Skepticism Essays - 1139 Words

Skepticism Skepticism is the Western philosophical tradition that maintains that human beings can never arrive at any kind of certain knowledge. Originating in Greece in the middle of the fourth century BC, skepticism and its derivatives are based on the following principles: There is no such thing as certainty in human knowledge. All human knowledge is only probably true, that is, true most of the time, or not true. Several non-Western cultures have skeptical traditions, particularly Buddhist philosophy, but properly speaking, skepticism refers only to a Greek philosophical tradition and its Greek, Roman, and European derivatives. The school of Skeptic philosophers were called the Skeptikoi in Greece. The word is†¦show more content†¦While Socrates never claimed that knowledge is impossible, still, at his death, he never claimed to have discovered any piece of knowledge whatsoever. After its introduction into Greek culture at the end of the fourth century BC, skepticism influenced nearly all other Greek philosophies. Both Hellenistic and Roman philosophies took it as a given that certain knowledge was impossible; the focus of Greek and Roman philosophy, then, turned to probable knowledge, that is, knowledge that is true most of the time. Christianity, however, introduced a dilemma into Greek and Roman philosophies that were primarily based on skeptical principles. In many ways, the philosophy of Christianity, which insisted on an absolute knowledge of the divine and of ethics, did not fit the Greek and Roman skeptical emphasis on probable knowledge. Paul of Tarsus, one of the original founders of Christianity, answered this question simply: the knowledge of the Romans and Greeks, that is, human knowledge, is the knowledge of fools. Knowledge that rejects human reasoning, which, after all, leads to skepticism, is the knowledge of the wise. Christianity at its inception, then, had a strong anti-rational perspective. This did not, however, make the skeptical problem go away. Much of the history of early Christian philosophy is an attempt to paste Greek and Roman philosophical methods and questions ontoShow MoreRelatedSkepticism in the Modern World686 Words   |  3 Pages Philosophical skepticism, according to Scottish philosopher David Hume, is asking whether human beings can perceive the world around us with any degree of accuracy. Practicing this school of thought means that a person initially never believes anything to be true, but at the same time, does not say everything is necessarily false; instead, he maintains a position of doubt. The final source of truth for a skeptic is experience. In terms of skepticism vs. rationalism vs. romanticism and theirRead MorePhilosophers and Epistemological Skepticism1245 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract People wonder how they, and others, know what they know. There is a skepticism about accepting that there are inherent pieces of knowledge that people simply possess, that there is no such thing as true knowledge because it is so personal, that there is no way to prove what is truly right or wrong. This paper considers the views of Chuang Tzu and Roderick Chisholm, how their ideas should be researched further in order for leaders to address sharing knowledge with their followers. ScholarsRead MoreSkepticism About a Refutation of Skepticism Essay2838 Words   |  12 Pagesâ€Å"Skepticism about a Refutation of Skepticism† In â€Å"The Refutation of Skepticism†, Jonathan Vogel establishes an â€Å"Inference to the Best Explanation† (hereafter, â€Å"IBE†) as a means to refute skepticism about the external world. In this refutation, Vogel acknowledges that skepticism about IBE still remains a possibility, but that this kind of skepticism would be rather outlandish in character and thus could be ignored. This paper shall both establish and evaluate Vogel’s reasoning as to why he confidentlyRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Pessimism And Skepticism1328 Words   |  6 Pagesthink we know, also known as skepticism. In this paper I will argue that skepticism is the best way to know things for certain because it acknowledges the presence of cognitive dissonance, self-justification and the things we can learn by questioning. I will proceed as follows: I will outline the concepts of skepticism, according to Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson, and the concepts of rationalism, according to Ren à © Descartes. Then, I will compare rationalism and skepticism by explaining how challengingRead MoreDescartes, Hume and Skepticism Essay735 Words   |  3 PagesDescartes, Hume and Skepticism Descartes is responsible for the skepticism that has been labeled Cartesian doubt. Hume critiques this skepticism in his Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. After his discussion of Cartesian doubt, he offers a different type of skepticism that he considers as being more effective philosophically. Is Hume right in his characterization of Cartesian doubt and is the skepticism he offers better? Descartes introduced the idea of universal doubt to philosophy. IfRead MoreThe Classical Version Of Skepticism1218 Words   |  5 PagesSkepticism is a method of equal and opposite arguments that has been used to investigate truth. It is believed that nothing should be assumed true without enough evidence. In the world of skepticism, all conclusions are premature. The classical version in skepticism is called Pyrrhonism. It was named after an early advocate known as Pyrrho (365 BCE – 270 BCE) became so frustrated between two arguments, not being able to choose which to follow due to reasonable views on both side, and decided to makeRead MoreOn Epistemology and Skepticism Essay1687 Words   |  7 Pagesthat what we determine to be acknowledged as â€Å"knowledge† must present justification in order to be accepted believed as knowledge. This is important because Skepticism doubts the validation of knowledge and how we come to any such conclusion of justifying what we â€Å"know† indubitably as knowledge. This is the overarching problem with skepticism. Instead of having a solid stance on how to define knowledge, skeptics simply doubt that a reason or proposition offered is correct and suppose it to be falseRead MoreSkepticism On The Search For The Truth Of Our Knowledge1936 Words   |  8 Pages Skepticism in the Search for the Truth of Our Knowledge How many times have you said, â€Å"No way, I do not believe it!† It is our natural tendency not to believe in something that we have not seen with our own eyes or experienced it personally. There is a saying, â€Å"seeing is believing† which has led us to a world full of skeptics. We want proof so we are not gullible fools. Skepticism, or scepticism, as it was spelled back in the ancient times, was pondered by philosophers who tried unsuccessfullyRead MoreIs Global Skepticism Justified? Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesIs Global Skepticism Justified? Introduction Skepticism is something that we all have to one degree or another. Some of us who carry some Limited (Local) Skepticism might question whether we can really know if the news anchor is giving us correct information or if the five day forecast is really on track this time regarding the rain it is predicting. Others subscribe to the Global Skepticism view; that is, they would argue that we cannot know anything at all, and, therefore, we can’t have knowledgeRead MoreThe Argument Of Skepticism Is All About1495 Words   |  6 PagesMaryam Quraishi Professor Leon Philosophy 101 August 9, 2016 Skepticism In this paper, I will first discuss what the basic argument of skepticism is all about, then I will provide the defense of the argument: the three cases (Judy/Trudy Case, Crow/Raven and Coke/ Generic Coke case). After that, I will talk about the responses to the argument, specifically about the criticisms from Descartes and Moore; how Moore feels that perceptual evidence is enough and we can reject premise 1 and how descartes

My Vision As A Psychology Practitioner Scholar - 892 Words

Your Vision as a Psychology Practitioner-Scholar Introduction Currently, I am seeking a Master’s Degree in clinical psychology in an effort to have my own private practice. I would ideally like to serve, individuals, families and groups. One of my interests is behavior. When I was raising my daughter she struggled with multiple behavioral problems; I know first hand how much of a struggle it can be to have a child with these types of issues. I want to assist parent, families and children when faced with these types of challenges. An analysis of three tests will be reviewed; each one is designed to analyze behavior in children. The review will be of the Conners 3rd Edition, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and Behavior†¦show more content†¦It is a multi method, multi dimensional system presented as brief forms and software that primarily assesses the changes in behavior or emotional status (PreK-16, 2017). The dimensions consist of several scales, the Teacher Rating Scale (TRS), the Parent Rating Scale (PRS ), Student Observation System (SOS), Structured Developmental History (SDH) and the Self-Report of Personality (SRP) (Dumont, 2013). The completed test provides a scale of behaviors including bullying, Anger Control, Developmental Social Disorders, Emotional Self-Control, Executive Functioning, Negative Emotionality and Resiliency (PreK-16, 2017). All three tests selected are tools in assessment of behavior. Appropriateness All three tests are appropriate for measurement of behavior, each having various degrees of supportive evidence. The Conners 3rd Edition has strong norm sample set of 3,400 individuals, with two-thirds of the sampling group having multiple informants along various scales (Viezel, 2013b). The sampling set included both clinical and the general population (Viezel, 2013b). The internal consistency coefficients with all forms ranged from .77 to .95, the test-retest coefficients are .71-.98, these scores indicate the reliability of the Conners 3rd Edition has moderately strong reliability (Viezel, 2013b). The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function has a norm sampling fromShow MoreRelatedMy Vision As A Psychology Practitioner Scholar836 Words   |  4 PagesMy Vision as a Psychology Practitioner-Scholar Introduction Psychology has always fascinated me, learning about classical conditioning (Ivan Pavlov), personality the id, ego, and superego (Sigmund Freud), were all interesting subjects in my high school introduction to psychology class. This subject was very interesting that it planted a desire that I had never forgotten, the desire of wanting to be a psychologist. The dysfunctional home environment in which I grew up also played a role in my decisionRead MoreMy Vision As A Psychology Practitioner Scholar967 Words   |  4 PagesPractitioner-scholar is erudite at the master’s level MBA, MS, MA, and certificate level, will develop theoretical and research strategies to test, analyze resolutions to problems. These scholars use theoretic and research applications by acquiring information, processing the information, assess the information and apply and monitor new strategies, or approach to a practical solutions and determine how to effectively measure the approach. The scholar-practitio ner theoretical knowledge includes theRead MoreThe Theory And Application Of Theories716 Words   |  3 PagesAs we grow in the field of psychology the quality and style of our writing and thinking will change to a more theoretical approach. At the masters level we are known as practitioner-scholars. Our primary focus will be to elaborate on theory and application of those theories. It is at his level we must become aware of ourselves and writing skills. APA will be conducive for report writing. Writing produced by practitioner-scholars will entail the following guidelines. *Acquire information: IdentifyRead MorePersonal Essay : My Career Essay1753 Words   |  8 PagesYour Career in Psychology Introduction For the last 10 weeks, practitioner-scholars, including myself, I have embarked on a journey to clarify and relate our passions and interests to psychological practices and skills. As stated in previous assignments, my passion, for counseling, stems from living in a community where seeking counseling was not looked upon positively. The motto was, â€Å"keep your personal conflict between yourself and family.† In many cases, family members inadvertently gave biasRead MorePersonal Statement For Saybrook University954 Words   |  4 PagesProfessional Psychology seeking a degree in business psychology. Since the program was not ready to start for another year, it was suggested that I take courses in the international psychology program. I thoroughly enjoyed this new experience with an opportunity to â€Å"think global†. I optioned to remain in this program with a concentration in organizations and systems. As I sojourned through, I was always aware that there was still something missing. Although I loved being part of the IP program, my rootsRead MoreAttaining My Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology856 Words   |  4 Pagesconducting art therapy with prisoners when I realized this was the most meaningful experience of my life, and it should not be. The study and practice of psychology are the place where my humanitarian and intellectual interests align. I am applying to the clinical psycho logy program to fulfil the training I need to continue to make meaningful contributions to society and also contribute to the field of psychology through research. A family illness that is now happily behind me delayed me from doing soRead MorePersonal Essay : My Career1982 Words   |  8 PagesMy Career in Psychology Introduction My Bachelor’s degree led me to an interesting place in my life in which I found myself sitting at a table with a vibrant and intelligent woman as she spilled her soul to me crying that she just did not know what to do. In that moment I felt the time freeze as I looked around and discovered that I was the person who she was looking to for answers. I was the person who was supposed to help her. I was a recent undergrad graduate with a major in Criminal JusticeRead MoreQualities Of A True Leader1161 Words   |  5 Pages The concept of leadership has been widely discussed by academics worldwide and comprehensively defined in dictionaries and encyclopedias with multiple definitions and contexts. Scholars may study leadership from various perspectives, from a managerial standpoint, an in-depth philosophical analysis of the concept and even from the psychological aspect of the discipline. Since a very young age, I’ve had the opportunity to learn and being inspired by multip le leaders, who provided me with a solid foundationRead MoreReligion Is The Cause Of Recent Suicide Terrorist Attacks Around The World Essay1494 Words   |  6 PagesReligions teaches about vital aspect on believers’ lives and make available a significant vision for it, which always colors its followers’ socio-political goals, actions, and deeds. This paper focuses on recent terrorist attacks around the world. As we know, religion in its cleanest practice has conveyed countless benefits for humankind, but it has also been used as a reason for persecution and war. This contributes to my claim that religion is a contributing factor to terrorism for the reasons that mostRead MoreLi in Confucianism Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pagesstudying the original text. By so doing, he has managed to surpass the interpretations already done by scholars from theology, psychology, anthropology and other fields of study, and to grasp the suggestiveness of the original, thus stepping clo ser to the heart of the Confucian teaching. This report is based on my recent reading of Herbert Fingarettes Confucius -- the Secular as Sacred and my own understanding of Confucianism. What enables Fingarette to approach Confucianism as a philosophy and

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All-American Boy Essay Somewhere at sometime a philosopher once said, The world is divided into two kinds of people: those who are skeptical of others until the others prove themselves, and those who assume that other people are good and decent unless proven otherwise. Ronald Reagan was one of those people who assumed that other people are good and decent until otherwise proven. However if a person was to ask another about Ronald Reagan they would give you another answer more than likely. Some would say that he was an actor and didn_t know a thing about politics, others would say that he believed in what he did and did what he felt needed to be done to improve a situation. Some would say that he lived for others and put himself last as long as those he cared for were well. Ronald Dutch Reagan is an elite kind of person that believed in perseverance and hard work and doing what had to be done, even if it meant a low approval rating. Review of Sources Davis 1995, Edwards 1987, and Meese 1992, shared the same thoughts on the life of Reagan. There is a since of flow throughout the books and the talk of his growing up and experiences. They deal with him growing up, going to school, and Hollywood. Edwards did an outstanding job with her book and kept directly to what she said she was going to talk about. Davis and Meese were more of a tribute to Reagan, but they seemed to stick with the main points. Reagan 1990 is giving is first hand experiences to the reader and does a very good job at it. He makes you feel as though you were there and part of what he was doing and going through. I enjoyed the book so much that I called his library in Simi Valley, California and bought a copy for myself. Evans 1988 and Lowe 1989 gave good supporting information that seemed to be pretty straight forward with the facts. The information that I read in their books agreed with what I had read in others, so I was quite impressed with them too, but not quite enough to go and buy the book. From Dutch to Ronald John Edward Reagan, who normally went by Jack, was an Irish man who carried a great deal of pride within him for his Irish Catholic ancestry and his love for Irish whiskey. He was a dashing dresser with a glib tongue and loved to speak whenever given the opportunity Edwards 23. His wife was Nelle Clyde Wilson, who normally went by Nelle, was a devoted Christian and her one priority was to serve the Lord Edwards 28. The two met at J. W. Broadhead Dry Goods Store in Fulton, Illinois, and later on the 8th of November, 1904 were married in the parsonage of the Immaculate Conception Church in Fulton by Reverend J. L. Moloney Edwards 32. Shortly after Jack and Nelle were married they moved to a town called Tampico, Illinois. Tampico was one-third the size of Fulton with the population of about 1,276. It was a standard Midwestern town with a couple lumberyards and drugstores. The social life centered around school or church activities and patriotic holidays were an occasi! on for picnics and firework displays. The community was fairly cohesive and its residents shared similar educational and economical backgrounds. Few in the community had gone past grade school, and most had never traveled as far Chicago and considered the nearby towns of Dixon and Fulton, which were an equidistant 26 miles, an excursion Edwards 33. On September 16th, 1908, the Reagan_s had their first child John Neil Reagan. Later he would acquire the nickname Moon after the comic-strip character Moon Mullins. Then about two and a half years later the Reagan_s had their second and final child Ronald Wilson Reagan. Ronald was born on February 11th, 1911 at home because of the blizzard the previous night before which made the roads impassable. The doctors comment after the birth was, For such a little bit of a Dutchman, he makes a hell of a lot of noise, doesn_t he? Edwards 33-34. Ronald was such a big baby that everyone started calling him Dutch and that continued with him for a lifetime. School came very easy for Dutch and his desire to learn was great, but due to his fathers drinking, the Reagan_s moved from time to time, but eventually ended up in Dixon, Illinois. It was when he was going to school that it came apparent the young Dutch had a vision problem. He was afraid to put the burden on his parents, so he started memorizing the things that his teachers said and he was amazing with numbers Edwards 38. During his senior year he was the Class President, President of the dramatics club, part of the varsity basketball team, tackle on the varsity football team and broadcasted the games over the radio when he didn_t play, and editor of the school paper called The Dixonian Edwards 69. Nelle was very dedicated to the Christian church and had influenced her children to be the same. Dutch was very active in the church and by the age of fifteen he had his own Sunday School class. Along with the Sunday School classes, he was also the leader of several prayer meetings and loved to spread the word of God through his actions and his love everyday contacts Edwards 59. As a young boy growing up in Dixon, the people put the term _All-American boy,_ to Dutch. One town member once said when describing Dutch, Well, a kid who believes in the Lord_s word, respects his elders, and still has enough spit in him to get into trouble once and a while Edwards 59. Moon and Dutch were very competitive in sports thoughtout the town. Both of the boys loved football, but Moon was better at it, however Dutch_s strong sport was swimming. Lowell Park was the local swimming lake for the community of Dixon. The park was ran by YMCA Park Commission, which was head up by Mr. and Mrs. Graybill. The Graybill_s and the other members of the Park Commission were talking about closing Lowell Park due to the number of drownings. Dutch heard of the talk and applied to the concessionaires for the job of being the life guard. He was hired and worked seven days a week, twelve hours a day for $18. 00 a week and all the nickel root beers he could drink and all the ten cent hamburgers he could eat. During his spare time he would give small children swimming lessons and help others when he saw an opportunity. His boss said, He was a wonderful, good-natured young man. I never heard him speak one cross word to the bathers. He was real pleasant to everybody and treated everybody the same Edwards 64. Along with helping others, another thing that Dutch enjoyed about being a lifeguard was being on the lifeguard stand. He ! enjoyed the fact that he was the only one up there because it felt as though he was on a stage and everyone had to look at him. Dutch worked his next seven summers as the lifeguard at Lowell Park and not one drowning accrued while he was on guard, and during his time as a lifeguard he had 71 saves Edwards 64. While life guarding at Lowell Park, Dutch met a young lady by the name of Margaret Cleaver, the daughter of the Reverend Ben Cleaver. The two of theme decided to go to school at Eureka College. Eureka was a Christian Church School that was located in Eureka, Illinois, about a hundred miles from Dixon. Dutch hadn_t been accepted to Eureka, but he had an appointment with Dean S. G. Harrod. His intentions were to talk the Dean into giving him an athletic scholarship and secure work, because he didn_t intend to return to Dixon on a Greyhound in the morning Edwards 75. That night Dutch stayed at the Tau Kappa Epsilon House TEKE. Since it was a Christian school, the majority of the financial aid and grants went to the students who intended into going into ministry or the teaching of religion, and Dutch didn_t want to study in that field, but instead was pursuing a degree in social sciences and economics, so he had to rely on a scholarship in athletics. Needless to say the! school board accepted him to Eureka and granted him an athletic scholarship for half of the $180 tuition, and Dean Harrod secured him a job washing dishes for his meals at the TEKE house. Vehicle Pollution Sample EssayAfter all he was a classic tax-and-spend liberal Reagan 156. Another thing that he did was make up what he called his kitchen cabinet. This cabinet was made up of people he knew didn_t want the jobs, but could be persuaded, as he had been, to make a sacrifice and help put the government back on track. Reagan went right to work as govoner, his first objective was working one on one with minorities such as the blacks and Mexicans. When he was doing this he found problems with certain systems and corrected them. One such problem was with the states testing system and how it favored the whites. Reagan fixed that problem so that it didn_t favor anyone and he gained more respect for that Reagan 164. The biggest problem that Reagan faced was the states debt. He had to raise the taxes in order to lower the debt, and in 1968the state financial director after going through the books took notice that the state would have a surplus of more than $100 million the following fiscal year. Reagan said that it would go back to the people as a tax rebate Meese 115. In 1970 Reagan ran for governor again, this time he ran against Jesse Unruh. Reagan was reelected by a margin of 53% to 45% Reagan 185. His main objective was still ahead of him and that was reforming the bloated California welfare program. In 1970 about 10% of the California population was on welfare, and the state had more than 16% of the nations total welfare recipients. Through computer cross checking, they discovered thousands of people who were receiving welfare checks at the same time they were gainfully employed, and others who were receiving aid that didn_t need it. Reagan didn_t want to get rid of welfare because he believed that we shouldn_t take aid from the people who really needed and deserved it, the truly impoverished elderly, blind, and disabled. In order for Reagan to pass the bills that needed to be passed, he would have to go to the people because they would apply the pressure upon the Democratic legislature that was needed to get the bills passed. His plan worked as planned and a welfare reform package that cut hundreds of millions of dollars a year while raising benefits and providing cost-of-living increases for the truly needy in the state. By tightening eligibility standards and eliminating loopholes, he turned a monthly increase in the welfare caseload of 40,000 to a monthly decrease of 8,000, thus California was no longer the welfare capital of the country Meese 56. During his second term as govoner, he gave his forth rebate of state taxes to the people, which was also the biggest at $5 billion largely through property tax. While govoner Reagan used his line item veto 943 times and was never overridden by legislature Reagan 191. He did not run for reelection again because he accomplished what he set out to do by making the state government less costly, smaller, and more businesslike. He was able to upgrade the quality of people attracted to government, and cut the governments growth to a rate at or below the level of California_s population. He made the bureaucracy more responsive to the public, and begun to return some of the power and taxing authority seized by the state from local communities back to where they belonged, at the local level Meese 91. In 1976 Reagan decided to run for President, however he ran short of delegates to Ford and started looking towards the 1980 campaign. On November 13,1979 he announced his decision to run at the New York Hilton Hotel. This time he had a strong showing in New Hampshire and all the canidiants besides Bush dropped out, and later in May he did too. Later Reagan asked Bush to run as Vice President and together they went after Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale. The night of the election, two hours before the polls closed in California, Carter called Reagan telling him he conceded, and congratulated him Reagan 222. It was then that Reagan realized he would become the fortieth President of the United States. Reaganomics When Reagan took office in 1980 inflation was at 13. 5%, meaning that the value of the dollar was decreasing. Reagan felt that the size and cost of government was too high, and figured that a cut in this field would drop inflation. The result was that inflation dropped to 4. 3% in 1984, and continued to drop to 4. 1% in 1988 Lowe 381. The Middle Class income for families earning between $20,000. 00 and $50,000. 00, enjoyed the fastest expansion in net worth during the Reagan boom, a 28% rise. Another effect Reagan had on society was in the way of charitable donations. When Reagan took office in 1980, charitable donations where at an all time low, inflation was high and people did not want to give, but when inflation was starting to drop, the people came around. For example, the Greenpeace organization experienced a 44% increase in membership, along with the Wilderness Society increasing members by 35%, even the National Wildlife Federation experienced a 14% increase. But it did not stop there, over 53% of the families in the United States volunteered time for worthy causes, a sharp increase from just 36% while Carter held office Evans 220. With the cuts in government spending, and a drop in inflation, Reagan created an economic boom that resulted in creating more than 21 million new jobs. President Reagan didn_t create low paying hamburger flipper type jobs, but he created jobs for the middle class paying anywhere from $7,012. 00 on up. For example, while Carter was in office, his main contribution to the job market was only that for jobs paying under $7,012 at 41. 77%, while Reagan only increased that job market by 6. 0%. Reagan however increased the job market for jobs paying between $7,012. 00 and $28,048. 00 by 46. 2%, and increased the market for jobs paying over $28,048. 00 by 46. 1%, while Carter had a fall of -9. 9% from the Nixon/Ford era Evans 125. Response While I was doing this paper on Ronald Reagan I learned a lot of things about him and how he lived his life. Ronald Reagan was an inspiration to me, he grew up and put all of his faith in the Lord and did what he had to do to get by. He was always looking out for his family and making sure that they were okay, either by always sending them money or finding work for them. He never let down and hated to loose a battle. I guess what inspired me the most is how it seems our lives are so familiar in what we believe and hold closest to our hearts. It is my personal opinion that more people should study him and his way of life and they too would be inspired. Conclusion Ronald Dutch Reagan was the kind of person that believed in perseverance and hard work by doing what had to be done, even if it meant not having everyone_s approval. He demonstrated this from the time he was a child in school and church, work and play, and helping others. When he went into the radio business he never gave up and ended up with a good job. In Hollywood he didn_t always have the best roles, but he played them, and eventually the good ones came around. He even went as far with his relationships and there to he felt as though he had started a new life when he met Nancy. Reagan gave a 110% when he held office, he reestablished the welfare state in California and even gave four rebates to the citizens. When he was President he did a lot of things that others couldn_t do with a Democratic Congress, and he improved society as we know it. Ronald Reagan is one of the elite people in the United States for all that he has done and the life that he lived.

Place In Periodic Table Essays - Arsenic, Chemical Elements

Place In Periodic Table Phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), and bismuth (Bi) form a group of four elements in Group 5A of the periodic table. They exhibit increasing metallic properties going down the group. Nitrogen (N), which heads the group, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. Phosphorus is a highly reactive nonmetal, arsenic and antimony are poisonous metalloids, and bismuth is a true metal. Because of the arrangement of the outer electrons in their atoms, each of these elements can form up to five chemical bonds with other elements or groups of elements. Arsenic has an atomic number 33, atomic mass is 74.9216, and it sublimes (passes directly into a vapor without melting) at 613? C. History The Earth's crust contains relatively little arsenic, only about 5.5 parts per million. Arsenic and some arsenic compounds have been known for a long time. Aristotle thought that arsenic was a kind of sulfur. The Latin word arsenicum means yellow orpiment (a pigment containing arsenic and sulfur). While knowledge of arsenic dates back to ancient Greece, it wasn't until the Middle Ages that its poisonous characteristics were described. It was identified by Albert Magnus about 1250, and he described the way to manufacture it. Since then the method has scarcely changed: the mineral arsenopyrite is heated and decomposes with the liberation of arsenic gas. The gas can be condensed on a cold surface. Metallic Arsenic was first produced in the 17th century by heating arsenic with potash and soap. General Properties Arsenic is very similar to antimony and bismuth. It exists in bright, metallic forms that are stable in air. It is found free in nature or in combination with other elements, usually sulfur. It is most often used to improve the strength and hardness of alloys, which are combinations of metals. Arsenic is a gray, shiny metalloid, which is a moderately good conductor of heat and electricity, but gray arsenic is brittle and breaks easily. This is the ordinary, stable form of the element. There are two other allotropes (solid forms)--yellow arsenic and black arsenic, whose modifications have no metallic properties. Occasionally found free in nature, arsenic usually occurs in combination with sulfur, oxygen or certain metals like cobalt, copper, nickel, iron, silver, and tin. In combination, such arsenic is referred to as inorganic arsenic. Arsenic combined with carbon and hydrogen is referred to as organic arsenic. The organic forms are usually less toxic than inorganic forms. The principal arsenic-containing mineral is arsenopyrite. The most widely used arsenic compound is white arsenic, also called arsenic trioxide. It is usually produces as a by-product of the smelting (melting)of copper or lead. At about 400? C it burns with a bluish flame, forming the As2O3 (arsenic triox ide), which is used as a rat poison. In water, arsenic combinations range from being quite soluble (sodium arsenite and arsenic acid) to practically insoluble (arsenic trisulfide). Twenty-one arsenic compounds are considered to be of concern because of their toxicity and/or presence in the environment. Commercial Uses Compounds of arsenic have been used since ancient times for many purposes, including medicines and poisons. In Aristotle's time it was used to harden copper. Orpiment and realgar have long been used as depilatories in the leather industry. When orpiment is rubbed on silver, it gives the surface a golden color. Orpiment thus appears to have one of the properties attributed to the philosophers' stone, and it was therefore an important material for alchemists. Nowadays, it is used in the manufacture of fungicides, weed killers, rat poisons, herbicides, pesticides and insecticides. It is also used to manufacture lead gun shot, to harden the lead, and used in certain types of electrical equipment and to increase the strength of certain alloys. Arsenic is also blended with gallium to produce semiconductors. Effect On Humans Arsenic is a deadly poison and its toxic quality has also been known since ancient times. In the human body it accumulates in the hair and the nails, where it can be detected-even in the bodies of people long dead-by the Marsh test. The Marsh test was devised as a forensic test, where gas arsine is heated to form a metallic mirror of arsenic. Arsenic poisoning may be either acute or chronic. Acute poisoning occurs when a person