I.Introduction In understanding the dynamics and behavior of the society as they occurred in a particular space and time, social scientists often utilize sociological theories. It is through sociology that the investigator is able to understand how these dynamics and behavior influence the persistence or absence of a social phenomenon, and how these influence also the individual as a member of the society under study. However, if the investigator would want to look or delve into the processes and factors involved in the development of human behavior, then psychological theories are used to provide the investigator better and various perspectives on how the human mind operates and responds. The usefulness of theories in the field of psychology comes to a point wherein they can sufficiently provide an adequate explanation to human behavior, set in the context of the external environment, personal history, or even human nature itself. Generally, psychological theories are grouped under

a) "We have taken the sword of Caesar and in taking it, of course, have rejected Thee and followed him ." The "thee" in the above quote refers to Christ. Placing Caesar and Christ in this sentence refers to central dichotomy of religion between religion and the state. They are also used in a symbolic sense, with Caesar being representative of earthly power and wealth, and Christ representing power and wealth in heaven. According to scripture, it is better to forego everything that the earth offers in favor of an eventual award. The Christ figure in the story displays a calm that emerges from heavenly power. He is unperturbed by the power of earthly kings and, true to his nature, continues to speak words only according to what he believes is right. He chooses heavenly power. In terms of religion and psychology, the choice between religion and politics occurs concomitantly with the one between earthly and heavenly wealth. Choosing one necessarily precludes choosing the other. Hence, most people tend t

In Maurice Friedman's discussion and analysis of Hasidism in the text, "Religion and Psychology: A Dialogical Approach," the author looked into the religious beliefs and practices that characterize Hasidism as a mystical religion. Its character of being mystical is grounded on the fact that it utilizes the material world in order to create "personal connections" with God-that is, Hasidim believe that God is manifest in both animate and inanimate objects in this world. This is the main reason why Hasidim is known for their mystical practice of their religious beliefs; for every experience and object they encounter, the put meanings to it that have somehow direct or indirect relationship with God. Notable in Friedman's discussion of Hasidism is the observation that, since Hasidim religious expression is primarily experiential, it is inevitable, then, that the religion be analyzed using a psychoanalytical perspective. This method was not used by Friedman,

Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie's book The Beggar and the Professor: A Sixteenth-Century Family Saga is an absorbing tale of a family which spans an entire centuries and covers three generations. The history of this family is the history of reformation and renaissance in Europe and through the memoirs, letters and other documents, the lives of three main characters are developed brilliantly to give an insight into life in that age. These three characters namely Thomas, Sr., Felix, and Thomas Platter, Jr., have had many biographical tales associated with them over the last several centuries. Scholars and historians have exploited the autobiographical material available on the subjects but none of these attempts have been as successful as the one made by Ladurie. The story of these characters is so important because it best illustrates the stru

Flannery O'Connor is best known for her deeply layered characters and the contrasts that she introduces through them. Good Country People is no exception. This story is set in the deep South in the middle of the Bible belt. This story is about the masks that everyone wears to hide who we truly are on the inside. In this story we get to know two of the characters by their outer appearances and the facade that they show the outside world. The reader gets to know two of the characters in a way that reveals what is lurking below the outer facade. This research will explore the theme of masks and outer appearances in Good Country People. The Mask The first two characters that we will discuss are Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Hopewell. O'Connor uses these two characters to represent the ideals of the Old South. Mrs. Hopewell appears to be a happy person that sees the good in everything. However, we know that she has had a hard life and that there is probably more below the surface tha

If the national budget is in surplus, then the government is taking in more money than it needs to pay its expenses. A surplus can come from more than one source. Two common sources are an economy that has experienced a significant growth in national income from the previous year and tax rates that are higher than they need to be. Assuming that the government has fully funded all of its needed programs, the two most logical options for a budget surplus are to reduce tax rates and to pay down the national debt. Money that goes to the government is money that cannot be used otherwise by individuals and businesses. Decreasing taxes would increase the ability of the nations citizens' and businesses to save for the future, invest in new equipment and real estate, and

In 2003, the United States Supreme Court stuck down sodomy law. Justice Antonin Scalia noted that with the ruling had opened the door for the next battle, gay marriage, for the court had dismantled the structure of the law that permitted distinction between heterosexual and homosexuals unions (Conan) Gay marriage is a topic of passionate debate throughout the United States, as state courts, legislatures, and city mayors sort through the issues. As gay marriages are being performed in various states, debates continue on the federal and state constitutional amendments to ban them (Conan). While the American public may be closely divided on other issues, surveys demonstrate that they oppose gay marriage by two-to-one (Conan). Yet, the majority of arguments against gay marriage amount to little more than fear of change. According to Andy Kohut with the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, in March 2004 roughly 60 percent of the public oppose gay marriage, with approxima

The free market is occasionally plagued by a phenomenon known as market failure, where the market degrades and no longer operates efficiently. One of the best established examples of market failure are "public goods." Public goods are non-excludable, which means that once the product is produced it is impossible to prevent people from consuming it. They are also non-rival, which means that many people can consume product without diminishing its us

In the article "The Meaning of Dreams," author Bert States challenges the idea that dreams can readily be translated into meanings. The author also challenges the random vs. meaningful dichotomy that has long defined psychologists and philosophers who are interested in dream interpretation. Instead, States proposes a distinction based on order and disorder. Dreams themselves, he believes, are meaningful, even if the

This five page paper presents an examination of two famous philosophers and compares and contrasts the way they philosophize. The writer uses Socrates and Descartes to develop a thesis about the difference in modern philosophy and ancient philosophy. There were three sources used to complete this paper.

1. A strong dollar is indicative of a strong economy, or at least an economy that generates confidence among currency investors. During those times when the dollar is strong, exports are more expensive overseas which may put a damper on those companies that are heavily reliant on exports. This, in turn, could lead to some job losses which might make it more difficult to sell homes in areas where there is a heavy dependence on such industries. On the other hand, companies that do lay off workers may inadvertently cause those workers to have to sell their homes at a somewhat distressed price. However, this is an extreme result of a strong dollar that has only limited applicability. More important to most home buyers and sellers is that a strong dollar is likely to

The aurora borealis is one of the most compelling heavenly phenomena because of its stunning aesthetic display and because of its relatively unpredictable appearance in the northern hemispheric skies. Also known as the Northern Lights, the aurora borealis also has a lesser-known southern hemispheric counterpart known as the aurora australis. The Northern Lights has garnered far more attention, possibly because of the greater concentration of human population in the northern polar circle and the lack of human inhabitants on Antarctica. The indigenous peoples of Northern Eurasia and Northern North America offered a litany of folkloric legends about the origin and phenomena of the Northern Lights. The aurora borealis has been largely divested of its mythical significance now that the phenomenon is well-understood by astronomers, geologists, and meteorologists. Nevertheless, the Northern Lights are stunning enough to evoke wonder at even the most jaded scientist. Pettersen (1994) waxes poe

Introduction Within many resources regarding the framing of the constitution of the United States are references to the concept that the framers utilized their understanding and research into philosophical writings on the issue of politics and government to develop what they thought would be the best foundation for this new government. One particular philosopher that is associated with the framing of the constitution is Aristotle, and particularly his writing Politics. This work will analyze five amendments to the US constitution through the Aritisotelian perspective. Amendments 15, 17, 17 22 and 24 will be viewed through this perspective, in an attempt to see if they are congruent to the plans of the framers. 1269a8 In addition, it is not even better to leave written laws unchanged. Just as it is impossible in the case of the other arts to write down everything accurately, so is it also in the case of political arrangement. For one must write in universal terms, but actions con

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the poem "Lift Every Voice and Sing" by James Weldon Johnson. Specifically, it will discuss the struggles that the author identifies in the anthem. It will also look at the way it offers a measure of hope to its intended African American audience. This hymn has been called the "Black National Anthem." It was written to celebrate President Abraham Lincoln's birthday, and was first sung by children in Florida (Ramsey, 2003, p. 151). This hymn celebrates President Lincoln while it offers hope to African Americans by showing them how far they have come from slavery by following the path of God.

CEO pay, even among companies whose market share and sales have slipped, is grossly unfair. "How bad are things? Here's one wise man's assessment: "About half of American industry has grossly unfair compensation systems where the top executives are paid too much," says Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's partner at Berkshire Hathaway" (Kirkland 2006 78). The problem, as many critics see it, is the tremendous gulf between what CEOs earn and what the average worker takes home. "At 200 of America's largest companies, CEOs made an average of $11.5 million last year. A worker earning just under $40,000 annually would need 300 years to make that much... Overall, average CEO pay is now more than 100 times what the average worker makes. In 1980, it was 33 times average worker pay" (Anon 2006 1). Various other studies have confirmed this disparity: "In 2005, an average CEO was paid 821 times as much as a minimum wage earner who earns just $5.15 per hour. An average CEO earns more before lunchtime on the first day of work in the year t

Arthur Miller's play, "Death of a Salesman," remains as pertinent today as its debut in 1949, perhaps even more so. It is the story of family dynamics and unattained dreams. Willy Loman has spent his entire career in sales. Now, at a time when he should be enjoying retirement, he is in reality a broken man, financially, emotionally, and spiritually. Willy believed careers were built on personality, that if people liked him, he would be successful. However, over time, charm was not enough to close the deals. Now his life, the life he thought he had, has slipped away. Miller's play opens with Willy returning home from yet another unsuccessful business trip. His oldest son, Biff, is there, and Willy begins verbally attacking him for being a failure, for not making a career. His younger son, Happy, is also there, and Biff and Happy reminisce and comment on their father's verbal ramblings. Biff had been a high school football star and Willy had great ex

Jean Paul Sartre was a French philosopher who helped construct a philosophy of existence called existentialism. Existentialism states that individual freedom is subjective and that man cannot go beyond human subjectivity (Kaufman 1989).But when man chooses, he also chooses for others, that is, universally. There is an "ought" in every free action, whereby one's choice for himself applies to every other man in the universe. This "ought" establishes that what is better for one should be better for all: every act is a commitment on behalf of mankind. He perceives man as unable to escape from that sense of complete and profound responsibility for himself and the world-at-large. A sense of abandonment in existentialism develops from the necessity that certain values must be taken seriously. This condition leads to a consequent sense of being left alone and without excuse, of being "condemned to be free." Although man did not create himself, he is neverthel

Passive euthanasia and physician assisted suicide have become hot topics of late and many people think it is about physicians becoming killers and 'putting patients to sleep' much like is done with animals. This is not true, however, despite the opinions that many hold. The main problem is that many feel that passive euthanasia and physician assisted suicide will give doctors too much control over the deaths of their terminally ill patients. This is not the case, however, as passive euthanasia and physician assisted suicide will actually give the terminally ill patients more control over their death, and therefore by extension, more control over their life. Not all physicians would be able to do this in good conscience but there are some, most notably Dr. Jack Kevorkian, that feel that they are capable of this type of practice in order to help the suffering of their patients. There are many individuals that feel as though passive euthanasia is morally permissible because the doc

One cannot separate the American lifestyle from the droves of immigrants that helped shape it. Diversity is a part of the fabric of America that makes it unique. As a result of this increasingly diverse culture many children grow up in bilingual households. Research has found both advantages and disadvantages to growing up in a bilingual household. The controversy over bilingual classrooms first surfaced in the mid-1960s and has gained in importance as the population becomes increasingly culturally diverse. The following will explore the advantages and disadvantages of bilingualism, with a focus on how if affects the educational system. It will focus on research into the growing trend that calls for the provision of culturally sensitive or bilingual materials in the classroom. It will answer the question, "What are the advantages and disadvantages of a bilingual school curriculum?" The Dominant Language Issue Although immigrants have formed a significant portion of the

To those individuals who are avid-viewers of a particular television program such Big Brother, failure to watch their favorite contestant perform on a crucial "elimination night" could be frustrating. A latest technology, however, promises to "preserve" those missed videos and allows viewers to watch them at anytime convenient to them. What's more interesting, this technology allows users to upload or even share those video clips with their friends. This technology is popularly known as Youtube. YouTube.com has been the leader in Internet video search. This video entertainment site has been in operation for only a year but it has already become the most favorite video-sharing site, dislodging News Corp.'s MySpace, Yahoo, Microsoft's MSN, Google and AOL. Target markets Youtube serves as a quick entertainment break especially for viewers who have broadband connections at work or home. Youtube, whose original creators were students, however, is mostly pop

In 2003, automotive experts estimate over 380,000 new vehicles (Thompson, 4) and nearly 356,000 used vehicles ("Used Car Market Report", 65) were sold in the United States, not including those used vehicles sold outside of a dealership setting. With new vehicles averaging $22,000 and used vehicles averaging $8,130, the combined economic impact for car sales in 2003 was over $11 billion (BTS, Table 1). Clearly, the automotive industry is a primary source of economic stability for the United States. However, due to the unique aspects of the automotive industry, there are also numerous circumstances in which fraud can easily be committed. Car manufacturers determine, if defects are found, whether such defects are worth recalling vehicles in comparison to possible law suits regarding injuries due to defects. Legally, the car manufacturer is not required to recall the product. Used car sales, while regulated, often occur without legal disclosure of factual information, such

The concept of lotteries conjures up many different images at once, and most of it unpleasant. By association, state lotteries often are compared with seedy criminals, gambling addiction, and destitution for the poor who depend on it the most. Despite, the negative imagery surrounding state lotteries it has been a widely popular and extremely profitable option for many states to raise funds for purportedly "worthwhile causes." In North Carolina for instance, the state lottery generates in the neighborhood of one billion dollars a year, a figure that figures to increase the overall state budget by thirty to forty percent. When assessing the costs and benefits of state lotteries, one has to first paint an accurate picture of what exactly state lotteries do and clearly define the parameters around it. There is much fiction surrounding the concept of state lotteries precisely because of the stigma attached to the concept of state-sponsored gambling. In the below review of the success of ga

Today, when a person says that someone builds castles in the air, they are usually metaphorically describing someone who dwells in a realm of fantasy, and has a poor grip upon reality. The poem "Mopsus, or The Castle Builder" literalizes the metaphor of castle-building in the air in its tale of a central character with a poor grip upon reality, as well as deals with this phenomenon on a metaphorical level. Mopsus wishes to live in a fantasy castle of his own making, even though he is of humble birth. He is thrown out of the real castles he believes will be his destiny to live in, but always has the security of the castles of his mind, that he dwells of, as a lord, a castle of dreams and darkness. Throughout the poem, Mopsus' gullibility and tendency to build "castles in the air" proves his undoing, as it provokes a pattern of deceit in people who wish to profit from his inability to distinguish what is true and what is fiction. The poem is structured upon contra

Cyclical unemployment is based on the assumption that demand for products, and the labor that produces them, fluctuates over time. When the business cycle is at its peak, there is low cyclical unemployment. When the cycle is in recession, unemployment is relatively high. There is plenty of evidence that the pressure of demand rises and falls from year to year and that unemployment moves in sympathy with that cycle. For example, unemployment fell sharply following the boom in the late-1980s, rose again during the recession of the early-1990s, and is now falling again. This cyclical movement

Introduction Organized crime is defined as the "systematically unlawful activity for profit on a city-wide, interstate, and even international scale". It is believed that criminal organizations are trying to maintain their illegal activities as a secret. Gangs, youth groups that are usually connected with juvenile activities are sometimes considered as forms of organized crimes (http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1596.html, 2005). Meanwhile, a criminal organization is dependent on the support from the society in which it exists. That is why it is but practical and convenient to compromise some of society's members - especially people in the judiciary, police forces, and legislature - through bribery, blackmail, and the cultivation of mutually dependent relationships with legitimate businesses. Thus a racket is included into lawful society, secured by corrupted law officers and politicians - and legal counsel. Its proceeds comes from narcotics trafficking, extortion, gambl