Scarcity and Compassion Essay Example for Free

Scarcity and Compassion Essay According to the Oxford dictionary, scarcity is the same as shortage or presence in small numbers. In economics, scarcity is defined as the condition whereby human wants and needs exceed what is produced or what can be produced by the available resources (Harford, 2006). On the other hand, compassion is the belief in fairness in distribution of resources our humane aspects should not allow us to see others live without resources while we are capacitated to provide to them. Economists have pointed out over the disagreement between these two aspects as one calling for equitable distribution of resources to all persons while the other points out equal distribution of resources is impossible as there are no enough resources for everyone. Scarcity thus explains the presence of the rich and the poor. Compassion plays a big role as evidenced by empirical evidence on the ground especially on international level. Wealthy nations have always made attempts to make some of their resources available to poor nations (Harford, 2006). Note that, the resources given away as aid are not excess/ surplus resources per se. They are obtained from the taxpayer’s money whereby taxpayers could have allocated such resources in more economically viable options. Therefore, compassion by nations and/or on a household level continues to play great role in distribution of scarce resources. The fact that man is a social animal ties him to the idea of sharing his economic resources with the ones deprived of those resources. The knowledge by an individual of the suffering of another due to lack of resources either acting on a household level or any economic unit drives that individual to make decisions and/or implement policies that will favor the underprivileged according to his view. This explains why there are tax cuts and social benefits to the low income earners and unemployed respectively. Thus compassion plays and continues to play a significant role in the distribution of scarce resources.

History Of Cell Membrane :: essays research papers

In the early stages of the twentieth century, little was known about cell membranes. Until the early 1950s, the biological cell membrane was rarely mentioned in scientific literature. It was recognised that something was probably there, but hardly anything about it was known. Considering the lack of technical equipment available a century ago, scientists such as Charles Overton and Edwin Gorter were not only exploring new territory in looking at the properties of cell membranes, but laying the way for future cell biologists. Scientists had to wait another fifty years for the discovery of the electron microscope, let alone seventy years for the advent of freeze fracturing techniques. Nageli and Cramer in 1855 had already suggested that biological cells are separated from their environment by a membrane possessing special characteristics, and in 1900 Overton performed some simple but classical experiments which proposed that cell membranes were composed of lipids (1). By measuring the permeability of various compounds across the membrane of a frog muscle, Overton found some interesting results. He observed that lipophilic molecules (molecules attracted to fat solvents) could easily cross this cell membrane, however larger lipid insoluble molecules could not. He also observed that small polar molecules could slowly cross the membrane. Other experiments with the likes of hen eggs suggested the presence of a lipid layer in the membrane. These results became known to biologists across the world and it was generally accepted that a semi-permeable lipid membrane surrounded some if not all cells (2). Although this was opening new doors for cell biologists, the information was widely disregarded. One hundred years ago biological fact was based on what could be seen and since the proposed lipid membrane was smaller than the wavelength of visible light it could not be studied under the light microscope. Most biologists merely concerned themselves with more evident structures. However, some scientists continued to dedicate their time to examining this ‘invisible’ structure. Two such biologists were the Dutch Edwin Gorter and F. Grendel. They recognised in 1925 that two such lipid layers existed.

Prison and Asylum Reform in the 19th Century Essay

In early American society, criminals that were held by our government we executed, whipped, and held in a dark cell for a short amount of time. The insane wandered around as a danger to themselves and people around them; and the churches caer took the poor. In the 1820s and 1830s there was a growing number of criminals, lunatics, and the poor people. Reformers wanted to establish an official institute for them. The reformers believed that reform and rehabilitation was possible in a controlled environment. The reformers had a few goals that they wanted to establish. They wanted more separation; the mentally ill children should not be held together with the convicts. They also wanted better prison grounds with better conditions. They wanted the abuse to be reduced; no more whipping and other forms of torture. They wanted change. Dorothea Dix was a Sunday school teacher at the East Cambridge jail. There, she was exposed to the horrible conditions these people had to live with such as no heat, no separation between the criminals, the children and the mentally ill. Dorothea was horrified by this and secured a court order to make improvements. She wondered about other jails in Massachusetts; so she traveled and the conditions were worse. She was so disturbed by what she saw she set out to reform prisons and asylums everywhere. Dorothea was a major factor in the reform. She helped cause awareness to the serious matter and she was responsible for the building of hospitals for the insane. In 1835 The United States had two of the best prisons in Pennsylvania. The two prisons were a product of the on going reform and were both a success. New York and Pennsylvania had the best prisons because they experimented with solitary confinement, where the criminal could reflect on their sins and not be infl uenced by other inmates. Dorothea Dix, in March of 1841, taught a Sunday class for woman at the East Cambridge Jail. This shows that she thinks that even if people are in jail or prison, that they are still people but just need to be world with. The question we are looking for is if prisons were meant for punishment or to help make these people better people for the future; future was a big question at that time. All in all, most of these reformers’ goals were met. They wanted change and they got it. They believed in something so much with such passion that they actually changed American history; and that is why  American justice system is one of the best.

Makayla Horton. Dr. Skaggs. World Civ. Ii. 1 February 2017.

Makayla Horton Dr. Skaggs World Civ. II 1 February 2017 Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses The Ninety-Five Theses were written by Martin Luther in 1517. At the time of writing, Luther had devoted his life to Jesus Christ, and had become a monk. In his Theses, he expressed the idea that someone must be completely willing to commit penance in order for it to be legitimate, and Luther gave several reasons why he was critical of the sale of indulgences. He challenged the authority of the pope and other powerful positions of the church multiple times throughout his writings. Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses writing was very important in igniting the Protestant Reformation. Luther declared many statements about the nature of penance. Above all,†¦show more content†¦With indulgences, evil people may be able to buy indulgences and believe themselves to be forgiven, while poor people may not afford indulgences and believe they are cursed with sin, despite their behavior. Bishops are more obligated to selling indulgences, while th eir sole purpose should be to prevent men from teaching their personal dreams. Indulgences were a way for the rich to become more wealthy, while the poor may be swapping the purchase of necessities for the purchase of indulgences, believing this would save them and their loved ones from condemnation. Luther stated both that â€Å"Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better deed than he who buys indulgences,† and that â€Å"Christians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man and passes him by, yet gives money for indulgences, does not buy papal indulgences but God’s wrath.† Luther emphasized that good people were better than people who sought to purchase indulgences. In many of his thesis, Luther affirmed that indulgences are not neccessary for forgiveness and that forgiveness is not granted with the purchase of indulgences. He shares his fear that those who buy indulgences would neglect to repent and fear Go d. These people would be convicted. As for the dead, Luther believed that your debts were erased. Those in Purgatory needed to find love, and this would reduce their sins and punishments. Luther also disapproved of priests who â€Å"act ignorantly