MY FIRST MLA RESEARCH PAPER

Term Paper

LIFE AFTER THIS BLOG POST

This post is going to be short and sweet, as I don't have too much to cover. I will say, though, that Future Me is a brilliant idea, and I'm glad that it was brought to my attention. I can't imagine a better time to receive a slight boost than while undergoing the transition from high school to college/"the real world", so such a boost is what I attempted to provide. Without going into too much detail, I basically reminded my future self of who I am and what I stand for, and instructed him/me to never relinquish my drive/ambition. I hope that what I sent will either push me in the right direction, or solidify that path if I'm already on it. We will see in a year, I suppose.

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Upon reading the term/research paper prompt, I was a bit surprised. I found it extremely unusual that we were only allotted one weekend to complete such a lengthy, rigid, and difficult assignment. I was not discouraged, however. I had the whole paper mapped out in my head by the time I left class on Friday, and I was ready to embrace the challenge.Unfortunately, I had failed to acknowledge the research component of the assignment. This proved to be my downfall, as, after many hours of research, I failed to secure the citable information that I needed to construct my paper. I emailed back and forth with my instructor, collaborated with some of my fellow students (mostly Jon), and tried every research strategy I could think of--all with no avail. Considering that I could write for days on the topic out of my own knowledge, it was extremely frustrating for me to fail due to coming up shorthanded on my research. Research is the central element of a "research paper", though, and I will take my defeat in stride and use it to better myself. In fact, today I sought help and Dr. Preston was willing to sit down with me and provide some additional guidance/strategies, as well as some sources that he found to use as a starting point. With this new insight, I will attack the prompt with the same angle that I tried the first time (the social psychological causes of racism and how this information can be utilized to deduce possible solutions to racism), and hopefully have better luck the second time around. This is the angle that really peaks my interest, so I have been trying to avoid abandoning it if at all possible. Luckily, for once, everything is seeming to fall into place.

VOCABULARY #9

1) ultimate (adjective) - furthest or highest in degree or order; being the last or concluding element of a series
Example: Although I disagree with racial profiling, I don't believe that it is the ultimate violation of the constitution that it is made out to be.

2) interactive (adjective) - capable of acting on or influencing each other
Example: The interactive program adapted based on its user's actions.

3) principle (noun) - a basic truth or law; a rule of personal conduct
Example: Many people's opposition to racial profiling stems from their moral principles.

4) guidance (noun) - something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action
Example: One who is struggling with a difficult decision might consider seeking guidance from trustworthy source.

5) collaboration (noun) - the act of working jointly
Example: Several colleagues worked in collaboration on a project, allowing them to complete it before the deadline.

6) formative (adjective) - characterized by forming or molding or fashioning
Example: The formative young child was substantially influenced by his environment.

7) summative (adjective) - formed of separate units gathered into a mass or whole via summation
Example: The secretary was asked to transform the overwhelmingly large amount of information into an easy to manage, summative arrangement.

8) racism (noun) - discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race; the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races
Example: The degree of ignorance and narcism that racism is marked by infuriates me.

9) intelligence (noun) - a mental characteristic that enables one to reason, comprehend, think abstractly, solve problems, learn/adapt, etc.
 Example: Intelligence is often associated with grades and test scores, but, in fact, it reaches much deeper than those petty stats/numbers.

10) hyperbolic (adjective) - enlarged beyond truth or reasonableness
Example: The small issue became hyperbolic after it was blown way out of proportion.

11) consent (noun) - permission to do something
Example: With a court order, a police officer may legally enter and search a property without the owner's consent.

12) doctrine (noun) - a belief or system of beliefs accepted as authoritative by some group
Example: The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy that aimed to stop/prevent European interference with states in the western hemisphere.

13) hunch (noun) - an impression that something might be the case
Example: The detective's hunch was proven false when the suspect provided an air-tight alibi.

14) predominant (adjective) - having superior power and influence; most frequent or common
Example: Hispanics/Latinos are predominant in many areas near the Mexico-U.S. border.

15) discretion (noun) - freedom to act or judge on one's own
Example: When his superiors failed to provide clear orders, the low-ranking officer was forced to lead his men under his own discretion.

16) provision (noun) - a stipulated condition
Example: Teenagers are allowed to drive on a provisional basis.

17) seizure (noun) - the taking possession of something via legal proccess
Example: If Obama gets his way, then searches and seizures will be carried out to disarm American citizens, putting an end to freedom as we know it.

18) warrant (noun) - a writ from a court commanding police to perform specified acts
Example: The police brought the suspect in for questioning after they obtained a warrant for his arrest.

19) infraction (noun) - an act that violates a rule or law (generally on the less-severe end of the spectrum)
Example: Performing a "rolling stop" at a stop sign is technically an infraction, though it is a common practice amongst drivers. 

WHAT I SEE IS ALL IN MY HEAD

As embarrassing as it is to admit, I am a casualty of the "selective attention test". I knew that there would be some sort of trickery involved, so I attempted to be clever by counting passes by both the people in black clothes and the people in white clothes. This, of course, only furthered my obliviousness to the gorilla. I pride myself on my awareness and my attention to detail, so it is always a bit disgruntling when I fail those dastardly tests.

As far as what we discussed in class on Friday, it is a fact that 100% of our understanding comes from "in here". It's funny--I think about this matter fairly often, but, now that I am trying to organize my thoughts via text, I am having trouble getting the wheels turning. That's what I get for waiting until Sunday night to do this, I suppose... Anyways, when it comes to an issue like "reality" itself, one could chase their tail indefinitely with no avail. In order to avoid the never-ending loop of abstract hypotheticals that this topic can bring about, I'll end simply with this: there is a certain subjectivity that coincides with consciousness. That is, what any given person knows to be the world around him/her is nothing more than a construct, fabricated by his/her own mind. Albert Einstein was once asked if the moon is really there, even when no one is looking at it (or monitoring it in any way). He said "of course it is", undoubtedly shocked by the preposterous question. When asked to prove it, however, he was unable to. Or so the story goes.

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.
    

TO ACT OR NOT TOACT

While "Steve Jobs' speech" and "Hamlet's soliloquy" share similar themes, the two pieces are very different in most other respects. Chiefly, their tones are polar opposites. Jobs used a very positive, upbeat tone to convey the theme of his commencement speech. He portrayed life as an exciting pool of possibilities, with death being nothing more than a tool used to reset the cycle and make room for future generations once their predecessors have had their time. Shakespeare, on the other hand, took a very different approach. As he is known for, he used a dismal and melancholy tone in " Hamlet's soliloquy". I am no expert on Shakespearean literature (nor do I want to be), but it certainly doesn't take one to sense the tone/mood of his works.  

DEAR STEVE

Between Jobs' upbeat tone and the valuable lessons that he presented, I truly enjoyed his speech.  Beyond that, because much of the information/advice that he offered is particularly applicable to me in my current circumstances, I intend to legitimately take it to heart. I am at the point where I am going to be graduating from high school in relatively no time at all, and I have no idea what I want to do. Everyone is pushing me to go to college but, while I agree that pursuing a higher education is almost always in one's best interest, I feel that making such an enormous financial commitment without a clear objective would be counterproductive at best. Unless there is some sort of unexpected development that leads to me finding my true passion in life (if it even exists) within the next few months, then I will be left with very few reasonable options. My plan as of now, in  relative correspondence to the theme of the speech, is to attend a less-expensive community college and simply feel things out. After all, there is really no way to know for sure which subjects/fields are or are not for me until I've dabbled in all of them. Like Steve said, all I can do is follow my heart and hope that everything works out in my favor.  

THE VALUE OF CHOICE

(a): I read through the unit on "The Value of Life" and, to be honest, none of the topics really jumped out at me. I had hoped to find one that that I significantly lack experience/comfort with, but I feel fairly confident with all of the topics that were addressed. I am choosing "Thinking Critically" simply because I believe that it is the most important skill/concept in the given curriculum and, therefore, the most generally beneficial.

(b): Currently, the only skill that I seek to learn/improve is public speaking. As is the case with most people, public speaking does not come naturally to me, nor do I enjoy it. This was made especially evident during today's "Socratic Seminar". I understood the text that we discussed perfectly and could've easily written an elegant response/analysis on it. As soon as I started talking, however, something happened. Every point that I was about to make completely escaped me, I began stuttering, and everything from vocabulary to basic sentence structure was lost. This verbal holocaust served as a brutal, yet valuable lesson. I now know that, while it has nothing to do with the unit, this is what I need to focus on.

VOCABULARY #6 (#4 + #5)

1) adroit (adjective) - quick or skillful or adept in action or thought
Example: The performer was so adroit that he was able to juggle four chainsaws simultaneously without injuring himself.

2) amicable (adjective) - characterized by friendship and good will
Example: It is important for people to treat each other amicably in order to maintain a healthy society.

3) averse (adjective) - strongly opposed
Example: Far too many people are averse to doing what is right instead of what is easy.

4) belligerent (adjective) - characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
Example: Some people become belligerent after consuming large quantities of alcohol.

5) benevolent (adjective) - showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
Example: Some benevolent individuals are willing to donate money from their own pocket to causes that they feel are worthwhile.

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

7) duplicity (noun) - deceitful/fraudulent, as by speaking or acting differently to different people regarding the same matter
Example: The salesman displayed duplicity when he convinced his customer that the lower quality product was the "real thing".

8) extol (verb) - to praise, glorify, or honor
Example: Many people extol "celebrities" profusely, even though most "famous people" have contributed nothing of any real substance to this world.

9) feasible (adjective) - capable of being done under ordinary circumstances and by ordinary means
Example: Timely interstellar travel is simply not a feasible endeavor for human kind at this point.

10) grimace (noun) - a contorted facial expression indicating something unpleasant
Example: The detective's face displayed a grimace when he arrived at a grizzly crime scene.

11) holocaust (noun) - an act of mass destruction and loss of life
Example: The atrocities committed by hitler (I purposely didn't capitalize his name out of disrespect) during WWII are perhaps the most well-known example of a holocaust.

12) impervious (adjective) - incapable of being affected
Example: Sadly, the general public seems to be impervious to logic/reason.

13) 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 will.

14) jeopardy (noun) - peril or danger
Example: By forgetting to enable the alarm before returning home for the night, the store owner put his entire stock in jeopardy.

15) meticulous (adjective) - marked by extreme care for minute details
Example: The meticulous craftsman refused to settle for anything less than perfection.

16) nostalgia (noun) - longing for something past
Example: A great sense of nostalgia came over the man whilst reflecting upon his childhood.

17) quintessence (noun) - the purest and most concentrated essence of something; representing the perfect quality or class of something
Example: Conformity is the quintessence of cowardice.

18) retrogress (verb) - to fall back into a (usually worse) previous condition
Example: Just as the sick man's condition seemed to be improving, he retrogressed and is now worse than ever before.

19) scrutinize (verb) - to examine critically with minute detail
Example: Although the judges scrutinized the product with the utmost intent, they found no apparent flaws.

20) tepid (adjective) - feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm
Example: The tepid reviews of the product were concurrent with the lack of public interest.

21) accede (verb) - to agree or express agreement
Example: After receiving several complaints, the storeowner finally acceded to firing the cashier for making snide remarks towards patrons.

22) brandish (verb) - to exhibit aggressively
Example: The foolish man was brandishing a toy gun as if it were a real firearm, and was fired on by the police as a result.

23) comprise (verb) - to form or compose, or to be composed of
Example: Solid matter (as we interpret it) is actually comprised primarily of empty space.

24) deft (adjective) - skillful in physical movements
Example: Gymnasts are held to the highest standard when it comes to being deft/dexterous.

25) destitute (adjective) - completely wanting or lacking something desirable
Example: "Food drives" and other campaigns are aimed to aid destitute families that cannot afford basic necessities.

26) explicit (adjective) - precisely and clearly expressed; can also be used to describe something vulgar or inappropriate
Example: Despite the multitude of explicit warning signs, the naive man decided that it was in his best interest to pet the killer whale anyways. He is no longer with us : (

27) extirpate (verb) - to pull up by or as if by the roots; to remove surgically; to destroy completely
Example: Luckily, the surgeons were able to extirpate the cancerous mass from the woman's lung before it spread.

28) inopportune (adjective)- conditions that deviate from what is favorable
Example: The power went out during the climax of a television show; the most inopportune moment possible.

29) ironic (adjective) - an almost comical deviation from what is expected
Example: Ironically, the man who was pulled over for speeding through a school crosswalk was a full-time driving instructor.

30) musty (adjective) - stale and unclean smelling
Example: The damp towel grew musty after being wadded-up and not allowed to dry properly.

31) officious (adjective) - intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
Example: The police had no right to search the man's house in such an officious manner.

32) ominous (adjective) - threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
Example: There was an ominous feeling about the abandoned prison.

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

34) premeditated (adjective) - characterized by deliberate purpose and some degree of planning (usually refers to an illegal act/crime)
Example: The woman received an especially harsh sentence for murdering her husband, as it was clearly premeditated.

35) rampant (adjective) - unrestrained and violent
Example: The enraged child ran rampant through the toy store, destroying everything in his path.

36) solace (noun) - some sort of comfort in a time of disappointment or misery
Example: Although he was distraught that he missed his flight, he found some temporary solace in the hamburger that he purchased from the vendor.

37) stately (adjective) - refined or imposing in manner or appearance
Example: The stately statue made everything around it appear insignificant.

38) supple (adjective) - capable of moving or bending with ease
Example: Cats are such supple creatures that they are able to orient themselves in mid air while falling, enabling them to land on their feet nearly every time.

39) suppress (verb) - to control and/or prevent from showing
Example: The media suppressed the incident in which an armed civilian saved potentially hundreds lives by stopping a hostile gunman because the story would have been bad for their anti-gun lobbying, had it been broadcasted on any major "news" networks.

40) venal (adjective) - capable of being corrupted
Example: Venal individuals should be kept away from positions of power at all costs.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE

I value freedom of thought and freedom of choice more than any other fundamental "rights", save for the right to life. Aside from some sort of Jamie Whyte example*, such as having the freedom to drive your car through a crowd of people, I do consider the aforementioned freedoms to be natural rights that any/all intelligent species should be entitled to. That being said, there are pros and cons with "freedom of choice", just as there are with virtually everything in this life. For example, it is an amazing thing for one to be able to make the decisions that will shape their future. Unless, of course, they make poor choices and create an undesirable future. Making the wrong decision is an inherent risk of making decisions, after all. That shouldn't by any means deter anyone from acting/thinking independently; what is the point of living as a vessel for some other entity's thoughts/actions? Despite any possible cons that do or might exist, I will ALWAYS chose to think and decide for myself. Life is far too precious of an experience to waste by following others. I will take any/all information at my disposal into account but, ultimately, make my own decisions and follow them wherever they may lead me.

*This refers to an excerpt from Jamie Whyte's book, Crimes Against Logic, in which he dismantles many false "rights" on the basis that one person's entitlement creates an obligation for all other parties involved. A social variant Newton's third law, if you will.

NO CHILD LEFT UNTABLETED

A few months ago, I would have been 100% opposed to the idea of tablets in school. Because of this class, however, I am now aware of the learning power that personalization brings to the table. This factor alone gives the "tablet program" some merit in my eyes. Not to mention that I will instantly gravitate towards any system that manages to break away from its more "standardized" or "generally accepted" counterparts. With this, I do remain skeptical of some aspects of implementing tablets in school. My chief concern is the monetary cost, and whether or not that cost is worth it. Especially considering that, as you (Dr. Preston) have proven, internet access is the only true required basis for setting up a highly interactive, highly personalized learning system. Personally, I CANNOT be okay with hundreds of thousands of dollars from an already tight school budget being unnecessarily spent. Furthermore, as addressed in the article, there is a margin for failure. If teachers do not embrace the change and properly tailor their lesson plans to this new system, it will be redundant at best, and a complete and total disaster at worst. All of this is of little relevance to the true matter at hand anyways. Let's face it, truly helping individual students learn (learn, as in accumulate useful knowledge) isn't the primary concern for most school officials. All they really want is to increase our stats to make the U.S. look more imposing. They're after superficial test-score "learning", not learning in the true sense of the word. In either case, a radical reinvention of the schooling system would be required to yield any real results. Shoving the same bland, generic busy work down student's throats year after year and expecting positive results is nothing short of lunacy. Not only do these current methods create a complete lack of interest/motivation amongst students, but they also create legitimate problems for those students who do apply themselves, but simply do not operate well under the tyranny of whatever "learning" system they're stuck with. Not to sound like a fanboy, but open source learning is BY FAR the most viable solution I have encountered in my limited experience. I predict that the results will speak for themselves, and that such teaching philosophies will spread like wildfire and blitzkrieg the school system.

All in all, I believe that tablets in school could work but aren't necessary/worthwhile, and, more importantly, that the focus should be on the bigger picture of learning in general versus gimmicky "quick-fixes".

VOCABULARY #5

1) adroit (adjective) - quick or skillful or adept in action or thought
Example: The performer was so adroit that he was able to juggle four chainsaws simultaneously without injuring himself.

2) amicable (adjective) - characterized by friendship and good will
Example: It is important for people to treat each other amicably in order to maintain a healthy society.

3) averse (adjective) - strongly opposed
Example: Far too many people are averse to doing what is right instead of what is easy.

4) belligerent (adjective) - characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
Example: Some people become belligerent after consuming large quantities of alcohol.

5) benevolent (adjective) - showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
Example: Some benevolent individuals are willing to donate money from their own pocket to causes that they feel are worthwhile.

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

7) duplicity (noun) - deceitful/fraudulent, as by speaking or acting differently to different people regarding the same matter
Example: The salesman displayed duplicity when he convinced his customer that the lower quality product was the "real thing".

8) extol (verb) - to praise, glorify, or honor
Example: Many people extol "celebrities" profusely, even though most "famous people" have contributed nothing of any real substance to this world.

9) feasible (adjective) - capable of being done under ordinary circumstances and by ordinary means
Example: Timely interstellar travel is simply not a feasible endeavor for human kind at this point.

10) grimace (noun) - a contorted facial expression indicating something unpleasant
Example: The detective's face displayed a grimace when he arrived at a grizzly crime scene.

11) holocaust (noun) - an act of mass destruction and loss of life
Example: The atrocities committed by hitler (I purposely didn't capitalize his name out of disrespect) during WWII are perhaps the most well-known example of a holocaust.

12) impervious (adjective) - incapable of being affected
Example: Sadly, the general public seems to be impervious to logic/reason.

13) 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 will.

14) jeopardy (noun) - peril or danger
Example: By forgetting to enable the alarm before returning home for the night, the store owner put his entire stock in jeopardy.

15) meticulous (adjective) - marked by extreme care for minute details
Example: The meticulous craftsman refused to settle for anything less than perfection.

16) nostalgia (noun) - longing for something past
Example: A great sense of nostalgia came over the man whilst reflecting upon his childhood.

17) quintessence (noun) - the purest and most concentrated essence of something; representing the perfect quality or class of something
Example: Conformity is the quintessence of cowardice.

18) retrogress (verb) - to fall back into a (usually worse) previous condition
Example: Just as the sick man's condition seemed to be improving, he retrogressed and is now worse than ever before.

19) scrutinize (verb) - to examine critically with minute detail
Example: Although the judges scrutinized the product with the utmost intent, they found no apparent flaws.

20) tepid (adjective) - feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm
Example: The tepid reviews of the product were concurrent with the lack of public interest.

LITERATURE ANALYSIS #1 (Cosmos by Carl Sagan)

 *I accidentally deleted this assignment today while transferring it to my blog from a word document and was unable to recover it. I redid the assignment (most of it) but, despite putting even more time into it, it didn't come together as well as the first run did :( . 

TOPIC(S) and/or EVENT(S)

1) A. Initial thoughts: Cosmos contains a wide array of scientific principles, information regarding different places/objects in the universe, historical references, and insight into the minds and lives of some of history’s greatest thinkers. None of these subject matters, however, are what the book is actually “about”. What Carl Sagan really described with Cosmos is the scientific journey that the human species has undergone in order to find our place in the cosmos and compile a fairly impressive understanding of the known universe. All of them still enthralling, nearly any topics that one could say the book is “about” are mere examples or reference points supporting this larger theme. 

   B. One statement paraphrasing the paragraph above^: While Carl Sagan delves into a multitude of topics/events in Cosmos; the single underlying theme that he adheres to throughout the book is the progression of the human learning endeavor throughout our relatively brief history.

2) As stated in the introduction, Cosmos began as a thirteen-part television series aimed at presenting science to the general public in a concise and captivating way. After receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the viewers, Sagan decided that a second installment of Cosmos was to be published in the form of a book. With a slightly different target audience and no time constraints, he would be able to further elaborate on topics that had already been covered and include certain topics that were less suitable for the TV show. Thus, arguably the most renowned scientific non-fiction piece of the modern era was born.

3) I chose Cosmos for my literature analysis for a few reasons. Primarily, I had already had my sights set on this book for a while before this assignment was even announced so, naturally, when we were asked to pick up a non-fiction book, this one came to mind. Also, I like to “stand out” whenever possible and I didn’t think many of my peers would be choosing books too similar to this one (I was actually quite impressed with the diversity of the choices). Finally, I truly enjoy a challenge and wanted to choose a book on the more “complex” end of the spectrum. Ironically, Cosmos was first brought to my attention by a comment on a YouTube video. The high praise that the commenter had for the book, combined with the title/subject matter that I gathered from his brief synopsis of it, created an instant appeal to me. While this book doesn't have the same "hook" that, for example, a suspense novel might have, it holds a different type of allure. It serves as a platform for learning, while still being well-written enough to avoid growing monotonous at any time. Carl Sagan's eloquent writing abilities, paired with my interest in science, made the book difficult to put down once I was immersed in it.

4) I absolutely found Cosmos to be "realistic". The book can't really be viewed as unrealistic, considering that it is almost entirely composed of proven scientific facts and historical data. I felt a great connection with nearly all of the subject matters addressed in Cosmos. From the growth of the human species, to the formation and development of our solar system, to the anatomy of the universe itself; it would be nearly impossible for anyone who has read and understood the book to not feel a deep connection. That was one of Carl Sagan's main objectives, after all-- to describe the connection between the human species and the cosmos, and how that connection has helped shape us by fueling our most untamed curiosities.

STYLE

1) Stylistically, Cosmos is a bit of a hybrid. It is journalistic in nature due to the fact that Carl Sagan is primarily presenting factual information, but he also manages to tell an elegant story simultaneously. This is part of what makes the book so special; I found myself reading about all of these interesting, yet seemingly unrelated topics when, all of the sudden, everything would fall into place revealing what Sagan had been setting up for last hundred pages. It is truly remarkable how well he was able to organize the copious amount of included in the book into such a clear and harmonious thematic arrangement. As far as literary devices, they were definitely in there. The book wasn't a giant mess of them like most fiction novels; but I did identify a few during my initial reading. Similes, metaphors, imagery, symbolism, foreshadowing, personification, allegory, flashback, and irony all managed to find their respective places within the text.

2) Sagan definitely opted for lengthy, didactic descriptions rather than actions/dialog. Cosmos is a book of science after all. While this may make the book seem more "dry" to some, it increases the text's effectiveness and, to me, its appeal. There would be no place and/or reason for dialog in a book of this sort anyways so, for those who have a problem with that, I would recommend a different sub-genre.

3) To instill the intended mood into the text, Sagan makes excellent use of descriptive language. His vivid imagery (combined with the various pictures/paintings that each page is layered with) truly takes the reader on a proverbial voyage. This further adds to Cosmos' effectiveness; there is no better way of getting the audience to appreciate the grandeur of the universe than making them feel as if they are at the place in question, presently witnessing an awe-inspiring cosmic event.

4) Carl Sagan's attitude throughout Cosmos was clear, he was nothing short of ecstatic. I could feel through the text that science and learning were his true passions in life, and that in its self really amplified the overall effect of the book. The positivity and excitement that he allowed to radiate through the pages with his word choice and writing tone made it difficult not share his splendor for the cosmos. 

5) Carl Sagan's use of external resources was very limited. His only real installments of them (besides an occasional quote here and there) were the several quotes/excerpts that he included at the beginning of every chapter to set the stage for each topic. Personally, I really appreciate this touch. These usually obscure, deep, and highly symbolic passages serve as some food for though while progressing through the chapter. Also, they are all highly relevant to both the subject of the chapter, and the theme of the book.

VOCABULARY #4

1) accede (verb) - to agree or express agreement
Example: After receiving several complaints, the storeowner finally acceded to firing the cashier for making snide remarks towards patrons.

2) brandish (verb) - to exhibit aggressively
Example: The foolish man was brandishing a toy gun as if it were a real firearm, and was fired on by the police as a result.

3) comprise (verb) - to form or compose, or to be composed of
Example: Solid matter (as we interpret it) is actually comprised primarily of empty space.

4) deft (adjective) - skillful in physical movements
Example: Gymnasts are held to the highest standard when it comes to being deft/dexterous.

5) destitute (adjective) - completely wanting or lacking something desirable
Example: "Food drives" and other campaigns are aimed to aid destitute families that cannot afford basic necessities.

6) explicit (adjective) - precisely and clearly expressed; can also be used to describe something vulgar or inappropriate
Example: Despite the multitude of explicit warning signs, the naive man decided that it was in his best interest to pet the killer whale anyways. He is no longer with us : (

7) extirpate (verb) - to pull up by or as if by the roots; to remove surgically; to destroy completely
Example: Luckily, the surgeons were able to extirpate the cancerous mass from the woman's lung before it spread.

8) inopportune (adjective)- conditions that deviate from what is favorable
Example: The power went out during the climax of a television show; the most inopportune moment possible.

9) ironic (adjective) - an almost comical deviation from what is expected
Example: Ironically, the man who was pulled over for speeding through a school crosswalk was a full-time driving instructor.

10) musty (adjective) - stale and unclean smelling
Example: The damp towel grew musty after being wadded-up and not allowed to dry properly.

11) officious (adjective) - intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
Example: The police had no right to search the man's house in such an officious manner.

12) ominous (adjective) - threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
Example: There was an ominous feeling about the abandoned prison.

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

14) premeditated (adjective) - characterized by deliberate purpose and some degree of planning (usually refers to an illegal act/crime)
Example: The woman received an especially harsh sentence for murdering her husband, as it was clearly premeditated.

15) rampant (adjective) - unrestrained and violent
Example: The enraged child ran rampant through the toy store, destroying everything in his path.

16) solace (noun) - some sort of comfort in a time of disappointment or misery
Example: Although he was distraught that he missed his flight, he found some temporary solace in the hamburger that he purchased from the vendor.

17) stately (adjective) - refined or imposing in manner or appearance
Example: The stately statue made everything around it appear insignificant.

18) supple (adjective) - capable of moving or bending with ease
Example: Cats are such supple creatures that they are able to orient themselves in mid air while falling, enabling them to land on their feet nearly every time.

19) suppress (verb) - to control and/or prevent from showing
Example: The media suppressed the incident in which an armed civilian saved potentially hundreds lives by stopping a hostile gunman because the story would have been bad for their anti-gun lobbying, had it been broadcasted on any major "news" networks.

20) venal (adjective) - capable of being corrupted
Example: Venal individuals should be kept away from positions of power at all costs.

VOCABULARY #3

1) accomplice (noun) - a person who joins with another in carrying out some plan (especially an unethical or illegal plan)
Example: The bank robber had an accomplice who worked at the bank disable the security cameras before he went in.

2) annihilate (verb) - to violently cause to cease to exist; to destroy completely
Example: Despite our meager attempts, an advanced interstellar race would annihilate human kind with little effort if they so desired.

3) arbitrary (adjective) - based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice
Example: Debating which is "better", tater tots or french fries, is an arbitrary matter since it is simply a matter of opinion (yes Jamie Whyte, it is).

4) brazen (adjective) - unrestrained by convention or propriety
Example: The perpetrator was punished further after exhibiting a brazen disregard for the officer's authority by ripping up the speeding ticket.

5) catalyst (noun) - any factor that influences the likely-hood and/or intensity of an event.
Example: Some substances can work as catalysts, speeding-up/easing a chemical reaction without being directly involved in the reaction itself.

6) exodus (noun) - a journey by  a large group to escape from a hostile environment
Example: An old adage tells of slaves using constellations ("the big dipper" in particular) to guide their exodus to freedom.

7) facilitate (verb) - to make easier through guidance or direction
Example: The helicopter pilot helped facilitate the police chase by calling out the target's position.

8) incorrigible (adjective) - impervious to correction by punishment
Example: Some children are incorrigible and, therefore, require positive reinforcement as opposed to pure discipline.

9) latent (adjective) - potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
Example: The idea of a multiverse is latent; it is entirely possible, but not evident.

10) militant (adjective) - showing a fighting disposition
Example: A group of militants fought to overthrow their corrupt government.

11) morose (adjective) - having a sullen and gloomy disposition
Example: It is common to become morose and reclusive after suffering a great tragedy.

12) opaque (adjective) - cloudy and difficult to clearly interpret
Example: The word "opaque" can be used as a physical characteristic (i.e. "frosted" sea glass), or to describe a lack of clear expression exuded by a person or idea.

13) paramount (adjective) - having superior power and influence
Example: Thin blade grinds are paramount to receiving optimal cutting performance from a bladed tool.

14) prattle (verb) - to speak rapidly and incessantly about unimportant matters.
Example: People who prattle about idle/uninteresting matters aren't very pleasant to speak with.

15) rebut (verb) - prove to be false or incorrect
Example: The law-abiding man was able to easily rebut the hollow accusations that were cast against him.

16) reprimand (noun) - an act or expression of criticism and censure
Example: The employee received swift reprimand from his boss for missing the deadline.

17) servitude (noun) - a state of subjection to forced labor (usually imposed as a punishment)
Example: Slaves were condemned to a torturous life of servitude due to the greed  and evil that consumed their oppressors.

18) slapdash (adjective) - marked by great carelessness
Example: In an act of slapdash, the young child toppled over a display case that was filled with priceless artifacts.

19) stagnant (adjective) - not circulating or flowing or growing or changing
Example: Stagnant water is unsafe to drink because it has a higher chance of carrying harmful contaminants.

20) succumb (verb) - be fatally overwhelmed
Example: After a long fight, the patient eventually succumbed to his ailment.

ESSAY IDEA

As a follow up on the "obesity" topic, I came up with this prompt today in class:

Write a persuasive essay directed towards an obese person. Convince them of the error of their ways and attempt to persuade them into leading a healthier life-style. Be sure to include some useful advice on how they may conquer their infliction, both mentally and physically.

My group and I unanimously agreed that we all lack experience in persuasive writing when compared to other genres. Therefore, we decided that we would benefit most by straying from our familiarities and gaining experience in other areas.  

VOCABULARY #2

1) obesity (noun) - a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body
Example: America's obesity problem is a direct repercussion of poor diet and lack of exercise.

2) accumulate (verb) - to collect or gather
Example: The fats and sugars in unhealthy foods cause body fat to accumulate, especially when exercise is absent from the equation.

3) mass (noun) - the property of a body that is a measure of its inertia and that is commonly taken as a measure of the amount of material it contains and causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
Example: The more mass per volume in a substance, the higher the density.

4) disease (noun) - an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning
Example: Obesity is now considered by many to be a disease, and a widespread one at that.

5) diet (noun) - the usual food and drink consumed by an organism
Example: Many Americans' diets consist primarily of "fast food"/"junk food".

6) prevalence (noun) - (epidemiology) the ratio (for a given time period) of the numbers of occurrences of a disease or event to the number of units at risk in the population
Example: These poor dietary habits that Americans exhibit are directly related to our extremely high obesity prevalence. 

7) stigma (noun) - a symbol of disgrace or infamy
Example: Due to the United States' staggering obesity rates, the social stigma that is attached to obesity has turned our global image into something to be ashamed of.

8) prevent (verb) - to keep from happening or arising
Example: With education, proper parenting, and some willpower; it is quite possible to prevent obesity.

9) adolescent (adjective)- displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
Example: Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to obesity if subjected to manipulative advertisements and/or irresponsible parenting.

10) cardiovascular (adjective) - of or pertaining to or involving the heart and blood vessels
Example: Obesity is known to directly cause various cardiovascular problems.

11) excessive (adjective) - beyond normal limits
Example: Excessive consumption of unhealthy food often results in obesity.

12) mechanism (adjective) - a natural object resembling a machine in structure or function
Example: Most obese people will become offended if confronted about their problem; this is due, in part, to an inherent defense mechanism present in most people that protects them from their insecurities.

13) sedentary (adjective) - requiring little activity
Example: Especially when paired with poor eating habits, sedentary life styles can lead to obesity.

14) predispose (verb) - make susceptible
Example: Some people are born with a predisposition to obesity, greatly magnifying their risk of being inflicted. 

15) syndrome (noun) - a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease
Example: Various eating-related syndromes can lead to obesity.   

PROSE & CONS: OBESITY

     The title of this post is slightly misleading; as there are obviously NO pros whatsoever to being obese. What this title actually refers to are the opposing perspectives given by one of four obesity-related texts that my class has been instructed to choose between. In my case, this is whether the blame for America's obesity pandemic falls on the massive "fast food"/"junk food" industrial machine, their customers, or both. While this topic is stemmed from CBSNEWS's article "The Blame Game And Obesity In America", four other sources will also be referenced in this essay in order to provide additional information/evidence on the matter. The URLs for all of these sources will be posted at the end.
    
     If asked, most people would identify the "food" industry as the driving force behind our major obesity issue. It's not difficult to understand why. The United States is notorious worldwide for the pathetic excuse of "food" that we pump out in enormous quantities. In fact, "enormous quantities" is an understatement. According to StatisticBrain.com, 50+ million Americans are served "fast food" EVERY DAY, grossing an annual revenue of over 100 billion dollars. It was also listed that 64% of Americans eat "fast food" 1-2 times per week, and 20% of Americans eat "fast food" 3-7 times a week. This is "fast food" alone, factoring in all other types of unhealthy food (i.e. "junk food") would result in a truly stupefying statistic. How is it that these companies are able to sell such overwhelming amounts of their products? There are a few key factors that generate this frightening result, the first obviously being the "food" itself. Regardless of how repulsive it actually is; it tastes good. It has been designed/engineered to. The danger of this is fully realized when paired with another factor; "fast food" is very inexpensive, highly convenient, and often comes in huge portions. Most people will seldom choose to pay for real ingredients and prepare their own food when they have the option to spend a few seconds at a drive-through getting their favorite meals handed to them for much less money. While this mentality is beyond flawed, it is no mystery why many Americans take that plunge, especially with the guileful advertisements that are worked into every aspect of their environment helping them along. That brings us to the third factor; companies pay good money to make sure that no one ever goes ANYWHERE or do ANYTHING without being constantly reminded of what they should go eat afterwards. Collectively, the "food" industry spends billions and billions of dollars every year to assure that their adds are every bit as compelling as they are abundant. From McDonald's clowns and free toys to Carl's Jr.'s risqué commercials featuring near-nude lingerie models posing seductively with humungous hamburgers in their hands, they do a damn good job at manipulating their target audience.

     While these big businesses seem clearly at fault, there are two sides to every argument. "Food" industry executives assert that, regardless of what measures they take to peddle their filth, it all comes down to personal choice on the consumer's end. As much as I hate those greedy scumbags, they are right and there is no denying it. Unless you're in Guantanamo Bay and there's a tube depositing the stuff into your stomach, you don't HAVE to eat it. As devious and manipulative as these companies can be, it is ultimately YOUR choice to stop by In-N-Out for a double-double with fries and a chocolate shake (my personal favorite) instead of waiting until you get home and having a piece of fish and a salad. While searching for sources to reach my quota, I stumbled across a post that sums this argument up perfectly. This is what economics professor Ninos Malek had to say on the subject in 2003: "The ridiculous claim that corporations are responsible for people’s health problems is nothing new. Remember the lawsuits against the tobacco companies? If you smoke let me ask you this: did an employee from one of the tobacco companies put a gun to your head and make you smoke a cigarette? I didn’t think so. People who are dying because of smoking-related illnesses have nobody to blame but themselves. And it’s the same for people who eat poorly. I have never seen Ronald McDonald with an M-16 forcing people to buy Big Macs. A person has to drive to McDonald’s, order a Big Mac, and eat it on his own."

     In my opinion, the blame is shared equally between the two parties. Despite the fact that it comes down to personal choice, the "food" companies are absolutely NOT exempt from all blame. I consider what they are doing to be nothing short of war profiteering. This may sound extreme, but it is quite realistic. Instead of getting rich from helping people kill each other, they are getting even richer by helping people slowly kill themselves. They set the stage for a battle of willpower, and then harvest money from the casualties. External conflict or internal, it doesn't change what they are doing. Not to mention that what they call "food" is nothing more than an appalling mix of scrap/waste meat, chemicals, and filler substances. If you really want the details and you are prepared never to eat fast food again, then there will be a link below that goes more in depth. I would paraphrase the whole thing but, due to the beauty of the Internet, I can just let you all read it for yourselves.

Original article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-204_162-1423314.html?pageNum=1

Sources/evidence for stats and advertisement information:
http://www.statisticbrain.com/fast-food-statistics/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_food_advertising

Sources for personal responsibility (Malek's excellent thread [link 1] and an article that will quickly make you more personally responsible when it comes to fast food LOL [link 2]):
http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/fast-food-and-personal-responsibility#axzz2d3L1csSy
http://www.expressionoftruth.com/2013/05/why-you-should-avoid-fast-food-at-all.html