ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Overview Bullshit is the most outstanding cultural feature in our society. Unfortunately, most people associate the term ‘bullshit’ with abuse but as Frankfurt indicates, there is more to the term ‘bullshit’ than its misuse and rhetorical use. He defines bullshit as an inevitable public life byproduct where individuals are provoked by other people’s demands or their propensities to speak expansively about issues they are ignorant about (Frankfurt 36-39).Frankfurt defines bullshit using the process, not the product. Even though Frankfurt fails to point this out, I understand the term ‘bullshit’ in terms of bullshit as a verb and bullshit as a noun. This is what makes bullshit distinct from its precursors (humbug, tommyrot, claptrap and bullpucky among others). Perceiving bullshit as a verb makes it possible to bullshit a person, but impossible to horseshit or twaddle a person. Hence, bullshit is the action that brings about bullshit into being (bullshitted). In this respect, ‘bullshit’ is same as the term ‘lie’ because when we talk about a lie, we are talking about the action that brings a lie into being (lied). Even so, does this imply that lying is the same as bullshit? We get to know this by Frankfurt’s differentiation of bullshit and lies, which is as follows. Bullshit and Lying Frankfurt considers a philosopher’s anecdote where the philosopher makes a call to talk to a sick friend (Pascal). Pascal says that she feels like a dog run-over. The philosopher testily responds to Pascal and says, “You don’t know what a dog that has been run over feels like” (Frankfurt 16). The testily response shows that the philosopher is suggesting that Pascal is bullshiting. However, a reasonable person would say that Pascal is only expressing herself using hyperbolic or allusive language. Nevertheless, is Pascal actually bullshiting the Philosopher? To the philosopher, the answer is yes. Pascal speaks unconnected to “a concern with the truth” (Frankfurt 20), making sure that her feeling’s description is made up to appeal to the philosopher. However, Pascal is not lying as she is trying to explain how she feels and is not deceiving the philosopher how a dog may feel if it is run-over. Therefore, lying is a deceptive act while ‘bullshitting’ is disconnecting from the truth to a degree that a person cares less about the truth as long as the information he disseminates achieves its purpose. A bullshitter is indifferent ‘to how things really are’ (Frankfurt 16). As McGlone (116-117) simply elaborates, bullshitters focus on persuading and impressing the audience thus having little concern of whether what they say is true or not. They are simply fake things to appeal to their audience. On the other hand, persons who lie have to know the truth to conceal it. This clearly shows that while a lie may be necessarily false, bullshit may not be as it can be incorrect or correct. Nonetheless, why should we be concerned with bullshit? Frankfurt’s explanation of bullshit as a modern-day
The main theme of psychology is to study behavior which generally may be normal or abnormal behavior. General psychology has put much emphasis on normal behavior while abnormal psychology has concentrated in studying abnormal behavior (Sharma, 2004). Abnormal behavior in this context may refer to those activities not seen to be normal among individuals. Further, individual’s behaviors are seen to be composed of individual’s external activities as well as internal experiences. Although there exists no unified definition of normal and abnormal individual due to variation in culture and environment, abnormal individuals have been categorized into four groups depending on characteristics demonstrated by the individual who in turn qualifies to be regarded abnormal. The four categories are: psychoneurotic, psychotic, mentally deficient or feeble-minded, and anti-social (Sharma, 2004). Therefore, the basis of this essay will be to explore the field of abnormal psychology with emphasis on the origins of abnormal psychology, how abnormal psychology has evolved into a scientific discipline, and the theoretical viewpoints of biological, psychosocial and sociocultural models. Origin of Abnormal Psychology No precise date or time has been forwarded as the exact time when abnormal psychology may have originated but many literatures concur that the field dates back to hundreds if not thousands of years (Getzfeld, 2010). Stone Age period and civilization has been linked with some serious evidence of mental illness or abnormal behavior and explanation for these abnormal behaviors is that they were as a result of being possessed by evil spirits (Getzfeld, 2010). Existing and current archeological artifacts show skulls with holes bored in them and that during th
Robert Owen was one of the founders of utopian socialism and received much attention for the works and activities based on his concepts. His ideas continue to attract the attention of social reformers though being considered utopian. A New View of Society (1813) sheds light on Owen’s ideology and essential concepts he relied on while formulating his main social ideas. The analysis of A New View of Society helps to understand that though the author’s socialist ideas were aimed at benefiting the society, their controversial and contestable nature makes them irrelevant and unreliable. Several main ideas can be identified while reading the text. The first one is related to the author’s belief in the central role of circumstances in the process of the formation of the person’s character. Owen’s assumptions rely on the idea that people do not have the power to form their personality based on their natural dispositions and traits. The author claims that human personality largely depends on the external circumstances provided by the society. According to such a view, people are considered passive subjects severely influenced by society and have little power to resist the pressure of conditions they face while growing up 1 . Such an idea appears to be rather contestable, as the role of a person’s unique traits in the formation of the worldview leading to subsequent actions should not be underestimated. Owen’s ideas about the significant influence of the circumstances on the person’s character and decisions have a rational side but cannot be regarded as the true ones due to the lack of objectivity. Another central idea of the text is related to the author’s statements about the unfairness of justifying people’s actions according to society’s standards. Owen claims that society has no right to punish people for committing crimes as it trains them to do so 2 . The author believes that the society can be considered “a scene of insincerity” as it judges people according to “grossly false” laws that do not take into account the fact that only the community can be blamed for the unrighteous actions of the individual 3 . The author emphasizes that any person can become “enlightened” if put under the right circumstances created by the society 4 . The author believes that people cannot be accountable for their habits, as only society has the power to change them 5 . Such ideas seem to be not well-grounded as they do not take into consideration the power of human personality to develop various traits under the same circumstances. Different people attain the opposite habits and form various views though put in the same situation. Therefore, relying on such ideas is quite dangerous, as they appear to be irrelevant. Though Owen had pure and noble goals related to making the society fairer and eliminating the uneducated and ignorant classes, the ideas proposed in A New View of Society reflect the author’s views that were too idealistic and utopian to be considered reliable. Bibliography Leopold, David. “Education and Utopia: Robert Owen and Charles Fou
Educational research is the process through which educators evaluate various aspects of education such as student learning, instructional methods, teachers’ training programs and classroom challenges. The main purpose of educational research is to improve the quality of education by solving the problems that are associated with the education system. This paper highlights the usefulness of educational research. Teachers can benefit from educational research in the following ways. To begin with, educational research informs the teaching practice. It enables educators to improve the quality of the content that they teach in various subject areas. Additionally, action research often includes inferences which facilitate implementation of various educational projects and policies. Educational research is one of the best ways of solving existing problems in the education system. Best practice in educational research calls for reliance on observable experience, as well as, empirical evidence. This involves using accurate data and carefully developed procedures to analyze existing problems. The results of these analyses often provide effective solutions to existing and emerging problems. Finally, educational research facilitates specialized and in-depth study among educators. Teachers who are interested in acquiring advanced knowledge through higher education such as PhD degrees must undertake rigorous research in their subject areas. In this regard, research enables the teachers to create new knowledge or to refine existing educational theories. Educational research has a great impact on educator’s daily teaching roles. Effective research findings often
Selecting the Media: Defining the Purpose Recently, I received three calls from a hospitality facility, which captured my attention. The general purpose of the calls was to obtain my perception of their service quality, know my welfare, and inform me about a promotion that the facility was organizing. Consequently, the specific purpose entailed development of a strong relationship and improvement of consumer loyalty. Although the calls came in at different times, they captured my attention and led me to develop a business relationship with them. According to Armstrong, Adam, Denize, and Kotler, personalized calls boost sales in a firm and lead to consumer loyalty (131). Therefore, by calling me, the company succeeded in winning my loyalty. Fundamentally, the calls gave a timely message since they called after I had consumed the services of the facility. By calling me, the facility knew that I had knowledge about their services. Lusch and Vargo state that poor timing in calling leads to unproductive results among the consumers and unnecessary expenses in a firm (202). The timing was wise in that the call employed an inquisitive strategy. Moreover, the sender chose the right media of communication. Kitchen and Pelsmacker explain that telephone calls facilitate simultaneous responses, create room for clarifications, and give satisfying results (68). Therefore, by employing a correct timing and choosing the right media of communication the sender’s message was realistic. Analyzing the Situation: Statement of Purpose To ascertain the reason leading to the rise in the sales of Style Shop, which sells clothes to men and women, I will engage in an intensive situation analysis of the firm. Some of the elements that I will explore in my statement of purpose include the SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces model, and the 5Cs. I will also study the macro- and micro-environmental factors of the marketing environment relative to the present performance of Style Shop. According to Viardot, a well-designed situation analysis enables managers to understand the present state of a firm and devise probable ways of improving or sustaining the performance (65). Therefore, these elements of analysis aid in the elucidation of the increased sales in Style Shop and the development of competitive strategies. A study of the SWOT analysis facilitates increased knowledge of the opportunities, weaknesses, strengths, and threats in the marketing enviro
Purpose Statement The purpose of this study shall be to better understand the factors that contribute to obesity in high schools. High prevalence rates of obesity particularly among the high school age children in Florida schools is a cause for alarm and direct attention is needed to come up with effective strategies and programs to prevent or alleviate the problem. This study seeks to assess the nutrition programs currently in place in the schools and the curriculum currently implemented. The importance of the paper is to address the significance of the issue of obesity today as well as come up with a feasible plan of action that can be implemented at the start of the next school year with a test school so as to alleviate the problem. The information provided by the study shall be useful to parents, educators, policy makers and even the students themselves. By being more aware of the problems at hand, implementation of better practices shall follow so as to contribute to the overall wellness and development of the students. The results obtained from the study shall be quantifiable and shall assist in the quest to significantly reduce the rate of obesity among high school children in Florida. Statement of the Problem The health of high school students has declined over the past several years. Children who are obese are at increased risk of physical as well as psychosocial health consequences (Schetzina, 2009) Research indicates that the prevalence rate of obesity has actually increased over the past couple of years and statistics by the center for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) show that according to the 2007 national youth risk behavior survey, 23% of US high school students were obese. This was a notable rise from the 5% level in the 1980’s. Owing to the fact that obesity reduces the quality of life and shortens the lifespan of the person, it is of importance that solutions be developed to deal with this problem in our high schools. Figure 1. Prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents aged 6-19 Note: from The National Association of State Boards of Eduction by Pekruhnk, C. (2009). Childhood Obesity: A School Health Policy Guide. Obesity in Florida Schools As with the other US states, Florida schools have also been caught up in the whirlpool of the obesity epidemic. Statistics from the CDC highlight that 22% (nearly a quarter) of all high school students are obese. These findings are further reinforced by the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) of 2007, approximately 553,000 of 1.7 million Florida children aged between 10 and 17 were considered overweight. According to the BMI-for-age standards, 23% of this could be considered obese. Causes of prevalence in obesity While obesity can be as a result of differing reasons, Jelalian and Steele (2008) suggest that the very fact that the co
Introduction Pheochromocytoma is one of the diseases affecting various people globally; hence, it is important that its treatment methods be known clearly. Generally, pheochromocytoma is a condition or disease that results from failure of extra adrenal tissue or due to a neuroendocrine tumor of the medulla of the adrenal glands, causing secretion with high amount of catecholamine, especially the norepinephrine and epinephrine; it is also known as high blood pressure or hypertension (Sweeney & Griffing, 2011). This disease originates from the chromaffin cells of the adrenal glands. Generally, pheochromocytoma knows no age when it attacks, as any person may suffer from this condition; however, the most common incidences of pheochromocytoma occur between the age of 30 years and the age of 50 years, and only ten percent occur in children. In extreme cases, there are reports of the pheochromocytoma condition occurring in newborns that are barely a week old and aged people nearing their centenary year. Unfortunately, this condition may result into heart diseases; indeed, the malignant cases are always fatal. Although research has found out that this condition is common in adults between 30 and 40 years of age (Sweeney & Griffing, 2011), the condition is more common in women than in men. Therefore, it is important to understand this disease and identify proper and better options for its treatment and prevention (Sweeney & Griffing, 2011). Pathophysiology of Pheochromocytoma Generally, pheochromocytoma refers to a condition that forms a cancerous-like lump adrenal gland tissue. Normally, adrenal glands secrete hormones such as “aldosterone, testosterone, cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine,” which have various functions in the body including “to regulate important bodily functions such as blood pressure, stress, blood sugar, immune response, metabolism, and heart rate” (Krause and Roth, 2012). Therefore, inadequacy or lack of these hormones can lead to ill health. Generally, when adrenal glands are interrupted in their functioning, they tend to be inconsistent in production or secretion of hormones; this hormonal imbalance may be fatal, especially when excess of norepinephrine and epinephrine is secreted in acute pheochromocytoma. Although the condition tends not to be fatal when compared with cancer, it can be v
Kyoto protocol is the first global agreement concerning the problems of the environment protection. The protocol unites the world’s countries with the advancing and the developing economies under an obligation to implement measures and policies directed at the reduction of air pollution on their territories. This essay discusses China’s position and role in the negotiations concerning the environmental problems. China is an active member of the global negotiations about the protection of the environment. The Chinese leaders support the principle of “common but differentiated” responsibilities for the participants which means that the developed countries are more responsible for the current global warming due to their industrialization (China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change par. 1). China also sticks to the Bali Road Map which insists that the Kyoto Protocol is consistently followed, the reforms it requires are regularly implemented, and the needed technologies and investments are made timely by the developed countries that intend to reduce their emissions (China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change par. 2). China’s position in regard to the duties of the developed countries is that they are more capable of developing advanced technologies and invest into the reduction of emissions. As for the developing countries, China’s perspective maintains that while they fight poverty and build up their economies, they should also take into consideration the environmental conditions in their regions and avoid causing too much damage. Besides, China supports the principle of the sustainable development which emphasizes the pursuit of the beneficial outcomes for both the present and the future generations by means of the promotion of the green lifestyle all over the world. Moreover, the Chinese leaders agree that the current climate change required adaptation of the global society and the necessary funding to prevent possible cataclysms caused by the warming. Finally, when it comes to the decision-making process, China supports the idea of the small scale and informal consultations to maintain the negotiation process and reach compromise faster. Besides, the Chinese leaders believe that the leader of the climate change negotiations is the United Nations. China is one of the countries that have made an immense contribution to the pollution of the environment over the last two decades. Based on the research, its average temperature has risen by 1.1 degrees Celsius over the last hundred years which is predicted to turn into 3.5 degrees by the end of this century (Lai par. 1). The impacts of the global warming on China are diverse and include the melting glaciers, rising sea level, lake overflow resulting in floods, decrease of water level in some rivers leading to droughts, loss of biodiversity and the destru
Introduction: Article summary The article covers a research study conducted to investigate the shifts in expectation among patients receiving yoga, acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain. Treatment remedies included several types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The main objective of the study was to establish a relationship between the outcomes of treatment remedies and patient expectations throughout the course of the study. The study comprised 64 participants who underwent three main CAM therapies, including yoga, massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic. The study lasted for a period of three months, during which participants were interviewed at different intervals, and their shifts in expectations were recorded. The data collected was analyzed and checked against patient expectations ranging from pain relief to enhanced physical function. Among the study sample, 15 received chiropractic therapy, 13 received massage therapy, 18 received acupuncture therapy, and 18 received yoga therapy. The findings of the study revealed that the expectations of participants changed over time throughout the course of the study. Before commencement of the study, patient expectations included whether therapy could or could not relieve pain and enhance physical participation in certain activities. Over the course of the study, participants’ expectations shifted to increase awareness, acceptance of their situations, and the willingness to apply certain strategies for improved overall wellbeing. Type of study The article includes a qualitative research study that aimed to establish a correlation between CAM therapies and patient expectations regarding their outcomes. The article’s target audience includes CAM practitioners and researchers who are interested in understanding the correlation between patient expectations and the outcome of different treatment therapies. On the other hand, it also targets patients suffering from chronic back pain who are undergoing CAM therapy. The findings of the study can help patients shift their expectations to improve the outcomes of various therapy treatments. The article was easy to understand because it was written using simple language and a format that presented the information systematically. The authors avoided using difficult medical vocabulary. In addition, the format of the article makes it easy to understand because it is arranged in sections and sub-sections that cover different parts of the study. Moreover, the authors include a comprehensive introduction that explores the topic and its relationship to research studies conducted in the past. This introduction makes it easy for the reader to understand the topic, its scope, and its objectives. Interesting facts There are several interesting facts that can be found in the article. First, the authors use the study to reveal that the application of complementary and alternative medicine reduces chronic back pain. CAM therapies such as yoga, acupuncture, and massage aid in the reduction of chronic low back pa