The Reprehensible Story Of The Enron Corporation - 1680 Words

The reprehensible story of the Enron Corporation’s rapid rise to success followed by their consequential disgraceful fall is one that has captivated the attention of the public for more than a decade. Not only was this scandal highlighted largely due to the widespread publication of the Enron Corp’s actions in the newspapers and television but must notably their substantial contradictory actions against not only basic ethics but Enron’s published Code of Ethics. Outlining the reputation of Enron, Kenneth Lay, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in a foreword within Enron’s Code of Ethics stated, â€Å"to be proud of Enron and know that it enjoys a reputation for fairness and honesty and that it is respected.† Even though Kenneth Lay spoke to the company as a whole on manners in ethics and good conduct, it was he and a number of other high placed executives who choose to ignore their own statements and act in complete disregard. When running an organization executives are held responsible and expected to maximize their shareholders interests and enhance overall capital gain while upholding to the practice of ethical processes and abiding by common governing virtues. Through the study of three key virtues (integrity, fairness, and justice) and applying them to the Enron case, it will quickly be seen how evident the leaders of this organization choose to neglect ethical practices and virtues to gain personal financial growth. Virtue Ethics To begin one must comprehendShow MoreRelatedEnron3125 Words   |  13 Pagescollapse of Enron had substantial and far-reaching ramifications throughout the financial investment field, tax compliance professions and the accounting profession. Intense Congressional scrutiny resulted in a new era of transparency in financial reporting, stricter reporting standards as provided in Sarbanes-Oxley and substantial penalties for failure to comply with new financial reporting and tax compliance standards in the Internal Revenue Code (Bottiglieri et. al., 2009) Enron Assignment Read MoreThe History Of Lehman Brothers2485 Words   |  10 Pagesas the general public been aware of the current issues within Lehman brothers , more intellectual and financial aid would have been available to minimize losses and potentially avoid total collapse. Had Fuld acted more prudently, Lehman Brothers’ story may have ended differently. (Salisbury, I. 2014) The second ethical issue that Lehman brothers made was when Chief Financial Officer Erin Callan approved to transfer huge sum of assets away from Lehman brothers accounts into Hudson Castle which wasRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pageschallenges understandings of the relationship between organizations and society A puzzle – is it is better to ‘belong’ or to be an ‘individual’? Longing to belong: too much commitment A reminder – the human relations approach is not the only neo-modernist story in town How neo-modernist organization theory challenges understandings of organization culture Creating a culture that gives meaning to work Developing understanding of culture Developing a ‘practical theory’ of organizational culture The vehicles

Persuasive Essay Smoking - 896 Words

Vaping is often seen as a safe or safer route to smoking. It is also relatively new to the market, only hitting the mainstream over the past decade. Due to the fact that it hasn’t been a part of the public consciousness for as long as cigarette smoking, there is a lot of people that still do not fully understand about it. Smoking is an evil habit that millions of people around the world have adapted. However, luckily vaporizers have become a huge trend in the smoking world. â€Å"About 3.7% of adults currently use e-cigarettes every day or some days, with use differing by age and race and Hispanic or Latino origin.† (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db217.pdf) The progression of vaporizers slowly and surely has declined the popularity of†¦show more content†¦Vaporizers give people jobs, help the economy flow, and are popular in every state in the country. Creativity is endless because manufacturers create different styles of devices and mods to customize the looks of vaporizers and the power of the vaporizers. The thousands of liquid flavors available help make the possibilities endless in giving vapor smokers choices of what to taste when vaping. None of which is possible when smoking plain dull tobacco rolled cigarettes. Although vaping is a much healthier and more productive alternative than cigarette smoking, it is still dangerous and negative impacts can be encountered. â€Å"The fluid within the device is known to contain propylene glycol, an organic substance which absorbs water.† (http://www.md-health.com/Pros-and-Cons-of-Vaping.html) Long term effects from the propylene glycol can result in problems with the circulatory system. The short time of vaporizer’s existence has made it difficult to determine the long term effects of vaping that could harm individuals. According to Felberbaum, an FDA spokesperson, there have been over 130 reports of vaporizers blowing up from the overheating of batteries. With the l ack of FDA regulations and restrictions there are also cases where companies that sell very cheap liquids use ingredients that can potentially harm anyone inhaling the substance. There is yet no possibility that any of these negative effects will allow cigarettes to take overShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay Smoking885 Words   |  4 Pagessuch as smoking. People smoke for numerous reasons. These reasons include: socializing, coping with emotions, parental influences, advertising, and for the thrill of risk taking behaviors. In consequence, many people are unaware of the negative aspects to smoking. Smoking not only affects the individual but has negative impacts on others that are around the smoker and the environment as well. In result of these harmful aspects of smoking, smoking should be banned in public places. Smoking shouldRead MorePersuasive Essay Smoking911 Words   |  4 Pages Do you know anyone that has/does suffer from a smoking related issue, that has never even touched a cigarette in their life? The problems that develop from smoking a cigarette are widely known and many people think it is harmful to smoke, but people never think about the harmful effects from inhaling second-hand smoke. Many smokers smoke in public areas every day. Not only are they inhaling all of the deadly chemicals, but so is everyone else around them. Being around a smoker too often and inhalingRead MorePersuasive Essay On Smoking929 Words   |  4 Pages Have you ever wondered why people continue to smoke cigarettes although they are aware that it is harmful for them and the people around them? For some, smoking cigarettes is a solution to relieving stress. According to K.H Ginzel, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology, cigarettes contain over 4,000 different chemicals and one of these chemicals is nicotine. His work at the University of Arkansas is on the area of nicoti ne and its effects. Ginzel, M.D states â€Å"Nicotine is a highly addictiveRead MorePersuasive Essay on Smoking883 Words   |  4 Pages      The Adversities of Smoking. Smoking and even second hand smoking can lead to fatal diseases such as, lung cancer, cancer of the larynx, esophagus, and bladder diseases. http://www1.umn.edu/perio ltobacco/secondhandsmoke.html / smoking is hazardous enough to an individual’s health and it’s even more disturbing when people are exposed to dangers caused by smoking. The tobacco company however, had thought false labeling would help the situation when all it has done is worsen the case. The tobaccoRead MorePersuasive Essay On Smoking1236 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout history, smoking cigarettes has led to higher risks of developing different kinds of cancers and other health problems. Most people who are smokers are unaware of how serious their addiction actually is. Not only are they deteriorating their bodies, they are harming others in the process. Even if people are not concerned about their own health, they should at least be thoughtful be considerate enough to be mindful of people around th em, particularly their own family. Smoking cigarettes isRead MoreSmoking Persuasive Essay757 Words   |  4 PagesSmoking is a plague to a plethora of individuals. Despite the numerous anti-smoking campaigns held all over the country, we have seen the number of smokers decline in a prolong rate. Even though, millions of ex-smokers surrendered to the temptation and continued with their atrocious habit—feeling depressed since theyre not mentally stable. Naturally, the query ascends: how plausible is it to quit with a horrible addiction like smoking? The simple answer to this question is â€Å"Yes† only if the personRead MorePersuasive Essay On Smoking707 Words   |  3 PagesThe sound of a cough rings throughout the park. The foul stench of thousands of chemicals wafts through the air. Peering around, the culprit is spotted; a man smoking on a nearby bench. Smoking has long since been regarded as one of the number one avoidable causes of death (Pietrangelo Cherney, 2017). Tobacco is one of the most widely-used recreational drugs in the world and although most countries put age restrictions on its use, over a billion adults smoke tobacco legally every day. As wellRead MoreSmoking Persuasive Essay778 Words   |  4 Pagesworldwide start smoking every day, and almost half of those children live in Asia. Its estimated that nearly 4.5 million United States youth are smokers, and if this current pattern persists, about 6.4 tobacco-using children will die prematurely from a smoking-related disease. From those 80,000 to 100,000 children about 50% of them will continue smoking for another decade or two. These kids help make up the 90% of smokers that started before age 21. The youth that has and will start smoking will haveRead MorePersuasive Essay Smoking995 Words   |  4 Pagesstill chose to do it. Smoking is a force of habit, it is a choice a person makes either to participate or not but it becomes outrageously addictive. The person choosing to smoke may not realize that they are not just harming themselves but they are also harming the ones surrounded by them. It has a negative effect on the people around the smoker because when the nicotine gets in the air it becomes hard to breathe and it travels amongst people faster than they realize. Smoking should be banned in allRead MoreSmoking Ban Persuasive Essay985 Words   |  4 PagesINFORMATION For several decades, smoking remains one of the most common and most unhealthy of human habits. Smoking, specifically in public, had generally been regarded as a personal choice that bystanders had little control over. Now for the first time, the act of public smoking is becoming regulated, even restricted in many cities worldwide. The city of Columbia has recently implemented a ban on smoking in efforts to reduce the negative effects of smoking on employees and customers of restaurants

1984 Vs. Animal Farm Essay Example For Students

1984 Vs. Animal Farm Essay 1984 vs. Animal Farm1984, by George Orwell, is a very powerful drama which involves man andtotalitarian society. It is a story of a lonely rebel whose only valuable is his mind and who later conspires with another in an attempt to separate from their increasingly dominant hate-infested society. In 1984, Orwell depicts the susceptibility of todays society and its possibility of becoming a realm of lies. In it, the masses live in constant fear, being monitored at all times. He also admonishes the fact that this society can be in store for us in the future. The main theme of 1984 is that without independent thought and freedom, corruption can and will transform decent order into unbeatable, truth-hiding oppression. It is 1984 in London, Oceania, one of the three major super powers of the world. Winston Smith, an Outer Party member (middle class), works in the Ministry of Truth correcting the past so as to make it agree with the present. He is totally upset with the government of omnisci ent, omnipresent Big Brother and so out of despair, he rebels against it by doing everything from communicating with proles (low class-proletariat) and writing in a diary to having an affair with a younger woman. Winston first thought that Julia, the younger woman, was an Inner Party member (high class) and had dreams of her and even had thoughts of killing her, until she took enough initiative and courage to admit her love for him. After making love many times, they decide to rent the basic room from Mr. Charrington, directly above his rubbish shop. The two of them then go to meet OBrien, an Inner Party member, who has them believe him to also be a rebel with the Brotherhood against Big Brother, giving them an illicit book authored by public enemy Emmanuel Goldstein. After lying in secret for days and weeks, and after feeling trapped by their society (major conflict), the two are arrested at the hands of OBrien and Mr. Charrington, a member of the Thought Police. Then, each of the two are incarcerated in the Ministry of Love, with OBrien supervising/torturing Winston in his sanitation. By means of severe pain and torture, Winston is almost finished with his training and has come to admire OBrien. After nine months of starvation, neglect, and abuse, the last step requires Winston to go to Room 101, containing Winstons greatest fear: rats. After finishing, he is released, having lost his diary, memories, personality, and love for Julia; he has, however, attained love for Big Brother (resolution), and is now more useless than ever. We will write a custom essay on 1984 Vs. Animal Farm specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The setting for 1984 is in dirty, dull London, looking more run-down than ever. The Golden Country in Smiths dream, however, is paradise from the frozen-over hell that is London. It cannot be overlooked that London is full of disease, pests, pollution, and hate; basically, it consists of filth, both physical and spiritual. Like many other books of its time, 1984 mentions the loss of independent thought and its outright effects on todays society. It is for that loss that Winston most cherishes his thought and reason. Orwell is also trying to drive home the fact that if it happened with Stalin and Hitler, it most certainly can happen with us, with or without Big Brother. Another major point to be looked at is the truth. Without everybody thinking for themselves, they all tend to rely on a major source for their info. With the Party being that source, that masses have no other to turn to. Thus, they must believe it for their own good. In effect, the Party can churn out any little lie to the public without any fear of not being believed. Without free thinking, there is also no end to the war, yet another Party-fabricated lie. The government has gotten to the point that, without any rules, it can denounce anything and everything it fears as a crime. Anyone seen as independent opposition to the Partys power is efficiently suppressed. Winston realizes that the paperweight was made in some other time, for it is forbidden in 1984, if it really is 1984, and it is for that reason that he cherishes it. The society that Orwell depicts has nothing more than betrayers and fear of strangers as is evident by OBrien, Charrington, and the masses. With Big Brother posters everywhere and no freedom of speech, all live in constant fear of detection. All may be under surveillance, giving birth to paranoia and lack of trust. One of the few things admirable about the Party is how they have invented their language for the elite. Newspeak, yet another ingenious idea of Orwell, is the con stantly refined version of Standard English, or as the Party calls it, Oldspeak. That is one of the rare success stories of the Party. This work provides an insight into a world lacking free reason, and shows the consequences of it, not to mention the state of oblivion and ignorance in which the people live. 1984, by George Orwell, depicts a lie-making, truth-hiding, corrupt, totalitarian nation lying in ruins, afraid of the truth and consumed with hatred. .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 , .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .postImageUrl , .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 , .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8:hover , .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8:visited , .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8:active { border:0!important; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8:active , .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8 .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud793261837ac3c2c4ec89c967f4c19c8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Hesters Letter EssayAll aspects of Orwells 1984 are symbolic in one way or another. Orwell undoubtedly based Big Brother on Russian leader Joseph Stalin, whose means concerned sole power and totalitarianism. The description of the steel-faced, black-mustachioed Brother bears a great resemblance to Stalin, whose last name means steel. He also used Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and Spanish dictator Francisco Franco in depicting him. One cannot help but notice the composition of the heros name; Winston came from Winston Churchill, Englands leader throughout World War II, while Smith is one of the worlds most common last names, thereby signifying his importance as the best of the o rdinary. He is constantly shown as consciously putting his life in danger, when he starts a diary, lives among the proles, starts an affair, and conspires against the party. He therefore symbolizes independent thought and individuality. Julia, Winstons love interest, symbolizes corruption and rebellion, as is evident by her total devotion to him in spite of what she knows she is risking. OBrien symbolizes the next best alternative that many face in situations. He is like the least worst-not the best-choice, also known as sweet pain. Emmanuel Goldstein, with a Jewish last name, symbolizes the scapegoat in all situations. He was also undoubtedly based on Leon Trotsky, leader of the Russian Revolution who was purged by the totalitarian Stalin. The Party represents those loyal to Stalin during his corrupt reign, just like the proles represent those who blindly followed sometimes and were forced to follow at other times. The Ministry of Truth with its manipulation of the past bears a res emblance to the Nazis who told the people that the German Knights believed in the principles of National Socialism. Perhaps the most distinct symbol is the Partys Newspeak, and its attempt at refined language, already put in use in totalitarian governments with such words as Nazi, Gestapo, and Comintern. Although Orwells totalitarian 1984 deals with the future, he symbolizes many of its elements based on aspects of the present and past. Animal Farm, also by George Orwell, is a carefully written beast fable using animals to represent humans and their faulty behavior/judgments. It is a story of an attempt to refine societys filthy ways, only to adopt them later on hypocratically. Animal Farm takes place on a farm probably in England, with many miniature world-like characteristics. Orwell is trying to get across the corruption of seeking total power. This fable was written as a sort of warning that if it happened with the Russians, it most surely can happen with us. Animal Farm basical ly deals with how seeking totalitarian power can and will destroy any attempt at revolution and how power can corrupt even the most probable utopias. One night when Farmer Jones has gone to bed drunk, Old Major, the pig in charge of all, assembles all of the animals of Manor Farm to tell them of a dream he had concerning mans and animals place in life. He points out how animals are literally worked to death by man, who consumes but does not produce, and thus must remove man by means of rebellion. Shortly thereafter, he dies and the animals begin preparation for this Revolution, whenever it may come. When the hungry animals attack and drive off Jones one day for not feeding them, they realize their uprising has been a success. They then, in celebration, change the title of the farm from Manor Farm to Animal Farm, and write the Seven Commandments of Animalism on the barn:1) Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy2) Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend3) No animal sh all wear clothes4) No animal shall sleep in a bed5) No animal shall drink alcohol6) No animal shall kill any other animal7) All animals are equalWith the pigs smarts, everyones enthusiasm and hard work, especially Boxer, the big cart horse, all jobs are now performed easier and quicker than were by Farmer Jones. On Sundays, meetings and celebrations for the Rebellion are held, with all animals being taught to read, write, and memorize the commandments. Some could not memorize the seven, so Snowball reduced them to one maxim-Four legs good, two legs bad-much to the satisfaction of the sheep, who yell it for hours at a time. Slowly, conflicts arise, as the pigs start taking food for themselves, Farmer Jones attack is held off by Boxer and Snowball, and Snowball and Napoleon increasingly disagree on everything. After Snowball excellently proposes committees and building a windmill, Napoleon ushers in nine huge dogs, whom he has raised since they were puppies, to drive off Snowball, nev er to be seen again. After a storm destroys their newly-made windmill, Napoleon claims Snowball did it, forcing a few animals soon-to-be-dead to confess to conspiring with Snowball. Throughout this time, Napoleon is always protected by his dogs, and the animals of the farm barely reclaim it from an attack by neighbor Farmer Frederick, who blows up the windmill it took them two years to build. Napoleon claims to arrange having the loyal, collapsed Boxer treated at a hospital, only to take him away to be slaughtered, wherefrom they receive liquor money. After years of rule by pigs and dogs, one day all animals see them walking on two legs, to which the sheep, who have recently been taught by Squealer (Napoleons assistant), reply Four legs good, two legs better. By this point, all of the commandments the animals thought they remembered are now different, qualified specifically by Squealer and the pigs. One night, when the animals hear noises coming from the house, they go and see the p igs dining with humans, only to see that they are the same-pigs are humans, humans are pigs. .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa , .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .postImageUrl , .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa , .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa:hover , .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa:visited , .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa:active { border:0!important; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa:active , .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud894f5321e62d8ad7d6cef42a36958fa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Most Dangerous Game EssayThe central theme Orwell is trying to get across is the failure of attempted revolution. Too many times it is tried, and too many times it fails. Furthermore, he thoroughly depicts power and its tributaries of corruption. As long as there as has been humans, there has always been power, with one person having more than another and one person wanting more than another. This is definitely the case as Snowball begins to accept more power in his campaign for the animals and Napoleon begins to grow jealous, forcing him to resort to violence. In contrast to Orwells depiction of an anti-utopia in 1984, he gives us the impression of a possibility of ut opia in Animal Farm with the animals taking over, only to shatter it with the introduction of a totalitarian dictatorship by the hands of Napoleon, proving it is possibly anywhere. The concept of power rots the pigs minds, as their longing for power grows; the more they get, the more they want. Another point to be made is that as long as human condition exists on this earth, power will always corrupt. These are made clear by the behavior of the pigs throughout the ordeal. As they got more food, they started denying the other animals it, instead saving it for themselves. Animal Farm is a story of a revolution gone bad, especially because of lust for power and rule. Since Animal Farm is a satire over the Russian Revolution, it is full of meaningful symbolism. Old Major, the prize pig, represented Karl Marx and his motion for revolution, since it was he who actually started the idea of overthrowing corruptive man. One cannot help but notice the name choice for the villain. Napoleons na mesake was the dictator of France, who turned it into his own personal empire, much like Napoleon the pig. Napoleon, however, was undoubtedly, exclusively based on Joseph Stalin and his movement during the Russian Revolution, with his totalitarian and dictator beliefs. This is highly obvious with Napoleons lust for power and destruction of political opposition (Snowball). Squealer, who could turn black into white, served the same role as 1984s Ministry of Truth, representing the propaganda-making Pravda, the Russian newspaper of the 1930s, masking all the bad by the leaders, serving as the link between the top and the bottom. Snowball, without a doubt, symbolizes the scapegoat of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky. Both Trotsky and Stalin (Snowball and Napoleon) were in charge, until Stalin feared for his own power, exiling Trotsky to Mexico and being ruthless against any presumed to follow Trotsky. This bears an uncanny resemblance with Snowballs situation. Although he did appear corrupt at times (taking the apples and milk), Snowball characterized bravery, goodwill, and consideration. Boxer symbolizes the often confused -but overall loyal- blind followers of Stalin (Napoleon) during his tyrannic reign, much like the dogs were Stalins most loyal followers, the KGB. Boxers statement Napoleon is always right is modeled after the famous statement Mussolini is always right. In many ways, I feel Old Benjamin, the old donkey, symbolizes Orwell himself, in the sense that he remained unchanged to the rebellion, warning of its consequences and claiming it would not be as momentous as they were making it out to be. He is one of the few animals on the farm who is generally aware of what is going on at all times. Finally, Orwells seven commandments are a parody of the perverted ten commandments Tolstoy used in his writing. Animal Farm is a beast fable using animals to symbolize our faults and display our lack of efficiency, strategically sculpted so as to be understood and read by all. BibliographyBIBLIOGRAPHY1) FOWLER, ROGER. THE LANGUAGE OF GEORGE ORWELL (LANGUAGE OF LITERATURE). BOSTON: ST. MARTINS, 1996. 2) GEORGE ORWELL. MICROSOFT ENCARTA ENCYCLOPEDIA DELUXE, 1999 ED. 3) http://wwws-a.ucl.ac.uk/Library/special-coll/orwell.htm4) http://despina.advanced.org/17120/data/bios/trotsky/BACKGROUND/BACKG1.HTML5) http://despina.advanced.org/17120/data/bios/trotsky/learN/6) http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/photo/lt3.htm7) HTTP://CSF.COLORADO.EDU/MIRRORS/MARXISTS.ORG/REFERENCE/ARCHIVE/STALIN/PHOTO/S1912A.HTM8) HTTP://CSF.COLORADO.EDU/MIRRORS/MARXISTS.ORG/REFERENCE/ARCHIVE/STALIN/PHOTO/S1936A.HTM9) http://www.optonline.com/plweb- CGI/FASTWEB?GETDOC+VIEW1+ARTS002+5355+0++LEON%20TROTSKY10) http://www.optonline.com/plweb-CGI/FASTWEB?GETDOC+VIEW1+ARTS002+5010+2++JOSEPH%20STALIN11) HTTP://DESPINA.ADVANCED.ORG/17120/GATHER/US/1000116.HTMLBook Reports

Medicine in Ancient Egypt Essay Example

Medicine in Ancient Egypt Paper People sometimes say that the ancient Egyptian civilization endured without much change for more than three thousand years. This is only partially true because, in fact, Egyptian ways of life, philosophy, religion, language, and art changed considerably over time. However, the ancient Egyptian culture retained its identity and general character to a remarkable degree over the course of its history: a situation due in part to Egypt’s favorable and secure location. Essentially a river oasis, the country was bordered by deserts to the west and east, by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and by the first cataract of the Nile at Aswan in the south. Situated in the northeastern corner of Africa, Egypt was a center for trade routes to and from western Asia, the Mediterranean, and central Africa. Ancient Egyptian medicine is the medicine that was commonly practiced in Ancient Egypt from circa 3300BC until Persian invasion of 525 BC. The medicine was highly advanced for the time and included surgery, setting of bones and extensive set of Pharmacopoeia. We will write a custom essay sample on Medicine in Ancient Egypt specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Medicine in Ancient Egypt specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Medicine in Ancient Egypt specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Remedies were sometimes characterized by magical incantations and dubious ingredients, often had a rational basis. Medical texts specified specific steps of examination, diagnosis, prognosis and treatments that were rational and appropriate. The practices of Egyptian physicians ranged from embalming, to faith healing to surgery, and autopsy. There was no separation of Physician, Priest and Magician in Egypt. Healing was an art that was addressed on many levels during ancient Egyptian period Modern medicine owes much to the Ancient Egyptians. Historians divide the history of Ancient Egypt ancient Egypt into: Prehistory (up to ca. 3100 B. C. ), the Archaic Period (ca. 3100- 2650 B. C. ) the Old Kingdom (ca. 2650-2150 B. C. ), the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2040-1640 B. C. ), the New Kingdom (ca. 1550-1070 B. C. ), the Late Period (ca. 712-332 B. C. ), and the Ptolemaic (Hellenistic) and Roman Periods (332 B. C. -A. D. 395). The main sources of information about ancient Egyptian medicine were writings from antiquity until 19th century as in Odyssey (800B. C), observations recorded by Greek historian Herodotus (440BC), writings of Pliny the Elder. The father of modern medicine Hippocrates (ca 460BC-370BC), Herophilos (ca335-280 BC) Erasistratus (ca 310 BC-250BC, who founded a school of anatomy) and Galen studied at the temple of Amenhotep and acknoledged the contribution of ancient Egyptian medicine to Greek medicine. Much of what we now know of Egyptian medicine and the work of the physicians come from a variety of medical documents written by physician-priests. These documents, known as papyrus are the first known records of medical practice. The various papyrus documents that have been recovered and translated show us that the Egyptians had developed an understanding of medicine. The evidence provided by these early medical training manuals is quite remarkable. They show quite clearly that the Egyptians had identified and developed cures for a wide range of diseases, many of which cures are still in use today. Such was the extent of Egyptian knowledge that there are records of over 800 medical procedures and remedies making use of over 600 drugs and a vast array of surgical tools. A few papyri have survived, from which we can learn about Egyptian medicine: The Edwin Smith Papyrus describing surgical diagnosis and treatments: opens with eight texts concerning head wounds, followed by nineteen treatments of wounds to the face, six descriptions of how to deal with injuries to throat and neck, five dealing with collar-bones and Ancient Egypt arms, and seven with chest complaints. Some important notions concerning the nervous system originated with the Egyptians, a word for brain is used here for the first time in any written language: â€Å"the membrane enveloping his brain, so that it breaks open his fluid in the interior of his head† (The Edwin Smith papyrus, case6). Acting conservatively, they knew how to treat injuries to the brain without killing the patient, but on the whole their understanding of the brain and its functions was superficial: they considered thinking to be a function of the heart. Their dissection of bodies during mummification seems not to have added greatly to their knowledge of the inner workings of the human body, possibly because mummifiers and physicians did not move in the same circles. The Ebers Papyrus on ophthalmology, diseases of the digestive system, the head, the skin and specific maladies like aAa, which some think may have been a precursor of AIDS and others consider to have been a disease of the urinary tract. Kahun Gynecological Papyrus, the Berlin Medical papyrus, the London Medical Papyrus, the Hearst medical papyrus and the Demotic magical Papyrus of London and Leiden: contains a number of spells for treating physical ailments, also give extensive information about the medicine during ancient Egypt. The cause of diseases, Anatomy, Physiology and practices The human body was believed to be born in a healthy state, and could not fall ill or die except through the influence of a foreign agent. In case of wounds or intestinal worms, that agent was visible and the treatment prescribed was hence rational. As they were not aware of microbiology, internal diseases were thought to be due to an occult force attributed to evil gods, a divine punishment or magical procedures. The physician was obliged to neutralize this evil Ancient Egypt before turning into actual treatment. The use of Autopsy came through the extensive embalming practices of the Egyptians, as it was not unlikely for an embalmer to examine the body for a cause of the illness which killed it. The use of surgery also evolved from a knowledge of the basic anatomy and embalming practices of the Egyptians. From such careful observations made by the early medical practitioners of Egypt, healing practices began to center upon both the religious rituals and the lives of the ancient Egyptians. The prescription for a healthy life, which was always given by a member of the priestly caste, meant that an individual undertook the stringent and regular purification rituals, and maintained their dietary restrictions against raw fish and other animals considered unclean to eat. In addition to a purified lifestyle, it was not uncommon for the Egyptians to undergo dream analysis to find a cure or cause for illness, as well as to ask for a priest to aid them with magic, this example obviously portrays that religious magical rites and purificatory rites were intertwined in the healing process as well as in creating a proper lifestyle. The practice of medicine was fairly advanced in Ancient Egypt, with Egyptian physicians having a wide and excellent reputation. Sovereigns from foreign lands have frequently appealed to pharaohs to send them their physicians. A wall painting in a Thebean grave of the 18th dynasty (1400 BC) depicts â€Å"Nebamun†, scribe and physician of the king, receiving a Syrian prince paying him for his services in gifts. According to Herodotus, King Cyrus of Persia has requested Amasis (Ahmose II of the 26th dynasty, 560 BC) to send him the most skilful of all the Egyptian eye-doctors. Egyptian physicians recognized the heart as the source of blood vessels. They were aware that the blood vessels were hollow, having a mouth which opens to absorb medications, Ancient Egypt eliminate waste elements, distribute air and body secretions and excretions, in confusion between blood vessels and other passages, as ureters. The physiology of blood circulation was demonstrated in the Edwin Smith Papyrus, together with its relation to the heart, as well as awareness of the importance of the pulse. They also knew that blood supply runs from the heart to all organs of the body. â€Å"There are vessels in him for every part of the body†. â€Å"It speaks forth in the vessels of every body part† (Edwin Smith Papyrus) However, their inability to distinguish between blood vessels, nerves, tendons and channels has limited their full understanding of the physiology of circulation. The diseases: The common cold plagued the ancient Egyptians as it still does us today, and their remedy, the milk of a mother who has given birth to a boy, was probably as effective as anything we have got today. Insect, especially scorpion bites or snake bites, both very frequent in Egypt, were treated by magicians, as there appears to have been no specific balm or ointment used, and as we have records of many spells, written on papyri and magical charms devoted to these two occurrences. Bilharziasis (schistosomiasis) a common disease in a country flooded for months every year a common cause of anemia, female infertility, a debilitating loss of resistance to other diseases and subsequent death. The Ebers Papyrus addresses some of the symptoms of the disease and in two columns discusses treatment and prevention of bleeding in the urinal tract (haematuria). The Hearst Papyrus cites antimony disulfide as a remedy. Insect borne diseases like malaria and trachoma were endemic; plagues spread along the trade routes and a number of yadet renpet epidemics reported in Egyptian documents are thought by some to Ancient Egypt have been outbreaks of bubonic plague. Smallpox, measles, and cholera were easily propagated in the relatively densely populated Nile valley, where practically the whole population lived within a narrow strip of land. Silicosis of the lungs, the result of breathing in airborne sand particles, was a frequent cause of death, as was pneumonia. The various kinds of malignant tumors were almost as frequent then as they are nowadays in comparable age and gender groups. Eye infections are a common complaint in Africa. In ancient Egypt they were at least in part prevented by the application of bactericidal eye paint. The ingredients of some of the remedies may not have been as difficult to come by in a civilization where the brain was removed in little bits from the skull during mummification as it would be in a modern western country. ‘Prescription for the eye, to be used for all diseases which occur in this organ: Human brain, divide into its two halves, mix one half with honey, smear on the eye in the evening, dry the other half, mash, sift, smear on the eye in the morning’(Ebers Papyrus). Open wounds were often treated with honey. But sometimes lockjaw set in. When a tetanus infection was recognized, physicians knew they were powerless against this affliction. Dietary Deficiencies: A restricted diet caused or aggravated a number of ailments; some with fatal outcome . There were times when malnutrition was widespread. Growth of the population was therefore often stunted. Because of vitamin and other deficiencies, dental abrasion, and bad mouth hygiene, caries and abscesses were the lot of many. Herbal medicines: Herbs played a major part in Egyptian medicine. The plant medicines mentioned in the Ebers papyrus include opium, cannabis, myrrh, frankincense, fennel, cassia, Ancient Egypt senna, thyme, henna, juniper, aloe, linseed and castor oil. Cloves of garlic have been found in Egyptian burial sites. Egyptians thought garlic and onions aided endurance, and consumed large quantities of them. Raw garlic was routinely given to asthmatics and to those suffering with bronchial-pulmonary complaints. Coriander (C. Sativum) was considered to have cooling, stimulant, carminative and digestive properties. Cumin (Cumin cyminum) is an umbelliferous herb indigenous to Egypt. The seeds were considered to be a stimulant and effective against flatulence. Cumin powder mixed with some wheat flour as a binder and a little water was applied to relieve the pain of any aching or arthritic joints. Tape worms, the snakes in the belly, were dealt with by an infusion of pomegranate root in water, which was strained and drunk. Ulcers were treated with yeast, as were stomach ailments. Some of the medicines were made from plant materials imported from abroad. Mandrake, introduced from Canaan and grown locally since the New Kingdom, was thought to be an aphrodisiac and, mixed with alcohol, induced unconsciousness. Oil of fir, an antiseptic, originated in the Levant. The Persian henna was grown in Egypt since the Middle Kingdom, and if identical with henu mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus was used against hair loss. They treated catarrh with aloe which came from eastern Africa. Frankincense, containing tetrahydrocannabinol and used like hashish as pain killer, was imported from Punt. Animal products and minerals were used too. Honey and grease formed part of many wound treatments, mothers milk was occasionally given against viral diseases like the common cold, fresh meat laid on open wounds and sprains, and animal dung was thought to be effective at times. Malachite used as an eye-liner also had therapeutic value. In a country where eye Ancient Egypt infections were endemic, the effects of its germicidal qualities were appreciated even if the reasons for its effectiveness were not understood. Pregnancy and childbirth: Fertility was important to the Egyptians and the Kahun Gynecological Papyrus includes a number of tests for it. At the same time there seems to have existed the need for planning pregnancies. Silphium grown in Cyrene was famous for many medical qualities, including its contraceptive properties. They also devised the first known pregnancy test: Means for knowing if a woman will give birth or will not give birth: (Put) some barley and some wheat (into two bags of cloth) which the woman will moisten with her urine every day, equally barley and grain in the two bags. If both the barley and the wheat sprout she will give birth. If (only) the barley germinates it will be a boy, if it is the wheat which alone germinates it will be a girl. If neither germinates she will not give birth (Berlin papyrus 3. 038) The Ebers papyrus mentions two remedies which cause all to come out which is in the stomach of a woman, possibly referring to inducing a miscarriage. Birth itself was dangerous both to the mother and the baby. Infant mortality was high, probably around 30 percent, and complications and child bed fever killed many women. Surgery: At Saqqara there is the tomb of Ankh-Mahor, known as The Tomb of the Physician. In one of the wall pictures two men are having their extremities treated variously explained as manicure, massage or surgery. Another picture shows the performance of a circumcision of adolescents (the only instance of a depiction of this procedure) with the hieroglyphs saying The ointment is used to make it acceptable, which has been interpreted as meaning that a local Ancient Egypt anesthetic was being used, though this reading is, as happens often in such inscriptions, doubtful. Poppies are occasionally mentioned in Egyptian medical literature and the physicians had a pretty good idea of their properties. Boys destined for priesthood were circumcised as part of the initial ritual cleansing, which also included the shaving of the whole body. The practice of circumcision became more universal during the Late Period, perhaps as part of a rite of passage. Prostheses and cosmetics: Prostheses were generally of a cosmetic character, such as an artificial toe made of cartonnage at the British Museum, or added as a preparation for afterlife such as a forearm on a mummy in Arlington Museum (England) and an artificial penis and feet on another mummy in the Manchester Museum . Wooden big toe prosthesis has also been found in a fifty to sixty year old woman, after her big toe had been amputated, possibly because of gangrene. A glass eye with a white eyeball and a black pupil, but lacking an iris, was probably inserted into the empty eye socket of a mummy rather than used by a living person. Physicians performed other cosmetic tasks as well. Apart from prescribing lotions, salves and unguents for skin care, they also produced remedies against the loss of hair and graying, which was combated by an ointment made with blood from the horn of a black bull. Hair loss was hoped to be stopped by a mixture of honey and fats from crocodiles, lions, hippos, cats, snakes, and ibex. Dentistry: As their diet included much abrasive material (sand and small stone particles from grinding the corn) the teeth of the ancient Egyptians were generally in a very poor state. Caries and the destruction of the enamel caused the loss of teeth at an early age and often killed as well. Caries were sometimes treated by fillings made of resin and chrysocolla, a greenish mineral containing copper. Swollen gums were treated with a concoction of cumin, incense and Ancient Egypt onion. Opium might be given against severe pain. At times holes were drilled into the jawbone in order to drain abscesses. But extraction of teeth, which might have saved the lives of many a patient, was rarely if ever practiced. The profession of dental physician seems to have existed since the early third millennium: Hesi-re is the first known Doctor of the Tooth. Physicians: The ancient Egyptian word for doctor is swnw. Hesi-re was the earliest recorded physician and the lady Peseshet (2400BC) may be the first recorded female doctor. Most famous of the Egyptian physicians is Imhotep, who is also renowned for his role as a Pyramid designer. Imhotep used a variety of methods to heal patients but based much of their practice upon religious belief. It was common for different priests to act as physicians for different parts of the body, in much the same way that doctors specialize now, as they believed that different gods governed different sectors of the human body. Medical institutions were known to have established in ancient Egypt since as early as the 1st dynasty (3100- 2600BC) and by 19th dynasty (1550-1070 BC) their employees enjoyed benefits like medical insurance, pensions and sick leave and they worked 8hours a day. Magic and religion: Magic and religion were part of everyday life in ancient Egypt and Gods and demons were thought to be responsible for many illness. So often the treatments involved a supernatural element: the first attempt was an appeal to a deity. Priests and magicians were called on to treat the disease instead or in addition to a physician. Physicians often used incantations and magical ingredients as a part of the treatment and many medicines apparently lacked active ingredients. The wider spread use belief in magic and religion may have contributed to a powerful placebo effect. The impact of the magic is seen in the selection of remedies or ingredients for them. Depiction of a medical kit: 1) knives, 2) drill, 3) saw, 4) forceps or pincers, 5) censer, 6) hooks, 70 bags tied with string,(8, 10) beaked vessel, 11) vase with burning incense, 12) Horus eyes, 13) scales, 14) pot with flowers of Upper and Lowed Egypt, 15) pot on pedestal, 16) graduated cubit or papyrus scroll with out side knot ( or a case holding reed scalpels), 17) shears, 18) spoons. Conclusion: The people of Ancient Egypt made several major medical discoveries and began treating diseases in a physical manner alongside older spiritual cures. Though much of the advancement in medical knowledge and practice was a side effect of religious ceremonies the effect on public health and knowledge of the human body was tremendous. Fuelled by a desire to enter the afterlife Egyptian knowledge of the workings of the body encompassed new areas of medicine ranging from a basic understanding of anatomy to the introduction of some surgical skills. Ancient Egypt References: 1. Allen, Thomas George ;1936, Egyptian Stelae, Field Museum of Natural History: Anthropological Series; Vol. XXIV, No. 1, Chicago 2. Breasted, J. H. (1906) Ancient Records of Egypt 3. Breasted, J. H. (1930) The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus (University of Chicago Press: University of Chicago,) 4. Brian Brown (ed. ) (1923); The Wisdom of the Egyptians. New York: Brentanos 5. Buikstra, J. E. ; Baker, B. J. ; Cook, D. C. (1993) What Disease Plagues the Ancient Egyptians? A Century of Controversy Considered, In Biological Anthropology and the Study of Ancient Egypt (eds. ) W,V. Davies and R. Walter (British Museum Press: London,) 6. Hurry, Jamieson, B. (1926) ; Imhotep, Oxford University Press 7. Nunn, J. F. (1996) Ancient Egyptian Medicine (University of Oklahoma Press: Norman,) 8. Sandison, A. T. ( 1980) Diseases in Ancient Egypt, in Mummies, Disease, and Ancient Cultures (eds. ) Aiden and Eve Cockburn (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 9. Sameh M. Arab, MDMEDICINE IN ANCIENT EGYPT 10. Scarre, Christopher; Fagan, M. Brian; 1997, Ancient Civilizations, Longman 11. http://www. mic. ki. se/Egypt. html 12. http://nefertiti. iwebland. com/timelines/topics/medicine. htm