The Knowledge Which Are Independent Of Our Culture Philosophy Essay

The Knowledge Which Are Independent Of Our Culture Philosophy Essay It is important to first establish that one cannot analyse beliefs and knowledge together, especially in relation to culture, thus they must be handled differently because they are both separate entities, in how they influence an individuals culture. Culture is the behaviour, and beliefs characteristic of an individual, particular, social ethnic group age group.  [1]   Culture is the society and values upon which one is raised. It is built upon customs, practices, beliefs and ideas that are instilled in an individual by influential parties such as parents from childhood. These are all derived from imagination, knowledge and cultural values which are developed over time depending on customs and beliefs. These then influence an individuals customs. Also, culture is divided into two, individual culture which is the way one Its the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. -Mohammed Ali  [2]   This is basically to say that once something is repeated to an individual over time especially by someone in authority over them, they begin to believe and practice the said affirmation. Belief is something that is perceived to be true by an individual but is not common to all individuals. According to Michael Woolman, belief is a tendency to accept principles one has always accepted regardless of evidence to the contrary.  [3]  Belief can be deemed fallacious because it is relative especially by people who do not share the same beliefs. Belief is also confidence in the truth of what we believe in and it is justified by its working.  [4]  Belief is also associated with action, ergo, one must practice what they believe in. If I try to doubt all my beliefs, one day I will find that there is at least one whose truth I cannot doubt Rene Descartes  [5]   Descartes basically means that you cannot doubt your beliefs for there is a reason you believed in the first place. Over time, beliefs evolve from being just mere beliefs and become part of an individuals belief system which is what people believe in, inspired by their culture. Therefore, we cannot have beliefs which are independent of our culture. Culture does not exist in a social vacuum but it inhabits a complex world where the attitudes and beliefs of those around an individual have a massive impact on every aspect of their lives. This means that culture, be it societal or individual is influenced by other beliefs from other cultures which end up an individual, depending on what the already present belief is and how closely related it is to the other culture. Culture determines behaviour, customs, values, habits and tradition and it meditates on every aspect of our lives and experiences.  [6]   There is a thin line between knowledge and belief in the sense that belief never leads to knowledge, but knowledge leads to belief. It is not possible for one to believe in something they do not know, however, it is possible to know something they do not believe in. For instance, in the late 1800s, the Kikuyu community of Kenya believed in naming people according to what they were good at, akin to the characteristics they exhibited. This is paradigm of a culture believing in something they know. On the other hand, one may possess full knowledge of what a religion other than their own stands for but may not believe in the tenets (the example of Islam).. According to Bastian Sue, Bammi Vivek , Howard Craig, Kitching Julian, Oberg Dennis, Wilkinson David and Salomon Manjula. knowledge is, a sub-category of belief and it is a claim that one accepts regardless of the degree of confidence, emotional intensity and sense of significance one may have. p This is to say that for one to know they must believe. This only applies to the statement Knowledge leads to belief as it may differ in regard to other statements or claims. This is justified because knowledge is information that is factual and based on the truth. Knowledge is the acquaintance of facts, truths and principles as a form of study or investigation also as to have a clear perception as of fact or truth.  [7]  Also, according to Plato, knowledge is justified as true belief. The greater our knowledge increases, the more our ignorance unfolds. John F Kennedy 3 This quote by J F Kennedy implies that as we learn more, our lack of knowledge expresses how ignorant we are. To some extent, knowledge and belief are somewhat alike in the sense that most of the time they are both based on perception and on what one is told rather that what one knows for a fact. After research, I realised that Knowledge does not have a clear definition of what it is but rather related words like teaching are used to express it. According to geek philosopher Aristotle The one exclusive sign of knowledge is the power of teaching. Among the Ways of Knowing (Woks), Knowledge by Authority and Perception are the most applicable when looking at knowledge in relation to culture. Knowledge by authority is when an individual knows something from someone older, knowledgeable and in authority over them so much so to influence them. For instance, parents and teachers. Authoritative knowledge is usually led by wisdom because such knowledge is thought to have been tested over time. However, it is important not to pass over the fact that authorities may also be wrong. Perception is the act  or  faculty  of  apprehending  by  means  ofthe  senses  or  of  the  mind;   cognition, understanding or the immediate  or  intuitive  recognition  or appreciation,  as  of  moral,  psychological,  or aesthetic  qualities:  insight;  intuition; discernment.  [8]  Knowledge by perception follows the empiricism view that all knowledge is derived from what is observed. This is one Way of Knowing under which belief is and this is because with perception, one makes an observation and sometimes, it may influence what the individual believes in. Belief is the confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof.  [9]  This implies that more often than not, what is believed cannot be proved. It may also not be the truth it could however be deep trust about something and they tend to buried deep within the subconscious with the result that they trigger automatic reactions and behaviours. We seldom question beliefs because we hold them to be truths which have been repeated over time such that they automatically become truths.  [10]  This then means that people internalise beliefs from the people around us when we are most vulnerable and this is when we are children. This way of thinking can be fallacious in that it is an error in reasoning. In this case, the question of whether or not we can have beliefs or knowledge that are independent of culture. It is the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief -Muhammad Ali  [11]   According to Famous boxer Muhammad Ali, when something is repeated and stressed to an individual then it becomes part of their belief s. The stressing and repetition of the belief not done by the believer but by another party who influences the believer to believe that what has been said is truth, thus making the belief part the believers conscience. The fact that sometimes, beliefs cannot be proved doesnt make them right, neither does it make them wrong because as much as there is no proof n its truth, there is no proof that it is false. For instance the statement I believe today is Wednesday is only true because it has been repeated to us over and over again to the extent that it is now true although it is not a statement that has be proved right or wrong theoretically and scientifically. Therefore, it is impossible to have beliefs which are independent of our culture because culture and belief work hand in hand to make an individuals values, traditions, values and habits therefore they cannot be separated and one cannot have beliefs which are independent of our culture. It is also important to note that the culture in question here is an individuals culture and not anothers culture, because one cannot believe in a culture that they do not practice because belief is backed by action. In conclusion, it is possible to have knowledge which is independent of our culture but it is not possible to have beliefs which are independent of our culture.

My Dreams of the Future

Do you pay attention in how fast time goes by? From the age of 5 we spend our time busy with school, and then we grow up to find a job and build up a family. Before we realize, time has passed by and all the dreams we had for our future have not yet come true. The reason is because our dreams are just dreams and haven’t yet become goals. The only way to achieve our goals is to know what we want to plan how to get it. Life is a dream, realize it. In my future I want to do so many things. One of the things I want to do is become a Civil Engineer so I can help build a better Panama. To become an Engineer, I will have to study more than ever. Graduate from National Taiwan University is one of my short-time goals I want to achieve. After that I want to get a well-paid job as an Engineer, doing all kind of projects to improve the infrastructure of different cities. I also want to create an organization for the poor and shelterless people in my country; I believe that we should all have the same privilege like have a place to live in and receive an education. I wish for a happy and healthy life, who doesn’t? But this is something I can only wish for. On the other hand I can work hard to make my dreams come true. There are also other things that I would like to do at some point. One of my dreams is to travel around the world. I have always been curious about other cultures and the differences between people in other countries. It would be amazing to travel the whole world. Furthermore I would love to bungee jump or swim with sharks, experiencing life to the limits. In the future I may have new dreams, but the first goal I have to achieve is getting my diploma. This is one of the keys to accomplish my other goals and dreams. After becoming a professional, I want to start a family, one lovely wife and maybe three children’s and have one beautiful cozy home to raise my kids and grow old with the people I love the most. I hope to achieve all my goals and fulfill my dreams, I know it will take a lot of work and dedication, but the outcomes are more than amazing. People have their own ways to get what they want and I will do whatever I can for my dreams to come true

Warm Up Activity Emotion Orchestra

Vocal warm-ups are routine for casts and theatre classes. They help focus the actors, get them working together, and give their voices some attention before rehearsals and performances. Emotion Orchestra is ideal for groups of 8 - 20 performers or students. Age does not matter too much; however, younger performers really need to pay attention to the drama exercise to be effective. How It Works One person (the drama director  or group leader or classroom teacher) serves as the Orchestra Conductor. The performers sit or stand in rows or small groups, as though they were musicians in an orchestra. Instead of having a string section or a brass section, however, the conductor will create emotion sections. For example: Two performers are designated as  the Sadness SectionThree performers comprise the Joy SectionTwo more make up the Fear SectionOne person can be the Guilt SectionAnother performer can be the Confused SectionAnd the list of emotions  could go on! Directions Explain to the participants that each time the conductor points or gestures to a particular section, the performers will make noises that communicate their designated emotion. Encourage participants to avoid using words and come up instead with sounds that convey their given feeling. Provide this example: If your group has the emotion Annoyed, you might make the sound Hmph!   Assign the participants to small groups and give each group an emotion. Give everyone a little planning time so that all group members agree on the sounds and noises they will make.  (Note: Although voices are the main instruments, the use of clapping and other body percussion sounds is definitely permitted.) Once all of the groups are ready, explain that when you as the conductor raise your hands high, that means that the volume should increase. Hands low means a decrease in the volume.  And just as the maestro of a symphony does, the conductor of the emotion orchestra will bring sections in one at a time  and also fade them out or use a closed hand gesture to indicate that a section should stop making noise. All of this requires the participants to watch closely and cooperate with the conductor. Conduct the Emotion Orchestra Before beginning, make sure that all your musicians are completely silent and focused on you. Warm them up by pointing to one section at a time, then add another and another, eventually building to a climactic frenzy if you wish. Bring your piece to a close by fading out one section at a time and ending with the sounds of only one emotion. Emphasize that every musician in the orchestra must  be certain to pay attention to the conductor and follow the directions given by the pointing, raising of hands, lowering of hands, and fist clenches. This agreement to abide by the directions of the conductor is what makes all orchestras - even this kind - work. As the conductor, you may want to experiment with an established beat and get your emotion musicians to deliver their sounds while keeping the beat. You may also want to have one section keep a steady beat and other sections perform rhythmic sounds that work on top of that beat. Variations on the Theme City Soundscape.  What sounds do you hear in a city? Ask participants to come up with a list of sounds like horns honking, subway doors closing, construction noises, footsteps rushing, brakes screeching, etc. and then assign one city sound per section and conduct a city soundscape orchestra in the same way as described above for Emotion Orchestra. Other Soundscapes or Orchestra Ideas.  The country or a rural area, a summer night, the beach, the mountains, an amusement park, a school, a wedding, etc. Goals of the Activity The Orchestras described above give participants practice in working together productively, following directions, following a leader, and warming up their voices. After each performance, its fun to discuss the effect of the creative combinations of sounds on both participants and listeners.

Green Consumerism Literary Submission - 3723 Words

University of Waterloo Faculty of Environment ENBUS 306: Research Design Literary Review and Submission on Green Consumerism Prepared By: Wendy Ngai Student ID: 20351676 3B Environment and Business October 02, 2012 This literary submission will take on a systematic, convergent approach in focusing on five separate articles regarding green consumerism. The five peer-reviewed articles which have been selected for this paper have been placed in the appendix of this submission in the order in which they appear in the bibliography. A key point which is continuously brought up within each article is that environmental consumerism is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society (Mazar and Zhong, 2009). Although there†¦show more content†¦The article also identifies the green consumer as often very skeptical of green advertising in general, which results in their own adoptive means of conducting alternative research so that they are well-informed prior to making a purchase (Shrum et. Al, 1995). As well, Auger’s article provided supporting evidence to this point by restating that active information seekers were often more apt to adopt socially ethical products (Auger et al, 2003). Several types of research methods were used to reach these conclusions, including the use of primary data collected through ethical disposition surveys and choice experiment surveys (Auger et al, 2003). An extensive amount of secondary research was also pulled together, with some data sets being analyzed to determine the conclusive results (Shrum et. Al, 1995). However, it is noted within each paper that there are gaps which exist within each article’s research design. For example, some surveys were only targeted at a certain demographics, leading to a relatively homogeneous study groups (Haytko and Matulich, 2007), while other data sets did not reflect the general population, as some secondary data either over represented or underrepresented certain populations, resulting in an incomprehensive analysis of data (Shrum et. Al, 1995). As a result, gaps can be observed in both the research questions conducted within these articles, as well as theShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesforest for land to plant their crops or pasture their cattle, he seeks to identify the specific agents responsible for both pollution and ecological degradation. And he tracks underlying trends and factors—such as rapid population growth, rampant consumerism, and global warfare—that have contributed to global climate change. Tucker concludes his rather pessimistic assessment of these key dimensions of the twentieth-century experience with cautionary explorations of key sources of our increased recognitionRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesbeing, one way of understanding these differences relates to the extent to which social scientists rigorously try to look for mistakes in the processes used to develop and test their theories. This process of quality control usually entails the submission of their theories to the scrutiny of other social scientists who, through what is called peer review, attempt to identify weaknesses that may have been overlooked. For instance, publication in Ideas and perspectives Theories and everyday life