Philosophy Of Thought And Logic 2012

Welcome
Thinking
Critical Thinking
Solving Problems
Perceiving and Believing
Constructing Knowledge
Language and Thought
Concepts
Organization
Moral Issues
Arguments
Reasoning
Living Creatively
Digital Stories

Welcome to Philosophy of Thought and Logic

Understanding the world through experience and reason.

Everyone has to think in order to function in the world, and this course will equip you with the tools to reason effectively in your pursuit of reliable beliefs and useful knowledge. Whether you are a budding philosopher searching for ultimate truths, a science student grappling with the nature of scientific proof, a new parent weighing conflicting childrearing advice, or a concerned citizen making up your mind about today's issues, the lessons you learn in this course will help you cut through deception and faulty reasoning to get closer to the essence of a matter.

This is equally a course in argument and in reasoning. While you will learn how to reason, you will also learn how to persuade others. And it teaches how to judge and answer the arguments of others and how they will judge yours. This is the very center of a well-educated mind.

Dr. Michael Thompson

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE THINKING

By Sena Bailey

According to psychology today, it has been estimated that we have anywhere from 25,000 to 50,000 thoughts a day. These thoughts can either be positive or negative. Negative thinking seems to be more common than positive thinking. If you have been brought up in a poor or difficult environment, you will probably expect difficulties and failure in life. If you have been brought up in a happy and positive atmosphere, then it will be easier for you to think positively and expect success. We all view everything that happens in life with our mental attitude. If our thoughts are positive, everything will be fine, but, if they are negative, our lives will reflect negative thoughts. With positive thinking you have an attitude that will bring results from repeating a few positive words or telling yourself that everything will be okay. With negative thinking you have the mindset that you are going to fail, you are afraid of meeting new people or having close relationships and react in ways that keep away people and opportunities. Even if your circumstances are not as you wish them to be, think positive and expect only satisfying results. The good news is that with repeated inner work can change the habits of thinking negatively to positively. The way you think determines whether the results will benefit or be harmful to you. It is not enough to think positively 75% of the time. Thinking positively has to be the dominant attitude that you display. In time, your mental attitude will affect your life and change it. It is completely up to you whether it is negative or positive.

Sources
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/depression-doing-the-thinking
http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm

By: Vanessa Gultom

Thinking…
…as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “the action of using one’s mind to produce thoughts.” But is thinking that simple? But can thinking really be limited to such a simple definition? In a technical sense thinking is what the definition claims it is, the action of producing thoughts, but the action itself has lead this world to many, MANY discoveries. More importantly, it is something that many people of this day and age fail to do on a daily basis.

Though thinking can be found to be the highest form of mental activity, are we really using our thoughts? Ideally we think in order to make decisions, solve problems, and make reason for the things that go on around us, but do we really know HOW to think or are we more ignorant that we’d like to believe and lacking that common sense our mothers always complained that we were lacking when we made a mistake? Well, either way, this wiki will cover a few simple steps in the thinking process that may either confuse or help some of its readers to think in a more structured and proficient way.

The first step in this process would be to UNDERSTAND YOUR PROBLEM. Whether you’re trying to solve your way out of a Jigsaw Killer Puzzle, or trying to decide which dress to wear to that thing with those people (FYI Wear the Black One) identifying what exactly your dilemma is, IS key. The second step would be to cover all possible solutions in your mind before Step three which is choosing the best solution for you and your particular situation and putting it into action. The last step is to look back on your thoughts and actions and weigh the outcomes. Did things go according to plan, or was it all for naught? Learn from this situation in order to either make a different decision the next time or to have a preset decision down just in case you need to wear another dress to another thing with other, or the same people.

There you have it! A structured way of thinking which could improve your organizational skills, and save time, or make time depending on how many solutions you can come up with. Now go out into the world and preach my teachings to those who you just want to punch every time they speak and you wonder, “How in the hell could they survive this long….?”

References:
Dictionary: Thinking
How To Improve Your Thinking Skills
Cyanide & Happiness Comic

Positive and Negative Thinking
Jonathan Burgess

Thinking, or thought, is the base behind almost all human actions and interactions, and refer to any intellectual or mental activity someone takes part in. Thinking allows us to make sense of our world and to understand what goes on around us. When it comes to thinking about life, or the future there are generally two different types of thinkers, optimists, and pessimists. For a pessimist there is always a problem, or something to worry about, and nothing is ever right. Whereas an optimist would try to take negative circumstances and find something good in it. They would try not to worry and not let things get them down for too long. Negative thinking can affect someone’s life more than they think, and many people do not realize how thinking positively can improve a situation.

Negative thoughts are caused by our own beliefs and can relate to almost every aspect of life. Negativity can be naturally occurring in some people, or it can be brought out by news or events in someone’s life. Negative thinking affects the way the brain receives impulses, and effects the way it functions. This can cause problems like sleep disorders and emotional issues. Negativity can often lead to depression, and fighting negative thoughts can lead to a happier and more productive life. If you think something is bad, then it is hard to change your mind about it, so it will continue to become more of a problem. One way negative thinking can impact on someone’s life is with physical effects. Thinking pessimistically can cause people to care less about their physical needs and relates to eating disorders. It seems to go in a circle, when you think negatively, negative things tend to happen, and when negative things happen, you continue to think negatively. This is why when you are in a negative state of mind everything seems to go wring. Negative thinking can also have an effect on the people around you. If you are always around negative people, it will usually make you feel down as well.

Positive thinking, on the other hand, can help in life and proves to have many benefits. It can improve your overall mood, and outlook on life, as it promotes calmness, happiness and peace. Optimistic thinking can also benefit your body physically and encourages good health. If you think positively good things will tend to happen, and it will mean you can continue to move in the right direction in your life. Positive thinking also improves your ability to cope with problems you might encounter in life. This is because positive thinking will allow you to keep calm in stressful situation. In a problem an optimist will tend to see ways to fix it, whereas negative thinkers will keep focusing on the problem.

When someone thinks negatively it damages the potential to overcome problems. People can get so down with negative thoughts that they cannot see there is a way out. However, if people can find the positives then there situation can change. They can decide to focus on the positive thoughts and look for them, rather than focusing on the negatives. If someone can find positive thoughts then they will avoid the effects of negative thinking and get the benefits of positive thinking.

http://www.the-benefits-of-positive-thinking.com/negative-thinking-versus-positive-thinking.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/029850_negativity_thinking.html

The Power of Positive Thought or Thinking

By Audrey Lorenz

What is positive thought or thinking? To most it is considered a state of mind in which the brain inputs thoughts, words and images that enable growth, expansion and success. It is also considered to be a mental aspect that makes a person expect some sort of good to come out of whatever they do. The power to have positive thoughts can be what leads many people to the success that they have and enjoy in their lives.

Usually, when a person does not believe in themselves you can see their thoughts about themself manifested into the things that they do. For instance, when a softball player makes a bad play and they keep thinking about it and all of the bad things that could happen, the next time the ball comes their way, they usually make a mistake. This is because when they were thinking these thoughts the one thing they weren’t doing was visualizing any positive outcome. It’s just like when you think about doing something, your brain tells your body to do whatever you were thinking about doing. This is much the same in the case presented, as the player was only thinking about the bad things that could happen, when another play came their way their thoughts about the bad were translated into their actions, thus making another mistake as a result. However the same can be seen in the opposite with positive thinking.

Take the first example. When the first mistake was made, if the player were to “shake it off” or forget about it, and rather think about the positive that could come out of the next play, the chances of that player making a mistake would be drastically decreased. This can too be explained by how whatever you think in your mind is translated into what you do. Say the player’s mistake was an errant throw, after which the player did not linger on the bad play but rather thought about the next play and visualized themselves making a good throw and making the play, when the ball was hit at the player again, the player was likely to do much like they did in their head and make a good throw. This however is just one example of what positive thinking can do.

There are many places in which positive thinking can help an individual to succeed. Many people who are negative never get anywhere because they, for whatever reason, do not believe in themselves, and cannot see themselves accomplishing anything. This lack of belief can lead to them giving up on things too soon and not trying to finish the things that they have started after they hit a bump in the road. Ho9wever when you see a positive thinking person, even when they get stuck up on something, rather than giving up, they believe in themselves and their ability, and push through it to accomplish their goal, or to merely finish what they started. And therefore, the power of positive thought can lead to many things for those people who use it in the right way.

http://youtu.be/PvMcAGyEg-k

http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm

Individual Thinking
By: Gunnar Hays

One of the broadest questions you could hear is what is thinking. Thinking can be described simply or in complex matters. Thinking can also be broken down into sub groups like thinking critically or thinking creatively. There is always room for conversation when it comes to thinking, and one of the most important things people can do is critically think for themselves.

Everybody has outside factors to how they think. Often times people’s beliefs will be similar to those they grew up with like their community and family. Many kids in northwest Kansas will grow up to think like a small town conservative farmer, it’s how they were raised, but it still doesn’t mean somebody can’t think for themselves. To be an individual thinker there must be an open mind when there is development. The mind develops, as the individual gets older, and keeping the mind open will increase knowledge. It is important to see things from many different perspectives and not be quick to judge. Thinking about different perspectives in detail can make the big difference on how to develop as an individual critical thinker. Even if there is a side one would tend to agree with, there is no path to being an individual thinker when there is no balance. A person who sits around all day listening or watching to one side like Rush Limbaugh or a different side like Chris Mathews isn’t making themselves individual thinkers. They might argue their ideas are the same as Limbaugh or Mathews but are they really individually thinking? Or are they just having their beliefs reinforced without truly analyzing everything themselves? This point isn’t to say that to be a thinker one must never listen to the radio or watch TV again, the point is thinkers always have a open mind and form ideas through their own doing.

Another key part of thinking as an individual is being mentally active. It’s often said for many different reasons there is a difference between living and existing. Individual thinkers stay active and don’t back away from something. They’re not afraid to respond to a challenge or something unusual. People that want to be physically fit work their bodies out often, so it can be said the same about critically thinking. To stay mentally active, keep your brain busy and working. Things like puzzles, brain stretching activities, and social experiences can all contribute to keeping the brain healthy and active.

In a Stanford commencement address, a truly incredible individual thinker named Steve Jobs gave the advice to “stay hungry and stay foolish.” To be and individual critical thinker it is very important to stay hungry and curious. Individual thinkers aren’t going to sit ideally buy when they don’t understand something, and they certainly aren’t going to just accept what others say and automatically assume it’s the truth. Individual thinkers study and analyze themselves to find answers, and finding answers is very important to an individual thinker. Individual thinkers are the ones digging into something themselves; they are never satisfied without the going out and forming the answer. It is essential to stay hungry and curious, and when the curiosity arises, it is an opportunity to think about something and make a conclusion.

It could be easily argued that knowing what thinking is, is not nearly as important as being a thinker itself. It’s not extremely hard to be an individual thinker; it just takes the right mindset and right traits. Keeping an open mind, staying active, and staying curious can play a major role in starting to become an individual critical thinker.

References:
Thinking Critically Tenth Edition by John Chaffee
http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/staying-mentally-active

Critical Thinking
Trent Lussenhop

What is it?

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness. It entails the examination of those structures or elements of thought implicit in all reasoning: purpose, problem, or question-at-issue; assumptions; concepts; empirical grounding; reasoning leading to conclusions; implications and consequences; objections from alternative viewpoints; and frame of reference. Critical thinking — in being responsive to variable subject matter, issues, and purposes — is incorporated in a family of interwoven modes of thinking, among them: scientific thinking, mathematical thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, economic thinking, moral thinking, and philosophical thinking.
Critical thinking can be seen as having two components:
1) a set of information and belief generating and processing skills.
2) the habit, based on intellectual commitment, of using those skills to guide behavior.
It is thus to be contrasted with:
1) the mere acquisition and retention of information alone, because it involves a particular way in which information is sought and treated;
2) the mere possession of a set of skills, because it involves the continual use of them; and
3) the mere use of those skills ("as an exercise") without acceptance of their results.
Critical thinking varies according to the motivation underlying it. When grounded in selfish motives, it is often manifested in the skillful manipulation of ideas in service of one’s own, or one's groups’, vested interest. As such it is typically intellectually flawed, however pragmatically successful it might be. When grounded in fair-mindedness and intellectual integrity, it is typically of a higher order intellectually, though subject to the charge of "idealism" by those habituated to its selfish use.
Critical thinking of any kind is never universal in any individual; everyone is subject to episodes of undisciplined or irrational thought. Its quality is therefore typically a matter of degree and dependent on , among other things, the quality and depth of experience in a given domain of thinking or with respect to a particular class of questions. No one is a critical thinker through-and-through, but only to such-and-such a degree, with such-and-such insights and blind spots, subject to such-and-such tendencies towards self-delusion. For this reason, the development of critical thinking skills and dispositions is a life-long endeavor.

The Problem
Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or down-right prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.
A Definition
Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or
problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking
by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and
imposing intellectual standards upon them.
The Result
A well cultivated critical thinker:
• raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and
precisely;
• gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to
interpret it effectively comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards;
• thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought,
recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and
• Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutct/define_critical_thinking.cfm
http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view_print.php?book=28800

Critical Thinking
Chase Berg

What is critical thinking? Is it simply thinking hard about an issue or is it more than that. Lets first define critical and thinking separately. Dictionary.com defines critical as “involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc.; judicial: a critical analysis” and thinking or think as “to employ one's mind rationally and objectively in evaluating or dealing with a given situation.” So if I combine those I would get this “skillfully analyzing and judging the thoughts of my mind to arrive at the most logical or suitable answer to any given problem.” The Critical Thinking Community (criticalthinking.org) defines critical thinking as “that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking
by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them.” So now that we know the definition, how do we think critically? Some skills a critical thinker needs are the following: observation, interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, explanation, and meta-cognition(Wikipedia).

Experienced critical thinkers will give much consideration to:tevidence through observation, context, relevant criteria for making the judgment well, applicable methods or techniques for forming the judgment, applicable theoretical constructs for understanding the problem and the question at hand. (Wikipedia) He will then use this information to formulate a solution to the problem or question. A critical thinker does not hesitate to question himself. In fact, he is willing to investigate what he believes to be true in order to prove that it is indeed true. This does not mean the critical thinker is wish-washy and does not believe anything, but shows the extent of knowledge he is willing to comprehend.

A critical thinker raises important questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely; gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively; comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards; thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems, without being unduly influenced by others' thinking on the topic (Wikipedia).

Critical thinking skills are gained over a lifetime of experiences. The more experiences a person gains, the better solutions he will find to problems because he is able to relate. Critical thinking does not come naturally but must be cultivated and watered with knowledge of previous events and a yearning to know more. But most of all a critical thinker needs to be willing to ask questions and must be able to be critical of himself. If one practices the things above, he will be well on his way to becoming a critical thinker.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thinking?s=t
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766

Critical thinking wiki Cortney Thurman
Critical thinking clarifies goals, examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, accomplishes actions, and assesses conclusions.

"Critical" as used in the expression "critical thinking" connotes the importance or centrality of the thinking to an issue, question or problem of concern. "Critical" in this context does not mean "disapproval" or "negative." There are many positive and useful uses of critical thinking, for example formulating a workable solution to a personal problem, deliberating as a group about what course of action to take, or analyzing the assumptions and the quality of the methods used in scientifically arriving at a reasonable level of confidence about a given hypothesis. To add further clarification on what is meant by thinking critically, Richard Paul (1995) articulated critical thinking as either weak or strong. The weak-sense critical thinker is a highly skilled but selfishly motivated pseudo-intellectual who works to advance one’s personal agenda without seriously considering the ethical consequences and implications. Conceived as such, the weak-sense critical thinker is often highly skilled but uses those skills selectively so as to pursue unjust and selfish ends (Paul, 1995). Conversely, the strong-sense critical thinker skillfully enters into the logic of problems and issues to see the problem for what it is without egocentric and/or socio-centric bias. Thus conceived, the strong-sense mind seeks to actively, systematically, reflectively, and fair-mindedly construct insight with sensitivity to expose and address the many obstacles that compromise high quality thought and learning. Using strong critical thinking we might evaluate an argument, for example, as worthy of acceptance because it is valid and based on true premises. Upon reflection, a speaker may be evaluated as a credible source of knowledge on a given topic.

Critical thinking can occur whenever one judges, decides, or solves a problem; in general, whenever one must figure out what to believe or what to do, and do so in a reasonable and reflective way. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening can all be done critically or uncritically. Critical thinking is crucial to becoming a close reader and a substantive writer. Expressed in most general terms, critical thinking is "a way of taking up the problems of life.

The six stages
Stage One: The Un-reflective Thinker (we are unaware of significant problems in our thinking)
Stage Two: The Challenged Thinker (we become aware of problems in our thinking)
Stage Three: The Beginning Thinker (we try to improve but without regular practice)
Stage Four: The Practicing Thinker (we recognize the necessity of regular practice)
Stage Five: The Advanced Thinker (we advance in accordance with our practice)
Stage Six: The Master Thinker (skilled & insightful thinking become second nature to us)

Critical thinking skills are a must because they allow you to think outside the box and gather your own understanding of a problem. Developing and expanding on these skills makes you a more well rounded thinker and prepares you for problems in all walks of your life.

http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-in-everyday-life-9-strategies/512
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking

Critical thinking——David Garcia
The concept of critical thinking is based off of reflective thinking which is aimed at what to believe or do. It’s an extremely broad subject, which is why defining critical thinking is so difficult. Critical thinking can be used in every aspect of life. The way you think about certain things and perceive actions you encounter all revolve around critical thinking. Simply, you’re going to have to think in depth about anything you’re about to do, and that’s basically what critical thinking is. Critical thinking traces back 2,500 years to when Buddah’s teachings and in depth knowledge of philosophy were used to determine certain aspects of life and thought. Critical thinking clarifies goals, examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, accomplishes actions, and assesses conclusions. There are many positive and useful uses of critical thinking, for example formulating a solution to a complex personal problem, deliberating as a group about what course of action to take, or analyzing the assumptions and the quality of the methods used in scientifically arriving at a reasonable level of confidence about a given hypothesis. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness. When initiating critical thinking your main goal is to be convincing with your opinions and reasoning. Have plenty of evidence to back up your explanation of the problem. In sense if you don’t have a strong basis to your thinking your reasoning will not be taken seriously. Critical thinking varies on the motivation underlying it. When grounded in selfish motives, it is often manifested in the skillful manipulation of ideas. If used wisely this tool can be used as the ultimate form of manipulation, that’s where the right sense of objective reasoning and evidence is crucial. When grounded in fair-mindedness and intellectual integrity, it is generally of a higher order intellectually, though subject to the charge of "idealism" by those habituated to its selfish use. Critical thinking of any kind is never universal in any individual; everyone is subject to episodes of undisciplined or irrational thought. No one is a critical thinker through-and-through, but only to such-and-such a degree, with such-and-such insights and blind spots, subject to such-and-such tendencies towards self-delusion. Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, and empathically. They strive to diminish the power of their egocentric tendencies. They use the intellectual tools that critical thinking offers. They work diligently to develop the intellectual virtues of intellectual integrity, intellectual humility, intellectual civility, intellectual empathy, and an intellectual sense of justice and confidence in reason. They realize that no matter how skilled they are as thinkers, they can always improve their reasoning abilities and they will at times fall prey to mistakes in reasoning, human irrationality, prejudices, biases, distortions, uncritically accepted social rules and taboos, self-interest, and vested interest. At the same time, they recognize the complexities often inherent in doing so. They avoid thinking simplistically about complicated issues and strive to appropriately consider the rights and needs of relevant others. They recognize the complexities in developing as thinkers, and commit themselves to life-long practice toward self-improvement. To sum it up, you have to be well informed and have deep intellectual reasoning to be a successful critical thinker. This is a key tool that will forever be used to problem solving.
Works Cited
[philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php]
[www.wisegeek.com/what-is-critical-thinking.htm]

bold textCritical Thinking

italic textJoint Siagian

According to a statement by Michael Scriven and Richard Paul, critical thinking is the intellectually communication, as a guide to belief and action. Discipline process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, empathically.
Critical thinking includes a complex combination of skills. Among the main characteristics are the following:
Rationality: We are thinking critically when we
• Ely on reason rather than emotion
• Require evidence, ignore no known evidence, and follow evidence where it leads, and
• Are concerned more with finding the best explanation than being right analyzing apparent confusion and asking questions.
Self awareness: We are thinking critically when we
• Weight the influence of motives and bias, and
• Recognize our own assumptions, prejudices, biases or point of view.
Honesty: We are thinking critically when we recognize emotional impulses, selfish motive, nefarious purposes or other modes of self – deception.
Open – mindedness: We are thinking critically when we
• Evaluate all reasonable inferences
• Consider a variety of possible viewpoints or perspectives,
• Remain open to alternative interpretations
• Accept a new explanation, model, or paradigm because it explains the evidence better, is simpler, or has fewer inconsistencies or covers more data
• Accept new priorities in response to reevaluation of the evidence or reassessment of our real interests, and
• Do not reject unpopular views out of hand.
Discipline: We are thinking critically when we
• Are precise, meticulous, comprehensive, and exhaustive
• Resist manipulation and irrational appeals, and
• Avoid snap judgments.
Judgment: We are thinking critically when we
• Recognize the relevance and/or merit of alternatives assumptions and perspectives
• Recognize the extent and weight of evidence.
As to cognitive skills here is what the experts include as being at the very core of critical thinking:
Interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self regulation. The breakdowns for all skills above are:
Interpretation is “to comprehend and express the meaning or significance of a wide variety of experience, situations, data, events, judgments, conventions, beliefs, rules, procedures, or criteria.” The experts include categorize, decode significance and clarity meaning as sub – skills of interpretation.
Analysis is “to identify the intended and actual inferential relationships among statements, questions, concepts, descriptions, or other forms of representation intended to express belief, judgment, experiences, reasons, information, or opinions.” The experts include examining ideas, detecting arguments, and analyzing arguments as sub – skill of analysis.
Evaluation: as meaning “to assess the credibility of statements or other representations which are accounts or descriptions of a person’s perception, experience, situation, judgment, belief, or opinion; and to assess the logical strength of the actual or intended inferential relationship among statements, descriptions, questions or other forms of representation.” The experts include assess credibility of claims; assess quality of arguments that were made using inductive or deductive reasoning as sub – skill of analysis.
Inference : means “ to identify and secure elements needed to draw reasonable conclusions; to form conjectures and hypotheses; to consider relevant information and to reduce the consequences flowing from data, statements, principles, evidence, judgments, beliefs, opinions, concepts, descriptions, questions, or other forms of representation” as sub – skills of inference the experts list querying evidence, conjecturing alternatives, and drawing conclusions.
Explanation: as being able to present in a cogent and coherent way the results of one’s reasoning. This means to be able to give someone a full look at the big picture. The sub – skill under explanation are describing methods and results, justifying procedures, proposing and defending with good reasons one’s casual and conceptual explanation of events or points of view, and presenting full and well- reasoned, arguments in the context of seeking the best understandings possible.
Self – regulation: to mean “self- consciously to monitor one’s cognitive activities, the element used in those in those activities, and the results educed, particularly by applying skills in analysis, and evaluation to one’s own inferential judgments with a view toward questioning, confirming, validating, or correcting either one’s reasoning or one’s results.” The two sub – skills here are self – examination and self – correction.
Critical thinking enables us to recognize a wide range of subjective analyses of otherwise objective data, and to evaluate how well each analysis might meet our needs. Facts may be facts, but how we interpret them may vary. Becoming educated and practicing good judgment does not absolutely guarantee a life of happiness, virtue, or economic success, but it surely offers a better chance at those things. And it is clearly better than enduring the consequences of making bad decisions and better than burdening friends, family, and all the rest of us with the unwanted and avoidable consequences of those poor choices.
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766
http://www.criticalreading.com/critical_thinking.htm
http://www.insightassessment.com/

Damyan Wright
Problem Solving
What is problem solving? “Problem-solving is a mental process that involves discovering, analyzing and solving problems. The ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue,” said Kendra Cherry.
It is obvious that decision making is a key component in our lives. Decision making without critical thinking gives us only half of the picture and with only half a picture we can never really see what is really happening. Both personally and professionally, we make decisions every day. Decision making is like you determining what to wear to work or your plans for tonight or the weekend.

You are continually solving problems that are going to affect your life and the peoples around you. You are faced with a problem of being a college student by the essays and assignments. Other than being a college student, you will be faced with difficult and complicated problems that if not faced the right way will cause problems in your life. We all have problems and don’t need anymore.Problem solving is a big part of everyday life for everybody like it or not. No one is qualified enough to avoid all problems that come their way. Even if you prepare for them, it still will have an effect on your life. In my lifestyle of becoming a basketball player, I have to face problems everyday whether it is against my judgment. I have to make decisions on when and for how long to exceed my skills on and off the court. I have to make decision on what do I need to work on more and what needs to be done. The worst part is to actually doing what you have decided to do. The only way to fix your problems is if you stop procrastinating and go do it.
In order to solve any problems, you must first be able to accept and acknowledge that the problem exists. You can’t deny the fact it’s a problem. This is why I want to talk to you about how I faced my problems in my life. First I accepted the fact if was a problem and then I looked for help to help solve this problem. My problem was that I had a major problem regarding a life of parents who has an alcohol and drug addiction and my friends felt powerless to help me and my problem. When drugs or alcohol enter a house hold then it is really hard to not try them. I was still a young person when this was going on.
First thing you have to do is look for help. It’s not going to come to you. Talk to people about what’s going on and take there advise. They can only help you. Talk to a counselor who can direct you into the right direction to either get help or fix the problem. On the plus side, I did not let this affect me and the rest of my life decisions. I found the help I needed and fix my problems. I got adopted and started my life over again but this time on the right track and becoming something. I am really thankful for being adopted. I’m also thankful for accepting the fact there was problem and for also changing my life. I still tried to fulfill my life and not let the past affect me. To this day I have bad memories but I don’t become a sad person. I become a guy who sees it as I became a better person because of it. For this I am glad to finally become this great person.

http://psychology.about.com/od/problemsolving/f/problem-solving-steps.htm
http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/a/problem-solving.htm

Solving Problems
Trent Lussenhop

What is a Problem?
1. A problem is an opportunity for improvement. A problem can be a real break, the stroke of luck, opportunity knocking, a chance to get out of the rut of the everyday and make yourself or some situation better. Note that problems need not arrive as a result of external factors or bad events. Any new awareness you have that allows you to see possibilities for improvement brings a "problem" for you to solve. This is why the most creative people are "problem seekers" rather than "problem avoiders."
Developing a positive attitude toward problems can transform you into a happier, saner, more confident person who feels (and is) much more in control of life. Train yourself to respond to problems with enthusiasm and eagerness, rising to the opportunity to show your stuff, and you will be amazed at the result.
2. A problem is the difference between your current state and your goal state. A problem can result from new knowledge or thinking. When you know where you are and where you want to be, you have a problem to solve in getting to your destination. The solution can and should be fun and exciting as you think over the various possible solution paths you might choose. When you can identify the difference between what you have and what you want, you have defined your problem and can aim toward your goal.
3. A problem results from the recognition of a present imperfect and the belief in the possibility of a better future. Isn't it interesting here that hope produces problems? The belief that your hopes can be achieved will give you the will to aim toward the better future. Your hopes challenge you, and challenge is another definition of a problem.

The Importance of Goals in Problem Solving
As you read these definitions, I hope you noticed that they all include the ideas of goals and ideal states. Problem solving centers on thinking about goals and ideals. When a goal is met, the problem should be concluded if the goal was an appropriate one for solving the problem.
Another way of thinking about this would be to say that the goal or ideal state defines how much of a problem exists or even whether or not there is a problem.
Another important truth to derive from this understanding about goals is that as your goals change, so will the nature of the problems you face. Life operates in real time rather than in timeless theory, so that as we move through our existence, our goals are in a constant state of flux. Some goals change radically, or even reverse, while others undergo minor adjustments and refinements. Be sure that your problems and solutions stay current with your goals.

General Guidelines for Problem Solving
Here are some guidelines that will help you analyze, define, and solve problems in an orderly way. Use these guidelines to help create a problem-solving habit of mind and to give some structure to your problem solving activity. Remember, though, that problem solving does not proceed by recipe, nor is it necessarily linear, as these guidelines might imply. Problem solving is a recursive process; you must continually go back and forth between steps and do some parts again. Similarly, you might not always proceed in exactly this order. Thus, these guidelines are not meant to be rigid and absolute.
I. Problem Exploration
1. State the Problem.
A. State what the problem is
B. Restate the problem
C. State the problem more
2. Clarify the Problem.
A. Define the Key terms of the problem.
B. Articulate the assumptions
C. Obtain needed information
3. Explain the Problem.
A. Discuss the problem with someone else.
B. Look at the problem from different viewpoints.
C. Ask a series of whys.
4. Put the Problem in Context.
A. What is the history of the problem?
B. What is the problem environment?
C. What are the constraints?

http://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook3.htm
http://granitegrok.com/blog/2007/10/solution_day_debriefing_report_from_hamp.html

Problem Solving
By: Vanessa Gultom

We as humans face problems everyday, even without noticing it. Of course some problems might be smaller than others, for instance, not knowing what to wear for today is also a problem! A bigger problem might be you might be laid off from work and you have loads of bill to pay. Overall problem solving as defined in dictionary. com is “the area of cognitive psychology that studies the processes involved in solving problems.”
I am sure many of you know that if you have a problem, there’s a solution to the problem. It might not be in front of your face and you might have to use critical thinking to solve, but almost any problem that you face have a solution.

Decision is one major part of problem solving. You always have choices in what you decide to do. Problems needs solutions and it is kind of, up to yo,u what you want the result to be. I know I learned that people react to things first before they think, and solving a problem might be the thing you want to really think about first before reacting to the problem.

Other than decision, you need to take problem solving step by step.
as it says in the NYS & CSEA Partnership
there are steps to solving most problems:

Steps in Problem Solving
Identify the problem
Identify the causes
Brainstorm solutions
Select best solution
Implement solution plan
Follow-up, evaluate, monitor progress

For example, some people might think that teen pregnancy is a big there are many problems in society that need to be discussed such as the rising rate of pregnancy within our youth. There are many consequences to the youth’s actions while engaging in sex. Such as many young girls will not receive a high school diploma or their child might even become a teen parent themselves.
There are health risks for the baby and children born to teenage mothers such as they are more likely to suffer health, social, and emotional problems than children born to older mothers. Also, women who become pregnant during their teens are at increased risk for complications, such as premature labor.
Nowadays, young people are very curious about their surroundings. They want to know almost everything and experience new situations. This is natural because of their nature. However, this becomes a negative thing if they engage in things that are not appropriate for their age or in things that they are not able to handle by themselves. The lack of education on sexual intercourse is what can cause high pregnancies.
In most schools, no student can graduate without learning about American History, government, English or Science. Students are taught how to have children and usually how to prevent it, but it is not required for them to learn how to care for the children after they have them. Unless they come from large families, many young people have no idea how much responsibility is required in caring for an infant. If they did, maybe they would take more precautions to avoid this until they were ready for the responsibility.
If a law was made to make it mandatory for all freshman high school students to take child development and parenting classes, all teenagers would have a better understanding of the responsibilities involved. This would make them more likely to take better precautions to avoid teenage pregnancy.
That’s an example how to solve teen pregnancy, step by step, and reasonings. Of course, we all know, everyone thinks differently about everything because of the patterns we learn as we are growing effects our way of thinking.

References:
NYS & CSEA Partnership
Dictionary: Problem Solving
Cyanide & Happiness Comic

Kenton Lambert- Problem Solving
In order to correctly solve a problem, it is important to follow a series of steps. Many researchers refer to this as the problem solveing cycle, which includes developing strategies and organizing knowledge. While this cycle is portrayed sequentially, people rarely follow a rigid series of steps to find a solution. Instead, we often skip steps or even go back through steps multiple times until the desired solution is reached.
1. Identifying the Problem: While it may seem like an obvious step, identifying the problem is not always as simple as it sounds. In some cases, people might mistakenly identify the wrong source of a problem, which will make attempts to solve it inefficient or even useless.
2. Defining the Problem: After the problem has been identified, it is important to fully define the problem so that it can be solved.
3. Forming a Strategy: The next step is to develop a strategy to solve the problem. The approach used will vary depending upon the situation and the individual's unique preferences.
4. Organizing Information: Before coming up with a solution, we need to first organize the available information. What do we know about the problem? What do we not know? The more information that is available, the better prepared we will be to come up with an accurate solution.
5. Allocating Resources: Of course, we don't always have unlimited money, time and other resources to solve a problem. Before you begin to solve a problem, you need to determine how high priority it is. If it is an important problem, it is probably worth allocating more resources to solving it. If, however, it is a fairly unimportant problem, then you do not want to spend too much of your available resources into coming up with a solution.
6. Monitoring Progress: Effective problem-solvers tend to monitor their progress as they work towards a solution. If they are not making good progress toward reaching their goal, they will reevaluate their approach or look for new strategies.
7. Evaluating the Results: After a solution has been reached, it is important to evaluate the results to determine if it is the best possible solution to the problem. This evaluation might be immediate, such as checking the results of a math problem to ensure the answer is correct, or it can be delayed, such as evaluating the success of a therapy program after several months of treament.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7F1ZOW4LFM

Solving Problems-—David Garcia
Solving problems or problem solving is the process of cognitive psychology that is involved in the process of solving a certain problem. In order for one to assess the problem solving tool one must first come across a specific problem. In order to become a critical problem solver you have to understand both sides and all consequences that come with the scenario. A good way to approach a problem is by notarizing your steps, keeping track of everything you’re doing to assess the problem will be key to keep track of your process. The best strategy for solving a problem depends largely on the unique situation. In some cases, people are better off learning everything they can about the issue and then using factual knowledge to come up with a solution. In other instances, creativity and insight are the best options. In order to correctly solve a problem, it is important to follow a series of steps. The steps consist of identifying the problem, defining the problem, forming a strategy, organizing information, allocating resources, monitoring process, and evaluating the results. While identifying the problem it may seem like an obvious step, identifying the problem is not always as simple as it sounds. In some cases, people might mistakenly identify the wrong source of a problem, which will make attempts to solve it inefficient or even useless. Defining the problem differs because after the problem has been identified, it is important to fully define the problem so that it can be solved. After the first two steps one must next move on and form a strategy, or a game plan on how to approach the problem. The approach used will vary depending upon the situation and the individual's unique preferences. The following step is organizing your strategy or game plan. You need to ask yourself certain questions like, what you know about the problem. What you don’t know? The more information that is available the more prepared you will be when you finally approach the problem. Allocating Resources of course you need to understand you don't always have unlimited money, time and other resources to solve a problem. Before you begin to solve a problem, you need to determine how high priority it is. If it is an important problem, it is probably worth allocating more resources to solving it. If it is a fairly unimportant problem, then you do not want to spend too much of your available resources into coming up with a solution. Effective problem-solvers tend to monitor their progress as they work towards a solution. If they are not making good progress toward reaching their goal, they will reevaluate their approach or look for new strategies. After a solution has been reached, it is important to evaluate the results to determine if it is the best possible solution to the problem. This evaluation might be immediate, such as checking the results of a math problem to ensure the answer is correct, or it can be delayed, such as evaluating the success of a therapy program after several months of treatment. Once one is familiar with these steps, approaching any sort of problem should be manageable. Successful problem solvers are very familiar with these steps or steps similar and that’s the reason why taking on problems and finding a solution is more commonly successful.
Works Cited
[www.pitt.edu/~groups/probsolv.html]
[www.engr.sjsu.edu/nikos/pdf/UICEE%2004%20Mumbai.pdf]

Mind Map-David Garcia

Problem Solving
Michaela Garrett

"The message from the moon… is that no problem need be considered insolvable." This quote by Norman Cousins probably sounds cliché but it could not be truer. Solving problems is something that comes easier to some than others. In this essay I hope to give you a few steps to help solve those hard problems. The cool part is that these steps can be used for any kind of problem; they do not have to be difficult problems to use these simple steps. There are seven simple steps; Define and Identify the Problem, Analyze the Problem, Identifying Possible Solutions, Selecting the Best Solutions, Evaluating Solutions, Develop an Action Plan, Implement the Solution.
When faced with a problem you must first decide what exactly you are trying to solve. After you have defined and identified the problem you must analyze the problem. To analyze it you do not have to sit there and study the words over and over again until something comes to you. Analyzing a problem simply means looking at it from different viewpoints and asking questions about it. These questions could range from what the history of the problem is, like how long has this issue been a problem, to what methods have already been used to solve the problem and have not worked out.
After analyzing the problem we move on to identifying possible solutions and selecting the best of those solutions. Ways to identify possible solutions include brainstorming, asking a larger group of people, and by doing some research if needed. After brainstorming and all that there may be lots of ideas to what the solution should be, to choose the best solutions you must keep in mind what can actually be done keeping in mind costs and morality. After slimming down the possible solutions into solutions that can actually be applied, we move on into evaluating these solutions and developing a plan to implement the solution.
When evaluating the solutions that you have chosen to be the better of what was given to you, you can make T-charts to organize the pros and cons of the solution and you must keep in mind that there are certain criteria to each of the solutions. If you are working with a group the best idea would be to put all of the criteria out on the table so when you choose which solution to use everyone knows what the circumstances will be. After doing that its time to form a plan of action! The best way to implement your solution is set forward a goal and sequential steps to make that goal. Then finally you can implement your solution.
When you implement your solution it is important to follow it through and monitor its progress, if it is a timely solution. If the solution is for a smaller project that will not take an extended amount of time it is important to make sure that in the solution you decided to act upon that everyone around the solution is happy and that the solution did not make the problem worse or add anymore problems that may need to be taken care of later on.
These steps may seem a bit intense, but it is with these steps that you can become a better problem solver. Just remember, define the problem, analyze the problem, identify possible solutions (brainstorm), pick the best solutions, evaluate the solution, and then implement the solution.

Sources:
Image: http://www.behavioradvisor.com/sbPuzzled.jpg
http://www.pitt.edu/~groups/probsolv.html
Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically. 10th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print.

Perceiving and Believing
By Stephanie Reichert [[http://actualizink.typepad.com/.a/6a015432d72bcf970c014e8c4b4b53970d-320wi]]

Perceiving and believing are two concepts that seem to go along with people that have been manipulated. To perceive is to become aware of something through the senses, specifically sight. Those that get manipulated seem to perceive what they thought happened, not what really happened. Believing is accepting what is true, or what you think is true.

Separately, perception includes taking what someone is sensing and using selection, organization, and interpretation to help perceive the world. Another way that can help perceive the world is to consider how people see objects. If someone sees something at a distance they will think about the size of what they are seeing. The closer they get to the object; they will see how big or small the object really is. People perceive things differently than ever one else. Active participation of certain activities for different people changes the way that people see the things that are going on at once.

There are some factors that shape perception. The first factor is past experiences of the person. The way the person has lived up to that point will affect the way that they perceive what is going on. Another factor is how much the person knows about a certain subject.

Belief is an interpretation, evaluation, conclusion, or prediction about the world. Besides these, there is endorsement of the accuracy of the beliefs. Interpretation is an explanation or analysis of the meaning of something. Evaluation is a judgment of the value of something based on certain standard. Conclusion is a decision made or an opinion made after consideration of the relevant facts. A prediction is a statement about the future that they think will happen. People who believe something use the words “I Believe” or don’t say those words directly, but one can gather from the way someone is speaking that they believe what they are say is true. There are different types of beliefs: reports, inferences, and judgments. Reporting is telling about the world that can be proven through an investigation. Inferring goes beyond reporting in which one uses the knowledge from reporting and making statements about what is unknown. Judgment is making a statement based on certain information.

Together perceiving and believing have an interactive relationship. They are connected as one helps one form the foundation for many of the beliefs of many people, while the other helps one shape the world and help influence your perception.
When manipulated, a person will perceive what happened to them didn’t happen or that it did. The person will believe that they are about what they saying. People will perceive and believe what they see or feel, and go off of those feelings. Some will believe something that will possibly go with someone else’s, but not everyone will perceive things the same thing.

[http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Wikipedia]

Josue Quiroga
Perceiving and Believing

Perceiving and believing is an active, purposeful, and organized way to solve problems by working towards goals and making decisions. Your surroundings are brought by your senses such as touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. These senses make you aware of what occurs outside your world which is known as perceiving. Perceiving leads to what you believe is happening around the world you shape it to be by your perception and beliefs by relating to your ability to think effectively. Each of us views the world differently. Such as eyeglasses that show your past experiences but also shows your unique personalities. With having glasses as your perception of the world you must be aware of your lenses to eliminate any bias or distortion that may be caused. Such as being aware of others perception like there lenses. It helps so you may try to better your understandings of how they views things the way they do. Perception by its self does not support a proper reliable foundation of understanding of the world. Your response to any statement will reflect on certain beliefs you may have. The beliefs you have are like tools essential for you to make sense of the world you live in and to help guide you by explaining the world and how you may act in it. Beliefs are a prediction of what you may think about what may or could happen in the world. Beliefs can also be a conclusion, interpretation and evaluation. Such as believing that reality shows are unhealthy because they focus on the least attractive qualities of people, by expressing an evaluation of reality shows is one example of how beliefs could be shown by expressing. Expressing interpretations, evaluations, conclusion, or interpretation about the world can also be expressed as an endorsement.

Christianity is one of the largest religions in the entire world and is a very controlling organization that has an effect on people by changing their views and shaping their world into what they believe in. Such as Christianity believes in that abortion is bad because it is destruction and taking a life of a human being. They give people a mindset that abortion is not something that the younger generation should take lightly. The church has a way of changing the way people perceive the view on abortion and changing their understandings. The same view belief goes with Divorce within Christianity’s view point that the sacred bond between a male and female should be sealed in holy matrimony. The church’s perception on this topic is vary strait forward, as Christianity makes it a habit to reach out to the people and preach about the negative influences that divorce has to offer.

Agnostic is not a full-based religion like Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Its belief relates to an existence or non-existence God. The perception that this group belief is that God can neither be proved nor disproved off of what they know. Agnostics try to find a way to prove that god exists with the help of theologians and philosophers, while others try to attempt to prove that God does not exists. Either way both sides have failed at trying to prove their point. Agnostics are very unsure critical thinkers because when it comes to God they are not sure if he exist or not exists.

On the other hand atheists have their mind set belief that god does not exist. They promote beliefs in demons, archangels, ghost, and non entities. Atheism is not generally perceived as a complete guideline they follow like most religions. They follow their own ethics of belief and philosophy of life. They shape the world in what they believe in to be a world without God and have a very strong mind set of that faith.

Thinking active and being organized will help you solve problems around you by analyzing situations and working towards your goals. No matter what you believe in everyone has their own beliefs and faiths to what they stick by. Whether your Christian, Agnostic, or Atheist by perceiving the way they are shown and how they represent their beliefs.

Work Cited: [http://www.religioustolerance.org]
Work Cited: Book: Philosophy of Critical Thinking

Jordan Miller

Constructive Knowledge

According to a website about constructing knowledge, the aim of action learning is to construct knowledge that is more comprehensive, valid, and useful. Constructing knowledge comes from experience. It has been said that there are five steps to constructing knowledge: insightful questioning, identifying, acquiring, processing the data, and using the information. Constructing knowledge is also how one learns. Our current knowledge influences what we learned, what we expect to learn, what we can store, and what we can retrieve. New knowledge can be constructed from our prior knowledge.

We all may use the same event, however, we would all process different meanings out of them. Our memory has even been known to be constructive. The constructive process may be independent, or social. Socially constructed knowledge is knowledge used by two or more people. Social construction may even be used in cultures; for example the music, literature, and fine arts. Social construction helps us to have a better understanding when it comes to constructing our knowledge. A told theory is that students already have beliefs about how the world operates before their schooling actually begins and takes place. To promote effective knowledge construction, we must provide opportunities for experimentation. We need to learn to present the ideas of others and to encourage discussions. We also need to create a learning community. An example of a learning community would be where the students and teachers in a community often help each other out with learning techniques. We should also consider diversity in the constructive process. Cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds all impact knowledge base. “The single most important factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows.” When constructing knowledge we must look for the big picture, The secondary mentality, and if it is the teaching of a science or an art. Think about what techniques you use to learn new material. I for example like to rewrite things until I memorize them or make a sort of song out of them. This makes the material stick in my mind better personally, every person has different techniques that they use.

Constructivism is based on the principle that individuals cannot just simply be given knowledge. Instead, individuals must create knowledge as they interact with their surroundings. Humans tend to posses two basic tendencies, organization and adaptation. Some roles of constructivism would be active learners, social learners (which was discussed earlier already), and creative learners. For active learners, learning is actively acquired. Knowledge and understanding are socially constructed for social learners. Learners construct their own understanding. New learning depends on current understanding. An example of a constructive learning and teaching model would be the 5 e’s: engage, explore explain, elaborate, and evaluate. All are very much essential to understanding how constructive knowledge works.

Sources Used:

bold textLanguage and thought

italic textJoint Siagian

Language is more than just a means of communication, it influences our culture and even the way we thought. Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Whorf said that “language predetermines what we see in the world around us.” Like the lens on the camera act as a filter to our reality.
How is language related to thought? Do people who speak different languages think differently? Years of research have determined that different languages use different parts of the brain (Romaine 1989). This occurs because different languages use different tools, and thus they require different mental and physical processes. An example of this is the Spanish language, which uses the temporal cortex for reading and writing abilities. The differentiating factor is that Spanish uses phonetic scripts, unlike many other languages (1989). Another factor that is linked to brain use is the time of language acquisition. Children’s brains are most able to fully acquire second language before the onset of puberty. This called the optimal age hypothesis (DeGroot and Berry, 1992). Children from lower socioeconomic status are less likely to be fully fluent in two languages (Sternberg, 1999) which may result from poor nutrition.
But not everybody agree with this theory, there are another theory that oppose this theory, one of them is from Noam Chomsky “argued that all languages share the same deep structure of thought and that thought has a universal quality separate from language.”
The issue of whether or not language influences thought is tricky since more than one factor affects thought patterns. Many researchers have used differing languages to study the relationship between language and thought, and they have come up with many different hypotheses. They propose that although specific languages would affect the part of the brain that one uses, it is not language alone that produces “linguistically” differentiated thought patterns. Rather it is one’s culture.
Whether the language we speak shapes the way we think and see the world, or not, there are just too many questions, and perhaps someone will eventually find more evidence to support such and such point of view. However, learning the language is a lot more than learning the words and even the culture of where such language is spoken. Learning a language is a way of broadening your view of the world because it adds to your own mental structure and enables you to think differently.

Sources:
- http://hoprea.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/language-and-thought/
- http://anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_5.htm
- http://www.unc.edu/~jdumas/projects/languagethought.htm

Daniel Quintana
Philosophy of Thought and Logic
Concepts
Concepts are defined as an abstract or generic idea that is generalized from particular instances. It is something that can be conceived in the mind. So I am going to talk about the concepts of leadership. To be a good leader, you have to want to become a good leader. Good leaders are made not born. If you have the right mind set and will power, you can be an effective leader. A good leader has to go through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience. The definition of leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more coherent and cohesive. It’s really just someone trying to influence a group to reach a certain goal. When it says leaders are made not born, that is true; however, people are born with some of the traits that it takes to be a leader. Some of the skills and knowledge are deeply influenced by the person’s traits such as their beliefs, their values, their ethics, and their character. That persons certain traits make that person unique in their own special way.

There are four factors of a leader. They are leader, followers, situation, and communication. The first one is leader. First of all, you have to know who you are and have a good understanding of yourself. You have to know what you actually know and what you can do. You have to understand that it is the followers of the leader that show whether or not the leader is a successful one. The followers have to have trust in their leader and confidence or else they will not be inspired anymore. You have to find a way to convince your followers that you are worthy enough to be a leader.

Next are the followers. Some people have different types of leadership. A follower would be someone who just got hired for instance, and is inexperienced at their job. They will need a more experienced employee to show them what they need to do. Some people have a lack of motivation and they need a different approach then a person with a high standard of motivation. You need to have a good understanding of things such as emotions and motivation.

The way you lead is through communication. Most of the time, it is nonverbal. When you set a standard for people, you expect them to meet that standard. When you “set an example” you are letting the people know that you don’t expect them to do anything less. For example, take a leader on a sports team; they work hard, hustle, and play the game the right way. Most of the time, you can tell who the leader of the team is just by watching a practice. They don’t even have to say a word. You can just tell. The way you communicate either builds or harms the relationship between you and your followers.

The last one is situation. All situations are different and it’s what you do in that certain situation will show leadership or not. What you do in one situation will not always work in another and good leaders find ways in every situation. You need to have the judgment to act on a situation with the best course of action and a certain leadership style that is needed. Depending on how one acts in situations, you can tell if they have the ability to be a leader or not.

So that was the concept of leadership. There are concepts to pretty much anything. Concepts are really just the main idea of a topic.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concept
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html

ORGANIZATION
Damyan Wright

Organize- to arrange and plan things so that they can be found or used easily and quickly. In the college society, Organize, organized, and organization are three of the most commonly used words. The majority of college students will agree that organization and time management are key to being successful college students. In order for a student to maintain in a successful environment in the classroom the student has to be somewhat organized. If there is no organization, then you will become lost and end up in failure. Along with organization comes responsibility which is a key factor in maintaining an organized lifestyle. Organization includes: keeping a reasonable and responsible schedule, keeping track of important dates and information, and knowing where you place your belongings. You can use tools to help you organize.

By keeping tracked of a schedule would help tremendously with organization and it is a great tool to help succeed in the classroom. This results in having good grades and turning in homework on time with organization. Using a calendar or an agenda are some of the tools that can help with this part of organization. With these tools you will be able to prioritize your day and know what time appointments, class times and what homework you have for the day. This is important key to keeping up with school work and knowing what is due that day. Keeping track of important information is the second part of organization and timing. In order to do so you must keep track of papers present and pass. This means keeping everything. You may never know when you will need them. The easiest way to do this is using something simple like a folder or you can store it on your computer. When it comes to studying, Knowing this and being able to do so will benefit you in the long run, when u needs it such as a final or midterm.

I believe the third step of organizing is knowing where you placed your belongings. Granted everyone loses items but I believe that everything has a certain place to be and it needs be somewhere where it is easy access and easy to find and not get lost. By putting things in there place every time allows you to remember where it is and easily access it. If you need something right away? By using this technique, u will know right away where it is and will make it easier and faster to find. Being organized is a great tool to have as a college student. This tool can be used to many other things in life. Whether its getting a job or organizing your house it will reflect your character. If you apply this to your job, people will respect how hard you work.

Organization is a common way of living and also makes it easier for ones life. A person who is organized takes less time looking for things or thinking of what to do next instead of wasting time looking for this item. Living as an organized person gives you time management and convenience. I haven’t been a fairly organized person and in college I have learned that it pays off to be organized. The reason people may be unorganized is because they are lazy and unwillingly to try to become a better person. Becoming a better person will help you later in life and will also put an example for you kids to follow to make their life easier.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizing
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/organizing

Alex Harris
Organization

The first one, comparative and analogical relationships, deals with comparing or finding differences in patterns within different objects, events and even ideas. Comparative relationships are something we do all the time but don’t notice it. You choose something like a seat in a restaurant or an item off of the menu or even an item from a store such as clothes based off of similarities and differences of another item relating to what you’re comparing. There are two problems with this type of organizing, incomplete comparisons, which is when you focus on too few points of comparison. For example, when you go out to eat and you are focusing on only the price of food, it could be cheaper but you forget to focus on the quality of what you’re eating, or the popularity of the restaurant, all because you’re blinders are set on price. The second is selective comparisons, which is when you automatically take to one side of an argument. That one is self explanatory. An analogical relationship, the second type of comparison, is one that doesn’t focus on things in the same category. An analogical goal is to clarify or enlighten a concept from one category by saying that it is the same as a concept from a very different category. When you see a similar pattern between non-similar things, your eyes become more open to a subject and you see a different perspective. If you see the differences or similarities of the diverse things being compared then you’ll have a more lucid understanding of the things being compared.

The second pattern of organization is causal relationships. This is the cause and effect pattern. It involves showing events in terms of cause (what is responsible for bring about something else) that then turns into effect. (The something else that is brought about by whatever was responsible for the change.) This type of pattern isn’t always obvious to us that we’re doing it. For example we say, “Since I was the last person to leave, I turned off the lights.” Even though that’s cause and effect, we wouldn’t mean to say that. We simply state things and it comes out as a relationship of that happened so I did this.

The third pattern, chronological and process relationships, organize events or even ideas in their periods or occurrence in time. Chronological, meaning relating to the establishment of dates and time sequences, or starting with the earliest and following the order in which they occurred. It’s just that, organizing things basically on a time line. Taking what happened first then second then third and so on so forth. This generally happens in things such as diaries, logs, and the oldest form, a narrative. The second way of time-ordered thinking is process relationship. This type is a two step analysis. 1) Divide the process you’re examining into points or phases. 2) Then clarify the different points of the stages from start to finish or beginning to end.

There are about three thinking patterns that help people make sense of the world in their own way. These include having to relate objects, ideas, and events, then organizing them however your brain decides to do so.

http://www.merriam-webster.com
http://www.google.com/imgres

By Sena Bailey

Getting organized can be difficult. One of the hardest parts about getting organized is simply getting started and having a process that works. Being organized doesn’t mean that your countertops are bare or that you aren’t allowed to have piles of any kind. What it does mean is that you sort through your items on a regular basis to make sure you are keeping what is really needed and useful, and can be found easily when you need it.

Here are some tips that will lead you to a great way to stay organized:
• Focus on a certain area you would like to organize. Don’t try to overdo it by choosing too many areas to organize at once.
• Sort through what you have. Have three categories to put stuff into: keep, donate and trash. If you haven’t used an item in 6 months then donate it. If it is trash, throw it away. Don’t talk yourself into keeping an item you think you may need later.
• Organize your keep pile. Now that you know what you are doing to keep it will be easier to organize. Shelving units, baskets and drawer organizers are great tools to help keep you organized. This will give each item you have a home. If you need to label each shelf or basket with only the items that are allowed in this particular area.
• Whenever you put something away make sure and focus and return it to its correct location.
• Remember to take a little time each week to reorganize.
• Plan ahead. What will you need? How much time will it take? What issues may come up?
• Put things right where you need them. Put the laundry soap next to the washer. Put the potholders next to the stove. Etc.
• Break down a large mess into small sections, and then break those down even further.
• Don’t be overwhelmed into thinking you’ll never be able to get organized.
• Don’t work on more than you can handle in a day.
• Don’t be discouraged easily.

Here are some everyday tips to help you stay organized:
• Use a list notebook. Every time you think of a task that needs to be accomplished write it down.
• Use a family calendar. On this calendar write down all the activities that are going on for each family member. Make sure to read this every day to stay on track with what is going on.
• Menu plan in advance. Instead of waiting till an hour before your meal try to plan at least the day before.
• Ask your family for help. Assign them daily tasks for them to complete.
• Create a donation area. Place a box in a specific spot and when you come across an item you don’t use then place it in this box. When it is full donate it to charity.
• Never leave a room empty handed. If you see an item that doesn’t belong in the room you’re in. Pick it up, take it with you and put it in its home.
• Tidy up before bed. Take 10 minutes and tidy up before bed each night. Update your calendar, plug in cell phones, make your lunch, clean the counters or do whatever it is that needs to be done in order to start the next day on the right foot for success.

Organization is an important part of everyday life. If you are able to stay organized it can make your daily life simple and your whole life a success. It will also help with time management, and will provide you with access of knowing where things are right when you need them. Just as becoming unorganized increased gradually over time it will take a lot of effort to get organized. It won’t take as much time to stay organized if you use some of the tips I have given you above. Keeping organized is well worth the time it will save you in the long run.

Sources
http://organizedhome.com/cut-clutter/declutter-101-where-do-I-start
http://www.ehow.com/print/how_2109082_become-organized-one-minute-time.html

Organization
By Stephanie Reichert
Organization means things are put away so that things will be easier to be found. In the case of an event being organized, things need to be able to go as smoothly as possible. If things are organized they will help things from getting out of control.
Organizing an event takes time and energy, and one will be certain to tell if one has not organized an event well. Many events such as major birthday parties to a press conference by the president are all organized to run smoothly.

As an organized person myself, I have learned that being organized during a busy time of year such as during finals week, it has helped me be able to keep track of all of my assignments that need to be done.

Being well organized can help in many ways. It can help you keep a job that you enjoy or it can help you graduate from college. If you know where all your papers are that you need from the past and the present, you will be better off unlike someone who has not been organized for many years. Being organized means you know how to balance things and can find thing a lot easier than if you were disorganized.

Organization has helped shape our country for many years. The civil rights movement is a prime example of how organization helps. Without all the organized sit ins at the diners and the Montgomery bus boycott rides, African Americans would probably not be where they are today and the United States would probably not have Obama as a president. The same thing happened with women as they worked to get their civil rights. We almost had a woman vice president twice in the last few years. Without all the organization that went into getting civil rights for the African Americans and the women things would be way different then they are today.

[http://dictionary.reference.com/]
[http://worldacademyonline.com/article/34/475/defining_the_organization___s_guiding_philosophy.html]

Kenton Lambert- Organization
When two or more people get together and agree to coordinate their activities in order to achieve their common goals, an organization has been born. There is really no doubt about the present meaning of organization. Its purpose is to create an arrangement of positions and responsibilities through and by means of which an enterprise can carry out its work. An academic textbook definition of organization can be formulated as follows: “a. the responsibilities by means of which the activities of the enterprise are dispersed among the (managerial, supervisory, and specialist) personnel employed in its service; and b. the formal interrelations established among the personnel by virtue of such responsibilities.”

It must be emphasized that an organization should not be seen as rigid as the term “framework” implies. In reality, almost all organization structures must be occasionally reviewed due to various changes in the external environment of the organization in question. Moreover, internal changes also occur oftentimes due to the development of various informal relationships.

However, in order to develop a so-called science of organizations a conceptual framework of theory and principle must first be developed. It is true to state that principles of management have existed for a long time. These principles were not recorded as scientific truths, but simply applied as practical means to accompany the process of modernization. As societies became more complex, an acceptable framework to encompass the “unscientific” principles of management was needed. Since the nineteenth century, many writers and researchers have contributed a great deal to existing principles and accepted practices. It is in the formulation of principles that the science of management can be developed. A management principle distils and organizes knowledge that has been built up through experience and analysis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_RT7DO9t90
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AFn0vFtLC0

italic textBy Satriana Siagian
bold textGetting Organized

Organization is structure and managed to pursue collective of success. Being a college student s is not easy, too many tempting in college student life such as, friends, social media, technology/games and life style. College students who are drop out from school and fail their grade because they don’t have any motivation go to school. They don’t organize their life style and their time so they can not met their all classes requirement and they are lack of study habits.
So many ways to get a college student to be success and organize such as;
• Make our Goals first thing we do when we start school, so we can concentrate and motivated to what we want to achieve.
• Don’t rush to do everything, take extra time for what we want to do and come to class a little bit early.
• Avoid Clutter. For the student we can organize all our stuff in a file in every subject in order. It will safe our time to find something we need it.
• Make to do list. This is the important for college student because we can remember what we going to do and we can manage our time efficiently. This can be starting of a good habit.
• Find a quiet study place, that can help us to focus and more concentrate to study. Also make a schedule study habit consistent.
• If we have a hard subject, we should do it that subject first because it will be take more time for that and the other easy subject it will be easy to so it. If we cannot solve the problem we can ask our friends or someone to help to solve the problem instead of us giving up.
• The last but not the list, college student have to get at least 8 hours a good night sleep. Because with a good sleep our brain will be get rest and the next day our body will be alert and fresh to do the activities.
By being organized we will be easy to help to achieve our goals and will be success in our life.
Sources:
- http://lifeorganizers.com/Schooling-and-Education/The-Organized-College-Student/Help-Students-Get-Organized.html
- http://suite101.com/article/the-best-way-to-organize-for-college-students-a142157

Brian Wood

ORGANIZATION
Organization - You may think that it’s not a very important topic but in fact being organized is one of the most important tools you can have. Without being organized you wouldn’t make it any were in life. Just imagine if nobody prepared ahead of time and nobody had a plan - it would be a disaster and nothing would get done the right way.
Everything you do throughout your day with work, school, practice - every store you see and every job it’s all organized. Success is connected to being organized. You need to be organized first then being successful will start to enter your picture. I used to be very unorganized but I learned the hard way that life’s a lot harder on you if you’re not organized. When I finally became more organized and had a plan for the next day and had my stuff together I would perform better the next day and was more confident. Confidence is important to have because if you believe in yourself and are confident you can do anything you put your mind to and I truly believe in that. Being organized is a good way to set yourself up for success while building confidence.
Organization is the key to your future. So you need to stay on top of your game and keep it together. Here are a few tips that might help you become more efficient. Creating routines for yourself is one of the best ways to keep your life organized. Having routines for everything including errands, laundry, finances, etc. is a good idea. If you do this every day and make it a habit it will start to become natural to you and you can optimize your life this way. Another tip that may help you is to keep a simple filing system. If your filing system is too complicated, chances are you won’t use it. Cleaning as you go is also a great habit. Instead of having big cleaning binges, clean things as you go. For example done using some dishes? Wash them right away. Clean the toilet when you finish using it, so it never gets dirty. Hopefully these couple of tips will benefit you and your situation.
Even wild animals naturally seem to understand the necessity for organization. If you look up into the sky and see the geese flying in the v-shaped formation it shows that they have a purpose. They are flying in a formation in such a way to make the best airflow for their trip. Underwater the fish swim around in schools with the purpose of confusing the other fish into thinking they are bigger. At a park you will see ants marching in the same lines back and forth working together to gather food. All of these creatures require great organization to make the most success of their lives.
In conclusion, organization is a vital part of every aspect of living – our individual lives, our workplace environment, our political environment, and even our death. Without organization we would be like leaves blowing in the wind. Organization is necessary in our lives.

Resources (zenhabitsnet.com) (hgtv.com)

Cortney Thurman wiki 2 interracial marriage

Is love blind? That is the question in society these days concerning interracial marriage and determining whether it is right or wrong. In this present time interracial marriages are becoming a lot more common in society with 46% of marriages. More specifically black men are marrying outside of their race more and more in the present day. While this type of marriage is becoming more common throughout society it is still widely rejected by many, a large number of people feel that people should date and marry inside their own race and this type of union or relationship is frowned upon. While most reject this type of relationship I agree with it and will strongly argue why interracial marriage should be accepted or at least respected in our society.

Statement: Interracial marriage should be more accepted or at least respected by society.

Argument of First Point People of different cultures or religions should not marry or interact on a personal more intimate level because it is morally wrong and looked down upon by God.
Response to Argument; There couldn’t possibly be a better way to understand and have better relationships with people of other races and cultures then to date or have intimate relationships with them. These types of bonds can really help you understand each other’s values and personal beliefs, you get a deeper insight of how people really are and what they go through in their day to day life. There could also be things about a race or religion you wondered about but could never experience unless closely tied to a person. You may also discover interesting things about other races or beliefs that you really like and learn something new about yourself. This experience helps you grow into a more mature person.

Second Argument; Two people regardless of how much they love or care for one another should not marry if their race, ethnicity or religion is different.

Response to Second Argument; Who is anyone regardless of who they are or whatever position they hold to tell someone who they can or cannot be with. It is rightful to say that everyone has their own life to live so each person should have their own individual right to live it to the fullest. No one should try and interfere with someone’s personal satisfaction it would be almost like taking away someone’s first amendment rights. Just because you don’t necessarily agree or believe in something doesn’t make it wrong and doesn’t mean someone can’t do it. Each person walking this earth has the right to their own individual happiness and should be able to express it if they choose.

Third Argument; People in interracial relationships have more problems than those in same race marriages.

Response to Third Argument; Relationships in general come with obstacles and things you have to overcome. Interracial marriages come with adversity and problems such as stereotypes, intimidation and misunderstanding. These problems can be solved with effective communication and a little patience from both partners. Although resolving these issues takes more time and effort the reward of making it work with someone you love and care about is worth struggle and helps you strengthen yourself and your beliefs.

Fourth Argument; Getting married outside your race is looked down upon by God.

Response to Fourth Argument; Some people believe that interracial marriage is forbidden in the bible scriptures prohibiting people from marry foreigners (people outside their race of beliefs.) It has been proven that this forbiddance applied to nonbelievers or people that believed in false gods not people of different races. A scripture from Corinthians where Paul asks “What fellowship hath light with darkness” this is referring to the union of believers and non-believers and speaks nothing of skin color. I believe a lot of people just want to find a legitimate reason to forbid and look down on this type of union and just seek to use the bible as an easy way out. This is probably because if people think something is wrong in God’s eyes they will not take part in it.

interracial marriage should be accepted more or at least respected. It brings people of different cultures together and is a good way to learn things about different cultures. Secondly if two people really love and care for one another they should be entitled to do whatever they want to do and live their life to the fullest regardless of what other people think. The children that are products of these marriages are in some ways better off genetically than their one race counterparts and lastly interracial marriage is not looked down upon by god in any way or light. The only thing against marriage in the bible is those of believers to non-believers. People should have a more open mind in this day in age regarding marriage in general and everyone should be entitled to love you they want without a type of discrimination against it.

http://www.fullerton.edu/universityblues/interracial/benefits.htm

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-sum/sum-g003.html

Daniel Bolte
Euthanasia

Euthanasia is a very touchy subject because of religion. Many people have very strong feelings about what a “God” would allow or if it is ethical… Logically though it is one’s persons personal decision to decide if they want to keep living. Euthanasia comes from the Greeks vocabulary meaning a peaceful death. I have quoted many reasons why Euthanasia is acceptable. I personally view euthanasia perfectly fine because your last image on this is earth should be as you healthy, happy, and loving life. It is your decision if you want to go when you cannot push anymore when pain hurts the most.

“First of all, deciding if you want to be alive or not is a personal decision. Neither the doctors nor the government has the power to decide if you should live or not. Since it is not their life and they are not in your situation, they cannot make that kind of decision for you. It might sound like suicide, but again, that is our problem, not theirs. They give us the liberty to decide our job, our family, our religion, and even our sex preference. Why should they not give us the right to decide if we want to live or not? That should be the first right before all the ones I have mentioned. It is not logical that we can choose in all those other decisions if we cannot first choose to live or die.

Next, comes the economic factor. Many times we do not have enough money to pay for the needed medical care not knowing if the patient is going to get any better. In a way, we are just wasting time and money on a situation that won’t get better. If the patient wants euthanasia, why not do it if we cannot end the huge amount of money wasted on a treatment that won’t help.

Another reason to legalize euthanasia is that if doctors have the liberty to create life, why not of ending it. Nowadays doctors have the ability and are allowed to grow human beings artificially in labs. Who gave them that right? The government did. Therefore, doctors should also be allowed to end life, especially when the person desires it. To me it doesn’t make sense that they can create life without having the opportunity to ask that human being if he wants to be created like that, while they cannot let a person die when it is his or her wish. The doctor is just the person who helps the patient to do what he wants.

Finally, the basic reason why euthanasia should be practiced is because it stops the person from having a bad quality of life. As I have said, a doctor’s function should not only be the one of curing diseases but also providing the patients a better quality of life. Having a patient suffering is not giving him a better quality of life. When doctors reach this point, then they should be allowed to grant the patient whatever he wants since he or she cannot offer something better. Even if they could offer the patient any kind of treatment or options, it is the patient who should decide how he wants to live his life. We pay the doctor so he can do the best he can. Helping us in having a better quality of life is about giving the patient what’s best for him as long as he wants it. The kind of quality of life is defined by the patient, not the doctor or government. Consequently, when the patient feels he is not getting the quality of life he wants, the least a doctor can do is grant him what he wants. If the patient’s decision is to die, so be it.”

Ending my opinion of Euthanasia there is many facts and reasons why Euthanasia should be acceptable in today’s society. It is arbitrary for the government to deny someone’s wishes on how to pass away from this earth. It is unacceptable to go against someone’s personal beliefs
“A good death”

WORK CITED:
Goole Images
http://eslbee.com/barbarad.htm

Horse Slaughter
Amanda Barnum

"They're our pets, our friends, part of our family. We could never slaughter a family member!"

In Iceland, horses are raised and consumed like cattle in America. In France, horse is a delicacy. In Beijing, a donkey sandwich is a popular snack. But in English speaking countries like the UK, USA, Ireland, and Australia, the horse is considered a pet and sporting animal, not dinner. While there is no interest in horse meat for human consumption, the protein-packed steaks were great for zoo animals and dog food, and the three horse slaughter houses in the USA were thriving. Then congress banned funding for horse slaughter house inspections. Without inspections, the meat can't cross state lines, and the industry withered away.

Horse lovers rejoiced. Animal rights groups celebrated. But was this really what was best?

Those in favor of the ban believed that was a step for the better. The houses were inhuman—the way the horses were treated was a disgrace to America. With horses raised to the same pet status as dogs, it was sickening. There weren't dog slaughter houses, so why should the horse be treated differently? New rescue facilities opened, and the number of horses they rescued skyrocketed.

The bill was meant for good, but the outcome was worse for the horse. Yes, more horses were being rescued, but horses are expensive, and the rescue facilities can only save so many. So what happened to the horses who weren't rescued? Before, these horses would have been slaughtered and put out of their misery, but without that option, the horses were forced to continue suffering.

When congress banned the inspection funding, not only did the slaughter industry die, but the horse market plummeted. There simply became too many horses and not enough people to care for them. The average price of horses dropped. Horse slaughter was a $65 million /year industry. The ban hurt not only people when they became unemployed, but it hurt the horse market and those trying to support themselves on it as well.

Many people were unhappy with the ban, but perhaps the most interesting group to fight for the ban to be lifted was PETA. Founder Ingrid Newkirk stated, "The amount of suffering that it [the ban] created exceeded the amount of suffering it was designed to stop." Simply put, the horses were worse off! Horse slaughter may have been banned in the US, but it was still legal in Mexico. Thousands of horses were being transported annually to Mexico for slaughter. There are laws prohibiting this, but they make it past the border, mainly as being transported as "riding" horses. Once in Mexico, the horses are beaten into overstuffed trailers and forced to stand for days with no food or water. At least in the US, the USDA can oversee the treatment of the horses and keep it as humane as possible. There are already several laws in effect that keep the horses more comfortable. The use of double-decked trailers is prohibited, as they are too short for horses. Horses must be able to walk on their own without any help (this prevents injured horses from getting worse and is for the comfort of the horse). Aggressive horses must be separated to prevent fights in the trailers. And a required break insures the horses get rest, food, and water.

Horse slaughter - right or wrong, it's hard to deny that it's better for the horses if we keep it legal in the states. As a horse woman, I cringe to see a good horse-from horses like Ferdinad, a Kentucky Derby winner, to a good all around horse with plenty of life and lots of potential - go to slaughter. But if it's going to happen, I would rather keep it here where it can be regulated and even help the horse market.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/triplecrown06/news/story?id=2432046
http://equinelaw.alisonrowe.com/2011/12/articles/legislation/obama-lifts-horse-slaughter-banpeta-says-its-a-good-idea/
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/1130/Lifting-horse-slaughter-ban-Why-PETA-says-it-s-a-good-idea
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/11/horse-slaughterhouses-may-reopen-after-five-year-ban/

MARRIAGE
Chase Berg

Define marriage. Today the definition of marriage isn’t as widely agreed upon as it was fifty years ago. “Political correctness” is what seems to be the socially accepted form of defining marriage today. This definition is more general and allows flexibility to encompass subjective emotional whim. It is a “What may be right for me, may not be right for you” attitude. This includes same sex marriage. The family, comprised of a mother and father, is the basis of society and we have seen a progressive degradation of this God-inspired institution.

I am a Bible-believing Christian who is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. I believe God is the creator of the universe and that He created a man and a woman to be one through marriage. The Bible has lots of things to say about marriage. "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" Genesis 1:27 (NKJV). This verse means that God did not create a man for Adam; He created for him a woman. The Lord’s original design and intention was for a man and a woman to be one through marriage. If God would have intended for there to be same sex marriages, why wouldn’t He allow two men or two women to be able to reproduce? If same sex relationships are good and natural, why do diseases like HIV, Aids, and other sexually transmitted diseases exist? This brings us to our next question: why are some people attracted to the same sex? This can be explained by the fall of man, when sin entered the world. "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in them the penalty of their error which was due."—Romans 1:26-27 (NKJV)

Same sex attraction is a result of a fallen world and evil man. Many people would say that I am being judgmental or hateful towards homosexuals because I condemn same-sex marriage, but their sin is no different in God’s sight than what any sin is. There are many sins: a proud spirit, a lying tongue, idolatry, murder, lust, greed, etc. It’s a long list and God regards one sin no greater than another. Statistics show that only about 5% of same sex-marriages are long term. Unfortunately, the survival rate of all marriages seems to be in jeopardy given the increasing divorce rate. I wonder if this is in part due to the lack of importance placed on traditional marriage. Marriage isn’t viewed as a sacred, long-term institution anymore.

I do feel it is unfair that homosexuals make up a very small percentage of Americans yet it appears that they have the rights of the majority. However, I do think people are starting to stand up for what they believe and protect the God-given provision of traditional marriage. This may be seen through The Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman and is currently accepted by over thirty states. There continues to be much current debate as to whether marriage should be limited to one man and one woman. Whatever the politicians decide, I will stand by the Bible and define marriage as one man and one woman because "But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'"-Mark 10:6(NKJV)

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-f018.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_of_Marriage_Act
The Bible

Abortion
Ryan Kosolofski
With all the religious restrictions that control people’s lifestyle these days, it’s no wonder that abortion has become a center front issue. Abortion as it stands is where the fetus is removed from the uterus before it has reached the age of viability, roughly the 20th week of gestation. This is rather common practice in today’s society as more and more people are in the position of not wanting a child as it is. Many of these situations come from rape victims and women who have mistakenly forgot some form of birth control and got “accidentally” pregnant from a random person or their boyfriend’s. Either way, this topic has been extremely controversial ever since abortion has become a rather common practice.

On one hand you got the more conservative and religious idealists who are against abortion in all ways. These people are usually referred to as pro-life supporters. These are people who believe that life begins right at the moment of conception where the sperm and the egg unite to for the beginning of the zygote. This means, in pro-life terms, that abortion is basically akin to murder. This is a very religious opinion and the rest of the typical arguments are more based on opinions and beliefs then realities. In the case of people who have been raped, most people against abortion say that there is such thing as proper medical care to prevent the pregnancy which is basically stating that hospitals are going to give a woman a form of a morning after pill. This is an almost redundant argument as if the zygote is formed before this medical care then stopping the pregnancy is thus labelled abortion. Yet pro-life believers will turn an eye to this form since to them it isn’t abortion. Then even try to state adoption is a more reasonable solution instead of abortion. Is it true that there is enough children out there that the “1.5 million American families wanting to adopt a child […]” have the opportunity to indeed adopt? It seems that with some research, there isn’t many viable statistics that can be brought to support pro-life.

Now what about the pro-choice side who support abortion because it means that the mother has the right to choose?

“Nearly all abortions take place in the first trimester, when a fetus cannot exist independent of the mother. As it is attached by the placenta and umbilical cord, its health is dependent on her health, and cannot be regarded as a separate entity as it cannot exist outside her womb.” - http://womensissues.about.com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionArgumen.htm

That right there is one of the main arguments for pro-choice people. It is based upon medical fact that has been proven by unfortunate happenstance and research in the past. This is one of many solid arguments that give the pro-choice side its strength to stand up to the religious and opinionated beliefs of the pro-life movement. Now referring back to the adoption argument, it has been found that roughly 3% of white unmarried women will give up their child while less than 2% of black unmarried women will give up their children. This means that there are barely enough children in foster homes, let alone enough for the picky families who do indeed want to adopt. Abortion, in fact, is a very safe medical procedure that has at the highest a 0.5% chance of the mother developing complications. Once again, the statistics failed to support the pro-life movement but instead favor the side of pro-choice. So why is that people don’t see the logical reasoning behind abortion and continue to hold onto the typical religious dogma put forth?

The answer to that is because religion has become a foundation for most countries now because of how old religion actually is. Religions such as Christianity and Catholicism are failing to keep up with current situations and methods that are changing as we become more advanced in terms of technology and in knowledge of how our known existence operates.

http://womensissues.about.com/od/reproductiverights/a/AbortionArgumen.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1498/abortion

Capital Punishment
Ryan Kosolofski

For taking the lives of many, a person is sentenced to death as what would seem a just reward. Is this truly the case though or is this killing unjustifiable after all? Capital Punishment has been a rather serious issue and has brought about many arguments on whether to keep it or to have it abolished. The U.S has been the breeding ground for such arguments as the U.S has been known throughout the western world in terms of its crime rates and judicial punishment system. Some people however have not been updated on how this issue has been going. First off, Capital punishment is defined as a legal process in which the state executes a criminal who has been found guilty of capital crimes. This form of punishment is legal in 33 of the US states and is an active practice in 58 countries. In modern times, the use of lethal injection is the preferred method of execution with only certain countries practicing other methods. Since such an act has been dated back for thousands of years, the methods have varied from beheading, to firing squad, to electrocution, and many other obscure methods.

Now the question is why is this as big of an issue as it is? That is due to all the human rights movements and activists who have a moral issue with such an act.

First of all there is the pro side to capital punishment. The people who fight to keep this act are those who try to reason how taking the life of someone who has already taken the life of another is protecting the innocent and society has the right to do this. As the Clark County, Indiana Prosecuting Attorney states, “[…]I believe life is sacred. It cheapens the life of an innocent murder victim to say that society has no right to keep the murderer from ever killing again. In my view, society has not only the right, but the duty to act in self defense to protect the innocent." In the U.S there has been multiple rulings that have taken out the death penalty as well as ruled in favor but one must wonder why is this such a big issue in the US when only 1,167 people have been executed since 1979-2009 in the US while China executed 1,718 in 2008 alone.

This topic has grown to epic proportions as major groups have been fighting this “problem” on all fronts. Probably some of the biggest names, which almost everyone should know of, would be Amnesty International and the Catholic Church. Amnesty International has been working around the clock to have countries abolish capital punishment and to get individual states to do the same. This is very commendable as their reasons are purely in the interest of human rights. Now the Catholic Church on the other hand has been more of verbal advocates of abolishing the law then trying to actively get capital punishment removed. It is obvious that their reasons are faith and religiously based for one of the 10 commandments is that “Thou shalt not kill.”

Now as I see it, Capital Punishment is a part of society that is comparable to the vermiform appendix. At one point during our historical timeline it was important and useful but now that we have changed it has become almost pointless. As it stands, Capital Punishment is not a major problem and is not bothering many because of the lack of affecting their own lives. Now if that changes and this issue blows up then we will get a complete “paradigm shift” in terms of our societal view on death and if people truly deserve to die for their actions.

http://usliberals.about.com/od/deathpenalty/i/DeathPenalty.htm
http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/campaigns/abolish-the-death-penalty

Jacob Townsend

Religions of the world
Religion can be defined as the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, esp. a personal God or gods, or as the way one’s life should be followed.

Religion is categorized into these major groups, Christianity, Islam, atheism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism. All of these different religions each have their own different rules of following, on how they feel a person’s life should be run, so that they might end up in the better part of that cultures after-life, when they die, and depending on their actions and how they run their lives can be either good or negative consequences.

We feel that religion is a gateway on how a single person’s thoughts actions and behaviors are dictated in the overall view of society. These differences in views have started wars, like the crusades during the earlier portions of European Christianity, or the wars in the Middle East between the Muslims and Jewish cultures. No singular religion is right or wrong, in their philosophy on life meaning that no one religion can step up and say “hey were right your wrong everyone follow us.” That wouldn’t work as our cultural understanding are different mainly because of the vast differences in nations cultures.
In conclusion Religion Is a choice about how one’s life should be run based off of good choices either having good, or bad reactions to the case, these religions are meant to guide people on their path through life not dictate how their lives should be run.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/

The Good, the Bad, the Religion
Amanda Barnum

Since the beginning of man kind, humans have gathered together for worship. They prayed, made sacrifices, and gave praise, and they called it religion. There were and still are many different branches of religion. Some have multiple gods and goddesses, some did require sacrifices. Some believe certain animals are sacred, some believe in reincarnation. But one thing they all agree on, is the existence of an afterlife.

A quick view of some of the top religions in the world today:
Christianity - They believe in one god and his son Jesus Christ who died for their sins. They believe in an after life called Heaven that is earned by having sins forgiven through Jesus after living one life cycle.
Islam - They also believe in one god, and don't eat pork. They believe they must repent and perhaps God will forgive them, and then they may enter heaven, after living one life cycle.
Hinduism - There are many different sects: some are atheist, some believe in one god, and some believe in many gods. They believe in reincarnation, and if they are good, they will be reborn into a higher hereditary class and after a life of good they will be liberated in Moksha.
Judaism - Their beliefs are very similar to Christianity: Same one God, same one life cycle, same Heaven. They believe Jesus was a prophet, but not the promised son of God. So they believe they must be good, pray, and repent for forgiveness to enter Heaven.
Buddhism - They believe in reincarnation, but not necessarily that hereditary class signifies how close they are to reaching their end goal of Nirvana.

There are many more, but these are most well known.

Religion is great - it brings people together and comforts them in their worries about life after death. People also find comfort in having a god to talk to and take their problems to. With all this fellowship and comfort, how can religion go wrong?

Here's the problems - They all think their religion is right. I have Christian friends who think that the others are going to hell for their beliefs. Hindus think others will never reach Moksha. Jews have been repressed for their beliefs! The fact is, the religions can't seem to get along! Christians have a history of trying to convert others - even forcing them by giving them the ultimatum of "convert or die!" Wars have been fought over religion. Marriages have fallen apart because two Christians don't believe the same!

But look back at the short descriptions above. They are different, but do you see a reoccurring theme? If you break them all down, don't they all say basically the same thing? "Be good, and good will come to you." Even more simply put, they say to follow the golden rule! "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

As previously mentioned, each religion thinks they are right. They each say, "We are right! You all are going to hell!" If their beliefs are right, then their religion is the only "right" religion. If only one religion is right, then everybody else IS wrong! But how do we know which one? "Well, our holy book says we are right!" "Our founder was visited by our god/goddess and was told this is the way!" Those religious books were passed down by word of mouth until someone wrote them down. Who says some stories weren't created or purposely forgotten? Who says they weren't changed through the generations? An example of this is the four gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible. All are the story of the life of Jesus, but look how different they are! And for the founder being visited by the higher power? Could be a dream!

My point is, I believe that when the priests, rabbis, shaikhs, and imams get to the afterlife, they will say, "Ah, so that's how it is." I don't believe anybody has the answer 100%, but what we have is what we have to work with and make the best of. I would again like to point out the bottom line of all of them: Be good, and good will come to you. If that's what they all say, why is there so much fighting?

Religion is great - it's a great tool for morals and people find comfort in it, but people should be less stuck-up about their religions, and try to get along with others. If everybody was more understanding, perhaps half the wars could be prevented.

http://judaism.about.com/od/judaismbasics/a/Afterlife-In-Judaism-Jewish-Beliefs.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/islam.htm
http://buddhism.about.com/

Absolutism
Kyle Berkgren

Often these days you will hear people say stuff like “well that may be true for you but it’s not for me”. In this generation and the upcoming there is an increasing belief that there are no absolutes. If this is the case many things that were once considered of moral importance become meaningless. What does it matter if one person lies to another? Most likely the person lying doesn’t believe it is wrong. So what if someone cheated on a test? It obviously isn’t a truth or belief for them that they shouldn’t cheat. If this doesn’t strike one as odd or wrong maybe it is time to take this to another level.

What if someone doesn’t think it is wrong to murder people? In fact they find it kind of fun. So why not do it? Then the people who say they believe in no absolutes cry out foul! They say as long as what you are doing doesn’t affect another person it is okay. But wait. Where did that come from and why does it matter? Is it because life is valued? Because if so it’s obviously not so for the murderer. So therefore he would be fine. They can’t say there are no absolutes and then say there is the absolute that life is valued or you can’t interfere with another’s life. In fact there is a flaw in even the statement that defines them. In essence they say there are ABSOLUTELY no ABSOLUTES… That is a self-contradicting statement. Either there are absolutes, or there are not. If there is an absolute what prohibits there from being more? If there are no absolutes then there would have to be an absolute so that the rule itself was absolute. But in becoming an absolute it itself becomes false.

I believe there are absolutes, if there are absolutes it doesn’t matter if you claim to believe in them or not, they exist. In fact I am not sure that people that claim there are none, deep down truly believe it themselves. How could life exist with no absolutes? Why do morals even exist? No, what I think is that often those people don’t want to admit, that they have, or felt like they have, done something wrong. So they claim there is no absolute so there is nothing to be judged against and nothing to have done wrong. However the fact that they claim not to believe it doesn’t change the fact it exists and will be carried through.

If a murderer comes before a judge and claims not to have broken the law because he believes that there absolutely are no laws. The judge will still put him in jail for murder. So why do we try to throw up a fake wall, that is of no use?

http://fatfist.hubpages.com/hub/There-are-NO-Absolutes-There-is-NO-Absolute-Truth
http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/absolute-truth.htm

Physician Assisted Suicide

By Audrey Lorenz

When it comes to the many moral dilemmas that you see in modern day culture, only several compare when it comes to physician assisted suicide or PAS. Physician assisted suicide refers to when a medical physician assists a competent terminally ill patient to death by a lethal dose of prescription medication. Now being that this is the case, it brings rise to many discussions on the morality of both the patient and the medical assistant when administering said dosage.

To begin with, there is the moral dilemma that the medical physician face when administering the dosage because it could be seen in their eyes as if they are seemingly the ones who are killing the patient rather than the patient being the one who chooses to end their own life. Also there is a moral dilemma that is faced by the patient by means of the question; is committing suicide right or wrong? In today’s society suicide is considered to be ethically wrong by many on the grounds that there are other ways of dealing with a problem without the ending of one’s own life. While this is the case some religious patients seeking PAS could realize that, if they were Christian, the bible claims suicide to be a sin in the eyes of the lord, which would bring up yet another moral dilemma for them. There are many ways to look at it from a moral standpoint as well as there are many arguments for and against it too.

When it comes to the support for it, many people argue that when a physician is aiding the patient they are giving the patient the option to terminate their own life rather than to go through the unbearable pain and suffering that can accompany many terminal illnesses. Not to mention, physicians have a “duty” to help alleviate the suffering of their patients, in which case there is a permissible argument to the topic of physician assisted suicide to patients with an incurable terminal illness. These arguments rely mainly only the respect for a perfectly competent individual who happens to have a terminal illness choosing to end their life before their suffering gets worse and worse up to the point where they die.

On the other side of the fence however, are the arguments against the aid of a physician in patients choosing to end their own lives. One of the main arguments is that although a physician has a “duty” to help alleviate the suffering of their patients, they are also said to have the “duty” to preserve the life of their patients, and to cause as little harm to the patient in doing so. The topic also brings rise to the fact that if PAS were to be legalized, there could be groups that are pushed to use it in a manner much like euthanasia, to end their own lives, rather than go through other more expensive means of dying or choosing to end their life. One way or another, physician assisted suicide is a very prevalent topic and one of today’s most discussed moral dilemmas and, as it would seem that fact will not change any time soon.

http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/pad.html

Moral Courage
By: Gunnar Hays

Everyone faces problems and issues each day, some are smaller personal problems and some are issues that seem to have an effect on everybody, and keep everybody arguing. Some of the most important issues that are out there are the moral issues. These moral issues are seen everyday and something that often stands out is how to practice morals and what a moral person really is.

A moral person can be defined in several different ways, and can be described in even more. One of the first things looked at when it comes to a moral person is moral courage. Nearly anybody who is considered a moral person also posses moral courage. Moral courage is basically the ability to take a stand. A moral person obviously stands firmly in the belief of their moral values, and they are willing to fight for it. No matter if the belief is unpopular or taking criticism, somebody with moral courage still stands up for what they believe, never withering or compromising, something essential for a moral person. However, to have this moral courage there has to be something to have courage about, some things to fight for, those things are moral values.

Moral people obviously are well aware of their moral values, the guidelines and principles that are very important. People may have different moral values but a moral person will always know their values. For example, a certain moral person might be very religious Christian, in that case their moral values reflect their Christian faith and you would see their values reflective of things like putting God first, going to church, and other things in the Ten Commandments. There might be another moral person who isn’t too religious but still has a set of strong values they fight for like telling the truth, working hard, and caring for those who are less fortunate. These values are not something moral people are simply born with either, in many cases moral people develop into who they are getting values from family and the community.

Something everybody has that moral people certainly have is a conscience, it drives them to find their values and stand up for them with moral courage. Consciences aren’t so much a trait born with, as it is something developed. Moral people often are effected greatly by past events, family teachings, and religion. A moral person often develops their conscience into what it is at the time. A conscience is often described as the voice inside your head saying what is right and what is wrong. This is all relative to what the moral person has developed as believing right and wrong. In any case however, a moral person will have a strong conscience always hearing and practicing their values. Another aspect of the conscience is guilt. Even moral people are not perfect, like everyone else they make mistakes. But a moral person will have a strong enough conscience to feel remorse for what they did and realize they knew better and were wrong, another case of strong conscience in moral people.

Moral issues are very important and relevant in society, which makes moral people something well worth studying. It is important to look at moral people to see who they really are, how they are that way, and also why. When you put together factors like moral courage, values, and conscience it is easier to find out what a moral person is.

References:
Thinking Critically Tenth Edition by John Chaffee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscience

Arguments
Damion Walls
What is an argument? Is an argument an question brought up by an oppion or is it an oppion from a person who just want another oppion? Since really allot of the time when a person have an argument with an person they have already came up with their answer to their problem, but some times have an open mind and may take in little to moderant into thought of what they are getting knowledge of. So really is an argument even needed, in my experience I said it is very muchly needed.

I fell that arguments are proposed so that an person can get what they need out, out without having to fill bad. Cause the fact that they let the other person put their intell into the question or problem that they are posing. Helps both the person proposing an the person who it is directed to, but this may not always be the way it works. An argument may also just be proposed just to open the mind, and unite people with or an direct group ideal. To help stair people into one answer.

While I was on the computer looking up what I needed for this wiki I came across this search answer that really helps my argument. The proposal is “Top Ten Arguments Can’t Be Won”, witch is all interesting with how the same arguments I be having with my team mates the rest of the world be having.
Evolution or Creation?

Theologists and scientists have been arguing this one for centuries as well. The argument goes back to the time when organized religion was almost as powerful as the monarchies ruling countries. When people starting postulating that the Earth was not the center of the universe, it gave way to the rise in questioning the idea of a seven-day creation and God’s role in creating the Earth. Enter Darwin and his Theory of Evolution and the debate truly kicks off with an unholy fevered pitch. Add in that there are many stories of creation across many different religions and your brain can really start to hurt.

Nature vs. Nurture
Does how you are raised affect your views as an adult more than what your genetic codes dictate? If your family has always been carpenters, are you destined to be a carpenter because of your genes or because of your familial upbringing? When identical twins are separated at birth and grow up to have identical tastes is that an argument that it has more to do with nature than nurture? However, is it nature to love spicy food, when that’s all that your family and friends eat?

The Death Penalty
Centuries ago, the prevalent rule of thumb was an eye for an eye, or in some cases, a life for a life. So the question becomes have we advanced far enough in our social and political structures to ban the death penalty? Or when is the death penalty justifiable? Is the death penalty appropriate for an accidental homicide? How about for a mass murderer?
Abortion or Pro-life?

Does a woman have the right to control her body by ending a life inside her? When is a fetus truly alive? Is all life truly precious? What happens when a woman is raped and becomes pregnant – is that life still precious? There may never be answers to these questions; however, the government has helped us out many times by entering its own opinion whether the pro-lifers like it or not.

Free will or Destiny?
The free will or destiny argument stems back to the Christian doctrine that God is omniscient and has seen everything that will happen. So if God can see everything that happens, is it free will or destiny that makes you choose to continue reading? Some have argued that God knows you will read this but you still have a choice. However, if the path is already apparent to one being, then the path has already been decided for you. However, that directly contradicts our everyday actions where we constantly make decisions – is something, a destiny foreseen by God, guiding us or are we truly free of the strictures of destiny?

Morals – Relative or Universal?
Like the question of gun control, whether ethics being morally relative or universal comes down to whether the good of the one outweighs the good of the many. If it is fine to sleep with another man’s wife in one society but not in another, then the problem is that the morals are relative to the society or person. But why wouldn’t it be universal that it is wrong to sleep with another man’s wife or woman’s husband in any society? Why is it OK to speed, when it is breaking the law? Shouldn’t breaking any law be just as wrong? If you would never steal a person’s purse, why would you pirate a DVD

Does God Exist?

Since the dawn of recorded time, there have been people trying to prove that there is a higher being or beings that have caused the worlds and its creation. Organized religion comes down to having faith that there is a higher being and a place to go after death. Most people, if not already deeply religious in their life, find religion and start believing as they near their twilight years because they want to believe there is somewhere to go and someone to be with. So the question is how do you prove that god, in which ever religion you believe, exists

Daniel Bolte
Medical Marijuana

Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa) is a plant with many gray areas in the state laws and the federal government laws. In this case I am going to use Colorado as an example because I have lived there my whole life till college. Colorado as a state law gives patients with certain ailments permission to smoke or ingest as medicine as long as they have certification from a licensed doctor; but this is where it gets confusing because the federal government still considers marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. The federal government can still arrest anyone in possession of the substance Cannabis Sativa.

“4. Colorado
Ballot Amendment 20 — Approved Nov. 7, 2000 by 54% of voters
Effective: June 1, 2001
Removes state-level criminal penalties on the use, possession and cultivation of marijuana by patients who possess written documentation from their physician affirming that he or she suffers from a debilitating condition and advising that they "might benefit from the medical use of marijuana." (Patients must possess this documentation prior to an arrest.)

Approved Conditions: Cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS positive, cachexia; severe pain; severe nausea; seizures, including those that are characteristic of epilepsy; or persistent muscle spasms, including those that are characteristic of multiple sclerosis. Other conditions are subject to approval by the Colorado Board of Health.
Possession/Cultivation: A patient or a primary caregiver who has been issued a Medical Marijuana Registry identification card may possess no more than two ounces of a usable form of marijuana and not more than six marijuana plants, with three or fewer being mature, flowering plants that are producing a usable form of marijuana.

Patients who do not join the registry or possess greater amounts of marijuana than allowed by law may argue the "affirmative defense of medical necessity" if they are arrested on marijuana charges.
Amended: House Bill 1284 (236 KB) and Senate Bill 109 (50 KB)
Effective: June 7, 2010

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed the bills into law and stated the following in a June 7, 2010 press release:
"House Bill 1284 provides a regulatory framework for dispensaries, including giving local communities the ability to ban or place sensible and much-needed controls on the operation, location and ownership of these establishments.

Senate Bill 109 will help prevent fraud and abuse, ensuring that physicians who authorize medical marijuana for their patients actually perform a physical exam, do not have a DEA flag on their medical license and do not have a financial relationship with a dispensary."
Finalizing, Marijuana can be a beneficial drug in the medical field with people that suffer harsh ailments. Marijuana can be used as one prescription instead of having to buy multiple prescriptions to help with each side affect. The sooner the FDA notices its benefits many people can stop having to worry about getting involved with the law and fearing prison time and just peacefully medicate and focus on beating their sickness. People will have their justice in the next few years, I truly believe good can come out of the legalization of marijuana. This drug can save many patients the money that they would have to spend on using the humanized prescription pills.

Work Cited:
Image from google, images.
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881

By:Marsha Fenita-Putri
Arguments

39ca7_Funny_remember-women-always-have-the-last-word-in-an-argument.jpeg

Arguments are ways to express a point of view based on a subject and have it supported with evidence. Debate is often known to be an argument. The debate can be argued by someone at some time. Anyone can argue a statement that are claimed to be “fact” because they might not agree. Therefore, they will argue to make their point. In arguments, you can either agree with it, refuse it, or offer a new point of view of their own. Humans have so many different knowledge of point of view in differences of opinion. It is hard to stay clear on things that are “true,” “real,” and “right.” We argued mostly on our daily basis because of what we believed in. In order to be better at critical thinking, making choices, reasoning, and weighing evidence, we must improve our skills to think logically in our arguments.
Arguments is also a main idea, most often called a “claim” or “thesis statement” that are supported with evidence to support the main idea. In order to have some arguments, we must ask ourself, “What is my point?” If we do not come up with any main idea, then there is nothing to argue. Finding out the main point can avoid “information dump.” The reasons why we are trying to find the main point is so that we can make sure we understand the material. Other reason is to find ways to think beyond of what we have read or heard.
Once you find the main point, arguments does not stop there. You have to support them with evidence. Be careful of the evidence that you are supporting because it can lead to either breaking the arguments or making them a better statement. Some examples could be talking to your parents about letting you borrow their car. Did you whine until they wanted you to be quiet? Did you make them feel guilty that all your other friends parents let them drive? You need to be more consistent with out arguments.
Counterarguments or objections are ways to strengthen your argument and to show a more deeper understanding of your main point. When considering someone who disagree with your arguments, you must tell them that you have think it through, and dispose some false information. Do some research, and get some help and talk to friends or family. Once you achieved the counterarguments, you must think on how you will respond. Your audience might make their own point of view to every point you have made. In that case, you must be charitable. Present each of the arguments to be fairly and objectively. Have one or two serious counterarguments rather than giving a long speech will lose your audience.
In arguments, your audience is your very most important consideration. Getting some help from family members can help you persuade each of them. Your audience are your best interest to improve your arguments. They help you think more wiser in the points you are trying to make. You are not trying to argue just because “It's true because I said so.” You must claim the idea and also support the evidence clearly.
Critical thinking plays an important role in understanding more about the argument. Do not fall for a printed word as authority. Sometimes author want you to think on something they want you to believe in. It is ok because every reason is based on their perspective, but it is also ok to argue and a good think to be aware of.
Next time you read, ask yourself, “What is the author trying to prove?” and what you can agree based on what the author is assuming. Do you agree with this arguments? Is there something you would like to add? By improving this skills, you improve your ability to craft a strong arguments.

Work Cited: Thinking Critically- Book
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/argument/

Scott Ochs
Philosophy of Thought and Logic
Wiki 1

ron-artest-punching-flagrant-foul-2011-nba-playoffs-mavs-lakers-western-semifinals.jpg

In the National Basketball association, injuries happen all the time, whether it is a minor ankle sprain to a torn ACL. A big argument that people have is whether these high playing athletes should play through injuries or not. Professional players play over 80 games in a season, and that doesn’t include the playoffs which can lead to 20 more games. According to http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/injuries there can be around 50 players injured at one time. So you would think that they would need to push through the injuries, but if you’re an irreplaceable player, is it better to miss 3 or 4 games now, or take the risk of re-injuring it later in the season when the wins count a lot more? This is the question that a lot of people are asking. As a fan of basketball, I would rather see my teams sit out the players that need to be sat out when injured. That way I know they are healthy and can perform at their highest level. I especially need them at the playoffs where championships are won. So my side of the argument is that they should most definitely take the time off when they need it. Now the other side of the argument is a strong one as well. You can argue that these players are getting paid millions of dollars, so they should push through the pain and play for the money that they are given. People pay lots of money to watch and support these players, so they want to see them on the court at all times and see them play every time. The other side of the argument is the consideration of how extreme the injury is. If the player has a sore pinky or a minor sprain then they should obviously play, so when players sit out for those little injuries I think it is ridiculous. Any player at any level should be able to push through and play. Of course as the level of the games change, the acceptance of injuries changes. If you are playing at the junior high level or lower then you’re not going to have the disappointment if you don’t participate in the games. High school would probably be submission to change dealing with the competition and the level of the competitors. And a lot of the responsibility of the pace and nature of the game is set upon the referees and how they control the abuse and how much physical contact that they allow in the game. They can stop violence and hard fouls very easily, but it is just as easy to ignore the referee as a player as well. So in conclusion I feel that there are many views on this subject, and many points to argue for both sides. There are right and wrong points for both parties arguing. My personal view is that they should take the allowed time to rest their bodies for the long agonizing season, but some people argue that they are paid too much to sit out and lay around. But realize how many games and how long these games are, not just anyone can do it. So like I said there are many points to talk about, you have the right to your own opinion, so let it be heard.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/injuries, Statistical Information provided by: STATS LLC © 2012 Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/injuries, CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Sports Line is a registered service mark of SportsLine.com, Inc. © 2012 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved.

Scott Ochs
Philosophy of Thought and Logic
Wiki 2
Basketball is a very physical sport, but is the game getting to physical, or are referees getting a little to whistle happy? I have played basketball for over ten years, and have plenty of injuries to prove it. Does that mean that they were all from hard fouls and what not? No not exactly, but some of them did come fouls. So right there we can tell that we have something to argue about. And as you can see from the picture above, sometimes the game that we love and cherish can get out of control and very dangerous.

Players can become very competitive and then resulting in that, becoming very aggressive and even personal. Players have been known to come directly after a player and try to intentionally injure or hurt them. Now this is a very big and disturbing problem. These athletes are paid millions of dollars to play at a high level and expected to perform on a daily basis. And if someone takes them out with a hard foul, it can be a terrible thing. Talking about the expectations of the players, they are expected to play hard and aggressive all the time, but how can they do this without fouling. So the players also need to be conscience about maybe taking a couple plays off that may lead to fouls, but this is probably the biggest problem of the NBA, and that is that the athletes don’t play as hard as they should. And I can understand this argument, because if you watch a NBA game it can get tedious and drawn out with all the fouls, and all the plays taken off making it seem like they are not trying. But do you really think that these people are going to make it to a professional league without trying? You have to give the players credit because of the length of games, and the quantity of the games that they play.

In conclusion I can see both sides of the argument but everyone needs to realize what these players go through, and how fast the game is. The referees have to make calls at the blink of an eye. It is extremely difficult, and not anyone can go do it. So give the game a chance.

Alex Harris
Argument

When I say the word argument, what do you think about? Do you picture people arguing? Do you consider what the definition of that word might be? Or what could start one? Well I personally think about people arguing, the causes of it and I also picture certain people arguing. Whatever you think of when you hear the word is based on what you know with the topic, and how you’ve had to deal with it. For example, if you’ve grown up around people who fight constantly (parents, siblings, etc) then it’s only natural you picture those people arguing and even think about what they generally argue about. But if you try to wrap your mind around what the definition could possibly be, then I suppose you’re more of a thinker and haven’t necessarily grown up around too serious of fighting or it doesn’t affect you. With stating all of that, I could start an argument as easily as that.
Based on dictionary.com the book definition of argument is an oral disagreement, verbal opposition, contention, altercation (a violent argument) and the second definition is a discussion involving differing points of view, debate. To sum it up, it starts out as more than one person disagreeing on a topic. With that broad of a definition or subject, anything at any point in time could spark an argument, kind of just depends on the people and how you state what you’re saying.

What causes arguments though? Like I previously just said, anything can ignite an argument. Openly stating an opinion without consideration of the audience or the use of words can fire up a disagreement really fast. Words also can start arguments, what you say about a topic or even someone could cause discrepancy, therefore bringing up an argument. The tone of your voice could bring up an argument. You could easily say, “You look pretty today.” And mean it but how you say it, the tone of your voice, can make someone think you’re being sarcastic and they could take that the wrong way as well. Doing anything or saying anything negatively could possibly bring up an equal or exaggerated negative response, there’s your argument.
Not only can you bring arguments upon yourself, you could also avoid them. It’s just as easy, if not easier, to let someone think they’re right about an area under discussion as it would be to argue your point to prove you’re right because a big percentage of the time those people stating they’re right will probably not even consider what you have to say, in turn you’ll never persuade them your view. So walking away from an obvious argument starter is one way to avoid getting into verbal fights. Another way would be being open minded. If you clearly don’t agree with a statement, opinion, or anything of the matter you could sit there and listen to why someone thinks that and maybe being that open minded would lead you to belief that person or agree. Even if you didn’t agree though, you could avoid their argument because you could then see why they believe or think that. Another way to avoid these arguments would be just to ignore what’s being said and don’t think into how they said it. Obviously easier said than done! But if someone says something that sounds sarcastic such as a compliment that could be a back handed compliment, just take it as a compliment. Heck if nothing else, it could boost your confidence.
Arguments are started mainly on how you personally perceive subjects and other people.

Sources
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/argument
http://www.ftseday.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Dont-end-up-arguing-with-the-markets.jpg

Brian Wood
ARGUMENTS

An argument is a type of discussion in which disagreement is expressed. Everybody has an opinion so there are always many disputes. Sometimes arguments can just be solved verbally but there are times when people use force to solve an argument. For example when somebody isn’t getting the answer they want to hear things can get heated and then people begin shouting. They will shout over each other and then begin pushing and shoving and even punching. If people would learn the proper way to handle disagreements and be willing to hear the other point of view things could be settled without violence or force.
Relationship arguments are part of life and there is no way of avoiding them. We’re all human and naturally we’re going to have disagreements. So when the argument starts to happen you need to stay calm even though it will be hard. If things start to escalate then it is a good idea to suggest that you both try and relax and talk about it instead of yelling. Give the other person enough space to voice his or her concerns. I’m sure you hate when people interrupt you so give your partner the same respect you would want - it’s important even if you disagree. Put an extra effort toward trying to understand their point of view because even if you believe you are right there are usually two sides to every story. It is important to control your emotions and don't say something you'll regret later. Always consider your relationship like a glass. It is beautiful and strong but also needs to be cared for so it won’t end up shattered on the floor. Learn to compromise. If you can learn to compromise, you'll find yourself in fewer disagreements. If you don't like something, then agree with your partner to find some middle ground. This idea goes both ways so be willing to come up with alternative solutions for things the other person doesn’t like as well.
How to win an argument is to aim for a goal other than being right. The other person will be prepared to defend against someone who is trying to prove themselves right. Trying to prove you are right and the other person wrong is like making a frontal assault on an entrenched enemy position. You will never come out on top that way. So instead of trying to be right you need to try and make an entirely new goal. You need to think about what makes you feel certain that you are right and look at what other options there could be rather than focusing on just proving that you are right. An example would be a parent who is angry at their kid for coming in 10 minutes after curfew. They could scream and yell and ground their kid but what are they really accomplishing? If they sit down with their kid and discuss what occurred there may be a reasonable excuse for them being late. Maybe something important happened and if you show understanding you can open the door to communication rather than making a bad situation worse.
The best way to avoid arguments is by just being calm even if you are very upset and try to wait for yourself and whoever you are arguing with to just calm down before you even talk about it. Once everything calms down talk it out don’t argue. It takes two people to have an argument so if you are calm and together the chances of clearing things up will be much greater.
Don’t bring up issues from the past. The past is the past leave it at that. If you bring up stuff from the past all the time you will never be able to move on. It is like holding a grudge and no matter what the other person does they can’t win because you just keep hashing up old problems. If there was a problem in the past that you moved on from it is important to actually move on and not use it to throw up every time there is an argument.
In conclusion, there is no way to escape arguments completely. You need to be mature and understand how to handle an argument. The past is history and we don’t need to dwell on things that already happened. Let’s worry about the present and make things the best we can now.

References (Psychologytoday.com) (dictionary.reference.com)

Arguments
Michaela Garrett

When most people hear the word argument they think of two people hashing it out over something silly. In this case though, an argument is getting a person or a group of people to agree with what you’re saying. In any argument you need to decide, explain, predict, and persuade.
When deciding what you want to make people believe, you need to first figure out whether or not it is a cause or a topic in which people can fully believe in. If it passes that, then you move on to make sure that there is enough factual evidence to support your argument. If, after some research, you find that you do not have enough factual evidence to support your argument, your best bet is that you should not continue on with that argument. However, if there are enough facts to support it, it is time to move on to explain what it is you are trying to prove.
To explain your argument, you must use the facts you have found and the reason to why you believe your argument is important. Be careful when explaining your argument because people have a tendency to fill this part with many fallacies, or loop holes that do not support the argument. And this obviously does not help you when you are trying to push people into having the same belief on a topic as you do. After you explain your argument, you must predict what will happen when people agree with you on your argument.
To predict what will happen does not mean that you simply pull some statistics out of nowhere and try to cram them down the audience’s throat. In order to accurately predict what could or could not happen is where all those facts you looked for earlier come in. Without proper facts you cannot make even relative predictions. However, you want these predictions to be realistic and you want them to show that your argument has a stable base. After you have done all of this it is time to persuade.
If you have done all of the other steps correctly and you have not filled your argument with fallacies, it is time to start persuading people into following your idea. To persuade all it takes is to follow the above steps and relate to the audience. A speaker cannot persuade a group of people to jump off a cliff if he is up there saying how crazy it is to go jump off a cliff. You, as the persuader must believe that what you are persuading people into is not only good for them, but it is also good for you.
Following these simple steps will not only make your thinking more logical but it will also help you make your points more clear and concise. With your points being more clear and concise it will be easier for you to argue your points and to persuade others into believing what you want them to believe.

http://img9.joyreactor.com/pics/post/internet-argument-genius-331679.jpeg
Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically. 10th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print.
http://www.writerspulse.org/forming-an-argument/

Arguments Mindmap - Michaela Garrett

Reasoning
By: Josue Quiroga

To use reasoning one must have the decision able to decide, explain, predict, persuade for cases of argument. You must also have the intellectual skill for knowing how to use them all effectively and how to use them effectively. In critical thinking you consider carefully about problems, claims, questions, and situations in an occurring order to help solve any solution the best way you possibly can. A first step you want to do for solving a problem with your reasoning skills is to focus on the main issue and slowly break down the situation into certain aspects or parts. Then you must determine the order in which the problem accord to relevance. One thing to know is how to distinguish the difference between a person’s facts and their opinions during any type of problem. Fact is what separates and opinions from the truth. Facts are real statements that true and can be supported, while opinions are things believed to have happened but could not be true or even exist. By doing this you should learn the true facts from the fiction in other words. You’ll be able to see very clearly if you just stop and use your critical thinking in any situation to determine it. Once you are able to stop and break down the situation into sections, then you can realize and see bias information and determine a certain level of expertise that may be a source. Doing this you will realize that an eyewitness really isn’t always a strong source most of the time. As long as you have the facts and the right evidence material to back up your statement and you are able to persuade others of what your point is, it shows that having an eyewitness always isn’t creditable. Doing this will further more help you in finding incomplete claims in certain situations, such as advertisement as some can be misleading.Such as hearing someone tell their story in a courtroom and using your critical thinking to stop and figure out the situation by identifying such situations aren’t always as they seem. Some stories may not be telling you everything you want to hear. Usually some people are holding out and not telling the truth, so as a lawyer it’s up to them to use their critical thinking and find those missing pieces from the story. Euphemisms work perfectly when trying to find the facts out of someone; you can confuse them by using negative expressions with positive ones to thrown them off. Just as you would with dysphemism replaces positive expressions with negative ones. But biased questioning is usually the hardest questions to answer fairly. A cop questioning a suspect would probably be a situation where you would see this type of critical reasoning as they mix up their methods of using euphemism and dysphemism. Practicing and studying your evidence that you have put together from a problem helps you determine the path of whether it is valid or not. Now that you know what it takes to make a good argument its easier now to determine your world’s surroundings and how to approach these certain situations. Also how to create a good conclusion and premises those very clear and completely free of any persuasion. As a critical thinker you have to remember that there are always two side of every argument and the best way to find a solution is to stay at a neutral level and hear what both sides have to say. Then assess the situation by breaking down each problem and by using your critical thinking to reasoning and find the conclusion as a critical thinker would.
Work Cited: http://www.education.com/study-help/article/putting2/
Work Cited: Philosophy of Critical Thinking

By: Marsha Fenita-Putri
Reasoning

Reasoning is used in arguments, statements, premises and axioms to proof weather a statement is a true or false statement. There are three types of reasoning, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, and adductive reasoning.
Deductive reasoning is supported by the major and minor premises. It originates from the mathematics and philosophy. Examples: Major premise- “All humans are mortal.” Minor premise- “Socrates is human.” Conclusion- “Socrates is mortal.” This examples are the most obvious and straightforward that can be drawn from the premise. In deductive reasoning, there are no new information added, but only rearrange some information on what is already known.
Inductive reasoning is the exact opposites of the deductive reasoning. It is generalized in the most general conclusion. Some examples hypothesis are saying that “all swans are white.” This reasoning’s are taken without observing further more without even observing any black swan. It is risky for the inductive reasoning to form a logical reasoning because the conclusion can easily be a false statement. From the swan examples, it can easily be incorrect when a black swan is spotted. Even today, inductive reasoning are the most common that are used the most in reasoning.
Adductive reasoning is similar to inductive reasoning. It is similar because the conclusions are based on probabilities. Some examples of adductive reasoning are: Major premise being “The jar is filled with yellow marbles.” Minor premise being “I have a yellow marble in my hand.” Conclusions are “The yellow marble was taken out of the jar.” The conclusion in adductive reason might be too obvious and clear to show. Even though it is clearly obvious to show, it has the most plausible reasoning. This type of reasoning is mostly used in the field of science and research.
Other than theses three types of reasoning, it is possible to know the difference between informal reasoning and formal reasoning. Formal reasoning is based on a valid premises and conclusions This also form a deductive reasoning. Nothing is new to the information, but only rearrange to a new conclusion.
Informal reasoning poses all elements from the formal reasoning, but includes probabilities and the truths about the conclusion and premises. Informal reasoning is related to adductive reasoning.
Formal deductive and informal deductive reasoning will paired with each deductive, inductive and adductive reasoning.
Logically, wrong can be stated to be right. It can seem obviously wrong within logically reasoning, but speaking logically correctly. Conclusions are more drawn with the logically reasoning other than the calidity of certain conclusion or premises. Examples: Major premise- “Eating a lot makes you lose weight.” Minor premise- “Craig is obese.” Question- “What can we do to make Craig lose weight?” Conclusion- “Make Craig eat a lot.” By looking at the conclusion, we all would think that this conclusion is wrong because in reality, we all know that eating a lot does not make you lose weight, it will only gain weight. However, this statement is correct based on its logically reasoning. Since both of the premises are valid, conclusion is also makes it a valid reasoning. To have a correct answer, you must requires a correct a proper identification of the relationship between facts and opinion.
Think logical reasoning is helpful in many ways, mostly is tests taking. It is used in every day fields and every job. It is easy to apply a good reason if you have a good logical reasoning skills. It helps us understand better, analyze to a question more better and easy to understand. These skills are used in general use to figuring out clues that can make an argument weaker or to recognize any false statements.
Work Cited:
http://www.fibonicci.com/logical-reasoning/
Thinking Critically- Book

Daniel Quintana
Philosophy of Thought and Logic
Reasoning
The definition of reasoning is the use of reason; the drawing of inferences or conclusions through the use of reason. Your reasoning is the facts and logic you use to backup your conclusion and what you believe in. You need to be able to have reasoning behind your decision to try and prove why you believe in what you believe in.

If you are involved in an argument, your reasoning will give the rationale behind why one choice should be chosen over another. There are many different types of reasoning. Some types of reasoning that are most used are pros vs. cons reasoning, exemplar reasoning, and cause and effect reasoning.

Pros vs. cons reasoning are a type of reasoning where the person uses arguments both for and against a certain case. Normally an argument will end up having a conclusion based on whether which one is stronger, the pros or the cons. In doing so, this will end in a reasonable conclusion because of the reasonable argument. Some things to keep in mind while arguing your pro’s are to make more logical arguments, having evidence, putting emphasis on key words, and having more arguments for the case (vice versa for cons). A good idea would be to start with the favored side so that the audience’s mind will be filled with the key points. This will make it so the un favored side is less easy to be absorbed. Some examples of this are:

Say this, “It is useful and cheap, but on the other hand it won’t last long and will make you look ungenerous.”
Don’t say this, “It won’t last long and will make you look ungenerous.”
The first one gave reasoning as to why it will make you look ungenerous.
To wrap up this type of reasoning, if you offer arguments both for and against a case, it will me the arguer sound even handed and neutral therefore he/she will sound trustworthy.

The next type of reasoning is exemplar reasoning. This is known as the use of examples in an argument. You can use this type of reasoning by telling a story. It can be a duplicate of the situation or may be a relatively distant metaphor. You could use an example of a known person, known situation, or a subject that the other person doesn’t know about. Some examples of this are:
“You should go out more often. I have a friend who used to stay in and was never really happy.”
“You know, I have a dog like yours and he won’t play fetch either. I found that rubbing jam on the end of the stick worked.”

Giving examples really helps. They are very persuasive because a lot of the time they are real world situations meaning that they actually happened. If someone believes the evidence, they will be more likely to agree with the overall argument.
The last type of reasoning I’m going to talk about is cause and effect reasoning. This is pretty self explanatory. While in an argument, show the causes and effects and help the other person see why things have happened or why things will happen. You want to show purpose. Try and link things to higher value. Show what happens first and what will happen next. There are two types of reasoning that go along with this and they are cause-to effects reasoning where you start with a cause and go forward. Then you have effects-to-cause reasoning which is just the opposite of cause-to-effects reasoning. That wraps up reasoning. Reasoning is a big part of critical thinking. You have to put some thought behind your reasoning to make it a valid argument.

http://www.mindomo.com/view.htm?m=18f2e8a6a8c3404abb7055797ff2045c
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reasoning
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/argument/types_reasoning/types_reasoning.htm

Jordan Miller

Living Creatively

“The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can’t get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.” -Alan Alda We live creatively through music, art, culture, beliefs, and much more. Everyone has their own style and creativeness, we all view creativity from different perspectives.

Living creatively gives ourselves a chance to reach full potential. It is an opportunity to grow as a person. How creative a person is defines the person. For example, some people are creative through their music, some through art, others through sports. Different talents call for different creativity. Living creatively is having dreams, goals, and wanting things. We are always out to accomplish the above and how we do so is used in a creative manner. Everyone has different dreams and goals, but how they go about them defines our creativity.

Sometimes our creativeness is dramatic due to blaming others for our lack of creative output. Sometimes we interfere with our own creativity by getting to caught up in others’. Getting caught up in someone else’s affairs, drama, etc seems much easier to deal with than our own. A creative person’s sense of individuality is a special sort of challenge. In life it is so easy to follow someone else’s creativity just for acceptance of fitting in. Children mostly fall under this category. They follow other’s disguising their true creativity just to fit in with someone else’s. That is why individuality tends to be a challenge in itself. It is so hard to define ourselves. This also leads to our psychological defenses can get in the way of authentic creating. Sometimes we struggle in life, for example an author having a breaking point writing a novel. Sometimes we struggle owning up to our difficulties when really things would be better if we just owned up to it.

Our personalities may also interfere with our creating. For example Goths tend to look at life with a negative attitude. Their idea of creative is black everything. Whereas some people are more so full of color and have a very positive outlook on life. We define our own creativity. Our outlooks on life and how we handle different situations helps us form our creativity. Our mind tends to get in the way of our creativity, we do not always speak our mind. We must say what is on our mind and how we feel. Sometimes we are to afraid to say what is on our mind because we are worried about what others think.

We make our own creativity, we just need to acknowledge this. Personally I have a very outgoing creative personality. I am athletic, love neon colors, and am generally a people person. I like writing poetry as my fine art to write what is on my mind on paper. My creativeness defines who I am as everyone else’s does them.

Sources Used:

-
Improving Creativity
Jonathan Burgess

Creativity is the ability to generate new, unique and alternative ideas through imaginative skill. Creativity relies upon our ability to view things from a different view or perspective, and to be able to think differently from other people. Creativity is important for use in everyday life as it helps with problem solving, our ability to express emotion and our ability to advance in life. Many people might struggle creatively, however there are many ways to improve your creativity.

As we age we tend to become less creative. This is because stereotypical adult behaviour gets in the way of ideas and creativity. Young children posses much more playfulness and do not fear the judgment of their peers, where as adults do, causing many ideas to be pushed aside. However, there are many things that people can do to improve their creativity, such as:
-Rewarding your curiosity and allow yourself to explore new topics.

-Be Willing to Take Risks, and do not get put off if they do not lead to success.

-Build Your Confidence as insecurities can reduce creativity.

-Make Time for yourself to do some creative projects.

-Try to avoid negative attitudes, as positive moods increase your thinking ability, and negativity opens you up to self-criticism, which damages creativity.

-Do not fear failure or making mistakes, this fear will obstruct creativity. It needs to be remembered that mistakes are not a bad thing and that you can learn and improve from them.

-Remember that there can be more than one way to do something, and there will usually be multiple solutions to a problem. Instead of going with your first idea try to think of other, better, more efficient ways to do something.

-Try to challenge yourself to become more creative. Do not always take the easiest option, and try to look for more difficult or alternative ways to approach things.

-Mix things up and try to avoid routines, because doing the same thing all the time will reduce creativity.

-Do new activities, and avoid only doing things you are good at, and try to step outside your comfort zone.

-Try to mix with new people. By doing this you are open to new ideas from people with different backgrounds and interests.

These are some of the ways that creativity can be improved. With improved creativity there are many aspects of life that can be improved. As humans we need to express ourselves as much as possible in order for us to advance as a species.

http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/tp/how-to-boost-creativity.01.htm
http://www.rousingyourmuse.com/importance-of-creativity.htm

Alex Harris
Organization

Organization can be thought of in many different ways. Whether it’s comparative and analogical relationships, or causal relationships, or chronological and process relationships. Or organization can just be easily summed up as using thinking patterns to make sense of the world. But those first three thinking patterns have a dynamic function on how you look at materials, how you do certain things, and how you arrange your world so you comprehend it.
The first one, comparative and analogical relationships, deals with comparing or finding differences in patterns within different objects, events and even ideas. Comparative relationships are something we do all the time but don’t notice it. You choose something like a seat in a restaurant or an item off of the menu or even an item from a store such as clothes based off of similarities and differences of another item relating to what you’re comparing. There are two problems with this type of organizing, incomplete comparisons, which is when you focus on too few points of comparison. For example, when you go out to eat and you are focusing on only the price of food, it could be cheaper but you forget to focus on the quality of what you’re eating, or the popularity of the restaurant, all because you’re blinders are set on price. The second is selective comparisons, which is when you automatically take to one side of an argument. That one is self explanatory. An analogical relationship, the second type of comparison, is one that doesn’t focus on things in the same category. An analogical goal is to clarify or enlighten a concept from one category by saying that it is the same as a concept from a very different category. When you see a similar pattern between non-similar things, your eyes become more open to a subject and you see a different perspective. If you see the differences or similarities of the diverse things being compared then you’ll have a more lucid understanding of the things being compared.
The second pattern of organization is causal relationships. This is the cause and effect pattern. It involves showing events in terms of cause (what is responsible for bring about something else) that then turns into effect. (The something else that is brought about by whatever was responsible for the change.) This type of pattern isn’t always obvious to us that we’re doing it. For example we say, “Since I was the last person to leave, I turned off the lights.” Even though that’s cause and effect, we wouldn’t mean to say that. We simply state things and it comes out as a relationship of that happened so I did this.
The third pattern, chronological and process relationships, organize events or even ideas in their periods or occurrence in time. Chronological, meaning relating to the establishment of dates and time sequences, or starting with the earliest and following the order in which they occurred. It’s just that, organizing things basically on a time line. Taking what happened first then second then third and so on so forth. This generally happens in things such as diaries, logs, and the oldest form, a narrative. The second way of time-ordered thinking is process relationship. This type is a two step analysis. 1) Divide the process you’re examining into points or phases. 2) Then clarify the different points of the stages from start to finish or beginning to end.
There are about three thinking patterns that help people make sense of the world in their own way. These include having to relate objects, ideas, and events, then organizing them however your brain decides to do so.
http://www.merriam-webster.com
http://www.google.com/imgres

bold textBy Satriana Siagianbold text

bold textLife Creativelybold text

Robert is complaining how boring his life does. He said he know his routine in his life. Every morning after he is woke up and take a shower, he will read a newspaper while he having his breakfast and then go to work. After gets home from work, Robert’s prepare and have a dinner. After that he takes a shower, watch TV or read the book and go to sleep. If we hear that we will question is he doesn’t have any life or friends or family?
Probably some of people can be the same case like Robert’s but we can make our life fun and enjoyable with doing more creative. Creative is ability or power to create, characterized by originally and expressiveness, imaginativeness in our life. To be creative we have to use our knowledge and feeling to do something what we like and what we enjoy it. Being creative does not have to be liked to art but particularly in artistic sense, does not have to changes our regular life.
People thought to do a creatively in their life is so hard because what if they don’t have any idea to be creative. Being creative doesn’t have to take a class or have a special talent. We can be creative with what we have in regular life such as at home, we can decorate our room like what we want it, we can dance or singing or play favorite games with friends or families at home, etc.
Few steps can help us to be a creative:
 Be willing to try something new. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake if we want to try something, because with the mistake we can find the new experiences.
 Create something with your hands on regular basis.
 Express our self through visual, performing arts or creativities such as reading the books, writing, listen the music or dance.
 Make a creativity a habits
 Show to our family or friends something we made by our self
 Take time to find new inspiration
 Ask some question
 Provide a creative outlet for someone for someone that is new to the idea of living creative.
Being a college student is very hard and bored with all the daily routines. To make college student more experience and enjoyable we can study group with 1 or 2 people, so we can share our knowledge and will be fun.
Take some extracurricular such as music, physical education, art, etc to make ourselves enjoyable and less of stress.
Hang out with friends and families during the free time so we can be relaxed and refresh from our daily routine.
Being creative can make our lives easier, fun and enjoyable. Creative doesn’t need to be rich or famous; anyone can be creative with what they have so Be creative…..!
Sources:
-http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/what-does-it-mean-to-live-a-creative-life
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/9005/self_improvement_and_motivation/9_ways_to_live_creatively.html