Parrallel Universe Theory

Parrallel Universe Theory Today, astronomers can see out to a distance of approximately 42 billion light-years, our cosmic visual horizon, and we have no reason to believe that the universe ends there (Physics for Dummies, 2011). There exists the possibility that there are an infinite number of domains beyond our own. The majority of cosmologists today agree with the concept of a multiverse where the same laws of physics apply in all domains, but some dare to take the notion even further. Some physicians believe in the existence of infinite parallel universes with different laws of physics, alternate histories and other dimensions than ours (Science Universe, 2012). With this essay, I aim to pursue the parallel universe theory in order to determine its validity outside the realm of science-fiction. I will explore the justifications for it as well as the criticisms against it by consulting the theories of various cosmologists and quantum physicians. The ultimate reason for this pursuit is to determine whether or not the theory of parallel universes can be considered as an indisputable scientific fact or should rather remain in the world of fiction. Before proceeding, I need to state the limitations and scope of this paper and clearly disclose the structure in which the subject matter will be discussed. Firstly, I will define a parallel universe and provide some background information on the subject, as will be applicable to the essays content. Secondly, I will identify the theories that support the idea of parallel universes and organise them according to a cosmological or quantum physics perspective. Thirdly, I will identify the theories that criticise the idea of parallel universes and again organise them according to a cosmological or quantum physics perspective. Lastly, after analyzing both schools of thought, I will conclude my findings and determine if parallel universes are indeed fact or fiction. Part 1: Parallel Universes: Definition and Background To understand the concept of a parallel universe, one must first define the umbrella term it falls under, namely a multiverse. The multiverse theory claims that our universe is not the only one of its kind and that there exists many universes parallel to one another (The Theory of Parallel Universes, 2011). The universes that exist within this multiverse are called parallel universes. These multiple universes consist of everything and anything that can exist in matter, time, energy and space (The Theory of Parallel Universes, 2011). Other terms that are used to refer to parallel universes include quantum universes, alternative universes, alternative realities or parallel worlds. The following paragraphs will give an overview of some scientific theories on parallel universes in order to give an understanding of the argument and the logic that supports the notion. We will first look at the argument as approached from a cosmological perspective. According to Ellis (2011), if the universe and the possible histories that take place within it are infinite and the number of types of DNA-based beings are finite, then this infinite universe will contain an infinite amount of copies of these finite DNA-based beings. He goes on to say that, given this argument, some of these living beings will inevitably follow very similar lines of history (Ellis, 2011). In lay terms, when given the prospect of an infinite amount of histories combined with finite types of living beings, these histories will repeat to infinitum. However, Soler Gil and Alfonseca (2013) do not agree that if there are an infinite amount of possible histories, that these histories will necessarily be repeated in parallel universes. They state that given this scenario, the amount of histories will always be greater than the number of living beings, therefore if these beings are infinitely repeated they will still experience different histories (Soler Gil and Alfonseca, 2 013). Given this brief background overview, it is evident that the scientific community is still heavily divided on the notion of the existence of parallel universes. We will now continue by evaluating more detailed descriptions of theories that promote and refute the existence of parallel universes. For the purpose of this paper, we will only draw from the fields of cosmology and quantum physics. Part 2: Theories that promote the Existence of Parallel Universes Quantum physics is the science that attempts to explain phenomena which cannot be explained by the regular laws of science and physics. The parallel universe theory was first formulated in 1956 by Hugh Everett. Everett formulated this theory in an attempt to substantiate his belief that every probable outcome of any decision we make, does actually happen. He claimed that even though we may choose option A in this universe, we will choose option B in a parallel universe (Everett, 1956). Everetts theory is relatively new to the history of physics but it has already become a popular and controversial topic in the scientific community. This proposal was coined the Many-Worlds Interpretation. It essentially states that any object can be in any state at any time in a different parallel universe (Everett, 1956). This implies that the wavefunction of a state of being does not collapse at the moment of observation (like we observe in the Double-Slit Experiment later in the paper), but rather continues to evolve in a deterministic manner while simultaneously embracing all its possibilities (Everett, 1956). Everett (1956) notes that even though every possible outcome does exist simultaneously, they do not interfere with one another due to the fact that we are unable to observe these alternate realities. The Cosmological Perspective Max Tegmark, a well known modern cosmologist, states that if space is indeed infinite and inhabited by a finite number of living beings, then there is bound to be some identical occurrences that take place in different universes (Tegmark, 1997). Tegmark goes on to make use of a mathematical equation to calculate the probable distance of our nearest doppelgà ¤nger at any given time. His answer being approximately 1010115 meters. This theory coincides with a fundamental conjecture of cosmology, namely that the universe exists beyond the scope of our observation. Tegmark formulated a categorisation that recognizes four different levels of the multiverse where each level builds on the previous one. Tegmark (1997) refers to the first level as the level Beyond our Cosmological Horizon. This refers to an infinite universe that contains Hubble volumes that concern themselves with realising all primary conditions. Tegmark (1997) states that an infinite universe will necessarily contain an infinite amount of Hubble volumes that are subjected to the same physical laws. Given this precedent, there are bound to be Hubble volumes that have identical configurations to ours in some universes. This statement is rooted in the cosmological principle that states that we do not possess a unique Hubble volume. The second level concerns Universes with Different Physical Constants (Tegmark, 1997). He coins these universes as bubble universes and claims that our universe is just one of many bubble universes in existence. Tegmark (1997) then builds on the cosmic inflation theory in order to justify his argument that although the multiverse is infinitely stretching, there are some regions that cease to stretch. Once they become stationery, they form bubbles that may possess differing physical constants. The third level is an expression of the Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics (Tegmark, 1997). One feature of quantum mechanics is that there is no observation that can be predicted with absolute certainty, but there is rather a range of probable observations. By applying this feature to the many-worlds interpretation, one can deduce that each probable observation should be compatible with a different universe. Tegmark (1997) explains that the difference between level one and level three is that in level one our doppelgà ¤ngers reside in a three-dimensional space whereas in level three they reside in an infinite-dimensional space. The fourth level is referred to as the Ultimate Ensemble or the Mathematical Universe Hypothesis (Tegmark, 1997). He claims that due to mathematics abstract nature, one can use a mathematical structure to prove just about any Theory of Everything (Tegmark, 1997). Given this statement, one can describe any imaginable parallel universe at level four and include all other ensembles by simply using mathematics. By doing so, one will bring an end to the multiverse hierarchy and eliminate any probability of the existence of a fifth level. Even though Tegmark does utilise some characteristics of quantum mechanics to promote the existence of parallel universes, he is fundamentally a cosmologist. There is, however, another physician that uses the field of quantum physics more extensively in this pursuit. In the next section we will evaluate Brian Greenes argument for the existence of parallel universes from a quantum physics perspective. The Quantum Physics Perspective Before discussing Greenes application of quantum physics to promote the existence of parallel universes, we first need to recognize three observations about quantum physics. Firstly, energy has the ability to travel through space without having the need to cover the superseding distance (Physics for Dummies, 2011). This means that energy and quantum particles possess the ability to exist in more than one place at a time. This observation is clearly fundamental for the substantiation of the parallel universe theory from a quantum physics perspective. Secondly, all quantum particles exist in different places at any given time, even though we are unable to see them (Physics for Dummies, 2011). Given this observation, there is a possibility that doppelgà ¤ngers may exist in different locations. Thirdly, quantum particles are influenced by the practice of observation when we observe them (Physics for Dummies, 2011), which plays an important role later in the paper when we discuss the Dou ble-Slit Experiment. Greene attempts to comprehend the origin of multiverses by utilising string theory. String theory speculates that the universe can be described in terms of small strings that vibrate in ten or eleven different dimensions that we are unable to see (Greene, 2011). Greene (2011) claims that string theory not only includes strings but also objects that resemble two-dimensional membranes. He goes on to suggest that we may be living on one of these two-dimensional surfaces and that other surfaces may be floating around us in space. This claim is currently without any emprirical evidence, but Green (2011) says that this can be tested in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. If Greenes hypothesis is correct, then when particles are slammed together in the LHC, debris can be emitted off of our membrane surface and into the greater cosmos where our membrane is floating. This loss of debris will take away some amount of energy in our universe. We can then measure the amount of energy and com pare it to the amount that was present before the collision. If there is found to be less energy afterwards, it would indicate that some energy had been launched into the greater cosmos (Greene, 2011). This particular outcome of the experiment will prove that Greenes hypothesis is correct. However, until this experiment at CERN takes place and is found to be successful, Greenes hypothesis remains pure speculation. Part 3: Theories that refute the Existence of Parallel Universes The Cosmological Perspective Cosmologist, Paul Davies, is a firm believer that notions of parallel universes belong in the realm of scientific philosophy and not in physics. Even though all cosmologists accept the existence of other regions that we are not able to observe, most of them do not deduce the existence of infinite universes from this precedent. Davies addresses the topic in his New York Times opinion piece by saying that physicists should not believe a theory based on faith, but rather insist on hard scientific facts supported by empirical evidence: The multiverse theory may be dressed up in scientific language, but in essence it requires a leap of faith (Davies, 2007). George Ellis is another cosmologist who shares the same sentiment as Davies towards the parallel universe theory. Ellis (2011) points out that the basic problem with the multiverse proposal is the existence of a cosmic visual horizon, as we will never be able to observe these universes even if they did exist. He also rejects the application of string theory, as attempted by Greene (2011), in order to substantiate the plausibility of the parallel universe theory. Ellis (2011) states that string theory is not yet a complete theory that has been tested or proven. He admits, however, that if string theory is ever proven correct then there will be a legitimate argument for the existence of a multiverse. Ellis (2011) concludes that multiverse proposals are merely scientifically based philosophical speculation and cannot even qualify as a well-defined scientific theory. He states that before the multiverse proposal can be considered to be a scientific theory, it needs to be coherent and not just a patchwork of different ideas (Ellis, 2011). The Quantum Physics Perspective The most common criticism of the parallel universe theory is the lack of scientific facts derived from empirical evidence collected by means of observation and experiments. It has proven difficult to acquire scientific proof for the existence of alternate realities for many reasons, one of these reasons being that by observing reality, we are also altering it. This fascinating notion is demonstrated by the famous Double-Slit Experiment (Live Science, 2012). Essentially, this experiment proves that energy and matter display characteristics of particles and waves, indicating the fundamental probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. In a basic Double-Slit Experiment, we observe the light of a laser beam aimed towards a thin plate pierced with two parallel slits. The wave-like nature of the light results in the light waves interfering with each other while passing through the two slits. When observed from behind the plate, one sees bright and dark bands being created, which is unexpecte d if one were to assume that light only consisted of particles. Instead of acting like particles, the light becomes absorbed on the screen as if it consisted of photons or discrete particles (Live Science, 2012). The mysterious result of this experiment lead to the detection of the inherent probabilistic nature of individual photons. When Deutsche (2001) conducted his version of the Double-Slit Experiment, he took the findings even further. He states that when we perceive a photon passing through one slit, a parallel universe might perceive a photon passing through another slit. According to Deutsche (2001), our universe is the reality of the tangible particles that we observe whereas the reality of the shadow particles is actually a parallel universe. However, there are very strong arguments against Deutschs interpretation of the findings of the Double-Slit Experiment. It is impossible to confirm Deutschs claim that the photon goes through one of the slits and not both because an interference pattern emerges when we try to measure this (Sturman, 2011). Even though the standard way of approaching quantum mechanics does not provide a satisfactory explanation of the Double-Slit Experiment in terms of a single universe, it does not give precedent to an unverified theory of a multiverse that might explain it better. After observing that when a photon passes through the first slit, it interferes with a photon that might have passed through the second slit, Deutsch deduces that a photon must have passed through the second slit in a parallel universe (Sturman, 2011). This, however, is unsatisfactory due to the fact that Deutsch has not proven that the photon passes through one of the two slits even though it could have passed through the other slit. There is still a distinct possibility that the photon is passing through both slits at the same time in our universe (Sturman, 2011). What I think Deutsche has forgotten in his pursuit to desperately prove the existence of parallel universes, is that the role of physics is to describe what we experience in our world. When we consider the notion of doppelgà ¤ngers in different universes which we cannot observe, we are stretching the field of physics to be greater than our experiential reality. In my opinion, this cannot be considered science, but rather speculation. Conclusion After analyzing both schools of thought on the existence of parallel universes, I remain firmly unconvinced by this theory. The unverified cosmological arguments made by Tegmark (1997) and the futile attempts of Greene (2011) and Deutschs (2001) quantum physics approach did not succeed in convincing me that parallel universes exist. Even though I approached this concept with an open mind, one must still require empirical evidence before confirming any theory to be remotely factual. Given the evidence, I can confidently conclude that the case for the existence of parallel universes remains unproven for now. However, I have found the contemplation of a multiverse extremely enticing as a way to reflect on the nature of our existence. There is no doubt that the concept belongs in the realm of philosophy for now, but the lack of scientific proof does not leave it entirely worthless. We should rather embrace what multiverse proposals truly are scientifically based philosophical speculatio n (Ellis, 2011). By doing this we can bring newfound legitimacy to the subject. Instead of trying to force it into the field of natural sciences, where it clearly does not belong, we should welcome it in the field of social science. I think that by doing this, we will enable the concept of parallel universes to be explored to its full potential without the boundaries set by the scientific method.

Athenian Democracy and Meritocracy

Athenian Democracy and Meritocracy To what extent did the Athenian democracy live up to its ideology of being a meritocracy, and to what extent was power still in the hands of the wealthy? Athenian democracy was an evolving process in the 5th century B.C. The concentration of power in the political establishment would change considerably from when the first seeds were planted until the voting citizenship was expanded and new leaders emerged towards the end of the century. Democracy was not instituted in the name of human rights but for pragmatic purposes and it is necessary that we look at it in this light when considering whether Athens was a meritocracy and whether the wealthy still held considerable power in Democratic Athens. It is certainly true that Athenian Democracy, like all systems, on paper differed considerably to how it was implemented. In this essay I will argue that Athenian Democracy was largely successful in implementing a state democracy in which, to a large extent, there were no obvious discrepancies over who was favoured in matters of society and the state. I will show that the Athenian constitution largely kept the city as a meritocracy, making its citizens equal before the state in matters of legality and political power. However, I will also consider the limitations of Athenian Democracy and to what extent certain functions may have limited its success. I will argue that the power of the wealthy was in most respects limited by the structure of the state but was held back to some extent by the inevitable advantages that come from wealth. I will mainly be arguing that whatever limitations there were, they were not enough to have a damaging effect on democracy as a whole. The Athenian Democracy allowed that only adult males of Athenian ancestry were part of the democratic system, which overall made up around 10-20% of the demos. Slaves, freed slaves, children, women and metics (foreigners in Athens) were excluded. It is obvious from this that to label Athens as a meritocracy in the modern sense is absurd. In this essay, I will consider Athens as a meritocracy in terms of the rights and opportunities of those who are citizens, not from those who aren’t and will therefore consider to what extent Athenian Democracy worked the way it was supposed to. The wealthy did not hold power to the extent that it harmed the democratic process. The wealthy certainly did have many advantages compared to the poor, but this is not necessarily any comment upon Athenian democracy simply an inevitability that those with wealth will be able to achieve more than those without. The wealthy had power but not to an extent that was greatly damaging to the state. When defining wealth, I will consider Aristotle’s definition as including money, land, real estate, furniture, livestock and a high quality and quantity of slaves (Rhet. 1361a12-16). There was most definitely a significant wealth inequality amongst Athens’s citizens whereby the leisure class (those who didn’t need to work as a result of family fortunes, nobility etc.) made up roughly 5-10% of the populace. This class barrier was certainly realised by the lower classes who often showed their resentment at the wealthy. However despite this inequality, they did not see this as particularly affecting when it came down to the political and legal powers of the people, as this inequality was grudgingly accepted. Wealth discrepancies were not seen as unjust as potential legal or political barriers that may have affected the citizens. (see Ober ch.5) Politically, wealth as a tool was restricted as a result of the various stipulations in the constitution. There was no longer any property qualification for the academy or for voting and the holding of political offices as well as juries received payment for these services, meaning that the democratic or legal process was not hinged on the use of wealth to buy political office or to serve as part of the legal jurisdiction. The constitution minimised any overt legal or political control by the wealthy, who still had economic power but this fact is only to be expected in a society such as Athens which thrived on the control of goods and services. This idea of the accepted separation of wealth inequality with legal and political affairs can be seen with the orator Demosthenes: â€Å"The rich have great wealth which no one keeps them from enjoying though they must not keep us from enjoying the security which is our most common possession – the laws† (Demosthenes, Against Meidias, (22.25-27)) Therefore, the wealth inequality was not viewed by the people as un-democratic or damaging to their political power and rights (Ober 199.) The wealth even often had a positive effect on the democratic process, benefiting even the poor. The various taxes imposed on the rich (liturgies, war taxes and fines given out by the courts) was often redistributed in a way that greatly benefitted the poorer in society, such as state projects, the upkeep of the city, the academy and also security from outside threats. Therefore, often the wealthy had a positive effect on both the city and the poor, with their money often acting as subsidies for the less wealthy instead of them exploiting the poor for their own benefit. (Ober 202) However, it is true that there were indeed many situations in which the wealth were able to use their money as leverages and to exert a certain amount of power over the lower classes. In legal matters, the wealthier would often get less punitive punishments for certain crimes such as theft. The wealthy could also dominate proceeding through the use of bribes – they could use money to buy silence from witnesses or make them lie, they could also try and bribe prosecutors and use their wealth to buy support from the crowd. Also, the dependence of the state on the money received from the rich could have damaging effects. The wealthy may try and hide their wealth from the state or even refuse to pay certain taxes that are voluntary. It is also true that the allegiance of the wealthy to the Athenian state was not as solid as the poorer citizens as they were less dependent on the state structure which was very beneficial towards the poor. These actions of the rich could potentially have very negative outcomes in situations where the state were in need of the wealth of the rich. Finally, in times of war the rich certainly had an easier time, whereby the rich could use their money in order to buy positions as horsemen which were less involved in the fighting than the frontline soldiers who were often composed of those soldiers who could not afford as expensive equipment as those less wealthy. The wealthy were limited in the power they could hold. While they held economic power, this did not have much of an impact upon the legal and political rights of Athenian citizens as economic inequality was not seen as having as important a role in democracy as other egalitarian principles – they was accepted. The occurrences of violations of democracy by the rich does not show the weakness of the state as a whole only the weaknesses of individuals in certain instances and the inevitability of those with wealth having certain advantages over others – these should not be seen as any substantial drawback to the ideals of meritocracy in the Athenian state. The Athenian Constitution largely justifies describing Athens as a meritocracy. It allowed for legal and political rights to become universal for all Athenian citizens where each man was considered justly under the eyes of the polis. Athenian Democracy was not perfect. Like all systems there were areas which were vulnerable to corruption and which were arguably harmful to a healthy state. There undoubtedly was a selection of the wealthy elite who would often use their wealth for self-aggrandisement rather than supporting the state – but this has to be expected in all societies. On the whole, the Democracy of Athens was largely egalitarian in political and legal matters where those who were citizens were treated with the same eyes. The wealthy in society were, to a large extent, prohibited from using their wealth to defile the workings of the state. The times in which the wealthy were able to exert a certain level of power were inevitable blowbacks to a society where there was a competition for money and a competition for power. The power that the wealthy had and used was not enough to taint a relatively sophisticated political system and where corruptions of that system occurred, personal power-grabbing was often shrouded in popular support and the use of wealth for personal gain was seen as an inevitable circumstance of self-preservation. Bibliography M. I. Finley (1962) ‘Athenian Demagogues’ Past Present 21: 3-24 Ober, J. Mass and Elite in Democratic Athens: rhetoric, ideology, and the power of the people, (Princeton University Press; US; 1989.) Ober, J. ‘Public Speech and the Power of the People in Democratic Athens’ in The Athenian Revolution. Essays on Ancient Greek democracy and political theory, (Princeton University Press; US; 1996) Raaflaub, K.A. ‘Equalities and Inequalities in Athenian Democracy’ in Ober, J. and Hedrick, C. (eds.) Demokratia. A conversation on Democracies, ancient and modern, (Princeton University Press; US; 1996) Hansen, M. H. ‘The Political Leaders’ in The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes (Blackwell; UK; 1991) Davies, J.K. Wealth and the Power of Wealth in Classical Athens, (Ayer Co; New York; 1981.) Sinclair, R.K. Democracy and Participation in Athens, (Cambridge University Press; Cambridge; 1988.) Aristotle – The Art of Rhetoric (Penguin; UK; 1991) Demosthenes – Political Speeches (Oxford University Press; London; 2014)

I’m Ready to Write :: Graduate College Admissions Essays

I’m Ready to Write I had been scribbling in diaries and journals for years. My letters to the editor were known for their eloquent ferocity. A talent for writing was the only plausible explanation for my behavior. I had only recently discovered the essay as a genre. I took to it immediately and had had some modest success in getting my essays published on a wide range of websites, from off-the-wall e-zines to on-line literary journals. Was I ready? Was I ready for a real test-to submit my work to the state arts commission for an individual writers grant? At first I thought the idea was laughable. Who the hell did I think I was? My mom knew. She would hold my face in her hands and stare directly into my eyes and say, "You are a writer! Repeat after me: 'I am a writer!' " If my mom believed that, I would not argue with her. I would collaborate in the fiction for now. I began to search for the pieces I would submit. I looked for the essays with a real punch to them. I would include those that had been published or had received at least an honorable mention. There was that one I wrote about going to Mexico. Then one of my canoe essays. Not something corny like me and Ed on the Allegheny, but the one where I used paddling as a platform to view our Mad Max transportation system. I included another longer piece and then a couple of my short pieces. Reviewing the essays, I became self-conscious about my style. It is too popular to be literary, and too literary to be popular. It combines gravitas with humor. There are well-regarded authors whose style is not so different from my own, but what style are the reviewers looking for? Are they the super pure literary types that will dismiss my essays for having a social or political consciousness? Literature! Not polemics! Jack Warner was right: 'If you want to send a message, go to Western Union! Take your soap box and be gone!' I was making myself crazy. I am a writer. This writer will now print off these selections in the format required by the arts council, will put them into a manila envelope, go to the post office and send them to Columbus.

Media: Source of Todays Violence? Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive E

Media: Source of Today's Violence? In recent years, intense scrutiny has come upon the entertainment industry with critics claiming that it has great influence on the minds of today’s youth. But, what exactly are the effects of such an influence? Certain people have exaggerated the effects that it plays on children. Many people, including government officials, have singled out television, video games, and movies as itthe cause of some types of violence simply because it is an easy target for laying the blame. The truth is that these three media sources are nowhere near the actual causes for acts of violence and other crimes. Studies on the issue are, at best, inconclusive on the issue. Many people believe that television, movies, and video games are the cause of crime because they don’t know the facts on the issue. They single them out because they have violent images and suggestive themes and therefore believe that these will create violence in real life. When a violent crime is committed by a youth, the crime is often blamed on the television or the movies that the youth watched or the video game they just played. Many people will start thinking this is true, based on the fact it seems like a plausible explanation. People will start trying to censor violent images and possibly even ban them. But, by censoring the images it will just make people want to see them more. Humans are inherently attracted to violence and if they can’t see it on television or in movies, they will go elsewhere to get it. Violent television, movies and especially video games offer a way to relieve stress without actually committing any crimes or hurting anyone. Before humans could see or engage in virtual violence, we... ...rnment continues legislation on Capitol Hill on the V-Chip. This the government’s answer to controlling what kids can watch. It’s a device that’s implemented into the television set prohibiting certain shows from being viewed. The parents of the household decide what shows to block. This is not the answer. If a kid wants to watch a certain show or movie on television, then they will simply go to a friends house that doesn’t have the V-Chip. My solution to the problem rests on the shoulders of the parents. They parents must be knowledgeable about their child’s maturity level and whether or not they can handle such programming. By educating the parents on the content of certain shows, movies, and video games, I believe the amount of blame toward the entertainment industry for violence will be alleviated. After all, children are a reflection of their parents.

Freedom of Speech in Cyberspace -- Internet Web Papers

Freedom of Speech in Cyberspace Introduction As the Internet has become more widely recognized and used by people all over the world, it has brought a new medium in which information can very easily be broadcast to everyone with access to it. In 1995 there was a projected 26 million Internet users, which has grown to almost 300 million today. One major problem with this is that everyone represents different countries and provinces which have different outtakes on certain types of freedom of speech as well as different laws about it. This proposes a new type of law that would need to be written in order to determine whether or not something is illegal on the Internet. A person in one country can express what they want to, but that expression may be illegal in another country and in this situation whose laws are to be followed? What I propose to do accomplish in this paper is to discuss the freedom of speech laws of the United States of America and those of France, China, and Canada. I will examine what about them is simila r and what about them is different. The bringing of the Internet has brought many new types of businesses as well as ways in order to communicate with the world, but as with each new endeavor or invention, there needs to be a way in order to govern its use and policies. There must also be ways in order to punish those not following the new laws and policies of use, since that the country that the person is in may allow what they did, but it may not be allowed on the Internet or in a different country. In other words, there is the need for international laws governing the Internet. Freedom of Speech in Other Countries France One famous discrepancy in speech laws differing in two countries was that of the United States of America and France in the year of 2000. The French government was suing Yahoo!, a US web search company who also has a sales division. Yahoo! had web pages that were selling Nazi memorabilia on its US based website. â€Å"The charge was that the company had violated French laws prohibiting the advertisement, exhibition or sale of any objects likely to incite racial hatred, and that it had offended the 'collective memory' of the country - an allusion to the Holocaust years - by allowing online auctions of Nazi paraphernalia.† One may think that this case would end easily by saying that a US based web... ... US is a successful one. People should have their right to thought and to express what they believe and think freely to whoever they want. In Canada I believe that the CRIA should follow the model of the RIAA, because it is wrong to steal music from other people. Laws should be made so that one artist’s copyrighted music is protected over the Internet, no matter what country the person trying to download it is residing in. Bibliography .Guardian Unlimited. August 11, 2000. Regulating the net http://www.guardian.co.uk/theissues/article/0,6512,353264,00.html  ·The Economist. August 9, 2001. Putting it in its place http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/jbalkin/telecom/puttingitinitsplace.html  ·John Naughton. November 26, 2000. Yahoo! For brave French courts http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,6903,402959,00.html  ·Jennifer Lee. August 30, 2001. U.S. May Help Chinese Evade Net Censorship http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/jbalkin/telecom/nyt08302001.pdf  ·Nua Internet How Many Online http://www.nua.ie/surveys/how_many_online/world.html  ·Jay Lyman. December 17, 2003. Canadian Recording Industry Hunts P2P Users http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/32426.html

Music Education

Key Curriculum ElementsI believe teaching individuals about singing, playing instruments, moving, composing and listening is incredibly important, ranging from infants through to adults, but starting in early childhood would be most beneficial for long term benefits. These key elements contribute significantly in developing their music skills and knowledge; contributing to their education on a more broad scale (Broad, 2007 pg23); and/or assisting the student’s emotional/mental development. The difficulties that could be expected in the classroom when integrating the music curriculum into lessons could be students lack of wanting to participate (I can’t do it, I’m not good at music) due to fear of failure and/or embarrassment from low self esteem; participation levels of extroverted students in comparison to introverted students; or even a lack of concentration and maturity to handle situations. Other difficulties that might be a challenge may perhaps be the lack of funding to offer reasonable resources; insufficient time allocation to allow reasonable attention to the music curriculum; teachers/students having high expectations of their abilities and those expectations not being met; and there being a lack of space for students to move and experiment.Some potential solutions I can think of, to the difficulties I have stated above might be: ï  ¶ providing a safe and encouraging environment so students do not feel if they attempt something and it does not go as well as they wanted or they might think they have failed. Instead they receive encouragement and  reassurance that they haven’t failed or let anyone down, what they have now done is create something new and/or something they can learn from, lots of positive feedback from the teacher and other students; ï  ¶ encouraging small groups of 2-4 would help introverted students participate more.By having each child required to have a specific task in all group work, so each child can have the same participation level might help introverted students have more participation and extroverted students still have participation, yet not over-whelming the introverted students; ï  ¶ constantly evolving activities used in class to stimulate students learning and encourage active learning, encouraging lack of boredom.Scaffold information and skills starting from basics to attempt to develop a more mature level of understanding and knowledge base for students to be more comfortable; ï  ¶ the lack of funding to offer reasonable resources does not always have to be seen as a negative, it allows students to use their imagination and creativity to find alternate resources to complete the same task or similar tasks; ï  ¶ insufficient time allocation to allow reasonable attention to the music curriculum is always going to be a sad situation, but integrating the music curriculum into other KLA’s allows the students to be able to enjoy music and appreciate that mus ic can be incorporated into any situation in their lives; ï  ¶ unfortunately teachers/students will always have high expectations of their abilities and those expectations will not always be met.The best teachers can do is to not allow students to see when the students have not meet the expectations they had and when students do not meet their own expectations, the teacher needs to encourage the student to try again and learn from their previous experience; ï  ¶ a lack of space for students to move and experiment is a shame but, a classroom is not the only place that students can learn to create, they can do the basic or the foundation type work in a classroom and then move out into the playground or a hall. One of the best things about music is that it can be created; played; movement; and listened to anywhere there is a desire to enjoy/appreciate it.Some of the things I would hope to achieve in the classroom through the integration of the music curriculum are encouragement of the appreciation of music; knowledge of music and how it can impact ones life; how music can be integrated into everyday life; and no matter who you are you can sing, play instruments, move (dance), compose and listen to  music.Integrating Music into the CurriculumHSIE: This Is Me! (Early Stage 1)Activity 1 – Puppet Joe teaching the students a poem and some rhythm ‘The End’ with Puppet Joe, this will be explained in Lesson Plan 1 Activity 2 – Mirroring each other’s movements to musicThe students are paired off and allocated their own space in the room, standing up, they are facing each other. They will then listen to ‘What I Am’ by Will.I.Am. As they listen to the song, it will speed up and slow down. The students will need to adapt their movement to follow the tempo of the music, for example faster movements as the music speeds or slower movements when the music slows. Once they are able to adapt to different tempos, the music will c hange dynamics via getting louder and softer. The students will need to adapt their movement to follow the dynamics of the music for example larger movements when the music is louder or smaller movements when the music is softer.The students will take turns in leading the movements through each change. Once the song has played through, the students will have a few minutes to talk and create movements together for the tempo and dynamic sections of the song. The song is run through a second time and the students will move together to the music showing the movements they had worked on together. The students are then encouraged to talk through what they found was the best representation of the music when it would change dynamic and tempo. Did the music have repetition, a constant beat, similarities and differences? Time Allocation: 45 minutes HSIE: Celebrations (Stage 1)Activity 3 – Song – ListeningThe class is allocated into groups of 4-5 in their own spaces. Each group c hooses a cultural celebration from a box on the teacher’s desk (each cultural celebration is celebrated by one or more of the students in the class at home).Once they have all picked the activity, they are given a kit (which has been put together by the students prior to this lesson as part of the Celebrations unit they are studying). They will listen to the song that is part of the kit and discuss as a group the beat, pitch, tone colour,  duration, dynamics, tempo and structure of the song. They discuss what features appealed to them or those that did not. Time allocation: 45 minutes Activity 4 – Mirroring each other through rhythm and movement Mirror Me, this will be explained in Lesson Plan 2HSIE: Global Environments: Rainforests (Stage 3) Activity 5 – Visualising the MusicStudents are advised that they are required to produce a visual representation of the music they are about to hear. The class will talk about sounds and how they can represent their music visualisation. The students can, if they choose to, have different sections of the painting for different aspects they visualise with the music. For example, they can have 1 whole painting, 2 halves or 4 quarters, so they can show up to 4 different aspects of the music they are hearing. The class talks about what they are going to produce, it is not a vague impression rather a visualisation of what they believe that Rainforest looks like. Students will listen to a 2 minute excerpt from ‘Relaxing Mix’ by Calmsound.The excerpt of the song will be repeated 4 times with 4 minutes between each repetition and the students have 10 minutes after to complete their painting. After the allocated time, the class will have a discussion on the different aspects they visualised and what aspect of the music created that specific image, tone colour, pitch, tempo, dynamic? The paintings will be put aside once dry to be used in another activity on another day. Time Allocation: 60 minutes Activity 6 – Group composition of a soundscape from a rainforest painting Rainforest Soundscapes, this will be explained in Lesson Plan 3HSIE – ‘The End’ with Puppet Joe Lesson Plan 1 Activity 1 – Puppet Joe teaching the students a poem and some rhythm 1. Level: Early Stage 1 2. Goals: Students will learn the poem ‘The End’ by A. A. Milne. Students will be able to follow a beat/rhythm and accomplish co-ordinated movement. 3. Teaching materials 1. Puppet Joe 2. 2 x taping sticks for the beat 3. 1 copy of ‘The End’ poem by A. A. Milne (see appendix 1) 4. White board 5. White board marker 6. Coloured magnets for the white board 4. Learning outcomes: Musical activity Performing Singing (y) Playing Instruments (n) Moving (y) Organising Sound (n) Listening (y) Musical Concepts Duration (rhythm) (y) Pitch (y) Dynamics (y) Tone Colour (n) Structure (y) 5. Procedure1. Clear an area in the middle of the room and have students sit on the floor in their own space. 2. Teacher introduces Puppet Joe (a kookaburra puppet) and explains that Joe will help them learn a new poem called ‘The End’ by A. A. Milne (see appendix 1). 3. Start with Joe saying the first verse and then repeating the verse using his taping sticks he creates a beat (ti-ti ta ta, ti-ti ta ti-ti). The students then sing through the verse while tapping their knees or clapping their hands with the beat/rhythm. 4. Teacher writes the poem on the white board under bars and talks through the beats/rhythm and words, placing different coloured magnets for the ti-ti’s and ta’s.5. Each verse is then taught the same way, until the last 2 verses when the beat/rhythm is different (ti-ti ta ti-ti, ta ta ti-ti ta ta ta), ‘The End’ sheet music see appendix 2. Once the class has learnt the poem and the beat/rhythm, they then sing through the poem together. 6. The class then picks out a number from a box and the number allocate s the student to their group. In the group the students talk through what movement they think would be good for their verse and if they should use loud, soft, fast or slow speech/singing.7. The class sings through the poem together and then each group sings their own verse with their chosen movement. Then the class sings their section of the poem loud, soft, fast, slow or using a different voice without their movement. Then again mixing the movement and their chosen musical concept. 8. Ask the class if they have any suggestions about the structure, if they think it could be changed. Pick a couple of the suggestions and try them out, see if the class thinks they make the composition better or worse. As a class the student talk through the actions chosen by the groups and the musical concepts, whether they were applicable or not to their verse? Whether there was repetition in the beat/rhythm? What similarities and differences there was in the beat/rhythm?6. AssessmentSee appendix 3 fo r the assessment sheet. 7. Links to other subjects HSIE, Mathematics, English and PDHPE.HSIE – Mirror Me Lesson Plan 2 Activity 4 – Mirroring each other through rhythm and movement 1. Level: Stage 1 2. Goals: Students will understand how rhythm works and identify how the music changes resulting in their movements changing. Students will perform a number of rhythms and patterns in movement focusing on rhythmic correctness and co-ordinated movement. 3. Teaching materials1. IPod dock 2. IPod with Creation by Descendance Aboriginal & Tsi Dance Theatre on it 4. Learning outcomes: Musical activity Performing Singing (n) Playing Instruments (n) Moving (y) Organising Sound (n) Listening (y) Musical Concepts Duration (rhythm) (y) Pitch (y) Dynamics (y) Tone Colour (y) Structure (y) 5. Procedure1. Clear an area in the middle of the room. For this activity the students could even go into the school hall if it is available, to allow for extra space. 2. Have the student’s pa ir up and stand in 2 lines. Allocate the lines names – trees and grass. Have the students move away to their own area in the room/hall and face each other. 3. Talk to the class and advise that when a name (trees or grass) is called out the other student in the pair has to follow the other student. That students need to try movements they think would suit the music, fast, slow, loud and soft. What types of movements would best suit. If the students wanted to they could even represent Australian animals. 4. Start playing the song and prompt the students to listen at first. Then call out trees, as the students are comfortable in following (no less than 60 seconds), the teacher calls out grass. Alternating between the leader gets faster as the students learn to adapt faster.5. The teacher then increases the volume and decreases the volume to encourage alternate responses in the music. 6. At the end the teacher prompts the students to talk about what movements went best with which types of music? What types of movements did they use for the tempo, pitch, dynamics, tone colour? Did they prefer certain parts of the song more than others and why? Those students who represented animals, did they find it hard to choose movements and keep in character for the lesson? Was it easy for students to follow the leader? Was it easy to lead? Which did students prefer to follow or lead?6. AssessmentSee appendix 4 for the assessment sheet. 7. Links to other subjects HSIE, Mathematics, English and Science and Technology.HSIE – Rainforest Soundscapes Lesson Plan 3 Activity 6 – Group composition of a soundscape from a rainforest painting 1. Level: Stage 3 2. Goals: Students will create and perform a soundscape with the use of instruments, voice and movements from a painting of a rainforest. They will demonstrate their rhythmic abilities, co-ordination with movements, their ability to work in groups and ability to create a composition. 3. Teaching materials1. Pain tings from previous music lesson 2. Cardboard box 3. 5 x numbers 1-6 4. White board 5. White board marker 6. Coloured magnets for the white board 7. 6 x A3 sheets of paper with a blank grid on it. 8. Coloured pencils 9. Instruments – chimes, drums, triangles, xylophone, tambourines, etc 4. Learning outcomes: Musical activity Performing Singing (y) Playing Instruments (y) Moving (y) Organising Sound (y) Listening (y) Musical Concepts Duration (rhythm) (y) Pitch (y) Dynamics (y) Tone Colour (y) Structure (y) 5. Procedure1. Each student picks out a number (1-6) from a box and that shows which group the student is assigned to. On the white board the list of effects (see appendix 5) is written. Depending on which number the group is, depends on what the effect they will need to introduce into their soundscape. The rainforest pictures have been painted prior to this lesson from an alternate music activity. Each group chooses their favourite painting to create the soundscape from (o n condition that none of the students in the group painted it).2. The class has a discussion on what a soundscape is (a quick refresher) and what they need to cover when preparing for it (dynamics, tempo, pitch, tone colour, etc). The students are encouraged to create a story to at least start and finish the soundscape, they are welcome to have the story throughout the soundscape, eg the effect with the men with axes, they could have them laughing and talking, whistling, etc.The students are also encouraged to include movements if they can see it fits with their soundscape, eg in the gorilla congregation, they can have one or two students sitting like gorillas and making gorilla noises. 3. Each group receives an A3 sheet of paper with a blank grid (see appendix 6) on it and coloured pencils. The students choose the instruments they believe will get the best result for their soundscape and work on their composition which needs to include the allocated effect for their rainforest soun dscape. 4. Once the students have spent the allotted time creating the soundscape on the grid paper (see appendix 7) and practicing it.They will then perform as a group in-front of the class and demonstrate their soundscape. 5. Once all groups have finished performing for the class, there is a class discussion on the musical concepts used by each group and how they felt they related to the painting and soundscape? Did they find that each group included rhythm, tempo, pitch, structure, dynamics, tone colour and if they felt that the groups incorporated the assigned effect successfully? Did the groups that used storytelling as part of their soundscape find it easier/harder to follow the story being told? Did any of the soundscapes sound like they came from any particular cultures? 6. AssessmentSee appendix 8 for the assessment sheet. 7. Links to other subjects HSIE, English and Science and Technology.

Children: a Good Target Market or an Abuse of Innocence?

Children: A Good Target Market or An Abuse of Innocence? Advertising is a way many businesses attract consumers. Consumers are, after all, their source of income. Billions of dollars are spent every year by corporations to huge advertising companies to think of the next big commodity. However, the most attractive target market today is children, which inevitably sparks controversy throughout the country. When discussing advertising to children, one should highly consider how the effects the products being advertised pose to children, the status of our countries laws, and the current uses of child advertising and the effect they may have on their audience because we need to think of the children first in order to protect our country’s youth. Many businesses have made the arguable decision in marketing towards children. If the venture is done the right way, it can be a successful form of getting attention to a business. In the article â€Å"Brand loyalty starts from a very early age,† Lou Cooper reveals, â€Å"Influencing children at a young age could see them retain their custom in the future† (24). However, if done incorrectly or unethically, youth advertising can be very dangerous and influential to a child in the wrong way. More and more manufacturers  and television advertisers  think that children constitute an important group for their target  market. They see other businesses succeeding when they use the tactic and they believe they need to use it too so as to remain competitive in the industry. However,  television advertising  aimed at children is extremely harmful to child development. Over the last few decades,  television advertising  has changed people's life styles and buying habits, especially children. Children have larger spending power. With the additional reassurance from statistics and research, more and more manufacturers and  advertisers  think that a young age group is an important group for their target  market. However,  television advertising  aimed at children is extremely harmful to child development because of the many harmful and unhealthy things the television is portraying as acceptable and even going so far as to making a harmful product sound attractive and necessary to a young consumer. Television aids the alcohol industry, as well as the fast food industry in spreading the word of their harmful products. The fast food industry is especially taking advantage of their marketing ability, and consumers are paying the price for it, with their health. According to the film Super Size Me, over the past few years, there has been a doubling of childhood and adult diabetes. Also, in the film Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock provides the information that more children are having liver abnormalities and are already showing signs of cirrhosis, a clinical scaring of the liver. As stunningly accurate as in Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser mentions, â€Å"But the value meals, two-for-one deals, and free refills of soda give a distorted sense of how much fast food actually costs. The real price never appears on the menu† (9). Thus, the harmful products shown on TV should be highly monitored and perhaps even forced laws upon certain ads to protect the public. The founding laws of our nation have worked for us for centuries. They protect us when is necessary and allow us freedoms when appropriate. Legislators have been able to protect us very well with the constant updating of our laws. Through amendments and many new laws, law makers have been able to stay current with issues at hand. However, because our country’s laws haven’t taken another modern twist, many children are feeling the consequences. As seen in The United States Bill of Rights, the first amendment to the Constitution is â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press† (US Const. , amd. 1) When creating the law, however, legislators in the revolutionary time period surely didn’t suspect that the safety of children would be at stake when they wrote such a broad and vague concept. The legislation for advertising to children is minimal, and most advertising companies have free reign to do whatever they want. When a commercial is geared toward children, they find it appealing and some almost comforting. Fast Food Nation’s Eric Schlosser expressed that children are exposed to â€Å"30,000 commercials a year. † Congress has passed laws in the past about setting regulations for the advertising of cigarettes and alternative means of marketing because of their extremely harmful and negative side effects they threaten consumers with. Certain means of advertising in movie theaters was reviewed and banned; Truthful advertisements are being forced on to cigarette companies. Advertisements in movie theaters would show pictures of a random place and quickly show a flash of a product so people in the audience would need to have it. For example, they would show a large desert and then quickly show a Coke, and a person sitting in the audience would stand up and need to buy the Coke, almost as if they were brainwashed. Cigarette companies are now forced to put pictures of diseased organs on the box of cigarettes so as to warn the public of their unhealthy and dangerous aftermath and hopefully thwart as many Americans smoking as possible, a much different form of advertising than an advertisement for Paul Mall cigarettes depicting cigarettes to â€Å"Guard against throat-scratch. † When children are exposed to such stimulation of such appealing products, According to Lou Cooper, they have the influence over their parents to utilize close to â€Å"1. 88 trillion dollars†, which of course makes children a hefty target, but at what cost? Cooper 24). Advertisers use many forms of marketing to charm children. Phrases and slogans are one example. Many types  of food have a phrase associated with them. Commercials use phrases and slogans to embed their product into an audience’s memory. By the time the commercial ends the line and product are stuck in a person’s mind. By targe ting children, whole families are then targeted. Competition sparks the creation of phrases and slogans so as to imprint that brand into the minds of consumers. If one company can create a phrase that everyone will know and remember, they are one step ahead of their competition. Characters are also a way used to target children. Making characters has been the way in which many companies capture the attention of children everywhere. When a child sees commercials on television, the characters are instantly installed in their brain. Prominent figures also bring forth an ethical appeal for children; for example, in Lucky Strike advertisement, Santa Claus is shown with his bag of toys in one hand and a cigarette in the other. When the child witnesses such extreme behavior from the ones they hold dear, they want to be just like the people they admire. Therefore, children are more likely to buy a product used by their favorite celebrity or character. Toys are another way in which companies target children. Companies give toys to children sometimes relating to their product to endorse their item and entice the recipient to the merchandise. The hope some companies have is that the child will associate their brand with a reward such as a toy and want it more because of the attraction. For example, cereal companies are famous for toy advertisements. If they put toys in the boxes of cereal, children are more likely to want the box with a toy in it. Pleasing children is a main concern for all big companies. In closing, advertising to children isn’t the best idea when you want to keep the youth of our country safe, healthy, and uncorrupt so as to brighten our future as a nation. The products of some endorsements are mainly those that need to be feared. However, when a child is just as innocent as watching their favorite television show, parents and the children themselves shouldn’t need to worry about what kind of commercials pop-up that try to entice them with that happy meal and those toys. Children deserve every right to enjoy their time of being care-free and trusting. Childhood is a time for joyful bliss and innocence, not corruption. Works Cited Cooper, Lou. â€Å"Brand Loyalty Starts from a Very Early Age. † EBSCO Publishing Service Selection Page. Marketing Week, 10 June 2010. Web. 02 Nov. 2010 ;http:web. ebscohost. com/src/pdf? vid=3;hid=104;[email  protected];. â€Å"The United States Bill of Rights. † National Archives and Records Administration. U. S. National Archives ; Records Administration. Web. 02. Nov. 2011. ;http://www. archives. gov/exhibits/characters/print_friendly. html? page=bill_of_rights_transcript_content. html;. Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: the Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York, NY: Harper Perennial, 2005. Print. Supersize Me: a Film of Epic Proportions . Hart Sharp Video, 2004. â€Å"Santa Smokes Lucky Strikes! † Quit Smoking Painlessly Now! Web. 02 Nov. 2010. ;http://www. quitsmokingpainlesslynow. com/cigarette-advertising/santa-smoking-lucky-strikes/;.