Entelodon (Killer Pig) - Facts and Figures

Name: Entelodon (Greek for perfect teeth); pronounced en-TELL-oh-don; also known as the Killer Pig Habitat: Plains of Eurasia Historical Epoch: Late Eocene-Middle Oligocene (37-27 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 10 feet long and 1,000 pounds Diet: Omnivorous Distinguishing Characteristics: Large head with prominent snout; warts on cheeks About Entelodon (Killer Pig) Plucked from prehistoric obscurity thanks to cameos on nature documentaries like Walking with Beasts and Prehistoric Predators, Entelodon has been immortalized as the Killer Pig, even though (like modern pigs) this megafauna mammal ate plants as well as meat. Entelodon was about the size of a cow, and it had a noticeably (and hugely) pig-like face, with wart-like, bone-supported wattles on its cheeks and an extended snout studded with dangerous-looking teeth. Like many mammals of the Eocene epoch--only 30 million or so years after the dinosaurs went extinct--Entelodon also had an unusually small brain for its size, and was probably not the brightest omnivore of its Eurasian habitat. Somewhat confusingly, Enteledon has lent its name to an entire family of megafauna mammals, the entelodonts, which also includes the slightly smaller Daeodon of North America. Entelodonts, in their turn, were preyed on by creodonts, a family of thickly built, vaguely wolf-like mammals (which have left no close living descendants) typified by Hyaenodon and Sarkastodon. To show how difficult it can be to classify Eocene mammals, its now believed that Entelodon may have been more closely related to modern hippopotamuses, or even whales, than to modern pigs!

What Does Life Mean - 1127 Words

What does life mean to us? Each day we wake up, do our daily routine, sleep, and then repeat. What if one day we are shown that our world, and the life that we have been living, is not real. What meaning would our lives have then? Would we say that we lived a good life? Or would we say that we have not yet lived at all? On the other hand, what if we are presented with option of living a simulated life? We could have the option of being and doing whoever and whatever we want. And once we are in the simulation we will not even remember that our lives are not real until we come out of it. Would you accept that offer? Two authors have vastly different opinions and ideas about how the world would respond to these questions. Jeremy Bentham, a philosopher from the 1740 s, believes that we would want in on this proposal. He presumes that we, as humans only care about our experiences and how they make us feel. On the other hand, Robert Nozick, a different philosopher from the 1930 s, believes that we want to actually do things, not just have the experiences and feelings of doing them. The experience machine theory above is something he thought up in order to prove his point. According to Bentham s views he would plug into this machine and expect that others would as well. Nozick is completely against the Bentham s idea. In fact, Nozick s experience machine essay is legitimate critique of Bentham s views. Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereignShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Life? What Does It Mean?769 Words   |  4 PagesCharlie: What is life? What does it mean to live? Olivia: What does it mean to die? Is death when you stop breathing? Charlie: So if I hold my breath, am I dead? And if I start breathing again am I reborn into another life? Olivia: The saying- live life to the fullest, does that mean life s a metaphorical jar which you constantly fill up over the duration of your life? And when its full... Is that when you die? Charlie: Is death really a bad thing? What if no one died? More peopleRead MoreWhat Does It Mean You Live A Life Of Meaning And Purpose? Essay1366 Words   |  6 PagesWhat does it mean to live a life of meaning and purpose? We have examined this question through at least five different authors, in different time periods, and through different ideas. However, the common idea has remained the same, have faith in God. For a human to live a life of meaning and purpose he must understand the truths of the natural world and the differences between what is good and evil. Jesus set an example for humans in his stories written by Matthew by displaying the ultimate faithRead MoreThe Meaning of Respect Essay747 Words   |  3 PagesMost people go through life and always hear about the word respect, but they don’t know what it means. Respect is the esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person. There are things in life you need to hold in respect. Respect for yourself, r espect for others, and respect for property. Respect is taught to people everywhere and it is even taught to them in their religions. Respect is the very aspect that keeps everything in your life. Respect for yourself is very important to a personRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Me Underpin Aristotle s Account Of Citizen Virtue?899 Words   |  4 PagesTo what extent, and how, does ‘the doctrine of the mean’ underpin Aristotle’s account of citizen virtue? In order to answer the question ‘To what extent, and how, does ‘the doctrine of the mean’ underpin Aristotle’s account of citizen virtue?’ it is first important for me to define ‘the doctrine of the mean’ which was developed in Book II of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (II.2.1104a12-26) in the form of a medical analogy. ‘the doctrine of the mean’ is very often dismissed as being unhelpful andRead MoreJack London Naturalism Analysis952 Words   |  4 Pagesimitates life in the most real and natural way. Its influence of on writers is significant, as writers attempt to portray the natural world through literature. Some authors found it easy to write in a naturalist sense, because naturalism often focuses on the plights of the lower class. Many writers rose from the bottom and were inspired by their previous experiences. Jack London is an example of someone who rose from the bottom. His early life struggles are displayed in â€Å"What Life Means to Me†. ItRead MoreAristotle Think Made A Good Life849 Words   |  4 Pages Aristotle wondered what made a good life. When Aristotle asked others what made their life good, the answer always included happiness. Aristotle wanted to create a way for people to look at their lives and use knowledge to judge what happiness is. Aristotle found that this task was nearly impossible because people have vastly different personalities and view circumstances differently. With the Doctrine of the Mean, Aristotle explains that to achieve happiness, one must create ethical valuesRead MoreThe Issue Of Animal Cruelty1023 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"things†, and properties of life have a sole function and reason to be in existence. Everything must have an ends to itself rather than a means to another ends (Aristotle, 617-636). Aristotle examines the idea of function and purposefulness within the ten books of Nicomachean Ethics. Finding this ends to itself is how one can achieve the ultimate happiness. Aristotle discovers that if everything has an ends to itself, man too, must have an end. What does being a â€Å"person† really mean, and who is eligibleRead MoreUnited States and the Five Basic Principles Essay672 Words   |  3 Pagesare five basic principles and they are the value of life principle, th e principle of goodness or rightness, the principle of justice or fairness, the principle of truth telling or honesty, and the principle of individual freedom. These principles can apply to many things, but when it comes to the United States following them this is how they are applied. The first principle is the value of life, and this means that human beings should respect life and death. People in the United States do follow thisRead MoreLife in the Universe Exercises and Questions779 Words   |  4 Pages1. Why are scientists interested in the possibility of life beyond Earth? The discovery of life of any kind beyond Earth would forever change our perspective on how we fit into the universe as a whole, and would teach us much more about life here on Earth. 2. People have long been interested in life beyond Earth. What is different today that makes this possibility seem scientifically reasonable? Today, technology has flourished and is more advanced than it was in the past. We are able toRead MoreJohn Aquinas s The Body And Soul1480 Words   |  6 Pagesbetween body and soul, and what it means to be human. Part 1: Aquinas moves to claim the soul as the first principle of life. The soul is what distinguishes life from the non-living. A vital operation may be material such as the principle of hearing is the ear but it is not the principle of all life as it does not define the operation of the body completely. Here he draws a distinction. Also the first principle of life cannot be a body much as lungs are a principle to life through breathing. â€Å"To be

Hamlet Thesis Free Essays

Hamlet Thesis Statement In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare writes of a tragedy in which Hamlet and Laertes both face the same problem-a murdered father. The paths of revenge that each of them take, parallel their characters and personalities throughout the play. While Hamlet broods over the murder of his father for the majority of the play, Laertes takes immediate action, and upon hearing about the death of his father, he rushes in and is ready to kill Claudius-whom he suspects has killed his father. We will write a custom essay sample on Hamlet Thesis or any similar topic only for you Order Now When they first hear the news of their father’s death, Hamlet and Laertes react in very different ways. When Hamlet hears that Claudius was the one who killed his father, his immediate reaction was grief. This is no surprise, due to the fact that he was still mourning the death of his father, although everyone else had already gotten over it. In fact, most people thought that he was overdoing it ,and Claudius went so far as to tell him that he should get over it, and â€Å"Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature that we with wisest sorrow think on him together with remembrance of ourselves† (act one, scene two). The way that Hamlet plans his revenge, is more intelligent than the way Laertes plans his. While Hamlet is a more intellectual person, as we can see from his quick wit and sarcasm, Laertes is more impulsive and â€Å"acts, then thinks† as we can see when he says â€Å"I am justly killed with mine own treachery† (act five, scene two). In such a situation, had the play not ended the way it did, Hamlet may have been more successful in avenging his father’s murder because of his responsibility and intellect. Despite the fact that Hamlet procrastinates, Hamlet was smarter in the way he planned his revenge because his procrastination was due to his grief and foresight. Although Laertes trait of acting quickly can be admired and gets the job done, in a situation that involves death and vengeance, strategy and discretion are a must. From the beginning of the play, we can see that Hamlet is an intellectual thinker. Although he believes the ghost and pronounces that â€Å"it is an honest ghost† (act one, scene five) , he still takes precautions after he promises the ghost that he will take revenge. However, Hamlet is still a little wary of the ghost and therefor decides to feign madness so that he would be able to find out if Claudius was the true killer of his father. Even while feigning madness Hamlet thinks about the whole process of the madness. Unlike Laertes, Hamlet is careful not to disclose what the ghost has told him and only imparts to Horatio and Marcellus what happened when they swear on his sword that they would never speak of what they saw from that point on. One of the reasons why Hamlet is such a procrastinator is because he becomes caught up in the details and potential consequences. In the soliloquy of â€Å"to be or not to be† (act three, scene two) Hamlet loses the will to live and ponders whether it is worth it to exist. Due to the fact that Hamlet suffered the death of his father at a young age as well as well as many other hardships, Hamlet contemplates whether â€Å"Tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against the sea of troubles and by opposing, end them? To die: to sleep; no more;† (act three, scene two). However, after that, Hamlet mentions the potential consequences of the unknown after death. Due to the death of his father and his mother’s hasty remarriage which Hamlet does not approve of, Hamlet is well aware of the consequences of his actions and therefore is hesitant to act rashly. When planning his revenge, Hamlet does not jump to conclusions. When the players come, Hamlet asks them to perform â€Å"The Mousetrap†-a play of a murder similar to that of Hamlet’s father’s. Hamlet hopes that â€Å"The plays the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king† (act two, scene two). Indeed, the plan worked and when Claudius stormed out of the theatre, all of Hamlets suspicions were confirmed. As Hamlet so eloquently noted, â€Å"What, frightened with false fire? †, (act three, scene two) Hamlet was now positive that Claudius was at fault for murdering his father. Another thing that slows Hamlet down in his plan of revenge is that he is a religious catholic, and he is very concerned about mortality. Hamlet is scared that if he kills Claudius, his father’s murderer, his soul will be damned. Hamlet is also scared that if he kills Claudius while he is praying, Claudius will go to heaven and that would not please Hamlet because he said that â€Å"A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven† (act three, scene three). Contrary to Hamlet, Laertes followed the passion in his heart. As soon as he returned from France and heard the news, he invaded the palace, and then asked the questions- the complete opposite of Hamlet. When Laertes hears that Hamlet killed his father, he expresses intense anger and openly announces his plan to take revenge. In his rage, Laertes yells that â€Å"Let what comes come, only I’ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father† (act four, scene five) and makes up his mind to take revenge no matter how or where. When Hamlet heard that his father had been murdered by Claudius, he had already been grieving his father’s death for a while and although the pain was still fresh, his father’s death was old news to him. Therefore, Hamlet was still able to think rationally and plan his revenge in a more intelligent manner. However, when Laertes heard about his father’s murder, he was so grief stricken that he could not think rationally and just followed what his heart told him- to kill Hamlet. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes has no problem â€Å"to cut his throat i’ th’ church! †(Act four, scene seven). To Laertes, mortality doesn’t mean alot, as he so bluntly puts it- â€Å"Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation. † (Act four, scene five) Due to his impulsive nature, Laertes tends to be unstable at times. However, Claudius, who suspects Hamlets unusual behavior, joins forces with Laertes to devise a plan to kill Hamlet. This proves a weakness of Laertes’- being unable to carry out his plans singlehandedly. Together, they scheme to kill Hamlet and even come up with a backup plan in case the first one does not go as planned. In the end, his plan of using a poisoned sword backfires when Hamlet ends up using the poisoned sword on him. When weighing in the pros and cons of each of their personalities and flaws, Hamlet took the smarter route in avenging his father’s murder. Although both Hamlet and Laertes die at the end of the play, the reason Hamlet kills himself is because he had nothing to live for. Ophelia, the love of his life was dead, his father was dead and Claudius had died. Since he had nothing to live for, he chose the option of death. On the other hand, Laertes had no choice in the matter because his plan backfired on him and killed him, as we see at the end. Hamlets patience paid off because he, Hamlet achieved his goal, and Laertes, the son of a fishmonger, did not. How to cite Hamlet Thesis, Essay examples

Educational Research Essay Example For Students

Educational Research Essay Single-Subject Critique Establishing Discriminative Control of Responding Using Functional and Alternative Reinforcers During Functional Communication Training Wayne W. Fisher, David E. Kuhn, and Rachel H. Thompson Appropriateness of research question or purpose: The purpose of this research was interesting and of value as it focused on problems that often occur when Functional Communication Training (FCT) is in use. This study sought to find effective solutions as desired . . .responses may be weakened and destructive behaviors may reemerge . . . when reinforcements of communication are delayed or denied due to impossibility or inconvenience of the caregiver or instructors ability to provide said reinforcement in a timely manner. . . .procedures are needed to increase the effectiveness of FCT in situations in which it is impractical or impossible to deliver a given reinforcer. Research design and design rationale: This study was broken up into 4 phases (the fourth phase . . .was completed with only 1 participant in only one condition because of time limitations on the participants hospital admission.) Phase 1: Functional Analyses and Descriptive Assessments. Alternating treatment with no baseline design. During this analysis, a test condition . . .and a control condition were compared using a multi-element design. Phase 2: Communication and Discrimination Training. Phase 3: Treatment Evaluation of FCT with Discriminative Stimuli. Between series, alternating treatment (ABAB) design was used to compare FCT + EXT vs. ACT + EXT in two conditions for one participant (Amy) and in one condition for one participant (Ned). Phase 4: Independent Effects of FCT and EXT. Between series, alternating treatment and a final treatment design was used to compare FCT/ACT (w/o EXT) vs. EXT alone with the final series being strictly FCT/ACT (w/o EXT). The order of presentation for Amys discrimination training were . . . stimulus-present and stimulus-absent periods that were alternated every 30 s for the duration of the 10-min session. For Ned, . . .one SD at a time was presented for 1 min. The order of the first three SD presentations in a given session was randomized, without replacement; thereafter, the order remained constant. Phase 1 was conducted to test the hypotheses generated by the results of. . .descriptive assessments. . . to determine whether . . .destructive behavior was multiply maintained by both attention and access to tangible items, but under specific stimulus conditions for Amy. . . and whether destructive behavior was maintained by . . .attention for Ned, therefore this specific phase of the test did not require a baseline. Once these results were established, and training had incurred, the rationale for design for Phases 3 and 4 were to show contrast between the various interventions. Overall study limitations: I think this study covered its bases well and the only limitation I can rightly see is one that is prone to single-subject research, that is, the use of only two participants. It would have strengthened this study further too if the researchers had been able to complete the final Phase 4 on both of the participants. .