Saint Augustine Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Saint Augustine Research Paper Essay Augustine was a bishop of Hippo Regius, a Latin philosopher and theologian. He was born in 354 in the town of Thagaste in Roman Africa. Growing up with a Pagan father and a Christian mother, Saint Augustine endured many experiences from which he produced a book of confessions. In this book he writes about his life and struggles with evil desires. He struggled with greed, gluttony and lust, which are three among seven of the deadliest sins. His main struggle was within faith and religion concerning sexual restrictions and church regulations. He overcomes these struggles when he finds his faith. The encounters of evil Saint Augustine battles with fluctuate throughout his life. In his book of confessions he states that committing greed and gluttony brought joy to him. He loved anything that would amuse him such as chariot racing, gladiator fights and theatre. He would venture in drinking; gambling, stealing and he participated in barbaric pranks on people. He focused more on his own pleasures other than helping others. What saved him was his mother, Monica, who prayed for Augustine’s wickedness to wither. Monica’s prayers were answered when she received a dream from God. During this time he became a teacher and over the years he saw that what he use to enjoy was dull and senseless. Slowly his immoral practices became nothing but regretful memories. His mother then started to persuade him to become a Christian in which he did. He found his faith and began a new life without sin. His most grueling struggle was the sin of lust. He was not chaste nor did he abide Christian precepts. In his book he describes that his actions were done to avoid mockery and to also be accepted by his peers. When his mother was directing him towards the good she proposed that he should marry. Augustine married a 10-year-old child and when waiting for her to evolve he had an affair. By overcoming this obstacle he finally converted to Christianity and refrained from any form of sexual pleasure. He states, â€Å"The evil was not in the sexual act itself but in the emotions that accompany it. He also considers lust to be an obstacle to obtain the virtuous life. Saint Augustine had a constant battle with himself towards church policy and restrictions. He struggled with the limitations towards sexual intentions, which included him to be faithful to his significant other and live a monogamous lifestyle. He disagreed with this because his number one struggle was his erotic desires. This was one of the reasons as to why he gradually con verted to Christianity. His struggle to adhere faith was one of the obstacles to find his identity. He overcame this with the help of his mother and her prayers and he soon came to realize that his past was full of sin so he cleansed himself and became who he is known to be today. Saint Augustine had a life of sin. He struggled with lust, gluttony, greed, faith and religion. He then found himself and became a Saint. Like anybody else Saint Augustine was human, he faced many obstacles concerning evil practices but in the end he overcame these struggles when faith prevailed.

Think Twice about Texting and Driving Essay Example for Free

Think Twice about Texting and Driving Essay â€Å"In 2010, 3,092 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver and an estimated additional 416,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver† (Distracted Driving). Many people do not realize that texting and driving causes so many injuries and deaths. People believe that looking down at a phone for three seconds is okay and will not cause harm. They are wrong; texting while driving causes more accidents than other distractions while driving. There are also laws that forbid the use of a cell phone while operating a vehicle. Texting and driving is an action that kills more people than expected. Due to the lack of concentration on the first-hand action; a slowed reaction is brought upon the driver. Texting and driving is a problem because of the delayed reaction time of someone who is driving a car. â€Å"Using a cell phone while driving, whether it’s handheld or hands-free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent† (2009, University of Utah). Driving while texting is similar to driving while intoxicated because of the delayed reaction time, but texting while driving is much worse. When a person is driving under the influence of alcohol, they are, for the most part, still focusing on the road; whereas a person who is texting is paying more attention to their phone than on the road. Therefore, most accidents are caused from texting while driving. When going through Drivers Education, or a driving school, drivers are taught to keep their hands at the †ten and two position† on the steering wheel and their eyes on the road. With texting being more common, now people try to multi-task texting while they are driving. â€Å"49% of drivers with cell phones under the age of thirty-five send or read text messages while driving† (2011, Harris Poll). Accidents from distraction can be caused by any person who owns a cell phone and drives. Everyone who owns a cell phone and has used it while driving is at fault. There is not just one age group that uses their phones more than the next. Newspaper articles are showing more frequently, accidents are being caused from texting while operating a vehicle. In a newspaper article ¸ New York Daily News, written by Charlie Wells stated that: Chance Bothe is a twenty-one year old man who spent six months in recovery from a horrific car accident that was caused by texting while driving. The last text he sent to his friend was, â€Å"If we keep doing this I’m going to wreck my truck, going to  get in a car crash.† That is exactly what happened after he pressed send. Chance Bothe broke nearly every bone in his body. Bothe argues that texting while driving is not worth losing your life over. People need to be more informed of the harm texting and driving can cause. Chance knew that he could possibly be harmed by texting and driving, and he actually did. â€Å"But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention fro m the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction† (Distraction.gov). Drinking and driving is an act that is highly frowned upon and multiple consequences are given if a person gets caught. Texting and driving is also an illegal act, but it is not enforced as much as it should be. Since it requires quite amount of attention from the driver, more consequences should be issued to individuals who get caught. Ten states throughout the United States, D.C., Guam, and the Virgin Islands ban all drivers from using handheld cell phones while operating a vehicle. An officer can actually cite a driver without any other citation present. Thirty-nine states, D.C., Guam, and the Virgin Islands all ban text messaging from all drivers, but allow talking on the phone. In Indiana and multiple other states, they have a â€Å"Crash Data Collection† rule where they can include cell phone equipment distraction in accident reports (Ghsa.org). Even though many citizens are for the ban of cell phone use while operating a vehicle, some people are against it. Why a person would be against a law that would higher the safety of drivers and the people around them, is unknown. If police officers were more strict with the laws against cell phone use while driving, and giving citations, texting and driving may decrease; therefore, it would driving more safe. The risks of texting and driving are rising each year and the amount of deaths is also rising. In 2011, at least 23% of automobile accidents were caused from texting and driving. That is an equivalent to 1.3 million crashes. While a person is texting and driving, they are twenty-three times more likely to get in an accident than if they were not using their phone. A lot of the time, teenagers get in an accident while texting, but they are not the only people that cause the accidents. Thirteen percent of drivers between the age of eighteen and twenty-one admitted to using their mobile device during the time they got in an accident. Eighty-two percent of  drivers between the age of sixteen and eighteen have cell phones, fifty-two percent said they have talked on their phone while driving, and thirty-two percent have admitted to texting while driving. The numbers of young drivers are rising, and it needs to end (DWI: Driving while Intexticated). â€Å"Stop the texts. Stop the wrecks,† is a webpage to show what can happen in result from texting and driving. It states that in the five second time frame that a person is driving fifty-five miles per hour, and their eyes are off the road while texting, a car can travel the length of a football field. Five seconds and even less, is all it can take to end a person’s life. Car accidents are four times more likely to happen if the person operating the vehicle is using their cell phone. The webpage also provides ways to get a person to break the habit of texting while driving. More people could receive awareness about texting and driving, and the harms it can cause by simply looking information up on the internet. Ways to eliminate texting and driving from happening is the driver could put the device in the backseat so that it out of sight. â€Å"Out of sight, out of mind,† is a quote that could stop texting and driving. Also, a person could simply turn the volume of their phone to silent so that they do not hear it and then they will not think about it. There are multiple applications on smart phones that parents can use to lock the child’s phone while the vehicle is in motion. If the text is really important and the driver has a passenger in the car, designate that person to be the â€Å"texter† while the driver is operating the vehicle. (Stop the Texts, Stop the Wrecks). People cannot help the urge to pick up their phone when they hear the beep or vibration when they get a new text message or Facebook notification. It is a bad habit that needs to be broken, and it can be with a little effort. In a Chicago newspaper, was a campaign that showed teenagers the real harms from texting and driving. Students at Taft High School got to witness the difficulty of texting and driving while driving with AAA’s distracted driving simulator, and most of the students crashed. â€Å"It’s taking your hands off the wheel so that you can hold the phone and text. It’s taking your eyes off of the road, and it’s taking your mind off the road,† said Nick Jarmunsz of AAA. (Chicago.Cbslocal.com). â€Å"â€Å"We have nothing left now,† said Teresa  Breen† (Chicago.Cbslocal.com). Teresa Breen is the mother of a teenager, John, who crashed his car and killed himself while texting and driving. â€Å"He thought he was invincible, and these kids also think that,† Breen said. â€Å"They think they can do anything and it’s not going to catch up with them† (Teresa Breen on Chicago.Cbslocal.com). Michael Inbar wrote a news article about a young woman who passed away from result of texting while driving. Taylor Sauer was driving home to visit her family, a four hour drive away. That drive fell short when she crashed into the back of a tanker truck. Her last text was, â€Å"I can’t discuss this right now. Driving and facebooking is not safe! Haha.† She was discussing the Denver Broncos football team with a friend. Just seconds after sending that last text message, traveling over than 80 mph, she crashed into the back of the truck. When her phone records were checked later on for the accident report and investigation, it showed that she was posting to Facebook every 90 seconds while driving (Msn.com). People really need make second thoughts before they pick of their phone while driving. A person may be sending a one word text message or a paragraph long message, and the result could be the same either way. A crash can happen, and it will. There was a story about a teenage girl who had recently been broken up with by her boyfriend. She was overly depressed and became suicidal. The girl would always tell her ex-boyfriend that she wants to kill herself, but never actually did it. One afternoon she was texting her ex-boyfriend while driving down the interstate. She had been extremely upset that afternoon and told him that she was going to kill herself, and actually follow through with it. While sending that text, she drove over the middle of the road, not knowing, and crashed into an oncoming vehicle killing a mother and her two children. The girl texting survived. Police retrieved her phone records from the time of the accident and are now attempting to charge her with manslaughter saying she crashed into the other vehicle to kill herself. When a person reaches for their phone while they are driving, what is going through their head is not the harms of texting and driving, they are thinking of what the text message will say, or what they will respond.  People need to pause a second before they grab their phone while driving. They need to think twice before they do an action that could change their life forever. A person could be having an argument over text messaging and that could possibly cause an increase to getting in an accident. Not one text message is so important that a person should risk their life reading and replying to it. It can wait, and it should wait, but it does not always work that way. Cell phone use while driving is becoming more and more common each day. It is a factor that is rising in injuries and deaths each year. One small text that takes a person’s eyes away from the road can result in a huge accident in under a minute. The outcome will not only affect the driver that is texting, but also others around them. The drivers’ reaction time is lowered if they using their phone while driving. Multiple laws forbid the use of texting and driving, and some laws prohibit cell phone use all together. Many people do not realize the outcome that texting while driving can happen. Lives have been taken because of texting and driving.

Ethics of Physician Assisted Suicide

Ethics of Physician Assisted Suicide Should we be allowed to take our own lives? In many cultures ancient and not so ancient suicide has been seen as the best option in certain circumstances.   Cato the Younger committed suicide rather than live under Caesar.   For the Stoics there was nothing necessarily immoral in suicide, which could be rational and the best option (Long 1986, 206).   Conversely, in the Christian tradition, suicide has largely been seen as immoral, defying the will of God, being socially harmful and opposed to nature (Edwards 2000).   This view, to follow Hume, ignores the fact that by dint suicide being possible it is not against nature or God (Hume 1986).   Nevertheless, the idea of being allowed to take our own lives impinges on the ethics of public policy in a variety of ways.   Here we will briefly examine the case of physician-assisted suicide (PAS) where an individual’s wish to die may be aided by the action of another. Hume considered suicide to be ‘free from every imputation of guilt or blame’ (Hume 1986, 20) and indeed suicide has not been a crime in the UK since 1961 (Martin 1997, 451).   Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring a suicide is however a special statutory crime, although few prosecutions are brought.   Recently the issue of PAS has brought the debate about ‘whether and under what conditions individuals should be able to determine the time and manner of their deaths, and whether they should be able to enlist the help of physicians’ (Steinbock 2005, 235).   The British Medical Association opposes euthanasia (mercy killing) but accepts both legally and ethically that patients can refuse life-prolonging treatment – this that they can commit suicide (BMA 1998).   Failing to prevent suicide does not constitute abetting (Martin 1997, 451) although PAS ‘is no different in law to any other person helping another to commit suicide’ (BMA 1998).   In Oregon, however, PAS, restricted to competent individuals who request it, has been legalised (Steinbock 2005, 235, 238).   A distinction should be maintained between suicide and (mercy) killing, acts in which the agents differ, though of course exactly where the line should be drawn is part of the problem. The ethical arguments in support of PAS involve suffering and autonomy (Steinbock 2005, 235-6).   The first assertion is that is cruel to prolong the life of a patient who is in pain that cannot be medically controlled; the second, in the words of Dr Linda Ganzini based on her study in Oregon, involves the idea that ‘being in control and not dependent on other people is the most important thing for them in their dying days’ (quoted in Steinbock 2005, 235).   The logical outcome of these arguments is that, if PAS can be justified on the grounds of suffering or autonomy, why should it be restricted to competent individuals or the terminally ill?   Indeed the judge in Compassion in dying v State of Washington (1995) stated that ‘if at the heart of the liberty protected by the Fourteenth Amendment is this uncurtailable ability to believe and act on one’s deepest beliefs about life, the right to suicide and the right to assistance in suicide are the preroga tive of at least every sane adult.   The attempt to restrict such rights to the terminally ill is illusory’ (Steinbock 2005, 236). As noted above, religious disapproval of suicide has become less relevant an as arbiter of ethics and policy.   In democratic societies that might best be described as secular with a Christian heritage, the views of religious groups should not restrict the liberty of individuals in society (Steinbock 2005, 236).   Others argue that the role of the physician is to heal and help and not to harm, though supporters of PAS would say that death is not always harmful and assisted suicide is a help.   Indeed, in a country where PAS is not legal people who wish to die without criminalizing those who assist in their suicide may be driven abroad, as in the case of Reginald Crew who was dying of motor neurone disease and travelled to Switzerland for AS, dying in January 2002 (English et al. 2003, 119).   This may cause more harm through the stresses of dislocation and worry than allowing the PAS to take place.   The two most serious concerns are that PAS would be abused and would lead to negative changes in society.   This could happen in many ways through vulnerable groups such as the poor, the elderly etc, being pressured into choosing PAS (Steinbock 2005, 237).   The BMA emphasises a concern for the message that would be given to society about the value of certain groups of people (BMA 1998).   This is part of a wider concern also expressed in a Canadian Senate enquiry of 1995 (BMA 1998) which points to a policy of suicide prevention amongst some vulnerable groups that would be rendered anomalous by seeking to ease suicide amongst the disabled.   However, the presentation is slightly disingenuous, since there is a difference in the reason for potential suicide that must be investigated. For example, seeking to prevent suicide amongst the youth may involve programmes of social inclusion or increasing life prospects, and this style of solution is not applicable in the case of those who may seek PAS.   In Oregon at least, it seems that fears about PAS have not materialised, and one doctor suspects that the relatively low use of PAS is indicative of it being too restrictive (Steinbock 2005, 238).   Users of PAS, rather than being the poor and socially vulnerable as predicted, tended to be middle class and educated, with younger patients more likely to choose it than the elderly, and most were enrolled in hospice care.   Issues about PAS and euthanasia need to be clarified and argued separately.   In the context of this issue at least, the question of whether suicide should be allowed is the wrong one to ask.   A starting point is to ask how competent individuals can be allowed to fulfil their wishes as to life and death issues without endangering other people, whether doctors or loved ones and whether all embracing legislation is feasible. Bibliography BMA. 1998. Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide: Do the moral arguments differ? London: BMA. Edwards, P. 2000. ‘Ethics of suicide’, in The Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. London: Routledge, 870-71. English, V. Romano-Critchley, G., Sheather J. and Sommerville, A. 2003. ‘Ethics Briefings’, Journal of Medical Ethics 29: 118-119 Hume, D. 1986. ‘Of Suicide’, in Singer, P. (ed.) 1986. Applied Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 19-27. Martin, E.A. (ed.) 1997. A Dictionary of Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Steinbock, B. 2005. ‘The case for physician assisted suicide: not (yet) proven’, Journal of Medical Ethics 31: 235-41.

Garden State Essay -- essays research papers

Garden State by 'Pipsorcle' Andrew Largeman's (Zack Braff) journey throughout "Garden State" seems to be a testament on the meaning of liberation. Going from his struggling acting life in Los Angeles to his hometown in New Jersey, where he witnesses his mother's funeral, Andrew is in the mist of confronting difficult issues. One of the biggest issues is coming to terms with his psychologist father (Ian Holm), whom he has distanced himself from for many years because he has put him on powerful antidepressants for most of his life. The reason for this I will not reveal but it has caused Andrew to feel as if his father has controlled his life in a way. In showing how Andrew Largeman finds himself again, "Garden State" makes a good choice in putting him in every one of its scenes. Since this film is really about Largeman, because he is in every scene, we see a progression in his character as time goes on. At the beginning, we sense that Andrew feels rather numb and alienated but then as the film progresses, he becomes more energetic and liberated. This gradual change in his character is highlighted clearly in the cinematography, a key method in showing Andrew's psychological state. For a directorial debut, I must say Zack Braff has given me a completely different impression than from his regular role in the "Scrubs" TV series. One might think that for a directorial debut coming from a TV actor would be uneven and at best, formulaic and uninspired. That's not the case here with "Garden State." Braff shows he knows how to handle directing and storytelling yet at the same time, showing a vision that clearly establishes himself as an auteur. Examples of this are the tense moments when Andrew is around his father. A lesser film would go for theatrics and end up being very talky in dialogue, but instead, Andrew and his father's moments together are more subtle. Whenever we see both of them together, they talk but when they talk, their relationship is forced. There's a sense of silence at times, which shows they feel uncomfortable seeing each other after the lack of good communication for about a decade. Of course, one might think that from the way I'm describing "Garden State" so far, the film is on the more serious side. It's actually more funny than serious but even describing the film as a comedy wouldn't do ju... ... selling his invention of soundless Velcro and now trundles down the corridors of his unfurnished McMansion in a golf cart. Another buddy, Mark (Peter Sarsgaard), sells jewelry he acquires in a highly unusual manner. Braff also writes simple yet refreshing dialogue, with plenty of offbeat humor, yet none of it is strained, nothing is played self-consciously for laughs. Braff himself has a warm, easy-to-watch screen presence. He can say nothing during the lull in a conversation, while the camera remains focused on his face, and it feels right. Portman and Sarsgaard are also genuine, each wonderfully relaxed in their roles. Production design is superb: details in every scene are arranged well, and the photography, by Lawrence Sher, is - like the story and the acting – unpretentious, never distracting, tricky or cute. This film never seems to manipulate us; instead it engages us, arouses our curiosity and amusement, bids us gently to care about Andrew and Sam and even Mark, leaving us entertained in the best sense. This movie is as confident, as secure in itself, as comforting, as a well worn pair of house slippers or your favorite reading chair. A splendid film. Grade: A- (09/04)

Graduation Speech: Im Ready for High School :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Wow, three years have passed and the last day is just as long as the first. Three years of hard discipline and learning to get used to homework every night. Three years of standing on the front steps waiting for my parents and saying goodbye to my teachers. I never thought the goodbye might be permanent. 6th grade came and I was looking up at those giant 8th graders, and now I guess I’m one of them. 6th grade, and I was saying hello, and now 8th grade has come and it’s gone from introductions to goodbyes as my last days as a middle school student wind down. 8th grade, 8th grade from the opening day to the signing of the yearbooks. This is the year of memories, goodbyes, and regrets. 8th grade and I’m still realizing that there are people in the world that would die to go to a school like this. A school where every body knows everyone’s name, respects everyone, and where violence and fighting are about as common as the Yankees missing the playoffs. When I’m done with my homework and go to bed, as the days of 8th grade wind down, summer will come and go, and I will find myself in one of those giant, scary places called high school. The first time I heard C.R.I.S.P. all I could think of was my mom’s rich apple pies. Now C.R.I.S.P. has more of a meaning. Every day I see C.R.I.S.P. in the hallways and classrooms, not only on the walls but among my fellow students. Everyone wants to help each other out because that’s the way we work here. Everyone tries hard to do their best and be the best person they can be. Looking back on my three years at Twin Cities Academy, I find myself wondering how all these years came and went so fast. I still watch myself walking through the same halls and sitting in the same classrooms as I did back in 6th and 7th grade and I’ve seen myself grow so much, mentally, socially and physically. I still remember everything that has happened throughout my years, the best of times, and the worst. So here I am, not sure if I’m trying to stretch out my final days in a school that has taught me so much, or waiting for a 90-day-straight school-free period. I guess I want to savor these final days with some students that I just met, and some that I’ve known for 3 years because this may be the last time that I see them.

faulkner essay :: essays research papers

Sanity Must Be It In William Faulkner’s, As I Lay Dying, Addie died and told her family to bury her in Jefferson with the rest of her family. Of course, they listened and carried her dead body on a wagon. On their journey they encountered multiple complicated situations, which tested their limits of sanity and insanity. The second oldest son, Darl, came out as the sanest of them all. With the family’s own desires, it causes each person to become an insane person. Darl, however, cares for others and observe their actions to determine how they are doing. He was aware of his own existence and surroundings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anse, the father of the Bundren family, acts selfishly through his laziness and greed. For example, his family constantly does chores around the house, but he does not because â€Å"he was sick once from working in the sun the if he ever sweats, he will die†(17). His lethargy shows when he refuses to work because he will die from a drop of sweat. That is preposterous, considering he makes his children labor and make up for his part. In addition, Dewey Dell knew Darl burned down the barn and â€Å"she hadn’t said a word, hadn’t even looked at [Darl] when them fellows told him what they wanted and that they had come to get him†(237). Darl’s family wanted him gone because if he were taken away as an insane man, then Anse would not have to pay for the barn damages. Anse would do anything just to conserve their money and keep him out of trouble. His saved money only goes to his teeth, and would not spend a penny for anything. No one c ares what may come about to another family member but what would happen to themselves. In the end, Anse and the other children’s selfishness led them to become psychotic people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As an outsiders’ point of view, the Bundren family’s neighbors notice how Darl functions as the most normal of them all. For instance, Darl walks into Addie’s room to see how she is doing, and Cora says, â€Å"I always said Darl was different from those others. I always said he was the only one of them that had his mother’s nature, had any natural affection†(21). He cared for his mother unlike the others. Darl took time out of his day to see how his mother was coming along.

The Importance of Securing equipmen Essay

The ability to be accountable of army equipment is a task given to all Service members. It starts when we first enter basic training. We receive our first issued items from CIF in order to complete all of our task during basic training. We are responsible to inventory and maintain our gear until we are finished with basic training. It is expected that we turn in item that were received in a clean and serviceable condition. After Basic training we move on to AIT and later to our first Unit. As we progress with our military career we become responsible for more gear. Our Platoon leaders and commanders entrust us with more sensitive as we sign not just for our personal gear. We sign for radios, vehicle, Blue Force Trackers and many other items that cannot fall into the hands of the enemy. The loss of any equipment is costly, not only does it cost money but it take time away from the mission while you are waiting for much needed gear. The inability to maintain your equipment potential causes a mission failure or missing a movement. The best method to keep equipment secure is to always have it on your person. The problem with this method is it’s not always possible. Caring around everything would be a very tedious and inefficient process. The next best method is to keep your equipment under lock and key. Keeping that in mind the equipment should be left in a place where security is in place to guard those items. Of course some item will need different levels of security such as weapons. The loss of any equipment can lead to a loss in operational security. You don’t want information much less equipment to fall into enemy hands. This could potentially lead to a loss of life.