Informal Logic free essay sample

Fake the data Try to show the hypothesis is false Meditate on what the hypothesis really means Instructor Explanation:The answer can be found in Chapter Five of An Introduction to Logic. Points Received:1 of 1 Comments: 3. Question :One way to disconfirm the scientific hypothesis that chickens cannot fly would be to Student Answer: ask someone. look very hard for a chicken that can fly. simply assert that chickens can fly. simply assert that chickens cannot fly. Instructor Explanation:The answer can be found in Chapter Five of An Introduction to Logic. Points Received:1 of 1 Comments: 4. Question :A strongly supported claim in science should be regarded as Student Answer: correct, but something that can always be revised. necessarily true. meaningless but fun. correct, and never needing revision. Instructor Explanation:The answer can be found in Chapter Five of An Introduction to Logic. Points Received:1 of 1 Comments: 5. Question :An inactive substance or simulated medical procedure is called a Student Answer: placenta. We will write a custom essay sample on Informal Logic or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page placebo. platypus. pleonasm. Instructor Explanation:The answer can be found in Chapter Five of An Introduction to Logic. Points Received:1 of 1 Comments: 6. Question :Logicians regard the following as the meaning of the word argument. Student Answer: A hostile and emotional dispute A poetic tribute to Spring A set of reasons put forth to support a claim The kind of thing one has with a spouse Instructor Explanation:The answer can be found in Chapter Five of An Introduction to Logic. Points Received:1 of 1 Comments: 7. Question :Which of the following may not qualify as a falsifiable claim? Student Answer: Your luck will improve. Your house will be sold tomorrow. Granite is more dense than sand. Smoking may cause heart disease. Instructor Explanation:The answer can be found in Chapter Five of An Introduction to Logic. Points Received:1 of 1 Comments: 8. Question :To support a scientific hypothesis, one might Student Answer: gather data that confirms the hypothesis. look for ways of refuting the hypothesis. Both A and B None of the above Instructor Explanation:The answer can be found in Chapter Five of An Introduction to Logic. Points Received:1 of 1 Comments: 9. Question :Descartes worried a great deal about the threat posed by which of the following? Student Answer: Christians

Free Essays on Porters Five Forces

International Business Analysis Explain how Porters Five Forces determines the attractiveness of an industry? What are the implications of the five forces on a firm’s strategy? Is there such a ting as an unattractive industry? Although Michel Porter’s Model of Five Competitive Forces is subject to critique, it still remains, some twenty five years after its conception a valuable tool in that stimulates managers to conceptualise their current situation and proposed changes in a structured way. Classical economic theory suggests that rates of return (risk-adjusted) will be constant across firms and industries. The most profitable companies have a strong competitive position in a highly profitable industry with the less profitable companies having a weak position in weak industries. It is the level of competition within an industry that affects the profits. There is an inverse relationship between profit margins and the intensity of competition: as the intensity of competition goes up, margins and returns are driven down. By nature some industries will be potentially more profitable than others, principally because their competitive position is stronger and are placed within a more profitable industry. Businesses strive to develop markets in which they can achieve ‘super profits’- to reduce the intensity of competition. To achieve this they must utilize strategies that place them at on advantage over their real or potential competitors. Porters Five Forces is an analytical tool that lays the foundation for the development of such strategies. Porters Five Forces is founded on microeconomics. It takes into account supply and demand, complementary products and substitutes, market structures and the relationship between volume of and cost of production, Four of the forces, the bargaining power of customers, and of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitute products combine with other va... Free Essays on Porters Five Forces Free Essays on Porters Five Forces International Business Analysis Explain how Porters Five Forces determines the attractiveness of an industry? What are the implications of the five forces on a firm’s strategy? Is there such a ting as an unattractive industry? Although Michel Porter’s Model of Five Competitive Forces is subject to critique, it still remains, some twenty five years after its conception a valuable tool in that stimulates managers to conceptualise their current situation and proposed changes in a structured way. Classical economic theory suggests that rates of return (risk-adjusted) will be constant across firms and industries. The most profitable companies have a strong competitive position in a highly profitable industry with the less profitable companies having a weak position in weak industries. It is the level of competition within an industry that affects the profits. There is an inverse relationship between profit margins and the intensity of competition: as the intensity of competition goes up, margins and returns are driven down. By nature some industries will be potentially more profitable than others, principally because their competitive position is stronger and are placed within a more profitable industry. Businesses strive to develop markets in which they can achieve ‘super profits’- to reduce the intensity of competition. To achieve this they must utilize strategies that place them at on advantage over their real or potential competitors. Porters Five Forces is an analytical tool that lays the foundation for the development of such strategies. Porters Five Forces is founded on microeconomics. It takes into account supply and demand, complementary products and substitutes, market structures and the relationship between volume of and cost of production, Four of the forces, the bargaining power of customers, and of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, and the threat of substitute products combine with other va...

Proto-Oncogenes Their Role in Cancer Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Proto-Oncogenes Their Role in Cancer - Article Example Specific genes of chicken and rodent retroviruses were first noted to transform normal mammalian cells in culture. These cancer-causing genes (oncogenes) proved to be activated homologues of mammalian genes (proto-oncogenes), which were stolen from the host cell during viral evolution. Primary human cancers harbor similarly activated alleles of proto-oncogenes (Haber, 2006) Some of the mechanisms by which proto-oncogenes are activated in human cancers include: point mutations, gene amplification, and chromosomal translocations. These mutations are known as gain-of-function mutations because â€Å"they result in novel or altered functional properties for the encoded protein and are genetically dominant over the second normal allele†(Haber, 2006) Proto-oncogenes can be classified based either on their normal function within cells or upon sequence homology to other known proteins (National Science Teachers Association. 2001). â€Å"Proto-oncogenes that were originally identified as resident in transforming retroviruses are designated as c- indicative of the cellular origin as opposed to v- to signify original identification in retroviruses† (National Science Teachers Association. 2001). The classification listed below includes only those genes that have been highly characterized (National Science Teachers Association. 2001). Of particular interest is the ras family of proto-oncogenes. There are three homologs of this gene, H-ras, K-ras, and N-ras, and these have been detected in more human tumor types and at a higher frequency than any other oncogene (Anderson et al., 1992). They acquire transforming activity by a point mutation in their coding sequence. Invivo, activating point mutations have been observed in codons 12, 13, 61, 117, and 146 (Anderson et al., 1992).

Oral Contracts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oral Contracts - Assignment Example An important difference between written and oral contracts is in the time taken to sue for breaching of an oral contract is at times shorter. For instance in California, limitation is 2 years in regard to oral in comparison to 4 for written. Washington and Connecticut, 3 for oral and 6 for written. Georgia has 4 for oral and 20 for written (Clarkson, et al, 2006). Oral contracts are enforceable, inspite of popular belief. So long as there is sufficient evidence, any given court will enforce an agreement made orally. However there exists a single exception to this statute; if the subject matter falls within the law of frauds, which is an English law that was adopted in the US, which entails specific contracts to be in written form. This law is designed so as to avert fraudulent conduct especially when the given contract has got stakes that are high or durations that are long. Most states in the US usually call for written contracts in these circumstances; sale of real estates, leases for real estate lasting for more than a year, property transfer upon the death of the owner, agreements to settle another person’s debt and contracts for particular amount of cash (Jentz & Miller, 2008). Generally, a court will deem an oral contract not enforceable, when it falls within any of the above categories. Some sort of writing therefore, must exist and signed by all parties. Exceptions to this rule; claims even if a given oral contract is within its stipulations, it still will be enforced where; one of the parties partly complied with its stipulations or rather the plaintiff depended on the promise of the defendant and in the process suffered some injury as a result. Once again it is the burden of plaintiff to provide such evidence. It should be noted that contract law evidently does not support oral contracts. This is because oral contracts are hard to prove, and frequently form the foundation of deception. People are therefore

How is alienation portrayed in each character in both films, Sunset Term Paper

How is alienation portrayed in each character in both films, Sunset Boulevard and Mildred Pierce - Term Paper Example In the modern viewer’s perspective, one could get the historical background even without reading about it. Sunset Boulevard is a movie in the 50’s which portrays alienation in the main characters which would be the thesis of the paper together with a similar analysis of Mildred Pierce, another movie produced in 1945. In the first movie, the two main characters will be the foci of our discussion as they depict alienation in the movie. Joe Gillis, the male protagonist who is also the storyteller is one character who has shown most characterizations of alienation in the movie which started with his avoidance of the car dealers, knowing they are redeeming Gillis’ car to the company because of his failure to pay his monthly dues. Since he knew he was not able to pay his dues on time with his unsold scripts, he tried to escape the towing of his car by running and hiding away from them. When the young man lived in with the female protagonist, Norma, who was more than tw ice his age, he avoided his friend Artie Green and his girlfriend, Betty Schaefer. The latter is a reader who fell in love with his fiance’s friend, Gillis. She had been trying to contact the writer, wanting to collaborate on a script Gillis was not able to sell. Afraid that his friends might find out that he is living with an old woman, not to mention, a star who faded years ago, he tried to avoid the company. He even went to the point of telling the reader she could take his script and make it her own saying he abandoned writing altogether, trying to get rid of the Schaefer who was suggesting they write a script together. Wanting to get rid of the lady, he always spoke rudely to her but despite his efforts, the reader finally encouraged him to write as he himself can not forget his passion in writing. Despite this, he did not make known where he was staying and what circumstance he really was in until the lady confessed of her affections to him and was later called by Norma who was suspecting Gillis. The fear that his friends might laugh or make fun of him being clothed and pampered by an old woman could have been a reason for the young man not to reveal his status and alienating himself from his friends. Norma, on the other hand isolated herself from the world, keeping herself in the mansion after her fame faded. She lived a lonely life, dreaming about a beautiful life she could still live and hiding from the reality that she is not as famous anymore as she was before. Living on her past and living in a future comeback to the movies was her way of escape, abandoning the realities of the present. At the end of the movie, she abandoned reality altogether when she became delusional after killing Gillis. During the police’s interrogation, Norma seemed unable to hear anything, seemingly in a world so far away. Upon hearing the word ‘camera’ and being made to believe she was shooting for a movie, the actress reacted. Mildred Pierce is a story of a strong and ambitious woman who wanted the best for her children. The setting depicts the economic status during the time of the making of the film in 1945. After the war, unemployment was high and families were trying to get back to the life they once had. During this time, women were still believed to be more useful in the house while men were supposed to be working to bring home food for the family. However, it was also during this time that women were fighting for

Representation of Power in Marvels Daredevil

Representation of Power in Marvels Daredevil Kimmy Huynh How are the characters in Marvel’s â€Å"Daredevil† Netflix series portrayed as powerful? Introduction The portrayal of power in fictional media often reflects connotations and assumptions made in the real world. By using the theoretical framework of semiology to analyse how Marvel’s Daredevil constructs the notion of power, an insight into what elements audiences see as power and how media creators materialise power in their work can be brought to light. Ideologically, the idea of power has been at the very core of capitalist societies such as the one we live in, it would therefore be insightful to pursue academic research in the area through deconstructing its representation. Marvel’s Daredevil series is an origin story created for the on-demand platform of Netflix. As a piece of media that exists within the modern superhero genre, power is a key theme. From a media studies perspective, Daredevil is a noteworthy text for analysis. Much like other Netflix series, its release on the digital platform saw the entire season of Daredevil released at once. This creates a pressure free form of storytelling for the media creators as it allows for characters and other elements of the Daredevil world to develop naturally over time without taking into consideration whether an audience member has watched the show sequentially each week. It would therefore be insightful to analyse how power is developed and represented in this new structure of storytelling. Methodology (strengths and weaknesses) In order to analyse the representation of power in the Daredevil show, a semeiotic analysis will be used to answer the question. A semiotic analysis of elements within the episodes will be used in order to deconstruct how power is represented. A semiotic analysis is a form of media research originally coined by the theorists Charles Sanders Pierce and Ferdinand De Saussure in the early twentieth century. Widely meaning the study of signs, Pierce stated that a sign is â€Å"something which stands to somebody for something in some respect or capacity† (Pierce 1955: 99) while Saussure describes semiology as â€Å"a science that studies the life of signs.† (Saussure 1959: 16) Media texts, such as television shows, are seen as constructs of meaning. Theorist Stuart Hall (1997) suggests that meanings are encoded within the media by its creators and then decoded by audiences who actively react to it based on personal experiences, lifestyles and social norms at the time of viewing. Fiske describes denotation as being what is photographed and connotation as how the photo has been taken (Fiske, 1990). By deconstructing the representation of power in Daredevil through semiotic analysis, the underlying symbols used by media authors to create power can be brought to light. To analyse semiotics is to analyse the symbolic meaning of signs in a media text. De Saussure suggested that signs consist of two inseparable aspects: the signifier and signified. The signifier often exists in the material world in the form of letters, objects and images and is interpreted through our senses of touch, sight, sound etc. The signified is the mental concept or meaning attached to the signifier. Essentially, the equation for signs is as follows: The Signifier + Signified = Sign The purpose of a semiotic analysis, then, is to understand how meanings are formed by reviewing how texts are constructed by using the above equation. In employing this methodology, it would be beneficial for a researcher to understand the strengths and limitations of semiology. Theorists such as Robert Hodge and Gunther Kress advocate the notion that â€Å"semiotics offers†¦a systematic, comprehensive and coherent study of communications phenomena as a whole† (Hodge Kress, 1988:1). Furthermore, Semiotics provides scholarly research with conceptual framework and a set of tools and terms to analyse many forms of communication. On the other hand, semiology is often critiqued as being almost imperialistic, since some theorists see it as being applicable to anything and everything, infringing on almost every theoretical and ideological discipline. As a result of the breadth in which semiology is applied, it is said to be difficult to offer a critique on a theoretical framework that changes so much depending on its application. This is emphasised by John Sturrock in Structuralism (1986) where he illustrates this infringement as a â€Å"dramatic extension†¦Ã¢â‚¬  that would â€Å"include the whole of culture†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sturrock, 1986:89). Literature Review Literature surrounding semiotic analysis often suggests that there are not many who work as ‘semioticians’, however it is rational to accept that everyone utilises semiotic methodology to some extent in their everyday lives. In an article written by Arthur Asa Berger, it is suggested in the section titled ‘People Watching and Facial Expression’ that curiosity is a driving force for why people may make a semiotic analysis, stating that â€Å"we often watch people [and] scrutinise them† (Berger, 2013:23), he continues to state that semiotic analysis is exercised when a person wonders where someone is going or what they are doing, â€Å"†¦body structure, body language, clothing, brands†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Berger, 2014:23) are some of the elements that are scrutinised in order to make an informed guess in answering those questions. While both key thinkers, De Saussure and Ferdinand, did not originally develop semiotics and semiology respectively for analysing media, it has since been a pioneering force in analysing contemporary media texts. In The Consumer’s Stake in Radio and Television, theorist Dallas Smythe suggested that television texts should be analysed as a â€Å"group of symbols† that â€Å"serve as a medium of exchange between the mass media and the audience† (Smythe, 1954:143), the ideas of semiotics and semiology coincide with Smythe’s statement. Smythe’s statement can also be applied to genre studies in the sense that genre is essentially a group of symbols that create a medium in which recurring codes and conventions allow a media text to be â€Å"classified and organised† (Casey, 2002:135). Listed under the superhero, action and adventure genres on Netflix, Daredevil will inevitably adhere to those specific genre conventions, it can therefore be said that signifiers that link to the signified ideas of superheroes, such as having extraordinary powers, a moral code and a secret identity will be used in the show. In terms of the ideological stance on power, Marxist literature focuses on the argument that mass media, such as television, is significantly influenced by the needs of the upper class in capitalist society. Marxist theory regarding the base and superstructure reinforces the idea of upper class dominance through mass media (Marx Engels, 1947). However a more culture orientated Marxist approach to media lies in Gramsci’s theory of hegemony. In Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks (1995), Gramsci rejected ideas of crude materialism and instead offered a more humanist form of Marxism that focused on human subjectivity and the power of media. He used the term hegemony to describe the predominance of one social class over the other (Gramsci, 1995). The media therefore prescribes, through signs, the dominant norms, values and tastes, political practices and social relations. (Sassoon, 1982) Analysis As mentioned before, signifiers often take form in the materialistic world of production. These catalysts for meaning can range from anything in the mise-en-scene, such as performance, lighting and costume, to the cinematographers choice of angles and camera shots. These verbal and visual elements then become the signified in which audiences draw links between an object and an idea. The two major characters in Daredevil, the antagonist and protagonist, will be analysed to understand how the idea of power has been encoded within them. The characters, Fisk and Murdock, can be seen as mirrors of one another. In literary terms they would be labelled as foils, the term is used to describe two characters that have comparative traits but are contrasted by their actions. Both characters believe they are saving the location of Hell’s Kitchen and exercise their power to do so. Power is therefore denoted in their actions, whether it’s violently interrogating criminals to find out where hostages are being kept or violently making an example of someone in order to keep the criminal underworld in line, both characters use their violent power to achieve their objectives. This is emphasised in Fisk’s dialogue in which he says â€Å"I want to save this city, like you. But only on a scale that matters†. This acts as a verbal signifier and indicates his exercise of power, even if innocent lives are lost in the process. In Episode three, titled Rabbit in a Snow Storm, the audience are introduced to a painting of the same name which symbolically represents more than just a simple painting. On one hand it denotes how the characters get caught up and lost in the bigger picture just as the rabbit is caught in the snowstorm. On the other hand, Fisk’s obsession with this piece of art soon brings out one of the major themes of the entire show: What kind of man or woman do you want to become? Fisk’s power over monetary wealth and the criminal underworld is at the core of this concern and the painting acts as a signifier for this idea. Moreover, this idea of power and the responsibility that comes with great power is applicable to the character of Murdock. Fisk is repeatedly shown to have struggled with what kind of man he wants to become and this is seen when he stares at the painting over and over again, which in turn signifies his increasing power as different events occur. Conversely, Murdock also struggles with who he is and what he may become as a result of his power. Murdock finds himself in the confession booth seeking guidance from Father Lantom. Through this faith, an iconic signifier which emphasises power is revealed. The juxtaposition between the iconic symbols of the church and Daredevil connotes the power of both good and evil existing within Murdoch. Faith plays a central part in the original Daredevil comic book story and it is what drives him to constantly question his own morality. The show has been widely praised for its violent and gritty fight scenes, however as a media construct, Murdoch’s fighting prowess in these scenes act as obvious signifiers for him being a powerful character as he is often pitted against insurmountable odds. Another symbol of power is seen through Murdoch’s questioning of his morality, this is seen in episode three where he confronts Fisk’s hired killer. While his own life is at risk, he still struggles with the notion of murder. This also reflects the superhero genre conventions of morality and its idea of killing one villain to save the many innocent. In the final scenes of episode thirteen, Daredevil obtains his most symbolic costume from the comic books. Reminiscent of the devil, his attire symbolises his identity as the Daredevil. Murdoch eventually adopts this identity as his alias as it has the power to instil fear. As an iconic sign, the media creators of Daredevil construct this verbal signifier in the dialogue where criminals often call Murdoch â€Å"the devil† in fear. Fear is therefore a sign used in representing the character of Murdoch as powerful. On the other hand, Murdoch’s foil, Fisk is not a character revealed until the third episode. And other characters often state that â€Å"we don’t say his name.† Furthermore, characters who end up revealing his name state that â€Å"he will find me†¦and everyone I’ve ever cared about†¦and make an example†. An element of the mise-en-scene, the performance and dialogue of other characters, are therefore used as verbal signs to imply how powerful the character of Fisk is. This element of fear derives from merely saying the character’s name and again, parallels Murdoch’s use of fear. Connotations that represent power are seen in the character of Wilson Fisk through his attire. Episode eight, titled Shadows in the Glass, illustrates this well by beginning with a montage of Wilson Fisk’s typical morning routine. A number of visual signifiers take shape in this opening sequence to connote power. His choice of clothing acts as a symbolic sign, reflecting what society has deemed a stereotypical rich man to look like. His suits, mainly black, therefore symbolise economic wealth and power respectively as the colour of black is widely associated with power and strength. Power is also encoded through the use of non diegetic sound. Classical music is inserted by the media creators in order to reinforce this idea of Fisk being a powerful member of the upper class in which the ‘finer things in life’ such as classical music and Fisk’s skills in the culinary arts as he makes breakfast is underlined. Politics and media, and more specifically power and media has always had an ambiguous relationship. Gross (1991) suggested that the powerful can often â€Å"influence† their own portrayals as well as others. The show takes this idea and illustrates it within episode six, titled Condemned, in a scene where the antagonist coerces the media, police and other public institutions into making the Murdoch the scapegoat for bombings that occur in Hell’s Kitchen, hence the episode name being Condemned. The representation of power is highlighted here as the media is influenced by the antagonist. Fisk’s control over the media is therefore another symbolic sign of him being a powerful character. A visual signifier for power used effectively throughout the season is body language; the positioning of Fisk often underlines him as a powerful character. The actor casted in the role, Vincent DOnofrio, stands at 6ft4 and weighs 130kg. While a man of this build already visually connoted as being powerful, the cinematography in Daredevil emphasises this by using low angles. By viewing the character from a low angle, Fisk is positioned above the audience and looks down on them, just as Fisk is framed in such a way that causes the audience to look up at the character, connoting a sense of power as he towers over the viewer. Conclusion In closing, the makers of the Daredevil Netflix series evidently employ signifiers that create the idea of power in order to truly illustrate how powerful a character is. A semiotic analysis of the two characters, Murdoch and Fisk, allow for an understanding of what elements have been used in order to create the impression of power a hero or villain. Most notable is the performative element of the mise-en-scene. Just as it is suggested by Berger in his analysis of applied semiotics in Semiotics and Society (2013), â€Å"body structure, body language† and facial expressions acts as strong signifiers in Daredevil. The performance of the actors who play Wilson Fisk and Matthew Murdoch therefore play a major role in creating verbal and visual signifiers for the notion of power. Furthermore, this is empowered by the character foils in which their parallels work to empower their different powers, be it supernatural as Murdoch or economic and coercive as Fisk. Media texts such as television and film are essentially signs containing other signs, and while some signifiers may not be obvious, a semiotic investigation aims to make these implicit signals, explicit. The employment of a semiotic analysis was insightful in regards to how ideas are constructed. The representation of power corresponds with Marxist ideology in which the powerful, such as Fisk, control the superstructure (Marx Engels, 1947) in the show. As stated at the beginning of the research report, the idea of power often reflects assumptions made in the real world. It is therefore informative to see how verbal and visual signs in actions, performances and costume present the idea of power to the audience. Bibliography BERGER, A.A. 2014; 2013, Semiotics and Society, Society, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 22-26. CASEY, B. (2002). Television studies: the key concepts. London, Routledge. FISKE, J. (1990). Introduction to communication studies. London, Routledge. GRAMSCI, A. (1995).Futher Selections from the Prison Notebooks. U of Minnesota Press. GROSS, L. P., KATZ, J. S., RUBY, J. (1988). Image ethics: the moral rights of subjects in photographs, film, and television. New York, Oxford University Press. HALL, S. (1997). Representation: cultural representations and signifying practices. London, Sage in association with the Open University. HODGE, B., KRESS, G. R. (1988). Social semiotics. Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University Press. MARX, K., ENGELS, F., ARTHUR, C. J., MARX, K. (1947). The German ideology. [New York, United States of America] International Publishers. PEIRCE, C. S., BUCHLER, J. (1955). Philosophical writings of Peirce. New York, Dover Publications. SASSOON, A. S. (1982). Approaches to Gramsci. London, Writers and Readers. SMYTHE, D.W. 1951, The Consumers Stake in Radio and Television, The Quarterly of Film Radio and Television, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 109-128. SAUSSURE, F. D. (1959). Course in general linguistics. New York, Philosophical Library. STURROCK, J., WINTLE, J. (1986). Structuralism. London, Paladin. Page 1 of 6

The Mind-Body Connection Essay -- essays research papers fc

Overview This paper will discuss the mind-body connection and it's relevance to health care professionals and to the public. It will explore the history of the mind-body connection, as well as state research that has been done on the subject. The reader will gain an understanding of the various techniques used in mind-body therapy, as well as their effectiveness. What is the Mind-Body Connection? It is the idea that the mind and body are not separate entities. Rather, they are intricately connected, interacting with each other in many ways. The body's three main regulatory systems are the central nervous system (which includes the brain), the endocrine system (which produces hormones), and the immune system. These three systems work together and affect one another. Researchers who study the mind-body connection examine these interactions, and are particularly interested in the effects of emotions and thoughts on physical health. History of the Mind-Body Connection The concept of the interconnection between the brain and body has been around for quite a while. Ancient healing practices, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic medicine emphasized important links between the mind and body. Hippocrates once wrote: "The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well." This statement reflects the belief of ancient philosophers that emotions and health are deeply connected. In later centuries, however, this belief was cast aside. Medical professionals focused on identifying and treating symptoms through physical means such as drugs and surgery, and mostly ignored the role of mental states in the prevention and treatment of disease. To most doctors, the immune system was regarded as an autonomous entity, operating independently of the mind and behavior. Since the 1960's, however, researchers have realized that these ideas are incorrect, and have since been looking at the mind-body connection more closely and with more respect. In 1964, George Solomon, a psychiatrist, noticed that rheumatoid arthritis worsened when people were depressed. He was fascinated by this connection, and began to investigate the impact of emotions on inflammation and immune function in general. His studies were the beginning of the new field of psychoneuroimmunology, which examines the relationships between the mind (psyche), bra... ...f good health in both areas, and learn to take care of their bodies and brains by keeping active, sleeping properly, eating nutritiously, and taking time to relax. Furthermore, people should understand that moods matter, not just to mental health, but to phsyical health as well. If someone is suffering from and emotional illness such as depression or anxiety, they should seek treatment, since evidence is mounting that these conditions can lead to physical illness and a shorter life. Bibliography Books: Martin, P. (1997). The Healing Mind. St. Martin's Press. Mate, G. (2003). When the Body Says No. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Websites: http://www.ajc.com/health/altmed/shared/health/alt_medicine/ConsModalities/MindBody http://www.healthyroads.com/myhealth/content/mindbody/articles/art_MindBodyTherapyOverviewOfHealingMethods.asp Journals: Latorre, M. (2000). A Holistic View of Psychotherapy: Connecting Mind, Body, and Spirit. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 36:2, 67-68. Simon, D. (2004). Practicing Mind-Body-Soul Medicine. Alternative Therapies, 10:6, 62-68. Wolsko et al. (2004). Mind-Body Medical Therapies. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 19, 43-49.