Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Types of Teachers Most Students Love and Hate

Types of Teachers Most Students Love and Hate Hashtag: #OdioAlProfesorQue (I hate the teacher who..) Types of Teachers Most Students Love and Hate There are different types of teachers in the college realm and some of them belong to the type that most students would love.   These are teachers who are not so strict when it comes to class discipline, crack jokes in class, just check the attendance and do not even teach. However, there are teachers who take their job seriously, too strict, give students so many requirements, and teach in a style some students hate. Teaching, according to the literature is undoubtedly not an easy job as teachers need to blend and leave a mark on students who have varying views and diverse culture. Moreover, students learn in various ways and therefore requiring an application of specific teaching style. However, since not all teachers can offer all the teaching styles, students will always love or hate a teacher. Study of the teacher’s characteristics that have positive effects on college students suggest that most students like teachers who are always coming to class prepared, creative in the way he or she teach the class, fair in both student treatment and grading, funny, have a very positive attitude about being a teacher, and have high expectations for all students. Moreover, teachers who respect and never embarrass any student in front of the class, make students feel welcome and comfortable, approachable and with a sense of humor, showing compassion and genuine concern about students problems are the most loved and memorable among college students. In contrast, teachers who let their students take responsibility for their learning; making no effort to teach or help the class understand the course material, making destructive criticism and comparisons about low and top-scoring students in front of the class are mostly despised and remembered for their misbehavior and ineffectiveness. Good and Bad Classroom Teaching Behaviors Good classroom teaching behaviors such as those mentioned earlier  can be viewed as the leading edge of teaching and most likely have a positive impact on students’ feelings and attitude towards their teacher. In contrast, classroom teaching behaviors that are based on the false notion that public disclosure and personal attacks on students would motivate and improve their performance are not only unprofessional and ineffective but make students hate the teacher and the class. Study of the benefits of good classroom teaching behavior suggests that college students often appreciate a good teacher and developed negative feelings toward the poor teacher. A good teacher in their view is the one who induces a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere in class, contribute more to their learning, confident in students’ ability to learn, genuinely care and promote students’ interest in the material and motivation to come to his or her class and learn. A poor teacher for these students, on the other hand, is one who induces mistrust and a tense classroom atmosphere contributes little to their learning, lowers their self-esteem and restrains their ability to learn. A human relation approach to teaching can help teachers avoid the negative impact of ineffective teacher-students relationship. For instance, since most students have varying learning needs and cultural preferences, a caring teacher is more likely to succeed than an irate one practicing bigotry in his or her class.   In fact, the teaching requirements in human relations-oriented teaching such as creating supportive classroom atmosphere, helping and guiding students in resolving course-related problems, encouraging participation and collaboration in class are almost similar to beneficial classroom teaching behavior discussed earlier.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Canadian Governor General Michalle Jean Biography

Canadian Governor General Michalle Jean Biography A well-known journalist and broadcaster in Quebec, Michaà «lle Jean emigrated from Haiti with her family at an early age. Fluent in five languages- French, English, Italian, Spanish and Haitian Creole- Jean became the first black governor general of Canada in 2005. A social activist for women and children at risk, Jean planned to use the office of governor general to help disadvantaged young people. Jean is married to filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond and has a young daughter. Governor General of Canada Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin chose Jean to be the governor general of Canada, and in August 2005, it was announced Queen Elizabeth II approved the choice. After Jeans appointment, some questioned her loyalty, because of reports of her and her husbands support of Quebec independence, as well as her dual French and Canadian citizenship. She repeatedly denounced reports of her separatist sentiments, as well as denounced her French citizenship. Jean was sworn into office Sept. 27, 2005 and served as the 27th governor general of Canada until Oct. 1, 2010. Birth Jean was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 1957. At the age of 11 in 1968, Jean and her family fled the Papa Doc Duvalier dictatorship and settled in Montreal. Education Jean has a BA in Italian, Hispanic languages and literature from the University of Montreal. She earned her masters degree in comparative literature from the same institution. Jean also studied languages and literature at the University of Perouse, the University of Florence and the Catholic University of Milan. Early Professions Jean worked as a university lecturer while completing her masters degree. She also worked as a social activist, as well as a journalist and broadcaster. Michaà «lle Jean as Social Activist From 1979 to 1987, Jean worked with Quebec shelters for battered women and helped establish a network of emergency shelters in Quebec. She coordinated a study on women as victims in abusive relationships, which was published in 1987, and she has also worked with aid organizations for immigrant women and families. Jean also worked at Employment and Immigration Canada and at the Conseil des Communautà ©s culturelles du Quà ©bec. Background of Michaà «lle Jean in Arts and Communications Jean joined Radio-Canada in 1988. She worked as a reporter and then host on the public affairs proframs Actuel, Montrà ©al ce soir, Virages and Le Point. In 1995, she anchored Rà ©seau de lInformation Radio-Canada (RDI) programs such as Le Monde ce soir, LÉdition quà ©bà ©coise, Horizons francophones, Les Grands reportages, Le Journal RDI, and RDI là ©coute. Beginning in 1999, Jean hosted CBC Newsworlds The Passionate Eye and Rough Cuts. In 2001, Jean became an anchor for the weekend edition of Le Tà ©là ©journal, Radio-Canadas major news show. In 2003 she took over as anchor of Le Midi, the daily edition of Le Tà ©là ©journal. In 2004, she started her own show Michaà «lle, which featured in-depth interviews with experts and enthusiasts. Addtionally, Jean has participated in a number of documentary films produced by her husband Jean-Daniel Lafond including La manià ¨re nà ¨gre ou Aimà © Cà ©saire chemin faisant, Tropique Nord, Haà ¯ti dans tous nos rà ªves, and Lheure de Cuba. After the Governor General Office Jean has remained publicly active after her service as the federal representative of the Canadian monarch. She served as a special envoy of the United Nations to Haiti to work on education and poverty issues in the country, and she was also the chancellor of the University of Ottawa from 2012 to 2015. Beginning on Jan. 5, 2015, Jean began a four-year mandate as the secretary general of the International Organization of La Francophonie, which represents countries and regions where French language and culture has a significant presence.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Financial Health of Teaching Hospitals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Health of Teaching Hospitals - Essay Example Two key hypotheses of the study: (1) COTH hospitals because they comprise the largest part of teaching hospitals would have better financial margins and realize less impact on full-time equivalent residents, while family practice single-residency hospitals would fare worse than COTH hospitals; (2) citing little evidence of direct medical education payments from managed Medicare, which was implemented starting 1998, the authors hypothesized that there would be lower than expected actual payments. Using a sample of 713 hospitals, from among a lot of 1241 hospitals that received Medicare payments - the included samples were described to be general short-stay hospitals, to be more for profit, and had a significantly higher mean number of beds. Findings and Conclusions: Overall, the average margin of teaching hospitals in 1999 was just 2.5% and that 35% of the sample size had negative operating margins.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Source analysis assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Source analysis assignment - Essay Example The other issue is the creation of dehumanizing climate, which acts as a malarial swamp thus infecting everybody reading the content when it comes to the view of the Arab world, Islam and Middle East as a whole. The sources leave many questions like who went, where that person went and why that person went answered. The sources reveal the problems by pointing them out and solve them by addressing them in that people now start to look on the opposite side of the stories given by media regarding Middle East. It is obvious that the three sources in subject represent particular bias towards the Middle East as everything centers towards Middle East. The sources are useful in that they help people argue about the reasons behind the American media displaying Middle East negatively and at the same time give history for different issues. The sources have especially been useful to the Muslims and entire Middle East fraternity. The fact that they are internet history sources, they must be very reliable adding to it that the renowned authors write good pieces of history. Edward Said’s arguments are the main evidence supporting the sources. The evidence that the media provides however contradicts the sources and therefore bring about arguments just as Edward said

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Effect of enzymes on reactions Essay Example for Free

Effect of enzymes on reactions Essay Effect of enzymes on reactions Introduction            The function of any enzyme largely depends on the arrangement of its amino acids. The shape of an enzyme is so important such that any alteration or change in its amino acid sequence can have a huge effect on its function. An alteration to the amino acids in an enzyme does not only alter it shape but also its functionality. During a reaction, the whole enzyme does not take part but rather a small part known as the active site. The shape and appearance of the active site in any enzyme is determined by its three dimensional structure. The active site of an enzyme houses the shape of the substrate that needs to be changed during the reaction. This means that enzymes and substrates work like a lock and key. Since a specific key can only open a specific lock, this is explains why enzymes are specific in their reactions. How enzymes catalyze reactions            As noted earlier, enzymes serve as catalysts that speed up the rate at which biochemical reactions take place. They mainly work by offering a substitute pathway for reactions. Compared to other catalysts, the pathway provided by enzymes reduces activation energy. The same with all other catalysts, enzymes participate in reactions and this is the main way through which they offer a substitute reaction pathway. However, it is worthy noting that enzymes do not undergo any permanent changes during a reaction but remain intact. There main role in a reaction is to increase the rate but not the position of the reaction equilibrium (Cornish-Bowden 47). Unlike chemicals that catalyze a number of reactions, enzymes are usually very selective and can only catalyze precise reactions. This characteristic can be attributed to the shape of molecules that make up enzymes. Majority of enzymes are made up of a protein and non protein known as the cofactor. In most cases, the protein s found in the enzymes are globular. Any change in temperature and pH disrupts the inter-molecular and intra-molecular bonds that hold the proteins together in their tertiary and secondary structures. This means that catalytic ability of an enzyme is temperature and pH sensitive.            For any molecules to react, they must come into contact with one another. In other words, they must collide with enough energy and in the correct direction. Sufficient energy is important during a reaction because it helps the molecules overcome the energy barrier to the reaction. This type of energy is known as activation energy. During a reaction, the active side of an enzyme attaches itself to one of the reacting molecules known as the substrate. A reaction catalyzed by an enzyme takes a different route compared to that catalyzed by other catalysts. The coming together of an enzyme and a substrate results in a reaction intermediate. Enzyme substrate Enzyme-substrate complex            The best experiment that can be used to validate the claim that enzymes do in fact catalyze reactions is looking at how enzymes help human beings digest food. There are different types of foods that are consumed by human beings. Some of the most common foods consumed by people are the two types of sugars namely disaccharides and monosaccharaides. These two sugars are derived from foods like fruits which also contain fructose and glucose. All monosaccharides derived from the foods that we eat is absorbed directly and transported to different cells in the body (Cornish-Bowden 96). Unlike monosaccharides, disaccharides need to be broken down into their monosaccharide form before they can be absorbed into the body. In the absence of a catalyst, the rate at which the absorption of monosaccharide galactose and glucose take place is very slow. Since human bodies require a lot of energy to function properly, it is important that the absorption process is quickened through the use of an enzyme. The main enzyme that is produced by human bodies to quicken the absorption process is known as a lactase. The experiment would involve the following steps. This experiment can be represented using the following diagram. Fill a tube with 20 ml of a lactose solution. Fill another tube with 20 ml of lactose solution and 2 ml of lactase solution. Shake the tube to ensure that the two solutions mix. Give the experiment 5 minutes for the lactose to breakdown into galactose and glucose. Use a test strip to monitor the process. Originally, the strip is usually colored aqua. If it turns brown, olive or green, it is an indication that glucose is present. Compare the results from the two tubes.            If the color of the test strip turns brown, olive or green, this is an indication that glucose is present. This means that reaction in the tube with lactase was catalyzed resulting in the production of glucose. The reaction in the other tube was slow because there was no catalyst to quicken the reaction. The result from this experiment indicates that indeed enzymes can play a big role in catalyzing reactions. References Cornish-Bowden, Athel. Fundamentals of Enzyme Kinetics. (3rd edition), Portland Press, 2004. Print. Source document

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Matrix - Finding Reality In The Matrix Essay -- essays research pa

Movies are wonderful things; they can inspire, spark debate, and even make you believe in what you are seeing. Virtual Reality is a creation of a highly interactive computer-based multimedia environment in which the user becomes a participant with the computer in a "virtually real" world. Movies and virtual reality can do the same thing: make you believe what is presented to you. Although there are several movies which use virtual reality in the plot, such as The Lawnmower Man, and Hackers, the one most prevalent to me is The Matrix. Although this movie contains many aspects of virtual reality, it stands out in my mind so much because it suggests that the world in which we live, is a virtual one. The Matrix has many different aspects of virtual reality and they are incorporated throughout the movie. Virtual reality is involved in this movie in one major way: it suggests that our world is merely a virtual reality program that was created in order to â€Å"control† humans and keep them from the â€Å"real world,† which has been taken over by artificial intelligence who harvest humans for power. The main character in the movie is Gary Anderson, affectionately known to the hacker-world as Neo. He is contacted by people who have escaped the Matrix, and through a series of adventures, joins them. At one point in the movie, Neo goes to a psychic to find out if he is the one person who can save the rest of us from the Matrix. While waiting to see the psychic, Neo encounters a boy, ...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Three Changes of My Old School

I last went to the High School of Science & Technology. One of the changes they have made is the reinforcement of rules, having more safety within the students. Another change is the organization by providing counselors for specific and newly created departments. Also they are providing more time to students specially seniors who have planned to go to college. One of the changes they have made is the reinforcement of rules, they been having more safety within the students.Before I left there were rules nut they were never reinforce as much as this new year because they have had difficult situations in the past. After the past situations one of the ways they reinforce the rules is by giving out warnings to students the first time they commit an offense. If the students behavior continues they would have meetings with parents and counselors which helps a lot because they can work out any kind of problem they student is having. Because of this meeting students can get help for them, as well it helps teachers and other student s to concentrate better in their classes.Another change they made is the organization by providing counselors for specific and newly created departments. The school created a group for students who have lost family members or close friends. They used to do it once a month and every time people would go they would express themselves but there was lack of organization with the stuff they were going to be discussed during the meeting. This year they have prevented themselves with this situation when they see that students are going out of topic they stop and come back to what is supposed to be discussing during the meeting.Now meetings go in session every other week and they do two sections a day this way they divide the students in two groups and have a little more time for each one. Finally they are providing more time to students specially seniors who have planned to go to college. Many students that graduated last year had problems with coun selors because they would never have the time to meet with students and help them out with the preparation of college.Also applications to college were being sent late and some students could not get into the college they wanted. This year they are trying to keep on time applications for college and scholarships that way students won’t get frustrated and just looking to be successful in life. In summary reinforcing the rules, having better organization, and providing more time to students is a good beginning of a better school. These changes are the most important things that are outstanding in order to have a successful school.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Tokya Disneyland , Disney in Asia

Beyond Tokyo: Disney’s Expansion in Asia DISNEY IN ASIA Early in 1999, Michael Eisner, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, voiced his opinions concerning potential markets for his firm’s entertainment products and services. A major thrust for the new millenium would be development in Asia. †¢ We could be getting close to the time for a major Disney attraction in the world’s most populous nation. † The Walt Disney Company, Annual Report, 1998. †¢ â€Å"I am completely confident that Chinese people love Mickey no less than they love a Big Mac. Statement by Michael Eisner, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, during a trip to China in January 1999, Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News, 16 June 1999. INTERNATIONAL THEME PARKS AND RESORTS: DISNEY EXPERIENCE Tokyo Disneyland [pic] Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris) [pic] DISNEY AND CHINA IN THE 1990s Relations between the Disney Company and the government of China had not been particularly tranquil in recent yea rs. Disney held firm on its position on the movie. â€Å"Disney’s potential business in China is infinite.But Disney has to decide whether it wants to facilitate business or stand for free speech. † Not all of Disney’s relationships with China were negative however. The liberalization of China’s markets had generated benefits for the firm. ‘The Lion King’ had brought in almost $4 million in 1996 and the soundtrack had sold 1. 4 million copies. POTENTIAL OF THE ASIAN MARKET Building and investing in a multi-billion dollar theme park would represent another major, long-term commitment for The Walt Disney Company. Therefore, much research and planning were involved in this decision.In addition to the attractiveness of each of the remaining cities, Shanghai and Hong Kong, the market characteristics of the demand for theme park experiences by the Chinese people would have to be carefully evaluated. Although the success of the Tokyo Disney theme pa rk would strengthen the case for another facility in Asia, other data and experience brought up additional questions. Between 1993 and 1998, more than 2000 theme parks had been opened in China, developed and financed by both domestic and foreign investors.Disney management was convinced that a huge, child-loving populace would support a lively theme park business. Instead, many projects were swamped by excessive competition, poor market projections, high costs, and relentless interference from local officials. Cultural Factor The Chinese had a cultural disposition toward pampering children, which had been accentuated by the nation’s one-child per couple policy. Although many theme parks in China had not been successful, it was still generally believed that an exciting experience of high quality would attract visitors to a park.A mundane experience would be unlikely to spark interest in a second visit. Based on the repeat visitors at every other Disney theme park, management w as quite confident that they would be successful in attracting Chinese visitors not only the first time, but also the second, third, and fourth times. CASE Questions for Review 1. What cultural challenges are posed by Disney’s expansion into Asia? How are these different from those in Europe? There are some cultural challenges posed by Disney’s expansion into Asia.For example, Disney in Hong Kong soon realized that its attempts at cultural sensitivity had not gone far enough. For instance, the decision to serve shark fin soup, a local favorite greatly angered environmentalists. The park ultimately had to remove the dish from its menus. Furthermore, there is negative media coverage of the relatively new theme park for Hong Kong Disneyland in terms of cultural challenge. On the other hand, in order to make the park â€Å"culturally sensitive†, Hong Kong Disneyland would be trilingual with English, Cantonese and Mandarin.The park would also include a fantasy garden for taking picture with the Disney’s characters, popular among Asian tourists, as well as more covered and rainproof spaces to accommodate the â€Å"drizzly† climate. Attendance and operating income in France were less than anticipated and a major restructuring of the Euro Disney operating company was affected in 1994. Cultural challenges, as well as a European recession in the early 1990s, resulted in less than expected success of the park and its related hotels and facilities.Renamed Disneyland Paris early in 1994, and with enhanced performance, the Disney European experience finally began to pay off for this facility, which, by the late 1990s, was the largest theme park in Western Europe! With these two, quite different, experiences in operating a large theme park and resort facility outside of the continental United States, the Eisner management team was ready to move into China. Two locations were â€Å"in the running† early in 1999, representing quite dif ferent operating and financial strategies and structures.Either Hong Kong or Shanghai would likely be the site of the next Disney theme park. This was the challenge faced by the Disney management team, with a target decision date of June 1999. 2. How do cultural variables influence the location choice of theme parks around the world? Cultural obstacles influence the location of new theme parks in Asia. One is finding the right location. Often, more important than content is whether a venue is located in a metropolis, whether it is easily accessible by public transportation.However, in cultural perspective, there is an additional threat of competition, both from local attractions and those of other international corporations because of the fact that it seems that Asian travelers are loyal to their local attractions. Therefore, the stiff competition of the theme park industry in Asia will center on not only which park can create a surge of interest in its first year but also which can build a loyal base of repeat customers. In deciding on a site for a China theme park, a number of factors had to be identified, considered, and evaluated.In consultation with the Disney Board of Directors, they were looking for an â€Å"international character† for this park. A diversified visitor base would reduce the risks of problems in one country having an adverse effect on international visitor flow. Infrastructure in the area of the park and the region supporting it were also important. Visitors should be able to reach the park easily, by a variety of forms of transportation — airports, railroads, roadways, tunnels, bridges, bus lines, etc. hould be well established or enhanced while the park was being constructed. A prime area would be easily accessible and would also support a park most efficiently. The park and the region should contribute to visitors extending their time spent at the Disney facility. Management knew that convincing visitors to stay at the s ite, in a Disney hotel, was likely to generate greater cash flows from the park and its ancillary facilities. A stock of hotel rooms to upport park visitors was also important. Rooms at a variety of price points, from economy to luxury should be available when the park opened. 3. What location would you recommend for Disney’s next theme park in Asia? Why? We recommend Malaysia for Disney’s next theme park in Asia. Therefore, one of such strategic locations is the state of Johor in Malaysia due to the fact that Malaysian officials wanted to develop Johor in order to rival its neighbor Singapore, as a tourist attraction.In fact, there can be a Disneyland in Singapore; however, we don’t want to create a competitive environment between Hong Kong and Singapore. For us, there shouldn’t be two large Disney lands per region. Therefore, the best location in Asia to build a new theme park is Malaysia. We think that Malaysia Disneyland can rather bring in a new set of customers. EPILOGUE Despite its already large size, the Asian theme park industry is still developing.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

How to Grow as a Content Marketer With John Rampton of Calendar

How to Grow as a Content Marketer With John Rampton of Calendar Have you heard the term, â€Å"growth-hacking†? It can be a bit of a buzzword. Today we’re going to learn about a real-life growth-hacking example. You don’t have to have a special sales and marketing gene it just takes the willingness to learn. Today’s guest is John Rampton. He’s a serial entrepreneur, the founder of several companies, and a contributor to sites like Huffington Post and Entrepreneur. Today’s episode is a case study in perseverance, so you won’t want to miss it! Some of the highlights of the show include: What John is up to as an entrepreneur and how his products help businesses, as well as how he got into the entrepreneurial world. The first steps John took to get involved in an online business, including a hack he figured out that wasn’t illegal at the time. The framework John thinks about when it comes to risk-taking. Why hyperfocusing on specific niches and problems is one way to succeed. John’s thoughts on learning: how he finds time to squeeze learning into his busy days and making time for what’s most important. How something as simple as a calendar can function as a powerful tool, as well as information about Calendar.com. How an excellent marketing strategy can even sell a crappy product that provides no value. John’s most sage wisdom and best advice for marketers just getting started. Powered by PodcastMotor Actionable Content Marketing powered by By AMP068: How To Grow (Like Crazy) As A Content Marketer With John Rampton 00:00/00:00 1x 100 > Download file Subscribe on iTunes Leave Review Share Links: Due.com Calendar.com John on Twitter JohnRampton.com UpWork Email your iTunes review to podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by John â€Å"Don’t limit yourself to what you’re doing. Go find new and interesting ways there are always unique things to do.† â€Å"In your life, you’ll always go up or down, learning or not learning There’s no flat line.† â€Å"You will never be a better salesperson than your customers.†

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Biography of Leonardo Da Vinci, Genius Painter, Scientist, Naturalist

Biography of Leonardo Da Vinci, Genius Painter, Scientist, Naturalist Leonardo Da Vinci (April 15, 1452–  May 2, 1519) was artist, humanist, scientist, philosopher, inventor, and naturalist during the Italian Renaissance. His genius, says his biographer Walter Isaacson, was the ability to marry observation with imagination, to apply that imagination to intellect and its universal nature. Fast Facts: Leonardo da Vinci Known For: Renaissance-era painter, inventor, naturalist, philosopher, writer.  Born: April 15, 1452, Vinci in Tuscany, Italy.Parents: Piero da Vinci and Caterina Lippi.Died:  May 2, 1519, in Cloux, France.Education: Formal training limited to abacus school in commercial math, apprenticeship at the workshop of Andrea del Verrocchio; otherwise self taught.Spouse(s): None.Children: None.   Early Life Leonardo Da Vinci was born in the village of Vinci in Tuscany, Italy, on April 15, 1452, the only child of Piero da Vinci, a notary and eventually Chancellor of Florence, and Caterina Lippi, an unmarried peasant girl. He is properly known as Leonardo rather than da Vinci, although that is common form of his name today. Da Vinci means from Vinci and most people of the day who required a last name were given it based on their place of residence. Leonardo was illegitimate, which, according to biographer Isaacson, may well have assisted his skill and education. He was not required to go to formal school, and he passed his youth in experimentation and exploration, keeping careful notes in a series of journals which have survived. Piero was a well-to-do man, descended from at least two generations of important notaries, and he settled in the town of Florence, marrying Albierra, the daughter of another notary, within eight months of Leonardos birth. Leonardo was raised in the da Vinci family home by his grandfather, Antonio, and his wife, as well as Francesco, Pieros youngest brother only 15 years older than Leonardo himself. Florence (1467–1482) In 1464, Albierra died in childbirth- she had no other children, and Piero brought Leonardo to live with him in Florence. There Leonardo was exposed to the architecture and writings of the artists Filippo Brunelleschi (1377–1446) and Leon Battista Alberti (1404–1472); and it was there that his father got him an apprenticeship to the artist and engineer Andrea del Verrocchio. Verrocchios workshop was part art studio and part art shop, and Leonardo was exposed to a rigorous training program, that included painting, sculpture, pottery, and metal working. He learned the beauty of geometry and the mathematical harmony that art can leverage; and it was here that he learned chiarroscuro, and developed the sfumato technique he would become famous for. When his apprenticeship ended in 1472, Leonardo registered in the Florentine painters confraternity, the Compagnia di San Luca. Many of the works he did in Verocchios workshop were often completed by several of the students and/or the teacher, and it is clear that by the end of his tenure, Leonardo had surpassed his master. Verocchios workshop was sponsored by the Duke of Florence, Lorenzo de Medici (1469–1492) also known as Lorenzo the Magnificent. Some of the works painted by Leonardo in his twenties include the Annunciation and the Adoration of the Magi, and the portrait of Ginevra di Benci. Milan (1482–1499) When Leonardo turned 30, he was sent by Lorenzo on a diplomatic mission to bring a lute in the shape of a horses head that he himself had crafted to be given to Ludovico Sforza, the powerful Duke of Milan. With him was Atalante Migliorotti (1466–1532), the first of his long-term companions, who acted as a friend, assistant, secretary, and romantic partner. When Leonardo arrived in Milan, he sent a letter to Ludovico, a letter that was more or less a job application, laying out in detail the type of job he envisioned being useful to the Duke: military and civil engineering. Instead, Leonardo ended up an impresario, producing elaborate pageants for the royal court such as the Masque of the Planets. He designed scenery and costumes and developed fantastic mechanical elements for the plays that would fly, descend or animate for the audience. In this role, he was part court jester: he sang and played the lute, told stories and fables, played pranks. His friends described him as gentle and entertaining, handsome, precise and generous, a valued and beloved companion. The Genius in the Notebook It was also during this period that Leonardo began keeping regular notebooks. Over 7,200 single pages exist today, estimated to be one-quarter of his total output. They are filled with expressions of sheer genius: flights of fancy, precognitive sketches of impossible technologies (scuba gear, flying machines, helicopters) careful, analytical anatomical studies of dissections he performed on humans and animals; and visual puns. In his notebooks and his canvases, he played with shadow and light, perspective, motion, color. His drawings of humans at the time are fascinating: an old warrior with a nutcracker nose and an enormous chin; grotesquely old men and women; and a thin, muscular, curly-haired androgynous figure, the opposite avatar of the old warrior who would provide centuries of delight and speculation for art historians. Of course, he painted while he was in Milan: portraits included several of Ludovicos mistresses, The Lady with the Ermine and La Belle Ferronnià ¨re; and religious works such as Virgin of the Rocks and the astonishing Last Supper. He also made the famous drawing Vitruvian Man, the best of numerous attempts of the day to illustrate what the Roman architect Vitrivius (ca 80–15 BCE) meant when he said the layout of a temple should reflect the proportions of a human body. Leonardo ditched most of Vitriviuss measurements and calculated his own ideal of perfection. In 1489, Leonardo finally earned the job he had wanted in 1482: he received an official court appointment, complete with rooms (albeit not at Ludovicos castle). His first commission was to make an immense sculpture of the Duke of Milans father Francesco sitting on a horse. He made the model of clay and worked for years planning the casting, but never completed the bronze sculpture. In July of 1490, he met the second companion of his life, Gian Giacomo Caprotti  da Oreno, known as Salai (1480–1524). By 1499, the Duke of Milan was running out of money and no longer consistently paying Leonardo, and when Louis XII of France (1462–1515) invaded Milan, Ludovico fled the city. Leonardo stayed in Milan briefly- the French knew him and protected his studio from the mobs- but when he heard rumors that Ludovico was planning to return, he fled home to Florence. Italy and France (1500–1519) When Leonardo returned to Florence, he found the city still shaken from the after-effects of the brief and bloody rule of Savonarola (1452–1498), who in 1497 had led the Bonfire of the Vanities- the priest and his followers collected and burned thousands of objects such as artworks, books, cosmetics, dresses, mirrors, and musical instruments as forms of evil temptations. In 1498, Savonarola was hanged and burned in the public square. Leonardo was a different man when he returned: he dressed like a dandy, spending almost as much on clothing as he did on books. His first patron was the notorious military ruler Cesare Borgia (1475–1507), who conquered Florence in 1502: Borgia gave Leonardo a passport to travel wherever he needed, as his personal engineer and innovator. The job only lasted about eight months, but during that time Leonardo built a bridge supporting a garrison of troops out of a pile of lumber and nothing more. He also perfected the art of maps, drawing villages as they would be seen from the air, accurate, detailed birds-eye views of cities measured with a compass. He also established a friendship with Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527), who would base his classic The Prince on Borgia. By 1503, though, Borgia was running amok, requiring mass executions in the towns he occupied. At first, Leonardo seemed oblivious, but when Machiavelli left, so did Leonardo: back to Florence. In Florence, Leonardo and Machiavelli worked on an astonishing project: they planted to divert the Arno river from Pisa to Florence. The project got started, but the engineer changed the specs and it was a spectacular failure. Leonardo and Machiavelli also worked on a way to drain the Piombino Marshes: water, the movement of it, the force of it, was a fascination for Leonardo throughout his life, but the marsh project was also not completed. Michelangelo Artistically, Florence had a huge drawback: Leonardo had acquired a nemesis, Michelangelo. Twenty years younger, but although as gay as Leonardo was, unlike Leonardo, Michelangelo was a pious Christian convulsed by agony over his nature. The two artists communication devolved into a bitter feud. The two men were each commissioned to do battle scenes: hung in separate galleries, the paintings were depictions of frenzied faces, monstrous armor, and mad horses. Isaacson suggests that the upshot of the war of the battle scene was useful to both artists because they were now both luminaries, rather than interchangeable parts. From 1506–1516, Leonardo wandered back and forth between Rome and Milan; another one of his patrons was the Medici Pope Leo X (1475–1521). In 1506, Leonardo adopted Francesco Melzi, the 14-year-old son of a friend and civil engineer, as his heir. Between 1510 and 1511, Leonardo worked with anatomy professor Marcantonio della Torre, whose students dissected humans while Leonardo made 240 meticulous drawings and wrote 13,000 words of description- probably more, those are what have survived. But the professor died of the plague, ending the project before it could be published. And of course he painted: his masterpieces during this period in his life include the Mona Lisa (La Gioconda); The Virgin and Child with St. Anne, and a series of images of Salai as St. John the Baptist and Bacchus. Death In 1516, Francis I of France commissioned Leonardo for another astounding, impossible task: design a town and palace complex for the royal court at Romorantin. Francis, arguably one of the best patrons Leonardo ever had, gave him the Chateau de Cloux (now the Clos Luce). Leonardo was by now an old man, still productive- he made 16 drawings over the next three years, even if the city project was not completed- but he was visibly ill and had likely suffered a stroke. He died on May 2, 1519, at the Chateau. Sources and Recommended Reading Clark, Kenneth and Martin Kemp. Leonardo da Vinci: Revised Edition. London, Penguin Books, 1989.Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo Da Vinci. New York: Simon Schuster, 2017.  Farago, Claire. Biography and Early Art Criticism of Leonardo da Vinci. New York: Garland Publishing, 1999.Nicholl, Charles. Leonardo da Vinci: Flights of the Mind. London, Penguin Books, 2005.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Compare Scientific Models and Religious Myths Essay

Compare Scientific Models and Religious Myths - Essay Example The ideas in defense of religion, on the other hand, are argument from causation and argument from values. A myriad of scientific models have been invented and adopted in the realm of pure science and applied sciences, which gave a strong attachment of science to scientific observation and scientific methods. Objectivity, accuracy, and verifiability are of prime importance of scientific inquiry, and are the characteristics of science. These dimensions are said not to be possessed by religion, whose central configuration is faith. The locus of science being based on material objectivity through scientific methods is said to be a far cry from that of religion, which to some people, is perceived to be a locus of mythology, false and science-unaided beliefs, and fanaticism. Thus, the debate about science and religion has a history that dates back to the beginning of modern science. Naturalism, a scientific model that defends science with its stance of reality being material, and is therefore subject to scientific scrutiny, poses that any considerations that ideas not relying in scientific investigations are foolish (Baker, 2006). The search for truth is found in the material reality - in the natural world - which can be measured and analyzed according to scientific investigations. Religion, having no scientific tools to aid such investigation, is taken as a myth. Science was able to maintain such confinement to the natural world on the basis of its ability to use testable and reproducible material data that passed through scientific methods, in which explanations lie in the domains of the natural world. It goes on to say that non-natural explanations, like the realm of religion, are non-testable and non-reproducible and are therefore non-scientific. Anything non-scientific is considered a myth or an erroneous belief by some science geeks. However, the exclusio n of non-scientific explanations from understanding the natural world does not