Early educational experiences that shaped Emil du Bois-Reymond’s career in science One of the important educational milestones for Bois-Reymond had been the experimental course he did in Berlin in 1838. His interactions with Jons Jacob Berzelius and other eminent scientists of the day shaped his formative mind. The exchanges he had with Johannes Muller served…
Category: Society
Self Awareness and Cross Cultural Competence: My experience in Canada as an international student
• How do you compare to the cultures you have contact with? What I’ve witnessed in Canada so far are sharp cultural differences to my native Saudi Arabia. The most notable difference is how people here enjoy greater freedoms in social life. For example, I see how the handshake is a common manner of greeting…
Major causes of Air Pollution:
In the day and age we live in, air pollution is a sad fact of life. We claim to be civilized and modern, yet the environment we inhabit has declined under our watch. All elements of nature, including that of earth, water and air have suffered pollution in the last two centuries. This essay will…
The Peacemaker: Handling Conflict without Fighting Back or Running Away (Student Edition) by Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson
Conflict in human relations is as old as humanity itself. But what distinguishes humans from other creatures is how they can resolve conflict without resort to aggression. This is the central message of The Peacemaker. The book is especially addressed to the youth, as there is a lacuna in moral guidance for them. One of…
Healthcare for Indian Women
India is an ethnically and linguistically diverse country. It is also variable in terms of socio-economic and development indicators. Moreover the federal structure stipulated in the Indian constitution makes health care predominantly a state-level responsibility. As a result, depending on the economic prosperity, dominant political ideology, and even some cultural factors, access to healthcare varies…
Should a liberal-democratic government protect the ‘social rights’ of its citizens?
It is self-evidently true that a liberal-democratic government should protect the ‘social rights’ of its citizens. There are copious arguments from various eminent thinkers that back up this claim. Ranging across eras and philosophical schools, various intellectuals have endorsed the protection of social rights of citizens. This essay will draw upon the ideas of philosopher…
Influences shaping climate change discourse in the United States
One of the topics that had garnered media space in recent months is the issue of global warming. Without doubt it is one of the critical issues facing humanity. If solutions are not identified and implemented urgently, irrevocable damage could occur to the prospects of the species as well as the larger habitable environment. There…
American writers as critics of war, women’s status & slavery: Herman Melville, Frederick Douglass and Margaret Fuller
All the authors in the title have made key contributions to American literature, culture and politics. They used their literary talent as a means to not only create art but also to transform society. The 19th century was a period of great upheavals in American history. The nation was still young and uncertain of its…
Human races: Are We So Different?
Recent scientific expeditions that have retraced all routes of human migration out of Africa in the last 50,000 years make for a fascinating story. In the exhibit perused for this exercise I discovered that the pivotal moment was the great Ice Age that set in 50 thousand years ago, up until when, the rich and…
My Experience attending Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings
Although I am personally not addicted to alcohol or narcotic drugs, I participated in the Alcoholics Anonymous program in my locality. The purpose is to glean important key insights through first hand observation and direct interaction. Although most of the participants in the 12 step program were adults, there were some who were adolescents as…