Logic, Perception, and Enculturation Essay -- The Nature of Logic

Think about it. How important is thinking? Americans spend all of their day thinking and misthinking of multiple decisions and ideas. Thinking is a very important process of how our thoughts, when transferred verbally or written on paper, can produce a clearer understanding of our views. The nature of logic as it relates to critical thinking, and my perceptual process have been influenced through sources of enculturation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The nature of logic as understood is when you have a situation, belief, tradition, etc. that is examined and reviewed in great detail to discover the reasoning behind a behavior. Critical thinking as I understand it is when you view a situation in multiple ways to get a accurate answer or results. The nature of logic relates to critical thinking by examining the situation and thoughts to get a clearer decision of possible outcomes, or reasoning. For instance, before heading to work you watch the news and their morning traffic update for possible accidents and road closures because you have an hour commute. On this particular morning you hear the traffic reporter mention that your daily route to work has been closed due to a huge tractor-trailer accident. Logically, and using critical thinking you are able to come up with two alternate routes for getting to work on time. Using further logic and critical thinking you watch the news for further traffic details to mak e a final decision on one of two alternate choices. You hear that one of your choic...

Mathematics essay

In Wikipedia (2007), Mathematics is defined as â€Å"the body of knowledge centered on concepts such as quantity, structure, space, and change, and also the academic discipline that studies them.† In general, mathematicians seek out patterns whether found in numbers, space, science, computers, abstracts, etc. Often comparing mathematics to music and poetry, it is an interesting fact that many mathematicians find aesthetic beauty in studying math, even describing it as an â€Å"art form.† Quoting the famous philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell, â€Å"mathematics possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty†¦.†Mathematics is all around the world we live in. The day we came into this world, we were born into a world of numbers — from our birthday to our APGAR scores, the exact time we were born to the number of our toes. Growing up, we were introduced to math when we started counting the ten little Indians with our fingers, eventually leading u s to its more complex nature by solving logarithms with the command of our scientific calculators. Studying math and living with it day in and out oftentimes makes this subject taken for granted. But come to think of it, math makes one think in a way no other field can stimulate one’s intellect.Because of math, we have acquired, if not mastered, the application of logical thinking in all things practical. Mathematics in our century has a very minute, if at all, margin for error. What’s ten is ten, and an apple plus an apple equals two apples. It’s this or that, no grey areas in between. Although contrary to the opinion that math is not a closed intellectual system, in which everything has already been worked out, the mere existence of math compels us to have a black and white perspective of the world. The notion of grey areas is an area that to this day the learned are constantly exploring.Looking at history, the British mathematician Charles Babbage who origina ted the idea of a programmable computer was said to have spent his family fortune in search of the answer to mechanize computation. He was quoted as â€Å"obsessed† with the pursuit of eliminating the inaccuracy of human calculation. The discontent that he had with the probability of human error to a large extent shows that great thinkers predominately believe that the exact explanation of things we want to understand in this world is within math’s reach. Great intellects like Babbage and other legendary mathematicians of our time prove that there is a possibility of defining all empirical things in mathematical terms.Even symbols used in math can be described as a language unique in itself. Mathematical notation in the modern world consists of strict syntax and encoded information that will otherwise be difficult to write in another way. These are only few of many examples illustrating the black and white perspective that math gives us. As with science, math makes you think logically, seeking out precise explanations for possibly everything calculable. What makes it remarkably unique though is that the rationale behind the accuracy of findings in math is not as easy to disprove as those in other fields.The myriad of disciplines that have stemmed from mathematics such as applied mathematics, statistics, and mathematical economics, among others, serve as the different venues for utilizing math as a means of solving real-world problems. But I believe that I need not be a brilliant mathematician to know that one-half of four is two, nor would I need software to count the exact number of days left before Christmas. Needless to say, the basic use of mathematics is an integral part of our life. It enables us to calculate not only the definite answers to complicated mathematical problems, but it also teaches us that in every problem, there is a right and wrong answer.There are no maybes. Unlike essays, there are no half-point systems in your math test a nswers, it’s either your answer is correct or it is wrong. That’s why in approaching things in real life, we do not content ourselves dealing with half-baked questions and half-hearted answers, nor are we satisfied with â€Å"what-could-have-beens.† In our efforts to strike a balance in our existence, we hardly accommodate room for unanswered questions. Just as a toddler naturally asks us with the never ending why, so is our infinite obsession for seeking the right answers to our questions inherent in our nature as humans. After all, despite the clichà © that it is, we don’t want to leave room for grey areas.REFERENCE:Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics (25 Feb. 2007).

Essay on Guyana and Family Values - 1036 Words

Guyana is a middle income country with a multi-ethnic population living under the Coat of Arm, â€Å"One People, One Nation, and One Destiny.† Unlike the western world, my country us a great place to raise a family because happiness in Guyana is built upon mutual respect for each other and strong bond between family and friends. The government has created the necessary policies to sustain this culture. On the other hand, American youths in today’s information age are suffering from continued mortification of family values, artificial happiness and youths losing their voice. I will support my main contentions by entering a conversation with two authors. Sherry Turkle, a professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, using her†¦show more content†¦Although teenagers has developed some reasoning skills similar to an adult brain, more sophisticated cognitive skills, such as the ability to plan for the future and to evaluate the consequences of a decision, does not fully develop until late adolescence or young adulthood. Developmental Psychologist Erik Erikson conducted further research and uncovered an eight stage of personality development model; Erickson defined the adolescence stage as, â€Å"Identity vs. Identity Confusion.† At this stage of personality development, the youth in the process of testing, experimenting and trying on different identities in search of their true self. Thus, it is imperative that parent play an active role in their child’s life especially in their teens. Happiness vs. Consumption Paradox From an economist perspective, our capitalist system here in America is built on this paradox. In order for market economics to function efficiently, it relies on us Americans getting caught in a vicious cycle of working to spend, it put people under the illusion that the more they spend -- even if it mean going into debt – they become more happier. According to Rocker- Gladen, corporations has recognized this association and exploited it to fullest extent to selling us things, most of the time we do not need. Youth are most affected because they are growing up with all of the happiness memories linked to consumption. Turkle further strengthen this argument because inShow MoreRelatedEssay about A History of Guyana and Its Culture1648 Words   |  7 PagesGuyana is a small country nestled in the northeast corner of South America. Its name means â€Å"the land of many waters† and holds some special characteristics that should be shared with the rest of the world. It is a rich land in every sense of the word. Even though its borders are nestled with Brazil, it is considered a part of the Caribbean, for its culture has a similarity with the northern islands and many other places. Their culture reflects the influence of African, Indian, Amerindian, ChineseRead MoreSummary Of Judith Wrights Boora Ring1484 Words   |  6 PagesWe Pay For The Sun’ looks at the commercial image of the Caribbean and overlooks the faults of history, and according to which it will either lead to poverty or leaving. Judith Wright is an Australian poet, born 1915 into a privileged and wealthy family. For generations her ancestors were people who mistreated Aboriginals and took their land forcefully with no right. Wright’s childhood affected her sympathy for injustices on Aboriginals. Her works established the landscape of Australia, in whichRead MoreThe Experience of the Afro-Guyanese in Guyana2474 Words   |  10 PagesAfro-Guyanese in Guyana The country Guyana was discovered in 1498 by the Europeans people. 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The necessary plan for health maintenance, protection and restoration will be developed based on the health needs of these families. The findings will be based on a heritage assessment of three different families within the New York area; Guyanese, Indian (Sikh) and African (Nigerian). â€Å"Traditional medicine has a broad rangeRead MoreMy Identity Essay1167 Words   |  5 Pagesthat I have developed most of my identity and aspect in my life. I am who I am because of the inspirational impact of my family. I am a West Indies Guyanese from the country Guyana where I was raised by my family, which includes my parents, my grandparents, my brother and my sister. My family and I are citizens of Guyana but we permanently migrated to the United State in 2013.Family, culture, friends, personal interests and surrounding environment are all factors that tend to help shape my personalRead MoreThe Immigration Act Of West Indies2334 Words   |  10 Pagesstory by talking about their childhood experiences in Guyana, and then continued their dialogues to their present day roles. Once each of the five women began to tell their stories, it helped them to feel more confident about themselves and gradually they became more relaxed because they were able to communicate their storie s and intuitive thoughts of their life experiences. Research The search for a better life pushed many Guyanese out of Guyana to many parts of the globe, but one of the most popularRead MoreThe Jonestown Massacre: Suicide or Mass Murder?1756 Words   |  7 PagesOn November 18th, 1978 in the area of the small town of Port Kaituma in Guyana a horrid scene was taking place that would shock the world, and forever change the view of religion. Meant to be a paradise for the poor, the abused, the needy, and those wanting to change the world, Jonestown, founded by Jim Jones, leader of The Peoples Temple, was the location of a mass murder-suicide taking the lives of more than 900 people including countless children. â€Å"And, the way the children are, laying dead now