Utilitarianism Utilitarianism And Utilitarianism

According to utilitarianism, all the actions that an individual chooses to perform at any particular time must be geared toward achieving happiness. Utilitarianism also focuses on doing what is morally right always such that all the decisions that the individual decides to take are acceptable in the community. It also states that one should always consider fulfilling what is valuable to their life and those that would lead to happiness. An individual should then combine these thoughts with actions to produce acceptable and happy outcomes. According to Jeremy Bentham, he believed that utilitarianism would be maximized when people decided to do what is morally right. He combines the theory into what is valuable and the actions, for those things that are valuable, all revolve around happiness. The theory of Right Action then maximizes the utilitarianism theory as he suggests. Question 2 Bernard Williams explains that utilitarianism differs in each and every person’s everyday understanding of their morality in at least three ways. These three ways make economics and other individuals to doubt if utilitarianism is true, the whole truth, with matters concerning morality. For everyone who follows the utilitarianism theory, it is true to say that everything done does not matter if the consequences of the action done are not recognized, remote, or mediated from another agent. However, the situation is rather confusing since one cannot be in a position to judge if utilitarianism isShow MoreRelatedUtilitarianism : Utilitarianism And Rule Utilitarianism871 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism, which is also called consequentialism, is a theory in normative ethics. It is one of the best known and most influential moral theories. The main idea of utilitarianism is to determine whether actions are morally good or bad, right or wrong depends on their consequences rather t han intentions. (Moreland 1) In order to understand utilitarianism, it is important to learn about Jeremy Bentham, who is the influential philosopher represented utilitarianism the best. The utilitarianismRead MoreUtilitarianism, Utilitarianism And Rule Utilitarianism980 Words   |  4 Pagesother one is utilitarianism. The former follow the idea that the consequences of you action hold no importance in what we ought to do. But rather, some actions are morally wrong or good by itself. The latter follows an opposite view in which the consequences of an action are what it makes an action moral. Specially, if that action produce the greatest happiness over unhappiness. In this essay I will focus on two Utilitarianism ramifications, act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. They both agreeRead MoreThe Concept Of Utilitarianism And Utilitarianism1216 Words   |  5 Pagesfor pure cynical satisfaction. Combining the subjects of torture and utilitarianism can cause a large moral dilemm a. I believe that torture can be justified by the utilitarian principle, and the example given is acceptable. Yet, I believe that the concept of utilitarianism is idealistic but not realistic. Often related to utilitarianism is the term, hedonism. Utilitarianism is considered to be a type of hedonism. Utilitarianism is all about creating the greatest amount of happiness for the majorityRead MoreUtilitarianism And Its Criticisms Of Utilitarianism1437 Words   |  6 PagesUtilitarianism And Its Critiques Utilitarianism is a well known consequentialist ethical theory popularized in the 19th century by a philosopher named John Stuart Mill. Mill was one of the greatest proponents of utilitarianism but many philosophers since have revealed significant flaws with his theory, one being a more contemporary philosopher named Bernard Williams. Williams has many objections with utilitarianism, which i will divulge momentarily and determine whether these objections are justifiedRead MoreUtilitarianism And The Theory Of Utilitarianism1373 Words   |  6 Pagesmain criticisms of utilitarianism are opposites of each other in terms of belief. The first group to oppose the happiness theory draws their conclusions from the typical sense of the word utility, where it typically stands for the opposition of pleasure. The other group to oppose this theory holds the opposite view and thinks that utilitarianism bases everything on pleasure. Neither of these are accurate representations of what utilitari anism is. The author defines utilitarianism as â€Å"something toRead MoreAct Utilitarianism And Rule Utilitarianism978 Words   |  4 Pagesamount of pleasure to a situation: act and rule utilitarianism. I will define both act and rule utilitarianism, give a situation where both can be applied, and respond to an objection of utilitarianism. I will also be discussing why I believe act utilitarianism helps more people than rule utilitarianism, in turn, becoming ‘superior’ to rule utilitarianism. 2. To begin, I will be defining both act and rule utilitarianism. In act utilitarianism, you determine the morality of an act by measuringRead MoreUtilitarianism Vs. Mill Utilitarianism1004 Words   |  5 Pagesanism: Bentham VS. Mill Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that holds the morally right course of action in any given situation is the course of which yields the greatest balance of benefits over harms. More specifically, utilitarianism’s core idea is that the effects of an action determine whether actions are morally right or wrong. Created with the philosophies of Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), Utilitarianism began in England in the 19th Century. BenthamRead MoreUtilitarianism : Utilitarianism And Philosophical Ideas1427 Words   |  6 PagesMill begins his book on Utilitarianism by laying out some basic ethical and philosophical ideas. From what I have read in his book I believe that Utilitarianism can be defined as the idea that humans should make decisions based on the ability to promote the most happiness to them. Another way to say it would be that Utilitarianism states that a good decision is what brings the most happiness to the most people. Mill based his utilitarian theory on the decisions that people make. He says the decisionsRead MoreUtilitarianism Vs. Utilitarianism Theory909 Words   |  4 Pages In the history of philosophy Utilitarianism has been viewed as one of the best of the moral theories. It has become one the most powerful, influential, and most persuasive approach to normative ethics. The utilitarianism theory also has had a major impacts on approaches to economic, political, and social policy. The utilitarianism theory had originally had been created by Jeremy Bentham. His version of was that aggregate pleasure after deducting suffering of all involved in any action. HoweverRead MoreMill s Utilitarianism : Utilitarianism1251 Words   |  6 PagesMill’s Utilitarianism For centuries philosophers have attempted to explain morals, creating ideas that break this ethical system down into basic components. English philosopher, John Stuart Mill, was a large contributor to the idea of utilitarianism. Although Mill’s utilitarianism provides a strong argument for explaining morality, it is not a bulletproof theory. J.S. Mill’s Principle of utility, also known as the greatest happiness principle, is an ethical philosophy that looks at the development

The Truth Behind Political Thought - 944 Words

The truth behind political thought is founded primarily based on the rules of the law.Western European image of justice and order demonstrates the importance of natural equality that the rule of law adheres to. Thus creates this inconsistency ,that civil disobedience is not justified because of society s accentuation on law and order. The understanding of law and civil disobedience illustrates itself in both readings of Sophocles Antigone and Plato s Apology which suggests that they give both similar views with the existing idea of different higher authority in mind. Because of the unresolved feud between the law and civil disobedience it is prevailed effectively in Sophocles tragic drama Antigone and Plato s Apology . Antigone personifies that the will to obey the law is not just for her country but that of her immense amount of love to her family and the Gods.While in contrast , Socrates personifies a synopsis of the two important notions, based on the idea of a higher authorit y, which is demonstrated in his defense before the Athenian court in Plato s Apology. They both prevail the idea of adhering to higher authority but there standpoints on the issue differs. Despite Antigone and Socrates both revere willingness to obey law , even if it results in death, Antigone feels that divine law supersedes state law while Socrates believes that both must be obeyed, for whatever it is they stand for. Antigone believes that her unwritten natural law succeeds the likes ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book I, Rigoberta Menchu By Menchu1432 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"I, Rigoberta Menchu† by Menchu is an autobiography that details the genocide of the Mayan people in Guatemala. The book has earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 for publishing the truth about the trials and tribulations that the indigenous people of Guatemala faced. The problem is that the autobiography has been found to be untrue. The details of the book were fabricated by Menchu, in an attempt to send her message about the indigenous Guatemalan people s struggles. This has created a controversyRead MoreEric Blair, Under The Pen Name George Orwell, Once Said,1462 Words   |  6 Pagesmasterpiece struck the world with the waking fear of   a world where there is virtually no freedom from thought. In 1984, the dystopian is set in post World War II time when totalitarianism ruled the world. Free thought and reasoning is stripped from society, and the only one with that power is Big Brother, the authority symbol across the superstate of Oceania. The protagonist Winston works for the Ministry of Truth where he manipulates and distorts the past so the Party can control the present. Within thisRead MoreThe Crisis Behind Us Liberal Beliefs1152 Words   |  5 PagesExplaining the crisis behind US liberal beliefs, in which those unable to face reality, themselves unwittingly become the products of an indoctrinated belief system. The Land of Make-Believe The reality of economics: A collapsing GDP, Q1 2016 +0.6%, average post-war GDP 2.3%. For every dollar spent on unemployment benefits, the economy grows by, according to one estimate, $1.52; by others, $2 - Nancy Pelosi, 2013. In a country where the biggest private employer is a grocery chain: Walmart saidRead MoreMotives and Thoughts1692 Words   |  7 PagesRiche 1 Carlyle S. Riche Jr. English 102.036 Professor Dubose March 10th 2010 The Observation of Global Deception: A Persuasive Essay on Lauryn Hill’s â€Å"Motives and Thoughts† Edward George Bulwer-Lytton once said, â€Å"When the world has got hold of a lie, it is astonishing how hard it is to kill it. You can beat it over the head, till it seems to have given up the ghost and behold! The next day it is as healthy as ever† (53). Lauryn Hill, an astounding singer, actress, musician and above all artistRead MoreThe Dark Ages1647 Words   |  7 Pagesand almost unthinkable during much of human history. These are signs of society’s general thinking changing drastically towards political, philosophical and societal issues. Three men with three different ideologies can be seen as the founding fathers of ideas that fight society’s collective thinking and bring about change. Those men who dared to challenge medieval political and philosophical orthodoxy immensely impacted later history. There is a reason why the Medieval Ages are often referred to asRead MoreThe Roles of Power and Truth Essay1204 Words   |  5 PagesPower and truth play different but equal roles in maintaining control in a nation. Modern societies create regimes of truth that are enforced by power structures such as government, discipline and laws. When it comes to power, the government, queen or dictator is in charge. They tell their citizens what the main expectations are and how to abide by them. Nevertheless, the government should uphold fairness and not abuse its power unless it is necessary. Power is something that is earned; it is notRead MoreCensorship, By George Orwell881 Words   |  4 Pagesto an individual s thoughts. Although, Oceania does not have any specific laws the citizens know that challenging the party, even with facial expressions, could result in punishment or possibly death. The prime reasoning behind censorship is control. In order to gain the ultimate control the Inner Party utilizes media manipulation, regulation of language, and intimidation through the Thought Police. In the book the main character, Winston Smith, works for the Ministry of Truth. This department primarilyRead MoreThe Quotes From Winston s Diary912 Words   |  4 PagesThe quote from Winston’s diary in 1984 illustrates the acts of rebellion he has towards the â€Å"totalitarian† government in Oceania. Winston’s urge to challenge the political regime that rules the all of Airstrip One, as he sometimes, have the flash back from the past and through his fantasies, he envision the future without the totalitarian government. Winston, however, is craving for freedom of being in a world where people are not being watched, and where they can act, feel and do whatever they desireRead MoreGandhi Satyagraha1402 Words   |  6 PagesMohandas K. Gandhi, also known as the Mahatma, or The Great Soul, was the spiritual and practical founder of active non-violent resistance, a concept called Satyagraha. Also known as  ¡Ã‚ °soul-force ¡Ã‚ ± or  ¡Ã‚ °truth-force ¡Ã‚ ±, Gandhi developed this revolutionary technique as a method of gaining political and social reforms against the injustices experienced by Indians under British Colonial rule. For most of his life, Gandhi devoted himself to perfecting the Satyagraha technique, teaching it to his followersRead MoreComparing Twentieth Century Political Thought Leo Strauss And Richard Rorty1421 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction When it comes to an analysis of twentieth century political thought Leo Strauss and Richard Rorty are two indispensable figures. Rorty was a pupil of Strauss at the University of Chicago, and was always quick to acknowledge the influence that his former teacher had on his writing. In the following paper I will briefly highlight and critique the fundamental arguments presented by the duo. Certainly, Rorty and Strauss share a degree of commonality in their critique of the Enlightenment

Weather and its Effects Free Essays

At the very least, we want to know how hot or cold it will get, or whether there will be rain or snow. Some of us live in places where severe weather can produce dangerous conditions flooding, tornados, blizzards or fogs, so we pay attention to weather related warnings. And these days, weather reports are getting more sophisticated, with pollen counts and particulates for allergy sufferers, and UP indices to tell you whether you need sunscreen. We will write a custom essay sample on Weather and its Effects or any similar topic only for you Order Now Since weather affects us so constantly, I put together this page to help understand he science of weather. I am not much interested In weather forecasting, which Is a very technical subject. This information is much more basic, about why weather â€Å"happens†, what’s going on in the atmosphere, what weather-related terms we see on TV really mean, how to read weather maps. It’s mostly practical Information, from a not very technical perspective. Weather and Climate Before we begin, let’s differentiate between weather and climate. Weather is the state of your local atmosphere at any given time, in terms of such measurements as temperature. Wind speed, alarm pressure. Reciprocation, etc. Weather Is very specific – it’s about a particular place at a particular time. It varies on a relatively small scale – for example, it could be raining in your area, while it’s dry 10 miles away. It could be 72 degrees near your home, but only 65 degrees a few miles away. You could have a thunderstorm at 6 p. M. And have the sky clear by midnight. So w hen we’re talking about weather. We are talking about a relatively small area and a very specific time. Moving to a different area, or going forward in time quickly changes the weather. On the other hand, climate is about long term averages. It concerns the same things as weather measurements like temperature, pressure, rainfall, precipitation but these measurements are averaged over a long period. If you say â€Å"the average high temperature for Boston in April is 56 degrees†, then you are talking about climate. In order to report that average temperature, someone must have measured the high temperature each day in April, and then averaged those highs. Further, it’s not enough to do that for one year, because any given year could be hotter or colder than average. So they must have measured high temperatures ACH day in April for several years, in order to calculate a multi-year average. In fact, in many places, such temperature records go back a century or more. These 100+ year records are used to calculate averages for temperatures, rainfall, weather patterns, etc. , and these long terms averages constitute the climate. It’s Important to remember that weather can be very variable, but climate Is not. You could hit a high of 80 degrees on April 4th in Chicago one year, but in another year, the high on the same date might barely reach the freezing point at 32 degrees. There than a year-to-year variability. It doesn’t even mean that the whole month of April was hotter, or the whole year was hotter. In order to make any long term comparisons, in order to show any trends, you absolutely need multi-year climate data. The Earth’s Atmosphere Since weather is the condition of the atmosphere above a certain location, at a certain t ime of day or night, let’s consider the atmosphere in more detail for a bit. The Earth’s atmosphere extends from ground surface to the edge of interplanetary space. Most of this atmosphere is contained in a narrow band, about 7-10 kilometers high, which is known as the troposphere. About 80% of the mass of the atmosphere is contained within this thin band. Although 7-10 kilometers (23,000 – 32,000 feet) may not seem like a â€Å"thin† band, but it really is, if you consider how far the Earth’s atmosphere extends. Technically, the Earth’s atmosphere reaches half way to the moon (about 180,000 km) you have to go about that far before the density of atoms in the atmosphere equals the density of atoms typical of interplanetary space. Much of it is even visible to the naked eye. Astronauts in space can see the Corcoran, which looks like a hazy band surrounding the Earth, extending to about 100,000 km above the Earth. Of course, the upper atmosphere hundreds of miles above the Earth is unbreakable and almost empty. In fact, anything over 100 km is considered space, and if you go there, you are technically considered an astronaut by the World Air Sports Federation (this was the definition of space used for the X-Prize). The International Space Station (SIS) orbits at about 350 km. Low earth orbit, used by a huge number of satellites, extends to about 2000 km at most. These regions are commonly referred to as â€Å"space† by most people, but they are still part of the Earth’s atmosphere. There is enough air up there that satellites slow down over time due to air friction, their orbits decay, and they ultimately fall back to the Earth. The SIS needs to be boosted every few months to a higher orbit, or it would also fall back to Earth. The Hubble telescope orbits at 595 km, and although it is more stable than the SIS, its orbit will also decay and fall back to Earth eventually. You have to go as far as geostationary or geosynchronous orbits (about 35,000 km) before the friction of the atmosphere (communications satellites are often in such orbits) becomes a smaller concern than gravitational perturbations. But this is still within the atmosphere. For the discussion of weather, however, we do not usually need to consider such high altitudes. 80% of the Earth’s atmosphere is contained within the troposphere, a zone which extends from the surface of the Earth to about 10 km (it varies with latitude about 7 km over the poles, and about 17 km over the equator). 9% of the atmosphere is contained within the troposphere and the next zone outward – the stratosphere. The stratosphere extends from the boundary of the troposphere (known as the troposphere) to about 50 – 55 km from the surface of the Earth. Since the stratosphere), this is where weather happens. Outside this region, the air is not dense enough to display phenomena which are energeti c enough to affect the weather. If the Earth’s atmosphere were in complete equilibrium, we would have no â€Å"weather†. Conditions would be unchanging – there would be no day or night, no seasons, no rainfall, nothing. The source of changes in weather is changes in some other condition, some other variable. That variable is largely the Sun, although other factors also play a role. The spin of the Earth about its axis produces day and night, which means that energy input from the Sun on any given area of the Earth’s surface varies cyclically reaching a peak during the day, and falling at night. This day-night cycle is a major source of weather, but it is modified and added to by many other cycles and factors as well. Some of these other factors vary by time of day or year, while others vary by location on the Earth’s surface. In either case, variations are what fuel changes in the atmosphere, which we call weather. What factors cause the energy input of some local area on the Earth to change? Here are some: Latitude How far you are from the equator determines the angle of incidence of the Sun’s rays at your location. This is extremely important in determining how much energy you receive from the Sun. The diagram at the right explains how this happens. Note that the diagram is not to scale, it shows the Sun as much smaller than the Earth, but that makes no difference to the explanation. The Sun is roughly spherical. It radiates energy in all directions. A very small portion of this energy is intercepted by the Earth. If we assume that the Sun radiates energy equally in all directions, we can imagine its surface (which radiates the energy) as Ewing divided into patches, measured by degrees of solid angle (usually expressed in stranding). Since the Earth is very far away from the Sun, and very small, it intercepts direct light from a very small patch of Sun. Notice the qualifier â€Å"direct†, as in â€Å"direct light†. This is important because the situation described is a simplification. In reality, the surface of the Sun emits light in all directions; therefore the Earth receives light from all parts of the Sun that are facing the Earth at a given time, not Just a single patch which is closest to the Earth. However, the density or intensity of this light is greatest when it is direct, that is, when a ray of light perpendicular to the Sun’s surface intersects the Earth. So the relationship still holds – the more the direct sunlight falls upon some area of the Earth, the greater is the energy that area receives. He equator get progressively colder, because they get less direct sunlight. This creates bands or zones on the Earth’s surface, with the hottest zones at the equator and the coldest zones at the poles. A temperature gradient is thus created, with high temperatures near the equator and cold temperatures at the poles. This temperature gradient drives the movement of air, which we perceive as winds. This variation is constant in time, meaning it does not change by time of the year. Latitude 50 North will always receive less installation than latitude 5 North, no matter what season of the year. It is simply a variation by location, that is, dependent upon the latitude location on Earth. Latitude is very important in setting up the permanent winds on Earth. We can divide the Earth (from North to South) into several well-marked zones. The band near the equator (about 5 ON to 5 so) is called the doldrums. It’s the hottest part of the Earth, since the equator receives the most direct sunlight every year. On both sides of the equator are the tropics. These stretch roughly from the doldrums to the Tropic of Cancer (23. 5 ON) in the northern hemisphere, and to the Tropic of Capricorn (23. so) in the southern hemisphere. The tropics have a â€Å"tropical† climate – hot in the summers, mild in the winters. Beyond the tropics are the sub-tropical zones, which stretch from the Tropic of Cancer (23. 5 ON) to the Arctic Circle (66. 6 ON) in the northern hemisphere, and from the Tropic of Capricorn (23. 5 so) to the Antarctic Circle (66. 6 so) in the southern hemisph ere. The subtropics usually have mild summers and cold winters. Beyond the subtropics lie the polar zones, from the Arctic Circle (66. 6 ON) to the North Pole (90 ON) in the northern hemisphere, and from the Antarctic Circle (66. so) to the South Pole (90 so) in the southern hemisphere. These are the coldest regions on Earth. Although there are many variations between different locations within the same zone (due to other differences, such as altitude, nearness to the sea, etc. Which are described below), the zones do broadly reflect the kind of climates found within. As mentioned earlier, they set up the patterns of the permanent winds – the trade winds, westerly’s, polar winds. These permanent winds have a very strong effect on climate, and you can read about them in more detail on this page. Season The Earth’s axis is not perpendicular to the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun; it is in fact tilted. The angle of tilt varies over time, but at present it is approximately 23. 5 degrees. Because the Earth revolves around the Sun, during the course of a full orbit around the Sun, each of Earth’s hemispheres is at times tilted towards the Sun summer) and at other times tilted away from the Sun (Winter). The periods of maximum tilt are the solstices. In the year 2010, Summer solstice is on towards the Sun, which corresponds to summer and the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Winter solstice in 2010 will be on Deck 21st at 1 1 PM (GMT), which corresponds to winter and the shortest day of the year for the northern hemisphere. As can be seen in the accompanying diagram, a similar effect to the latitude differential described above happens during summer and winter. During summers, since the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, it receives more direct unlighted, leading to higher temperatures. During winters, since the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, it receives less direct sunlight, leading to colder temperatures. The effect is reversed in the southern hemisphere. Summer solstice in the northern hemisphere corresponds to winter solstice in the southern hemisphere, and vice versa. This seasonal effect can dramatically change weather patterns, and not Just in terms of temperatures. The change in temperature patterns across the globe shifts the high and low pressure areas of the atmosphere, which can lead to seasonal changes in winds. Indirectly, they can also affect precipitation, if for example, a winter wind which blows from land to land switches to a summer wind, which blows from sea to land. Wind blowing from the sea contains more moisture, which can lead to rain or snow. It’s important to remember that while we think of seasons as a yearly phenomena, these changes are gradual and are happening constantly. Between the extremes of summer and winter solstice, each day the pattern changes gradually, the day becomes shorter or longer, depending upon whether the area is approaching summer or winter. While such small daily changes may seem miniscule when noninsured in terms of degrees of inclination or tilt, over the large surface of the Earth they correspond to significant shifts in the temperature zones. It’s easy to calculate the magnitude of these daily changes. Since the Earth’s axis is inclined at 23. Degrees, on summer solstice, latitude 23. 5 North (the Tropic of Cancer) is directly underneath the Sun (meaning, the Sun is directly overhead at noon on summer solstice day, if you happen to be at latitude 23. 5 North on that day). Similarly, on winter solstice day, latitude 23. 5 South (the Tropic of Capricorn) is directly undernea th the Sun. So in the 6 months between the summer and winter solstices, the Sun changes its apparent position by 23. 5 + 23. 5 = 47 degrees in the sky. If we assume the Earth’s radius to be 6400 km, then 47 degrees of latitude correspond to 47/360 = 5350 km of the Earth’s surface. This means that the Earth’s sun-directly-overhead-at-noon point migrates 5350 km north and south every 6 months. This is approximately 5350/180 = 29 km per day, or about 18 miles. As you can see, while it didn’t seem much when we were simply looking at angles, if you warm front moving 18 miles in a day would definitely be noticed by us. So these hinges are important not Just on a seasonal basis, but also in affecting our day-to- day weather. Altitude The higher you go, the thinner the air gets. Dense air has a greater capacity to absorb and retain heat than thin air, so this is one reason why the temperature is colder at higher altitudes. However, this is insignificant compared to another effect, which is the cooling of air as it expands. According to the ideal gas law, the temperature of air is inversely proportional to its temperature, all else being the same. This is because as air expands under low pressure, it does work in expanding, and loses energy as ark done. Since the thermal conductivity of air is very low, it doesn’t gain much heat from its surroundings, so the cooling is mostly diabetic, and well approximated by the gas law. The presence of water vapor upsets this relationship a bit, but not by a whole lot. This is the main reason why it’s much colder at higher altitudes than it is at sea level. Therefore places which are near sea level and have thick, dense air are hotter than places at the same latitude which are at higher elevations. This is why the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is covered with ice, even though it’s located almost directly on the equator (about 3 so). There is a separate section here which talks about altitude-dependent atmospheric pressure changes in more detail. These changes are very important in determining the local climate of an area. Land and Oceans Land and oceans are heated differentially by the Sun. Land has a smaller thermal capacity than water. This has several interesting effects. First, it means that the same amount of solar heat will raise the temperature of land much more than it will raise the temperature of water. Therefore, during a given day land at the same latitude as water will become much hotter than the water. Since they are at the same latitude, they have received roughly the same amount of solar energy, and absorbed roughly the same amount of energy (actually, the water absorbs a bit more). But because of the difference in thermal capacities, land becomes much hotter than water with the same amount of energy. In terms of local winds, this might mean that the wind direction is from the land towards the water during the day (since air moves from higher temperature and low pressures towards colder temperatures and high pressures). Secondly, the greater heating or cooling of land leads to greater temperature preferential. The rate of heat gain or loss of an object depends upon the temperature differential between that object and its environment. For example, if you heat a pot of water to boiling (100 co), and then remove it from the stove and let it 10 co. If room temperature is 20 co, then the water will drop from 100 co to 90 co very quickly, but it will go from 30 co to 20 co much more slowly. This is because the temperature differential between the water and room temperature is much higher when the water is at 100 co than when it is at 30 co. Since land heats up more during he day, the temperature differential is higher, therefore land cools very rapidly as well. Water cools much more slowly, because the temperature differential is lower. We can think of it this way: land has rapid heating/cooling cycles with each day/night cycle. A large body of water, on the other hand, has much slower cycles. In fact, the water cannot lose all the heat it acquired during a summer day overnight, so it starts the next day slightly warmer than it was the previous morning. So as summer progresses, large bodies of water get progressively warmer, and they maintain this eat through the night hours, when the land cools down. For this reason, oceans don’t have diurnal peaks and troughs in their temperature like the land; instead, they have seasonal peaks and troughs in their temperature. These things produce very significant effects on weather patterns. The general direction of the effect is towards the moderation of temperatures. Since the water heats more slowly but retains heat longer than land (and cools more slowly but retains coldness longer than land), the presence of oceans tends to moderate the climate of nearby land masses. At the same latitude, an area will be much hotter in he summer and colder in the winter if it’s far away from the sea. Nearness to the sea will moderate temperatures, making it both less hot in the summer and less cold in the winter. Even smaller bodies of water such as lakes can have a moderating effect on temperatures. Check the weather map of the Midwest US, and on many days you’ll see that the temperature at the lake front in Chicago is higher or lower than out in the suburbs (by a few degrees), simply because Lake Michigan cools the lake shore during the summers, and warms it during the winters. Smaller bodies of water can also produce local diurnal winds, such as a breeze from lake to shore in the mornings, and a breeze from shore to lake in the evenings. Again, this has to do with the differential heating of land as compared to water during the day. Topography The physical relief of land areas has much to do with weather. There can be many reasons for this. One is simply altitude – mountainous areas will be cooler than areas at the same latitude which are nearer to sea level. But in addition, variation of the terrain can influence wind patterns and therefore the weather. One example is mountains as a barrier to wind flow. If a mountain range interrupts revealing winds, air is forced upwards to pass over the mountains. As it moves upward, it cools down. Since the water carrying capacity of air diminishes as it cools, this results in precipitation on the windward side of the mountains. Conversely, once Therefore, the leeward side of the mountains will be in â€Å"shadow† and receive much less rainfall than if there had been no mountains along the way. This effect can be seen almost anywhere in the world where there are mountains that interrupt some seasonal wind flow. It is very dramatic in the Himalayas in India, where the monsoon winds from the south meet the Himalayas. On the windward side, in the foothills of the Terra, there is very heavy rainfall. Chirruping in the Indian state of Megalith has historically been the wettest place on Earth (450 inches of rain on average per year), as the monsoon winds from the Bay of Bengal hit the Kiosk hills and are forced to rise and shed water. Conversely, the Tibetan plateau, on the leeward side of the Himalayas is very dry, with less than 18 inches of rain/ snow per year. There are other effects of topography as well. Flat land which is uninterrupted by hills or mountains allows wind to build up over long stretches. This is why the Midwest and plains states in the US are generally quite windy. Land which is more uneven breaks up lower level winds, so wind speeds are slower and winds are not as sustained. If a large area of flat lands then borders a hill or mountain range, these high winds can get channeled into valleys between the hills, and reach even higher velocities. You can see this effect on a much smaller scale even with man-made structures. Streets form canyons between skyscrapers in downtown areas of major cities, and wind is channeled through these â€Å"canyons†, reaching much higher speeds Han out in the suburbs. If you’ve walked through downtown Chicago or downtown Manhattan, you may have experienced this yourself. Low lying troughs, on the other hand, may have days when the air stagnates and does not move, since it is blocked by higher elevations surrounding the trough. Ocean Currents Water, like air, is a fluid medium, which can move from one place to another under temperature differentials. Just as there are winds in the atmosphere, there are water currents in the oceans, which carry warm water or cold water from one place to another, sometimes for thousands of miles. One well-known example of such a current is the Gulf Stream, which carries warm water from the Caribbean to near the shores of northern Europe. The Gulf Stream is largely responsible for the migration of populations into Europe after the last ice age. Without the Gulf Stream, Europe would probably be a sparsely populated wasteland. Consider London, which in terms of latitude is slightly farther north than Calgary in Canada. The average January low temperature of Calgary is 8 OF, but the average January low temperature of London is 41 OF. This is a huge difference, and the Gulf Stream is responsible. While latitudes comparable to England and northern Europe are almost tundra-like across Canada or Asia, they are quite warm and habitable in cultures traditionally depend upon hunting, since agriculture is insufficient to provide the necessary calories. But in Europe, there is extensive farming, which can support much larger population densities. The Gulf Stream has made it possible; it is a critical part of Rupee’s habitability. Ocean currents are one of the most important contributors to climate, but the topic is fairly complex. I have written a brief explanation here, which you should really read before going ahead. How to cite Weather and its Effects, Papers

Candide, A Gelastic Story Essay Example For Students

Candide, A Gelastic Story Essay Candide on the surface is a witty, gelastic story. However when inspected deeper it is a philippic writing against people of an uneducated status. Candid is an archetype of these idiocracies, for he lacks reason and has optimism that is truely irking, believing that this is the best of all possible worlds. Thus Voltaire uses a witty, bantering tale on the surface, but in depth a cruel bombast against the ignoramuses of his times. Candide has reason only in the form of a companion upon which he relies for advice. His companion is of course Dr. Pangloss. He consistently dribbles to Dr. Pangloss about what should be done. At last to the happiness of readers Pangloss is killed by being hanged. But this means that Candides reason is also dead! No problem he just goes finds a new companion, Lacking him , lets consult the old woman 37. He soon loses her, gains another, looses him, and then gains another. Thus we see that Candide can only think if he has a companion. Voltaire is thus saying that all the nobles are really idiots and says they are only smart because they have philosophers. This is typically Enlightenment, because nobles, are stupid and must have philosophers to make them Enlightened. For example LHospitals a French Noble had in his possession mathematicians that developed new ways of taking limits a Calculus idea. Yet in todays society we call this way LHospitals Rule, not Bernoullis rule who is the one who invented it Stewart 310. Candide is consistently being brainwashed by reason Pangloss saying that we live in the best of Yet it quite obviously that he does not. For how can there be, in the best of all worlds, war, slavery and many more abominations. Half-way through the book it would appear that Candide has given up his optimism when he looked at the Negro slave. Oh Pangloss Ill have to give up your optimism at last 73. But to the distress of the readers he has not given up his chafing optimism. Since I found you , Im sure I can find Cunegnde again 79. Thus we see that he has quickly recovered his optimism. Voltaire is using Candides blatant optimism to relate to the people of his time that also have the same type of optimism. He also bombasts the philosophy that states all actions are a part of an illustrious, benevolent cosmic plan. It is Pangloss who says it is impossible to for things to be where they are. For all is well 30. What Pangloss is saying that a thing greater then man God has everything laid out, and everything is for the best 30. It is here that Voltaires attack on Christianity begins. He bombasts them for believing that all the world is a stage, and that God has written the script. This idea of predestination is the antithesis of the Enlightenment period, and thus it is only natural that Voltaire,  a typical Enlightenment writer, harangue these notions by means of a person who believes in this until his death- Candide. Finally we can see that Voltaire is writing a typical Enlightenment work because Candide is a jeremiad against those people that are lacking Enlightenment knowledge, by this of course, lacking the epitomes of the period: reason, senses and self-interest. Thus Voltaire is using a charming story to attack the people of his time who are against or are not Enlightened. Many other writers also attacked the ignoramuses of their time. For example Montesquie, a French philosopher use The Persian Letters to bombast French culture. Hence one reason that Candide is typically Enlightenment is because it makes fun of the reader who thinks that it is merely a comical story of a man and a quest for his lover.