The Psychology and Philosophy of Education of Ayn Rand in The Comprachicos Essay Example for Free

The Psychology and Philosophy of Education of Ayn Rand in The Comprachicos Essay Ayn Rand writes mainly about the status quo and what and who is to be blamed for such circumstances. She talks of a miseducation so ingenious that when one reads about it one simply gets baffled as he is forced to look into his own experiences from the home, to the school, to the Church and in the province or in the city. One can expect to see various parallelisms with how he is brought up and what he is usually told by his superiors. The reason for these apparent similarities, I think is that aside from the ‘system’ that almost each person is forced into; there is something common in every one of us. This is what makes us man, Rand says, our capability to be rational. Rand believes that man is rational and that this characteristic is, by itself unyielding. It is a capacity that can be impaired and can be prevented to work at its best, as what the comprachicos do but it survives even in those who are the ‘exact concretization’ of the Nursery School ideal, the hippies. Rationality is that which enables any man to; even with the worst education given to him feel that something is wrong because things appear blurred to him, that things must have clarity for it to appear blurred in the first place. It gives him an inkling perhaps or an intuition that something is not right around him and yet he still feels that ‘he has to make something somehow’. This is because of his rationality which naturally is the opposite of the fake, the submission, the uncertainty and the chaos. Man is rational because he has a mind. For Rand, this mind is empty at birth as what John Locke holds to be Tabula Rasa. It does not have innate contents; it is on the other hand waiting to be written upon by the experiences to come. Rand says that it has the potential for awareness, with a conscious and a subconscious mind that he must learn to operate to be able to construct inferences about the perceptions he will make. Thus, one can easily see how important it is for every child to be given enough opportunity to develop this potential especially in the years of his life that it is most needed. Rand stresses that it is in the first two years of a person’s life that what he is capable of learning is most significant both in the quantity and the degree of his curiosity about everything around him and the intensity of how he takes every detail seriously. When he reaches his third year, Rand says, his cognitive development is completed. He has acquired the things he need, what he has to do at this point is to use them. How he uses his cognitive tools will determine how well his conceptual ability will be when he grows older. Hence, as early as the nursery level, educators should already start training the child’s mind. Rand holds that teachers should focus on the progress of his mind’s automization of conceptual knowledge. By this, he can then retain the knowledge gained in his consciousness and move on to new information so that gradually, he will learn to integrate the old and new inputs and thus establish relationships between them. This will guide the child in understanding the basic concept of time-continuity and in internalizing a projection of the future instead of acting on whatever he feels like doing in the moment. If the simple idea of having something like tomorrow, or even later, and that what is done at the moment affects the time thereafter is introduced to the child, he will inevitably practice his rational faculty because he needs to look at all his choices and reason when he is choosing among the different alternatives. He needs to think and debate by himself what best could be done in the situation because the consequences of it would always have a lot of implications. Rand postulates that if a child is given the chance to exercise his reason, being caught in an event where he has to make decisions will not be much of a hurdle for him. The important thing is not really for him to make what is in the older people’s opinion the right decision; but to let him, in all his capacity as a rational person and in all his limitations as a child have at least some disposition and not let him be governed by whims or emotions be it of himself, of another person or of the whole pack. To have a disposition requires that one should have a firm ground to stand his beliefs on. This is why Rand tells us that it is wrong to place the children in an environment that would not help him be secured about an objective world, one that would only make him settle for the company of persons the same age as he is and of course do not know any better. What he needs, says Rand is cognitive guidance especially to acquaint him to the reality instead of making him adjust to a group of people he does not know and lose himself in the process. In getting to know the reality, Rand talks of the Montessori Method which utilizes materials that are didactic thus very useful for child learning because it provides a solution that the child needs to discover by actively thinking of how to do it. Instructive materials, Rand moreover says introduces the child to a sense of order since it is directed to a right answer or a right way. During this stage, Rand says that a child can only identify objects around him and its characteristics as it appears to him. The child cannot comprehend its other properties like height, volume, color and so on. This is why at this time, it is best to provide for the child special exercises of attending, observing, comparing and classifying. I have noted that while keeping the learning pace in gear with the child’s current stage, the four exercises mentioned also further develops his reasoning skills [especially comparing and classifying]. It is significant to note in my opinion how the previous knowledge learned leads to the knowledge learned later and how the knowledge learned later reinforces the knowledge learned earlier. When the child is introduced to the reality and becomes more and more aware of his own self, Rand implies that the time for language, particularly speech comes. Interestingly, Rand says that language comes to fix by means of the exact words which the child’s mind acquired and this profoundly lets him find himself alike in the world. This is a start for him to have a sense of belongingness, an idea which is necessary as Rand says to be an active and intelligent explorer of the world. All learning involves a process of automizing, Rand has stated. In forming, integrating and using concepts, Rand establishes that it involves the person’s will; it is volitional. How else better to bring out the will of the child in learning and thinking critically than to let him use practice his cognitive abilities especially in the age when he is most up and ready for it? Rand stresses that educators should not let this time pass because what could have been a joyful activity of enhancing his mind when the child is young will turn to be an extremely strenuous task when he gets older. Rand also gives favor of understanding as a method of learning over memorizing. Understanding means to grasp the content and the essentials of a thing, an event or a concept, to establish relationships between these essentials and what was previously known in the past and most importantly, integrate it with other subjects. By understanding is how the child will learn reading, for instance. Rand mentions what she calls the ‘look-say’ method which is not merely focused on shape of the letters (which the child can reverse; i. e. b-d, m-w, etc. [1]) but more on their phonetic equivalent which encourages the child to think in abstractions; directing his attention to the sound of the letter and not the mere appearance of it. Memorization, Rand further holds, is appropriate only for the level of observation, when the child’s capacity to understand is not developed yet. Another method Rand despises is the Discussion Method. As implied, she prefers to have a teacher in the classroom to guide the students in learning about the subject and to not let them carry the learning process by their premature knowledge. Besides the obvious fact that to learn is why they come to school in the first place, Rand prescribes that the teacher really teach what he expertly knows because to leave the deliberation to the students is to give them an illusion that they can know without being taught; that they can claim expertise without really learning. It is not possible to learn from this method because as Rand tells us, the students are clueless about that which is supposed to be lectured. To employ this method, according to Rand is to give the false idea that any person’s opinion can be the right answer or that the right answer can be produced by a person who does not yet know anything about what is being talked about. This cannot be for the truth is independent of anyone’s mere whims and this, in turn is the reason why education is highly significant and relevant and must remain so by imparting on the students the knowledge and the skills necessary for his growth as a rational being. I think that the reason why Rand says that this method is inappropriate for the students is because the mind prior to learning about the subject is, to say still immature. By this immaturity, they are driven to be hostile people, indulging them to the guilty habits of criticism instead of creativity for they mistakenly think that to demolish a bad argument is to construct a good one. We can see very clearly here how Rand takes it to be an awfully big mistake to leave students of any age unguided and left to themselves when they in fact need to learn and thus to be taught by a superior more knowledgeable than him. To conclude, Rand takes the psychology and philosophy of Maria Montessori and John Locke in her basic idea of education. Her metaphysics on the one hand rests on the basic idea that there is an objective reality that the child will naturally belong to; in which he will find proper distinction between existence and consciousness. Her epistemology on the other hand lies on the thought that every person is born without knowledge but has the potential to exercise his rational capacity if given the due opportunities for development. Moreover, it is best to develop a person’s cognitive skills when he is young not only because it is when he is most ready and willing to do so but also because for Rand, a purposeful and disciplined intelligence is the highest achievement possible to man. Implied then by her basic ideas derived from Montessori and Locke, Rand takes a common stance with the position of Perennialism. [2] Abigail Thea O. Canuto EDFD 201 (HZQ2)/ Thursdays, 5:30-8:30 P. M. 2003-31176 / MA TEG (K-2) Prof. Muega / A Paper on ‘The Comprachicos’ II. Evaluating Ayn Rand’s Philosophy and Psychology of Education from the Standpoint of Pragmatism, Essentialism and Perennialism, Existentialism, Social Reconstructionism and Marxism As evaluated earlier, the philosophy and psychology of Ayn Rand with regards to education rests on the basic idea that man is rational; born with a Tabula Rasa mind that is to be filled with knowledge brought by experiences he will have in the world. She also holds that cognitive training is best started as soon as possible, which is in the nursery level because it is when the child is most ready and willing to learn about the reality and that to delay, or even worse to provide what I may call a wrong education will greatly impede his reason which is his basic means of survival; his reason. Again, the wrong education that I interpret to be in Rand’s article is basically the Progressivist method and any classroom setup that leaves the child to the whims and immature ideas of the collective. Pragmatism, especially that of John Dewey is just one of the various positions contended by Rand. Perhaps the most apparent distinctions that can be made between these two views is the way they regard reality and everything in it human experience, ideas, truth and so on. On the one hand, Rand believes that reality is objective and unchanging and that the experience man derives from this reality is primarily for his own ends alone. She does not think that what man learns from his environment should be directed towards the good of the society or any other person because to do so would be to surrender one’s own will and rationality. Rand says that to be rational is to refuse to act based on the collective’s demand and that this refusal makes him properly selfish. On the other hand, Pragmatism stresses that the reality is changing; what exists is an open universe of constant flux. This position believes that we cannot say that there are metaphysical absolutes because this assertion is unverifiable by human experience. Instead of resting his ideas on an objective, unchanging reality, the Pragmatists prefer to give emphasis on being, work and action as opposed to ideas, spirit and thought, which are targeted to the betterment of the society; to solve its problems. It thus follows that Pragmatism proposes an epistemology that is conditioned by societal institutions. By this, this view is in favor of experimental learning wherein theories which are derived from experience are tested and applied and that which contributes and affects the society in the best way is perpetuated. By extension, truth and morality then are not things that are absolute but are, respectively a tentative assertion based on the application of hypotheses to solving problems and values that arose from outcomes of human responses to varying situations. In evaluating Rand’s philosophy and psychology from the standpoint of the different positions through the use of my own interpretation, I deem it highly significant to first categorize where I think the latter’s ideas are coming from. Pragmatism, in my opinion does not choose the society over the individual. I do not think that its intention is to diminish the value of the individual man in order to promote progress of the society. What I think it does rather is to try to bring together, as harmoniously as possible human beings in every community to work together for the good of the group not only for the group itself but also because the group inevitably affects the individual. The point of the matter for Pragmatists, in my opinion is that every person is a member of a group and what happens in that group affects the individual. What best be done is to act and react based on what can be verified by human experience and to do so as freely as possible, unlimited by absolutes that act as constraints to the inquiry of every man. Therefore, Pragmatism would disagree with Rand in saying that the child should not be left to a group of other children and not to let him pursue activities based on his interests. This method is, on the contrary what best helps children in teaching them to be open to numerous possibilities that are discoverable by their minds through inquiry. Moreover, to let children mingle with other people especially those of their own age introduces them to the nature of a democratic society; one that fosters virtues of sharing, of waiting and of cooperating which I think would come in very useful in establishing healthy relationships in adult life. Rather than what Rand says about this method as justifying the omnipotency of the pack, the Pragmatists would say that to be with other men is the natural state of every individual and to expose them to this nature would better prepare them for a productive and empathic existence with each other, mutually beneficial for each and every man. Additionally, Rand’s method of cognitive training would, for Pragmatism limit that child’s capacity for free inquiry. Rather than the traditional way of teaching with the instructor merely imparting knowledge and skills, the Pragmatists are more inclined in an activity method which involves play, construction, nature-study and self-expression. These activities are I think formulated by the Pragmatists not for the reason of impeding the cognitive development of the child. Contradictory, the activity method enhances not only the thinking ability but the capacity of this ability to speculate critically by firsthand experience, by concept-building, by getting acquainted with the environment and by doing all these through expressing the self. Pragmatism would thus see Rand’s general thought regarding education as imposing on the individual; limiting the child’s capacity of learning by himself through play which he enjoys in his young age and helps a lot in critical thinking by inquiry and living in harmony with others. Finally, Rand says that the Pragmatists see the mere absorption of facts and values does not provide any social gain; in this I do not think that the latter would disagree. Conversely, the Pragmatists would not say that the activity method would make a child submit to the pack for what they promote is not submission but cooperation. The positions that are most similar to Rand’s thought on education, on the other hand are Essentialism and Perennialism. I find these views as very similar to each other but to properly distinguish and outline their individual points is nevertheless significant to see how exactly Rand’s ideas are alike with them and determine where they would diverge from each other. Essentialism, from its name itself talks about basic education. It calls for a return to the essential subjects that have been proven to be useful in the past and are likely to be beneficial in the future. Essentialism says that such a return is needed because the modernization of education, by the relaxation of academic standards for widespread social promotion and by the dominant educational theories that are enfeebling are causing academic standards to fall. Its orientation is thus very scholastic, holding that societal problems should not hinder academics. Essentialism deems it of high importance to transmit generative skills and intellectual disciplines that identify and perpetuate basic cultural elements. Hence, the teacher should exhibit high competence of the subject and of the task of bequeathing such knowledge to the students for the needed mastery in preparation for work and citizenship. All these, according to the Essentialists cannot be accomplished in a Progressivist classroom where the Whim rules, destabilizing the primary function of the school. Rand’s theory of education perpetuates the idea of basic education by Essentialism. Because of the stance that Rand takes with regards to man as being rational and in need of cognitive training, she proposes a classroom setup where a teacher handles the class in his full capacity to pass on knowledge that the children came to the school to learn about. Conversely, Rand’s idea of a purposeful and disciplined use of intelligence is also in common ground with what Essentialism promotes; as it would be attained in an environment of systematic and sequential learning. Interestingly, where one might tend to see Rand’s theory as alike with Essentialism is in her proclamation that the poor quality of man’s use of reason and the increasing frequencies and number of people engaging in violent behavior and drug use should be attributed to the educational system that has plagued human life for many years. However, I find it very remarkable that the precise aspect of the system that Rand is blaming for the status quo is different from what the Essentialists are talking about. As discussed earlier, Essentialism is fighting against the Progressivist schools that cater to children’s whims because they destroy the academic function of the school, which is to impart basic skills and knowledge that are useful in the past and will likely be useful in the future. The justification of the preservation that the Essentialists are vying for is that they believe that such basic education is what is needed for a person to grow a responsible adult who will gear his capacity towards economic productivity and growth. This is where I find a separation between Rand and the Essentialists. Rand criticizes Progressivism because it hinders the child from developing his capability to become a fully-functioning rational being by making him conform to the pack. She does not say anything about the society’s growth being impeded for in my opinion, it is not what she is most concerned about. The Essentialists, I think would find the curriculum and the method of teaching of Rand as those that would best encourage their thesis of preserving basic knowledge but they do not share her sentiments with regards to the rationality of man. Furthermore, the Essentialists share Rand’s views in expressing that the declining education is to be held responsible for violence and drug abuse that are getting more rampant nowadays. I have observed, however that while Essentialism blamed the Progressivists’ permissivism to students thus leading them astray, Rand tells us that such malady in the lifestyle of people today is an evidence of their impaired rationality’s search for a higher reality or higher experience. The ideas of Rand and the Essentialist are indeed related but quite unlike each other. They do not oppose each other but they nevertheless do not meet at the same point of the arguments. Perennialism, on the other hand promotes an education of man that upholds his potentialities; an education that is based on the universal characteristics of human nature. It goes further than Essentialism in promoting basic education; it does so in the name of rationality, that which, as Rand says defines us as human. Further, rationality is man’s highest attribute thus the cultivation of intellect is education’s highest goal. Rand, as well as the Perennialists blame the social orientation of today’s education to the growing malaise in the situation of man. They both proclaim that when students are left to educational trends that lean towards mere whims and emotions of the students and mediocre educators, they are brought to internalize false notions of success and progress (i. e. emphasis on the society, premature vocational training, specific economic training) that contradicts their individuality; their nature to be objective. This is the inevitable result of the elimination of the proper cultivation of intellectual abilities by means of acquainting them to an objective and universal reality, one that is in line with their existence and human nature, also objective and universal. The Perennialists would thus correspond Rand in the idea that a proper study of metaphysics would restore rationality. It is I believe the key point of their positions: that the reality in which we live in is universal and our human nature is unchanging as well. To say then that rationality, which defines human nature, is constant implies that education should be fixed as well. Perennialism, like Rand also emphasizes that the students come to school because they wish to know that is why it is imperative for the teachers to be mature; competent and knowledgeable about the subject. They both talk about a classroom setup which is open not to the mercy of the whims and emotions of the students but to the development of their cognitive abilities in a structured manner thus avoiding the tendency to be anarchic or despotic. The curriculum and the subject matter that they speak of are those that are systematic and sequential, thus both want to foster the basic skills in the younger years of the child to help him prepare for the disciplines he would need to study later. Moreover, the consciousness of the child should begin with his immediate environment and the idea that it is universal and objective before immersing him into a group in order for him to identify himself first as belonging in the reality thus achieving self-identity. By extension, Perennialism together with Rand would find that when the child is older, he will not be driven to the physical sciences to escape questions of morality and other issues in the humanities. The Perennialists would I think agree with Rand that a symptom that a person’s rationality is in good condition is when he is asking and forming his own concepts of these kinds of problems. I have found thus that the general views of Rand and Perennialism are alike except on some orientation (not root or ground) in their positions. Just to note, I have noticed that while Perennialism is usually associated with religion and the relationship of the individual to the universe and with God, Rand was a renowned atheist. This interestingly does not cause them to conflict with each other since they remain resolute on the universality of metaphysics and epistemology which is not affected with a belief or a disbelief in a higher being. Another position (or rather an inclination) that takes a totally different view of reality and human nature from Rand’s is I find, very fascinating to discuss. I say so because I have realized that even though they are very distinct from each other, at some point they still manage to meet. Existentialism is well-known for its statement ‘existence precedes essence’. Human nature, for them is subjective and independent from any antecedent reality thus negating Rand’s idea of metaphysics as objective and universal. For the existentialists, the freedom to choose is man’s highest attribute and not reason for if such is the case, then they cannot choose reason as a value. To be rational, thus is something for an individual to choose. This thesis is extended to the human purpose, which is also subjective for every person. One man can make and define his own purpose and his own alone; he is responsible for his every action that is derived from his freedom as a human being independent of the opinions of other people and on any reality that some may assume to exist before him. The existentialists thus would not agree with Rand in saying that man should be introduced to an objective and unchanging reality because it limits him in constructing his own definition of his existence. They further, unlike Rand do not see any problem with seeing the individual as not only possessing abilities for rationality but also for irrationality, feelings, and affective characteristics. They claim to see a person in more varied terms because they do not believe that one can simply define him as just rational or just emotional and so on. Human beings are to complex for this kind of definition, they say. The values, moral dispositions and the validity of knowledge for the Existentialists are thus to be determined by the individual. This is not to say, as Rand does that truth for instance becomes dependent on a collective group that the individual loses himself in conformity. Rather, what the Existentialists mean is that man’s determination of values, morality and knowledge validity stems from the recognition that human experience is subjective basically because of every person’s capability and freedom to choose. Therefore, while Rand speculates that it is reason, impaired or properly developed that determines how a person lives his life, for the Existentialists it is the freedom to choose which never wavers regardless of the situation he is in. For both points of view however, though what they interpret to be the highest attribute of man (reason vs. freedom to choose) is rigid and unchanging, it can still be limited and impeded by a crucial factor. That which harms human existence is one and the same thing for Rand and the existentialists: a societal orientation or the growth of a mass society. Both the Existentialists and Rand claim that the quality of human life is threatened because of the group that makes a student conform to it, thus preventing him to decide for his own and think in terms of his own liking. The general tendency of the Progressivist school, both for Rand and Existentialism is to be coercive on the student, alienating him if he expresses creativity and divergence from the norms. However, because of the rigidity of human nature, both contend that the essence of being human survives even in the bleakest of moments. Rand, on the one hand does not coin the term ‘choose’ in saying that man’s rationality will find ways of alternative expression in later life (i. e. drug addiction, violent behavior). She instead expresses it in a way that means that a man does not really choose for his rationality to be expressed in whatever way; the way it expresses itself is dependent on the cognitive training he receives in the course of his academic life. On the other hand, the Existentialists hold that his freedom to choose is the thing that lives on and even if he is oppressed and alienated, he can still choose to either conform, to submit or to revolt. With regard to the classroom setup and method of instruction, the Existentialists would find what Rand is proposing as prescriptive because they might interpret it as placing too much emphasis on the role of the teacher in imparting knowledge than letting the student discover for his own even when young. The Existentialists, hence would find the main goal of education to be that of cultivating in the children the freedom to choose and awareness of this freedom. They would agree with Rand insofar as, perhaps, autonomy and emphasis on the self is concerned but they definitely denounce her idea of rationality as man’s basic essence for such an idea limits and prescribes the individual to, in my interpretation, act rationally. Another position that detects problems in the status quo is what is called Social Reconstructionism. It talks of a cultural crisis, brought about by the growing population, conflicts between different cultures especially by discrimination, environmental pollution, violence and terrorism that threaten human existence. All these predicaments infiltrating human life, they say can be traced to the severing of human values from social and economic realities. What the Reconstructionists propose, from the name of the position itself is a reconstruction of personal and social experience to reform society. The obvious implication of this thesis, of course is that culture and society is not universal, it continually grows with the direction of its growth depending on the time, place, people and the general circumstance of it. Conversely, human can refashion culture to fit and promote human development and growth. Social Reconstructionism would thus first and foremost denounce what Rand calls an ‘objective and universal reality’ because it believes that change is a necessary feature of human life. The absence of change for them, I think is like a dead society; it is deprived of its potential for progress and betterment, all things in it obsolete and useless. The Reconstructionists would not support Rand in her theory that students should be encouraged to be selfish because he is rational and that to use one’s reason is by nature a selfish affair; rather, they would declare that there is no room for selfishness in any society at any time for how can progress be realized if men used their rationality for mere thinking and not much doing? The solution, according to the Reconstructionists is not to eliminate or deny the process of change but to learn to cope with it. As they put it, change itself did not provoke crisis; crisis occurred when man was unprepared to cope with it. They would hence find Rand’s virtue of selfishness as dangerous because it discourages social cooperation, perhaps because it hurriedly concludes that to belong in a group is to conform to it, losing one’s individuality. I do not think that the Reconstructionists have any problem with Rand’s assertion that man is rational and that it is what makes him human. On the other hand, what they would propose is that such rationality should be geared towards social progress for cognitive training for the sake of rationality only will not render any gain for society. Schools then should educate students with a deliberate purpose to inculcate in him a commitment to work for deliberate social reform and a planning attitude for cultural revision. For them, there is nothing wrong with orienting students even when young, a sense of cooperation and the acknowledgement that reality is changing not only because it is the case but also because it is happening rapidly and to ignore or deny it would cause a lag between the moral consciousness and social organization and technological inventiveness. They do not propose mere conformity to the group but they also do not renounce that the society and culture is imposing on the individual.

Brain Development :: Child Development, Neurons

Child development is crucial throughout the early years, during this time the development of the brain occurs. The development of the brain contributes to the functioning of the body. The anatomy of the brain is made up of neurons and divided into four different lobes. The temporal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes control a variety of cognitive functions. The brain controls simple functions such as fine and gross motor skills, vision, and memory. According to Meadows (1993, p.263), at all sorts of levels in the brain there are programs for functions such as breathing, sleeping, and producing coherent language. Brain development in children is vital during the early years. During the early years, children brains are active enabling children to learn a variety of information. Many studies have been conducted and they have concluded a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, and exposing young children to a variety of education material assist with child development. The first few y ears of a child’s life is crucial as far as his intellectual as well as socio-emotional abilities are concerned (Bose, 2000). Brain Development Brains and the more nonessential parts of the nervous system are made up of neurons (Meadows, 1993 p. 266). The brain is made up of neurons, axons, dendrites, and synapse. They all have their individual job that contributes to the functioning of the body. The weight of the brain increases as a child develops into adulthood. According to Siegler & Alibali (2005, p13), the changes in the size of the brain make it possible for advanced thinking. The neurons are the functioning core of the brain (Brotherson, 2005). The brain begins to develop in the mother’s womb and continue to develop as the child develops. The neuron has branches protruding from the cell sending signals to the synapse and axon. The synapse and axon shapes the brain which allows connections to be made. Young children learn new information when they follow the same routine on a regular base. If a parent repeatedly calls a child a certain name, then connections form that allow the child to recognize that name ove r time and he or she will begin to respond to that name (Brotherson, 2005). Through repetitive experiences the axons and synapse strengthen causing learning to take place. The brain is divided into four major lobes: the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and the temporal lobe. Each lobe contributes to cognitive development in young children.

An Analysis via Erikson’s Theory Essay

Hillary Clinton is a well-known political figure, with many contradictions in her personality. This difficult Democratic primary election process has revealed interesting features of her personality, from her strong, resolute character, reflected in her perseverance despite political challenges, to her vulnerability, which she has shown in several moments, like that well-publicized tearful scene in the New Hampshire primary, in front of all the cameras. I chose Erikson’s theory of personality to help explain the development of Hillary Clinton’s personality. Erikson proposes that an individual develops her personality by passing through various life stages, each marked by a specific area of conflict. Hence, I will apply Erikson’s stages to Hillary Clinton’s personality development and life events. Erikson’s first life stage is trust versus mistrust, followed by the second stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt. During Hillary’s infancy and early childhood, Hillary was born into a supportive family with a strong religious background. Her parents nurtured her emotional development. In such a supportive environment, her personality flourished, as she found her caregivers and family caring and reliable. Independence and self-reliance were encouraged at an early age in Hillary’s family. Erikson’s third stage is the conflict of initiative versus guilt. Early in her childhood, Hillary was encouraged by her parents to be assertive. Personal drive was strongly encouraged, as she excelled early in school, and as she was encouraged to stand up for her rights. One popular incident was illustrated by Hillary’s mother when one time, Hillary came home crying because she was being bullied. After a long talk with her mother, Hillary came back to school, and punched her bully. Erikson’s fourth stage of industry versus inferiority is a major period of success for Hillary Clinton. From the time of her early childhood to high school, she excels in school, graduating first in her class. Hillary develops a strong feeling of purpose and self-worth, which carries forward her ambitions later in life. Her sense of industry and accomplishment are further validated by her academic achievement in Wellesley College and Yale University. Erikson’s fifth stage of identity versus role confusion is often matched to an individual’s  teenage years, but this stage covers many events in Hillary’s personality development, extending beyond her teenage years. Hillary’s parents allowed her to gain her own voice. She was encouraged to break free beyond the traditional female roles of her time, to pursue higher education and a career. Her political leanings radically changed, as she left her earlier registration in the Young Republican party, to join the Democratic Party. In her valedictory speech at Wellesley College, she embraced the strong sentiment against the Vietnam War and full support for the civil rights movement. Like many members of her generation that time, Hillary tried to find her identity in the turbulent society of the 1960’s. The sixth stage of Erikson corresponds to an individual finding love, in a struggle of finding intimacy versus isolation. As a law student at Yale University, Hillary met her husband, Bill Clinton. While Bill Clinton’s infidelity will challenge this relationship, the relationship between Hillary and Bill Clinton is a true partnership. Despite the proposals of cynics that Hillary stuck with Bill Clinton because of his political connections, many sources still acknowledge that the love between Hillary and Bill Clinton has been genuine. This family unit, also built around their sole daughter Chelsea Clinton, has helped the Clintons weather political turmoil. Erikson’s seventh stage of generativity versus stagnation is a major question that keeps recurring in Hillary Clinton’s life. Hillary Clinton has worked hard on her legacy, and continues to do so. During her husband’s administration, Hillary took up active roles in formulating government policy, including an attempt at health care reform, far beyond the traditional roles of a First Lady. Not content after Bill Clinton left the White House; Hillary Clinton decided to pursue her own ambitions by running for the Senate. Finally, as she attempts to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary strives to make history as America’s first female president. Perhaps, it is this driving force to leave a legacy which is the source of Hillary Clinton’s tenacity during the Democratic primary. The final stage of Erikson’s life development, involving ego identity versus despair, is an open chapter in Hillary’s life. If she fails to secure her lifelong dream of becoming the first American female president, will her personality turn to despair? Or instead – will she instead be satisfied with her family and her political accomplishments? Time will decide how Hillary’s personality  development will unfold. In summary, Erikson’s life stages of development offer a useful framework for understanding Hillary Clinton’s motivations and personality development. The various conflicts in Erikson’s theory highlight the life of Hillary Clinton, who faced many challenges to reach her current unique position of success and historical significance.

Globalization Effect on Pakistan - 1531 Words

Affect of Globalization on Pakistan The word Globalization refers to â€Å"the growing integration of economies and societies around the world† (World Bank 2010). There has been an increasing amount of connection between various economies and one of the greatest challenges we face is to make this connection a positive one. Globalization certainly has the greatest influence on developing nations around the world. Countries such as India, China and Russia have been positively affected by globalization since they are able to trade goods in which they have a comparative advantage. For some other nations, globalization has not had such a positive influence. In certain parts of the world, it has led to a worsening of the economy, exploitation of†¦show more content†¦In 2006, the Gini Co-efficient which indicates the degree of equality on a scale of 0 to 1, was calculated to be at a level of 0.68 in the country (Bukhari Haq 2008). This indicates that a high level of inequality exists in the country. Globaliza tion places importance on industrialization and trade. People who work in these sectors have a higher income than those who don’t. However, the difference in the levels on income between lower/middle class and upper class is vast. The rich are getting richer and the poor are doing worse in the country. One of the major obstacles is the fact that a majority of the women in Pakistan either do not work or are the lowest paid and due to this the income levels vary as well. For example, two households with the same number of family members where one is predominantly female will have a lower income than one that is predominantly male. Since the workforce is and has always been male dominated, the introduction of western values has further increased the gender misbalance. A fear of women losing all cultural values and becoming too westernized has prevented women from joining the workforce, thus increasing unemployment, poverty rates and varied income levels.Show MoreRelatedGlobaliza tion And Its Impact On Pakistan s Economy978 Words   |  4 Pages SYNOPSIS Topic: Globalization and its impact on Pakistan’s economy Submitted to: Miss Ayesha Submitted by: Syeda Fatima Nadir Semester: 6 Major: Economics Introduction: Globalisation is the processRead MoreGlobalization1305 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Globalization, by definition, is the integration and democratization of the world s culture, economy, and infrastructure through transnational investment, rapid spread of communication and information technologies, and the impacts of free-market on local, regional and national economies. The golden words of late Dr. Mahbub ul Haq provides the true vision: Globalization is no longer an option, it is a fact. Developing countries have either to learn to manage it far more skilfully, or simplyRead MoreIntensifying Working Women’s Burden: The Impact of Globalization on Women Labor in Asia1464 Words   |  6 Pagesfocused on the varying levels and degree of intensities of women’s work as they contribute to a country’s development and how the intricacies of free-trade or globalization impacts the lives of women- their personhood, their families and their communities. The research involved about eight (8) Asian countries – India, Hongkong, Thailand, Pakistan, Sri Langka, Indonesia, South Korea and the Philippines with poor women who are very much involved and working in the fishing, agriculture, manufacturing/industrialRead MoreThe Link between Violent Video Games and Behavior1230 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent sides of Earth. Now, let’s take a look at India’s Independence Movement. Gandhi was the leader of this movement, which began in 1857 and ended in 1947. It began when British got in charge of India. In 1905, the Partition of Bengal was put into effect. This split the Muslim and Hindu population. In 1917, Gandhi starts the Champaran campaign. This was important because it was the revolt of farmers in Champaran. In 1922, Gandhi was jailed. This caused a disruption in the British revolt. In 1924,Read MoreRelevance Of Sovereignty And The Threat Of Terrorism Essay1482 Words   |  6 PagesSovereignty, as defined in the Westphalian sense, is only useful today in international politics to the extent that states still require justification for their interventions, heavily varying from the idea of state supremacy within its borders. Globalization alongside intricate international affairs, such as terrorism and humanitarian intervention, largely influence current sovereignty norms. Conventional sovereignty assumes a world of â€Å"autonomous, internationally recognized, and well-governed states†Read MoreInternational Foundation Course : Economics Option2274 Words   |  10 PagesOption Essay Writing â€Å"In what ways has the economy of my country been affected by globalization?† Globalization is a worldwide trending phenomenon for the past century that has affected millions of lives in many different ways. Cambridge English dictionary defines globalization as â€Å"the increase of trade around the world, especially by large companies producing and trading goods in many different countries† . Globalization has many facets and may have implications economically, socially, politically,Read MoreForeign Direct Investment 1561 Words   |  7 Pagesby the country. The country with low finance cannot acquire those advanced technologies and as a result productivity remains low. Due to globalization, most of the developing countries started relying upon the foreign capital. Flow of capital from industrial countries to the developing countries started in 1980s with the occurrence of huge wave of globalization, and in the same era developing countries injected with $104 billion in 1980 to $472 billion in 2005 with enormous benefits. This also startedRead MoreGlo balization and Modernization1215 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Globalization and Modernization 1 Globalization and Modernization The phenomenon of globalization has become a fact of life, not only in the academic discipline of economics but communication and technology as well as political science and international relations. Globalization necessities a reflection of its intrinsic uncertainties and paradoxes. For example, the trend can not only sponsor the exchange of social and technical knowledge, but also assists synchronization amongst organized crimeRead MoreImpact Of Globalization On The World1244 Words   |  5 Pageshave access to similar services and products. Let it be fashion, entertainment of even food. Everybody is adopting similar habits. That’s the power of globalization. Globalization is the process by which the world is interconnected through technology and powerful infrastructure for the purpose of communicating and managing resources. Globalization seems to talk about several vibrant phenomena which ensure two major components. Firstly, they function across national boundaries and se condly, they resultRead MoreGeoplitics720 Words   |  3 PagesBY:- GLOBALIZATION: Globalization is not a new word in the world of business and also to the common people. â€Å"As far as the definition of Globalization is concerned, there is no such single definition on which all the disciplines of study have agreed upon. One of the famous sociologists has defined globalization with 3 different concepts:† (1) * Globalization as transference between the already defined items that may be in term of politics, culture or economics; * Globalization as transformation

Happiness of Teachers in Pune - 4757 Words

GROUP TESTING REPORT SYMBIOSIS COLLEGE OF ARTS AND COMMERCE (An autonomous college affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University) Senapati Bapat Road-411 004 GROUP TESTING REPORT Submitted by Ms. Ipshita Munshi Class: TYBA Roll No.: 2497 Under the guidance of Dr. Alpana Vaidya In partial fulfilment of B.A. Degree in Psychology April 2016 SYMBIOSIS COLLEGE OF ARTS AND COMMERCE (An autonomous college affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University) Senapati Bapat Road-411 004 CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Ms. Ipshita Munshi of Division G and Roll no. 2497 has satisfactorily completed her group testing report in the subject Psychology (special) Psychological Testing (Practicals) as part of the B.A. Degree in Psychology for the†¦show more content†¦You need to adopt the attitude of positive thinking in everything you do. Happiness is a combination of how satisfied you are with your life (for example, finding meaning in your work) and how good you feel on a day-to-day basis. Both of these are relatively stable—that is, our life changes, and our mood fluctuates, but our general happiness is more genetically determined than anything else. The good news is, with consistent effort, this can be offset. Think of it like you think about weight: if you eat how you want to and are as active as you want to be, your body will settle at a certain weight. But if you eat less than youd like or exercise more, your weight will adjust accordingly. If that new diet or exercise regimen becomes part of your everyday life, then youll stay at this new weight. If you go back to eating and exercising the way you used to, your weight will return to where it started. So it goes, too, with happiness. REVIEW OF LITERATURE A common view in contemporary Western culture is that personal happiness is one of the most important values in life. For example, in American culture it is believed that failing to appear happy is cause forShow MoreRelatedIncreasing Crimes7023 Words   |  29 Pageseither fail to achieve this, or if they fail to satisfy us. Hence, we see spiralling statistics of depression as well as an upsurge in use of alcohol and drugs, big time contributors to crime. Because having more becomes the criteria for success and happiness, we will generally stop a little to get more, including breaking the odd law or two if we can get away with it. * LACK OF PROPER ROLE MODELS. The famous and powerful personalities in our societies (such as the industrial tycoons, politiciansRead MoreComparative Study of Quality of Work Life Management in Tcs Ibm: a Case Study Analysis14194 Words   |  57 Pagescharacteristics, job satisfaction, life satisfaction, happiness, and self-rated anxiety. They studied different correlations in their research, such as those between work involvement and job satisfaction, intrinsic job motivation and job satisfaction, and perceived intrinsic job characteristics and job satisfaction. In particular, Warr et al. concluded that there exists a moderate association between total job satisfaction and total life satisfaction and happiness, with a less strong, but significant associationRead MoreModern Education System4825 Words   |  20 PagesEducation involved three basic processes, one, which included ‘Sravana’ (stage of acquiring knowledge of ‘Shrutis’ by listening). Two, ‘Manana’ (meaning pupi ls to think, analyse themselves about what they heard, assimilate the lessons taught by their teacher and make their own inferences,) and three ‘Nidhyasana (meaning comprehension of truth and and apply/use it into real life). Education and women In ancient India women were given equal right to education and teaching. Women seers like ‘Gayetri’Read MoreSocial Networking Sites-Boon/Bane15517 Words   |  63 Pagesthese spaces. Gangavane says that most members of castebased groups are highly educated: Very few are only graduates — they are mostly engineers, MBAs, post-graduates and doctors. Another finding is that most are from metropolises like Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Social networking sites have the power to reproduce stifled opinions on taboo topics. People discuss things here that they cant face-to-face, he says. But social media expert Gaurav Mishra, who is the CEO of online marketingRead MoreExploitation of Teenagers as Reflected in Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable and Coolie4079 Words   |  17 Pagescentral theme in Untouchable and Coolie – social exploitation, exploitation of the poor and the under-privileged class by the forces of capitalism, industrialism and colonialism. In Anand’s Coolie, Munoo is denied his fundamental rights to life and happiness and is exploited and made to suffer, till he dies of consumption. The Novelist makes it quite clear that Munoo is not the only victim of such exploitation. He represents millions of those for whom such exploitation is the lot of everyday life. Read MoreRole of Women in India Freedom5428 Words   |  22 PagesMahatma Gandhis arms while both were still in prison. He was never the same after her death. 4. ARUN ASAF ALI Aruna was born at Kalka, Haryana into a Bengali Brahmo family. She was educated at Lahore and Nainital. She graduated and worked as a teacher, an achievement in itself for women, given the conditions prevalent in the country at that time. She taught at the Gokhale Memorial School in Calcutta. She met Asaf Ali, a leader in the congress party at Allahabad and married him in 1928, despiteRead MoreHindi Nibandh on Advantages of Mobile and Disadvantage17790 Words   |  72 Pagesscores 102 runs in the 18th innings of her career and thus increases her average by 5. After the 18th inning, her average is: (a) 17 (b) 21 (c) 26 (d) 28 In a staff room of 25 teachers, 13 drink black coffee, 7 milk coffee, 9 drink both tea and either type of coffee, and everyone drinks either of the beverages. How many teachers drink only tea? (a) Insufficient information (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 9 A box contains 90 discs which are numbered from 1 to 90. If one disc is drawn at random from the box, the probabilityRead Mo reSwami Vivekananda14669 Words   |  59 Pages1881 proved to be a turning point in his life.[38] About this meeting, Narendranath said, [ Ramakrishna ] looked just like an ordinary man, with nothing remarkable about him. He used the most simple language and I thought Can this man be a great teacher?. I crept near to him and asked him the question which I had been asking others all my life: Do you believe in God, Sir? Yes, he replied. Can you prove it, Sir? Yes. How? Because I see Him just as I see you here, only in a much intenserRead MoreCadbury Dairy Milk 4cs 4ps Swot8150 Words   |  33 PagesPlc, UK. Cadbury India Ltd began its operations in 1948 by importing chocolates and then re-packing them before distribution in the Indian market. After 60 years of existence, it today has five company-owned manufacturing facilities at Thane, Induri (Pune) and Malanpur (Gwalior), Bangalore and Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) and 4 sales offices (New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkota and Chennai). It has it s cocoa operations at Cochin. The corporate office is in Mumbai. Product line: Thus we can see the product widthRead MoreConsumer Perspective About Quality Service Provided by Pizza Hut and Dominos21258 Words   |  86 PagesJohn Silver’s under its umbrella. Pizza Hut is the world’s largest pizza chain with over 12,500 restaurants across 91countries.In India, Pizza Hut has 137 restaurants across 36 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chandigarh amongst other is in the process of opening Pizza Hut restaurants at many more locations to service a larger customer base across the country. Introduction to Dominos Domino s vision is focused on â€Å"Exceptional people on a mission

Animal Testing And The World Of Scientific Research

Animals used in laboratories dates as far back as the 17th century (Unknown, 2015)6. When I first read this statistic, it was surprising because the amount of time testing has been around really makes one think about the advancements made because of that. Due to the amount of time animal testing has been around, two general groups have formed in response to this. The people advocating for it are commonly part of the science community or anyone that supports what science hopes to accomplish and then there is the community of people who would not want animals to have to endure the pain from being tested throughout their entire lives. In this paper I will be presenting two perspectives on the topic regarding the use of animals in laboratories. The first perspective will show how animal testing is extremely beneficial to the world of scientific research as well as to the world in general. While the second perspective will show how the animal rights activists believe that the animals bein g tested on should not be forced to go through painful testing procedures. In the article â€Å"Research on Animals: Unforeseen Benefits,†1 the author, Adrian Morrison (1991), believes that biomedical research requires the use of animals due to the â€Å"long term gains† acquired (p. 176). Morrison continues to explain how people who believe that animals should not be tested on are not thinking about the effects these animals could have in the lab. He begins explaining how he believes that researchShow MoreRelatedEssay on Animal Testing in the Research Field1416 Words   |  6 PagesAnimal research, or animal testing, is the use of animals in scientific researches to study and develop drugs for the life-taking diseases that human beings contract. It has been practiced for hundreds of years. Animal testing helps produced many vaccines and other drugs, like penicillin, and thus, save many human lives. On the other hand, animal testing also causes pain and kills a lot of animals used during the researches that many people oppose this practice. Supporters show their support, whileRead MoreImportance of Animal Testing804 Words   |  4 PagesThe use of animals in scientific research has made dramatic improvements in our understanding of the human race. Despite the controversies that surround this issue, without this process of testing it is certain that much of what is known today towards the quality and quantity of life would remain closed off to us. Over the years, scientists have gained the ability to solve medical problems, cure diseases, and develop vaccines all with the use of animals during scientific research. To believe thatRead MoreSave Animals. Say No to Animal Testing!1390 Words   |  6 PagesArgumentative essay: Save animals. Say no to animal testing! Nowadays, it is a well-known fact that many companies test their products like cosmetics and medicines with animals before production to check their products ’safety and quality. A huge amount of animals are used in research purpose every year. Is it right for human beings to sacrifice millions of animals for testing purpose? Should animal testing be banned? Animal testing is a controversial issue and there is a heated debated about prosRead MoreAnimal Testing: A True Ethical Dilemma Essay1622 Words   |  7 Pageslaboratory animal. Animal testing is the use of animals for scientific research purposes and experiments. It can be used for the findings of cures and medicines to testing new drugs, to understanding the behavioral psychology of the animals themselves. â€Å"Around fifty to one hundred million vertebrate animals, ranging from fish to primates, are used in experiments each year† (Lloyd). There are many different terms used to describe the research on animals b ut two main ideas. In vivo research is whereRead MoreAnimal Testing Should Be Banned1509 Words   |  7 PagesAnimal testing is intended to express the use of animals in scientific research. Every year more than 115 million animals around the world have been used in laboratory experiments (Human Society International,2012). They include animals that are generally used in medical research such as cats, dogs, guinea pigs, mice, rats and monkeys. This experience has a major role in the progress of medicine. For example, it has been used in the development of drugs and surgical procedures and artificialRead MoreEssay on Animal Research Bill655 Words   |  3 Pageson __________. Animal Testing Bill Section One: This bill will set rules to any make-up company creating cosmetic products for humans. Companies who create the make-up must have the product tested on animals before testing on humans. Section Two: Congress hereby finds and declares that cosmetics has been flawed because of it’s lack of sufficient research. In order to fulfill an efficient research (synonym), cosmetic companies should undergo animal testing. Products created by the companyRead MoreAnimal Testing And Its Effects On Human Health1146 Words   |  5 PagesMillions of animals suffer and die unnecessarily each year as they become subjects for medical testing and other horrendous experiments. Although some people believe such activities are necessary to progress in medical research, in reality it does very little to improve human health and development. For decades, drug and chemical safety assessments have been based on laboratory experimentations involving rabbits, dogs, rodents, and other animals. Consequently, nine out of ten drugs proven safeRead MoreEssay1735 Words   |  7 Pagesand mentally retarded children in research trials, finding a cure for disease created an atmosphere of impossibility, and there were no federal guidelines in place that could approve these treatments to be used on patients like Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Research institutions and scientists in the past have created a subtle and diverse trend in testing their medical discoveries on humans. Unlike today’s researchers and institutions that use animals and other living things to test theirRead MoreAnimal Testing Is Not All Humane And Pain Free1130 Words   |  5 Pagesmillion animals are used every year in the united states for scientific and commercial testing† (ProCon.org). We are rapidly using up the earth’s supply of small animals. â€Å"A 2011 poll of nearly 1,000 biomedical scientists conducted by the science journal Nature found that more than 90% agreed that the use of animals in research is essential (ProCon.org). Right now, millions of mice, rats, rabbits, cats, dogs, and other animals are locked up in cages and are getting killed for scientific tests toRead MoreAnimal Testing Should Be Banned Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pagespossibly the lives that were spent doing so. Those lives being the ones of an imals tested in pharmaceutical settings to assure the safety of the product you just swallowed. It is difficult to justify the use of animals in this way, but when put simply we make the choice between putting human life, or the life of an animal on the line. While businesses have searched for other methods of testing, there is no more accurate way of testing toxicology than through a live host. Despite it not being the most ideal

Sannu’s Story Free Essays

Unit 8. Case Study 1. Sannu’s Story Sannu has contracted Leprosy. We will write a custom essay sample on Sannu’s Story or any similar topic only for you Order Now As a sixteen year old teenager, it is hard to pin point when he was infected since Leprosy has a long incubation period. As a small boy traveling barefoot along trails in his village, Sannu’s body has already adapted to his living conditions. Sannu’s feet are tough and calloused. As Sannu ages, so does his Leprosy infection progress. The infection will cause neuropathy in his extremities which will lead to many injuries to his feet and hands. The wounds acquired will be infected for weeks or even months without treatment. The neuropathy caused by the Leprosy infection is characterized by causing a decrease in sensation in the extremities, muscle weakness, and numbness. Sannu’s feet that have been toughened by his environment and life style have been further injured due to lack of sensation and medical treatment. In an attempt to keep his feet clean to aide the healing of his infections, Sannu is more than likely maintaining a sedentary life style. This life style along with the progression of the Leprosy infection will weaken Sannu’s muscles. A feature common to all forms of Leprosy is nerve infection. Nerve damage appears to result from the multiplication of bacilli within Schwann cells and damage to the perineurium. Most of the deformities occurring from Leprosy are in fact due to trauma or a secondary infection. In a Leprosy infection one of the first symptoms are anesthesia to heat and cold. Leprosy affects the peripheral nervous system by attacking the myelin sheath surrounding the axons which affects the reliability and speed of nerve impulses. In other words, the nerve fibers are no longer insulated and nerve impulses cannot be conducted efficiently. There are different types of sensory receptors located throughout the body and are designed based on a selective stimulus response. The appropriate receptive field is stimulated within a sensory receptor producing a response. In Sannu’s condition this action is delayed or absent due to the damage of his free nerve endings. Free nerve endings detect pain, temperature, and touch as well as tickle and itch. Sannu’s encapsulated nerve endings are also damaged. Encapsulated nerve endings detect pressure, vibration, and touch sensations. When Dianna performed the tests to check Sannu’s Achilles tendon and Babinski’s reflex, she was evaluating his somatic senses. Somatic senses involve sensations such as touch, pressure, and pain as well as temperature perception. These are all affected in Leprosy infection. In Sannu’s case he has also lost the sensations of touch, pressure, and pain in his feet and hands due to the affects of leprosy on his nociceptors, mechanoreceptors, proprioceptors, and exteroceptors. These sensations are also present in the sensory receptors free nerve endings and encapsulated nerve endings. Sannu’s interoceptors would not be affected in a Leprosy infection because interoceptors pertain to the body’s internal environment. Mycobacterium leprae grow best in relatively cool areas of the body such as: the skin, peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract as well as the chamber of the eye and in severe untreated cases the testes and eventually other vital organs. Leprosy affects the exteroceptors of the external surface of the body. Nociceptors are the receptors of pain and are located in all tissues of the body with an exception of the brain. Proprioceptors do no adapt very much, this is why Sannu still feels pain in his leg that has been amputated. Sannu’s pain is slow pain. Slow pain is referring to pain that is chronic, burning, aching, or throbbing. The peripheral receptors activated during a stimulus are the nociceptors. Like other cutaneous and subcutaneous receptors, Nociceptors transduce a variety of stimuli into receptor potentials. Also, like other somatic sensory receptors, Nociceptors arise from cell bodies in dorsal root ganglia that send one axonal process to the periphery and the other into the spinal cord or brain stem. Peripheral Nociceptors terminate at the site of free nerve endings. Nociceptors are located in the entire body except for the brain. The loss of myelination causes impulses to misfire. Without the myelin sheath the impulses are slower and misdirected. Sannu had little sensation to his extremities because of the process related to his Leprosy infection. Phantom limb pain is a result of neuroplasticity (new neural links can be made), or the brain region that once was responsible for controlling the amputated limb is taken over by an adjacent area of the brain. The phantom limb pain is enhanced by referred sensations, so that stimuli applied to other body parts can be sensed from the phantom limb. In patients with Leprosy, phantom limb pain will not occur with only the amputation of fingers, toes, hands, or feet. Phantom limbs and phantom limb pain will only occur when the amputation is taken up to the stump of that limb. The representation of Sannu’s amputated leg on the somatosensory map will involve referred sensations because of remapping of somatosensory areas in the brain. The activity of the somatosensory map in the brain leads to conscious experience of body image and somatic sensations. After Sannu’s amputation it is possible for him to initially experience some effects on his balance and equilibrium. This is because after amputation Sannu may still have confused senses of his missing leg. With the introduction of a prosthesis, Sannu’s brain will connect to the prosthetic device causing his brain to remember how to function as if the original leg were still there. The initial sensory loss that Sannu experienced was due to interference of the sensory pathway transmission. Leprosy affects the skin and peripheral nerves which are closest to the exterior of the body where the sensory receptors are located. Leprosy infection is caused by mycobacterium leprae and mycobacterium lepromatosis. Both forms affect the peripheral nervous system by attacking the Schwann cells, destroying the myelin. At the site of the Schwann cell, the bacteria multiply and cause damage of the nerve architecture and cause secondary inflammation. This disease process results in desensitizing sensory receptors. This is why when Sannu cut his foot, he did not feel the pain, nor the infection that followed. Due to his location in a remote village and lack of medical care, his infection resulted in an amputation. The receptors that should have sensed the initial injury to Sannu’s foot are the exteroceptors. Exteroceptors are responsible for responding to stimulus from outside the body such as touch, pressure, pain, and temperature. After Sannu’s amputation he began experiencing phantom limb sensations. This is considered as a form of neuropathic pain. It is presumed to be a response by the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system of an injury. The process of reorganizing occurs from retained nerves from the amputated limb, spinal cord, thalamus, and cerebral cortex. After an amputation the area of the brain that is responsible for processing the sensations from the missing limb are taken over by areas that neighbored the missing limb. It is believed that around 95% of people are naturally immune to Leprosy. Recent research suggests that there is a defect in cell-mediated immunity that causes susceptibility to Leprosy. The area of DNA responsible for that variable is also found in Parkinson’s disease. It is speculated the two disorders are linked somehow at the biochemical level. Research has shown that susceptibility to the disease was linked to region q25 on the long arm of chromosome 6. Further study indicated that the Leprosy susceptibility gene lies within a region shared by two genes for Parkinson’s disease. Resources The Merk Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy â€Å"Infectious Diseases caused by Mycobacteria† 2004 International Journal of Leprosy and other Mycobacterial Diseases â€Å"Linkage of Leprosy Susceptibility to Parkinson’s Disease Genes† June 2004 www. who. ch/program infolep@antenna. nl www. encyclopedia. com www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/15372437 en. wikipedia. org/wiki/proprioception rarediseases. about. com. lepercolonies. thalidomide May 16 2009 pubmed. gov Muscle Nerve October 30 2004 How to cite Sannu’s Story, Papers