Skepticism Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Skepticism Philosophy Essay Skepticism: †¢ It comes from the Greek word skeptikoi which means â€Å"seekers† or â€Å"inquirers. † †¢ It refers to the critical attitude wherein a man questions different things including the well-known absolute truth or knowledge. †¢ Note that skepticism (philosophical that is) should be contrasted with philosophical dogmatism wherein the latter is the direct opposite of the former. Philosophical dogmatism refers to an attitude wherein a man believes to have absolute truth/knowledge (dogma,† meaning strict rules). Short History of Skepticism Classical Skepticism. Gorgias †¢ A Sophist who believed that nothing really exists. †¢ He lived from 483-376 B. C. (Leontini, Italy). He went to Athens to fulfill his mission as an ambassador. He was a student of Empedocles. †¢ In Greece, he was the mentor of Thucydides (author of the Peloponnesian War) and Isocrates. †¢ His issue with regard to the philosophy of existence can be understood by having a full grip on the logical contradiction. †¢ His whole idea of existence commences from the premise that nothing exists. Or, if something exists, it must come from another beginning. The origin of the existence of â€Å"something† is said to be unknowable. †¢ Also, Gorgias postulated that a â€Å"being† should come from another being. It is impossible for this being to come from nothing. †¢ We can regard Gorgias as a Sophist rather than a skeptic. It should be noted, however, that early skepticism came from the early perceived philosophy, and that is Stoicism. Philosophical Skepticism The following are the philosophical inquiries of the skeptics: 1. Epistemology †¢ Can man attain absolute knowledge? †¢ Where does the absolute knowledge come from? †¢ How does sense perception operate in the service of achieving knowledge? 2. Metaphysics †¢ What is/are the composition/s of the universe? †¢ What are the distinguishing features of human nature? †¢ Does God exist? 3. Ethics †¢ What should be the qualifying factors to assess human conduct? †¢ Is it possible for man to determine whether an action is morally right or wrong? 4. Metaphilosophy †¢ Is Philosophy significant to human life? †¢ What are the proper aims and goals of philosophical inquiry? Phyrro and Stoicism †¢ He is considered as the earliest philosophical skeptic in Western philosophy. He lived from 360 to 270 B. C. †¢ Some scholars find a political origin of Phyrro’s skepticism in this: on the theory that traumatic periods produce disillusionment and resignation, the souring and obsolescence of traditional beliefs, a tenacious relativism of beliefs, virtues, and habits that will not assign absolute superiority to any, and a need for new methods of coping in a hectic world. †¢ Taught that peace of mind was the highest end of life and that knowledge of truth was required to attain and maintain it. †¢ Phyrro accordingly sought truth, however for every philosophical question that the Stoic philosophy answers; it is being contradicted by several other schools of thought. †¢ What was worse was that each position had reasons and evidence to support itself and to subvert and refute its opponents. †¢ He gave up in despair and admitted to himself that he could not decide among them and did not know what was true. The Stoics were accused by the Greeks as proponents of dogmatism: †¢ It is the direct opposite of skepticism. †¢ A dogmatist is certain that knowledge is possible, because he is certain that he have some. †¢ A person is still a dogmatist even if he is not certain, but still asserts something to be true, whether on a hunch, an intuition, and a perceived plenitude of evidence, mystical impulses, blatant prejudice, or idiotic repetition. A. Academic Skepticism †¢ Asserts that at least some truths are completely unknowable. †¢ Cicero postulated that: â€Å"Nothing could be known except the position that nothing else could be known. † B. Empirical Skepticism †¢ An empirical skeptic is someone who refuses to accept certain kinds of claims without first subjecting them to a series of scientific investigation. †¢ Difference between an empirical skeptic and philosophical skeptic: a philosophical skeptic denies the very existence of knowledge while an empirical skeptic merely seeks for proof before accepting a claim. C. Scientific Skepticism †¢ A branch of empirical skepticism that addresses scientific claims. †¢ It uses scientific techniques in order to validate the acquired knowledge. D. Religious Skepticism †¢ It refers to incredulity towards faith. †¢ Religious skeptics based their claims according to immortality, providence and revelation. †¢ A religious skeptic is not necessarily an atheist or an agnostic. David Hume: †¢ He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. David was only two years old when his father died. †¢ He was fond of studying Mathematics, History, Ancient and Modern Philosophy and Science. †¢ His major philosophical works are: o A Treatise of Human Nature (which he completed from 1739-1740) o Enquiries Concerning Human Understanding (1748) o Concerning the Principles of Morals (1751) o Dialogues Concerning Religion (1779) †¢ He is also considered as one of the best British empiricists along with George Berkeley and John Locke. †¢ His philosophy was partially influenced by Adam Smith (his close friend) and Cicero (ancient philosopher). David Hume’s Skeptic View on Reality and Human Belief †¢ David Hume is one of the greatest skeptics in the history of Philosophy. He also influenced the development of the two philosophical schools of thought: empiricism and skepticism. Hume’s View on Reality †¢ According to Hume, there are two distinctions of mental concept, to wit, impressions and ideas. Impression refers to the direct, vivid, and forceful products of immediate experience. Ideas these are merely feeble copies of these original expressions. †¢ It should be emphasized that these two distinctions should be treated separately with each other. †¢ Hume’s View on Human Belief †¢ Relations of Ideas/Priori beliefs grounded on associations formed within the mind. †¢ Matters of Fact/Posteriori beliefs that claim to report the nature of existing things. _____________________________________________________________________________ GROUP FOUR: UTILITARIAN PHILOSOPHY Basic Concepts (Formal Definitions) †¢ Etymologically speaking, the word â€Å"utilitarianism† comes from the Latin word utilis, which means â€Å"useful. † †¢ In Ethics, utilitarianism is a doctrine that what is useful is good, and consequently, that the ethical value of conduct is determined by the utility of the result. †¢ Utilitarian philosophers believe that it is normal for human beings to perform activities which lead towards happiness (that is, to maximize happiness and to avoid pain). †¢ This theory is under the normative political theory. Normative Political Theory this theory asks a particular question as â€Å"what is ought to be† as compared to the question â€Å"what is† in political life. It is not confined on the setting or constructing moral theories, however, it analyzes the effects of the constructed moral theories in the political life of an individual and how it is being applied/practiced in the actual political arena. This approach of the normative political theory is spearheaded by Jeremy Bentham. He is a radical 19th century social reformer, who is apparently a utilitarian. †¢ Bentham argues that the nature of human beings is to obtain happiness (self-satisfaction) and to avoid pain. In this regard, the morally correct political decisions are based on the collective happiness of the society. †¢ This collective happiness may be characterized in the form of utility. This utility could be of any kind that would bring happiness to the society (i. e. property, advantage, opportunity, goods, services etc. ). †¢ Bentham did not provide theories or methods on how to attain social utility or maximization of happiness. According to him, the attainment of happiness depends on how an individual defines his/her happiness. In connection to this, every member of the society which comprises the whole society should consolidate their definition of happiness in order to obtain social utility. †¢ It should be emphasized that Bentham was focused on the interest of community/group. †¢ The supreme objective of moral action and the foundation on which all morality should be grounded is the achievement of the greatest happiness/satisfaction of the greater number. †¢ Nature of Utilitarianism †¢ Because this philosophy is greatly focused on the achievement (or maximization) of happiness, it doesn’t matter whether the result of the consequence is good or bad. Recall the famous maxim of Niccolo Machiavelli: â€Å"the end justifies the means. †  · Hedonism †¢ It refers to an ideology wherein happiness can be found between pleasure and pain. †¢ Utilitarian philosophers also use â€Å"hedonistic calculus† wherein they believe that a moralist could easily determine the unit of pleasure and of pain. O Bentham’s â€Å"hedonistic calculus† has similar concept with the theory of Epicurus. O The hedonistic calculus is used to determine the total amount of pleasure and pain of an individual. O Moral agent –person who conducts hedonistic calculus. Historical Traces of Utilitarian Philosophy †¢ It is believed that Utilitarian philosophy flourished in England. We can presuppose the fact that utilitarianism came from English philosophy. †¢ Some historians argued that Richard Cumberland originally perceived the idea of utilitarianism. He was an English philosopher and theologian (bishop of Peterborough). †¢ Afterwards, a British â€Å"moral sense† philosopher clearly defined the utilitarian philosophy. Francis Hutcheson did not only explain the philosophical perspective of utilitarianism which is â€Å"the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers† but he also provided for a mechanism for calculating the appropriate consequences of the activities to attain such happiness. This mechanism is called â€Å"moral arithmetic. † †¢ Jeremy Bentham, a prominent figure in utilitarian philosophy, admitted that he found the principle of utility from the writings of the following 18th century thinkers: o Joseph Priestly a priest who was known for his discovery of â€Å"oxygen. † o Cesaria Beccaria an expert in legal matters (Italian legal theorist). o Claude-Adrien Helvetius author of a philosophy of â€Å"mere sensation. † †¢ John Gay (biblical scholar and philosopher) he considered God’s will as the greatest qualifying factor for virtue. Furthermore, he argued that God’s goodness is the source of human happiness. Utilitarian Philosophers 1. Jeremy Bentham (Developer of Utilitarian Philosophy) Life: †¢ Bentham was a legal theorist, linguist, social philosopher and political activist. †¢ He came from a wealthy family from England. †¢ Bentham was sent to Westminster School (one of the prestigious school in England) and Queen’s College Oxford. He was also a practicing lawyer; however, he showed an unwavering interest in philosophy. o He examined the philosophical works of David Hume, Helvetius and Beccaria. Eventually, he started to form his own idea of utilitarianism. o Bentham argued that the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure are the natural drives of human activity, as recognized by the â€Å"principle of utility. † 2. William Paley Life: †¢ Paley was born in July, 1743 (Peterborough, England). He attained his religious degree (Anglican priesthood) at Christ’ College in Cambridge. †¢ He became a tutor of Christ College three years after he graduated from the stated school. †¢ According to Paley, utilitarianism is a combination ofindividualistic hedonism (mean between pleasure and pain) and theological authoritarianism. 3. James Mill Life: †¢ Mill was born in April 6, 1773 (Forfarshire). †¢ He was a son of shoemaker in Montrose. He was sent to the University of Edinburgh in 1790 and his education was financed by Sir John Stuart. †¢ James Mill received his M. A. degree in Edinburgh. He was a full pledged preacher. However, Mill gradually lost his faith and decided to transfer in Scotland until John Stuart invited him to live in London. †¢ He became a writer of the Literary Journal in London. It can be said that the closure of the Literary Journal had made him write various essays, articles and other literary works such as his review on the history of Corn Laws and etc. †¢ He was the father of John Stuart Mill, another utilitarian philosopher. †¢ According to Mill, the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure are the two primary motivating forces behind human actions. †¢ He also justified the existence of the government in the society. He stated that the institution of the government exists to ensure these twin aims (maximization of pleasure and avoidance of pain) are fulfilled for the greatest number of people possible. Effects of Utilitarianism in Other Disciplines †¢ Utilitarian philosophy has been so important to the fields of politics, law and economics. †¢ Its theories are still relevant in the contemporary times especially in rendering important political decisions, maintenance of social stability (pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain) and etc. A. Law †¢ For instance, some viewed punishment as tantamount to â€Å"retributive theory. † This theory simply states that a criminal (i. e. convicted rapist, murderer or robber) should be punished to pay for his crime. †¢ According to the utilitarian philosophy, punishment is served not to facilitate retribution/retaliation but to reform the criminal and insulate the society from him. B. Politics †¢ v According to the utilitarian philosophers, the best form of government is democracy. Social contract, natural rights and natural law are the bases of government authority and importance of individual rights. †¢ v â€Å"Democracy† comes from the Greek word demos which means â€Å"people. † It coincides with the philosophical aim of utilitarian philosophy wherein the general interest of the people (and maximization of their happiness) should be the basis of the government’s political decisions. †¢ v Utilitarian philosophy is also known for its relative views on socio-political issues. †¢ According to this philosophy, a strong government should be needed to restrain the selfish interests of its subjects. As mentioned before, one of the main responsibilities of the government is to maintain the stability of political order. Based on this principle, the utilitarian argument is on the side of conservative/authoritarian position.  § Nazi Germany (Adolf Hitler)  § Soviet Union (Joseph Stalin)  § Cuba (Fidel Castro) †¢ On the other hand, William Godwin (founder of philosophical anarchism) had an optimistic view of human nature (parallel to the philosophical theory of John Locke with regard to human nature). According to him, the pursuit of greatest happiness may lead into â€Å"philosophical anarchism. † †¢ Philosophical anarchism Godwin emphasized that values must be deeply imbibed in every individual. Furthermore, he argued that sufficient supply of goods (economic resources) should be equally distributed to ensure that the economic needs of the society are properly fulfilled. He hoped that government authorities must formulate laws to equalize the unfair distribution of wealth. Furthermore, Godwin stated that the government should minimize its involvement to promote academic freedom. C. Economics. †¢ Early utilitarian philosophers argued that the government should not meddle on economic affairs of the society. †¢ Later on, they admitted that the government has a significant role in the economy. Jeremy Bentham’s Mode of Thinking Theory of Psychological Hedonism †¢ According to Bentham, human behavior can be explained by reference to the primary motives of pleasure and pain. †¢ Pleasure and pain it is believed that nature has placed mankind under the governance of these two motives. †¢ Utilitarian philosophers always ask questions involving â€Å"what we ought to do† and â€Å"what we shall do. † †¢ Bentham argued that the human individual is the basic unit of social sphere. An individual’s relation with others is unnecessary of being what he is. †¢ He defined â€Å"relation† as a fictitious reality. Community, on the other hand, refers to the sum of the interests of the individuals who composed it. †¢ However, there are some instances that the interests tend to clash with each other. Such occurrence diminishes the main concept of â€Å"community† (sum of the interests of the individuals). Bentham argued that the government and legislation should work together to harmonize the aforementioned conflict. †¢ Bentham’s Moral Theory The following are the characteristics of Bentham’s moral philosophy:  · Principle of utility †¢ It is synonymous to the â€Å"greatest happiness principle. † †¢ It concerns the interests of the people who are in question; it can be the whole community, an individual or a small portion of the group. †¢ Bentham enumerated the advantages of the principle, to wit: †¢ O The principle should not be consulted to metaphysics philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. Thus, the main essence of the principle can be easily grasped. †¢ O The utilitarian principle offers objective criterion of right and wrong – application of hedonistic calculus  · Universal egoism or altruism †¢ Assuming that the said institutions (government and legislation) successfully harmonized the interests of every individual in the community, the people may tend to work altruistically to pursue the common good. †¢ O Altruism it refers to the unselfish concern to the general welfare of others. †¢ Determination of common interest †¢ Hedonistic Ethics †¢ Utilitarian ethics can be defined as an art in which man’s action is geared towards maximum quantity of happiness. Bentham’s Political Theory According to Jeremy Bentham, one can understand law and politics if he/she has a good grasp of human nature. On Liberty †¢ Bentham defined liberty as a freedom from any external control. A person can be considered as â€Å"free† if he/she is not under the influence of another person. †¢ In his theory on liberty, Bentham argued that there is no such thing as a â€Å"state of nature† and social contract. He postulated that the latter is only historical and novel literature. On Law †¢ Bentham viewed law as a restriction/limitation of liberty. It can be  considered as pain (a prima facie evil) to those whose freedom is restricted. †¢ The governing law within the society cannot be considered as a â€Å"natural law† because it is according to the will of the Sovereign (ruler). †¢ Bentham proposed that the law should be in accordance with the natural law, that is, it should be paralleled with the common interest of the people. †¢ The following are the positive functions of good laws (although Bentham still regarded laws as restriction to liberty):  § Good laws are essential to good government.  § Good laws are necessary to maintain social stability.  § Good laws develop and protect the people’s personal and material resources. On Rights †¢ Bentham’s view on rights can be rooted on his philosophy about natural law. According to Bentham, rights are produced by laws, and as affirmed before, laws can be attributed to the will of the Sovereign. †¢ Socio-political organization must be formed in order for these two to exist. †¢ Bentham related his view on the social contract theory with the existence and use of rights. According to him, it is impossible that rights exist before the establishment of the government. †¢ According to Jeremy Bentham, the theory of social contract is impossible (if not historical) because in order for the said contract to bind, there must be an established government to enforce such contract. †¢  § In reverse, the government must exist before the definition of different rights. This would again, lead into the issue with regard to law and liberty (where the Sovereign dictates the amount of liberty and rights that should be given to the people). John Stuart Mill’s Mode of Thinking Moral Theory †¢ J. S.  Mill’s two distinct approaches to moral theory: †¢ Intuitive Approach knowledge is attained without having an appeal to experience. †¢ Inductive Approach knowledge is gained through observation and experience. J. S. Mill’s Utilitarian Philosophy †¢ Mill believed that actions are right if they tend to promote happiness and wrong if they tend to deliver the opposite of it. †¢ For him, happiness can be associated with intellectual and sensual pleasure. He also stated that everything we desire can be considered as happiness. The following are some of the examples of happiness: †¢ Virtue  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Love of money †¢ Power †¢ Fame †¢ He also enumerated two kinds of motivation: †¢ External Motivation this arises from hope of pleasing or fear of displeasing God and other humans. †¢ Internal Motivation this arises from duty. †¢ Duty it refers to the subjective feeling which develops through experience. Furthermore, humans have an instinctive feeling of unity which guides the development of duty towards greater happiness. Mill’s Proof of the Principle of Utility:  · The only way to prove that general happiness is desirable is to show that people actually desire it.  § For instance, if X is the only thing desired, then X is the only thing that ought to be desired. General happiness is the thing desired. On Justice †¢ Apparently, J. S. Mill’s concept of justice is paralleled to the utilitarian philosophy. †¢ There are two essential elements on justice, to wit: †¢ Punishment it is a combination of social sympathy and vengeance †¢ Violation of someone’s rights infringement of rights. †¢ There are disputes in the notion of justice when examining theories of punishments, fair distribution of wealth and etc.  ¦ Political and Social Philosophy †¢ On Individuality J. S. Mill prescribed two criteria to determine the best kind of individual, to wit: †¢ Someone who is individually responsible for his own beliefs and actions. †¢ Someone who will not only be happy in his own case but will be concerned with and contribute to the happiness of others. †¢ Social Institutions that Contribute to Individuality: †¢ Free and uncensored debate. †¢ J. S. Mill regarded liberty as a fundamental human right. †¢ Democracy and representative governments encourage freedom and speech.

Comparing Villains and Victims from The Speckled Band, Twisted Lip and

Comparing Villains and Victims from The Speckled Band, Twisted Lip and The Cardboard Box The three villains which I am going to compare / contrast are Dr Roylott from The Speckled Band, Mr Neville St Claire from The Man With The Twisted Lip and Sarah Cushing from The Cardboard Box. The three victims I am going to compare / contrast are Helen Stoner from The Speckled Band, Mrs St Claire from The Man With The Twisted Lip and Susan Cushing from The Cardboard box. Dr Roylott is a stereotype villain. He is feared by his neighbours and is very violent and threatening. He is described as being "a man of immense strength, and absolutely uncontrollable anger". I can say this because "he beat his native butler to death." He even abuses Helen physically "and covered over her injured wrist." This is when Holmes observes her. Helen finally falls in love with Percy Armitage who asks for her hand in marriage but Dr Roylott "offers no position to the match." This shows his selfish personality, he only cares for himself and not his stepdaughter's happiness. He hangs about with criminal gypsies but he is in fact worse than the gypsies. "He has a baboon and cheetah which wonder freely over his grounds" This shows his weird, strange hard character. He is also quite a bully because Helen says, "for a long time we did all the work of the house" They had to do this because all the servants were afraid of being employed by him "No servants would stay with us". He is such an evil character because he even kills his stepdaughter Julia just so he gets to keep her money and he also intended on killing his other stepdaughter Helen. The villain from The Man With The Twisted Lip, Mr Neville St Claire is a different type of... ...y are victims; they have most characteristics in common for example Helen is made to be a lonely person and so is Susan Cushing because Susan looses her sister who was described as being "an angel" and is left with the sister who she does not get along with, Sarah "a devil". Mrs Neville St Claire is also made to appear as if she is lonely because her husband goes and does not come back for a whole week "What a week she must have spent" this also shows that she could have been suffering. Helen and Mrs Neville St Claire end up having everything work out the best because Helen goes and gets married and claims the will her mother left her and Mrs Neville St Claire gets her husband back but Susan is just stuck as being a retired old lady with an evil sister, She does not have anything better going for her. This makes me feel moderately sympathetic towards her.

Adolescent Years Essay

A child’s body begins a period of rapid change in size and shape approximately around the age of 10 years in girls and 12 years in boys. This is called the â€Å"adolescent growth spurt. † During the next four years, an average girl may grow 10 inches taller and gain 40 to 50 pounds. An average boy may grow 12 inches taller and gain 50 to 60 pounds. At the same time, their body shape begins to change, too. The nutritional requirements of young people are influenced primarily by the spurt of growth that occurs at puberty. The peak of growth is generally between 11 and 15 years for girls and 13 and 16 years for boys. The nutrient needs of individual teenagers differ greatly, and food intake can vary enormously from day to day, so that those with deficient or excessive intakes on one day may well compensate on the next. In this period of life, several nutrients are at greater deficiency risk including iron and calcium. Iron Among adolescents, iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common diet-related deficiency diseases. Adolescents are particularly susceptible to iron deficiency anaemia in view of their increased blood volume and muscle mass during growth and development. This raises the need of iron for building up hemoglobin, the red pigment in blood that carries oxygen, and for the related protein myoglobin, in muscle. The increase in lean body mass (LBM), composed mainly of muscle, is more important in adolescent boys than in girls. In preadolescent years, LBM is about the same for both sexes. Once adolescence starts, however, the boy undergoes a more rapid accumulation of LBM for each additional kilogram of body weight gained during growth, ending up with a final LBM maximum value double that of the girl. The iron needs of adolescents are relatively high; this is because iron is needed to replace the blood lost during menstruation in girls and to support the growth of muscle mass in boys. The RDA for iron for boys is 11 mg/day, while the RDA for girls is 15 mg/day. If energy intake is adequate and adolescents consume food sources of heme iron such as lean meat/fish/poultry each day, they should be able to meet the RDA for iron. All these factors should be taken into account when assessing iron needs in this group of age. One of the most important diet considerations during adolescence is an increase in the intake of iron-rich foods such as lean meats and fish as well as beans, dark green vegetables, nuts and iron-fortified cereals and other grains. Iron from animal foods is much better absorbed than iron from non-animal sources. Adolescents following vegetarian diets are therefore at an increased risk of iron-deficiency. However, vitamin C (e. g. from citrus fruits) and animal proteins (meat & fish) assist in the absorption of heme iron. Calcium The skeleton accounts for at least 99% of the body stores of calcium and the gain in skeletal weight are most rapid during the adolescent growth spurt. About 45% of the adult skeletal mass is formed during adolescence, although its growth continues well beyond the adolescent period and into the third decade. All the calcium for the growth of the skeleton must be derived from the diet. The largest gains are made in early adolescence, between about 10-14 years in girls and 12-16 years in boys. The AI for calcium from age 9 through adolescence is 1,300 mg/day. This amount of calcium can be difficult for many adolescents to consume because the quality of foods they select is often less than optimal to meet their nutrient needs. However, this level of calcium intake is easily achieved by eating at least 3 servings of dairy foods or calcium-fortified products daily. The achievement of peak bone mass during childhood and adolescence is crucial to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later years. By eating several servings of dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, the recommended calcium intake can be achieved. As well as a good dietary supply of calcium, other vitamins or minerals, like vitamin D and phosphorous, are needed for building up bones. Physical activity is also essential, particularly weight-bearing exercise, which provides the stimulus to build and retain bone in the body. Activities such as cycling, gymnastics, skating, ball games, dancing and supervised weight training for at least 30-60 minutes a day, three to five times a week can help build bone mass and density. Making the right dietary and lifestyle choices early in life will help young people develop health-promoting behaviors’ that they can follow throughout life. Encouraging Healthy Foods Dietary habits that affect food preferences, energy consumption and nutrient intakes, are generally developed in early childhood and particularly during adolescence. The home and school environments play a major role in determining a child’s attitude to, and consumption of individual foods. Teenagers, as well as being exposed to periodic food fads and slimming trends, tend to skip meals and develop irregular eating habits. One of the most frequently missed meals is breakfast. Studies show that breakfast plays an important role in providing needed energy and nutrients after an overnight fast and can aid in concentration and performance at school. Snacks generally form an integral part of meal patterns for both children and teenagers. Younger children cannot eat large quantities at one sitting and often get hungry long before the next regular mealtime. Mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks can help to meet energy needs throughout the day. Fast-growing and active teenagers often have substantial energy and nutrition needs and the teaching of food and nutrition in the school curricula will enable children to have the knowledge to make informed choices about the foods in their regular meals and snacks. Energy Needs Normally, the energy requirements of adolescents tend to parallel their growth rate, and individuals meet their energy needs by means of their appetite with adequate precision. As a result, the majority of adolescents maintain energy balance, and a varied food intake provides sufficient nutrients to ensure optimal growth and development. Stress and emotional upsets however can seriously affect the energy balance in adolescents, resulting in the consumption of too little or too much food. Mild or severe infections, nervousness, menstrual, dental or skin problems (acne) can result in alterations of appetite, and those adolescents on marginal diets are the most vulnerable. Emotional stress is often associated with food faddism and slimming trends, both of which can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. On the other hand, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents is now a major nutritional problem and the condition is likely to persist into adulthood. Developing adolescents are particularly concerned about their body image and excessive weight can have profound effects on their emotional well being as well as on their physical health. The cause of obesity is multifactorial and socio-economic, biochemical, genetic, and psychological factors all closely interact. Lack of activity plays an important role in the development, progression and perpetuation of obesity in adolescence. Surveys of young people have found that the majority is largely inactive and health professionals and governments are now encouraging higher levels of physical activity among children and adolescents. Physical inactivity does not only have a prime role in the development of overweight and obesity, but also on the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, hypertension, bowel problems and osteoporosis in later life. In addition, physical activity is related to improvements in body flexibility, balance, agility and co-ordination and strengthening of bones. The current recommendation is for children to try to be physically active for at least 60 minutes daily. The adolescent growth spurt requires many different nutrients. Calcium is especially important for bone growth and health because 45% of the bone an adult has is built up during adolescence. Although some teenagers become concerned that they are not changing as rapidly as their friends or other classmates in school, there is wide variation in the age at which the adolescent growth spurts starts. It is generally more dependent on the hereditary characteristics than on being a certain age. It is important to emphasize that changes in body size and shape are part of normal adolescent development. Females gain proportionally more body fat during this time, while males gain proportionally more muscle and bone mass. One of the changes taking place during adolescence is the varying hormonal levels in the body. These hormones are responsible for the changes seen in the physical development of the body and secondary characteristics such as facial hair growth and deepening voices. For most micronutrients, recommendations are the same as for adults. Exceptions are made for certain minerals needed for bone growth (calcium and phosphorus). Dieting is not appropriate at this stage of life, it is important for teens to stick to a healthy diet and get lots of physical activity. A healthy diet consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, beans, lentils and healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, nuts and fish. It is also important for teens to stay hydrated and drink water throughout the day. The following menu provides approximately 2,500 calories and is broken down into three meals and two snacks. Since you don’t have control over how many calories your teen eats, here are some ways you can encourage them to eat healthy. Encourage them to eat snacks between meals and to try not to go over 4 hours without eating. This will help keep their energy up and help them to stay focused in school. Encourage them to include a fruit or vegetable with every meal and snack. This will help to ensure they are eating adequate vitamins, minerals and fiber. Breakfast Breakfast should include 2 servings of fruit, 1 serving of protein and 3 servings of whole grains. An example meal is 1/2 cup of berries, 6 oz. range juice, 1 whole grain bagel and 2 tbsp. peanut butter Mid-morning Snack A mid-morning snack should include1 dairy or dairy substitute serving, 2 whole grains and 1 fruit. An example snack is string cheese, 8 whole grain crackers and ? cup of grapes. Lunch Lunch should include 2 servings of vegetables, 3 whole grains, 3 servings of protein and 2 servings of dairy or dairy substitute. An example meal is a turkey sandwich with 2 slices of whole grain bread, 3 oz. of turkey, 2 slices of cheese, 10 whole grain pretzel sticks, ? cup baby carrots. Bring a separate bag of veggies like tomatoes and lettuce to add to the sandwich. Mid-afternoon Snack A mid-afternoon snack should include 1 whole grain, 1 protein and 1 fruit. An example snack is to make trail mix and mix together ? cup whole grain cereal and 1/4 cup nuts and dried fruit. Dinner Dinner should include 3 servings of vegetables, 4 whole grains, 3 servings of protein, and 1 serving of low-fat dairy or dairy substitute. An example meal is 1. 5 cups of whole grain pasta topped with ? cup tomato-based pasta sauce; 1 slice of garlic toast; 3 oz. of chicken breast; 1 cup salad topped with carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives; 1 tbsp. salad dressing; and 1 cup of skim or 1-percent milk.

Substance Abuse in Temrs of Ten Essential Public Health...

The competency â€Å"apply the core functions of assessment, policy development, and assurance in the analysis of public health problems and their solutions† was met through reading chapter 5 in Public Health: What it is and How it Works, along with completing a discussion question on applying the essential public health services to gun violence in Chicago and by completing a group project where I had to describe substance abuse in terms of the ten essential public health services. By reading the book I learned what the core functions and essential public health services were. Turnock (2011 p. 224) describes assessment as public health’s responsibility to provide information to the public about the communities health and wellness, which†¦show more content†¦226). This competency was put into action by completing two assignments that were related to determining the essential public health services. The first assignment was watching a video about gun violence in Chicago and determining how many of the essential public health services were being met at the time. In this particular video I was able to identify four essential public health services that were covered. The first services I identified was â€Å"mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems (Turnock, 2011 p. 226) which in the video was being represented by the Chicago’s trauma united and Northwestern Hospital’s new rule that when a patient comes in who has been shot they call the community based violence advocates to help with the victim (Brackett, 2013). The next service I identified was â€Å"inform, educate, and empower people about health issues† (Turnock, 2011 p. 226) which was being met by the Harper High School’s Becoming A M an (BAM) program that teaches high risk students about how they can control their dangerous behaviors and actions to help them prevent gun violence (Brackett, 2013). The next service I found in the video was â€Å"research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems† (Turnock, 2011 p. 226) which was being addressed by President Obama’s