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On Argument.
by Peter Landry.

Opening Quotes Introduction Ad Hominem A Fortiori
Analogical Reasoning A Posteriori A Priori Argue
The Other Side
He Who Asserts
Must Prove
Axiom Begging the Question Brevity
Calm, Be Calm Cause & Effect Complaint Concept
Conclusion (The Law of)
Deductive Reasoning Dialectic
Dogma (The Law of)
Excluded Middle
Facts False
Too General
Get The Specifics
Hypothesis Inductive Reasoning Inference
Logic Mathematics Non Sequitur Occam's Razor
Do not Argue
Against the Obvious
Post Hoc Premises First Principles
The Procrastinator's
Proof Reasoning Process Reductio ad Absurdum
To Refute Relevancies Scientific Method Socratic Method
Syllogism Synthesis Matters of Taste On Coming to Terms
Thesis Truth Tu Quoque
Quotes On Argument
FURTHER MATERIAL, GO TO >>>>>> blupete's Essay on Philosophy.

Opening Quotes:

"`What do you mean by `If you really are a Queen"? What right have you to call yourself so? You can't be a Queen, you know, till you've passed the proper examination. And the sooner we begin it, the better.' `I only said "if"!' poor Alice pleaded in a piteous tone. The two Queens looked at each other, and the Red Queen remarked, with a little shudder, `She SAYS she only said "if" - ' `But she said a great deal more than that!' the White Queen moaned, wringing her hands. `Oh, ever so much more than that!' `So you did, you know,' the Red Queen said to Alice. `Always speak the truth -- think before you speak -- and write it down afterwards.' `I'm sure I didn't mean -- ' Alice was beginning, but the Red Queen interrupted her impatiently. `That's just what I complain of! You SHOULD have meant! What do you suppose is the use of child without any meaning? Even a joke should have some meaning -- and a child's more important than a joke, I hope. You couldn't deny that, even if you tried with both hands.' `I don't deny things with my HANDS,' Alice objected. `Nobody said you did,' said the Red Queen. `I said you couldn't if you tried.' `She's in that state of mind,' said the White Queen, `that she wants to deny SOMETHING -- only she doesn't know what to deny!' `A nasty, vicious temper,' the Red Queen remarked; and then there was an uncomfortable silence for a minute or two." (Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass, Ch. 9.)

We must judge and stand to be judged. It is natural and right that we do so. To judge it incorrectly, when presented with a situation of consequence, or, worse yet, not to judge it at all, will surely lead to an individual's downfall. From the simplest of things in daily living to the most complex of social problems, we are bound to seek and find out the truth; and, once found, to hold onto it and to advance it. In this life sustaining process, we will be obliged to listen to the arguments, and, where necessary, to make them.

But, what is an argument? The OEDII gives a number of definitions: I intend to take up my subject with its third meaning: "A statement or fact advanced for the purpose of influencing the mind; a reason urged in support of a proposition ..." Or, put in the words of a 19th century author: "Anything is an argument which naturally and legitimately produces an effect upon our minds, and tends to make us think one way rather than another." In order to survive - and hopefully survive well - it will be necessary to listen to and to state arguments: to be able, through pure argument, to convince, or to be able to be convinced, is the usual mark of a successful person, no matter their line of work. In life we must learn life sustaining activities: listening to a good argument and making a good argument are two of these activities. Being in a constant state of argumentation (usually with oneself) is entirely normal and entirely necessary to the living process.

The following are a few argumental terms which have come to mind. I have left out terms which might be described as being philosophic, such as: metaphysics, logic, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics. Things philosophic are dealt with in blupete's Essay on Philosophy.

Absurd, Reductio ad Absurdum:-
While originally the argument known as reductio ad absurdum was only to be successful if each and every other competing hypothesis involves an absurdity, it has come to mean an argument that brings out the absurdity of a contention made.

Ad Hominem:-
An argument where the appeal is founded on the preferences or principles of a particular person rather than an abstract truth or logical cogency.

A Fortiori:-
This is a Latin expression which literally means with greater force. In logic, it is where, having made or established a large point, a minor point, subsumed in the larger point, is made at the same time; thus, there is no need to argue the validity of the minor point.

Analogical Reasoning:-
One of three kinds of reasoning which I identify in these pages. This form of Reasoning is inferior to deductive reasoning.

A Posteriori:-
This is another Latin expression; its literal meaning, "from that which comes after." In argument (this is the same for scientific method), it means proving things from observations, from experiences, from the evidence; arguing from the effect or effects to prove the cause.

A Priori:-
More fancy Latin words, literally meaning, "from that which comes before." In argument it is where a person, in an effort to prove a further point assumes the validity of some other point. This other point, it is asked, should be accepted as one that may yet be proven, or which the propounder advances as axiomatic. In other words, one is asked to accept something as knowledge without the benefit of any prior experience (empirical evidence), this knowledge, it is said, comes about a priori. This approach is often the only way to begin any argument, but should not be resorted to during the course of argument; further, one should always bear in mind, that the resolution to any argument, must, of necessity, be dependent on the "beginning assumptions." While there are some things in this world that simply must be accepted without proof as being axiomatic, an assumption or assumptions always weaken one's argument and should be eschewed as a bad practice.

Argue the Other Side:-
It is natural to seek out and attack the weak points in an opponent's case, but this approach only leads your opponent to abandon or strengthen these parts of his case; it is always best, in an on-going argument, to seek out and attack an opponent's case at its strongest. "He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper." (Edmund Burke.) It is best to put your opponent's case into the best argued form that you can, then attack; the approach can be devastating.

Assertation: He Who Asserts Must Prove:-
Hardly can anybody start in a neutral position. One cannot argue from a fence top, one must be on one side of it or another; and there is only one side on which one must begin.
Any proposition must either be true or false, it cannot be both; this is known as the law of contradiction. One cannot prove a negative, thus, as the legal maxim will have it, semper praesumitur pro negante, the presumption is always in the negative. In the absence of the acceptance of a proposition being true, the propounder, the person who advances the proposition as being true, has the obligation to proving it to be true. The position from which one must always start is that the proposition (the theory or the hypothesis) is, to start with, false and must be proven to be true.

"A proposition that commends itself to general acceptance; a well-established or universally-conceded principle; a maxim, rule, law." (OEDII.)

Begging the Question:-
This is where one assumes the proposition so that he might prove the proposition; Begging the Question consists in making use of the very proposition in dispute, as though it were already proved.

"Since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes --
I will be brief."
Shaks.: Hamlet.

"In general those who have nothing to say contrive to spend the longest time in doing it." (James Russell Lowell.)

Calm, be Calm:-
"Be calm in arguing: for fierceness makes Error a fault, and truth discourtesy." (Geo. Herbert [1593-1633].) "Use soft words and hard arguments." (Henry George Bohn [1796-1884].) "A soft answer relieves anger." (Proverb.)

Cause & Effect:-
"Given certain factors," as the autocrat said, "a sound brain should always evolve the same fixed product with the certainty of a calculating machine." Oliver Wendall Holmes (1809-94) was stating a law of nature, viz., that the same motives always produce the same actions; the same events follow from the same causes. It is this law that comes to assist us when we are required to predict future events, including the most difficult task of predicting the behavior of people. David Hume (1711-76), in dealing with the philosophical question of whether man has freewill showed that every uniquely different "effect" has an equally different "cause."
"Cause and effect" as Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82) said, "are two sides of one fact .. [like the] seed and fruit they can never be severed." Further, "the effect already blooms in the cause, the end pre-exists in the means, the fruit in the seed." So it follows that it is next to useless to deal with just the effect; at best one will get the briefest of relief. "The cause being taken away, the effect is removed." (Latin proverb.)

Complaint (No Complaint Then No Need To Act):-
"The argument amounts to this:- Nobody complains, therefore nobody suffers. It amounts to a veto on all measures of precaution or prevention, and goes to establish a maxim in legislation directly opposed to the most ordinary prudence of common life; it enjoins us to build no parapets to a bridge till the number of accidents has raised a universal clamor." (Sydney Smith, "Fallacies of Anti-reformers.")

Concept (See "On Philosophy"):-

Consisting of an inference, or inferences which are reached through the reasoning process. "A judgement or statement arrived at by any reasoning process; an inference, deduction, induction." Or, expressed in logic: "A proposition deduced by reasoning from previous propositions: spec. the last of the three propositions forming a syllogism, deduced from the two former or premises."(OEDII.)

Contradiction (The Law of):-

Deductive Reasoning:-
Deductive reasoning is a method by which one might prove a theory, - the process of deriving consequences from admitted or established premises; to take away from the whole, to deduct for a sum; to test the theory on each deductive sum; and to continue to test each new deductive sum until the test fails, at which time an adjustment is made to the theory, and, once again, to expose the new theory to the deductive reasoning process. As Sir Karl Popper has showed us, only the deductive reasoning process (as opposed to inductive and analogical) guarantees the correctness of the conclusion. "To conclude that all apples are red because 1000 apples are found to be red is inductive reasoning, therefore not reliable. Similarly, the argument that John should be able to graduate from college because his identical twin who inherited the same faculties did so, is reasoning by analogy, and the results from this process are not reliable. Deductive reasoning, on the other hand, although it can take many forms, does guarantee the conclusion. Thus, if one grants that all men are mortal and Socrates is a man, one must accept that Socrates is mortal. The principle of logic involved here is one form of what Aristotle called syllogistic reasoning. Among other laws of deductive reasoning Aristotle included the law of contradiction (a proposition cannot be both true and false) and the law of excluded middle (a proposition must be either true or false)."1

Dialectic Method:-
"The dialectic," is a branch of logic in the art of reasoning and\or disputing. It is a classic approach, one at which Socrates was a master. Through the use of it, Socrates (and, in my experience, many a good cross-examining lawyer) would lead his adversary to make clear his position on the subject, then, often with the introduction of an absolutely contrary theory, discussion would ensue, which may lead to an admission, on the other side, that there does exist, maybe only in a minor particular, that one of their beliefs, formerly held, is inaccurate. The German philosophers of the idealist school were partial to the dialectic method. It was employed, as often it was, beginning with Plato, to set one theory in opposition with another, and thus to develop a subject in a comprehensive manner. First an idea (a Thesis) was thrown up against another theory (an Antithesis); from this, it was thought, an advance might be made to a third stage, a stage which would bring the disputants closer to the truth. Often, - though not necessarily, - the third stage would come from a combination of both the ideas: a synthesis would occur. What is suppose to come from this process is the truth of a proposition; this is not to be confused with a negotiation process whereby, usually, compromises are wrought out. It must be remembered that while the truth may lie between one proposition or another, it may (I suggest more likely than not) lie fully with one thesis or the other (either the Thesis or the Antithesis). It is my impression that the German idealist school, - for that matter, most any school of thought - through the dialectic always came away with a synthesis, "a combo" of the two ideas under review (the Thesis and the Antithesis). Thus, much of what we believe is a "remix" of ideas previously held or held by others; ideas get mixed over and over again in, it would seem, in an ever-ending process. The overall result is a hopeless maze of probabilities, which some souls would assert is exactly what reality is all about.

Dogma is an opinion received from another in a position of authority and is accepted as a settled truth; it is not based on experience or on demonstration.

Excluded Middle (The Law of):-
A proposition must be either true or false.

A fact is "something that has really occurred or is actually the case; something certainly known to be of this character; hence, a particular truth known by actual observation or authentic testimony, as opposed to what is merely inferred, or to a conjecture or fiction; a datum of experience, as distinguished from the conclusions that may be based upon it." (OEDII.) While "facts are stubborn things" you must have some of them before commencing your argument: "Facts are more powerful than arguments." Facts have been likened to the beads; and the theory, a string on which they are to be hung. Theory is fine, and, entirely necessary; but one must insist on getting at the facts. One must raise their arguments on a foundation of facts: and, insist, that others do likewise.
"It is as fatal as it is cowardly to blink facts because they are not to our taste. ... The brightest flashes in the world of thought are incomplete until they have been proven to have their counterparts in the world of fact." (John Tyndall, Fragments of Science.)
And we give the last word on this subject of facts, of course, to Oliver Wendall Holmes:
"All generous minds have a horror of what are commonly called 'facts.' They are the brute beasts of the intellectual domain. Who does not know fellows that always have an ill-conditioned fact or two which they lead after them into decent company like so many bulldogs, ready to let slip at every ingenious suggestion, or convenient generalization, or pleasant fancy? ... Facts always yield the place of honor, in conversation, to thoughts about facts; but if a false note is uttered, down comes the finger on the key and the man of facts asserts his true dignity."

False Consolation:-
I have found in my experience at the bar that my opponent was always interested in getting the jurors or the trial judge to look into other corners. They often do not argue their case; they may argue, for example, that the Defendant can afford to pay, or the plaintiff doesn't deserve the award on the basis that there are people worse off. The argument of false consolation was one that your mother used when she wanted you to eat your spinach, "Just think of all the starving children in China." Whether I should eat spinach, or not, has absolutely nothing to do with the children in China. (I remember thinking - never expressed - that if the person proffering the spinach could figure a way to get the spinach, then in front of me, off and over to China: I would support the effort.) "Why should the smallest evil be endured which can be cured because others suffer patiently under greater evils? Should the smallest improvement attainable be neglected because others remain contented in a state of still greater inferiority." (Sydney Smith, "Fallacies of Anti-reformers.")

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General Terms (Get The Specifics):-
It is a legal maxim that, "A deceiver deals in general terms." Therefore give specific and concrete examples in your presentation, and, be critical of anyone who does not do likewise.

A hypothesis is that mental shape or concept which one holds of a larger situation; constructed from, and which fits, all known facts (see scientific method). However, a hypothesis is always but a Theory to be refined. A hypothesis may have a good number fellow hypotheses on which it relies. A hypothesis may not be a true representation of the events or things to be perceived; but any self-respecting hypothesist would only put forth a hypothesis which is consistent with all known facts. "One of the conditions of a good hypothesis is, that it fairly comport with all other phenomena of nature, as well as those 'tis framed to explicate." (Robert Boyle, 1627-1691.)

Inductive Reasoning:-
Inductive reasoning is based upon, or characterized by the use of induction, or reasoning from particular facts to general principles. It is a method by which reasoning is grounded. Though there is a great mass of people -- yet, and to continue yet -- whose observations are cursory and narrow; they nonetheless might be described as philosophers, inductive philosophers without knowing it. Their resulting inferences are equally narrow; and, sadly, too, -- often crude, prejudiced, and just plain wrong. Inductive reasoning is one of three kinds of reasoning which I identify in these pages (the other two: analogical and deductive). While inductive reasoning, as a method of reasoning, is considered inferior to deductive reasoning, it is, in the final analysis, maybe, the only method open to us: defective as inductive reasoning maybe. However, inductive reasoning, as a method, often proves to be attractive, for it gets one away from a priori thinking with its high-flown language and its imprecise ideas. "In Inductive reasoning, the parts are first stated, and what is predicated of them is also predicated of the whole they constitute." (Bowen, 1864.) In the final analysis, however, as Herschel, the younger, pointed out, in 1830: "The whole of natural philosophy consists entirely of a series of inductive generalizations."
"... facts to principles is called induction, which in its highest form is inspiration; but, to be sure, the inward sight must be shown to be in accordance with outward fact. To prove or disprove the induction, we must resort to deduction and experiment. ... The inductive principle is founded in man's desire to know ... Before these methods were adopted the unbridled imagination roamed through Nature, putting in the place of law the figments of superstitious dread. For thousands of years witchcraft, and magic, and miracles, and special providences ... had the world to themselves." (John Tyndall (1820-93), Fragments.)
In conclusion, I should say, the inductive process is automatic and natural to a normally healthy human being; it is inherent and comes with our basic issue and goes along with the known seven senses; it is a natural law instilled within us which maybe known as the law of conditioned reflexes or the law of association. (See, too, scientific method.)

If ones needs to be convinced that the meaning of this word is much disputed in the academic world, they need only consult the OED. The word, inference has become a finely dissected word. Indeed, some logicians claim that the making of an inference is not something that can be done in certain of the reasoning processes. For example, strictly speaking, one cannot draw an inference from the deductive process; the best that one might expect to receive - through the syllogistic process - is a newly stated hypothesis, which, of course, being but an hypothesis, requires further working. At any rate, an inference, whatever it maybe, comes about in Logic, and is "the forming of a conclusion from data or premises, either by inductive or deductive methods ..."

Logic I have dealt with in blupete's Essay on Philosophy

Mathematics is pure logic, applied. It is "the abstract science which investigates deductively the conclusions implicit in the elementary conceptions of spatial and numerical relations, and which includes as its main divisions geometry, arithmetic, and algebra." The OEDII continues: mathematics, in a wider sense, includes "those branches of physical or other research which consist in the application of this abstract science to concrete data. When the word is used in its wider sense, the abstract science is distinguished as pure mathematics, and its concrete applications (e.g. in astronomy, various branches of physics, the theory of probabilities) as applied or mixed mathematics."

Non Sequitur:-
An inference or a conclusion which does not follow from the premises.

Occam's Razor:-
Occam's razor is a principle which was first pronounced by William of Occam (1300-49). The principle runs as follows: for purposes of explanation, things not known to exist should not be postulated as existing; entities or supposed existences ought not to be multiplied beyond the point of the simplest possible explanation, not beyond what is absolutely necessary. A person who prefers "materialism" will use occam's razor to full advantage, a materialist being one who prefers natural explanations, where they are at all plausible.

Obvious, Do not Argue Against the Obvious:-
"One does not argue against the sun." (Latin Proverb.)

Post Hoc:-
The fallacy of thinking that a thing which follows another is therefore caused by it.

That which we start with. A previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion. Usually there are two propositions from which the conclusion is derived in a syllogism. They may be compared with the footings of a structure; and, any structure can be no more solid then its footings. To be effective, one must always test and re-test the premises as being true, if they are off the mark, even by a little (see, The Law of Contradiction) then the conclusions cannot be trusted.

Principles, Statement of First Principles:-
There is an old legal maxim, "there is no arguing with anyone who denies first principles." Therefore, the first task is to see if there can be a statement of principles upon which the opponents can agree.

Procrastinator's Argument:-
"Wait a little, this is not the time. This is the common argument of men who, being in reality hostile to a measure, are ashamed or afraid of appearing to be so." (Sydney Smith, "Fallacies of Anti-reformers.")

The evidence may range through every degree, from the barest likelihood to an undoubted moral certainty. In a court of law the degree of proof will vary depending on the seriousness of the matter, viz., to prove a person to be a criminal requires a fairly high degree of proof (beyond a reasonable doubt) versus a civil claim such as a claim that your neighbour owes you money (balance of probabilities).
It is well to understand under this head, proof, to remind you of the burden under which the propounder of the proposition labors: he who asserts must prove. Thus, it is well established, in regular argument, and certainly in any court of law, that an aggrieved party must lead evidence to prove the assertions or allegations against another.

Reasoning Process:-
There are three methods of reasoning: inductive, analogical, and deductive.

Refute, to Refute or Make Paradoxical Statements:-
It was Aristotle[Sophistical Refutations, Bk. 1, Ch. 12, para. 5] who first showed that the winning of the argument will come about once you have obtained paradoxical statements from your opponent. The object is to get your opponent committed to two statements, which when compared are paradoxical.
Let us demonstrate by quoting Aristotle:
"In their view the standard of nature was the truth, while that of the law was the opinion held by the majority. So that it is clear that they, too, used to try either to refute the answerer or to make him make paradoxical statements, [thus, you have reduced your opponent where he has to take one position or the other] just as the men of to-day do as well. Some questions are such that in both forms the answer is paradoxical; e.g. 'Ought one to obey the wise or one's father?' and 'Ought one to do what is expedient or what is just?' and 'Is it preferable to suffer injustice or to do an injury?' You should lead people, then, into [one or the other of two] views [to which is restricted, either the one] opposite to the majority ... [or the other opposite] to the philosophers; if any one speaks as do the expert reasoners, lead him into opposition to the majority, while if he speaks as do the majority, then into opposition to the reasoners. For some say that of necessity the happy man is just, whereas it is paradoxical to the many that a king should be happy. To lead a man into paradoxes of this sort is the same as to lead him into the opposition of the standards of nature and law: for the law represents the opinion of the majority, whereas philosophers speak according to the standard of nature and the truth. Paradoxes, then, you should seek to elicit by means of these common-place rules. Now as for making any one [to make your opponent] babble, ... This is the object in view in all arguments ..."

To introduce irrelevancies into your argument, in addition to consuming valuable time, is to give the impression that your position is weak. One is obliged to keep in mind the point, or the objective; and everything said or written must be consistent with it, and to advance it.

Scientific Method:-
The scientific method is the inductive reasoning process strictly applied. The scientific method demands that all assumptions be questioned, it is skeptical to a degree, and starts with the fundamental assumption that material effect is impossible without material cause. Scientific theories, and this is just as so for philosophic statements, can only be put as hypotheses, propositions, which can never be known as certain, but which can be deliberately put to the test of observation and experiment, and revised or rejected if their predictions get falsified. To accept these statements one has to be familiar with the empiricist school and the works of Locke and Hume. We are to thank the empiricist school for the development of natural physical laws, such as Newtonian laws. That we should proceed by our senses, as we have in scientific theory, and accept only that which is consistent and coherent with past experiences, is equally applicable to philosophic thought; this proposition has been fully developed by Sir Karl Popper; see in particular, The Open Society and Its Enemies (1945) (Princeton University Press, 1971).

See treatment in blupete's Essay on Philosophy.

Socratic Method:-
A method named after the classic Greek philosopher, Socrates. Incidentally, Socrates left no books; what we know of him comes to us through the writings of Plato. Personally, the mentioning of Socrates brings to mind the "Socratic method"; a method employed, to my great frustration, I recall, by a number of my law school professors; a method which hardly brought about many answers, just more and more questions. "Feigning total ignorance before the opinionated, he would with celebrated Socratic irony pose a simple question such as 'What is courage?' From the replies given he would construct contradictory consequences and so start again. His aim was to act as a midwife to those in labour for knowledge."

A syllogism is an argument expressed in the form of two propositions, called the premises; which, are carefully chosen and placed in respect to one another, such, that the reasoner can infer a further and different proposition, a third proposition called the conclusion.

See Dialectic Method.

Matters of Taste:-
Before setting out to argue with anyone, make a determination, right at the first, as to whether your opposite number holds his or her views because of a matter of taste, or as a matter of fact. One cannot be cornered into arguing matters of taste. As Macaulay has observed, when their morality is not a science, but a taste, when they abandon eternal principles for accidental associations - then it is not likely that rational argument will change the situation and you might well consider conserving your energy.

Terms (Defining or Coming to Terms):-
The chief reason people remain in controversy and draw different conclusions even though, in reality, they face the same set of external facts is that there is some ambiguity in the expression, and that the disputants affix different ideas to the terms employed in the controversy.
"... Men affix different ideas to their terms [and so it is easy to see they] form different opinions of the same subject... It is true, if men attempt the discussion of questions which lie entirely beyond the reach of human capacity, such as those concerning the origin of worlds, or the economy of the intellectual system or region of spirits, they may long beat the air in their fruitless contests, and never arrive at any determinate conclusion. But if the question regard any subject of common life and experience, nothing, one would think, could preserve the dispute so long undecided but some ambiguous expressions, which keep the antagonists still at a distance, and hinder them from grappling with each other." (Hume, Human Understanding, "Of Liberty and Necessity.)

See treatment under the Dialectic Method.

"Right or wrong, a thoughtfully-uttered theory has a dynamic power which operates against intellectual stagnation; and even by provoking opposition is eventually of service to the cause of truth." (John Tyndall (1820-93), Fragments.)
As Sir Karl Popper put it, "All theories are trials; they are tentative hypotheses, tried out to see whether they work."[The Poverty of Historicism (1957) (Routledge, 1969).] For a theory to be valid, even a first approximation, it must be compatible with all known observations. If a theory does not work in practice, it is likely because there is something wrong with the theory and it is in need of revision.
"Of nearly every theory it may be said that it agrees with many facts: this is one of the reasons why a theory can be said to be corroborated only if we are unable to find refuting facts, rather than if we are able to find supporting facts." (Bryan Magee's Popper.)
"A theory must first of all provide a solution to a problem that interests us. But it must also be compatible with all known observations, and contain its predecessor theories as first approximations - though it must also contradict them at the points where they failed, and account for their failure." (Magee, Ibid.)

See blupete's Essay On Truth.

Tu Quoque:-
An argument which consists in retorting a charge upon one's accuser. It is a rejoinder best reflected in the expression, "Physician heal thyself." Incidently, saying nothing to the charge, being Mum, is the "Italian tu quoque."

Quotes RE Argument:-

And thought of convincing while they thought of dining."
Goldsmith: Retaliation.

"Since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes --
I will be brief." (Shaks.: Hamlet.)

"Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact." (George Eliot.)

"In general those who have nothing to say contrive to spend the longest time in doing it." (J. R. Lowell.)

"I am no orator ... [I] am a blunt man." (Shaks., Julius Cæsar.)

"One has to vulgarize his messages so as to get them safely into the brain of the audience." (Arnold Bennett.)

Quod dubitas, ne feceris - Where you doubt, do nothing. (A legal maxim.)

Qui prior est tempore potior est jure - He who is first in time has the strongest claim in law. (A legal maxim.)

Qui non improbat, approbat - He who does not disapprove, approves. (A legal maxim.)

"The true way to be deceived is to think oneself more clever than others." (Rochefoucauld, Maxim 127.)

"When two parties with fixed ideas, different from one another, begin to quarrel, the dispute will never come to an end, except through the weariness of the combatants. ... Instead of reasoning upon a deceptive word, let us consider effects." (Bentham, p. 79-80.)

"The hydrostatic paradox of controversy -- Controversy equalizes fools and wise men in the same way, - and the fools know it." (Oliver Wendall Holmes.)

1 See Kline.

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2013 (2016)

Peter Landry


Michelin Man Michelin has endorsed a flexible career-development program since it was founded 126 years ago. Michelin

Founded in 1889, the French conglomerate is the world's third-largest tire manufacturer and employs 111,000 people around the globeIn addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns BFGoodrich, Kleber, Tigar, Riken, Kormoran, and Uniroyal.

Business Insider recently sat down with  David Stafford, chief human resources officer and executive vice president of personnel for Michelin North America, to discuss the company's unique approach to career development.

Since allowing employees to jump around as they see fit would be a logistical nightmare, Michelin employs nearly 400 "career managers" to help workers and managers have productive discussions about future goals and needs.

The first question career managers ask employees is: "What is it that you are really passionate about?"

"You can't always satisfy that passion," Stafford says, "but it's good to know what they want."

Career managers also look pragmatically at an employee's past performance and their skill sets to help ensure they will be set up for success in the position.

"Our managers look at three key areas — passion, proven history, and an employee's willingness and ability to adapt to change and take on new things," Stafford says.

Michelin uses a three-part "triangle" plan during job-placement discussions. The process starts with a discussion about what skills employees want to grow and what they are currently doing. Then the manager and employee use a job-posting system to find relevant jobs and career paths the employee might want to explore. Finally, an employee can talk to other employees who have pursued paths in certain disciplines they are interested in exploring.

Stafford divides Michelin employees into two groups.

The first group bounces around from one job to another. They might start in accounting, move to research and development, and end up in operations. Stafford says these workers want to "go wide" in their careers and to "broaden themselves" as people.

The second group is focused on "going deep." They tend to join the company and work their way up the corporate ladder in one specialty.

Because an employee might join Michelin and then transition out of their current role in the future, the company must look beyond skill sets during the hiring process.

Stafford says they still hire for certain skills, but they also focus on the candidate's goals. "We have to ask if they are looking for a job or a career."

Michelin's HR team looks for people who are "embracing what we want to be as an organization," Stafford says. "We want to offer something good to the community; we believe the market wants it."

Michelin man bobblehead doll at the 2005 Michelin Championship Michelin employees can choose to "go wide" or "go deep." Getty Images

Michelin's career-development program has been a huge success in creating employee loyalty. From 2009 to 2015, only 3% of employees quit, according to the company.

"People see very quickly that they have a chance to grow by working in different positions within different areas of the company," Stafford says. "As we develop their career paths over time, they buy into what the company is focused on. You end up building this incredible stickiness between employee and company."


Smart Farm Systems - products

By: Smart Farm Systems  05-Apr-2012
Keywords: Farm Systems

The K-line system monitors line pressure where it is needed right at the end of the pipe where the pods are. If the pressure drops too low for any reason, the K-Line monitor will stop the pump, and will also allow you to start/stop the pump at the pods, in the paddock.

Benefits: Prevents pollution in the paddocks due to system failure and ensures the K-Line has to be moved.

Monitors the water level and flow rate, letting you keep an eye on your water levels.

Benefits: Ensure water supply isn't running low.

The Moisture Monitor reports on the level of moisture recorded at varying ground levels depending upon the data required. The information is valuable for crops and vineyards where water application is the dominant factor for optimum growth.

Benefits: Provides valuable moisture level information to maximize plant growth and minimize wastage of our valuable resource, water.

The Water Bore Monitor will provide you with information on pump hours, flow rate and battery voltage, eliminating the worry that your bore may run dry.

Benefits: Provides up to the minute information on the supply of a valuable resource, water, which is paramount to any farming or horticulture activity.

The Electric Fence Monitor records fence and battery voltage which eliminates the need to walk the farm to check on whether there is any unwarranted interference with your electric fence. Will indicate any malfunction via a change in graph or via txt alert.

Benefits: Eliminates the need to walk the fence lines during grazing and provides peace of mind knowing that you will be advised should any malfunctions occur.

Milk Temperature is required to be reduced to 7 degrees within a 3 hour time frame. The milk vat monitor ensures that the required temperature is maintained. If for any reason the temperature is outside this parameter, there can be a txt alert.

Benefits: Ensures milk temperature is regulated with txt alert to reduce possible loss of revenue due to substandard product.

A new release from Smart Farm Systems, leaders in the field of farm effluent monitoring.

K.I.M. PLUS is installed before the first pod to respond once the pressure drops sufficiently for the K.I.M. to send a signal to the Smart Farm Hub to shut the system down.

Once the K-Line is shut down a message is sent to K.I.M PLUS to activate the value to close instantly. The pods no longer receive effluent which causes undue ponding.

A new release from Smart Farm Systems, leaders in the field of farm monitoring. A new release from Smart Farm Systems, leaders in the field of farm monitoring.

T.I.M PLUS includes a clever little valve which is activated once the T.I.M shuts off due to end of travel, running too slow, or if a pipe bursts. A signal is sent to the Smart Farm Hub which activates a message sent to T.I.M PLUS to activate the value to close instantly.

Keywords: Farm Systems


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Multiculturalism and Integration

Multiculturalism and Integration: Canadian and Irish Experiences

Vera Regan
Isabelle Lemée
Maeve Conrick
Copyright Date: 2010
Pages: 290
Stable URL:
  • Cite this Item
  • Book Info
    Multiculturalism and Integration
    Book Description:

    Multiculturalism and Integrationprovides new insights into the important issues of diversity, reasonable accommodation and identity construction in multicultural societies by examining the experiences of Canada and Ireland. While these two societies share many historical and cultural links, their differences help reveal the range of possible approaches to these important issues.

    Multicultural and multilingual diversity in contemporary Ireland are fairly recent phenomena, whereas Canada's policies and practices addressing cultural and linguistic diversity are several decades old. This basic difference has influenced their laws, language policies, education systems, cultural creations, and national identities as they have worked to accommodate multiculturalism.

    The volume brings together an international group of scholars working in a variety of fields including politics, law, sociolinguistics, literature, philosophy, and history. Their interdisciplinary approach addresses the complex factors influencing integration and multiculturalism, painting detailed and accurate portraits of these issues in Canada and Ireland.

    eISBN: 978-0-7766-1933-0
    Subjects: Sociology
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Table of Contents

Export Selected Citations
  1. Front Matter (pp. [i]-[iii])
  2. Table of Contents (pp. [iv]-[v])
  3. Introduction: Multiculturalism and Integration (pp. 1-10)

    The thirteen essays collected inMulticulturalism and Integration: Canadian and Irish Experiencesoffer new insights into issues of diversity, integration and identity that are important in all multicultural societies. The essays were developed from contributions to the 2008 fourteenth biennial international conference of the Association for Canadian Studies in Ireland. The issues raised are of central concern in many international contexts, where societies are coming to grips with accommodating cultural diversity within a civic identity. Multicultural and multilingual diversity are relatively recent phenomena in contemporary Ireland, whereas Canada’s policies and practices addressing cultural and linguistic diversity are several decades old...

  4. Part I: Multiculturalism, Integration and Linguistic Diversity:: Canadian and Irish Models and Experiences
    • Chapter I Immigration, langue et diversité ethnoculturelle en Ontario (pp. 13-42)

      En 2006, Statistique Canada soulignait que la population ontarienne ayant une langue maternelle autre que le français et l’anglais était de plus en plus nombreuse. Alors qu’en 2001, l’Ontario comprend 2 797 555 personnes¹, en 2006, ce nombre augmente à 3 276 685². C’est près de 500 000 personnes de plus qui déclarent une langue autre que le français et l’anglais. Par contre, ces dernières ne maintiennent pas toutes leur langue maternelle comme langue le plus souvent parlée à la maison. En 2006, 1 934 233 personnes ont une langue d’usage à la maison autre que l’anglais ou le français³....

    • Chapter II Diachronic and Synchronic Perspectives on the French Language in Canada: Multilingualism, Language Contact, Norms and Usage (pp. 43-66)

      This chapter addresses a range of issues, several of which could be treated individually at some length. The focus of the chapter is, therefore, on a selection of issues that are of specific linguistic interest, linguistic diversity and homogenization in France and in New France, the current status and position of the French language in Canada, attitudes to the French language and issues of norm from a sociolinguistic perspective and Canada as a multilingual society and language contact: change, borrowing, code-switching.¹ The chapter as a whole aims to elucidate questions, some of which have been a source of interest for...

    • Chapter III Immersion Education in Ireland and Canada: L2 Immersion Adolescents in L1 Anglophone Settings (pp. 67-82)

      Immersion education in both the Republic of Ireland and Canada in the 21stcentury entails education through indigenous but minority languages within the context of dominant anglophone cultures. “Immersion education” is a broad term used to describe various educational approaches. In Canada the term describes education in which at least 50 percent of the curriculum is delivered through the medium of a language other than that normally spoken by students (Genesee 1999). In Ireland the term describes education where all subjects other than English are taught through Irish. In both Canada and Ireland, English is the dominant language of the...

    • Chapter IV The Linguistic Impact of Target-Language Contact on the Speech of Irish and Canadian Learners of French L2 (pp. 83-94)

      The aims of the present study are to investigate the social aspects of French language acquisition by both Irish and Canadian learners, but also to illuminate some differences and similarities surrounding the acquisition of French in the study abroad and immersion learning contexts. Finally, I would like to identify precisely how native speaker contact may be an important missing link in the immersion learner’s acquisition of French.

      The study is based on a large-scale comparative analysis that draws on a number of databases of anglophone L2 learners of French in three contexts of acquisition, namely immersion learners in Canada (Mougeon,...

  5. Part II: Multiculturalism and Identity:: Cultural Representations
    • Chapter V Robert Lepage’s Lipsynch: Staging the Multicultural Experience (pp. 97-114)

      In his foreword toLipsynch, his most recent production, Quebec creator, director and writer Robert Lepage notes,

      We often confuse voice, speech and language, but those are indeed three very distinct and totally different things.Lipsynchis about the specific signification of all three and their interaction in modern human expression … The voice is an internal machine that finds its ultimate expression outside of the body, but in order to examine it and try to understand it properly one needs to pull away from the visual stimuli for a while and go where the voice is “seated”.¹

      Lepage’s emphasis...

    • Chapter VI Le cosmopolitisme littéraire ou la multivoix de l’écriture actuelle québécoise (pp. 115-130)

      À l’heure de la mondialisation faut-il encore protéger les frontières des littératures dites nationales ? L’étranger qui arrive au Canada peut-il s’intégrer sans disparaître ? De même, l’habitant de vieille souche peut-il faciliter l’intégration de l’étranger sans lui-même disparaître ? Comment réconcilier l’idée de multiculture et celle de l’intégration ? La cohabitation des cultures recourt-elle à l’esprit de clocher, ou peut-elle vraiment installer une diversité transnationale dynamique et féconde ? Bref, à l’aube du vingt-et-unième siècle, comment parler du cosmopolitisme bien intentionné, mais encore si incertain ? Que dit la littérature du débat sur le multiculturalisme, l’intégration, la diversité ou...

    • Chapter VII Représentations du multiculturalisme dans l’œuvre romanesque de Francine Noël (pp. 131-150)

      L’œuvre romanesque de Francine Noël se compose entre autres d’une trilogie :Maryse, Myriam première, La Conjuration des bâtardset d’un quatrième ouvrage :Babel, prise deux, ou nous avons tous découvert l’Amérique¹. Tous témoignent d’un regard aiguisé sur la société. La durée diégétique des quatre ouvrages réunis s’échelonne sur plus de trente ans, de 1968 jusqu’à l’an 2000 et c’est donc tout naturellement qu’ils traduisent l’évolution de cette société vers une plus grande diversité culturelle².

      Mais quelle vision l’œuvre de Noël offre-t-elle au juste de cette architecture sociale complexe et mouvante ? L’intégration est-elle conçue comme respectant les particularismes...

    • Chapter VIII Narrer les marginaux : La rivière sans repos de Gabrielle Roy, trois mondes en conflit ou les Inuit face à la culture des Blancs (pp. 151-160)

      Notre point de départ n’est autre que l’incipit deLa détresse et l’enchantement, l’autobiographie de Gabrielle Roy. Elle a voulu qu’il soit une question qui reste sans réponse : « Quand donc ai-je pris conscience pour la première fois que j’étais, dans mon pays, d’une espèce destinée à être traitée en inférieure ? », et quelques lignes plus bas elle continue : « Winnipeg, la capitale, … jamais ne nous reçut tout à fait autrement qu’en étrangères » (1984 : 11). La question évoque une douleur personnelle, mais aussi collective, celle d’elle-même et de sa mère en tant que francophones...

  6. Part III: Multiculturalism, Integration and Identity:: The Irish-Canadian Experience
    • Chapter IX Moving to Canada: A Contemporary Irish-Canadian Perspective (pp. 163-176)

      In the complex experience of moving from one part of the world to another, including Canada, what happens to culture, religion and language?¹ What do individuals sound like after the move? Much has been written about the origins and patterns of historical emigration, but it is interesting to examine the manner in which recent immigrants redefine their identity in a country where they were not born and in which they are identified as having come from elsewhere.

      The experience of settling in Canada can be examined in the work of the established, contemporary Irish-Canadian writer Pádraig Ó Siadhail (born in...

    • Chapter X From Assimilation to Diversity: Ethnic Identity in Irish-Canadian Literature (pp. 177-192)

      For the past two centuries, the Irish have formed one of the largest ethnic groups in Canada. In the 2001 census, almost 13 percent of Canadians claimed Irish ancestry (Statistics Canada). Over the course of this long period, Irish-Canadian writing has often been a direct reflection of the contemporary cultural discourse. Irish-Canadian literature has, on the one hand, been formative in the creation of a national aesthetic, creating and responding to the pressure to assimilate. On the other hand, it has reacted to the multiculturalist urge to diversify, broadening the spectrum of genres and post-colonial voices, and moving away from...

    • Chapter XI Writing “Irish” in Pre-Confederation Canada: The Vernacular Voices of James McCaroll (pp. 193-214)

      If Canadians today think back to the decade before Confederation, they do so with precious little interest or curiosity. Yet, it was a complicated and fiery prelude to that period of developing Canadian nationhood, a vexed and contradictory era, marked by religious pressures, shifting political alliances, much tentativeness and a climate of financial uncertainty. Powerful national, religious and ethnic agendas were at work before the gaze of an anxious and sometimes violent public. If, for instance, one were Irish-born and living in Canada, one’s position on the possibility of “confederation” depended upon many factors—whether one was Catholic or Protestant,...

  7. Part IV: Multiculturalism, Integration and Diversity
    • Chapter XII Reconciling Conceptual and Terminological Issues in Legal Texts: The Canadian Model (pp. 217-226)

      Within plurilegal and plurilingual legislative contexts, statutes should convey the same meaning to all citizens and should be construed by judges in a way comprehensible to all parties concerned. In jurisdictions where two or more legal traditions are merged, quite often expressed in more than one legal language, it is necessary for laws to be drafted, implemented and interpreted in accord with these different legal traditions and languages. Except for situations where one legal tradition is articulated in one language, there are a number of instances where bijuralism and/or multilingualism are operative: a few cases in point are the legal...

    • Chapter XIII Moving to Canada: Chinese-Canadian Perspectives (pp. 227-242)

      The large Cantonese community in Canada and, in particular, in British Columbia can trace its origin back to the 1858 gold rush on the Fraser River and the beginning of the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in 1881. Yet, these events do not in anyway prepare anyone for a full understanding of the experience of the Chinese community in Canada or explain why it was not until 1979 that the first anthology of Chinese- and Japanese-Canadian writing,Inalienable Rice, was published. The truth about the community is buried in the same way the truth about the lives of...

  8. Bibliography (pp. 243-266)
  9. Author Biographies (pp. 267-274)
  10. Index (pp. 275-283)


F.V. Engelenburg during the Anglo-Boer War: an overview

F.V. Engelenburg (1863–1938) is regarded as one of the leading Afrikaans-Dutch intellectuals of the 19th and 20th centuries. Current South African historical records contain little information about the role Engelenburg played during the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). The number of references to him, such as in the Leyds biography by L.E. van Niekerk and the work by O.J.O. Ferreira on the Boer internees in Portugal, do not provide sufficient information to form an idea of the contribution that Engelenburg made to the Transvaal government and the Boers during the war. The South African biographical dictionary, Volume I contains an article on Engelenburg, but merely makes reference to his role at the very beginning of the war. Engelenburg was one of a few prominent people who were born and grew up in another country, but who helped the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republic during the war in their personal capacity. Other names that may be singled out in this regard include Herman Coster, who moved from the Netherlands to the Transvaal in the 1890s and who lost his life at the front early in the war. Like Coster, many Dutch immigrants were members of the Dutch Corps, and on October 21, 1899 a large group of the corps was killed at the Battle of Elandslaagte. Another person who sacrificed his life for the Boer cause, the French Colonel Georges de Villebois-Mareuil, was killed near Boshoff in the Free State on 5 April 1900.

Frans Vredenrijk Engelenburg was born in Arnhem into a prominent Dutch family in 1863. After completing his schooling he went on to qualify as a lawyer at the University of Leiden. Following his doctoral studies he tried to start an advocate’s practice in The Hague, but after a year he abandoned the legal profession and became a journalist at a newspaper in that city. He had been at the paper for only a year when he came to South Africa in 1889. While still a student in Leiden he had noted that there was a need in the Transvaal for foreigners with specific skills. Barely a month after his arrival in Pretoria, Engelenburg was appointed editor-in-chief of De Volksstem. He soon became known as a political commentator, in particular criticising the British government's interference in the affairs of the Transvaal. Like many of his countrymen he was, on his arrival in the Transvaal in 1889, initially negative about the Afrikaners. In correspondence with his friends and acquaintances he did not hide his critical attitude towards the "petty" rural Transvaal people. However, in the months before the outbreak of the war, and especially during the war, he underwent a spiritual transformation and identified strongly with the right of the Republican Government to take a stand against the imperial threats.

This article makes use of available archival sources and a number of secondary sources to outline the role played by Engelenburg during the war. Although he never participated in battles on the different fronts, he attended to other important issues which made a difference in the lives of the “burghers” in the field. When he was forced to flee to Europe in July 1900 he assisted the Boer internees in Portugal as well as W.J. Leyds in Brussels. Although he was not, owing to his reclusive nature, at the forefront of the war, he supported the Boers’ and the Republic's cause in a special way.

In the last decade of the 19th century Britain tried increasingly to get a grip on the ZAR, and after gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand, Britain interfered constantly in the ZAR’s domestic affairs. It is well known that during the Anglo-Boer War a special relationship between the Netherlands and the ZAR existed. The actions of the British Empire in South Africa during the war were strongly condemned and the Dutch openly gave their support to the republics of the Orange Free State and Transvaal. Dutch citizens who lived in the Transvaal even took up arms against Britain.

Engelenburg and Leyds were good friends. Shortly after his arrival in Brussels in 1898, Leyds, as an envoy of the ZAR, made numerous unsuccessful attempts to convince the Republican government that Engelenburg should be sent to Europe to assist him in Brussels. Engelenburg's extended stay in South Africa, however, gave him first-hand experience of the events before and during the war. Until the last, Engelenburg hoped that a solution would be found, but when it seemed that war was inevitable, he prepared to go to the front. Nevertheless, we know little about the role of Engelenburg during the war. Like Leyds, he was an advisor to Paul Kruger, but more important is the fact that, as the highly regarded editor of De Volksstem and also as a foreign correspondent for European media in the years that preceded the war, he meticulously set out the republican case in the dispute instituted by the British Empire. Personally Engelenburg was opposed to armed conflict, but by 1899, when war seemed to be inevitable, he went over completely to the Boer side.

The Anglo-Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899. Engelenburg had already prepared for war and to go to the battlefront. In the midst of the war activities, as a Dutchman and as editor-in-chief of De Volksstem he played an important role in support of the ZAR. He published a field edition of De Volksstem under increasingly difficult circumstances in order to keep the people in the cities abreast of events on the battlefield. Compared with the British reports of the day, which were very one-sided, there was little information on the Boers who made it abroad. Engelenburg's versatility and his transnational identity came in handy during the war and he played a key role in sending reports about the war to other countries to promote the cause of the Boers.

When the British took Pretoria on 5 June 1900, Engelenburg was told by the British military authorities to go to the Cape Colony. However, he obtained permission from the British administration in Pretoria to go to Europe. On 4 June the publication of De Volksstem stopped and the paper appeared again only after the war. Like many Dutch in South Africa, Engelenburg had interesting experiences during the war before he left the country. In Europe, however, he maintained a low profile since he had defied the British administration's instructions to go to London. For most of the rest of the war he lived and worked in Portugal and was a great support for the Boer internees who were detained in various towns around Lisbon. He made their life more bearable and made sure that they had enough food and clothing and that their children received an education. At the same time he assisted Leyds in various ways. Engelenburg returned to the ZAR only after the war.

This article is presented in a biographical format and describes Engelenburg’s life during the war. The issues that will be given special attention include the local and global environment on the eve of the war. Various preparations that were made for the war are described, among others how Engelenburg positioned De Volksstem to keep the burghers at the front and the residents in the towns informed about what was going on. The inevitability of war meant that the community prepared itself well. During the war the Dutch Corps aligned itself with the Boer side. The article further shows how Engelenburg assisted the Boers in Portugal. Before returning to South Africa, Engelenburg also finalised matters that had been pending since before the war.

During the war, Engelenburg was present during the Battle of Elandslaagte and the Battle of Colenso. He experienced the losses on the Boer side intensely, because he personally knew many of the Boers who were killed on the battlefields. His compassion, but also his admiration for the Afrikaners who had to fight against a superior force of British soldiers, grew daily. He was the eyes and ears of the Transvaal people and always showed great empathy with their situation. The knowledge and insight about the Boers’ cause that Engelenburg gained during the war in South Africa, as well as in Europe, prepared him for the role he would play after the war in South Africa. As an objective outsider with knowledge of the inner circles of the Afrikaner leaders in the Republics he strongly supported Afrikaner independence and would after the war give the new political and cultural leadership valuable advice and insights. As a journalist, Engelenburg had a critical but deep insight into the political emergence during the post-war period.

Engelenburg’s sojourn in Europe during the war, and his repeated visits to Europe and Britain after the war, made him an increasingly cosmopolitan and independent thinker as he gained valuable insights during the first three decades of the 20th century. The knowledge he gained during the war relating to the Afrikaner and his situation in South Africa prepared him for the role he would play in the 20th-century Transvaal.

Keywords: Anglo-Boer War; Boer internees; British imperialism; Delagoa Bay; De Volksstem; Dutch Corps; embassy; field issue; F.V. Engelenburg; Hague Conference; Peace of Vereeniging; Portugal; republics; South African Republic; “Uitlanders”; war correspondents; W.J. Leyds

Lees die volledige artikel in Afrikaans: F.V. Engelenburg tydens die Anglo-Boereoorlog: ’n oorsig


Redstone Power Sources

Below you will find all the blocks that are capable of producing a redstone signal.

Basic Power Sources

These are the standard sources of power.

Redstone Torch

Redstone torches Crafting

This is the most basic source of redstone power. A redstone torch powers the block that contains it, plus the block above it (if that's a solid block).

A redstone torch also acts as a signal inverter: that is to say, if power is transmitted to the block that a redstone torch is attached to, the torch will be switched off.

Block of Redstone

block of redstoneCrafting

This is the other "always-on" power source. It differs from a redstone torch in two ways:

minecraft switchesThe next three items are the basic switches that can be operated by players.

Wood Stone

These can be crafted from either wood or stone. They are activated by a right click. Wooden buttons can also be activated by hitting them with an arrow, fired from a bow, a dispenser or by a skeleton.

Buttons provide a momentary pulse of power to their own block and the one they are attached to. The pulse from a stone button lasts 1 second; the pulse from a wooden button lasts 1.5 seconds, unless it is activated by an arrow, in which case the signal lasts until the arrow disappears (1 minute).

This is a simple lever to switch redstone power on and off. The lever powers its own block and the one it's attached to. Note that levers are very cheap to make and are often the most convenient power source.

Pressure Plates

pressure plates Wood Stone

These are swiched on by a player or mob standing on them. The wooden pressure plate can also be activated by dropped items or arrows. Pressure plates power their own blocks and the block underneath them.

Variable Power Sources

These power sources are all sensors that output redstone power at various strengths, from 1 to 15. 15 is the same level as provided by basic power sources such as redstone torches and lever. "Signal strength" is the number of blocks a signal can travel along a redstone wire.

Weighted Pressure Plates

Heavy Light

Weighted pressure platesThese pressure plates provide a variable output depending how much stuff is on them. They are not activated by players or mobs, just by dropped items.

The light version is made of gold (yes, really) and its output power increases by one for every 4 items on it, reaching max power at 57. The heavy version is made of iron and weighs in increments of 42 blocks, reaching a maximum at 598 items.

Daylight Sensor

minecraft daylight sensorCrafting

Daylight sensors sense daylight! They output a signal that varies in strength depending how much sunlight they are getting. The signal is highest at noon, and less in the morning or evening. Daylight sensors are not affected by light from torches or lamps, only sunlight.

daylight sensorDaylight sensor

It easy to invert the signal from a daylight sensor so that it causes a light to be switched on at night.

You will need to collect some Nether Quartz before you can make a Daylight Sensor. Daylight sensors power their own block, but not the one below it.

One of the uses of a comparator is as a sensor for how full a container is. If a comparator is placed next to a container, pointing away from it, it will output a signal depending on how full the container is.

A tripwire is made by connecting two Tripwire Hooks with string. When a player, mob or item disturbs the string, the tripwire is activated, and both tripwire hooks and the blocks they are attached to are powered.

minecrft tripwire

Trapped Chest

A Trapped Chest is made by combining a tripwire hook with a chest. When the chest is opened, both the chest and the block it is placed on will be powered. The signal is very weak in the single player game, but in multiplayer it increased by 1 for each person who is viewing the chest inventory at the same time.

Detector Rail

Detector rail Crafting

Detector rails are activated when a minecart is on them!


Mohon bantuannya
Match the words with their meanings. ( Mencocokkan kata-kata dengan makna mereka. )
a. Flash
b. Havoc
c. Snarl
d. Crawl
e. Commuter
f. Ruin
g. Merchandise
h. Barefoot
i. Cautious
j. Prone

a. To stop the movement of traffic
b. A person who travels a long distance to work everyday
c. Happens very quickly or suddenly
d. Goods that are being sold
e. Likely to suffer from something
f. Not wearing anything on the feet
g. A situation in which there
h. Being careful, especially to avoid danger or mistakes
i. To damage something so badly that it loses all its value
j. A very slow speed


Satire in The Canterville Ghost

Chapter I. 1
"and I guess the laws of Nature are not going to be suspended for the British aristocracy...."   (Chapter I.)

Wilde wrote "The Canterville Ghost" as a twist on the traditional ghost story, as a satire of American materialism, and as a way to parody English culture as well. This section satires both American and English cultures by highlighting Mr. Otis's reliance on practicality and common sense and the English aristocracy's self-inflated perception of itself.

"It must be the ghost..."   (Chapter II.)

Wilde again satirizes American faith in materialism and ingenuity in this passage. Rather than believing that his trusted detergent is either defective or ineffective, Washington concludes that supernatural activity must account for the reoccurrence of the blood stain.

"Psychical Society..."   (Chapter II.)

The Society For Psychical Research was founded in the United Kingdom in 1882, five years before "The Canterville Ghost" was published. Their stated purpose is to understand and comprehend psychic or paranormal activities that fall outside the range of scientific behavior. Mrs. Otis's willingness to join the group and inability to distinguish between science and pseudo-science parodies the Victorian era's faith in scientific progress.

"to stand between them in the form of a green, icy-cold corpse,..."   (Chapter III.)

Similar to the "of course" explanation above, this phrase suggests that the ghost has no other options besides looking like a corpse because of the role its playing. Wilde appears to be using all the possible clichés of traditional ghost stories for Sir Simon's plans, and the inclusion of all these clichés satirizes the tradition.

"can only account for it by the fact that Virginia was born in one of your London suburbs..."   (Chapter VII.)

Mr. Otis is so puzzled by Virginia's ability to sympathize with the culture of England and Europe that he reasons that she must be this way due to the circumstances of her birth. His reasoning here further highlights Wilde's satirical portrayal of Americans and their desire to find a practical rational for everything.


1 week after Asian double eyelid surgery, does it seem like my left eye is uneven? (photos)

It has only been 1 week since I've had my stitches taken out from my Asian double eyelid surgery. Ever since I've had stitches put on, I've noticed that my left eye seems to taper off with multiple creases at the inner corner. Now that it's healing, it's starting to look weird. Do you think I may need to have surgery done again to make it look like my right eye? I know my right eye is still swollen but the incision seems to crease along just beautifully. Let me know what I should do. Thanks.

No doctor answers yet


Kindergarten Homework: Is It Appropriate? - Learning at the Primary Pond

Kindergarten Homework: Is It Appropriate?

Homework has become somewhat of a hot topic lately. I’ve read articles about schools adopting no-homework policies. I’ve seen research on the ineffectiveness of homework. I’ve found infographics on the absence of homework in other successful nations.

All of this has made me question whether or not my students should have homework. I’m a Kindergarten reading specialist, so I don’t usually assign homework in my current position. But as a Kindergarten teacher, I did give out a weekly homework packet. Was it a waste of my time? Did I damage my students’ learning or home lives? Should Kindergarteners have homework at all?

I believe that the answer to this last question is yes, Kindergarteners should have homework. No, I don’t mean 5 meaningless worksheets a night. No, I don’t mean elaborate projects that their parents end up doing. But I do feel that Kindergarten homework is valuable. And here’s why:

  • Homework is an opportunity for parents to show kids that they value education. When a parent (or other family member) sits down with a child to work on homework, that adult figure is telling the child, “Hey, this is important. This is something I value.”
  • Homework can give parents an idea of what students are working on in class. Kindergarten was a looong time ago for many parents! Kindergarten expectations have also changed greatly over the years. By assigning meaningful homework that is relevant to what is going on in class, we can give parents a window into their children’s daily lives and learning.
  • Homework can provide students with additional practice and repetition. I don’t know about you, but my Kinders sure need a lot of repetition to master concepts! Having my students spend 10 minutes practicing something outside of school is an opportunity to get in some of that extra practice.
  • Homework can send kids the message that learning needn’t be restricted to school. When you assign kids meaningful homework that encourages them to interact with their families and home environment, this sends the message that learning happens everywhere – not just at school. Here’s an example of a simple homework task that sends this message:  “Find 4 things in your house that start with the letter g. Draw them on this paper.”

What Appropriate Kindergarten Homework Looks Like

Okay, so homework can be positive. But what kind of homework is appropriate for Kindergarten? Here are some suggestions for designing positive homework experiences:

  • Give assignments that are brief! Kindergarteners’ attention spans are short. So their homework should be short, too! Send home nightly tasks that can be completed in about 10 or 15 minutes. If you send home a weekly homework packet, make sure to educate parents about the importance of doing some each night (rather than all of it on Thursday night!). Check in periodically with students and parents to make sure that the homework isn’t taking too long.
  • Provide tasks that are meaningful. I have to think that an assignment like “Find 4 things in your house that start with the letter g. Draw them on this paper” is more fun and engaging than a worksheet on the letter g! When possible, involve family members in completing the homework. Games and scavenger hunts can get everyone in the family involved!
  • Assign tasks at the right difficulty level. Why assign homework at all if it’s way too easy or way too hard? It may take a little time, but giving students slightly different homework can help maximize its effectiveness.
  • Create a “homework bag” to provide necessary materials. If you think that students may not have pencils or crayons at home, why not send a few home with the homework? Also, reading with an adult makes for a wonderful homework assignment, but make sure to send home books. Many families do not have access to books in the home.
  • Teach students how to do homework. Some students may not have an adult in their lives to help them with homework. Talk to students about how to have a snack after school and then work on homework. Explain that even if an adult can’t help them, they can still sit down to do the work by themselves. If the assignment is to read, they can read with a pet or stuffed animal. You may want to go over the homework and directions with students before sending it home each night, so that they can complete it independently if necessary.

Challenges of Assigning Kindergarten Homework

In theory, the suggestions above can be relatively easy to implement. But it’s never quite that easy, is it? Here are some of the challenges that I (and my colleagues) have encountered when assigning homework to our students:

  • Not all students have parent or family support to complete homework. I believe strongly in educating parents during Open House and other school events about the importance of devoting home time to learning. However, some parents are still not able to help students with homework for a variety of reasons (language barrier, time, education, etc.).
  • Finding or creating differentiated homework assignments is very time consuming. I always have a huge range of abilities in my classroom, and I want to provide homework assignments at my students’ individual levels. I don’t want students to become frustrated by the homework, or completely bored by it. But differentiating homework takes a TON of time!
  • Keeping up with missing assignments can be challenging. Kids don’t always turn in their homework. I can’t tell you how many times I inquired about a missing homework assignment, only to find out that it had been in the child’s backpack for a week! Kids also don’t always do their homework. Trying to track down missing assignments can take up a lot of time.

In spite of these challenges, I still believe that a little bit of homework can be very valuable for Kindergarteners. Because I know firsthand how time-consuming it can be to find the right homework for students, I’ve created a Leveled Literacy Homework series that you can use with your Kindergarten (or 1st grade) students.

The idea behind the series is to give you materials that are engaging and meaningful (like family games), can be used to differentiate your homework assignments, and are ideal for students who either do or do not have family help with completing their homework.

All activities (except for simple worksheets) come with parent instructions in English and Spanish. They also have links to optional videos that parents can choose to watch to learn how to read with their child or play the literacy games together. To learn more about the series, click on the image below.

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What are your thoughts on homework in the Kindergarten classroom?

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Africa’s rising stars: The countries to watch in sub-Saharan Africa

Kanika Saigal
Published on:

In a series of quick-fire questions, Euromoney’s rising stars were asked which African countries they believed to have the most untapped potential. Here they discuss the ones on course to thrive – if those countries can get their act together.

Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zimbabwe have some of the most untapped potential in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), according to Euromoney’s Africa’s rising stars.

An abundance of natural resources, a young work force and high growth from a low base has put these countries in a strong position to thrive within the next five to 10 years.

Ayanda Sisulu-Dunstan
Ayanda Sisulu-Dunstan

"Mozambique is the fastest-growing African economy, forecast by the IMF to grow at an average rate of about 8% from 2013-2018, and will present a number of investment opportunities for both domestic and offshore investors," says  Ayanda Sisulu-Dunstan, co-head of debt capital markets, Rand Merchant Bank.

Joshua Siaw, director of Africa practice at law firm White & Case, adds: "Mozambique is at the primary stage of gas exploration and has already found the largest gas reserve anywhere in the world over the last decade."

KPMG’s country mining guide for Mozambique predicts that by 2017 the value of the country’s mining sector will reach $735 million. Total output of coal will top 41.8 million tonnes, says KPMG, making the country the largest coal exporter globally.

In the DRC and Zimbabwe, an abundance of coveted minerals accounts for their potential. The DRC is renowned for cobalt, copper, gold, silver, zinc, manganese and uranium, while Zimbabwe boasts more than 40 types of valuable minerals, including large deposits of diamonds and platinum.

However, realizing this potential has been undermined as political instability and legacies of war continue to plague these countries. Mineral, oil and gas wealth has worked to prolong conflict, while these countries also remain highly dependent on international aid despite their natural riches.

Doing business in these countries also remains difficult. In the World Bank’s 'ease of doing business' report 2014, Mozambique ranked 139, Zimbabwe 170 and the DRC 183 out of 189 listed countries.

"Mozambique’s potential lies in natural resources, but conflict in the past has hindered development – hence the untapped potential," says Martin Ganda, CEO of Tamuka Group.

Kobby Bentsi-Enchill, head of debt capital markets for West Africa, Stanbic IBTC Bank, adds: "While the DRC has vast mineral resources, it has a dearth of political, social and physical infrastructure to tap into its potential and engender economic growth and market development."

According to Tamuka's Ganda: "Zimbabwe has tremendous growth potential given its natural resources, educated and skilled human capital. But the investment climate has not been conducive to foreign investors given the high taxes, high cost of power and perceived high risk."

Countries such as Ghana and Nigeria have made constructive changes in their search for political stability and are much more likely to tap into their potential.

"Nigeria has a large and very young population, several untapped mineral deposits, the entrepreneurial drive, growing capital markets and increasing political stability," says Yinka Odeleye, director, head of corporate finance, Citi, Nigeria.

Patience Akyianu, Barclays
Patience Akyianu

Patience Akyianu, managing director, Barclays Bank, Ghana, adds: "Nigeria has long been labelled the powerhouse that should drive sub-Saharan African economic development, and has oil wealth, a large population and resources to become one of the largest, most significant economies not just in the region but in the world. This is caveated by its obvious political and governance issues."

In a blow to Nigeria’s economic and financial development, Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi was suspended from his position earlier this year. And the kidnapping of more than 200 girls by Islamist militant group Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria has done little to eradicate lingering concerns around the country’s safety and security.

Ghana is seen differently, according to Sangu Delle, CEO of Golden Palm Investments.

"Ghana has the political climate, institutions, labour force and natural resources where with effective transformational leadership can truly set the gold standard on the continent as far as development," says Delle.

Barclays' Akyianu adds: "Political stability is directly related to governance and the rule of law, and that is paramount for sound commercial and contractual development which is foundational to financial improvement.

"This is one of the reasons politically stable sub-Saharan African countries attract more foreign direct investment flows because people trust the legal system, governing bodies and institutions in destination countries. Ghana, for instance, has the most stable environment and if it can overcome its currency and fiscal issues it is a prime location for investment and a service hub for western Africa."

The hope is that Ghana can overcome such issues, and that its true potential can be realized, according to Jo-Ann Pohl, CFO for Standard Chartered in South Africa.

"Ghana is in the running for the country with the most untapped potential – most especially once they have managed to overcome their current debt challenges," she says. "Ghana has important long-term, real economy strengths."


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Discussion of Aggression

Question: We know that no one theory is ever completely accurate in describing a behavior - especially one as complex as aggression. However, which one do you feel is most accurate? Why?

Solution Preview

Let's take a closer look. I also added an excerpt at the end of this response for further consideration.

Which one do you think is most accurate? Each theory (Freud, biological and social learning theories) has some empirical evidence to support it, perhaps with the exception of Freud's (least accurate) instinct theory of aggression, so each theory has some grounds to claim accuracy. Like Freud, biological theory of aggression focuses on internal mechanism of aggression, but unlike Freud, it adds important internal aspects of aggression to consider.

In terms of empirical support, the social learning theory of aggression seems to be the most well supported and well documented theory. As well, its application is inclusive, as it is applicable to women and men, girls and boys and people of different age age levels. As well, it keeps up with new developments and knowledge about aggression, as it has been continually modified and developed for more than 40 years. For example, unlike Freud and the biological theory, social learning theory looks to the environment instead of attributing aggression to an internal mechanism. In this theory aggression is learned through reinforcement or through the social modeling of aggression. It is ...

Solution Summary

This solution discusses the grounds that each theory has to claim accuracy in 760 words.


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Profiling with Hierarchy Viewer

This walkthrough shows you how to profile your app's view hiearchy with Hierarchy Viewer, and how to interpret the results.

Profiling Steps

Interpreting Hierarchy Viewer Profiling Results

Hierarchy Viewer measures the relative performance of a node, so there are always red nodes in a profile, and it doesn't necessarily mean that view is too slow for the users of your app.

Hierarchy Viewer software rasterizes your Activity to acquire the timing information. Rasterization is the process of taking a high-level primitive, such as a circle or a vector font, and turning it into pixels on the screen. Typically, rasterization is done by the GPU on your device, but in the case of software rasterization, rendering is done on the CPU with ordinary software. This means that the absolute reported timings are correct relative to each other, but are bloated and vary depending on the overall and changing CPU workload on your device and PC. Profile several times to get a feel for the average measurements.

The following are guidelines for interpreting Hierarchy Viewer profiling output.

A red node is a potential problem in any situation where your app has unexpectedly slow performance. In a relative setting, there is always a slowest node; make sure it is the node you expect. The following examples illustrate how to interpret red dots.

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S'il vous plaît j'ai besoin d'aide :
(Explain what they are.-N'utilise pas toujours le verbe <avoir>.
Pense au sens.Ex:a Dark -haired girl is a girl who has dark hair/whose hair is dark.
1.a good tempered boy
2.a curly-haired child
3.a chestnut-eyed actor
4.a well-dressed woman.
5.a left-handed girl.

1-good temper - a cheerful and agreeable mood amiability, good humor,, mood, temper, humor - a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling; "whether he praised or cursed me depended on his temper at the time"; "he was in a bad humor" jolliness, jollity, joviality - feeling jolly and jovial and full of good humor
2 curly-haired - covered with curly hair; "a curly-coated water spaniel"
4 well-dressed - having tasteful clothing and being scrupulously neat well-groomed - neat and smart in appearance; well cared for; "the manager was a beautifully groomed young man"; "his horse was always groomed
adjective smart, elegant, stylish, chic, spruce, dapper, well turned out, dressed to kill, dressed up to the nines, soigné or soignée all the clothes deemed necessary for a well-dressed young lady
5 a. Using the left hand more skillfully or easily than the right.


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59 terms

Special Senses

the sense of smell
olfaction organs
these are located on each side of the nasal septum.
they are on the inferior side of the cribriform plate on the superior conchae of the ethmoid bone.
olfactory epithelium
this is an olfactory organ that is a layer of epithelium
olfactory receptors
this is a part of the olfactory epithelium that is a specialized smell receptor.
olfactory cilia
this is a part of the olfactory epithelium that contains receptor proteins
basal cells
this is a part of the olfactory epithelium that is a olfactory receptor stem cell
olfactory gland
this is a part of the olfactory epithelium that is a mucous secreting cell that enhances the receptor's sensitivity
process of olfaction
odorants, water or fat soluble chemicals, come in contact with mucous covered olfactory cilia of the olfactory receptors. These olfactory receptors generate sensory impulses. The sensory information is corrected through the ethmoid to the olfactory bulbs of the brain
tatse buds
these are specialized sensory structures that are located on the surface of the tongue, pharynx, and larynx. There are approximately 3000 total of these. They each contain about 40 taste receptors called gustatory cells.
Gustatory cells
these are taste receptors located in taste buds. They are long receptor cells with taste hairs that extend through taste pores and into mucous ans saliva.
they have a life span of about 10 days
taste pores
these are small openings in the taste buds
primary taste sensations
all taste is a combination of 4 primary tastes.
sweet, sour, bitter, salty
what are the four primary taste sensations?
the process of gustation
chemicals contact the taste hairs of the gustatory cells. Gustatory sensations are received by the primary sensory cortex. Olfaction has a large influence of the taste.
lingual papillae
these are epithelial projections on the surface of the tongue
filiform, fungiform, circumvallate
what are the three types of papillae?
this type of papillae is tall and has thread like projections. They do NOT contain taste buds. The provide friction to help the tongue move substances around the mouth.
this type of papillae has mushroom like projections. Each contains about 5 taste buds
this type of papillae is located at the back of the tongue. Each contains approximately 100 taste buds
the sense of sight
accessory structures
these structures provide support protection and lubrication
these are eye lids.
they are a continuation of the skin of the face.
it lubricates, protects, and sweeps debris off the eye.
the upper and lower palpebrae connect medially at the medial canthus and laterally at the lateral canthus
tarsal glands
this accessory structure is a specialized sebaceous gland.
it is located along the inner edge of the palpabrae.
this secrete sa fatty substance that prevents the palpabrae from sticking together
lacrimal caruncle
this accessory structure is a gland of the medial canthus that produces thick deposits that trap and collect debris
palpebral conjuctiva
this accessory structure is the epithelium covering the inner surface of the palpabrae
ocular conjunctiva
this accessory structure is the epithelium covering the outer surface of the eye
this is pink eye.
it is an inflammation of either conjunctiva. it is caused y either a simple irritation or an infection
this accessory structure is the transparent epithelium covering the center of the eye
eye lashes
this accessory structure prevents debris from contacting the eye. it contains large sebaceous glands.
lacrimal apparatus
this accessory structure produces, distributes, and removes tears. tears protect the conjunctival surface by:
keeping them moist
reducing friction
removing debris
preventing them from sticking together
supplying oxygen and nutrients
killing bacteria
lacrimal gland
this is the tear gland.
it is superior and lateral to the eye ball. it produces tears that flow over the conjunctival sufrace.s blinking coats conjunctival surface with tears and washes debris towards the medial canthus.
lacrimal puncta
this accessory structure contains two small pores that drain tears into the lacrimal sac
lacrimal sac
this is a reservoir in the lacrimal bone which drains into the nasal cavity via the nasolacrimal duct
this is a ping pong ball sized structure located in the orbit. orbital fat surrounds and cushions this.
fibrous, vascular, neural
what are the 3 tunics that make up the eye wall
this tunic is the over layer of fibrous connective tissue.
it contains the sclera and cornea
this is the white of the eye. it supports nerves and blood vessels that penetrate the eye wall. it is the attachment site for muscles that move the eye and focus it.
this is a transparent epithelium on the anterior center of the surface of the eye. it allows light to enter.
no blood vessels.
gets oxygen and nutrients from tears
limited healing abilirt
has many pain receptors
it is the most sensitive part of the eye
this is the middle tunic layer. it contains the iris and ciliary muscles
this is a pigmented portion.
deep to the cornea and superficial to the lens.
contains the pupillary muscles.
pupillary muscles
this controls the diameter of the pupil.
it is the opening which allows light to enter the eye
ciliary muscle
this is lcoated around the lens.
it changes shape of lens to allow for focus.
it maintains the proper position of lens below the pupil of the iris
this is the inner tunic layer. it contains neural parts and pigmented parts.
neural part
this is the inner layer of the neural tunic. it contains photoreceptors
pigmented part
this is the outer layer of the neural tunic. it absorbs light. it prevents light from reflecting back across the neural part.
retina structures
contains two types of photoreceptors: rods and cones
these are photoreceptors that are sensitive to light. the allow us to see in dim light. they are located around the periphery of the retina.
these are photoreceptors that are sensitive to color. they provide color vision. they are most concentrated in the fovea.
optic disc
this is the place where all sensory neurons converge. it forms the optic nerve. this is where retina blood vessels enter the eye. it is also called the blind spot.
optic nerve
carries visual sensations to the diencephalon
posterior cavity
this is a large space behind the lens and cillary body.
it contains the vitreous body
vitreous body
this is a gelatinous mass. it maintains the shape of the eye.
anterior cavity
this cavity contains the anterior chamber and the posterior chamber
anterior chamber
this part of the anterior cavity is between the cornea and the iris
posterior chamber
this part of the anterior cavity is between the iris and the lens and cilliary body
aqueous humor
this is a CSF like fluid. it circulates between anterior and posterior chambers. it supplies nutrients and removes wastes. it also circulates between the vitreous body and the retina. this is where it presses against the pigmented parts, which stabilizes the retina and prevents a detached retina.
this is located posterior to the iris. it focuses images onto the photoreceptors. it is filled with crystallons (proteins that allow for cravity and focus
this is a condition resulting from the loss of transparency within the lens. the lens becomes cloudy and yellow.
this is the ability of the lens to change shape to focus on objects. it is controlled by ciliary muscles.
close objects = spherical lens
far objects = flattened lens