The Evolution of Modern Humans - 2725 Words

While time travel still remains elusive to us, scientists have been able to discover things about our past as a species that were practically inconceivable over 150 years ago when Charles Darwin released his book entitled The Origin of Species. They have especially uncovered many pieces to our still incomplete puzzle over the past 20 years so that we now have a nearly complete idea of how our species Homo sapiens came to be. This story of our history includes dozens of species’ and hundreds of fossils and bones, yet fairly few complete or even partial skeletons. Hominids have gone through many changes to get from one of our earliest species’ Ardipithecus ramidus to Homo sapiens which scientists have been able to discover†¦show more content†¦The lower part, where it meets the ankle, is fairly wide and thick so it acted as a â€Å"shock absorber† whilst walking. Members of the Australopithecus anamensis species also had long forearms and wrist bone featu res which suggest tree climbing. They were thickly-built with long narrow jaws. Their side rows of teeth were in parallel lines and were heavily enameled which entails that they ate hard, abrasive foods such as nuts, but researchers also believe that they also ate fruits. These hominids were possibly the size of modern female chimpanzees and there is evidence of sexual dimorphism. (Leakey et al, 1995; White et al, 2006) Discovered in 1974, Australopithecus afarensis is one of the most famous early hominids and they are the direct descendants of Australopithecus anamensis. Australopithecus afarensis as a species was not named until 1978, after many fossil discoveries of the same type were found at sites in Hadar, Ethiopia and Laetoli, Tanzania. Some of the fossils categorized as a part of this species were found as early as in the 1930’s. They were around for more than 900,000 years which makes them the longest lived species and there are over 300 sets of remains of Australopi thecus afarensis. One of the most famous hominid skeletons is 3.2 million year old â€Å"Lucy† (AL 288-1), discovered by Donald Johanson and Maurice Taieb in Hadar, Ethiopia in 1974. She was nicknamed the night she was discoveredShow MoreRelatedThe Evolution Of Modern Humans952 Words   |  4 PagesWhen we think about the evolution of modern humans we think about two basic theories. The first theory is the â€Å"Multiregional Variation theory which is the different human populations or cultures had independent origins and are evolved in isolation from one another. The second theory is the â€Å"Out of Africa â€Å"theory. This theory is basically when humans evolved in Africa between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago. After these humans evolved they left Africa after evolving. Both of these theories both supportRead MoreEvolution Of The Modern Day Human Essay1845 Words   |  8 PagesThe modern day human has not existed for very long, in fact its one of the recent species to populate the Earth. Before modern day humans or Homo sapiens sapiens as we are scientifically known as, existed a similar yet less developed Homo genus named Homo erectus/ Homo ergaster. Evidence of these species dates back to over 1.9 million years ago and up to as recently as 70,000 years ago in which the evidence can be found in Africa, Europe and Asia. In this essay I will firstly provide a general timelineRead MoreHuman Evolution Affected By Hybridization Of Modern Humans And Similar Human Species930 Words   |  4 Pages Human Evolution Affected by Hybridization of Modern Humans and Similar Human Species The evolution of humans is known to be very complex and recently scientists have been discovering just how complex through molecular data. Learning that the vertebrate eye took 400,000 generations to evolve sparked my interest in understanding human evolution. A recent article on BBC claims that at one point in the timeline of human evolution, the species Homo sapiens, which is the modern human species, interbredRead MoreThe Theory Of Evolution Of Human History And Modern Thinking2012 Words   |  9 PagesSince the dawn of time, the theory of evolution has played an important role in the process of understanding human history and modern thinking. However, this theory didn’t always have an explicit term to clarify its meaning. Philosophers embraced the ideals of knowledge and enlightenment of reason—searching for answers as to better understand the origins of mankind and how it attributes to what it means to be human. Alongside social progress and intellectual developme nt, fascinating new discoveriesRead MoreHuman Evolution Myth or Fact1313 Words   |  6 PagesThe debate of human evolution being fact or fiction has been around for hundreds of years. Evidence of human ancestry has been found in many parts of the world and these fossils found have been proven to be human. The parts of the world include Eurasia and Africa. Although fossils are found in Eurasia, the human ancestor the Hominoidea has been traced back to the Miocene epochs, which were 23 to 5 million years ago. The Hominoidea is a super-family, which contains many species that are existent todayRead MoreEssay on The History of Human Evolution1517 Words   |  7 PagesThe History of Human Evolution By definition, human evolution is the development, both biological and cultural, of humans. Human ideologies of how the evolution of man came to be is determined by cultural beliefs that have been adopted by societies going back as far as the Upper Paleolithic era, some 40,000 years ago. Through the study of paleoanthropology, we have come to determine that a human is any member belonging to the species of Homo Sapiens. Paleoanthropologists, while studyingRead MoreHuman Evolution: Myth or Fact1301 Words   |  6 PagesThe debate of human evolution being fact or fiction has been around for hundreds of years. Evidence of human ancestry has been found in many parts of the world and these fossils found have been proven to be human. The parts of the world include Eurasia and Africa. Although fossils are found in Eurasia, the human ancestor the Hominoidea has been traced back to the Miocene epochs, which were 23 to 5 million years ago. The Hominoidea is a super-family, which contain s many species that are existent todayRead More Multi-regional Continuity: The Fossil Evidence Essay1099 Words   |  5 Pagesmulti-regional continuity model of human evolution, there is without a doubt a preponderance of fossil data that supports the diverse origins of Homo sapiens in different regions of the globe. Skulls displaying a wide variety of mixed modern and archaic features have been found in every corner of the world. The mere existence of these fossils is evidence enough to prove that human evolution was far less cut-and-dried a process than the advocates of the replacement model of human evolution would like to suggestRead MoreAre Humans Still Evolving?1556 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract evolution has occurred in humans for millions of years; however, in a modern society many scientists and evolutionists are now debating whether or not it is still occurring, and if it follows the same rules. With all of the new technology humans have created, some experts believe tha t humans have essentially conquered nature, and no further evolutionary changes will occur. Still, others hold opposing views; some experts believe that evolution is still occurring, but modern societal advancementsRead MoreEssay on human evolution1305 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstanding human evolution and the history of psychology for the modern psychologist. For the human evolution, the essay will be addressing on how we and other species descended from our ancestors and how the different environment has helped to us to become more adaptable. Regarding the history of psychology, the essay will be discussing on how psychology branched off from the philosophy approach to become its own science. The essay will then go on discussing how the understanding of both human evolution

Materialism - the Great Gatsby - 1732 Words

Materialism America has been labeled The land of opportunity, a place where it is possible to accomplish anything and everything. This state of mind is known as The American Dream. The American Dream provides a sense of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires. This dream, however, originates from a desire for spiritual and material improvement. Unfortunately, the acquisition of material has been tied together with happiness in America. Although The American Dream can be thought of as a positive motivation, it often causes people to strive for material perfection, rather than a spiritual one. This has been a truth since the beginnings of America, such as the setting of F. Scott†¦show more content†¦But the more important question that faces us through our sense of the immediate tragedy is where (these deficiencies) have brought America. This state of perfection that people so desperately want to achieve is the very reason why Ame rican society is dysfunctional. People are blinded by this hopeful result of their lives, they allow the present to escape their grasp. Fitzgerald introduces a place by the name of The Valley of Ashes. It is a depressing locality far away from the glamour and wealth of the East and West Eggs. This dumping ground is half way between West Egg and New York. The Valley of Ashes is a symbol of the empty existence of a low society. Fitzgerald uses this slum as an example of the failure of the American Dream. He criticizes the corruption of the American dream. What was once for Thomas Jefferson-a belief in self-reliance and hard work, has become what Nick Carraway calls The service of a cast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty (180). This energy might have gone into the pursuit of morale and self worth, rather than materialism and shallow fortunes. Things like love and relating to another human being is completely overlooked in the pursuit of power and a very showy, but fundamentally empty form of success. All the characters in this novel are caught up in materialism except for one, Nick Carraway, the narrator and the observer. Nick sees all the evil that goes on, and itShow MoreRelated Materialism in The Great Gatsby Essay1075 Words   |  5 PagesMaterialism may be defined as attention to or emphasis on material objects, needs or considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual values. The acquisition of material wealth is often equated with happiness in this country. This is true today, and it was true during the 1920s, the setting of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby. That the majority of Americans believe that wealth and happiness are the same is a result of our market economy that encourages consumption and conditionsRead MoreEssay on Materialism in the Great Gatsby905 Words   |  4 Pagessuch as money in The Great Gatsby. Daisy falls in love with Gatsby, who is a poor man at the time, and when Gatsby leaves for the war, Daisy marries Tom Buchanan, who is a rich man, because he is â€Å"old money,† meaning he will always have the money and status to support Daisy. When Gatsby returns from the war, his pursuit of Daisy’s love reveals his materialism and he eventually becomes rich for Daisy and believes that he can win her back because he now has money. The Great Gatsby demonstrates the wayRead More Materialism - The Great Gatsby Essay1687 Wor ds   |  7 Pages Materialism nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;America has been labeled quot;The land of opportunity,quot; a place where it is possible to accomplish anything and everything. This state of mind is known as quot;The American Dream.quot; The American Dream provides a sense of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires. This dream, however, originates from a desire for spiritual and material improvement. Unfortunately, the acquisitionRead MoreMaterialism In The Great Gatsby Analysis824 Words   |  4 PagesMaterialism The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, illustrates the different lifestyles in regards to the upper and lower classes. The upper class is represented by â€Å"Old Money†, the people who inherited their wealth. Another part of the upper class is represented by â€Å"New Money†, the people who obtained wealth over time. Old money is more fancy and elegant, whereas new money is more showy and extravagant. Because of this, old money is considered superior to new money. The lower class isRead MoreThe Madness Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby996 Words   |  4 Pagesarticle â€Å"The Madness of Materialism† by Steve Taylor discusses psychological discord and talks about people always wanting certain objects, that they might not be a necessity (Taylor). This article is similar to the novel, The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald because both discuss the idea of wants versus needs. Gatsby is the main character, however Nick Carraway is the narrator througho ut the entire story. They have been neighbors ever since Nick moved to West Egg. Nick and Gatsby become close friendsRead MoreMaterialism in The Great Gatsby Essay515 Words   |  3 Pagessay that you are happy. Daisy Buchanans case in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald proves this to its entirety. When having to decide between an empty marriage with her husband Tom and Jay Gatsby, her love interest, she chooses Tom even though he doesnt make her truly happy. It is then evident all throughout the novel that materialistic properties of wealth and status triumphs over love. In 1917, Daisy became acquainted with Jay Gatsby from Louisiana. Though they seemed very close with eachRead MoreEssay On Greed And Materialism In The Great Gatsby1014 Words   |  5 Pagesgrowth in an economic forum. This caused many Americans to move into the uncharted territory of the city, and make the transition into a prosperous and foreign â€Å"consumer society† (History.com). In addition, the traits of greed and materialism are ubiquitous in The Great Gatsby, as well as in the flashy 1920’s. These two characteristics give one confidence, but as demonstrated in the novel, it brings nothing but short-term satisfaction. After that, feelings of desperation to childish behaviors can accompanyRead MoreGreed And Materialism In The Great Gatsby Analysis1311 Words   |  6 Pagesprosperous and previously foreign â€Å"consumer society† (History.com). The traits of greed and materialism are ubiquitous in The Great Gatsby, as well as in the Art Deco era of the 19 20’s. These two characteristics can give one confidence, but as demonstrated in the novel, they bring nothing but short-term satisfaction. After which, feelings can run the gamut from desperation to childish behaviors. While greed and materialism have the power to seem favorable, bringing an amplification of social status, theyRead MoreEssay On Money And Materialism In The Great Gatsby1994 Words   |  8 Pages Money and materialism play a large role in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, which takes place on Long Island in the summer of 1922. The book follows a man by the name of Jay Gatsby who centers his life around one goal, winning back the girl of his dreams, Daisy Buchanan, who he lost five years earlier. His quest leads him from rags-to-riches into the arms of the one he loves, and ultimately, to death. This book is written from a Marxist point of view based on the fact that the bookRead MoreEssay on Love vs. Materialism in the Great Gatsby1131 Wo rds   |  5 PagesVs. Materialism The Great Gatsby does not offer a definition of love, or a contrast between love and romance. Rather it suggests that what people believe to be love is normally only a dream. America in the 1920s was a country where moral values were slowly crumbling and Americans soon only had one dream and objective to achieve, success. Distorted love is one theme in the novel The Great Gatsby, present among all of the characters relationships; Daisy and Tom, Tom and Myrtle, Daisy and Gatsby, and

Sources Of English Law free essay sample

Introduction The Sources of English Law are many and varied, however there are four main types, which have different roles and importance in the British Legal system. According to The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (2013) ‘The four principal sources of UK law are legislation, common law, European Union law and the European Convention on Human Rights.† French Law also includes two of these four sources, as the France and the UK are both part of the European Union. There are also distinctions in UK laws that classify UK law into two separate categories these are Private and Public laws. France also has similar distinctions in its legal system. Hence in the coming sections we will discuss the similarities and difference of the sources of all these types of UK and EU legislation with that of their French Counterparts. Outline of the Courts in France and England Common Law The most distinctive difference of the English legal system when compared to the French is its reliance on Common Law as opposed to the French Civil Law system. The root of Common Law is based upon the cultural, social and moral values that early English Society had. â€Å"Common law is generally uncodified. This means that there is no comprehensive compilation of legal rules and statutes. While common law does rely on some scattered statutes, which are legislative decisions, it is largely based on precedent, meaning the judicial decisions that have already been made in similar cases. These precedents are maintained over time through the records of the courts as well as historically documented in collections of case law known as yearbooks and reports.† (University Of California at Berkley, 2013) This reliance upon precedent makes the past decisions of judges and case law vital to the English Legal System, and also give the Judges far more power  in the Legal process as unlike their French counterparts they are free to interpret the intentions of the judge that presided over the previous case and if appropriate change common law by setting a new precedent with sufficient cause. This is also the underlying reason for Ratio Decidendi being recorder so vigorously in English courts as this allows the Judge to clearly elaborate his reasoning to aid future Judges in their decisions. In the France and most other European Countries they use a Civil Law system that is generally codified (All the laws are written down and do not rely on previous cases.) (University of California, 2013). This limits Judges powers, making them less influential in Civil law system where the Legislature reigns supreme. There are influential proponents for both Civil Law and Common Law; For Civil (Statute Law) Aristotle, Hobbes and Bentham had the opinion that in a democratic society it was fair as the legislators who made all the laws were representative of the people (The Journal of Legal Studies, 2008). The Proponents of Common Law argue that it is more efficient and easily adapted to the changing culture of a country, and that Judges use there power to set precedents that produce efficient results, however they could be biased in their decisions, which is why the British court structure has developed the way it has. Case Law This section of the report outlines some of the Key cases that have set up the precedent bulk of Common law in modern times in order to demonstrate how the English legal system can evolve organically as opposed to Civil law systems; and furthermore to truly get to the root source of Common Law. A Prime example of how Case Law can evolve is the case of R v R (1991). In summary the antiquated value of English Common law stated that women who are married, are treated as the chattel (property) of their Husband, the case was brought to court of a man who forcible had intercourse with his wife after they had separated but neither party had filed for divorce. All previous precedent stated that this occurrence was not in fact rape as all  previous decision of the courts had never interpreted it that way as the women in marriage were the property of the man; however given the women’s rights movement of the second half of the C20th this was no longer in keeping with the zeitgeist of the time and the judge used his power to overrule the previous precedent and insisted that it was legally rape. Thus the Judge had change the common law through establishing a new precedent, with a Civil Law system this change in the law would have had to go through the legislature first and thus the man may have escaped punishment. Another example of how the Common law system allows evolution was given in the practice statement of 1966 by Lord Gardiner, â€Å"which stated that the House of Lords would treat former decisions of the House as normally binding but that it would depart from a previous decision when it appeared right to do so.† (Supreme Court, 2013) This had a marked effect on the following case DPP v Lynch in 1973, when he was brought before a court in Northern Ireland after he was purportedly forced to drive three IRA members to a shooting, wherein a police officer was killed. He was convicted by the court of 2nd degree murder, due to the precedent that duress was not a permissible defence in cases of murder. He appealed and after being dismissed by the Court of Appeal, eventually ended up before the Supreme Court (House of Lords). The Supreme Court held his appeal and allowed that the defence of duress was permissible to an aider or abettor of murder, thus reversing the decision of lower courts. In Summary, not only has the Supreme Court the power to Overrule, Distinguish and reverse the decisions of lower courts but member of the House of Lords can directly defy Stare Decisis as set previous supreme court judges. This power is denied to the Highest French Court, The Court of Cassation, as they are merely permitted to overrule, reverse and distinguish the decisions of lower courts than themselves. Their role is purely â€Å"to unify the case-law and ensure that the interpretation of texts is the same throughout the whole territory.† (Court Of Cassation, 2013)Thus they are unable to make exceptions in exceptional circumstances. Another case that demonstrates the larger amount of power that the English Judiciary holds when compared to the French is Re Sigsworth (1935); were a son who had committed matricide and was found guilty, but stood to inherit money from his mother by law. The Judge ruled that the son benefitting from murdering his mother was an absurd result and thus interpreted the law differently to avoid this result. This ruling by the Judge was a use of the literal rule. (See Appendix A for a breakdown of the rules of English case law. In conclusion, the English Judiciary is a source of English Law through the way in which Judges are allowed to interpret the common law and statues and set precedents that may alter subtly the way the original intent in common law or the statute was meant. The British Legislature as a Source of Law The British Legislature is Parliament, the Legislature has traditionally been the most important source of Law in the English legal system. The UK Parliament is split into the Houses that of the Lords Temporal and Spiritual and the Commons. A bill is a proposal of a new law to be discussed and if all goes well eventually passed. Both houses can initiate a bill; the stages of the legislating process are as follows. First reading: â€Å"is the first stage of a bill’s passage through the House of Lords/ Commons usually a formality, it takes place without debate.† (Parliament, 2013) Second Reading: This is the where the members of the house debate the bill and any amendments that they feel need to be added Committee Stage: The Public Bill Committee examines a bill in detail and amendments can be made. Report Stage: â€Å"All MPs may speak and vote for lengthy or complex Bills the debates may be spread over several days. All MPs can suggest amendments to the Bill or new clauses (parts) they think should be added.† (Parliament, 2013) Third Reading: The Bill is read a third time and debated amongst the House, however no amendments can be made at this stage, the MPs/Lords can simple vote on whether or not to approve the bills third reading. This Process is then repeated for the other house or the one that did not initiate the bill. Consideration of Amendments: This is  were both Houses of Parliament pass the bill back and forth until both Houses can agree upon all amendments. In exceptional circumstances however Commons can pass a bill without the agreement of Lords. As was the case of the Irish Home Rule Act of 1914 Royal Assent: The reigning Monarch approves the bill and it is now an Act of Parliament. Parliament is an important source of Legislation in England, if not the most important because it brings structure to parts of the common law system, which are in need of clarification. This process is called Derogation and has played a vital part in shaping the English Legal system, however due to the Common Law aspect of the English System, Parliamentary Law or Statute law is of less importance than that of its French Counterpart that has and does Legislate for every part of there legal system Acts of Parliament are what is called Primary legislation; there are other types of legislation known as Secondary Legislation, which will be discussed in the next section. Delegated Legislation (Secondary Legislation) There are many ways in which Parliament delegate’s legislation to lower government bodies, these forms key sources of the law that can affect the everyday life of those who reside in England Byelaws are the power to legislate, delegated by Parliament to certain Regional Councils in England. These laws are enforceable only in those areas rather than the Entirety of England. Examples of byelaws are: Ealing Council has issued bye-laws that legislate against people being anti-social, having dogs or leaving litter in public parks (Ealing Council, 2013). These Bye-laws are important source of law for British society as living in these areas means that you must follow your local bye-laws. Orders Of Council are orders issued either by the Queen by Royal Prerogative (Exclusively on advice of the government), these are usually only issued in emergencies; or in the form of a statute issued by a minister of the cabinet, these are an important source of law in normal circumstances as they are used by minister to make key reforms to regulating bodies such as the CIPD. EU legislation The EU is a Union of European Countries set up by the Treaty of Rome in 1957, which now has the power to legislate certain laws for all of its member states. It does this through Regulations, Decision and Directives. Regulations: â€Å"Regulations are the most direct form of EU law as soon as they are passed, they have binding legal force throughout every Member State, on a par with national laws.† (European Commission, 2013). Regulations are a good example of how the European Union is a contributor to both French and English law in pretty much equal capacity. Decisions: A Decision is a piece of EU legislation directly targeted at a particular member state or individuals in specific cases. These can be used to stop a state from doing something, make it do something or change the rights within a Nation. â€Å"A legislative act of the EU which is binding upon those to whom it is addressed. If a decision has no addressees, it binds everyone. [Article 288 TFEU]† (The EU.pptx, 2013) Directives: A directive is a piece of EU legislation that enforces a particular aim to be achieved without defining how they to achieve it, this allows individual member states to achieve it how they will. So in the British paradigm, Parliament could legislate to achieve the Directive and thus this is contributory to British Sources of Law. So in summary the EU is an important source of law to all its member states through any of these three methods of legislating, which is controlled by the European Parliament. The EU also has the highest courts of appeal for all its member states making it an equally important source of Law for England and France. An example of a piece of European Legislature is the Human rights convention of 1953. (ECHR, 2013)