of Venus, the sun or the moon. In the Lost World Complex at Tikal, for example, there is a pyramid which faces three other temples. If youre standing on the pyramid, the other temples are aligned with the rising sun on equinoxes and solstices. Important rituals took place at these times. Maya Palaces The Palaces were large, multi-storied buildings which were home to the king and royal family. They tended to be made of stone with wooden structures on top. Roofs were made of thatch. Some Maya palaces are spacious, including courtyards, different structures that were possibly homes, patios, towers, etc. The palace at Palenque is a good example. Some of the palaces are quite large, leading researchers to suspect that they also acted as a sort of administrative center, where Maya bureaucrats regulated tribute, trade, agriculture, etc. This was also the place where the king and noblemen would interact not only with the common people but also with diplomatic visitors. Feasts, dances, and other community social events could also have taken place there. Ball Courts The ceremonial ball game was an important part of Maya life. Common and noble people alike played for fun and recreation, but some games had important religious and spiritual significance. Sometimes, after important battles in which important prisoners were taken (such as enemy noblemen or even their Ahau, or King) these prisoners would be forced to play a game against the victors. The game represented a re-enactment of the battle, and afterward, the losers (which were naturally the enemy nobles and soldiers) were ceremonially executed. Ball courts, which were rectangular with sloped walls on either side, were prominently placed in Maya cities. Some of the more important cities had several courts. Ball courts were sometimes used for other ceremonies and events. Surviving Maya Architecture Although they were not on a par with the legendary Inca stonemasons of the Andes, Maya architects built structures which have withstood centuries of abuse. Mighty temples and palaces at places like Palenque, Tikal, and Chichen Itza survived centuries of abandonment, followed by excavation and now thousands of tourists walking and climbing all over them. Before they were protected, many ruin sites were scavenged by locals looking for stones for their homes, churches or businesses. That the Maya structures have survived so well is a testament to the skill of their builders. The Maya temples and palaces that have withstood the test of time often contain stone carvings depicting battles, wars, kings, dynastic successions and more. The Maya were literate and had a written language and books, of which only a few survive. The carved glyphs on temples and palaces are therefore important because there is so little remaining of the original Maya culture. Source McKillop, Heather. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. New York: Norton, 2004.

Online poker Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Online poker - Research Paper Example shall be taken care of by the provision of online poker as it aims to provide a more secure setting for gambling and consequential feuds, vendettas and other illegitimate participatory activities. The most significant advantage, however, is vested in the fact that poker rakes will bring large amounts of revenue to the government. The revenue generation is steadily building over the years and it is not surprising that the gambling profits for the government are almost doubling over a period of every five years which makes online poker a very promising arena for revenue generation. Furthermore, the expansion of the poker during recent times such as improved disposable earnings giving customers additional time for relaxation and entertaining activities and the altering socio-demographic traits have worked as stimulants to customer using money on poker and other gambling activities reassuringly make it a sound ground for government

Business Law Case Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Law Case Brief - Essay Example Karen Howsam had a right to choose the arbitrator. Karen Howsam decided to forward the case to the national association of security dealers for arbitration. NASD’S codes of the allowed arbitration procedure stipulate that no dispute is eligible for submission once there is a lapse of six years. The plaintiff, Dean Witter Reynolds, filed a complaint to the federal district court asking the court to declare the case ineligible. Dean Witter further asked the court to block the defendant Karen Howsam from filing for arbitration. He cited the lapsed six years as a basis for the illegibility. On the appeal of the case, the court of appeal looked into the district court ruling that they had no right to interpret and apply the existing NASD rule. The court of appeal for the tenth circuit reversed the district court rule. It stated that the case had abitrability concept, and the court had a right to rule on the time limit provision. They held that the arbitrator had to apply the time limit rule in the underlying dispute. According to Henry (2009), the arbitrator may decide on cases that are substantive in their nature while the court rules on cases that are procedural. The court ordinarily may rule on the question of abitrability. Justice Stephen G Beyer delivered the ruling based on the opinion of various judges. The judges agreed that the NASD rule on the time limit was a matter to be decided on by the arbitrator presumptively. The issue did not raise a question of abitrability that could call for resolving by the judiciary. NASD’s time limit rule falls within a class of the gateway procedural disputes that do not present abitrability. The question of abitrability can only be ruled by the judiciary unless the parties have a provision stating clearly otherwise. It has a limited scope and, can only be applicable in few circumstances where the contracting party’s would have

Mexicans and Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Mexicans and Discrimination Essay Wetback, spic and beaner are a few of the words people use when talking about a Mexican. Mexican Americans have been the victim of discrimination throughout the history of the United States. Mexicans have a very big stereotype against them. One of the main reasons that they are discriminated against is because of their illegal immigration into the United States. Like many other groups Mexicans immigrated to the United States in search of a better life. Many Mexicans are left with no choice but to come to the U. S illegally because of the cost and obstacles that one has to go through to become a citizen. Because many Mexicans come to the U. S. illegally they are often forced to work physically demanding jobs for less money. Mexican Americans have a long history of experiencing nativism and racism which has resulted in a number of discriminatory conditions and consequences such as, social and geographical segregation, employment discrimination, patterns of abuse at the hands of law enforcement officials, vigilante murder and justice, substandard education, electoral fraud, exclusion from petit and grand juries, forced dislocations from their neighborhoods, voter intimidation, and language discrimination. (Galaviz 2007) Mexicans work under the secondary sector of the Dual labor market. The secondary Dual Labor market has low incomes, little job security, and little training. There are also no rewards apart from wages. Mexicans are forced to work for very low wages either because, as non-citizens, they lack options, or because they may realistically perceive themselves as best off here, even at very cheap wages, than they were back home. (Aponte 1990) For example, many companies offer very poor working conditions and minimum wage because they know that illegal immigrants have no choice but to accept these conditions because of their status. After the United States victory in the Mexican-American War in 1848 a forced treaty was signed. The treaty was known as Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty required Mexico to give up over half its land to the United States in exchange for 15 million dollars. Land given up by Mexico included California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo also guaranteed that Mexican citizens living in surrendered lands would be able to keep property rights and would be given United States citizenship if they remained in surrendered lands for at least one year. However, the property rights of Mexicans were ignored by the United States government and local officials. Mexicans were slowly forced from lands which their families had held for generations in many cases. Many organizations, businesses, and homeowners associations had official policies to exclude Mexican Americans. In many areas across the Southwest, Mexican Americans lived in separate residential areas, due to laws and real estate company policies. This group of laws and policies, known as redlining, lasted until the 1950s, and fall under the concept of official segregation. In many other instances, it was more of a general social understanding among Anglos that Mexicans should be excluded. For instance, signs with the phrase No Dogs or Mexicans were posted in small businesses and public pools throughout the Southwest well into the 1960s. Mexicans were also restricted from being jurors, even if the case involved a Mexican. Schools also discriminated against Mexican children and eventually Mexicans were made to open their own schools. Though times have changed Mexicans are still discriminated against because of the stereotype they are associated with. Many believe that all Mexicans come over here illegally and do not deserve the same rights as citizens do. Even now people believe that Mexicans should be sent back to Mexico and an example of that is Phoenix, Arizona and its Immigration Law.

Odysseus: Heroes Essay -- essays research papers

Odysseus: Heroes A hero is a brave and strong person, who is also very human. A hero feels fear and every other emotion that we do. A true hero is a person who does something great and does not expect to be given any thing in return. A hero does something that effects a large number of people. A hero thinks more of others than he or she thinks of him or her self. The characters in the poem, "Women", and The Odyssey are both epic heroes. Odysseus is a strong and brave man, but I think he lacks one of the major characteristics of a hero. I think he thinks of himself more than of others. I think the characters in the poem, "Women," are better heroes because they can be related to easier. I don't think the poem characters are like an epic hero because they are less into them selves than an epic hero. They also seem to have done lesser things, I mean epic heroes always do something so great, like take twenty men on, or lead an army to victory. Everyday heroes seem to be more realistic and do something that's great, but its not written up in every news paper in the country. Odysseus is a brave man that did great things. In The Odyssey he conquers a monster using smarts and strength. He also looks out for his crew mates. He is faithful to his wife, well, in his mind he is. He kills many men on his own in a battle at his home. He cries a coupl...

Causes of Prejudice

Prejudice is an opinion that is not based on actual evidence or experience. In â€Å"Causes of Prejudice,† Vincent Parillo describes the psychological and sociological reasons of prejudice. Among these causes, frustration is defined to produce a prejudicial attitude towards others. Parillo explains in his work that throughout history, minority groups have been used as scapegoats to take the blame for certain events. He clarifies that scapegoating is the act of blaming others for an incident that is not their fault.This idea is also visible in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, in the art where a lawyer named Atticus tries to prove an African American innocent who has been falsely charged with raping a white woman. Therefore, both Parillo's â€Å"Causes of Prejudice† and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird support that frustration is a cause of prejudice because of an increase in aggression towards a scapegoat. To begin with, frustration is caused by relative deprivation, which is the lack of resources in an individual's environment when compared to others.This results in aggression towards a scapegoat in order to relieve this tension. â€Å"Frustrated people ay easily strike out against the perceived cause of their frustration. However, this reaction may not be possible because the true source of the frustration is often too nebulous to be identified or too powerful to act against† (Parillo 583). His view is also seen in To Kill a Mockingbird, when Mayella Ewell claims Tom Robinson has raped her. Atticus tries to prove to the Jury that Tom Robinson in fact did not rape Mayella and that she, a white woman, kissed Tom, a black man.Mayella is an Ewell; a very poor family in the town of Maycomb and therefore she has to live through tough onditions which include living behind the garbage dump, barely having any money to support her dad and seven siblings, as well as being beaten by her own father. Most importantly, she is frustrated t hat she always feels dissatisfied with her life since she was never able to experience any happiness by being isolated from the rest of the world. Therefore, she tries to at least kiss a black man to feel some sense of happiness.When she realizes it is condemned by society, her frustration increases partly because society is not allowing her to have a small amount of happiness, and o she shows her aggression by blaming Tom Robinson for raping her. In addition, aggression resulted from frustration is pinpointed towards scapegoats because they share similar characteristics of being vulnerable to blame. â€Å"The group must be (1) highly visible in physical appearance or observable customs and acations; (2) not strong enough to strike back; (3) situated within easy access of the dominant group .. † (Parillo 584). To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in southern Alabama in the 1930's. This was the time period where prejudice against African Americans was present. Segregation was pre sent because having white skin was een to be better than having black skin. This simple difference in skin color resulted in an unfair treatment of African Americans. Separate bathrooms, drinking fountains, churches, and schools resulted for African Americans and whites. Also, since whites felt that the blacks were inferior to them, they tended to assume all blacks were unintelligent.When Mayella copes with her frustration of being isolated from the rest of the world by blaming Tom Robinson, the court looks at his skin color instead of the evidence given tor this case. Even though Atticus provides plenty ot evidence that roves that it was impossible for Tom to commit the rape of Mayella, Tom is still found guilty because even if Mayella is part of the lower class of Maycomb, she is still a white woman, making her superior to Tom Robinson.It is evident that frustration plays an important role in determining prejudicial attitudes. Both the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and â€Å"Causes of Prejudice† by Vincent Parillo, agree that frustration is caused by relative deprivation and when aggression forms, the blame is placed on scapegoats. These scapegoats share similar characteristics which allow them to be vulnerable to the blame that falls upon them.

Effective ways to improve communication Essay

Teenagers and their parents need to increase their communication in order to have a strong relationship. It is very important that they cooperate so that they can reach a common goal. Some tips to improve communication for parents are being there for their teenager children, learning to talk while in motion, risk making a change, being honest, sharing their hopes and dreams, and creating a comfortable environment by listening. Some methods for teenagers are opening up and sharing about their thoughts and feelings with their parents. There are several ways to improve the communication between teenagers and parents. Parents need to find quality time out of their busy schedule to talk with their children. Parents should take advantage of everyday opportunities or plan a simple activity for just themselves and their children, such as watching television. Talking to teenagers is basically the same thing as talking to adults. Most teenagers are overstressed, overworked, preoccupied and, in many cases, just simply distant from their parents. They need lively adults who are present and awake. In this way, parents could spend time with their children, engaging in activities that suit their age and interests. Teenagers always seem to be on the move. Teenagers are action machines because they do not like sitting still. They have the added distraction of being inside bodies pulsing with energy and strength. If parents really want to connect with a teenager, they need to get active with them, such as challenging them to a basketball game. Teenagers know their parents as well as their values, rules and weaknesses. They also know just what to say and how to maneuver around their parents. The problem is that they do not really expect their parents to ever change the way they think or act. Teenagers thrive on surprise and love to think odd thoughts. Parents should try to be a little surprising and do something completely unexpected and unpredictable. Young adults appreciate the opportunity to relate in a way that was completely unpredictable and different for their parents. Young adults deserve honest answers and explanations because this is what  strengthens the children’s ability to trust. By being open and honest, parents can express their values in a caring way. Parents do not often want to show their mistakes and past errors because they are unwilling to seem imperfect. Parents should tell teenagers some of their own secrets and try to be outgoing. They should try and set an example for their teenagers so that the teenagers will learn from their honesty. Although parents should always communicate with their teenagers, they have to remember not to talk too much. Teenagers hate listening to long lectures. Parents need to avoid repetition of lectures which might bore teenagers. Also, parents should not continue on about different subject that the teenagers are not ready to hear. Teenagers don’t have much of a past, and so they live in the future. Parents need to capture what it is that rivets teenagers’ attention the most – their imagination pertaining to the future and what’s important to them. Not many parents will sit down with their children and openly discuss the future without any boundary, agenda or parental rigidity. Teenagers will search until they find someone who will dream with them. They will look forward to the opportunity to explore their future with someone they truly care about and who really wants to hear about their dreams. Parents should always create a climate in which the teenager feels free to discuss anything. In order to create an atmosphere in which teenagers can ask any questions without the fear of consequences, parents need to be encouraging, supportive and positive. This will show teenagers that the parents can be of help in solving problems, and they will not be fearful of speaking out. Parents need to take them away from places and things that can distract them. They have to listen attentively because when parents talk to teenagers after careful listening, they are more informed and aware of the situation. Parents need to remember that young adults need an open mind and some guidance during adolescence more than any other period in their lives. If they fear that their parents will discourage them from being truthful by displaying disappointment and disapproval, they will pull away fast and will not return that easily. Parents have to be curious and ask questions about  teenagers’ ideas and feelings to get to know them and their world. Parents should be prepared to just listen and accept the simple truth that teenagers feel what they feel, no matter how irrational it may sound. It is important for teenagers and their parents to find ways to communicate their point of view, which will encourage the other person to listen. They need to avoid blaming the other person and not be judgmental. They should stay in the present and not refer to the past. They have to look for solutions together and be prepared to compromise. These are some ways to improve communication between parents and teenagers.

Facing the Worst

Facing the Worst Facing the Worst Facing the Worst By Maeve Maddox The English word face may be used as either a noun or a verb, as illustrated by these citations from the Oxford English Dictionary: The skullis divided into two parts, the Cranium and the Face. (noun) He faced his critics head-on andleft with his dignity intact. (verb) As a transitive verb, face means, â€Å"to show a brave or strong face to; to meet (danger, an enemy, or anything unpleasant) face to face; to oppose with confidence or defiance; to confront and deal with.† As a transitive verb used either as a main verb or in its -ing form, face requires an object: You face a difficult decision, and you must deal with it. (direct object: â€Å"a difficult decision†) The most common problem facing poor households is late payment of rent or utilities. (direct object: â€Å"poor households†) Some common expressions with the verb face are: face the consequences/ face the music: to receive the unpleasant results (often punishment) of one’s actions. Japan tells world to stand up to China or face consequences Labour calls for Brownlee to face the music face the facts: confront the truth of a situation. Time to face the facts on immigration In some expressions, face is used as a phrasal verb: face up to: accept the existence of a difficult situation. He needs to face up to his past. face off: engage in a direct confrontation or contest. GOP Assembly candidates to face off in August 12 primary Because I’m used to seeing facing used transitively, with a direct object, I was surprised to encounter this use of facing followed by an adverb phrase: Katniss, like many of her dystopian YA counterparts, faces a conflict larger than man vs. nature – shes man vs. man,  facing against an oppressive government. More idiomatic usage would be, â€Å"facing an oppressive government,† or â€Å"fighting against an oppressive government.† I found similar usage in two comments relating to popular music: I believe that Wish Upon a Blackstaris about the struggle greed brings to the world, and facing against the oppression caused by it. Songs that follow, like Corrupted and [the] album closer Invincible, continue the theme of defiance and facing against oppression in whatever forms they may appear. Facing is often followed by against in the context of facing traffic: You  must not park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow. If there is no sidewalk and you have to  walk  on the road,  walk facing against traffic. In any other context, following facing with against strikes my ear as unidiomatic: Any tips for facing against the Nova matchup? Ancelotti on facing against Manchester United Tired of facing against Shaman bots A few more expressions with the verb face: face up to: accept that a difficult situation exists. Labour must face up to its past mistakes. face head on: confront a problem directly and openly. Japan will face the robotic jobocalypse head-on, by mastering robots before they master us. face into: turn directly toward something. It’s cold as you face into the wind. face down: to confront someone or something boldly and bravely. Austria to face down World Bank over burning bondholders. face forward: to direct one’s focus to the future. I was deeply impressed that, despite all of your difficult experiences, you embody such passion to face forward and build the future together. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Bare or Bear With Me?3 Types of HeadingsPreposition Mistakes #3: Two Idioms

EPR Paradox in Physics - Definition and Explanation

EPR Paradox in Physics - Definition and Explanation The EPR paradox (or the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox) is a thought experiment intended to demonstrate an inherent paradox in the early formulations of quantum theory. It is among the best-known examples of quantum entanglement. The paradox involves two particles that are entangled with each other according to quantum mechanics. Under the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, each particle is individually in an uncertain state until it is measured, at which point the state of that particle becomes certain. At that exact same moment, the other particles state also becomes certain. The reason that this is classified as a paradox is that it seemingly involves communication between the two particles at speeds greater than the speed of light, which is a conflict with Albert Einsteins theory of relativity. The Paradoxs Origin The paradox was the focal point of a heated debate between Einstein and Niels Bohr. Einstein was never comfortable with the quantum mechanics being developed by Bohr and his colleagues (based, ironically, on work started by Einstein). Together with his colleagues Boris Podolsky and Nathan Rosen, Einstein developed the EPR paradox as a way of showing that the theory was inconsistent with other known laws of physics. At the time, there was no real way to carry out the experiment, so it was just a thought experiment or gedankenexperiment. Several years later, the physicist David Bohm modified the EPR paradox example so that things were a bit clearer. (The original way the paradox was presented was somewhat confusing, even to professional physicists.) In the more popular Bohm formulation, an unstable spin 0 particle decays into two different particles, Particle A and Particle B, heading in opposite directions. Because the initial particle had spin 0, the sum of the two new particle spins must equal zero. If Particle A has spin 1/2, then Particle B must have spin -1/2 (and vice versa). Again, according to the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, until a measurement is made, neither particle has a definite state. They are both in a superposition of possible states, with an equal probability (in this case) of having a positive or negative spin. The Paradoxs Meaning There are two key points at work here which make this troubling: Quantum physics says that, until the moment of the measurement, the particles do not have a definite quantum spin but are in a superposition of possible states.As soon as we measure the spin of Particle A, we know for sure the value well get from measuring the spin of Particle B. If you measure Particle A, it seems like Particle As quantum spin gets set by the measurement, but somehow Particle B also instantly knows what spin it is supposed to take on. To Einstein, this was a clear violation of the theory of relativity. Hidden-Variables Theory No one ever really questioned the second point; the controversy lay entirely with the first point. Bohm and Einstein supported an alternative approach called the hidden-variables theory, which suggested that quantum mechanics was incomplete. In this viewpoint, there had to be some aspect of quantum mechanics that wasnt immediately obvious but which needed to be added into the theory to explain this sort of non-local effect. As an analogy, consider that you have two envelopes that each contain money. You have been told that one of them contains a $5 bill and the other contains a $10 bill. If you open one envelope and it contains a $5 bill, then you know for sure that the other envelope contains the $10 bill. The problem with this analogy is that quantum mechanics definitely doesnt appear to work this way. In the case of the money, each envelope contains a specific bill, even if I never get around to looking in them. Uncertainty in Quantum Mechanics The uncertainty in quantum mechanics doesnt just represent a lack of our knowledge but a fundamental lack of definite reality. Until the measurement is made, according to the Copenhagen interpretation, the particles are really in a superposition of all possible states (as in the case of the dead/alive cat in the Schroedingers Cat thought experiment). While most physicists would have preferred to have a universe with clearer rules, no one could figure out exactly what these hidden variables were or how they could be incorporated into the theory in a meaningful way. Bohr and others defended the standard Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, which continued to be supported by the experimental evidence. The explanation is that the wave function, which describes the superposition of possible quantum states, exists at all points simultaneously. The spin of Particle A and spin of Particle B are not independent quantities but are represented by the same term within the quantum physics equations. The instant that the measurement on Particle A is made, the entire wave function collapses into a single state. In this way, theres no distant communication taking place. Bells Theorem The major nail in the coffin of the hidden-variables theory came from the physicist John Stewart Bell, in what is known as Bells Theorem. He developed a series of inequalities (called Bell inequalities), which represent how measurements of the spin of Particle A and Particle B would distribute if they werent entangled. In experiment after experiment, the Bell inequalities are violated, meaning that quantum entanglement does seem to take place. Despite this evidence to the contrary, there are still some proponents of the hidden-variables theory, though this is mostly among amateur physicists rather than professionals. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Drunk Drivers Should Have Their License Revoked Essay

Drunk Drivers Should Have Their License Revoked - Essay Example Most of the drivers who cause accidents because of driving under the influence of alcohol do not get the punishments that they deserve. In most cases, they have their licenses suspended for a few weeks and have to pay a fin. In some cases, they do not even get their licenses suspended. This means that they are legally allowed to go out and drive again. This increases the chance that they will repeat the drunken driving offense. It is interesting to note that most of those who cause accidents while driving drunk have previously committed the offense. The only way to ensure that people who have been found to be driving under the influence do not repeat the offense is revoke their licenses permanently. The permanent revocation of the license is punishments that will make people avoid committing the offense, as they do not want to lose their licenses. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is a choice that the driver makes, and it is a choice that puts him and other people at the risk of injury or of death. As such, it is necessary to harsh penalties to be imposed on those found to be guilty of the offense. The harsh consequences of the action should not have to wait until a person has committed the offense repeatedly. A penalty as strict as the revocation of a license is enough to make people avoid committing the offense. It therefore acts as a deterrent measure (Ross and Gonzales 380). ... The permanent revocation of the license is punishments that will make people avoid committing the offense, as they do not want to lose their licenses. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is a choice that the driver makes, and it is a choice that puts him and other people at the risk of injury or of death. As such, it is necessary to harsh penalties to be imposed on those found to be guilty of the offense. The harsh consequences of the action should not have to wait until a person has committed the offense repeatedly. A penalty as strict as the revocation of a license is enough to make people avoid committing the offense. It therefore acts as a deterrent measure (Ross and Gonzales 380). Another reason as to why people found to be driving while having alcohol levels that exceed the legal limits should have their licenses revoked is that suspension of licenses has not been found to work. The temporary suspension of licenses does not achieve the intended purpose as most drivers find it too lenient and are therefore likely to repeat the offense. The permanent revocation of the license is a stricter penalty and will deter people from drunk driving. If one is allowed to have their license after driving under the influence of alcohol, it is likely that they will cause an accident that may lead to the loss of life. Some people argue that permanent revocation of a license will not work as people may still drive even without the license. It is also argued that despite the strict penalties for drunken driving people still drink and drive. This assertion is however incorrect as it has been seen that penalties for drunken driving are