ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Prior to evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of reason as a way of knowing, we should first discuss such concept as knowledge, because even now philosophers and scholars have not come to the agreement as to this issue. Overall, it can be defined as image or perception of reality, which is subjective in its very core. The question arises how a human being can acquire these experiences and whether they are always valid. Certainly, reason is primarily based on the information, which we obtain by means of our senses, such as vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch. However, it should be taken into consideration that our senses are often inclined to deceive us. Psychologists argue that every person, irrespective of his or her mental faculties, may fall victim to illusion, which means that logic and reason may sometimes rely on distorted data or facts about reality. It does not mean that he or she may suffer from some mental disorder even a sane person is liable to illusion and there are certain mechanisms, which produce such an effect. Although, it is argued that reason operates only with evidence-based facts, these postulates are derived from our senses thus, rationalism may is prone to error as well. Rational way of thinking and knowing can be successful only under the condition that a human being completely rejects the idea of unquestionable or absolute truth. Main body Philosophers have always attempted to find a way of knowing the truth. Among them, we can mark out the famous French mathematician and thinker Rennes Descartes. He attached primary importance to reason or logic as a way of knowing. In his work “Discourse on the Method”, he formulated the major principles of rationalism. According to Descartes, a person should always “avoid hasty judgment and prejudice” (Descartes, 11). In this respect, it is quite possible for us to say that, such approach is by far the most important feature of rationalism. The famous philosopher believes that a human being must never accept anything for granted, unless, he or she knows it to be true. Probably, this is the major strength of reason as a way of knowing because it eliminates bias, prejudice. Furthermore, we may speak about the so-called “subliminal persuasion”, which means that a human being has a predefined image of reality, in other words, we usually see only what we expect to see. As a rule, people try to adapt facts to their theories, and it contradicts scientific principles. Reason rejects such doctrine, ideas, expressed by Rene Descartes radically changed main scientific methods of collecting and analyzing data, especially, if we are speaking about mathematics and natural science. Yet, it may not be always applicable for arts, because they appeal mostly to our emotions, and they are
Travis Smith took a tour around Singapore and concluded that everything about tourism revolved around six categories. These are:  1. Learning something new  2. Eating something new  3. Seeing or watching something new  4. Buying something new  5. Physically doing something new  6. Meeting someone or something new He used the diagram below to describe these categories Fig 1. Categories of tourism Every tourism activity falls under the six categories, with every possible activity costing money. The extent to which one is satisfied is determined by the amount of money one is willing to spend (Smith, 2007). Giving examples with his experience, he described sailing on a boat in Mazatlan as “doing”, viewing Mazatlan from the air as “seeing something new”, and training to sail the boat as “learning something new”. However, the experience does not have to be good. For instance, seeing something awful, disaster tourism, or even eating something icky, or meeting something weird is also very possible. Therefore, when determining who can travel well together, it is necessary to put the different tastes into consideration (Smith 2007). For instance, a combination of someone who likes hiking, with another one who likes shopping can turn out to be disastrous. Hans Magnus Enzensberger also tried to come up with a provocative approach to understanding the theory of tourism (Gemunden 2007). He describes tourism as a manifestation of modern culture, right from the early tourists of the nineteenth century to the present age. In the mid-1950s, tourism was influenced by the food wave, sex wave and also the post-war recovery. Beyond the late 1950s and during the second half of the 20 th century, tourism was not only regarded as a social activity but as an economic activity as well. Travelers of the earlier days have changed to modern tourists (Tourism theories, 2010). This organization tries to explain what is expected of tourists in order to fulfill a
Whether literacy is a skill or social practice is a continued debate Contemporary theories treat literacy as practices and relations, which connect people to each other and their worlds, let them discuss their experiences, and share their knowledge with others. The methods of measuring and evaluating literacy are numerous and varied. However, they mostly observe how literate people are and do help to understand how people are literate. In this sense, the examples of Barton and Hamilton (1998) and Purcell-Gates et al (2001) are very demonstrative: they provide a profound insight into how people can be literate and how their literacy and their personal experiences and narratives interact. Barton and Hamilton (1998) and Purcell-Gates et al (2001) measure and explore literacy in unusual ways. It would be fair to say that they do not measure literacy in a traditional sense of word. Moreover, they do not measure literacy at all. Rather, they implicitly assume that all individuals are literate. They deny the relevance of traditional literacy measurements, which profoundly affect individuals’ self-efficacy and perceptions about their own literacy. Both methods of gathering the data about adult literacy erase the boundary between literacy and illiteracy. They leave little room for doubts about whether people are literate. The observe literacy in the context of real-life experiences and events. Both methods provide unique information about adult literacy and the factors affecting it. They support a belief that there is no single literacy; on the contrary, there are multiple literacies, and no universal criteria can help to explain the variations and changes in adult literacy in different social and economic contexts. Apparently, literacy is a form of social practices that link people to their environments and, simultaneously, help them to express and share information with others. In this situation, it is important to see how both tests measure literacy and what implications they carry for the future adult literacy research. Barton and Hamilton (1998) and Purcell-Gates et al (2001) judge literacy, based (a) on the ways in which literacy is used in real-life situations; (b) the role of education in the development of literacy; and (c) the importance o
Executive Summary Organisations having much information to analyse as the basis of making decisions often employ large numbers of employees in case they do not deploy management information system (MIS) to ease the analysis process. However, from the perspective of the US medi-corp, which is a hypothetical company, such an approach introduces ineffectiveness and inefficiencies in decision making especially where decisions from different departments are to be fed into a central platform to arrive at an overall decision to execute a given task. The current paper introduces ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) as an MIS strategy for handling customer relationship challenges, supply chain management, and manufacturing function challenges of the US medi-corp. Background When an organisation grows in terms of its size and production capacity, its customer and supply chain problems and complaints become difficult and time consuming to solve. This case is evident in the US medi-corp (a hypothetical company). The US medi-corp manufactures medical equipment, which it sales within the US after sourcing manufacturing materials from a myriad of suppliers located across the US. Apart from sales of products, the company also gets revenue from customer support services such as maintenance of the medical equipment. The company has a hierarchical management structure so that command flows from the top to bottom. Making the organisational decisions is informed by the information flowing from customers, suppliers, and other organisational stakeholders to and from the organisation. The strategic plan of the company is to exploit the global market. To achieve this goal, the US medi-corp values employees as the most important asset available to realise its strategic plans. Operating in such a business environment, the company has been constantly looking for solutions to facilitate both urgent and quick decision-making processes especially in its effort to engage in the global trade. Setting the Stage The operation of the company has faced a number of problems in the continued effort of the US medi-corp to resolve supply chain and customer problems and complaints with urgency. Indeed, this major problem may hinder the success efforts of the company since, “in a fiercely competitive environment, business strategy not only determines success, but also governs business survival” (Fui-Hoon & Lee-Shang 2001, p.285). Hence, it is important for the US medi-corp to anticipate putting in place mechanisms of response besides ensuring an ardent reaction to market place demands. Due to the increasing number of the cu
The idea of Black Friday is not new in the United States, as well as in many other countries. As soon as Thanksgiving Day is over, the next 24 hours can be used by people to enjoy unbelievable sales and buy millions of good with impressive discounts. Some citizens find this opportunity impressive and unique. Many people believe that Black Friday is one of the best commercial decisions ever made. There are also groups of people who like to discuss the worth of this event and its possible effects on people. Andrew Leonard’s article “Black Friday: Consumerism Minus Civilization” is based on the claim that “healthy consumerism becomes out-of-control marketing-driven commodity fetishism” (p. 166). This author likes to investigate numerous positive and negative aspects of Black Friday in order not to define the outcome of the event, but to explain that it is possible to have both normal and wrong understanding of how to spend the Friday after Thanksgiving. In the article under discussion, the author does not hurry up to develop one particular position and convince the reader to accept it. On the one hand, there are several sentences about how powerful and interesting Black Friday commercials can be found on YouTube. Many “vigorous sprees of retail spending” can be approved and supported as a possibility to protect and improve the US economy (Leonard 165). Consumerism is a powerful tool to make as many goods and services available to ordinary people as possible. On the other hand, the author says that people have already gone too far and cannot stop, turning their actions and decisions into insanity (Leonard 166). It is hard to understand the limitations that can be appropriate and reasonable. Leonard refers to the commercials with a Craze Target Lady who represents the whole America with its passion to use Black Friday to its full possible extent. Unfortunately, not all people who are ready to spend one day and one night at such shops as Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, or Target recognize themselves in the image of that Crazy Lady. This is what Leonard wants to underline in his article claiming that it is normal to use Black Friday as the period of sales to find an interesting good at an affordable price. However, when people are ready to spend a sleepless night just to get a chance and buy a thing, the rationality of such decision turns out to be equal to zero, being used with such epithets as “scary”, “wrong”, or “insane” (Leonard 165). Therefore, using the ideas and statements offered by Leonard in the article and relying on the observations that can be made the day after Thanksgiving, it is possible to say that Black Friday has already become a significant and serious concept in modern society. Still, it is overrated. People should use this day as an opportunity to meet their personal needs as consumers, but not as a day to demonstrate their scariest skills, thoughts, and possibilities to compete and get the cheapest offers. In general, the article by Andrew Leonard is an interesting and educative source full of evidence and pe
Problem definition Agriculture is an essential aspect of human survival in the world, as it is a source of food and income. In the UAE, agriculture is highly recognized as part of people’s culture. It is obvious that farming needs a lot of labor, energy, land, and water. Most of these requirements are in short supply in the UAE; for instance, water is scarce due to the fact that the UAE is usually arid, while arable land is limited to a small fraction of total surface area. It is, therefore, very important to diversify to alternative means that would help to economically sustain the needs of people effectively and efficiently. The climate in the UAE Summer temperatures in the UAE are usually very high due to the vast arid region and the fact that the area is covered by 80% of the desert. In addition, the coastal area of the UAE is characterized by warm temperatures and humidity, which have attracted a large part of the population. For example, during summer, temperatures go up to 46 degrees Celsius, and this combines with 100 percent humidity. However, winter becomes more favorable, with temperatures going as low as 13 to 23 degrees Celsius. Interior desert regions register up to 50 degrees Celsius, although sometimes it may go to as low as 4 degrees Celsius. This is a clear indication that the interior deserts experiment with the coolest winters as well as the hottest summers. Figure: Average maximum and minimum air temperature by month and region 2012 (SCAD, 2012). In the southern part of the desert, Liwa, agricultural activities are very limited, since annual rainfall received is about 40% mm; this cannot sustain agricultural activities. Generally, the region loses a lot of water through evaporation despite experiencing some rains, which average at approximately 78 mm annually. However, it is the opposite of the northeastern mountains, which received 160mm of rainfall annually. During the winter period, the UAE receives a big percentage of rainfall annually, accounting for over 80 percent, and this is normally between December and March. Spring seasons are also experienced in the UAE, which is generally characterized by rainfall that is not continuous and, at some point, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms. This is a season that takes place between April and May. The inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shifts on rare occasions, resulting in rainfall i
Brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity, refers to the ability of the brain to change the existing connections within it and make adjustments if necessary. For any brain, this ability allows for smooth development from the point of infancy to adulthood while also helping to recover from injury. Unlike a computer, the human brain is special because it is capable of processing both motor and sensory signals in parallel (Cobb, 2020). With the help of a multitude of neural pathways, which make it possible to replicate the functions of one another, the brain can correct small errors or short-term function limitations through pathway signals rerouting. Significant issues, however, can appear when the errors in functioning are long-term of that development issues are caused by such severe health complications as the Zika virus or a stroke. Even during such complications, given the appropriate conditions, the brain is capable of overcoming adversity to recover some functions due to its plasticity. The anatomy of the brain is such that it makes sure that specific areas have specific purposes and functions, which is usually something that is genetically pre-determined. For instance, there is an area that is responsible for the functioning of a left leg, and damage to this area will have an adverse effect on the movement of the leg. Although, because a different part of the brain is responsible for transmitting sensation from the leg, it is possible to feel it but not move it. It is essential to note that one brain section cannot take on new roles and extend its functions to include additional ones. Therefore, despite its tremendous value for the restoration of brain functioning, neuroplasticity should not be confused with the infinite malleability of the brain. The connections between sleep and memory have been extensively studied by researchers due to the potential of developing strategies for both long- and short-term restoration and recovery. Research evidence suggests that sleep helps both learning and memory in different ways. First, a person that does not get enough sleep cannot exhibit the optimal level of focus and attention, and, therefore, cannot learn efficiently. Second, in itself, sleep plays a memory consolidation role, which is imperative for learning new information and storing it. While the exact mechanisms involved have not be
“The Value of Reanalysis: TV Viewing and Attention Problems.” E. Michael Foster and Stephanie Watkins. Child Development, 81 (1), 368–375. January/February 2010. In the study, Foster and Watkins employ the reanalysis procedure in order to explore the developmental issue of interrelation between watching television and attention disorders in children (2010). To conduct their research, the authors choose the tool of semiparametric regression replacing the procedure of linear assessment that has led to limited results of a previous study (Foster and Watkins, 2010). In addition, Foster and Watkins introduce two additional variables in their investigation, a measure of mother’s achievement and a measure of the family’s income (2010). The study has been conducted among a sample of 2692 children between ages 1 and 7, equally divided by gender and representing a varied racial composition (Foster and Watkins, 2010). The results of the study have shown that the danger of attention disorders becomes significant only for those children who watch television over 7 hours per day. Furthermore, such relation between television watching and attention problems becomes insignificant when two additional factors are introduced into the study. The information from the article raises the topical psychological issue of the influence exerted by mass media products on child development.
Bio cultural Diversity and Charlie’s Country Bio cultural diversity consists of biological, cultural, and linguistic diversity, as well as the complex interactions that bring those disparate aspects of life together. This concept sheds new light on the way human societies and cultures simultaneously shape and are shaped by their unique natural environments (Kassam, 2009). The experiences of indigenous peoples, who maintain some or all of their long-established traditions, customs, and institutions, pose a particular interest from this perspective (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2016). After all, unlike the rest of the societies they find themselves in, their culture and language have evolved under the direct influence of their ancestral environment, giving them a particular insight into its ecosystem. That special bond to the land is central to the ethnic identities of indigenous peoples. Still, it can be a two-edged sword as they become displaced and unable to practice their traditional lifestyles. This dynamic can be observed in the example of the Aboriginal Australian protagonist of Rolf de Heer’s 2013 film Charlie’s Country . Charlie’s Crisis Charlie’s Country follows the struggles of its eponymous protagonist, an aging Aboriginal
Group work suggests exceptional opportunities to explore both interpersonal and intrapersonal problems. One of the benefits of group counseling is that it gives the possibility to work with more people (Corey, 2015). Effective counseling may create a preventive environment, enable self-discovery together with discovering the others. It suggests a chance of redefining oneself and contributes to the development of interpersonal awareness (Berg, Landreth, & Fall, 2013). “Groups provide a natural laboratory and a sense of community that demonstrates to people that they are not alone and that there is hope for creating a different life” (Corey, Corey & Corey, 2014, p.6), so the group counseling may be useful for people with similar problems. The group session I have attended gathered eight adolescent girls who have experienced sexual violence. All those girls aged from twelve to sixteen were sexually abused by their fathers at different periods. It was the first meeting of the counseling group. As Corey et al. (2014) state, a counseling group may aid in solving common but often complicated daily issues. These problems are often connected with education, work, personal and social issues. This type of group usually aims at some inner mechanisms and problem-solving approaches. The participants of the group get guidance from the counselor, which will help them realize the causes of the problems. Speaking about the goals of the group I have attended, I would choose the two stated by Corey et al. (2014). The first one is “Helping people develop more positive attitudes and better interpersonal skills” (Corey et al., 2014, p.9). During the meeting, the participants of the group will share their experiences. It will help them realize that they are not alone and that some other people have similar problems. Those people are different, with various backgrounds, but they still faced the same troubles. In the process of communication within the group, its members will also improve their interpersonal skills. Not all the people, especially observing personal problems, can get along well with the others. The improvement of interpersonal skills will contribute to their ability to express themselves. The second goal is “Using the group process to facilitate behavior change” (Corey et al., 2014, p.9). The behavior change is one of the final stages of group work. Still, it “does not occur through magic” (Jacobs, Schimmel, Masson, & Harvill, 2015, p.314). It can be a result of a long process connected with the study of needs, planning actions, and assessing results. The counselor’s task is to guide the group, arrange activities to provide efficient work, and reach those goals. As it was the first meeting of the group, it started with the acquaintance. In the beginning, the group leader emphasized the safety of the meeting. She explained that the information revealed in the room would not go further. Then, each of the girls introduced herself. The role of the counselor here was limited to active listening. After that, the girls were questioned about their feelings at that moment and the expectations from the meet