Does language influence thinking skills or cognition Essay

Does language influence thinking skills or cognition - Essay Example All these include some of the questions several philosophies within cognitive science are trying to answer. For a much longer period, the thought that language might influence thought was considered wrong. Several data analysis have been collected through most parts and the end results show that, individuals who speak diverse dialects do indeed think differently and that even grammar can intensely influence how most people perceive the world. To elucidate the stated thought, let us ask ourselves a simple question; how would our lives be if we had never learned any of the languages? Could we still have friends around us, hold any particular job, have a relationship or family, get an education, explore our gifting or maximize our potential? Language is thus essential and entirely part of our lives, that it’s even hard to imagine life without it. A four-year-old in one society can perform a task with much ease as opposed to an intellectual in another society. This is a huge difference in cognitive strength and the surprising answer to this cause is the language. This theory goes back to the centuries with philosophers Sapir and Whorf emphasizing that, variances in languages such as English and Hopi, lead to the difference in thinking (Eysenck & Keane, 2000, p. 122-24). This thought however was met with serious criticism over time as philosophers argued that, the theories were not supported by much proof. However, decades later, it is still evident that language shapes thinking. The results have had a great influence in law, education and even politics. Speakers of diverse languages also vary in how they define events and, as a result, how they can remember who did what and so forth. All events, even instant accidents, are complex and need us to interpret what happened. Take, for instance, former vice president Dick Cheney’s accident, in which he unintentionally shot Harry Whittington. One could say that it seemed as if

Cultural Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cultural Context - Essay Example Nevertheless, both suicides have some semblance. Both Ben and Edna are driven majorly by acts of selfishness. It could be argued that Edna is driven to kill herself because she discovers that no one else dares to join in her overt defiance towards the day’s cultural expectations on women. Robert, for instance is able to restrain himself despite his profound love for her, while she openly mocks him over his apprehensions on adultery (Chopin, 2011). Edna feels too superior to acquiesce to societal norms or what is real. On the other hand, though it could be argued that Ben’s suicide has got little to do with society’s expectations on him, his selfishness and superiority complex is as evident in his quest as much as Edna’s. Ben never personally selected his victims yet he assigns himself the role of selecting those whom he thinks deserves to benefit from his suicide. Inasmuch as we may opt to champion for certain causes in the world, we must also acknowledg e our limitations. It is our duty to seek to involve others in our quests so that the merits and demerits of our intentions may be laid out and clarity sought.

Elitism Or Pluralism Depiction Of Political Power Politics Essay

Elitism Or Pluralism Depiction Of Political Power Politics Essay The United States of America, the biggest democracy in the world, was born as such in 1787, when 55 representatives of each state gathered in Philadelphia in order to achieve a compromise, a union within states. When we talk about America, what crosses our mind is the idea of greatness, strength and power, an enormous power of an enormous country, and its distribution is one of the major issues in American politics, whether it is an elitist or a pluralist distribution of power. Nevertheless, it is worth first of all turning ones attention to the history of the United States and this will perhaps allow us better to understand and analyse the American power. Lets go back to the eighteenth century, when Americans were unfairly treated by the English Crown, they contributed to the metropolis and they were torn apart in every decision that concerned them so that by the middle of the eighteenth century, a negative atmosphere against Great Britain was starting to flourish. As a consequence, the War of Independence broke out in 1775; it was a revolution, a desire of freedom, and the American people, all together, achieved their independence. On 4th of July of 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed by John Hancock, Jon Adams and Thomas Jefferson, to name just a few; and the new states formed a Republic made up by a president and a congress or assembly, this is when a democratic regime is set up in the United States. A good example of this political transformation is this quote of John Adams: Let it be known, that the so called elitists liberties are not the grants of princes or parliaments. That many of our rights are inherent and essential. Agreed on as maxims and established as preliminaries even before government existed. We have a right to them, derived from our maker. Our forefathers have earned liberty at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasures, and their blood. Liberty is not built on the doctrine that a few nobles have the right to inherit the earth. It stands on this principal that the meanest and the lowest of people are by the unalterable, indefeasible laws of God and nature as well entitled to the benefit of the air to breath, light to see, food to eat, or clothes to wear as the nobles, or even a king. That is liberty, and liberty will reign in America! (Speech by John Adams, HBOs John Adams Series) Moreover, the Constitution of 1787 reflects for the first time the principles of political liberalism, inspired by ideals of freedom and equality against the elitist political power of Great Britain at the time. Therefore, a federal government was created, formed by a president of the Republic, the Congress with two legislatives chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the Supreme Court. However, each state had its own government with competences in internal policy. Nevertheless, this separation of power first came from Montesquieu who suggested three different functions for the government: legislative, executive and judicial. He finds liberty in the distribution of power into several hands; if two functions were held in the same person, it could lead to tyranny. That being said, it is worth now analysing briefly the three branches of the American government. As for the Legislature (Congress) split into House of Representatives and the Senate, its main feature is to make law. According to the Founding Fathers, the Congress was supposed to be the centre of the governmental power; just to name a few competences, the Congress can declare war, confirm treaties or impeach the president. Today, because it is considerate as the symbol of the nation, the centre of government lies in the Executive (President) who represents the enforcement of law, having the power of veto, the grant of pardons or the nomination of judges to the Supreme Court. And finally, the Judiciary (Supreme Court) whose main feature is the interpretation of law. In the Federalist No.51, the fourth president of the United States and the Father of the Constitution, James Madison, wrote about the American power and its distribution. He said: If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. Therefore, a government is needed to maintain freedom and equality in the Hobbes state of nature in which the stronger oppresses the weaker and as a result, the interests of the individuals are reduced. But James Madison designed a federalist government in order to get privet rights and public happiness. He planned a double security, that way, the power surrendered by the people would be first divided between two distinct governments. These two governments are the State and the Federal government; then, the civil rights of the people will be preserved. Madison made sure of that by establishing a system of checks and balances in order to keep any institution from becoming more powerful. Some of these checks and balances are the nomination of judged to the Supreme Court made by the President which are confirmed by the Congress or the judiciary reviews made by the Supreme Court. That fear of power is also reflected in the Bill of Rights, which controlled the federal power by providing each state with federal representation. So, going back to the question proposed, is the American distribution of power elitist or pluralist? As I may have mentioned briefly at the beginning of this essay, and referring again to the past, American people wanted freedom and equality, but where these ideas came from? The European ideals and values of the eighteenth century got to the American society, lets remember that some years after the War of Independence, in 1789 the French Revolution shook the French Crown and also European governments; in 1802, the Spanish War of Independence and the posterior European Revolutions in 1820, 1830 and 1840. With the purpose of suggesting America as a pluralist country let me analyse the political thought of the most influential authors of the time who were Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, the figures who brought new values to the New World. In Hobbes State of Nature, all that reigned was chaos, anarchy and insecurity. Men were dangerous to themselves. The only way to get through that situation of insecurity was by given up peoples authority in order to lay their power on the government, so there could be order and peoples rights could be preserved. Here, is when the Lockes Social Contract comes, people devote their power to governors who have the duty to protect their rights, nevertheless, if governors stopped doing this, people would have the right to rise up against the power. As we have seen in the last few years, the American society power has forced some presidents to resign; the Watergate case in which the republican president Richard Nixon got involved, led him to his resignation. With the Social Contract, the government is created and its legitimacy is based on the protection of the rights of the people, who form the government, and it takes decision in a democratic manner, being the popular sovereignty one of the main principles of the State. Locke considered that the human being had some rights derived from the Maker, derived from God, and those were survival, liberty and the right of property. This can be reflected on the previous quote of John Adams. In short, American society has been forged in those values, the Constitutional principles, its individualism and natural liberty characterize it, because each person is the owner of oneself and every citizen makes the decision of participating and collaborating in the political life, because he or she is free to do it. In the end, the smallest state in political terms that we could think of is the individual, who is mobilized and organized by political parties; they play a very important role in American political life as well. Basically, political parties take part in the puzzle of the American policy in a complex manner. That is to say that, for instance, when there are presidential elections in the United States, the political parties get involve a lot more than in the Congress elections. The President, as I may have mention before, has become the nations sense of identity (Carl N. Degler, History Counts: The Burden of American Politics), people see in him the role of the leader who can only be Democratic or Republican. On the other hand, in Congress, there could be two parties, the Democratic and Republican leading the legislation together, in a higher or lower percentage of members but still, that is another argument for the pluralism of the United States. All in all, the United States of America conform the biggest democracy in the world, and as such, people have an important role in American political life, therefore, I would add a new branch in the American distribution of power: The Congress, the President, the Supreme Court and the people, because after all, the American Constitution of 1787 says We the People; and if Congress plays the legislative role, the President the executive and the Supreme Court the judicial, people are responsible of supporting them, because they are the base of the American political system. Even though it is not possible for them to reach the elite that leads the Congress, the Presidential figure or the Supreme Court, by accepting their authority and leadership, they make every political mechanism work. One example of what I have said before is the speech of the President Harry S. Truman in 1947 directed to Congress: At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one. Our way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression. The second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression I believe it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures The free peoples of the world look to us for support in maintaining their freedoms. If we falter in our leadership, we may endanger the peace of the world -and we shall surely endanger the welfare of this Nation. Great responsibilities have been placed upon us of this Nation by the swift movement of events. (Quote taken from the R. J. Johnstons The American Ce ntury) Also, the John Kennedys quote Ask not what you country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country or the Obamas Yes, we can show that, as Pablo Gonzà ¡lez Casanova asserts, America is made of many Americans; and if in the past, the government could be of the people and for the people, now, despite of the enormous influence of the minority upon the majority, the majoritys interest still prevails. In conclusion, after this brief analysis of the American distribution of power through the history of the United States in which the War of Independence, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were incredibly important and also the influence of some philosophers of that time like Hobbes, Locke or Montesquieu who brought new values and principles to the American society, it would be possible to consider the United States distribution of power as pluralist. Indeed, the facts that characterize Western democracies, according to Darryl Baskin in his critique about American Pluralist Democracy are: social diversity and balance, subsystem autonomy and separation of powers. I would like to finish off this essay with another quote, this time of Carl N. Degler (History Counts: the Burden of American Politics): What I am talking about here are not politicians and parties but the character, the historical nature, if you will, of the American people. For it is they who have created and sustained the politics of this country from the beginning right down to the present.

Sharks Essay examples -- essays research papers fc

SHARKS There are more that 250 species of sharks, ranging from the harmless whale shark to the ferocious great white. I will describe the feeding habits and localities of the three greatly known to mankind: the great white shark (Carcharodon Carcharias), the tiger shark (Galeocerdo Cuvieri), and the bull shark (Carcharhinus Leucas). The great white shark, known as Carchardon Carcharias, feeds regularly on marine mammals, such as seals, sea lions, otters, dolphins, and whales. Samuel Gruber in Discovering Sharks writes that the great white consumes marine mammals when they come across a deceased one. Even though the great white has the reputation of a man-eater; they attack thinking that the diver or surfers on a short board are part of its natural prey. The San Francisco area is known as the great white capital, because of the â€Å"Red Triangle.† The red triangle is the breeding ground for its natural prey, seals and sea lions. The triangle’s boundaries are north of Tamales Point, south of Monterey Bay, and west of the Farallon Islands, states Rodney Steel in the book Sharks of the World. The sharks also are found in quiet, shallow waters, along with in Australia. The tiger shark, known as Galeocerdo Cuivieri, feeds regularly on marine mammals also. Tiger sharks do end up with curious articles in their stomach like license plates, lamps, and sheep. The tiger shark is a cannibalistic shark, which means it will attack its own kind when needed. Tiger sharks will feed on anything th...

City Road Essay

Another would be that pedestrians seem to be favoured more so than motorists. For instance the islands in the middle of the road, they are there to make crossing City Road safer and more convenient to those who travel by foot. The island isn’t just the concrete mound in the middle of the road, it also includes the paint on the ground around it which cars are not allowed to drive over. Again, the bollards that were erected along the pavements are there to favour pedestrians. The reason why they were put there is to stop vehicles parking on the curbs, which was a problem before the bollards were put in place as the cars and lorries would park right over the pavements making it difficult for people to walk past and leaving less space for people with prams or wheelchairs to go round. Some things favour different groups because they appeal to different groups. Take for example the Taste Buds Cafe; one thing that struck me straight away was that the majority of the customers in there were predominantly female and mostly the older generation. They like to go in there because it appeals to them, it appeals to them because; The price is reasonable- a lot of the customers will be drawing a pension so keeping costs down is important to them, They feel safe- because there are regulars who go there and they get familiar with one another and that gives the customers a sense of safety because they know what to expect and Mr Suarez the cafe owner aids in the feeling of safety through being consistent in the way in which he runs his business. Also the menu is all home cooked and this is important to his customers. Because of all these factors, Mr Suarez’s cafe is geared more towards the older generation than the younger ones so in a sense it is favouring, although that isn’t altogether a bad thing. Lastly I would mention the security cameras. They are positioned all over City Road and they are there for a number of reasons, one reason is that a crime is less likely to be committed in an area which has CCTV (which deters people from offending) and also it makes people in the area feel safer knowing that these things are in place to not only aid in the catching of the people who commit the crimes but also that it is part of crime prevention too. CCTV is important on City Road because it does make the residence feel that little bit safer, a lot of them feel that the road is a bit â€Å"rough† and not the sort of place you would like to walk down at night, even though the local policeman denies that there is a problem with crime in the area. People just perceive it to be a crime hotspot, despite having little to no experience of any serious crimes having taken place on the road. Most of the material things on City Road favour one group over another but some inadvertently and some deliberately, the issue with the busses for example is inadvertent. They are not purposely designed to be inconvenient to a certain

An Occurrence

The short story takes place during the Civil War. Peyton Farquhar a civilian of the south Is caught vlolatlng with the bridge and Is sentenced to be hanged. Ambrose Bierce's short story became a suspenseful phenomenon. He maintain suspenses throughout the short story by enhancing the mind of Peyton into a deep fantasy. Bierce's use of flashbacks, setting, illusion, and symbolism to create suspense.In the second aragraph the story gives a flashback to outline Peyton's lifestyle and why he is getting hanged. The flashback shows how Peyton was a slave owner and was a supporter of the confederate army. When Peyton has a confrontation with a union spy posing as a confederate soldier it created suspense because Peyton didn't know what the reader knew. The flashback explains how Peyton got into this mess that were learned of earlier in the story. Symbolism throughout the story is used to show life and death. One example is the place Peyton is being hanged (the bridge).The bridge symbolizes the path one must take to cross over between life and death. On one side of the bridge represents Peyton's life and the other side of the bridge where the soldiers are represented as death and war. Since Peyton took it upon himself to take action in the war he choose to crossover to the said of war otherwise referred to as death where he will be hanged. The river under Peyton also symbolizes the passage between life and death. In other religions when someone dies, they cross over a river to get to the other side.An example would be the River Styx in Greek mythology. The River Styx is know as the border between life and death that sends soul's to the other side. Bierce creates one big Illusion to the reader as Peyton Is dying In a slow daydream. The readers perceptions of PeytonS thoughts and actions now becomes a blurred line between illusion and reality. Peyton is imagining his escape from death but the reader doesn't know it is only an illusion lasting about 3 seconds before he di ed. Like many say his life flashed before his eyes.His ability to escape gunfire underwater shows that he is dreaming because that would be nearly impossible for someone who Is half conscious to dodge. This sense of Imposslblllty creates suspense as the reader wonders If Peyton will successfully escape alive because It seems so unbelievable. Altogether these literary devices helped Bierce create a suspenseful short story. Without anyone of these devices he would not have been able to make the reader suspenseful and predict the predictable outcome of Peyton surviving.An Occurrence By denise_bgc hort story takes place during the Civil War. Peyton Farquhar a civilian of the south is caught violating with the bridge and is sentenced to be hanged. Ambrose Bierce's that sends soul's to the other side. Bierce creates one big illusion to the reader as Peyton is dying in a slow daydream. The readers perceptions of Peyton's thoughts would be nearly impossible for someone who is half conscious to dodge. This sense of impossibility creates suspense as the reader wonders if Peyton will successfully escape alive because it seems so unbelievable.

English Language Learners

English Language Learners English language learners have a diverse range of needs that should be met by educators. This paper is aimed at examining the way in which my school supports these students as well as their parents.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on English Language Learners specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In particular, it is necessary to compare the current strategies against the best practices recommended by researchers. Overall, it is possible to argue that such students should be supported by various professionals working in educational institutions. This thesis should be elaborated in greater detail. First, it is critical to have school-wide commitment to the needs of students who are not native speakers of English. To some degree, this requirement is met in my school because the linguistic background of learners is considered by educators who do not teach English or literature. For example, one can speak about educators teachin g mathematics, biology, or history. They often modify their instructional methods when they interact with such students. However, this requirement is not met by all teachers. Some of them are not willing to consider the difficulties faced by these people. This is one of the challenges that should not be overlooked by school administrators. In turn, it is establish connections to the culture and home of immigrants. For instance, the parents of these people should be able to express their views about education. The partnership with these stakeholders is important for the successful educational outcomes of students. In my school, the parents of immigrant children have this opportunity. This argument is particularly relevant to individuals who speak Spanish. However, in some cases, a parent may find it difficult to communicate with educators, especially if they speak languages that are not widespread in the United States. Therefore, their children may have to act as translators. This is one of the main problems that parents and students struggle with. Apart from that, it is critical to remember about the use of best methods in teaching English as the second language. In particular, one should speak about instructional practices that make English language learning both challenging and safe (Krashen McField, 2005). In turn, they want to make sure that English language learners have an opportunity to use language for various purposes.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, they make sure that a student’s academic performance is not impaired due to their linguistic background. Additionally, the teachers often take part in the workshops that enable them to improve their instructional methods. Thus, to some degree, my school meets the standards, set for educational organizations. In turn, my major task as a teacher is to create an environment in which students can effectively develop their English language skills. First of all, it is critical to develop a set of exercises that can enable people to elaborate their linguistic skills. Yet, at the same time, I need to focus on the inclusion of these students (Reed, 2003, p. 36). They should not be alienated from other students. The problem is that they do not always interact with other learners; as a result, they cannot improve their command of English. Additionally, I will need to work closely with other teachers who do not know much about the linguistic education. On the whole, these examples indicate that English language learning can be a very challenging and interesting process, especially if they are supported by the educators. The main goal is to create an environment in which English language learners are not excluded from classroom activities. Reference List Krashen, S., McField, G. (2005). What works? Reviewing the latest evidence on  bilingual education. Retrieved from http://users.rcn.com/crawj/langpol/Krashen-McField.pdf Reed, B. (2003). Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English  Language Learners. Retrieved from https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/ell.pdf