The Myth of the Five Senses Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

The Myth of the Five Senses We see with our eyes and taste with our tongues. Ears are for hearing, skin is for feeling and noses are for smelling. Would anyone claim that ears can smell, or that tongues can see? As a matter of fact, yes. Paul Bach-y-Rita, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, believes that the senses are interchangeable; for instance, a tongue can be used for seeing. This "revolutionary" study actually stems from a relatively popular concept among scientists; that the brain is an accommodating organ. It will attempt to carry out the same function, even when part of it is damaged, by redirecting the function to another area of the brain. As opposed to previous mainstream scientist's understanding that the brain is compartmentalized, it is now more acceptable that the individual "parts" of the brain could be somewhat interchangeable (1). For the purpose of scientific exploration, are the sensory organs interchangeable as well? Could a nose function as an ear, for example? If the brain is what actually sees and the eyes serve only as information receptors, and if one could say the same about taste, smell, hearing and touch, then does it matter which external organ the sensory information is received by? Our external organs all act as receptors of the information (5), so can one type of receptor be replaced by another and still produce the same experience? Bach-y-Rita's experiments suggest that "we experience the five senses, but where the data comes from may not be so important" (1). In the article "Can You See With Your Tongue?" the journalist was blindfolded with a small video camera strapped to his forehead, connected to a long plastic strip which was inserted into his mouth. A lap... ... the external organs is a concept worthy of more attention and exploration, and it will explored more easily when the old, rather arbitrary myth of the five senses is discarded. References 1) Discover Magazine Online, Go to the article "Can you see With Your Tongue?" http://www.discover.com/science_news/index.html 2) an article that clearly states there are seven senses. http://sun.science.wayne.edu/~wpoff/senses.html 3) an article about migration and possible explanations. http://www.spaceforspecies.ca/awareness_and_action/conserve_species_habitats/ 4)Discover Magazine Online Go to the article "A Fish's Sixth Sense" http://www.discover.com/science_news/index.html 5)Sensory Receptors a very informative site about more sensory organs as receptors, and other scientific explanation of the senses. http://courses.nnu.edu/bi362bf/sensory.htm

The Universal Effects of Animal Cruelty

Did you know that animals are not the only ones affected by animal cruelty? In fact, both animals and humans alike receive trauma and pain as a result of these atrocities. Many of these perpetrators involved in these harmful acts of abuse tend to not know the effects of their crimes and almost never have a good reason for doing so. Studies show that there are two types of animal cruelty: passive and active. Passive cruelty is not indirect abuse, but it involves neglect of caring for animals, whereas active cruelty is meant to purposely harm the animals and it is often associated with sociopaths. Animal cruelty is evident all around the world and includes: starving and not caring for domestic animals, testing products on animals, being utilized as shark bait, brutalizing and harming animals during film productions, and the notorious cruelty done for generation after generation without any particular reason. There has to be more laws implemented to stop harming animals overall, since the animals themselves are helpless in getting aid. Animals deserve just as much respect and rights to live in this world as humans do. Animals everywhere are just like humans and want to protect their loved ones. Animal cruelty is a worldwide issue that harms all living beings mentally and physically, therefore, in order to create a humane society for all organisms, it should altogether be stopped. First, many people think that hurting animals is harmless to us humans, but they are wrong, because many human serial killers began their first crime as animal cruelty which then graduated into human cruelty. There is a lot of evidence that shows that serial killers and abusers began with animal cruelty. If a human can abuse animals and show psychological issues, then it is possible that they can do the same harm to a human, which would solemnly cause not only harm to the animal society, but to the human society. Stopping animal cruelty and reporting people who do these malicious acts can possibly prevent human massacres as well as animal massacres. In 1997, Boston’s Northeastern University and the MSPCA did a study that found â€Å"70% of all animal abusers have committed at least 1 other crime and that 40% had committed violent crimes against humans† (Internet). This suggests that nearly half of the people that commit animal cruelty crimes also commit human cruelty crimes. Any kind of violence against a human being is inhumane and isn’t allowed, just as animal cruelty shouldn’t be allowed, seeing as many criminals have a tendency to follow up with human cruelty crimes. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebod were two high school students that killed 12 classmates and then committed suicide only after they had â€Å"bragged to friends about mutilating animals. If these acts had been reported to authorities and taken seriously, these two young men might have been put in a proper facility and helped, possibly avoiding the horrific massacre† (Internet). This suggests that the criminals aren’t the only ones who can prevent these kind of animal and human cruelty crimes, but bystanders and those who overhear people doing these such things can take one step forward and report these crimes. Given these type of examples, it should only be more motivation for every state, every country, and every continent to implement anti-animal abuse laws to save lives. Anybody can be helpful in saving many more animal lives as well as human lives, not just the government and the legal system, because animals and humans are always important to somebody. Second, most animal cruelty happens in a household and chances are there are children in these households that either grow up traumatized or influenced to repeat these atrocities. Children are more vulnerable to being corrupted from witnessing animal cruelty because these images stay with them as they grow older and they can possibly reenact these crimes themselves. The criminals either force the children in the household to watch the abuse take place or they abuse the children as well. This can cause trauma in young children, which causes them to grow up corrupted or chances are that â€Å"a child abusing an animal can grow up to be someone who commits other violent crimes† (Internet). This suggests that human children are also affected by animal cruelty as well as the animal victims. These children can be scarred for life, whether it’s mentally or physically. Children aren’t the only ones who have to observe animal cruelty going on, but they are the future of every generation and if they are broken at an early age, then they cannot make it in a stable life. Also, with a constant cycle of children witnessing animal cruelty and then committing to animal cruelty, there will only be more and more people affected by this and then it will be harder and harder to put an end to. Children at a young age will have to learn from somebody, if not their parents, and they â€Å"do not have ine control over their movements and impulses—they will want to treat their pets with love, but will need a little help from you to do it correctly† (Internet). This suggests that the adults and teenagers of the world can control how a child’s development turns out and if we do not perform animal cruelty acts in front of children then they will not be exposed to a harsh world as they grow up. The earlier we instill kindness into nurturing child development, the less they’ll turn out to be convicted of animal cruelty felonies. Third, passive and active cruelties are both common from people who only do it to feel a sense of power and authority, but that in itself is senseless since it still harms many animals and people. In most cases, â€Å"most animal abusers find some sort of fulfillment or power in torturing a victim they know can't fight back, which is why crimes like rape and child molestation are committed. † (Internet). This suggests that the abusers want to feel superior and want to harm their pets or wild animals just to achieve this sort of power. This would be considered an unfair fight when the perpetrator knows that the animal can’t do anything to defend itself and no one would be around to help it. As Jenny Leigh says, â€Å"It is our job to be the voice for creatures who cannot speak up for themselves† (Internet). People like Jenny are affected by the violent crimes done to animals and their disturbance makes them want to find ways to help these poor animals. In other cases, the animal abusers find it amusing to perform sadism on poor animals without considering how that animal feels. One way that one could feel control by hurting an animal is for example, when a husband may hurt the family pet in order to show his wife or kids what he is capable of doing to them whenever he gets angry enough. Another person may use his or her own pet to hurt other animals just to feel a gain of power and control. These kind of people â€Å"suffer from serious, psychological problems that will probably not go away on their own†¦. Without help, the psychological problems these people have can haunt them for their whole lives† (Internet). This evidence suggests that the people who intentionally hurt animals already have some psychological issues that make them the way they are. These people need help from psychologists and people that know that they have a problem with abusing animals should aid them in receiving help to solve their problems. Lastly, most people don’t understand that they actually take part in animal cruelty and these heedless actions cause much passive cruelty, if not any active cruelty. People that are harming the animals don’t even realize the consequences of their actions and they don’t understand that it is actually a really bad thing to do. It is senseless to allow people to carelessly roam around abusing animals without even thinking about it. While active cruelty is more common and disturbing, passive cruelty isn’t any less important. In fact, it can lead to â€Å"terrible pain and suffering, and ultimately death. Examples include starvation, dehydration, untreated parasite infestations, inadequate shelter in extreme weather conditions, and the failure to get medical care† (Internet). This evidence suggests that the owners of domestic animals harm their pets in their own ignorance and neglect. Animal shelters are designed to give unsheltered animals a chance to have a provided home with a caring owner, but with neglectful owners that commit passive cruelty to their pets, it is difficult to tell if the person the shelters give the animal to can be trusted. Whether it’s active or passive cruelty, people need to be fined or arrested for hurting any kind of animals. However, some people actually think that animal cruelty is good because killing animals such as cows and chickens provide food for humans. Some say that humans need animals for food and that it is inevitable for animal cruelty to come to a complete end when there are many people out there in the world who can’t give up eating meat. â€Å"For centuries people killed animals for food and never considered it cruel. It was just a survival† (Internet). This evidence suggests that as long as people feel that they need to eat meat in order to survive, animal cruelty will not be stopped. People see meat as a basic necessity for ensuring their survival when it comes to food, so they won’t think too hard on how guilty they should feel when they learn that animal cruelty is how their food is made. In spite of that, animal cruelty should still end, because everyone could always become vegetarians since it is healthier for our planet and ourselves. The manufacturing and producing of many meats or products derived from dead animals releases many greenhouse gases on our earth and contributes to even more global warming which will eventually harm all humans and animals alike. This â€Å"little† act of animal cruelty to provide food isn’t as big as a necessity when there are plenty of greens around and when many lives won’t be harmed in the making. In conclusion, animal cruelty hurts animals and humans respectively and must be stopped in order to achieve a humane societal world. This research is important because people need to know what happens in this world. People deserve to know the truth about how the world is running itself and rather than being lied to by the government, people can be educated and informed on these worldwide issues which can then motivate them to help stop it. People will realize what animal cruelty does to animals and humans altogether and they can protest to end it or have laws implemented to ban it. Many people are disturbed, traumatized, and angered by the violent animal cruelty acts but they have no kind of power in trying to stop it, so this would be really helpful for those who are in the unknown of this issue. Works Cited Information on Animal Cruelty ASPCA 13 April 2011 http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/info-animal-cruelty Through Their Eyes, The National Animal Abuse Registry 2004, 13 April 2011 http://www.inhumane.org Leigh, Jenny. Animal Cruelty Must Stop 13 April 2011 http://www.teenink.com/hot_topics/environment/article/90968/Animal-Cruelty-Must-Stop/ 11 Facts about Animal Cruelty 13 April 2011 http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-animal-cruelty Animals Used for Food PETA 13 April 2011 http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/default2.aspx Beaulne-Stuebing, Laura. What’s Good about Animal Cruelty? Thrust Labs 17 January 2008, 13 April 2011 http://stayingvegan.com/vegan-university/whats-good-about-animal-cruelty/ Talking to Kids about Animal Cruelty ASPCA 2011, 13 April 2011 http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/talking-to-kids-about-animal.aspx Chicken Cruelty http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00044/id42.htm

Development Of Islamic Banking And Finance In Bangladesh Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2034 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Bangladesh has a mixed banking system consist of private, nationalized, and foreign commercial banks. Bangladesh Bank is the central bank of the country and is responsible for monetary policy of the Government and all commercial banks. After the independence the Government of Bangladesh initially nationalized the entire domestic banking system and proceeded to reorganize and rename variety of banks. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Development Of Islamic Banking And Finance In Bangladesh Finance Essay" essay for you Create order In 1980s, commercial bank privatization decision revolutionize the entire banking system. At present the total banking Bangladesh system consists of four state-owned banks, four specialized banks, thirty private commercial banks and nine foreign banks. The banks financial performance evaluation is important for all stakeholders owner such as debtors, investors, government, creditors, regulators, and bank depositor managers. Bank performance provides direction to stakeholders in making decision. For example it gives direction to the investors and debtors to decide either they should invest money in the bank or invest somewhere else. Similarly, it gives direction to the bank managers whether to improve loan service or service deposit or both to improve its finance. Regulatory agencies and the government are also keen for the regulation of financial performance purposes. BACKGROUND This Islamic banking, as a new paradigm has begun in Bangladesh in 1983 with the establishment of the first Islamic bank Islamic Bank Bangladesh Limited. After that, six more banks were established in the country to achieve this welfare banking to the doorsteps of the people. In the last two years decades, it has shown a great strength in achieving the goals of Islamic Shariah. From observing the success, most of the conventional banks have been allured to open their own Islamic branches with the traditional ones. In Bangladesh, the most important development in Islamic Banking and Finance (IBF) and in the recent few years has been the entry of some conventional banks in the market and their use of Islamic modes of financing through their Islamic branches, windows, or units. Some of the giants in the banking and finance industry, Islamic banking is a necessities and can encourages that bank. Bangladesh was moving from time to time and presently 9 percent from conventional banks have opened 19 Islamic banking branches alongside their interest based branches. Thinking in devising the banking policies and framework on the basis of Islamic Shariah in the second half of the twentieth century witnesses a major shift and the end of third quarter of the century as a new system of banking called Islamic banking, this new thought finally was institutionalized. Moreover to the Islamic Banking movement, the establishment of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in 1975 gave momentum to that banking system. Then a number of Islamic Banking and financial institutions have been established all over the world irrespective of Muslim and non-Muslim countries since the establishment of the IDB. The most part of the operational financial resources of Islamic banks came from different types of deposits mobilized of the principles of Al-Wadia which also known as safe custodianship and Al-Mudaraba which means trust financing. Islamic banking has opened various ways for making loan conforming to Islamic Sharia by utilizing of fund under the framework. In the conventional banking, the term loan is called Investment in the Islamic banking. They have devised different types of interest- free financing devices ever since the Islamic banks cannot lend on the interest. As can be seen today, the Islamic finance has become extremely sophisticated as well as increasingly competitive. Today through Islamic subsidiaries, very large number or western financial institutions are involved in the Islamic finance. It was known as Islamic windows or can be called marketing of Islamic products. Recently, more of the new Islamic products have appeared such as Islamic bonds (called as sukuk) and Islamic derivatives. With around 135 million populations of which 90 percent are Muslim, Bangladesh became the third largest Muslim country in the world. After the OIC recommendation at its Foreign Ministers meeting in 1978 at Senegal to develop a separate banking system of their own, that give hope and aspiration of the people to run the banking system on the basis of Islamic principle came into reality. Then Bangladesh established its first bank after 5 years of that declaration which is in 1983. After that, out of 49 banks in Bangladesh, 7 from it full-fledged Islamic Banks and 19 Islamic Banking branches of 9 conventional banks were working in the private sector on the basis of Islamic Sharia. THE RECENT DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC BANKING AND FINANCE IN BANGLADESH Global Islamic finance is growing rapidly making their way and gaining popularity in Bangladesh, with experts predicting that the Shari `ah compliance with industry will continue in steady steps to become the mainstream of Islamic banking system in South Asian countries. The future of the Islamic banking system is so bright, Mominul Islam Patwary, chairman of the executive committee of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, to IslamOnline.net. The Islamic banking in Bangladesh is seeing an impressive growth in Bangladesh. Bangladesh entered the Islamic banking system only in 1983, with the establishment of Islami Bank Bangladesh. Since then, five other private fully Islamic banks and 20 Islamic banking branches of conventional banks have been established. Patwary says that his bank is now one of the top performers in terms of bank business and profit of 48 commercial banks operating in the country. Islamic Bank Bangladesh Limited has gained first position in all private banks in term deposits, investment, export import and remittance collection. According to Bangladesh Bank (BB), the countrys central bank, the deposits of Islamic banking system is now 25 percent of all private bank deposits and investments is 30 percent. Bahauddin Mohammad Yousuf, vice chairman of Al-Arafah Islamic Bank, has an explanation for Islamic finance boom Bangladesh. He says that for a Muslim, the religion forbids any gain or pays riba, Islamic banking makes it possible to operate a business without interest. The people of this country are religious, Patwary, Islami Bank, agrees. Islam forbids Muslims from usury, receiving or paying interest on loans. Islamic banks and finance institutions cannot receive or provide funds for anything involving alcohol, gambling, pornography, tobacco, weapons or pork. Shari `ah-compliant financing deals resemble lease to own arrangements, installment payment plans, joint purchase and sale agreements, or partnerships. Bangladesh is the third largest Muslim-majority country in the world, and the Muslims who make up more than 80 percent of the countrys 148 million population. Bankers believe that Islamic banking set to progress even more, if the laws governing Islamic banking policy was introduced. If the introduction of Islamic banking, Islamic banking system though will continue to grow, said Patwary. Experts predict that the rapid rise of Shari `ah-based systems, the industry will eventually move on to become the mainstream finance in Bangladesh. Without the benefit of Shari` ah-based systems will be mainstream banking and conventional banks will become the minority in the OIC countries including Bangladesh in 2002, M Azizul Haque, a leading expert on Islamic banking in Bangladesh, told IOL. Azizul Haque, who is also chairman of the Shari `ah Council of Dhaka, believes that Bangladesh will follow throughout the world to the Islamic banking sector. He explained that the rate of growth of Islamic banking in the OIC countries for example is 15 to 20 percent, while conventional banks are 10 to 15 percent. Islamic finance is one of the fastest growing secto rs in the global financial industry. In the grounds of the credit crisis, the global Islamic finance market has grown about 15 percent in three years ago, and is now worth about $ 700 billion worldwide. At present there are nearly 300 banks and financial institutions worldwide. Assets are forecast to grow to $ 1 trillion by 2013. Azizul Haque expects that higher growth rates in the next decade will force the global financial system to Islamic banking. There is no any kind of concern about the success of Islamic banking, said renowned economist. Capital cannot solve global economic problems.The world is looking for a new economic order. Islamic economic system would be that the new economic order. Bangladeshs aspiration to conduct banking system based on Islamic principles move closer to becoming a reality in 1978, after the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting of foreign ministers of member countries. OIC recommends its members (including Bangladesh) to develop their own system of Islamic banking. Five years after the declaration, in 1983, the countrys first sharia-compliant bank, Islami Bank Bangladesh, was established. More banks have followed including Al-Arafah Islami Bank (opened in 1995) and Shahjalal Islamic Bank Ltd in 2001. Observing the success of their Islamic counterparts, the number of conventional financial institutions has been keen to launch Islamic banking products and services with those of conventional ones. To ensure adherence with Shariah, conventional banks just like the Islamic ones, need strong Shariah supervisory board, which helps in providing model agreements, approves all new operational structure and put basic guidelines for Islamic fi nancing. Premier Bank Ltd, one of the top ten banks in the country. The Bank has maintained two parallel lines of business since 1995. Meanwhile, other banks, Premier Bank Ltd, has opened two separate, dedicated branch (in addition to those of conventional 25) operating in accordance with the principles of Shariah. Some banks, such as Exim Bank (Export Import Bank of Bangladesh Ltd.) has taken a step further and fully changed to Islamic banking. Growth of Islamic banking in Bangladesh is ongoing day by day. A remarkable shift or conversion of conventional banks and their branches into Islamic lines give banking a high signal received by the public interest in general. The Islamic banking industry continued to show steady growth in 2005 in line with economic growth, as reflected in increased market share of Islamic banking industry in terms of assets, financing and deposits of the banking system total. Islamic banks in Bangladesh started from a very limited resource base. But with the passage time, they have shown a steady performance in respect of the mobilization deposit. Total deposits of Islamic banks and Islamic banking branches conventional banks stood at Taka is so many in September 2005. CONCLUSION Analysis leads us to conclude that even if we see that we need to take lessons from the Islamic Bank, which is supposed to make the banking system less prone to problems of non-performing assets of banks, but we have a lesson that Conventional Bank should concentrate on short-term loan that is anti-growth oriented. But it is not possible to switch to Islamic banking practices become even impossible because ICBs also failed to adopt Shariah compliant banking operations. From a practical Islamic Bank Bangladesh, we can conclude that the Islamic Bank failed in general to claim yourself a pioneer for an alternative to interest-based banking system that is not based on a share as Islamic banks and finance invest nearly 80-90 per cent of their funding under the rate protected and is set to return based financing. A financial system built solely around the modes of financing cannot claim superiority over an interest-based system on the grounds of equity, efficiency, stability and growth. The questions of how to improve the recovery rate of Bangladesh Banking is still open. Perhaps, we need to find the answer is not in Islamic banking but in the regulatory framework and the legal and business risks instead of emphasizing on security risks. Analysis and comparison between Islamic and Conventional Banks revealed that no significant difference exists in the lending and financing procedures between the two banking systems. In both types of system, from approaching the Bank to finance the delivery of loan facilities and similar facilities except Bank Shariah Board exists in Islam, also known as the Religious Supervisory Board. From the comparison of our instruments found that only Mudaraba and Musharaka are financial instruments that truly Shariah-based Islam. The rest of the instruments are skillfully with the Conventional Banking System. Clearly, the returns to finance provided financial mode based on Murabaha, Ijara, and Bai-Muajjal with service charges are all set out as benefits. In Islamic banking, all modes other than the mode of financing secured ideal because there is no practical risk involved (and collateral have a structure based on short-term financing.) This enables the Bank to get their loan portfolio and take advantage of its financing instruments to make rate better recovery on Conventional Bank.