Education Essay Example for Free

Education Essay Someone once told me that â€Å"Education is the building blocks of one’s character†. As much as it sounds too much of a cliche’ I couldn’t help but agree with this well known quotation. Although it may be true, that one’s education cannot define a man, it also holds true that different forms of education is readily available and it makes or breaks a man into who he is in his current disposition and into who he may want to be in the future. Some people claim that education is a matter of circumstance and privilege, that in this modern day and age, only those with the proper resources can have the proper education that one may need in order to be successful. If you ask me, this is only true in the terms of getting a degree to get all the right opportunities. But in reality, real education that will lead you towards the ends of your goals in life is the education you gain in life experiences. Let’s take Bill Gates and Albert Einstein who both didn’t finish college for example, they only succeeded in their personal aspirations by learning in the arena of their life and living itself. It may be important to note that in life, one must need a model to see how life is lived and how we learn from everything we see and experience in our day to day living. It may not always be formal education that we may attribute our learnings all the time, but it is imperative that any form of education should take place in order for us to grow in all different aspects of our lives. May it be in our professional lives, personal lives or for social reasons, a learning curb can be gained by us through the years because we were educated not only on how to live life, but most importantly how to be continuously educated till there is nothing more to learn in this life which may bring us to the breaking point of death or suicide. But in both scenarios, we still know that it is an imperative that a learning experience should be observed for us to prosper in a game called life.

The Hopi Indians :: American America History

The Hopi Indians In the southwestern United States, above northern Arizona, are three mesas. The mesas create the home for the Hopi Indians. The Hopi have a deeply religious, isolated, tribal culture with a unique history. The Hopi stress group cooperation. The tribe is organized around a clan system. In a clan system, all the members consider themselves relatives. The clans form a social glue that has held the Hopi villages together. Clan membership provides a singular Hopi identity. The Hopi have a highly developed belief system which contains many gods and spirits. Ceremonies, rituals, dances, songs, and prayers are celebrated in year-round. The Hopi believed they were led to the arid southwestern region of America by their creator, because he knew they had the power to evoke rain with power and prayer. Consequently, the Hopi are connected to their land, its agricultural cycles and the constant quest for rainfall, in a religious way. The religious center of the community is the kiva, which is an underground room with a ladder protruding above the roof. The kiva is very important for several reasons. From the kiva, a connection is made with the center of the earth. Also, the kiva is symbolic for the emergence to this world. The room would represent the underworld and the ladder would represent the way to the upper world. In fact, a room is kept in the house to store ceremonial objects. A sacred ear of corn protects the room and symbolizes the ancestry of the fam ily members. Kachinas are also a focal point of the religion. For a Hopi, they signify spirits of ancestors, dieties of the natural world, or intermediaries between man and gods. The Hopi believe that they are the earth's caretakers, and with the successful performance of their ceremonial cycle, the world will remain in balance, the gods will be happy and rain will come. Because they think of their crops as gifts, the Hopi Indians live in harmony with the environment. Art is also used for ritualistic purposes. Men's loincloths were painted and decorated with tassels to symbolize falling rain. Men also wore elaborate costumes that include special headdresses, masks, and body paints during ritual ceremonies and dances. The Hopi follow a seasonal sense of time. Depending on the season, different preparations were used for collecting the rain. Droughts required the Hopis to adopt new farming methods that are still in use today.

Value Judgment and Consumerism: Evaluating American Consumer Culture

This essay argues that American consumer culture is largely driven by the economic, social and psychological landscape of consumption- which blurs the distinction between needs and wants of American consumers. Values of goods and products are therefore judged on the basis of how they satisfy personal wants instead of the intrinsic value of the products or services. However, while this is the case, American consumers have become more demanding and particular with products and services.The irony shows that Americans are driven by a consumerist culture; consumption and value judgment are made based on the personal and aesthetic value of products but competition is making consumers more knowledgeable in choosing their products. American Culture of Consumption Consumption in American society has been regarded as a standard of living and a way of life- the bulwark of which is fuelled by a commodity culture that emanates from the abundance in production and from a sociological point of view , a way to distinguish and create bonds with each other (Friedman, 2).Consequently, it is not only the economic and sociological value that determines how Americans values goods and services- to a large extent, the psychological impact of consumption particularly the emotional gratification which has been celebrated and integrated in popular culture drives the value of goods and services regardless of their true meaning to the American consumer.Significantly, American consumer culture rests on the principle that people work because they want to have the material things that they think they need- things that their social circle has or even people in mass media. To a large extent, American consumer culture is fuelled by big businesses which seek to make consumerism of every American a trend rather than a pursuit of better value. Fundamentally, this hastens the ability of American consumers to draw the line between what is needed and what is wanted thus, making mistaken valuation of pr oducts and services.First, consumerism in American society is largely driven by mass media which largely dictates the value of products and services. Consumers’ belief in the value of an object is a construct that is driven by companies seeking to attain profitability- with the aid of mass media, companies capitalize on value creation consumers are made to want a product and are made to need them regardless if they really need the product or service (Plaster and Alderman, 2).The control of companies on the perception of the consumers on the value of the product and services in turn alters the psychological and social acceptance of a product- the more popular a product is, the higher the value it has according to the society. Thus, popular culture becomes more than an individual construct but rather, it becomes a social construct to which valuation of products and services are manufactured in the media and consumed by the American public. For instance, the I-pod by Apple is no w considered by any American youth to be a necessity.This is not the case for countries in Africa and to several countries in Asia. However, due to the massive influence of mass media, owning an I-pod is now considered as a necessity instead of being a fancy product. This is because American popular culture has accepted and embraced the trend thus, making its way into the lifestyle of the people. Essentially, the value of an I-pod or a product for that matter becomes prominent. This is regardless of whether it is needed to survive.Second, inability of American consumers to value products based on its intrinsic merits emanates from the materialist-fuelled society. Essentially, American consumer culture emerged from the association of materialism with that of the family, sexuality and the individual- realities that have given the essence of existence and in order to be participants within the American culture (Agnew, 4). The association of social status and importance has been related to consumerism- the more one consumes, the higher the social standing one attains.Thus, the belief of consumers that getting or buying the most expensive brands would make their social standing better is again fuelled by the business environment and mass media. Due to societal pressure which can come from the family and one’s social circle, American consumers become susceptible to the creation of needs and in the process, disregarding their personal perception or valuation of a product. For instance, while mainstream society values affordable products, the need to get the latest models and the best brands drives competition to create brand names that precedes their reputation.This is the reason why surplus goods are abundant and midnight sales are frequent. The insatiable drive to get the new products that neighbors or relatives have further blurred the accurate valuation on the real value of the product. However, while mainstream American consumers neglects the intrinsic va lue of the product they are purchasing, another group of American consumers have emerged in recent years- those who have been advocating ethical and pragmatic consumption.Valuing a product or service according to Cohen, Comroy and Hoffner (67) necessitates the consideration of ethical consumption when making ordinary purchases in order to lessen the exploitation of the environment and the natural resources as well as the indiscriminate use of cheap labors to produce affordable and quality goods. This stream of consumers’ advocates for the vigilance and empowerment of the American public in choosing the products or services those are basic and fundamental to survival.While this has yet to receive much support in the society, this movement is gradually taking ground. Finally, with the advent of internet and technological revolutions, consumerism in American society is further heightened. The easier access to products and goods oftentimes, without looking at the products further diminishes the ability of consumers to make an accurate valuation of the products. Conclusion Essentially, American society values consumerism and materialism and in the process, the distinction between consumer needs and consumer wants have become indistinct.To a considerable extent, the inability to distinguish between the two has propelled the inability of most consumers to value products and services. Thus, while there are segments of the society that has opposed this type of consumer culture, the predominant and mainstream American culture continues to consume and spend on products that they may know little or nothing about. Works Cited Cohen, Maurie, Comrov, Aaron and Hoffner, Brian. â€Å"The new politics of consumption: Promoting sustainability in the American marketplace.† Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy. 1, 1(2005): 58-76. Plaster, Gary and Alderman, Jerry. â€Å"Customer value creation: A platform for profitable growth. † Charter Consulting. 1 (2006): 1-7. Friedman, Monroe. â€Å"The consumer culture research landscape. † The Journal of American Culture. 30, 1(2007): 1-5. Agnew, J. C. ‘‘The Consuming Vision of Henry James. ’’ The Culture of Consumption. Eds. R. W. Fox and T. J. J. Lears. New York: antheon, 1983.

Rene Descartes French Mathematician and Philosopher Essay

Rene Descartes: An Author Study Rene Descartes was a 17th Century mathematician and French Philosopher whose lifes work focused on providing a new prospective on the human perception of reality. The definition of this reality is seen as Descartes greatest life goal. Coined as the Father of Modern Philosophy, (Cunningham Reich, 2010, p. 385), Descartes laid the groundwork the philosophy and reality as we perceive it today. Descartes autobiography, Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason and Seeking Truth in the Sciences (Descartes, 2004) shares with the reader a glimpse into the mind of a brilliant, yet frail, man who provided an in depth explanation on the perception of human existence and the reality we live in†¦show more content†¦The act of doubt that one was thinking, proved humans are a thinking being (Cunningham Reich, 2010, p.395). Descartes argued that human perception may be inaccurate, so this cannot be a message for determining what reality is. Descartes also proved the soul separate from the body. His doubt led to believing in something greater than himself. Cunningham Reich (2010) note that Descartes main accomplished was by way of refusing to believe anything that could not be decisively proved to be true (p.385). Descartes never married but had one child who died from fever at age 5. He spent his later life in the Netherlands and then Sweden, where he died from complications of pneumonia at age fifty three in 1650 (â€Å"Renà © Descartes,†2014). Summary: Discourse on Method Part IV The previous works in mathematics and science along with philosophy of reason leads Rene Descartes to the process of self-doubt. This doubt lead to the conclusion, as outlined in part IV of Discourse on Method, of the crux of Descartes fresh perspective on philosophy of reason was found within his own imperfection is a human. The questions relating to self-doubt and inspection of one’s reality led Descartes to develop the framework of modern philosophy. This infamous historical documentation of Descartes’ thinking and philosophical findings in the 17th century are still influencing our world today (Cunningham Reich, 2010). According toShow MoreRelatedEssay about Rene Descartes Faith and Reason1292 Words   |  6 PagesRene Descartes Faith and Reason The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries witnessed a colossal transition in the scientific view of the universe. During this period a profound rethinking of scientific theory as well as moral and religious matters took place. Traditional ideas were reconsidered by religious thinkers. Philosophers began applying rational scientific thought to problems that they considered. The main concept of the Scientific Revolution was to question everything. The ScientificRead More Rene Descartes Essay1094 Words   |  5 PagesRene Descartes was a famous French mathematician, scientist and philosopher. He was arguably the first major philosopher in the modern era to make a serious effort to defeat skepticism. His views about knowledge and certainty, as well as his views about the relationship between mind and body have been very influential over the last three centuries. Descartes was born at La Haye (now called Descartes), and educated at the Jesuit College of La Flà ¨che between 1606 and 1614. Descartes later claimedRead MoreOn My Way670 Words   |  3 PagesRenà © Descartes was a famous French mathematician, scientist, and philosopher. He was arguably known as the Father of Modern Philosophy. Descartes published many works of mathematics and philosophy throughout his life. In one of his most important works, Meditations on First Philosophy, he added a number of arguments for and against skepticism. Skepticism is the doubt about the truth of something and that absolute knowledge is not possible. Like past famous philosophers before him, Plato and ParmenidesRead MoreThe Roman Catholic Church Responded Treatment1645 Words   |  7 Pages1545-1563, made almost entirely of Italy’s and presided by the Pope. The changes made were the ban of selling indulgences, made bishops live in their diocese, and there was new rules for clergy. Galileo Gal ilei, 1564-1642, was an Italian astronomer and philosopher, the Medici family was a patron of his work. Galilei viewed the physical universe as a â€Å"Book of Nature...written in mathematical characters.† Galilei also improved the telescope, this allowed him to observe the motion of the planets and the surfaceRead MoreScience Changes The World Of Science1463 Words   |  6 PagesBrandon M Daniels 2/23/15 CH 202 Essay #1 Science Changes the World Science has taken people to places far beyond the stars. Physicists, Scientists, Mathematicians, and Philosophers have shaped most of society’s views of the world we live in. Through theory, experiments, and ideas of the scientific revolution Isaac Newton, Rene Descartes, and Francis Bacon have not only changed the geocentric past but also have had me welcome the heliocentric view. Heliocentrism is the idea Earth as well as otherRead MoreThe Theory Of The Mind Body Dualism1232 Words   |  5 PagesRenà © Descartes was a French mathematician, scientist, and philosopher of the 16th Century, who, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, â€Å"was one of the first to abandon scholastic Aristotelianism and created the first version of the modern mind-body dualism or emotion† (Encyclopedia Britannica). Born on March 31, 1596, he was dubbed as the Father of Modern Philosophy. His theory on the mind-body dualism, also known as Cartesian Dualism, created a stem of the modern problem of the relationship betweenRead MoreRen Descartes : Dualism Of The Mind And Body740 Words   |  3 PagesAccording to famous French mathematician and philosopher, Renà © Descartes, motion and interactions between the material and the immaterial are possible. He came up with a concept called dualism of the mind and body. His thesis being that mind and body are really distinct. He believes the mind, an immaterial thing, and body, a material thing, are two different beings that interact with each other. In one of his famous The Meditation, He says, [I am thinking, therefore I exist] taught me that I wasRead Moresituation in ethic Essay1383 Words   |  6 Pagesreality, existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind and language.The influences of philosophy and physiology are discover by ancient Greeks such as Aristotle and Plato. In the seventeenth century, Rene Descartes suggested the concept of dualism in which the mind and body exist as two separate entities. Descartes believed that the interaction between mind and body created the experience of reality. Physiology and Philosophy is established under school of psychology and as science separate philosophy theRead MorePropelling Rational Thought Over Compelling Empiricism1459 Words   |  6 Pages In this paper I intend to examine the rationalist philosophy of Rene Descartes and fundamental empiricism of John Locke’s philosophical arguments, in particular their ideas relating to the science of man, his identity and attempt to explain distinctions between the two. As I lay the framework of my argument it is important to understand the precepts that serve as the underpinning for the views considered by Descartes and Locke respectively. Rationalism and empiricism are two modes of thoughtRead More Descartes Essay1269 Words   |  6 Pages In the early 17th century a philosopher named Descartes, questioned his existence. His life was dedicated to the founding of a philosophical and mathematical system in which all sciences were logical. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Descartes was born in 1596 in Touraine, France. His education consisted of attendance to a Jesuit school of La Fleche. He studied a liberal arts program that emphasized philosophy, the humanities, science, and math. He then went on to the University of Poitiers where