TOOLS THAT CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK

If used properly, the Internet can be an amazing learning tool. In the push-button society that we live in, almost everyone has unhampered access to a truly vast amount of information via the Internet. Those who are willing and able need only to tap into that information in order to learn more rapidly than was ever possible in previous eras. While this can trivialize certain tasks, possibly diminishing problem solving skills, it can also connect people with ideas that never would have come to their attention otherwise. So, of course, as with everything, there are pros and cons to the Internet (in terms of learning). I do feel, though, that the Internet is collectively beneficial in said area. Other components of our current social infrastructure--not so much. Take media, for example. Any integrity that the media once had is long gone in my eyes. I can either read a bunch of exploitative, one-sided propaganda, or I can read about Justin Beiber getting a new cell phone. There isn't much to be found in between without a thorough search. Regardless, I do feel that, in general, technology is pushing us in a positive direction. Funny--only a few months ago, I had no faith whatsoever in humanity and I NEVER would've put forth such an optimistic statement. Listening to Dr. Preston's class lectures has really changed my perspective and, now that I'm viewing things under a more positive light, I am able to have a small amount of hope despite the overwhelming mass of problems with our species and our civilization.

FILTER BUBBLES

Prior to watching the video, I already knew that nearly everything that happens on the Internet is being monitored and databased. This blatant compromise of personal privacy is so appalling that, sadly enough, I am not the least bit surprised to learn that such information is now being used to meddle with our search results. Fortunately, Eli Pariser decided to take a stand at TED and bring awareness to this problem. I can only hope that the perpetrators (Google, FaceBook, etc.) will listen and restore the integrity that they have taken away from the Internet. Pariser's speech definitely left me with a different outlook on the Internet. I had always viewed the Internet as an expansive, diverse pool of information, available to anyone at anytime. Now that this officious filtering has corrupted even the most basic search processes, however, one is forced to question the veracity of his/her findings whilst surfing the web. Although I strongly oppose any form of filtering or censorship, this honestly doesn't affect me too much. I don't often find myself browsing the Internet without a clear objective. When I do wish to search in broader terms, however, I use the "Duck Duck Go" search engine that Dr. Preston told us about a few weeks ago to avoid any unwanted inference with my results.    

LITERATURE ANALYSIS #3 (The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory by David Chalmers)

TOPIC(S) and/or EVENT(S)

1) a. (initial thoughts of “what the book is about”): The Conscious Mind, by  David Chalmers, is a philosophical work about “the hard problem of consciousness”. That is, the problem of explaining how consciousness (as in phenomenal experience) can be entailed by physical processes. Attempting to paraphrase and give a concise summary of the book, such as I have done with my two previous literature analyses, would be futile considering that it took Chalmers 433 pages of cumulative, interconnected logic and deep philosophy to pin down (as in merely identify/expound, not answer) the question/problem that he proposed. While I cannot even begin to convey Chalmers’ elaborate arguments with my own words, I can describe the problem itself a bit further. If asked, most people would say that consciousness is generated by neural activity in the brain. This is a common misconception. Cognitive functioning is completely different from consciousness (again, consciousness in the sense of phenomenal experience). Even defining consciousness is extremely difficult but, luckily, Chalmers provided a pretty good depiction of it towards the beginning of the book. To do this, he breaks the mind down into two different divisions: phenomenal and psychological. The psychological parts of the mind are the supervenient on the physical, reductively explainable, cognitive processes that are without a doubt generated by the brain. The phenomenal aspects, however, are much more intangible. Thoughts, feelings, beliefs, experiences, what something is like—abstractions such as these that fail to supervene (both logically and naturally) on the physical and that cannot be reductively explained are considered “phenomenal”. It is the phenomenal aspects that are important here because, collectively, they almost entirely comprise consciousness. The gist here is that, both individually and collectively, these phenomenal aspects are irreducible, and inexplicable by normal, epistemological means. Thus, the main basis of the book: introducing this problem, providing evidence and arguments for it, and explaining why it is unlikely that any theory could ever solve this problem in its entirety.

     

   b. (One clear statement boiling down my initial thoughts): The Conscious Mind, by David Chalmers, is a philosophical work about how we have been, and are likely to remain unable to explain consciousness in physical terms.

2) Chalmers wrote The Conscious Mind to organize and put forth the theories and arguments that he and his colleagues had been working on for many years. According to the introduction, Chalmers’ fascination with consciousness quickly consumed him and transformed from an interest, to a life’s work. The result—a brilliant piece that openly and thoroughly addresses the difficult issues that most scientists/philosophers cower away from and sweep under the rug.

3) I chose this book because I felt that it would be a nice next step in my quest to read difficult books and write analyses on them the night before they’re due… In all seriousness, I chose this book because the subject matter is absolutely central to my interests. I’ve been intrigued by consciousness since before I even knew what it was so, needless to say, when I came across a highly-recommended book entitled The Conscious Mind, it instantly appealed to me. This book was brought to my attention by a reference in my last “literature analysis book”, Proof Of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander. While I found The Conscious Mind to be supremely interesting, I’m not going to lie; it wasn’t one of those books that I just couldn’t put down. The difficulty, the complexity, and the sheer length of the book made it tough to get through at times. Such is the nature of the beast with books of this sort though, so I knew what I was getting myself into. I must say, however, that this book was particularly challenging. I would not recommend it for the faint of heart.

4) I absolutely found The Conscious Mind realistic. The central arguments were tied together with impeccable, air-tight logic; creating a very compelling case. Because many of the ideas that Chalmers proposed were new and/or unfamiliar, he placed a lot of focus on solidifying the veracity of his claims. And solidify he did; he truly accounted for every angle in assembling his argument. As a very meticulous individual myself, I have a deep respect for the amount of effort that was put into making The Conscious Mind the textual fortress that it is. *An interesting side-note relating to this: The Conscious Mind was published in 1996, yet it is possibly the only abstract/controversial book I have read that, when searched on Google, yields no accusations of being anti-scientific. In fact, I could find no noteworthy rebuttals whatsoever. Some tepid reviews were present, of course, but no one seemed to contend the information itself.*

PEOPLE 

There were NO characters at all in The Conscious Mind.

STYLE

1) I do not remember encountering any tools from fictional writing in The Conscious Mind. Chalmers used some analogies to help readers relate to what he was saying and to help connect different arguments, but that was the extent of his literary device usage. Unfortunately, I read The Conscious Mind on a Nook, and I am not willing to painstakingly click through the 2,000+ Nook slides that make up the book in order to search for specific examples.

2) Chalmers didn’t use lengthy descriptions of places or people, nor did he focus on action or dialog. This is because none of those elements are even present in The Conscious Mind. The book consists entirely of philosophical, logical reasoning, with a subtle pinch of intuition. This choice dried the book out immensely, of course, but it was the author’s only real option if he wanted the book to be effective (which it undoubtedly is).

3) To be honest, there wasn’t even a mood (that I picked up on) to The Conscious Mind. There was no story being told, only information being provided and arguments being made. The text had an expository “feel” to it, I suppose, but, to me, that is more of a style than a mood (I differentiate the two).

4) The information in the introduction, combined with the quality of this groundbreaking book, leads me to believe that Chalmers is/was very passionate about the subject. Creating such a high caliber philosophical piece takes an extraordinary amount of effort and dedication. That type of drive is simply not found in those who are not inspired by their work.

5) There were very few external resources utilized in The Conscious Mind. The book was constructed solely using the original ideas of Chalmers and his colleagues.

VOCABULARY #8

1) cursory (adjective) - hasty and without attention to detail
Example: Giving a source of information nothing but a cursory glance makes it easy to overlook some details.

2) impetus (noun) - a force or stimulus that moves something along
Example: Fear of public judgement serves as an impetus against people acting out of their own free will.

3) pinnacle (noun) - the highest level or degree attainable
Example: Blindly following a religion out of fear of celestial persecution is the pinnacle of ignorance.

4) contumely (noun) - a rude expression intended to offend or hurt
Example: The boy said "hello" to his elderly neighbor, but received nothing more than a contumely from the bitter old man.

5) bereavement (noun) - a state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
Example: The woman was trapped in a state of bereavement for several years after her husband passed away.

6) cache (noun) - a hidden storage space (for money or provisions or weapons)
Example: The police officer found a cache of drugs and weapons in a man's car during a routine traffic stop.

7) consummation (noun) - the act of bringing to completion or fruition
Example: The mayor's cutting of the blue ribbon signified the consummation of the town's new museum.

8) calamity (noun) - a event resulting in great harm or suffering
Example: The events that transpired on September 11, 2001 were the most terrible calamity that our nation has ever had to face.

9) avarice (noun) - extreme greed for material wealth
Example: The ruthless tycoon displayed avarice when he crushed many local businesses in order to expand his entrepreneurial empire.

10) fortify (verb) - to make strong or reinforce
Example: After being robbed twice, the bank decided to fortify its security.

11) erratic (adjective) - liable to unexpected change; having no fixed course
Example: The erratic driver swerved through the parking lot, seldom missing a car.

12) ubiquitous (adjective) - being present everywhere at once
Example: It is difficult to imagine a time when automobiles were scarce now that they are ubiquitous in our society.

13) fortitude (noun) - strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage
Example: Those lacking some degree of mental fortitude would be unlikely to survive in times of hardship.

14) nonchalant (adjective) - marked by blithe unconcern
Example: Knowing that his plan was foolproof, the bank robber strolled out of the building with a nonchalant demeanor.

15) affect (verb) - have an effect upon
Example: A few diehard supporters voted more than one-hundred times each in order to affect the results as much as possible.

16) effect (noun) - a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
Example: The projectile's acceleration decreased as an effect of air resistance.

17) misappropriate (verb) - to wrongly appropriate something for one's own use
Example: The police officer misappropriated some fireworks that he had confiscated and used them on New Years Eve.

18) pragmatic (adjective) - guided by practical experience rather than theory
Example: The pragmatic old man never encountered a problem that he couldn't solve by relying his "street-smarts" and wit.

19) metacognition (noun) - awareness or analysis of one's own thinking process
Example: Metacognitive awareness is crucial in order for one to truly understand how their own mind "works"/"operates".

20) devoutly (adverb) - in an earnest manner (usually refers to religious faith)
Example: The woman worshiped her "savior" devoutly out of fear of divine punishment.

VALUE OF LIFE GROUP PROJECT

*Activities 3 through 6 completed by Dale Bebeau (http://dbebeaurhs14exposcomp.blogspot.com/)

Activity 3:

  1. What prior experiences have you had reading plays?

     - I've read many plays by Shakespeare as well as George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde.

  2. What did you notice about the front page format and annotations?

     - It was very creative and informative.

  3. What did you notice about the text's structure?

     - It's a monologue, it's a collection of text that one character says. It's like a poem and has lines like one.

Activity 4:

  1. What is a tragedy? What themes and outcomes would you expect to find in a tragedy?

     - A tragedy is a type of story in which bad things happen to a character, sometimes resulting in death to some, many, or all.

  2. What do you know about the language in plays written by Shakespeare?

     - It's written in "Elizabethan" or an older style of English including many words we don't use today.

  3. What have you done in the past to help yourself read Shakespeare effectively?

     - I read the sentences many times to understand what is being said. It's not always easy to understand. The text often has many meanings and it takes time to understand them in context.

  4. The soliloquy here begins with a famous quotation: "To be or not to be - that is the question." What do you think is "the question" Hamlet is asking? How do you think he might answer it?

     - Whether to act or not to act. He'll make a decision and find the results.

Activity 5:

  Oppression - Promotion

  Action - Stagnant

  Endurance - Periodic

  Mystery - Oblivious

  Life - Death

  1. Action: to, be, become

  2. Thought: consider, weigh, contemplate

  3. Suffering: bear, live, unwillingness, fear

  4. Mortality: life, person

  5. Fear: uncertainty, competence

  Action = doing, moving, progress

  Thought = cognitive, develop

  Suffering =  pain, unwanted, unwanted, unliked

  Mortality = life, bodies, being

  Fear = scared, afraid, worried

Activity 6:

  I believe Hamlet is a pessimist. He thinks that under these circumstances, bad things will happen. He thinks that things will go badly based on past events. Is he right? It's a personal choice, and he chooses to believe it is not for his benefit that these things are occurring. He constantly debates whether to act and bring upon him the unknown, or not to and bear the burden of his situation.

*Activities 7 & 8 by completed by Shane Cheverez (shanecheverez.blogspot.com)

Activity 7: Considering the Structure of the Text

1) Where does Hamlet first ask the central question of his soliloquy?
     - Hamlet first introduces the central question of his soliloquy in line one. This is not, however, when he truly asks the question. As famous as it is, the simple line "To be, or not to be" would have very little meaning/relevance if it were not elaborated on by the rest of the text. Because of this, I do not feel that it is fair to identify any portion of the soliloquy as the single deliverer of Hamlet's central theme/question.

2) Where does he restate this question in greater detail?
     - Hamlet uses the entire remainder of his soliloquy to expand on his initial line. The following excerpts are especially critical:

"Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,"

"To die, to sleep,
To sleep, perchance to Dream; Aye, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause."

"For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time,
The Oppressor's wrong, the proud man's Contumely,
The pangs of despised Love, the Law’s delay,
The insolence of Office, and the Spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his Quietus make
With a bare Bodkin?"

3) Does Hamlet ever answer this question?
     - Whether or not Hamlet directly answers his central question really depends on which level of meaning the reader draws from the text. When interpreted at face value (whether or not Hamlet should take action) the question is answered before the soliloquy even begins. Deeper levels, however, such as Hamlet's of fear of the unknown and the turmoil it causes, are never truly resolved.

4) Does he ask any other questions in this speech?
      - Hamlet doesn't necessarily ask any other questions, but there are multiple levels of meaning to his central question that give it multiple effects.

5) Who or what interrupts Hamlet at the end of his soliloquy? Do you think he was finished talking?
     - I have not read the entire play, so I cannot say who or what (possibly) interrupts Hamlet. What I can say is that, for such an obscure piece, the soliloquy seemed to come to a close fairly well. Because of this, I would say that he was most likely done speaking (or at least Shakespeare was). The issues that were addressed in Hamlet's soliloquy were never meant to be entirely answered, after all, so I do feel that an early ending was appropriate.

Activity 8:Noticing Language

• Identify the main clause (subject and verb) in the following sentence. Then paraphrase the main idea this sentence in your own words: "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come/ When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,/ Must give us pause." 

Main clause: "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come"

Paraphrased sentence (my interpretation of the main idea): One must consider what change might befall them once their former self has died.

*Activities 9 & 10 completed by Dale Bebeau (http://dbebeaurhs14exposcomp.blogspot.com/)

Activity 9: Annotating and Questioning the Text

  To be, or not to be--that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune-

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep--

No more--and by a sleep to say we end

The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks-

That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep--

To sleep--perchance to dream+: ay, there's the rub,

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,+

Must give us pause. There's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life.

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,-

Th' oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely

The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,

The insolence of office, and the spurns

That patient merit of th' unworthy takes,

When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,-

But that the dread of something after death,+

The undiscovered country, from whose bourn

No traveller returns, puzzles the will,

And makes us rather bear those ills-we have

Than fly to others that we know not of?-

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,-

And thus the native hue of resolution-

Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,

And enterprise of great pitch and moment

With this regard their currents turn awry

And lose the name of action. -- Soft you now,

The fair Ophelia! -- Nymph, in thy orisons

Be all my sins remembered.

-Hamlet seems very pessimistic about his current situation.

Activity 10: Analyzing Stylistic Choices

  1. What happens after death:

     - "The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns"

  2. Fate:

     - "Slings and arrows of outrageous fortune"

  3. The unknown:

     - "[What] makes us bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of?"

  1. The mysteries of the afterlife are like uncharted lands, no knowing what you'll encounter.

  2. Being alive is compared to being shot at and attacked.

  3. Why would you choose to face unknown threats rather than known ones?

  Hamlet chooses to describe his emotions in this way to give complexity and depth to characters. He allows them to put their feelings into words and treat the situation as their own. Everyone experiences events differently, and explaining them to anyone else isn't always straightforward.

*Activities 11 & 12 completed by Shane Cheverez (shanecheverez.blogspot.com)

Activity 11: Summarizing

• What is the big issue in Hamlet’s soliloquy?
• What claim or argument about the value of life does Hamlet make?
• What do you think about Hamlet’s claim?

- The “big issue” in Hamlet’s soliloquy is the inner turmoil that Hamlet is confronted with after his life takes a turn for the worst. He knows what he must do if he is to have even the slightest chance of improving his situation, but a much deeper issue skews this seemingly easy decision. Hamlet is afraid of undergoing the change that such a course of action (killing his uncle) could bring about. Thus, the main issue of the soliloquy: should Hamlet accept the risks and do what he knows is right, or should he shy away from the unknown and keep his familiar, yet terrible circumstances. This issue, in turn, generates Hamlet’s “claim” about the value of life. That is, life only has as much value as one gives it. An individual’s decisions and the initiative that he/she puts forth are often directly proportionate to the value that that individual will observe in his/her life. This is the outlook that I’ve always had myself so, if this is indeed Hamlet’s claim, I agree 100%.  

Activity 12: Thinking Critically

1) Does the soliloquy form seem to favor the expression of emotion (pathos)? Explain your answer.

     - The purpose of a soliloquy is to provide insight into the thoughts and feelings of a character. Therefore, yes—by creating an emotional connection with the reader—the soliloquy form does exceedingly well at delivering an emotional appeal.

2) Does Hamlet’s soliloquy use emotion (pathos) to create a specific effect on the reader? If so, describe how emotion is used.

     - Like most of Shakespeare’s work, Hamlet’s soliloquy uses heavy doses of emotion-charged figurative language to create a dark and dismal effect on the reader.

3) Does Hamlet’s soliloquy use logic (logos) to create a specific effect on the reader? If so, describe how logic is used.

     - I did not observe any sort of logical approach being utilized by Hamlet’s soliloquy. The text seemed to focus 100% on eliciting an emotional response from its readers.

4) When Hamlet speaks his soliloquy, he is in crisis. How do his circumstances position Hamlet to speak with authority (ethos) about the value of life? Does Hamlet seem to be speaking about his life in particular or about the quality of life in general?

- Being in the midst of a worst-case scenario that was crafted by the most notoriously renowned tragedy writer of all time, Hamlet is definitely deserving of some authority in speaking on the value of life. That being said, everything that he says should be taken with a grain of salt. While enduring an experience that is far worse than any that most people will ever have to undergo, it is doubtful that he will have anything positive to say about life. In his soliloquy, Hamlet seems to speaking about his life in particular, though the themes that he conveys are applicable to life in general.

5) As careful readers, we are, of course, aware that it is not really Hamlet speaking, but a character created by Shakespeare. Does Shakespeare seem like someone whose opinions and attitudes are worth considering? Why?

     - Given the depth and complexity of Shakespeare’s work, I would say that it is definitely worth at least considering whatever the master play-writer is saying through his characters. However, to be perfectly honest, I imagine that he was a deeply troubled individual and, again, I would take whatever he says with a grain of salt.

MELANCHOLY GRAD

Graduation speech on behalf of Shakespeare's Hamlet:

After all of the unfortunate turns that my life has taken recently, the temporary solace that this joyous moment has provided is beyond anything I could've expected. Standing before all of you and feeling your ecstatic energy has opened up my eyes to the possibilities that the future holds. I feel that now, more than ever before, I am ready to put my past behind me and embrace the unknown. To move forward with an open mind and an open heart. To make my own way. Today, my fellow beings, you are witnessing more than my graduation from this learning establishment. Much more. You are witnessing my metamorphosis, my chrysalis, my rebirth. I have shed my former self before your very eyes, and am now beginning the trek into the undiscovered country. The intangible, the unforeseeable, the future.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

a)  My interpretation/translation of "Hamlet's Soliloquy":
Is it better to rise up and do what you feel is right, possibly inheriting great risk in the process, or to "play it safe" and refrain from intervening? The choice may seem clear but, when confronted with such a situation, there is often much more to be considered than what is apparent at face value. Sure, there will most likely be some worldly risks involved but, even for those who are willing to accept the possibility of legal repercussions or damage to his/her reputation, there is something much greater in jeopardy. The very essence of one's being. There is no question that the decisions that we make define us. Some choices are so significant that they can, in a sense, cause the chooser's current self to "die" and be "reborn" as somebody/something entirely different. This can be a frightening prospect. Who knows what is to become of the individual, especially taking into account the severe emotional trauma that a decision of such magnitude entails? It is that unknown, along with the fear that it brings, that creates the "rub". The internal conflict of whether this "new self" will coincide with improved circumstances, or cause an irreversible plummet into a crushing abyss of misfortune and despair. If the choice is made to open the door to a new future, who is to say that positive changes will follow? There is no greater risk than that of losing one's very self and, in this case, there is no safety net.

b) Out of all of the levels of meaning that this soliloquy attains, the one that resonates most with me is: "to act on what you know to be true in order to hold yourself in higher esteem". This theme plays a fairly pronounced role in my own decision making process. While I do try to do the right things for the right reasons, I would be lying if I said that I don't make those decisions just as much for ME as I do for whatever/whoever they are centered around. There are times when I honestly can't tell if I made a certain ("good") choice because I am a good person, or so that I can believe that I am a good person. Even if it's not apparent, there is almost some sort of incentive behind even the most selfless acts/gestures. After all, there is no denying that it feels good to do the right thing. That increase in self-esteem/respect can actually prove to be more of an impetus than any material compensation, even for those who lack the metacognitive awareness required to understand such a concept's applicability to their subconscious thought process.

c) If I were in Hamlet's position, there would really be no choice for me to make. I would not be willing to suffer through that flawed existence at my uncle's hands. What he did was unforgivable, and I would have no trouble attempting to remediate it at his expense.  

VOCABULARY #7

1) cursory (adjective) - hasty and without attention to detail
Example: Giving a source of information nothing but a cursory glance makes it easy to overlook some details.

2) impetus (noun) - a force or stimulus that moves something along
Example: Fear of public judgement serves as an impetus against people acting out of their own free will.

3) pinnacle (noun) - the highest level or degree attainable
Example: Blindly following a religion out of fear of celestial persecution is the pinnacle of ignorance.

4) contumely (noun) - a rude expression intended to offend or hurt
Example: The boy said "hello" to his elderly neighbor, but received nothing more than a contumely from the bitter old man.

5) bereavement (noun) - a state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
Example: The woman was trapped in a state of bereavement for several years after her husband passed away.

6) cache (noun) - a hidden storage space (for money or provisions or weapons)
Example: The police officer found a cache of drugs and weapons in a man's car during a routine traffic stop.

7) consummation (noun) - the act of bringing to completion or fruition
Example: The mayor's cutting of the blue ribbon signified the consummation of the town's new museum.

8) calamity (noun) - a event resulting in great harm or suffering
Example: The events that transpired on September 11, 2001 were the most terrible calamity that our nation has ever had to face.

9) avarice (noun) - extreme greed for material wealth
Example: The ruthless tycoon displayed avarice when he crushed many local businesses in order to expand his entrepreneurial empire.

10) fortify (verb) - to make strong or reinforce
Example: After being robbed twice, the bank decided to fortify its security.

11) erratic (adjective) - liable to unexpected change; having no fixed course
Example: The erratic driver swerved through the parking lot, seldom missing a car.

12) ubiquitous (adjective) - being present everywhere at once
Example: It is difficult to imagine a time when automobiles were scarce now that they are ubiquitous in our society.

13) fortitude (noun) - strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage
Example: Those lacking some degree of mental fortitude would be unlikely to survive in times of hardship.

14) nonchalant (adjective) - marked by blithe unconcern
Example: Knowing that his plan was foolproof, the bank robber strolled out of the building with a nonchalant demeanor.

15) affect (verb) - have an effect upon
Example: A few diehard supporters voted more than one-hundred times each in order to affect the results as much as possible.

16) effect (noun) - a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
Example: The projectile's acceleration decreased as an effect of air resistance.

17) misappropriate (verb) - to wrongly appropriate something for one's own use
Example: The police officer misappropriated some fireworks that he had confiscated and used them on New Years Eve.

18) pragmatic (adjective) - guided by practical experience rather than theory
Example: The pragmatic old man never encountered a problem that he couldn't solve by relying his "street-smarts" and wit.

19) metacognition (noun) - awareness or analysis of one's own thinking process
Example: Metacognitive awareness is crucial in order for one to truly understand how their own mind "works"/"operates".

20) devoutly (adverb) - in an earnest manner (usually refers to religious faith)
Example: The woman worshiped her "savior" devoutly out of fear of divine punishment.