Japanese Fishing Industry Essay Example for Free

Japanese Fishing Industry Essay The fishing industry in Japan is considered to be one of the several primary industries along with other sectors such as agriculture and forestry. These sectors employed about one-third of the Japanese population and also provides food for millions of Japanese people. Japan has one of the largest numbers of fishing boats compared to other countries. Many people residing in villages that lie along the Japanese coast have fishing as their main occupation. The Japanese fishermen tend to fish in shallow sea waters. Most of the village fisherman own small boats and function independently. The coastal fishing occupation adopted by traditional Japanese fishermen tends to supply about a quarter of the fish required by the country. Offshore fishing provides more than 50% of the fish and deep-sea fishing provides about 25 to 30% of the fish required by the country. Large Japanese fishing corporations employ thousands of Japanese fishermen, use modern ships, and utilize sophisticated fishing techniques. These ships can hold more than 100 tons of fish, compared to 10 tons carried by local fishermen. Most of the fish caught by the Japanese fishermen and fishing corporations tend to be consumed by the local population. Besides deep sea fishing and costal fishing, the Japanese also harvest fish from fresh water (such as lakes and rivers) and also breed fishes in fish and shrimp farms. Fishing as an occupation was taken up by 1. 5% of the Japanese population. This figure declined to 0. 4% in 2000. Ever since the severe energy crisis in 1973, the deep-sea fishing industry in Japan has seriously suffered. In the 1980’s, the offshore fishing industry experienced a number of up and downs. The Japanese demand for imported fish has increased in recent years (it was 3. 1 million tons in 1999 and rose to over 5 million in 2002). The country is trying to meet a 10 million ton demand annually. 2. Describe the cultural significance of fish to the Japanese society. Fish forms a very important part of the Japanese cuisine. About 70 kgs of fish is being consumed by one Japanese individual in a year. Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish that contains fillings made of seafood. The fish meat may be raw, cooked, marinated or blanched. Vegetables, mushrooms, rice, eggs and even meat form an important part of the dish. Japanese restaurants that dispense Sushi through conveyor belts have become popular. Sushi is placed in a color-coded plate to suggest the rate. Sushi had been originally developed as a process of preserving seafood. There are more than ten to fifteen thousands restaurants in Tokyo that serve Sushi. Usually fresh fish is used to prepare Sushi, as it is consumed raw. The Japanese have also begun to domestic various varieties of fish especially the Koi for ornamental purposes. The tattoos and designs on the Koi fish are considered to be lucky in Japan. Traditional Japanese gardens contain ponds with a number of Koi fish in them. 3. Give statistics of amount of fish consumed, harvested. Over fishing? Fish is considered to be a staple diet of the Japanese, and a source of proteins. Fish has traditionally been a Japanese dish, and the UN-FAO considers that the Japanese consume about 30% of the World’s fish. In fact, the most fish consumed by any country in the world is Japan. The per capita consumption of fish per individual is about 70 kgs. Some of the fish commonly consumed by the Japanese include bright-red sea bream (kinmedai), swordfish, tuna, shark, sardines, mackerels, sperm whale, shell fish, squid, scallops, octopus, puffer fish, shrimp, etc. The Japanese fishing industry collect about 10 million metric tons of fish every year (1992). China catches about 17 million metric tons of fish every year, but that is because it is the most populated country in the World. In 1984, the catch of fish peaked at about 13 million metric tons, but dropped to half that number (6. 4 million metric tons) in 2000. In recent years, fish caught close to the Japanese coasts have been found to be contaminated with toxic substances. Besides, the catch of fish is also decreasing. The Japanese health ministry in fact has warned Japanese pregnant women to reduce consumption of fish. The Japanese feel that commercial whaling should be permitted due to these developments (commercial whaling has been banned since 1986). The demand of fish has decreased in Japan, and the rates have fallen by over 40%, because the people fear consuming fish. The Japanese consider survey demonstrating the quantity of mercury and other poisonous substances present in the fish. 4. Give examples of issue’s Japan has with it neighbors about fishing rights. The Japanese have several issues regarding rishing with their neighbors, such as China, Korea and Russia. The main problem lies in the fact that the Japanese consume about a third of the World’s fish harvested. The demand in the domestic market is so high that it has become a common practice to trespass upon the fishing territories of other countries. The Sea of Japan is considered to be an active fishing zone by Korea and Japan. The UN convention adopted a Sea Law in 1994, which provided an exclusive economic zone of 200-nautical miles to each country, and sovereignty over 12-nautical miles. The imaginary border lines in the sea between both the countries had been ignored, and hence triggered off serious fishing competition in the 1990’s. The natural fishing resources were so extensively exploited such that it could not be restored. The fishing agreement between the Japanese and the Koreans (1965) was being eliminated in 1998, after the UN developed its ‘Laws of the Sea’. International ties were being ruined between both the countries because they had destroyed the natural resources. The issue had to be urgently sorted out before the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Both countries agreed to follow the 135 degrees East longitude as the boundary. They also agreed to reduce the number of ships and the amount of fish caught in their neighbor’s exclusive zone.

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Online Reference Links: Asian Crops in North America Link: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/history/lecture12/r_12-1.html Ginseng and Other Native Roots Link: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/ginsgold.html#ginseng History of Ginseng Link: http://www.oxford.net/~ginseng/history.htm History of Alfalfa in California Link: http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/publications/alfalfaHIST.htm Smooth Bromegrass Link: http://animalrangeextension.montana.edu/Articles/Forage/Species/Grasses/Smoothbromegrass.htm Crested Wheatgrass Link: http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-document&issn=1551-501X&volume=027&issue=01&page=0013 Native Siberian Crop Species By Francisco Aguilar, Bryan Barnsley, and Lance Nixon When it comes to plants being native to Siberia it would seem that there would be an extremely limited amount due to the harshness of weather, mainly the extreme cold conditions. A few of the main Siberian natives that are grown all over the United States include alfalfa, lettuce, asparagus, smooth bromegrass, and crested wheatgrass. There is no proven record of when alfalfa was first grown but it is known to be originated in central Asia. In 490 B.C., the Persians carried it into Greece with the invasion by Xerxes. After this the Romans who were fighting in Greece took it back to Rome in 146 B.C. The introduction into Spain was around 711 A.D. by the Moors from Northern Africa who were on a conquest in Spain. From Spain it moved into France, Belgium, and England. In 1519 Alfalfa was introduced to Mexico by Cortes, a Spaniard who was on a rampage through Mexico. Somewhere around 18 or 19 years later, Spain rampaged again in Peru and Chili but left alfalfa here also. In that century, it was brought to the Atlantic coast line of the United States but was not used by the Indian inhabitants or by the early European settlers at this time. In about 1853 or 1854 alfalfa was introduced into California and it was believed that it was brought in my Chili. In 1898 a man by the name of N.E. Hansen of South Dakota ma de a journey to Siberia in search of a more cold tolerable variety of alfalfa because he and many other farmers were having trouble growing this crop successfully in the colder conditions of the northern portions of the United States. Alfalfa is now grown all over the United States and in other parts of the world as well.

Critique a Research Study Essay

The nursing research study I chose at the beginning of the semester was Impact of health literacy and patient trust on glycemic control in an urban USA population. The research article begins with a description of Diabetes, its consequences of the disease process, complications, economic cost, and the public health crisis that is foreseen over the next few decades. Research has shown that improvement of glycosylated hemoglobin concentration (HbA1c) in diabetics can have a significant positive impact on this impending critical condition. The second component of the article evaluates the impact health literacy and patient trust has on controlling and maintaining glycemic control in diabetics. The purpose of this article was to research a â€Å"quantitative study conducted to examine health literacy and patient trust as predictors of glycemic control (Mancuso, 2010)†. I believe the credibility of the research article was trustworthy, based on the research topics evaluated that are known in medicine to be accurate and valid. As a nurse, I am well aware of the impact health literacy and patient trust effect disease process and glycemic control. The research sample size evaluated by the article included one hundred and two participants with diabetes selected from two urban primary care clinics in the United States. Although I believe the sample size could’ve been larger, the final conclusions of health literacy and patient trust showed how important those factors are in influencing glycemic control. According to Polit, the presumed cause is the independent variable, and the presumed effect is the dependent or outcome variable (Polit & Beck, 2014, p. 43)†. The Quantitative type of research design used in this study was Non-experimental/Observational study on the effects of health literacy and trust on glycemic control. â€Å"When researchers study the effect of a cause they cannot manipulate, they design correlation studies that examine relationships between variables. Correlation studies can be detected through statistical analysis ((Polit & Beck, 2014, p. 159)†. The independent variables consisted of health literacy, patient trust, knowledge of diabetes, performance of self-care activities, and depression. These variables were measured with testing at the beginning of the study that yielded statistical results used to associate between variables. The dependent variable was the Hemoglobin A1c. Often the dependent variable can have multiple causes, which are examined in the article. The study also considered other related factors such as: demographics, socio-economic status, diabetes knowledge, self-care activities, and depression. I would categorize these variables with health literacy and patient trust as independent variables. The variation of factors can have a significant influence on the final outcome of HbA1c. This is the reason that research is essential for diabetes, to determine the influence these factors have on glycemic control. Evidenced-based interventions and approaches to improving glycemic control in the US population will help improve the current health crisis this country is facing, and will continue to face in the decades to come. â€Å"This was a cross-sectional study of patients with diabetes, utilizing several survey instruments and data sources (Mancuso, 2010)†. These 102 participants with diabetes were chosen from two free primary care clinics in the U. S. that met the criteria for the study. Reading comprehension test, scales, and screening through the use of surveys examined the independent variables. Testing for Hemoglobin A1c, a blood test, was conducted every six months to measure glycemic control for research purposes. I believe the design was appropriate because it was particular on the types of participants used for the study and factors that influenced the outcome according to the research article. Regardless of the level of participants, results of the study based its findings on the needs of the diabetic population. One of the strengths I identified early on in the research article was the research design chosen to evaluate glycemic control. The cross-sectional study of patients with diabetes utilized several survey instruments and data sources. The framework of the study helped to assess and predict the relationships between variables. Second, I felt the methods used to gather data was appropriate and beneficial to the research study. The data received was sufficient enough to research and observe. Finally, another strength I identified in the article was its reliability that correlated to Evidenced-Based data that guides clinical practice in nursing today. The final findings of the article support that the data collected and examined would help patient’s outcomes on increasing their glycemic control. Distinct weakness in the research study I identified first was the size of the sample that was chosen. With only one hundred and two participants from two different clinics, I felt that the sample size could have been more effective with larger numbers studied and in more areas of the country. The study also identified the recruited participants were from an uninsured population and identified the groups to have poor glycemic control. I believe the research study should have had a more diverse population of patients that would demonstrate how the US really is. Finally, the research article was evaluating health literacy; I believe that most patients who are illiterate would have been reluctant to participate in the study for fear of judgment and humiliation, thus not portraying the most accurate recruits. Evidenced-Based research is an essential component for the continual evolution of professional nursing practice. Research provides us with a solid foundation to ensure that nursing practice and interventions are based on scientific principles that have been proven to be effective. As professional nurses, we should strive to achieve the best outcomes for our patients. Through nursing research, we can expand our nursing knowledge and development to deliver healthcare based on guided research decision-making. In studying my research article, I believe that the strengths outweighed the weaknesses because the findings did correlate with Evidence-Based practice already known. After critiquing the research article, I support its findings on health literacy and glycemic control; they definitely contribute to Evidence-Based practice that should be implemented in nursing practice. Diabetes is a major health problem in the United States and also a major risk factor for other types of disease processes related to it. Health literacy, the ability to read, comprehend and comply with medical instructions is directly related to improved glycemic control. The research article I have chosen reflect the effects between health literacy and glycemic control in the United States population. Conclusions from the articles emphasize the need to communicate and educate patients effectively with low health literacy. As an emergency room, healthcare teaching plays an important role when discharging patients home with the correct information and education to manage their symptoms and disease processes. This research article applies to my nursing practice by pointing out the need to assess health literacy in-patient’s sent home or admitted with Diabetes. When we can determine that health literacy impacts glycemic control, we can take measures to help patient’s maintain their diabetes effectively. By understanding the relationship between education and health care outcomes, nursing can make a significant impact through effectively assessing the needs to provide adequate healthcare teaching. References Mancuso, J. (2010). Impact of health literacy and patient trust on glycemic control in an urban USA population. Nursing & Health Sciences, 12(1), 94-104. doi:10. 1111/j. 1442- 2018. 2009. 00506. x Polit, D. F. , & Beck, C. T. (2014). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health /Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

A Doll’s House: Characterization and Symbolism Essay

â€Å"A Doll’s House† by Henrik Ibsen is a play that incorporates the use of characterization and symbols to capture the audience’s attention to show ordinary life of a middle-class family. Social status is the most important characterization tool in A Doll’s House. Most every character is strictly bound into the roles that are placed on them by society. Nora must be the submissive housewife. Christine only knows how to be happy if she’s fulfilling the same role. She thrives on helping people. Torvald must be the dominant husband. Krogstad struggles against the undesirable perception the community has of him. It is when the characters struggle against these roles that the play’s main conflicts are revealed. As in most drama, the character’s actions also define them. Krogstad spends most of his time threatening and blackmailing, showing us what a foul sort of person he can be. Christine tries her best to help Nora throughout the play, which gives us an idea of her thoughtful nature. Then there’s Torvald. His actions paint him as overbearing and snobbish. He’s the classic egotistical husband. His little concessions to Nora show that he does love her in his way. Finally, we have Nora. Her doomed struggle to keep her secret is the central action that drives the play. Her dishonest methods tell us a lot about who she is as a character. We see what society has forced her to resort to in her desperation to help her husband. When we look for symbols in the play, the Christmas tree, a festive object meant to serve a decorative purpose, symbolizes Nora’s position in her household as a plaything who is pleasing to look at and adds charm to the home. There are several parallels drawn between Nora and the Christmas tree in the play. Just as Nora instructs the maid that the children cannot see the tree until it has been decorated, she tells Torvald that no one can see her in her dress until the evening of the dance. Torvald’s study is another symbol that represents the sanctuary of male dominance and decision-making. Males in the 19th Century dominate not only the home but also the workplace and this is prevalent through the play. With the use of characterization and symbolism, â€Å"A Doll’s House† by Henrik Ibsen points out the dirty little secrets about the middle-class and brings it to life.

Teachings of Islam

Teachings of Islam Introduction Religion can be defined as the belief and worship in a certain god or gods. It can also be defined as a set of belief observed by a specific group of people concerning their origin or purpose in life. There are many different types of religions in the world with different narratives, and sacred history. The word religion can also be used in place of belief or faith although it is more of a belief and is more related to the public.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Teachings of Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Islam is a religion that pays allegiance to God and Mohammed (a prophet of God). All of Islamic teachings are found in the Koran. Mohammed is believed to have received revelation from Angel Gabriel over a span of 23 years. This paper looks at some of the teachings in Islam, compares these teachings as interpreted in many Muslim countries such as USA-Britain, the Middle East, India and P akistan and other Asia countries Islamic Principles The Koran contains many teachings that form the basis of sharia law. It is in the Koran that we find the daily prayer requirements, alms giving, and fasting which should be observed during the wholly month of Ramadan. The Islamic faith is built upon five main pillars; Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Hajj, and Sawm. The Shahada talks about the uniqueness of Allah and his prophet Mohammed, Salat is a description of how Muslims worship or pray to Allah, Zakat, refers to the practice of helping the poor members of the society (Every Muslim is expected to give 2.5% of his capital assets annually), Hajj, is also known as pilgrimage to Mecca, every Muslim is expected to observe this practice in their lifetime, and Sawm refers to fasting during Ramadan (Bates, 2007).. Distribution of the Population of the Muslims In the world, about 20% of the population is Islamic. Majority of the Muslims respects other religions, advocate for peace and are involv ed in finance or business. The Muslim population is diverse all over the world. More than fifty countries in the world are concentrated with the Muslim population. This population is mostly concentrated in the Middle East, US, Afghanistan, and Indonesia. Less than 15% of the Muslim population is Arabs. The increase in Muslim population was due to immigration, increase in birth rate, and many people converted to Islamic from year 2004 to 2008. This increase is highest in Britain. It has been projected that by 2025 the number of Muslims will be higher than that of the Christians. According to the projection, Muslims will be about 30% of the total population while Christian will be at most 25%. Of all the total population of Muslims in the world 90% are Sunni whereas 10% are Shia (Bates, 2007). Every Muslim is governed by a divine law known as sheria which regulates how Muslims should behave and conduct themselves. It encompasses all aspects of life such as family relations, taxation, prayer, inheritance among other practices that are common within Muslims.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Family Relations From a very early age, Muslim women are taught to respect their bodies by covering it with black burqas all the way from the head to their feet. They are also forbidden from doing certain things that are done by men for instance, Muslim women are forbidden from going to the mosque and they can not even drive their own car. For along time, Muslim women in Pakistan have been subjected to female genital mutilation although this seems to be fading in certain communities (Syed, 2003). Sex before marriage, homosexuality, and adultery are forbidden in many of the Islam countries and a person found committing such a claim is aggressively punished. Unlike Christianity, Islam regards marriages as mere contracts with certain conditions. They are n ot considered as a covenant being made in heaven and can be broken if one side breaks the contract’s condition. Divorce is common in Islam and is always expected although hadith teachers that, divorce is one of the things that is mostly disliked by God. A divorce is granted if one partner behaviors against what is expected according to the Sunnah of Islam; for instance if he becomes abusive, cruel, unfaithful, neglectful, perverted to name but a few. Contrary to this, Christianity does not allow divorce under any circumstances. Marriages are believed to be made in heaven and should therefore be respected until death. Even if one is granted divorce under Christianity, he/she can not remarry if the other partner is still alive. One is only allowed to marry if the other partner dies (Syed, 2003). After the death of a Muslim, his shares, money, and property is protected and governed by law. In the Middle East, and parts of India, all the diseased children are allowed to inherit p art of their father’s property and money although the girls get a smaller share than the boys because it is assumed that, men are the breadwinners in their family and have an obligation to provide for their families. A woman is not obliged by any law to share part of her property or money since it is termed as hers and hers alone. Likewise, in marriages, a woman is not obliged to use part of her salary to provide for the family unless she wishes to do so. However, a Muslim woman is expected to be kind to every one and be trustworthy. She should always strive to make her family cheerful and support her husband in all his undertakings. Irrespective of whether she has any professional skills, she is supposed to respect and accept her husband as the head of the family although she has a right to refuse anything asked of her by the husband if she feels it is contrary to God’s will. Even if the husband is the head of the family, he can never be her master because she is only expected to observe only one master; that is God.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Teachings of Islam specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Islamic Sheria The Islamic sheriah does not inflict limitation on the forms of money. It only interferes with people’s attitudes in regard to wealth and money but not the form of money. Islamic sheriah upholds regulation in the use and provision of money. It forbids interest (Riba) from any form of business. Islamic finance believes that money can only be invested in worthy business; it upholds the view of socially responsible investing (Abdullah, 1996). Islam perceives that a good person can only invest in good things with good intentions. Investing in drugs, alcohol, porno among others is termed as bad investments. Riba refers to excess money which according to sheriah principles implies to reward earned without appropriate consideration in terms of time worth for m oney. We two types of Riba; the increase in capital without the provision of services and the product exchanges in disproportionate quantities As we have seen earlier, Islam prohibits earning of interest fees. This does not mean that the Islamic financial institutions do not aim at making profit as people tend to believe. Contrary to that, most of the Islamic financial institutions or banks operate on the basis of profit making. In Iran, banks can only offer products that have been clear in accordance with the regulations given by the council of ministers. There is no sheriah board to offer guidance or supervision on the commercial banks. In Bahrain, all banks are required to set up â€Å"an independent sharia supervision committee† that complies with the supreme principles of Islamic financial institutions. Different approaches have been followed on cases regarding regulatory issues on the sheriah principles in different countries (Abdullah, 1996). Islamic, Christianity, and Judaism The word Islam means entering into peace. This portrays the religion as a religion that has its strong holds in peace development. Just like the religion of Christianity and Judaism that put more emphasis on love; Prophet Muhammad, who is the main character in the Islamic religion, puts more emphasis on mercy. He was the last and greatest of God’s messengers, who were mandated to continue the works of Abraham, Jesus and Mosses. He preached to people to have mercy on each other. He did emphasize on the need of mercy to the less fortunate in the society. This goes in line with the strong holds of the religion which is peace.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The religion call their God Allah, this means God, the true God. The character of the lord is that of peace and mercy (Robinson, 2010). The name of God either in the Muslim or other religion is respected. The ideology that either Christianity or Muslim derived the name was the same or similar. This is in that the Biblical Elohà ®m (God) and h ¥-Elà ´h (the true God) of Moses and the Hebrew prophets or the Aramaic Al ¥h ¥ (God, the true God) of Jesus and John the Baptist the recognition of the supremacy of the lord is recognized. Both religions recognize the works of early prophets in their works of developing the religion. They specifically recognize the work of Abraham, Moses, Isaac and Jesus (Robinson, 2010). In many Muslim and Christian countries, homo- sexual is jailed on long term while other countries do not have any laws that prohibits against such behaviors. Madrasas Madrasas literally means a school that offers instruction in the Islamic subjects including the Koran and hadith and sheria law. These schools were established for the purpose of promoting Islamic based curriculum. In Egypt and Lebanon, madrasas refers to educational institutions whereas in Bangladesh and Pakistan, madrasas refers to Islamic religious schools. The oldest madrasas to be established is known as Nizamiyah and is located in Baghdad. The main idea behind the establishment of this school was to provide lodging faculties, food, and free education to the Muslim population. Afterwards, madrasas spread rapidly to other Muslim countries. Madrasas, in most Muslim countries today, form part of the educational infrastructure. They offer religious-based curriculum, focusing on the Koran and Islamic texts. Beyond instruction in basic religious tenets, some argue that a small group of radicalized madrasas, specifically located on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, are spawning a militant form of Islam and calling on Muslim to fight nonbelievers and stand against what they perceive as the moral immorality of the West. Pakistan has more than ten thousand madrasas that have turned out to be of help now that the country is going through periods of extreme poverty and underdevelopment (Armanios, 2003). Since the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, madrasas in many parts of the world for instance, Asia, Middle East, and central have shifted their focus to the U.S foreign policy makers. Many of these policy makers hold that, there is a close tie between the terrorist organizations (such as AL Qaeda) and madrasas, and hold that these schools encourage Islamic extremism and militancy. On the other hand, other policy makers strongly believe that, most of these religious schools have been blamed for something they have no connection with (that is for fostering anti- U.S.) madrasas attracted more attention when it became evident that, a number of Taliban leaders and members of the AL Qaeda terrorist organization had developed essential political views at madrasas in Pakistan, some of which were believed to have been built and financed by Saudi Arabian (Armanios, 2003). Conclusion The main principle behind Islam is that there is only one God called Allah who is the creator of the universe and Mohammed is the only messenger of Allah. There has been recorded a significance increase in the number of Muslims for the last four years. The Muslim population has grown by almost 10 times while that of the Christian by 2 times. The power of God is seen in both Christianity and Islamic; he is seen as one who the early prophets served and the today’s people have no alternative than to follow his teaching, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam do not allow same sex marriages adultery or sex before marriage. Many policy makers in the United States hold many accusations that madrasas are used to promote Islamic fanaticism and militancy, and are a recruiting ground for terrorism. They are others who maintain that, the madrasas play a very crucial role in eradicating poverty and promoting education in countries where the population of Muslims is high Reference List Abdullah, S. (1996). Islamic banking: a study of the prohibition of riba and its contemporary interpolation. New York: Prentice Hall. Armanios, F. (2003). Islamic religious schools, madrasas: Background. Web. Bates, S. (2007). The beliefs and laws of Islam. Web. Robinson, B. A. (2010). Comparing Christianity and Islam: the world’s two largest religions. Web. Syed, B. (2003). Women in Islam: Hijab. Web.

Question Mark Definition and Examples

Question Mark Definition and Examples A  question mark (?)  is a  punctuation symbol placed at the end of a sentence or phrase to indicate a direct question, as in:  She asked, Are you happy to be home?  The question mark is also called an  interrogation point, note of interrogation, or  question point. To understand the question mark and its use, its helpful to know that in grammar, a  question  is a type of  sentence  expressed in a form that requires (or appears to require) an answer. Also known as an  interrogative sentence, a question- which ends with a question mark- is generally distinguished from a sentence that makes a  statement, delivers a  command, or expresses an  exclamation. History The origination of the question mark is shrouded in myth and mystery, says Oxford Living Dictionaries. It may date to the ancient cat-worshiping Egyptians who created the curve of the question mark after observing the shape of an inquisitive cat’s tail. There are other possible origins, says the online dictionary: Another possibility links the question mark with the Latin word  quaestio  (‘question’). Supposedly, in the Middle Ages scholars would write ‘quaestio’ at the end of a sentence to show that it was a question, which in turn was shortened to  qo. Eventually, the  q  was written on top of the  o, before steadily morphing into a recognizably modern question mark. Alternatively, the question mark may have been introduced by Alcuin of York, an English scholar and poet born in 735, who was invited to join the court of Charlemagne in 781, says Oxford. Once there, Alcuin wrote many books- all in Latin- including some works on grammar. For his books, Alcuin created the  punctus interrogativus  or point of interrogation, a symbol resembling a tilde or lightning flash above it, representing the rising tone of voice used when asking a question. In A History of Writing, Steven Roger Fischer says that the question mark first appeared around the eighth or ninth century- possibly beginning with Alcuins works- in Latin manuscripts but did not appear in English until 1587 with the publication of  Sir Philip Sidneys Arcadia. Sidney certainly made full use of the punctuation mark when introducing it to the English language:  According to a version of Arcadia transcribed by Risa Bear  and published by the University of Oregon, the question mark appeared in the work nearly 140 times. Purpose The question mark always indicates a question or doubt, says Merriam-Websters Guide to Punctuation and Style, adding that A question mark ends a direct question. The dictionary gives these examples; What went wrong?When do they arrive? The question mark is the least demanding of punctuation marks, says Rene J. Cappon, author of The Associated Press Guide to Punctuation, adding: All you need to know is what a question is and you punctuate accordingly. Merriam-Webster defines a question as  an interrogative expression, often used to test knowledge, as in: â€Å"Did you go to school today?†Ã‚   The purpose of the question mark would seem simple, then. They are direct questions, invariably followed by the interrogation point, says Cappon. But a closer look shows that this seemingly simple punctuation mark can be tricky to use and easy to misuse. Correct and Incorrect Use There are a number of cases where using the question mark can be tricky for writers: Multiple questions:  Cappon says that you  do  use a question mark, even multiple question marks, when you have multiple questions for which you expect an answer or answers, even with sentence fragments such as: What were her vacation plans? Beach? Tennis? Reading War and Peace? Travel? Note that the quote marks at the end of War and Peace come before the question mark because this punctuation mark is not part of the books title. Omit the Comma and Other Punctuation Marks: Harold Rabinowitz and Suzanne Vogel in The Manual of Scientific Style: A Guide for Authors, Editors, and Researchers, note that a question mark should never be placed  next to a  comma, nor should it be next to a  period  unless it is part of an  abbreviation. Question marks should not generally be doubled for emphasis or paired with  exclamation points. And The Associated Press  Stylebook, 2018 says that a question mark should never supersede a comma, as in: Who is there? she asked. You would  never  pair a comma and a question mark, neither before nor after quotation marks. In this sentence, the question mark also comes before the quote mark because it ends the interrogative sentence. Indirect questions: As a general rule, do not use a question mark at the end of an indirect question, a  declarative sentence  that reports a  question  and ends with a  period  rather than a  question mark. An example of an indirect question would be:  She asked me if I was happy to be home. Cappon says that you don’t use a question mark when no answer is expected and gives these examples of indirect questions:   â€Å"Would you mind closing the window† is framed like a question but probably isn’t. The same applies to, â€Å"Would you please not bang the door when you leave.† Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, and Walter E. Oliu in The Business Writers Companion, agree, further explaining that you omit the question mark when you ask a  rhetorical question, essentially a statement for which you do not expect an answer. If your question is a polite request for which you simply assume youll get a positive response- Can you carry in the groceries, please?- omit the question mark. A Question Within an Indirect Question Using the question mark can become even more difficult, as the Merriam-Webster punctuation guide shows with this example: What was her motive? you may be asking. The sentence itself is an indirect question: The speaker does not expect an answer. But the indirect question contains a question sentence, where the speaker is essentially quoting or announcing the listeners thoughts. Merriam-Webster provides even trickier examples: I naturally wondered, Will it really work?  Thoroughly puzzled, â€Å"Who could have done such a thing?† she wondered. The first sentence is also an indirect question. The speaker (I)  is quoting his own thoughts, which are in the form of a question. But the speaker does not expect an answer, so this is not an interrogative statement. Merriam-Webster also suggests that you reframe the first sentence above as a simple declarative statement, negating the need for a question mark: I naturally wondered whether it would really work. The second sentence is also an indirect question that contains an interrogative statement. Notice that the question mark comes  before  the quote marks because the interrogative statement- Who could have done such a thing?- is a question that requires a question mark. George Bernard Shaw, in Back to Methuselah, gives a classic example of indirect questions that also contain interrogative statements (or questions): You see things; and you say, Why​? But I dream things that never were; and I say, Why not? The speaker is making two statements; he does not expect an answer for either. But, within each statement is a question- Why? and Why not?- both quoting the listener. Conversational Mark The question mark is the most profoundly human form of punctuation, says  Roy Peter Clark, author of The Glamour of Grammar. This punctuation mark envisions  communication  not as assertive but as interactive, even  conversational. A question mark at the end of an interrogative statement implicitly recognizes the other person and seeks her views and input. The question mark is the engine of debates and interrogations, of mysteries, solved and secrets to be revealed, of conversations between student and teacher, of anticipation and explanation, adds Clark. Used correctly, the question mark can help you engage your reader; it can help draw in your  reader as an active partner whose answers you seek and whose opinions matter.

A Canticle for Leibowitz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Canticle for Leibowitz - Essay Example While Miller’s text presents a compelling narrative, it is perhaps most relevant in terms of the metaphorical critique it holds for contemporary life and the potentials of future existence. This response essay considers many of these elements and meditates on potential solutions to some of the most pressing challenges. There are a number of considerations related to Miller’s notion that religious inspiration can create a culture-saving alternative community. One first considers the nature of religious inspiration. In the text what largely appears to have occurred is that religion has rejected the location of what it once readily embraced – namely simplification. In these regards, one considers the church’s position in the Medieval Period as readily embracing a rejection of knowledge for more faith based modes of understanding; these modes of understanding created institutions that largely rejected scientific inquiry, particularly when it conflicted with re ligious doctrine. In this sense the nature of ‘religious inspiration’ would be recognized as actually rejecting knowledge. Still, in the Medieval period through the Renaissance and even into the contemporary world religion has operated to stringently retain its own culture in the face of scientific and ethical challenges from the outside world. It seems the notion of ‘religious inspiration’ as a culture-saving operation is perhaps best exemplified in the university system. In these regards, to a large extent the university system and the professors working therein constitute a culture that is partly in opposition to pervading trends of society. That is, the university system embraces concepts and values that reject the simple pursuit of profit for the pursuit of knowledge for the sake of knowledge. This is slightly a religious concept as, at least in Western society, the fundamental driving impact of change and development are profit incentives. Ultimately, then this attests to the nature of religious inspiration as a culture-saving entity. One considers whether Americans are tempted towards oversimplification. Particularly in regards to the aforementioned university establishment there is the consideration that much of mainstream society is opposed to intellectualism. Rather than holding intellectuals or scientists in ultimate esteem, society more readily embraces athletes or popular entertainers. Within mainstream media television programs, films, and popular novels project a culture that rejects intellectualism and positions intelligence or knowledge as counter to natural living. Newspapers and television news oftentimes are targeted towards the lowest common denominator. The cumulative recognition of these trends is that American society largely tempts its citizens towards oversimplification. Within the text the nuclear weapons engineer that founds the monastic order to preserve knowledge is later carved in a statue with a wry smi le. To an extent this can be viewed as a metaphor on society as entirely ironic. That is, we all act like we know what we’re doing, but none of us really have any idea. To an extent it appears that this notion is correct in that much of what is termed functioning in society is based on the blind embrace of pervading cultural standards that the majority of us do not understand. Still, one considers that existentialism positions meaning as a personal choice. In these regards, there is self-reflexivity and authenticity in the way that humans go about living their lives. The question of meaning and understanding is related to questions of control and directing natural forces. The text asks, â€Å"Who will govern the use of power to control natural