ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction The article “Making Inception a reality: Lucid dreaming in science fiction and technology” was written by Cindy Zang Liu for The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology, and Society in 2016. In the article, the author discusses lucid dreaming and its representation in culture and academia. The Main Points The author discusses lucid dreaming from different points of view: the phenomenon is presented through scientific researches of the XIX, XX, and XXI centuries, antique literature sources, and modern popular culture (e.g. the movie Inception ). A short overview of current research on lucid dreams in neuroscience is also included. At last, the author presents an analysis of the movie Inception and its correlation to real lucid dreams. The topic itself, although it may be not as relevant as it was when Inception just hit the box offices, still provides an entertaining guide to the short history of lucid dreaming. The author demonstrates a profound knowledge of lucid dreaming’s representation in culture and scientific research but presents the information in a clear, enthralling way. The sections of the article are sorted in a hierarchical way: beginning with the oldest sources that mention the lucid dreams, the author proceeds to the next centuries and ends the article with an overview of mobile apps that allow the user becomes a “lucid dreamer”. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Article The main advantage of the article is the way the author presents the information: although it may be seen as a complicated issue, the author’s interest allows providing clear and intriguing explanations of the phenomenon. Another advantage is the author’s ability to combine science and popular culture: the reader may not be interested in neuroscience per se, but a reference to the famous movie ( Inception ) will most likely draw the reader’s attention to th
In her book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks , Rebecca Skloot tells a story of a woman who helped in advancing medical research without knowing it. Skloot (2010) addresses some of the most serious and common ethical issues that arise in medical research as well as nursing practice. Such themes as race, power, and poverty are central to the book. These themes also resonate with experiences every patient and nurse has had at least once in their lifetime. In this paper, I will reflect on the way the book relates to my own practice, experiences, and values. Although I have never been in a situation similar to Henrietta Lacks, I still had to deal with some aspects of the issue related to the patient’s control over their body. Being a patient, I have signed a plethora of consent forms where I confirmed my decision to go through certain procedures or agreed to have my data used for some statistical purposes. I cannot remember, however, whether I signed a form concerning my agreement to donate my cells for the purpose of research. As a nurse, I also have handed consent forms where patients agreed to certain procedures. I believe the situation with Henrietta Lacks is completely unacceptable and unlikely to happen in the contemporary healthcare setting in a developed country. Modern researchers pay specific attention to ethical issues as they have to comply with quite rigid standards that have been developed in the course of debate concerning the cases such as Henrietta’s. As far as I am concerned, I would feel angry and committed to act if I, being a patient, learned that I had not been in control over my own body. My firm belief is that an individual’s personal rights are the highest priority, even if other people’s wellbeing can be affected. I have no doubt that the person has the right to decide what to do with their body. Likewise, the individual who can donate something is the one to decide whether others would benefit from this. If I found out that my cells were taken without my consent, I would go to the court and draw the public attention to the matter. Unfortunately, Henrietta and her family did not have such an option in the middle of the 20th century. At this point, I would like to note that my feelings could be different if I was “the othe
Throughout history, interventions such as safety measures and quarantine were implemented to improve public safety. According to Rosenberg (2019), Mary Mallon was “the first “healthy carrier” of typhoid fever” recognized in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, which made her infamous as Typhoid Mary (para. 1). This woman was found to be a typhoid bacteria carrier, and healthcare authorities accused her of 47 illnesses and three deaths, isolating her on an island for most of her life (Rosenberg, 2019, para. 45). Woolliscroft (2020) argues that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and people’s public health responsibilities are “a modern instance of a long-standing problem as exemplified by the celebrated case” of Typhoid Mary (p. 1141). The story of the coronavirus outbreak during the 2020 charity tournament of Novak Djokovic is a recent example of a mass disease spread. As Shapiro (2020) reports, four tennis players tested positive for COVID-19 despite the organizers’ effort to follow health guidelines and ensure safety (para. 1). In contrast to the Typhoid Mary situation, modern safety protocols and quarantine interventions allowed to limit the adverse consequences of the Djokovic case for the public. Overall, humanity has significantly improved public health measures since the Typhoid Mary incident in the 20th century. While the case of Mary Mallon raised ethical concerns and the issue of individual rights, it also highlighted the importance of infections disease identification in asymptomatic carriers to prevent massive outbreaks. The situation of Novak Djokovic illustrated how a timely response could reduce the adverse consequences of mass spread. Both instances raise the following questions: “What measures can be implemented to reduce outbreaks?” and “What role do clinicians play in disease management?” Based on the World Health Organization’s guidelines outlined by Salathé et al. (2020), I recommend “rapid diagnosis and immediate isolation of cases, rigorous tracking and precautionary self-isolation of close contacts” to control outbreaks (p. 1). Furthermore, Blais and Hayes (2016) underline the role of nursing in global health and disease prevention and management, namely, raising awareness, improving communication, and identifying solutions to challenges. People should accumulate knowledge obtained throughout history to improve public health and safety measures.
Insider trading takes place when a few individuals make investment decisions based on exclusive information that is not in the public domain. Depending on the prevailing market conditions, the information can either lead to profits or prevent individuals from incurring losses. Insider trading was not initially considered morally wrong, until the excesses of 1920 happened. This period was followed by depression and a change in public opinion. As a result, individuals who continued with the practice were penalized because it became morally wrong. This essay discusses ethical problems associated with insider trading. The first ethical problem associated with insider trading is deception. Insider trading has always been considered by courts as deceptive since deception is inherently wrong even without considering its harm to people. The deception associated with insider trading has numerous problems, the most significant being that its deceptive nature is not easily identified. Insider trading laws insist that false documents should not be used to find liability. Corporate insiders are therefore compelled by law to disclose the nature of their trade. Failure to disclose information about their trade might cause them to face legal sanctions. Companies are morally required to give shareholders information concerning their activities before they trade stocks. The second moral problem associated with insider trading is that it causes harm to people. In this context, harm refers to the failure by a company to achieve satisfactory social good and welfare. In the market of securities, some people gain while others lose based on the prices they get. Individuals who possess a lot of information about the market are better placed to get bargains and acquire good prices. Competing with corporate insiders therefore puts individuals at risk because insiders have a lot of information. Individuals are morally required to protect themselves from the economic harm associated with insider trading. The practice is considered harmful because it denies the society social good. Sustainable existence of social good requires different people to cooperate in order to enhance credibility of the securities market. Insider trading is also believed to deter investment. Researchers have discovered that capital cost goes down after introduction of laws that regulate insider trading. The implication is that a decrease in insider trading improves social welfare. The third moral problem associated with insider trading is unfairness. This argument is based on the fact that insider traders reap unfair benefits at the expense of i
Introduction Classical architecture is a building designed along ancient Greek and Roman styles. It is also derived from Vitruvius works. In spite of their varying designs, classical architectural plans share two common elements. They include decorative and constructive facets. In this paper, the author will analyze classical buildings around Baltimore. The author will also comment on the essays of two classmates in part two. Classical buildings in Baltimore Areas Baltimore dates back to mid-seventeenth century (Duff and Clark 33). As a result, it has numerous historical buildings. Most of the ancient structures are characterized by columns, arches, and domes. Some of these structures include The Chapel, which was designed by John Rudolph Niernsee and James Crawford Neilson. The others are Baltimore City Hall, Basilica of the Assumption, and Berea Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church. All these buildings have different cone, arch, and column designs. Examples of columns include Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Types of arches include semi-circular, pointed, Trefoil, ogee, and Tudor. On its part, dome designs are simple, compound, segmental, and circular drum (Hayward 45). One building to be discussed is Baltimore City Hall. The structure was put up in 1875. It is located in 100 Holiday Street Baltimore, MD. The primary structural components comprise of mansard roofs, gilt dome, and brick load-bearing walls (Duff and Clark 51). Locals played a key role in its construction by providing materials and labor. One of these individuals is Wendell Bollman. He designed the 130 tone dome for the City Hall. The cost of setting up the building was $2.3 million. In 1974, the structure was renovated at a cost of $10.5 million (Hayward 62). Various buildings in Baltimore have columns. They include Basilica of Assumption, Baltimore City Hall, and Berea Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church. Berea Temple and Baltimore City Hall are fitted with Doric Roman columns (Duff and Clark 71). The Basilica of Assumption is built using neoclassical architecture. The design reveals the planner’s capabilities as opposed to sculptural volumes. In addition, the construction upholds separate identities of each planning used. The figures below illustrate columns, arches, and domes: Figure 1: Arches Source: Hayward (88) Figure 2: Columns Source: Duff and Clark (98) Figure 3: Domes Source: Hayward (64) Conclusion Over the years, architectural designs have evolved to complex styles in the modern era. In spite of the changes, ancient buildings stand strong today. Modern architects have retained some of the old plans in modern construction. For example, some modern structures have columns, arches, and d
Demographic changes since 2000 Currently, United States is the third largest populous country in the world with over 316.8 million people. In relation to the year two thousand, the population has grown by over 17%. The growths in population have been observed in all aspects. According to the Census Bureau statistics, over 80% of the US populations live in cities making US the most urbanized country (Beavers & Amico, 2005). Considering the fertility rates, it is estimated that every American woman have 1.8 children. In other words, supposing that all women belong to a household, then each household would have either one or two children. The fertility rate of over 1.8 is below the world average, which is approximated to be over 2.1% (Beavers & Amico, 2005). In relation to other developed countries, the America fertility rate is still considered below average. However, growth in population is still higher. Immigrations contribute to considerable increase in population. In addition, the fertility rates in immigrant women are also high. Estimations are that in the next five decades, the immigrant and minority populations will contribute about 63% of the total children born in America (Guzmán, 2001). However, in the last decade, the number of children has increased by 17.7%. Under the category, minority groups including the Hispanics and Latinos have contributed 38.4%. In terms of age, people below twenty years have increased by over 1.3% while people above sixty-five years have increased by about 0.8%. People under the age of twenty constitute a quarter of the total population. Whites comprise of the highest percentage yet have negligible increase in the population in relation to non-whites and the minority groups (Beavers & Amico, 2005). The populations of non-whites have doubled with an increase of over 1.3% since two thousand. Hispanic and Latino Americans contributed to the highest total growth of over 69% since two thousand and five (Guzmán, 2001). The immigrants and their descendants are expected to contribute most of the population changes in the next decades. According to the estimations of the Census Bureau, about 53% of the children below 1 year are from the minority groups (Guzmán, 2001). The expected growth in the next five decades is over 38% with minority group contributing half of the total growth. The census bureau also indicates significant increase in the American birth rate in relation to death rates. High birth rates are observed among the minority groups. The containment of infant mortality and increased fertility rates particularly among the immigrant minority groups more children are expected to join schools (Guzmán, 2001). The changes in the population measures are critical for the policy makers to relook into the strategy framework emphasizing on the education programs for the expected-increased number of children. Implications of popul
Philosophy is one of the ancient most disciplines of knowledge and learning, which seeks its roots in old logic, psychology, rationalism, and intellect. It is the in-depth and systematic study of soul and mind. In other words, the subject discusses the Nature and emotions of the human mind. The subject has observed a long historical development process and elaborated various aspects of the human soul and mind as well. Throughout human history, man has been eager to explore the mysteries of the soul as well as thoughts prevailing in the mind concealed from the eyes and hidden under the pile of spirituality and mysticism. Though Nature has revealed its beauties in every one of its objects and many subjects are determined to acquire one thing or the other for describing natural phenomena, and few disciplines, including Psychology, Philosophy, Metaphysics, Astrology, and Astronomy, etc. have made efforts to discover the secrets of human soul and mind to some extent, yet many aspects are still to get explored in order to accomplish the task of searching out vigilance and wisdom for the guidance and benefit of human beings at large. It is really advisable to find out the contributions of philosophers, theorists, researchers, and psychologists with reference to the timeline and chronology of events in the development of the subject during the course of time. Philosophy is like a deep ocean containing millions of pearls of knowledge and wisdom in its sway. Newton’s splitting of matter led to the metaphysical understanding of mechanical works. Though the theorists have worked on the different aspects of the discipline, making its shape and discovering its fields, yet there are many things yet to explore and search out. One of the most important fields includes the wonderful world of perception. So much has been written and suggested in this field, but the subject is in utter need of elaboration. Theorists seldom determine its scope and strength. It is a fact beyond doubt that the power of perception identifies both the human soul and mind far better than observation and experimentation. Perception is a gifted ability that aims at estimating how the human brain imagines and assesses future actions and consequent reactions to human behavior. In the same way, the suppressed feelings like masochism, exhibitionism, and sadism are still in wait for further amplification and specifications. Freud has worked on fear and anxiety, but only a few thoughts reveal the sudden actions of the human soul without any predetermined feelings. The works of many writers, poets, and philosophers are still to be explored to bless the universe with more and more fruitfulness of wisdom. The poems of Emily Bronte, including “No Coward Soul is Mine,” portray a message of unwavering hope on the death door on the one hand and admit the mortality of humans and immortality of the Lord on the other. Philosophers and thinkers are always the rebels of their contemporary Society. The foundations of their philosophy ere
Scholars and mainstream commentators are of the opinion that the term ‘globalization’ is a contested phenomenon by virtue of the fact that it does not lend itself easily to any single definition or characterization. Indeed, the term wears many faces, and is typically discussed in economic, educational, political, socio-cultural and technological terms in the framework of interconnectedness and supraterritoriality overwhelmingly characterized by enhanced competition, greater interdependence, integration of global markets, flows and exchanges of knowledge, and the role of new technologies (Cantwell & Maldonado-Maldonado, 2009). This paper purposes to evaluate how globalization has been used to improve the quality of education. From the definition of the concept, it has been mentioned that globalization can be described within the context of free flow and exchange of knowledge. In this particular context, globalization has positively impacted the quality of education by facilitating the hegemonic rise of English as the language of scientific communication utilized by millions of students worldwide (Ginsburg & Megahed, 2011). Through globalization, it is now easier for students to be taught using a standard language and for global examinations to be standardized using the same English language. Consequently, the quality of education has improved globally due to the standardization. Second, it is well known that globalization has occasioned the convergence of information communication and technology (ICT) even to some of remotest parts of the world. The rapid developments in ICT have tremendously improved the quality of education through availing alternative educational systems, including virtual universities, distance learning, and asynchronous content delivery systems (Sanderson, 2011). Today, through the convergence of technology, it is now possible for a medical professor in the United States to give lectures to medical students from remote villages in Africa. Such an opportunity implies that educational standards can only get better. Third, it can be argued that globalization has succeeded in integrating the global village and breaking down some traditional institutions and barriers that previously affected how education was disseminated to the population. This assertion holds much water in Africa and some least developed Latin American and Asian countries due to the digital divide that was previously in existence until the forces of globalization rescued these areas from a total lack of knowledge and information (Ginsburg & Megahed, 2011). Presently, courtesy of globalization, an African child can use the computer to perform complex algebra, while an African adult who was previously unemployed can use the internet to learn basic skills for employment. Such an orientation implies that the advantages brought forth by globalization are fundamental in improving the quality of education, particularly in areas that lagged behind in the first phase of globa
Introduction Family members are involved in purchase decisions and marketers should be able to learn the behavior of all members of a family concerning purchases for the household. Children acquire knowledge about what and how to purchase from their parents. Collective decision making is applied when purchasing household items and this requires combining ideas from all family members. Couples with children have different purchasing behaviors compared to those who do not have children (Solomon, 2010). Purchase Decisions for Products In a family where there are children, the wife is the initiator for the decision to purchase groceries. However, the other members of the family may have a stake in the purchase decisions for groceries but to a lower extent. The wife acts as the gatekeeper because she collects all the information about groceries while the children and the husband are the influencers. Anybody in the family can play the role of the buyer and every member of the family is involved in the usage of the products. On the other hand, couples without children play equal roles in the purchase of groceries. The decision to purchase automob