Da Vinci's The Last Supper - Image Analysis Assignment

Da Vinci's The Last Supper - Image Analysis - Assignment Example When one examines the work it is fairly simple to understand how the apostles’ reactions to Jesus depict their astonishment at his words. Da Vinci depicts them as astonished, crystallized in a performative, nearly ironic state of shock. Symbolically the image groups the apostles in groups of three, with each different group reacting to Jesus’ announcement in subtle yet pronounced ways. The groupings of three hold obvious religious significance as the number is echoed throughout the Bible in a number of incarnations. Perhaps the most relevant such incarnation in the context of this work is that which refers to Jesus’ resurrection after three days, as a direct result of his betrayal that led to his eventual crucifixion at the hands of the Romans. In one grouping, Bartholomew, James, son of Alphaeus and Andrew are depicted together as simple surprised. In another grouping, Judas Iscariot, Peter, and John are depicted together. In terms of Biblical significance this last grouping is the most relevant in terms of relation to Christ, as well as narrative significance within the painting. Peter and John represent two of the closet and Biblically significant disciples; also, as is well understood, Judas Iscariot is the one that would eventually betray Jesus.

Topic to be decided summative assessment for master of midwifery Essay

Topic to be decided summative assessment for master of midwifery research methods - Essay Example However, it is worthy to note from the onset that there exist a good number of differences between the two study approaches. The existence of similarities is also another feature that this paper will attempt to bring out. It should be noted however that this paper gives precedence to the medical field specifically on midwifery and nursing. This paper attempts to look at what differentiates the two and at the same time what distances the two approaches. In this paper, the attempt is made to draw the distinctions between the two approaches. The paper will also present arguments as to why the two can be used on a complimentary scale as opposed to ignorance amongst them. In this paper the blending need will also be explored. A good medical research recognizes the interdependent nature between qualitative and quantitative research methods of inquiry. Unfortunately, having made the realization that the two methodological paradigms are quite complimentary, there exist a few stumbling blocks that make their application impossible due to some difference. To begin with, qualitative and quantitative approaches to research often use different sets of assumptions. These differences run across the fact that the two methods’ assumptions and world views are antagonistically orchestrated. To add more to this, their ways of learning differ significantly. A closer look into these assumptions delivers a view that portrays them as inevitably irreconcilable. This may explain why researchers are more often asked to focus on one of the methods while engaging in any kind of research. This is taught to allow them the freedom and the comfort to handle their daily learning and study activities. This may be the reason why the different exponents of the approaches appear to lean to their choice of approaches with little or complete disregard to the other. In that respect, the two approaches are rarely

Platos Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Platos Philosophy - Essay Example Plato’s philosophy of the world of becoming and the world of being are separate entities, but their explanation sometimes blurs the line between the two, since the philosopher made no effort to separate his ideas completely. The final form of the never-ending need to understand is a form of knowledge in the world of forms introduced by Plato. In the world of forms, the philosopher is known to have attained the highest form of knowledge available, and can therefore, be able to see the world of ideas in the world immediately. This is the ultimate and possibly, only final form of knowledge that a philosopher would seek. From Plato’s philosophy, we can be made to understand that for the faculty of reason described above, one that transcends real world boundaries, there must be a corresponding level of universal reality. These two different factors are divided into what Plato called the world of becoming and the world of being. In the world of becoming, the forms do not change eternally and have non-objective characteristics like beauty and justice. Conversely, the world of being depicts that the beautiful forms seen in everyday life are infinite copies of the forms described above. Plato considered that objects have the ability to acquire and/or lose beauty, but the essence of beauty is such that it has a distinct existence from the objects in the world. Plato insists that the physical objects seen the world are actually perfect copies of the world of forms or Triangle. ... In contrast, the physical world, the world known by the human senses, is a dynamic world, a world of becoming. Plato then states that the forms have an infinite and singular existence in the world of being, as contrasted to the world of becoming. Plato’s explanation of the forms indicates that our souls were indicated with the forms before the bodies, and the mind realizes the forms in different ways.4 The first way of recognizing the forms is through recollection, where it is understood the soul was acquainted with the forms before the body. In this case, an individual can recollect the knowledge of the soul prior to the existence of the body. In this case, the existence of physical objects is just but a reminder of the beautiful essences of the forms, and education is a way of remembering the forms that existed before the body. The second way of realizing the forms is through speech and dialect, where an individual learns to separate objects and discover how the various spli ts of knowledge are related. The third way of discovering the world of being or the forms, is through the power of love. In the symposium, Plato states that the power of love leads an individual from a beautiful object, to a beautiful thought and finally to the discovery of the essence of beauty itself. Plato’s two distinct ideas, the world of being and the world of becoming, can be explained using different parables or metaphors that he postulated.5 The first metaphor, the allegory of the cave, is an embracement of two allegories and describes both forms of becoming and being. The allegory asks us to imagine ourselves as prisoners in an underground prison, where we are chained without access to the outside. In the

Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership - Research Paper Example It is revealed by the writer that they managed to bring their culture along with them to America, which ensured more intimacy among the members, more interaction, good leadership, sharing, and so many other virtues. The introduction is meant to teach the readers the very purpose of the book; to explore the role of opportunities in making someone successful. The writer points out that ‘the Rosetans were cooking with lard instead of with the much healthier olive oil.’ (6). Also, there is the revelation that they consumed more fat, were more obese, and smoked heavily. Despite all these negative aspects, the people lived a healthier life than other people. The reason, according to the writer, is that the culture allowed people to live healthier by offering better living conditions. Thus, the gist is that when one gets the right opportunities, one becomes successful. The first chapter ‘The Matthew Effect’ is a further exploration of this issue by analyzing the se lection to the Major Junior A Hockey. Admittedly, when one sees a hockey player who is successful, one feels that player is successful because of the player’s innate talent and skills. ... At the first glance, and even to those who watch closely, it seems that one cannot buy a position in the Major Junior A hockey. In other words, the impression is that only those who are wiling to work and only those who have ability will manage to get into Major Junior A level. While claiming that there is something not quite right with this conception, Gladwell indicates that our concept of successful people in every sphere of life is marred by a number of erroneous conceptions (10). In fact, I used to possess the view that it is possible for people to grow to any levels through hard work. Admittedly, this view was the result of reading various accounts of celebrities and entrepreneurs achieving great success in their life. They all love claiming a poor or mediocre beginning, and then reaching the zenith of success through their individual hard work and brilliance. However, rejecting all these claims, the writer points out in ‘Outliers’ that ‘all these kinds of pe rsonal explanations of success don’t work’ (Gladwell 11). Instead, the writer points out that all those successful people made advantage of various factors other than their own personal struggle to be successful. In the words of the writer, they are ‘the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot’ (Gladwell 11). The most attractive part of this chapter, admittedly, is the example of the oak tree (11). He points out that the tallest oak tree in the forest becomes the tallest not only because of its own abilities, but also because of various factors. To illustrate, other trees did not block the

Extreme poverty Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Extreme poverty - Coursework Example asic security leads to chronic poverty when it simultaneously affects several aspects of people’s lives, when it is prolonged and when it severely compromises people’s chances of regaining their rights and of reassuming their responsibilities in the foreseeable future.† In 2005, the World Bank also defined extreme poverty as living on less than or as having to survive on US$ 1.25 per day. But at present, the amount was adjusted to US$ 1.50 due to account inflation. This meant meeting all the basic necessities in life with the equivalent of that amount a day in order to survive. The $1.50 a day is all they have to spend on all their living costs. Therefore, their prime concern is their day-to-day survival. The tendency was they set aside their other needs such as education which can be an important remedy to pull themselves out of poverty. People living in extreme poverty are more vulnerable to malnutrition and hunger, inadequate access to basic services such as health, sanitation, education, etc, and are more likely to acquire different diseases because of weak immune system depressed by malnutrition. Pro-poor Growth (labor-intensive employment and income creation, public/private sector provision of basic services, poor area public investment. regional and sub regional cooperation, environmental sustainability) Henderson, C. (2002) Notes on Poverty in the Philippines, 2002 Edition. Article available at http://www.apmforum.com/columns/orientseas49.htmpasingit, rush, kahit ano na lang matapos mo, 1 page lang: History and Political

Dreams in of mice and men Essay Example for Free

Dreams in of mice and men Essay Of Mice and Men Dreams Of Mice and Men is set in Salinas, California in the 1930s Great Depression. Life was hard and men could be cruel. Hope might be the only escape from hard reality. This links to the American Dream – represented in George and Lennie’s dream of working hard and getting their own land and farm, and control over their own lives. But it was harder than ever to achieve due to the tough economic conditions of the Depression. After Lennie’s death, it might be possible for George to realise his dream, but the emptiness at the end of the novel shows that financial success is nothing when you are lonely. So the dream is not just something to own, or possess, but also something to share. ‘Compassion and love’, to Steinbeck – as outlined in his Nobel Prize speech are the most important things, as is ‘hope’ – having a dream. Lennie and George have a fairly simple dream: to own a small farm, and be their own bosses, which contrasts with the large factory type farm they are on, where men are treated like machines, which are frequently broken (Crooks and Candy), and isolated from each other. George repeats his and Lennie’s dream like a mantra: ‘we got a future’, suggesting that they are different to the others. ‘Future’ here is a metaphor for something bright, and greater than what they have now – like the American Dream to ‘live off the fatta the land’. The phrase ‘fat of the land’ almost suggests a biblical promised land after the hard, ‘wilderness’ years. The function of the dream therefore is to help them to endure hardship and not give in to despair. They want control of their own lives: ‘we’ll just say the hell with goin to work’. This can make them seem naive however, as farmers have to work whether they want to or not – especially smallholders. When George sets out the dream, he then says that he and Lennie are ‘not like those other guys’. The dream sets George and Lennie apart from the others; they make themselves special: in the inclusive ‘we’ against the exclusive ‘those other guys’. The juxtaposition of ‘us’ and ‘them’ verbally bonds the protagonists together in contrast to the other men – even though they are all, George, Lennie, Crooks, Candy, in the same situation. Still, George and Lennie separate themselves from the others by using the third person to describe farm hands as, ‘the loneliest guys in the world.’ The superlative ‘loneliest’ and hyperbole ‘in the world’ exaggerates the harshness of the world of the Depression as shown in the novel. Sometimes it seems that George ‘owns’ the dream – as he is the one who tells it to Lennie, like a child’s bedtime story, prayer or mantra, in keeping with his role as ‘parent/protector’ to his child-like companion. This is emphasised by the simple, mantra-like structure, where Lennie keeps filling in the gaps if George hesitates, and repeating short phrases after him as if he knows it by heart, even though – as George says frustratedly, Lennie always ‘forgets’ everything else. It is not always certain if George believes the dream is possible or if he is saying it to keep Lennie quiet. Sometimes, George seems sceptical, saying they will have ‘every colour rabbits’ including ‘red and blue’. He is patronising to Lennie, saying ‘good boy’, keeping him safe from his own stupidity. In these scenes the dream seems more of a spell or placebo to keep the main characters safe than something that is really possible. Other characters are very cynical about the dream. The reader is made to question how realistic these dreams are. Curley’s wife dreams of when she threw away the chance to become famous, but we can see that her dream is a sham. Of George and Lennie’s dream, Crooks says: ‘every damn one of them’s got a little piece of land in his head’. Crooks’ final judgement is that ‘never a God damn one of ‘em ever gets it.’ The repetition of the absolute ‘never’ and ‘ever’, as well as the strong slang ‘God damn’ emphasises how desperate life is. However, it is not certain whether Steinbeck shares Crooks’ negative view. Crooks is an extreme character. His language is hyperbole – very extreme and relentlessly negative. Crooks’ phrase ‘God damn’ suggests that God has abandoned these men, in contrast to the biblical image of hope in George and Lennie’s dream of living ‘off the fatta the land’. The biblical imagery continues negatively when Crooks compares the dream of land to being ‘like Heaven’ – the Christian idea of perfect bliss, not considered a physical reality – and which Crooks says is just as impossible to get as a piece of land. It’s hard for George to keep Lennie out of trouble and keep them on track for their dream. But when they tell Candy, it starts to seem as if it might be possible. [needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis] In an instant, Candy’s faith (and money) take them close to the ideal/dream becoming real. As the dream is shared, or heard by more people, the more it seems that together they might make it come true. Even the ultra negative Crooks starts to believe.[needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis] But all the time, Steinbeck has built up a foreboding feeling, that this world is hard and horrible and nothing good can live in it. We feel that the gentleness of Lennie and George’s friendship, and their shared dream, will be crushed by the cruel world – even by Lennie’s desire for gentle, soft things. ‘I like soft things’ Every time he kills an animal – mouse or puppy, Lennie’s biggest, darkest fear is that he won’t be allowed ‘to tend the rabbits’. The dream is so precious to him that he wants it at any cost. Curley’s wife is lonely and wants someone to listen to her dream. [needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis] When she finds Lennie in the barn, she lets him stroke her hair. When she starts screaming, Lennie screams at her to stop or ‘George won’t let me tend the rabbits’. She’s so frightened that she can’t stop and Lennie accidentally kills her. In a way, Lennie’s desire to keep the dream (by keeping Curley’s wife quiet – and smothering her) is the thing that has destroyed it. The irony of this makes it even more poignant. When Candy discovers what has happened all he wants to know is that he and George can still get the farm. [needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis] He loses sight of human decency – the woman is dead and Lennie will soon die too. Steinbeck makes us ask whether any dream of financial prosperity should be more important than human life? Should we try to get it at any cost? At the end, George tells Lennie the ‘fairy story’ of the dream again – to make him happy at the moment he has to kill the dream of togetherness by shooting him in the head. He almost can’t speak because he is so upset. [needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis] Even though George could still have the farm with Candy, he is deeply sad that he couldn’t keep Lennie alive. Because the dream isn’t worth much when he doesn’t have his old friend to share it with. Lennie loved the dream more than anyone and he never gets it.

Heroin Harm Reduction Strategies in the US

Heroin Harm Reduction Strategies in the US The Northern Kentucky (NKY) Independent Health Department represents four different counties in Kentucky: Boone, Campbell, Grant, and Kenton. This region is often referred to as District 8 and it is made up of 381,153 Kentuckians. In 2008, a startling 18% of individuals in the region were diagnosed with depression and 9.8 % of individuals were living below the poverty level. Yet, the most pressing issue in this district is the heroin epidemic and its association with HCV. According to the NKY Drug Strike Force, three of the four counties in District 8 are the most problematic in the Northern Kentucky Area Development District. Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties represent 60% of Kentucky’s heroin prosecutions for trafficking and possession. Data shows between 2008 and 2012 the heroin court cases in these three counties increased from 257 cases to 1339; an alarming 500% surge. These alarming statistics influenced the NKIHD to partner with various organizations to form the NKCRHE. Although a comprehensive community wide plan is now under development through the Response Team, there are major political, social, and economic factors to consider before reducing and stopping the epidemic. Social Factors The Heroin Impact Response Team sees stigma is the primary reason for the silence associated with heroin in NKY. Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace with a particular circumstance, quality or person. This mark can be alienating and oppressive to individuals and can lead to prejudice and discrimination. People with a history of drug use are highly stigmatized and often become outcasts in society. Some groups argue this stigma helps reduce the drug problem in communities because it shows society’s disapproval of drug use. However, this argument is flawed because it does not consider that stigma can lead to shame and can lead people to hide their unacceptable and undesirable behaviors. Hiding and silencing drug use not only leads to delays in seeking help, but also leads to barriers in recovery and reintegration into society. NKY is a prime example of silence resulting from stigma. Between 2010 and 2012, the number of heroin overdoses in NKY doubled from 31 to 61 and the rates of HCV were more than double Kentucky’s rate.Despite this alarming statistic, until October 2012, communities in NKY were silent about the epidemic. The map below shows NKY is rooted in a historically conservative state, and thus NKY’s social and cultural environment strongly reflect conservative ideologies. These ideologies promote the silence, because speaking out would constitute condemnation, it would depict the family-unit as inadequate, and the community as a hazardous waste land. Finally, families in NKY are speaking out about the epidemic. They are sharing their personal stories and those of their lost loved ones. Through advocacy and education, they are working to break down the barriers associated with the stigma of drug use. Yet stigma is a powerful barrier, and education and community participation may not be enough to reduce the social barriers associated with heroin use. An additional powerful approach may be to remove certain legislative and administrative restrictions that reinforce stigmatization. The removal of these restrictions can lead to drug-user harm reduction strategies and programs, which could be considered the first steps to stop the spread of HCV and the first steps to recovery. Political Factors One of the most effective harm reduction strategies to consider is sterile Needle and Syringe Programs (NSPs). In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on the effectiveness NSPs in which they confirmed studies in the report presented â€Å"a compelling case that NSPs substantially and cost effectively reduce the spread of HIV (and other infectious diseases) and do so without evidence of exacerbating injective drug use at either the individual or societal level† (World Health Organization, 2004). Not surprisingly, the CDC, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and most of the medical and scientific community are advocates of NSPs because the scientific data supports the efficacy of these programs. In addition, these types of programs are seen as the first steps to recovery because they provide abusers the opportunity to seek help and obtain necessary primary health care Although the federal government does not ban the use of NSP’s, since the late 1980’s federal funding for NSPs was prohibited in the United States. In 2009, President Barack Obama removed this ban and allowed states to use federal funds for Syringe Exchange Programs (SEPs). The ban, unfortunately, was reinstated in 2011 due to a change in the federal spending package for 2012. As a result of the political controversy, this type of harm reduction strategy will be difficult to promote in NKY because despite the scientific data, Kentucky legislation continues to prohibit the use of NSPs. The controversy arises from the common misconception that NSPs promote drug use, encourages abusers to stay addicted to drugs, and fosters criminal behavior. Others argue these types of programs are a costly waste because they do not stop addiction. Scientific data, however, shows both of these arguments are invalid. The efficacy of the programs is evident in various studies and the cost be nefit analysis’ shows that â€Å"a full-coverage program that exchanges all used syringes in the United States would cost approximately $423 million but avert 1.3 billion in medical care and treatment costs† The development of an exchange program is not explicitly prohibited in the Kentucky statutes, however the Kentucky Revised Statute 218A.500(3) addresses the prohibition of distribution of drug paraphernalia: â€Å" It is unlawful for any person to deliver, possess with intent to deliver, or manufacture with intent to deliver, drug paraphernalia, knowing, or under circumstances where one reasonably should know, that it will be used to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound†¦inject, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body a controlled substance†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, 2010). In 1992, Dr. John Poundstone wrote a letter to the Kentucky Attorney General requesting an opinion on NSPs in the state of Kentucky. The Kentucky Attorney General advised urban-county health departments could be guilty of criminal offence and liability if they were to pursue development of a needle exchange program Economic Factors If successful in changing Kentucky legislation to allow harm reduction strategies such as SNP’s, the next issue NKY will encounter is the economical component. In 2005, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported an estimated $1.9 billion was spent on mental health and substance abuse (MHSA) treatment in Kentucky which is approximately 1.5% of all the MHSA treatment in the United States (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, 2012). However, the most pressing economic problem in NKY is the low federal and state funds distributed to the region for drug abuse and mental health; in fact, Northern Kentucky receives the lowest funds of the 14 regions in the state. Since federal funding cannot be used for NSPs the NKY region would be completely dependent on state and local funds. Yet, NKY receives only 8.16% of the state’s general funds for MHSA despite making up more than 10% of Kentucky’s general population. To make matters worse, NKY Health Department continuously faces budget cuts and the reduction in funds results in an uneven distribution of monies for various programs. In 2012-2013 the health department faced a 5% decrease in revenue due to cuts in state, federal and Medicaid funding; figure 1 shows this represented approximately $739,247. Figure 2 shows the decrease in revenue resulted in a 7% decrease in expenditures, approximately $1,050,043. These cuts make it difficult for the health department to address the heroin and communicable disease issues in a more robust manner. Notwithstanding these economic setbacks, the heroin and HCV epidemic has spiraled out of control and has become a monster that can only be tamed by organizations coming together to address the issue.