Thursday, October 31, 2019

Please describe the information to make a note for the work Speech or Presentation

Please describe the information to make a note for the work - Speech or Presentation Example The red cells are well known for transporting oxygen to other parts of the human body. As the curved piece blocks the moving red pieces it represents the red blood cells being affected by the sickle as they move and changes their shape to oval. What happens is that the sickle celled cells get stuck on the way just like the stopped red piece when they are moving in the blood vessels. As a result oxygen is stopped from being distributed into the body causing pain in the sick body. This effect can affect other body parts like the body organs, the bones and the muscles. This model art represents the affected cells and their movement. The two pendulums represent the pumping of blood in the human body. As the pendulum swings, it introduces a new force and makes the pieces to move. As one square piece moves, it exerts force to the other piece making them to move slightly. The small square pieces represent the affected cells which do not move to circulate oxygen to the entire body of a human person. This creates redundancy in the blood cells movement hence oxygen is not circulated fully. People with sickle cell disease face a lot of pain and problems and hence their life span is reduced. This is one of the best visual arts represented which clearly shows how the affected red cells find it difficult to move in the blood vessels. The tray in which the square pieces move represents the blood vessel. Ever taught the cause of Sickle Cell? Well, it is a disease that is normally inherited mostly from a parent to a child. The child is so unlucky that he or she gets a gene from each of the parents (Father and Mother). When a child carries only one gene of the Sickle cell, he or she becomes a carrier. From this simple explanation, you now know how sickle cell

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

A Birthday Remembered Essay Example for Free

A Birthday Remembered Essay Love is very complicated, not just butterflies in one’s stomach, but it also involves a lot of pain. The pain is not easy to drain. We have to confront ourselves with the pain and get over it, but that’s easier said than done. We restrain our feelings and try to forget them. This only causes an even bigger pain. That is the situation for Ellen, the main character in this short story. Ellen’s love life has been complicated, she is a lesbian and obliged to listen to people’s prejudices. Her one and only love, Jackie, dies caused by an incurable illness and she is not allowed to bury her â€Å"She has not been allowed to do this one last thing for Jackie. To be with her during the last rituals.† (l.24-25). Because of Jackie’s former husband, Roger, whom she has left to live with Ellen, but he could not accept his wife being a lesbian, because of his man-stubbornness and he even tried to declare her temporarily insane (l.15). Jackie’s daughter on the other hand thinks that what Ellen and Jackie had was wonderful and beautiful, but you don’t know yet if she’s a lesbian herself or a heterosexual (l.102). The short story is written in third-person (l. 8) â€Å"why shouldn’t she?† The narrator is not omniscient, but we have inner-angel from Aunt El since we only â€Å"hear† thoughts from her, and not from Tobie or Warrick. (line. 104) â€Å"She felt the shock of the words†. You can’t really tell if the narrator is reliable or not, since we don’t know which connection he has to any of those in the story. Neither does he try to make anyone to seem like the â€Å"bad guy†, but the narrator is making us feel sorry for Aunt El, for her big lost Jackie. (L. 24 89) â€Å"She hadn’t been allowed to do this one last thing for Jackie† â€Å"but we have to get used to living without loved ones†. The language used in this short story is very well written and is very descriptive, because of all the adjectives being used, which makes the story way more â€Å"living†. (l. 12) â€Å"Roger had been furious, appalled and angr y..† although the story is very well written it’s also a bit harsh to understand, because of some of all these adjectives and expressions. At line 37 there might be a flashback â€Å"here’s to you, Ellen Simms, on your birthday†. See more: The stages of consumer buying decision process essay The reason that this maybe could be a flashback is firstly because of the changing of the type, at only that sentence, which might give an account of her past together with Jackie before her death. One thing that was striking me was that the story is written in the preterit, but at the same time the narrator uses direct speech, which I think is a bit odd, since you normally writes the whole story in either present or the past, and very seldom a combination of the 2 indication of times. We have two main characters in this story, who’s Aunt El and Tobie: Aunt El / Ellen Simms is an old women who lives by herself. She used to be heterosexual and lived together with a man named Roger. They had a kid together named Tobie which is 15 years old. Ellen chooses to leave Roger because she’s changing her sexuality, and becomes a lesbian and falls in love with Jackie. But unfortunately Jackie died one year from now on, which leaves her alone with Tobie, and chooses to return back t o the father Roger. Ellen is a very obliging and kind person. She really misses her old flame Jackie, and cares a lot about Tobie whether her sexuality is heterosexual or lesbian (l. 83) â€Å"suppose it had been a girl? People choose who they want.† She seems considerate, when she offers Tobie and Warrick a hot cocoa, and remembers that young’s always are hungry and decides to make them some sandwiches. Tobie is daughter of Ellem Simms and the late Jackie. She’s 15 years old, but doesn’t have an abundance of friends (l. 20) â€Å"Tobie never had an abundance of friends†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She has short blond hair, had lineament from her father and a nice smile (l. 53-55). She cares about Ellen, since she’s the only one who shows up at her birthday and brings a present, which she has been saving money, for about a week. The way she earns these money is through her job in the library (l. 68) â€Å"I’m a library page after school..† helpful is also a good word, that would describe, which you can see in the story, when she offers her help to go and make cocoa together with Ellen. It seems she trusts Ellen more than her own father, since she decides to show Warrick for Ellen instead of her father. The message in this short story, is that pain will always be there, but only temporary, but at the same time hard to get over. That love is a big (maybe the biggest) part of our life and we should not regret, but remember the good times you’ve had with those you’ve loved. Don’t take anything in vain, live your life. And it doesn’t care if you are a heterosexual, lesbian or gay, just as long as you are happy. The title of this story is â€Å"a birthday remembered† which I guess is chosen because of all the emotional feelings that’s stepping in strength through this story and especially the quote from the daughters side â€Å"I hope it will be as wonderful and beautiful as what you and mom had together†.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Nutritional Company Herbalife Changing People Lives Marketing Essay

Nutritional Company Herbalife Changing People Lives Marketing Essay A Brief Introduction of Herbalife As founded by Mark Reynolds Hughes, 1980, Herbalife is a nutritional company which aids in the lifestyle and weight management of many people. Their main objective has always been focused on changing peoples lives by meeting the needs of every individual to provide them with a healthy lifestyle. Having been in the industry for 30 years, Herbalife has changed the lives of many people, of any age by providing nutritional and energy supplements and also personal care products, using all natural herbs and resources. Starting from the headquarters of Beverly Hills, California, Herbalife is busily expanding its operation internationally in 73 countries to continuously provide its service to people everyone in the world. With the help of Science on the 5 main focused areas which are research and development, quality assurance, manufacturing, clinical studies and lastly, establishing a Nutrition Advisory Board (NAB). Aside from the research, Herbalife has not only served the society but our planet Earth well, by their own Corporate Social Responsibility program which upholds a value of, We do the right, honest and ethical thing. With this value in their heart, Herbalife has also helped in saving Mother Earth in every way that they could. Promoting the 3Rs, they believe in taking personal responsibility and making their decisions by always thinking about the consequences in everything that they do. Not only caring for our planet, Herbalife has also been concerned for the needy of many children. Mark Hughes created a Herbalife Family Foundation  (HFF) that is dedicated to improve the lives of many children by providing them with the proper healthy nutrition. HFF has also shown continuous support in disaster reliefs over the years. Lastly, Herbalife has never failed to support their employees with a healthy and active lifestyle. By showering them with complimentary products and lowering their health insurance costs, Herbalife has always been keeping their employees at a pink of health. Looking Into The Past Providing and changing the lives of many for 30 years, Herbalife started off with a tragic story Mark Reynolds Hughes, the founder of Herbalife. At just eighteen years of age, Marks mother, Jo Ann Hughes died of an accidental overdose of prescription diet pills. Jo Ann Hughes was a part time model and actress in Los Angeles, who was obsessed in managing her weight and she spent many years in search for a convenient and effective weight loss method. However, in 1970s there were only a few methods and diet pills were the only alternative she could use. The diet pills had a lot of harmful effects on her such as making it difficult for her to sleep, so Jo Ann took plenty of sleeping pills at that time and unfortunately, she died of an overdose. The death of his mother had a great impact on Mark R. Hughes and since then, he dedicated his life to help people lose weight and to improve their health in the safest, most effective and healthiest methods possible. Despite being a school dropout, having no medical and finical background, and no finances to start his business, Mark began to take huge interest in health nutrition especially in Chinese medical herbs. He studied and travelled around China to discover more about the benefits of such herbs on the human body. With much efforts put into studying, testing and refining, Mark brought his first product of Formula 1 into many lives. This meal replacement product helps people lose weight by replacing 2 meals a day while still providing their body with all the nutrition that the cells requires. In February 1980, the 23 year old Mark finally launched Herbalife International in Los Angeles. His first customer of his product was his grandmother Mimi, who had lost about 9kg. Word of the mouth, people began taking more interest in his products and seeing the aftermath, his gain more and more customers and has raised the popularity of Herbalife. Improving, Expanding and Reaching Out In the Years The first launched of his product was a huge success as the sales for just the first month was US$23, 000. Continuous perseverance was paid and shown at the end of the year with a roaring sum of US$2million. With the tremendous success kept in mind, Mark became even more ambitious and had expanded Herbalife to even more countries. He had also established various programmes and created more products along the way. Decades of Herbalife Establishment, Contribution and Success A. In the First Decade (1980 1989) Herbalife managed to expand their business in about 8 countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and even in the United Kingdom. Many new products were also launched in the first decade for example the Formula 1 and 2 and some new hair and skin care products. B. In the Second Decade (1990 1999) With the success of the first decade, Herbalife continue to venture on reaching out to many countries as possible and to its success, Herbalife managed to open in about 40 countries. Hong Kong and Japan were the first Asian countries that had Herbalife. Again, new products were released and introduced, and it manages to launch their new line of colour cosmetics. In 1994, Mark Hughes created Herbalifes global charity organization, called the Herbalife Family Foundation (FFF). C. In the Third Decade (1990 1999) Establishing in another 24 countries, Herbalife never stops growing despite the death of their founder in year 2000. Herbalife opened in the Singapore in 2003. The HFF donates generously to the Katrina and tsunami disaster relief programs in 2005. The HFF has also reached out to many countries to help save many lives. Herbalife has also actively sponsors and contributes in the athletic world. Other products were also launched and Herbalife is proud to introduce their Formula 1 product for kids. Today, Herbalife has reached out to a total of 73 countries and has changed over a million lives. How does Herbalife change the lives of many Changing lives is difficult because mending the diets and keeping a balanced nutrition is a long and tedious process which requires time, patience, perseverance and a correct mind set. To accomplish all of the above, Herbalife always encourages a proper, balanced diet with a few nutritional guidelines and the adequate amount of exercise to live a better lifestyle. Herbalife has come up with some healthy guidelines for maintaining a good and proper nutrition: Staring the day with a healthy breakfast is important because it helps to provide you with energy that you require throughout the day. Recommendations: Formula 1 and Personalized Protein Powder would be the all-in-one healthy breakfast choice that includes all the nutrients required. Do not overeat during the day and unhealthy snacking is not advisable because it is not a good way to lose weight and provide your body with the nutrition. However, snacking in healthy methods such as fruits and vegetables would be good. Your body must be always hydrated by taking sufficient amount of fluids that it requires. Besides water, each individual should be aware of how much nutrients such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins are needed for themselves. Balancing these nutrients will ensure a healthy diet. Besides having a good and balanced nutrition, our body needs to stay fit and active. Herbalife encourages many to exercise regularly because exercising can help to increase metabolism rate, lower the risk of illnesses and diseases, builds up muscles and tone up the body. How does Herbalife business work? Not just having to be a customer, Herbalife has opened a distributor opportunity to everyone. As a Herbalife distributor, you get to change many lives and yet earn an income too. Millions of satisfied customers have joined Herbalife as a distributor and this has increased the popularity of Herbalife over the years. The role of a distributor is to promote and gain as many customers as possible with the correct mindset of promoting healthy lifestyle for everyone. A distributor must also provide a good experience for all customers by delivering the products in person, be courteous to potential customers and provide a great follow-up service by calling and ensuring that the customers are getting positive results with the products, and also to introduce them to new products. To ensure that the customer is satisfied, a distributor must also start by building a strong relationship. Showing a great and genuine interest in meeting the needs of the customers will make them trust them more. The USE, WEAR, TALK Principle The USE, WEAR, TALK is a principle which consists of three simple concepts which all distributors must know and follow. This principle helps many distributor s succeed in their Herbalife business. USE As a distributor, he or she must use the product every day and show positive results because then, their customers will trust them more. Seeing is believing, therefore the distributor have to take Before and After photos of themselves to show their customers that they did it. This will gain trust from their customers and they will want to follow their footsteps. WEAR Wearing refers to the Herbalife buttons and apparel which aids in the promoting and advertising of Herbalife. Buttons such as Lose Weigh Now, Ask Me How! will gain the attention of many and people will want to ask you about what the button meant. This will help distributors start off conversations much easier. TALK When the distributor finally got a customer, he or she needs to use resourceful and the right knowledge about the products, financial success stories and business opportunity to instruct their customer on how to use the Herbalife product efficiently. Lastly, by encouraging customers to be a part of Herbalife as a distributor would serve many benefits to both parties. The customer will gain discounts in all products and he or she is open to a business opportunity which in return, he or she can gain his or her own customers. He or she will also have an opportunity to travel with Herbalife around the world for trainings programmes and various Herbalife events. On the distributor side, if he or she has gain many customers and reached the specific targets, he or she gets even more discounts and profits. With that, he or she can be promoted to higher standards in the Herbalife business and gaining much more benefits. Swot Analysis of Herbalife Strength Weaknesses Opening to many more countries Increase Herbalifes entity with the increase of distributors Frequent road shows to promote Herbalife Lack of customers and their trust, Herbalifes business will suffer losses Competitors of similar companies Products may be banned in some countries due to the different requirements Opportunities Threats Herbalife allowing business opportunities will help many people earn an income More income and expanding business with health conscious society Being a health company, Herbalife can face threats like complains of products By bringing Herbalife to many other countries, the strength of this method could not only expand the business but also change many lives across the globe. With more people joining as distributors, the business will grow faster and more people will know about Herbalife. Lastly, promoting road shows is a strength because with every road show, Herbalife can gain more customers and spread the message across of healthy living to many people. Herbalife has opened their doors to many people for a business opportunity to earn an income for themselves. This job is done leisurely and thus people would not find it a chore to complete a certain task given to them. In todays society, many people demands for a good healthcare system. This gives a huge opportunity for Herbalife to sell its nutritious products faster since the demands keeps increasing. Similarly to many companies, once there is a loss of customers, the company will face a lesser profit at the end of the year. If this persists, the company would face a downfall or even bankruptcy. Since the demand for good healthcare is increasing, more and more companies will open for the same purpose which is to promote and sell their health products too. With such a competitive market, any company whos laid back and not up to date will definitely be on the losing end. Due to the different requirements in the different countries, some health products may be banned as the government agrees that it is not suitable to be sold. If the products do not meet the requirements that are proposed by the country, again Herbalife would lose another opportunity to sell their products. Being a health company, Herbalife can face threats like complaints of products. People who would have complained might have suffered some conditions or find the products inefficient and not working on them. This again will lead to a loss in business. Marketing Mix of Herbalife Product The main purpose of Herbalifes product is to help their customers lead a healthy lifestyle with the appropriate and sufficient nutrients needed for themselves. Not only just selling their nutritious products, Herbalife has also skin and hair care products too. Price Herbalife has a special pricelist for their distributors. As mentioned in the earlier part, when a distributor performs well and reaches the certain target, he or she is entitled to more discounts based on the category they are standing on. For example, Herbalifes main product would be the Formula 1 nutritional milkshake. A customer will purchase this at $77.22. However, if a distributor purchases the same product, he or she is entitled to a 25% discount and the cost of it would be $59.35. The percentage of discount will increase when the distributor is promoted to a higher level. Place Herbalifes Worldwide Corporate Headquarters is located in Los Angeles, USA. In Singapore, Herbalife International Singapore PTE. Ltd was located at Orchard Road. They moved earlier this year (2010) to TripleOne Somerset Road. Promotion Herbalife has always been keen to go public. Distributors are giving free body evaluations almost every day and free health talks once a month. As a normal customer, they can also stand a chance in having a higher percentage discounts when they buy in bulk. Herbalife has come up with a wholesale price scheme which allows their customers to have more discounts when they buy in large amounts. Comparing Herbalife and a Competitor, Cambridge Diet Cambridge Diet The Cambridge Diet is a diet plan developed by Dr. Alan Howard, a research scientist of Cambridge University in 1970. Dr. Alan together with Dr. McLean-Baird researched and created a weight plan that helps people lose weight by consuming their formulated products which contains all the nutrients required. The Cambridge Diet was a success as results proved that it was effective in helping many people to lose weight quickly. Herbalife The Cambridge Diet Serves the purpose of helping people lose and gain weight healthily Main purpose of helping people lose weight effectively only As of today, Herbalife has already been established in 73 countries, worldwide in just 30 years As of today, The Cambridge Diet Plan is sold in 31 countries worldwide in 40 years only. Does not only sells health products but other products like skin and hair care products, cosmetics Only sells health products like meal supplements such as porridges, healthy bars and shakes with a plan to follow for effective results Herbalife products cater for all age groups, from toddlers and kids to adults and elderly. The Cambridge Diet is suitable for people over the age of 16 Involves in many events and helps the world in various ways such as providing funds and help for disaster reliefs; for example establishing of the Herbalife Family Foundation Does not have a charitable organization, is focused mainly on helping people lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle. Why do I compare Herbalife with the Cambridge Diet? Both companies, Herbalife and The Cambridge Diet are similar healthcare companies that provide helps and ways to help people improve their weight problems with nutritional products. However, referring to the table above, both companies are quite different in various ways. The goal for the company may be quite similar however, Herbalife helps both people who are underweight to gain weight and overweight to lose weight. Unlike The Cambridge Diet which only helps people lose weight. Herbalife is more successful in selling their products and expanding their business over the world. This can be seen in the number of countries where their availability is found. Herbalife does not only focus on a certain age group and thus, it is well-rounded in providing for everyone needs. Lastly, Herbalife thinks for the society and is responsible and helpful in doing their part for Mother Earth. Opening a charitable organisation would already benefit and save many lives. To sum it up, Herbalife can be seen to be more successful and has achieved many goals over the years. It is more established and has thoughtful in providing the needs for people of all ages. The Final Climb to Success After the tragic death of Herbalifes founder, Mark Hughes, the company faced many struggles that caused damages to the companys reputation. Lawsuits after lawsuits were filed on Herbalife that caused the companys sales to decrease from $1,085.5 million in 2000, to $1,020.1 million in 2001. The decision was then made to sell the company. Herbalife was invested by private firms Whitney Co. and Golden Gate Capital in 2002. Michael O. Johnson, who was also the President of The Walt Disney Company for 17 years, became the CEO of Herbalife. Under the direction of Michael O. Johnson, Herbalifes sales began climbing steadily from $1,309.7 million in 2004, to $2,324.6 million in 2009. In 2007, Michael O. Johnson became the Chairman of Herbalife. With such a talented leader for Herbalife and the never dying spirit of Herbalife, the sales have grown to $2.7 billion today. Only with the help of Michael O. Johnson, Herbalife was able to get in the road of success once again. Conclusion Over 30 years, Herbalife has proved that failure is never a dead end and only with the countless number of tries, Herbalife is proud to be where it is now. Today, Herbalife has continuously been improving, researching and expanding their business worldwide. With the strong beliefs, values and missions, I believe Herbalife will prosper even further.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Chocolate Tree :: Botany

The Chocolate Tree Fossil records are unable to provide information of on the center of origins of the cacao tree. The cacao tree is in the Sterculiaceae family. The first growers of the cacao pods were probably the people who entered the lowland rain forests of the Amazon Basin between 10,000 and 200 B.P. The full name of the cacao tree is Theobroma cacao. Most of the information of the cacao have been derived from the cultivated crop. The life and reproduction life cycle of Theobroma cacao is identical to a tropical rain forest tree species. Cacao grows optimally in minimal moisture and shade. Cacao is dispersed in small, medium and large areas. This is probably the result of animal dropping the seeds after eating the tasty inside of the pods. Cacao pods are very diverse in morphology. These morphological difference suggests genetic differentiation. The Amazon region is considered the birthplace of the wild cacao tree. T. cacao appeared with the arrival of human species in South American. It have been suggested that T. cacao is the result of a cross between T. pentagona and T. leiocarpa. Cacao was not been selected for its seeds, but instead for the pulp surrounding them. Selection for the seeds begin in Mesoamerica. The seed pulp was used as a beverage. Cacao cultivation by the Indians, notably the Aztecs of Mexico and Mayas in Central America was established before the New World was discovered. The next question would have to be how did the cacao tree cross the sea. Christopher Columbus brought a cacao beans back to Europe from the Gulf of Honduras. This cargo of cacao beans were the first specimens to enter Europe. The Aztecs settled in Mexico two hundred years before Cortes conquest of Mexico. When the Spaniards invaded the palaces of Montezuma they found a large number of cacao beans. The cacao beans were used in a drink called chocolatl. The was typically the drink for the most elite in the society. This is the treatment that was done on the cacao prior to storage. Sun dried beans that had been roast in pots. The husk were removed, the nibs were placed on flat or concave stone, then ground and shaped with a roller. The fluid mass is then mixed with corn and spices and made into cakes. The chocolatl drink is made from a piece of the cake mixed with water and mixed with a molinet.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Entrepreneur Test

Which of the following is classified as an entrepreneur?A manager in a large corporation A financial manager in a small firm An owner-manager who bought out the founder of a firm A salaried technician in a rapidly-growing high-tech firmAttract more attention and make more headlines in the media. are not as important to the well-being of society. are highly visible. One glaring example of poor ethics practiced by small businesses in general is lack of pollution controls. untruthful labeling of products.  lack of loyalty to employees. fraudulent reporting of income and expenses for income tax purposes.Different types of small business ownership opportunities include all of the following except startups. bailouts. family businesses. franchises. The cost of a franchise may include royalty payments. high executive salaries. a one-time federal franchise tax. higher-than-usual labor costs. In a family business, the interests of the family and the interests of the business are best describ ed as overlapping. conflicting. coinciding. having no relationship with each other. Writing a business plan should be thought of as  the means to an end product. an ongoing process. an absolute essential to the startup of businesses. a mental exercise.A firm's marketing mix consists of _____ activities. pricing, promotion, and distribution product, pricing, and promotion product, promotion, and distribution product, pricing, promotion, and distribution A disadvantage of a sole proprietorship is the complexity of the organization the cost of starting the business. the lack of limits on personal liability. the difficulty of distribution. Which of the following is not an environmental condition affecting selection of a business location?CompetitionWeather and climate Laws and regulations Raw material availability Assets that are relatively liquid are classified as current assets. fixed assets. short-term assets. other assets. Typical venture capitalists invest approximately ____ of t heir investment in later-stage businesses. one-fourth one-half three-fourths nearly all Most customer service problems are identified by personal observation. outside consultants. customer complaints. entries in a suggestion box. In general, products that are consumed in fixed amounts have inelastic demand. constant demand. variable demand. elastic demand.Which of the following does not describe a method of determining promotional expenditures? Matching industry forecasts Spending as much as the competition What can be spared What it will take to do the job Marcia Mendez, who runs a drapery business, has groups of employees who work in production and in installation. If she decides to use work teams as part of her leadership approach, she must increase supervision. compensation. independence. quality. Which of the following is a legal basis for selecting employees? Gender Age Education Disabilities An inspection plan that judges products as acceptable or unacceptable, good or bad, i s known as  a 100 percent inspection plan. an attribute inspection. a variable inspection. an inspection sampling plan.The owner of a small manufacturing plant wants inspectors to check the width and length of a product (within specified tolerances) during the production process. This calls for an attribute inspection. a work sampling inspection. a 100 percent inspection plan. a variable inspection. An analysis of which of the following records facilitates maintenance of adequate stock levels? Accounts payable records Accounts receivable records Cash records Inventory records

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Humanism and the Renaissance + Protestant Reformation Essay

The later Middle Ages is characterized as a time of great transition and advancement, especially pertaining to areas of politics, economics, art and intellect. A new trend towards the pursuit of new knowledge and ideas first emerged in fifteenth century Renaissance Italy. This new area of intellect marks the emergence of humanism, which essentially came to be the defining characteristic leading up to the Scientific Revolution in the eighteenth century. The Protestant Reformation can be seen as the second catalyst to the Scientific Revolution, which occurred around the turn of the fifteenth century. It was the combination of the expansion of humanism first witnessed during the Renaissance creating the desire for knowledge, greater meaning and ultimate truths, with the power gained on part of the individual during the Protestant Reformation allowing for the pursuit of these new questions and ideas which, at the time, opposed existing knowledge that was universally accepted to be true; this combination ultimately culminated in the methods, principles, knowledge and foundations realized during the Scientific Revolution. The Renaissance is a seen a distinct period of time emerging in the beginning of the fifteenth century, immediately following what is now termed the Middle Ages. First manifesting itself in Italy, it is considered â€Å"a period which witnessed transition from the medieval to the modern age, that is to say, the latter part of the fifteenth and the beginning of the sixteenth century† (Bishop, 130).[i] Renaissance literally means â€Å"rebirth,† referring to the rebirth of antiquity, or Greco-Roman civilization. Prior to this, â€Å"the advanced knowledge of the natural world possessed by the ancient Greeks meant little to the Romans, and for a long time that knowledge went into decline,† – this is, until now (Henry, 557).[ii] Many aspects of life were greatly impacted, including areas of politics, economics, art and intellect. This new outlook sparked the initiation of a movement toward greater education. Education was seen as the key to living a prosperous and fulfilled life. In particular, the importance of liberal studies was widely agreed upon. Several key events during this time allowed for the spread of knowledge, creating the â€Å"beckoning toward wider horizons† (Buttimer, 11).[iii] For example, the invention of the printing press encouraged the printing of books, which culminated in scholarly research. Additionally, there was a greater availability to the lay people than ever before; previously, there was simply no access to such information. A historian describes this occurrence: â€Å"alien tongues and races have been drawn together, and have learned once again to understand each other’s speech, and to enter into each other’s thought† (Bishop, 131).[iv] Intellect and education began bringing people together who otherwise would not have ever circulated his or her new ideas and thoughts. Some individuals in particular are credited with the fact that â€Å"the reforms enacted were substantial. At an increasing number of Northern universities, Greek became a regular subject and specialists were hired to teach it. Old Textbooks †¦ were abandoned after having been used for centuries and were replaced with products of humanism† (Nauert, 429).[v] Among the individuals most recognized for their impact on this time in history exists Desiderius Erasmus. Inarguably, Erasmus can be seen as a perfect demonstration of a humanist. â€Å"Erasmus was before all else a scholar and a humanist. He was filled with a genuine enthusiasm for learning† (Bishop, 137).[vi] It was this motivated spirit that drove the culmination of the humanistic movement. Intellect and scholarly research was greatly dedicated to religion. Erasmus â€Å"insisted that the dialectic method of the academic theologians had produced a theological science that concentrated on trivial, abstruse questions of little or no real value to the needs of the church† (Nauert, 431).[vii] This argument became the basis for much of Erasmus’ highly esteemed, accredited work; he was â€Å"determined to defend [his] status as orthodox Catholic† (Nauert, 431).[viii] Soon, modern humanists greatest opposition was the church. Many criticized Erasmus, believing that he â€Å"lacked theological training and hence had neither a legal nor an intellectual right to speak and publish on questions involving theology and the Bible† (Nauert, 431).[ix] Until this point in my discussion thus far, not much opposition has been mentioned. It is very important and essential to note that this new topic of new knowledge created extreme amounts of tension, ultimately culminating in the Protestant Reformation. At the same as scholars such as Erasmus, Bacon and Galileo emerged, â€Å"scholastic theologians arrogantly sat back and issued condemnations,† which greatly hindered the advancement of intellect (Nauert, 431).[x] Clearly established thus far was the recently renewed desire for new knowledge; in response, many new education establishments received great support and ideas began to circulate. In order for the continuing and pursuit of the ever evolving goals of humanists, there needed to be some change that would allow for this. This is one contributing factor to Erasmus’ dedication to reforming the church. Conflicts among humanists and scholars â€Å"reflect[ed] a disharmony that is fundamental,† and furthermore came to define â€Å"the dispute over academic competency and ‘exacerbation of the debate during the Reformation’ as the two forces† behind the matter (Nauert, 432).[xi] By this point in time it was seen as a necessity that religion be transformed. Among several attempts throughout history, â€Å"the Protestant Reformation is the only attempt that was successfully institutionalized† (Bellah, 369).[xii] So much work thus far had been the foundational truth: â€Å"scholastic philosophers and theologians spent long years acquiring the skills of dialectical argumentation and familiarity with the opinions of the past authorities, both ancient and medieval† (Nauert, 433).[xiii] It would take great influence to override these criticisms, but Erasmus laid the foundation for Martin Luther. â€Å"Erasmus’ pains were those of a delicate body and a sensitive and intellectual mind, amid surrounds which were uncongenial and indeed fatal to any humane culture† (Bishop, 135).[xiv] Whereas this was so, â€Å"Luther’s misery arose from the pains and travail of his moral nature in his endeavor to find peace with God† (Bishop, 135).[xv] For, it was â€Å"out of these throes of conscience a great religious movement was to be born† (Bishop, 135).[xvi] It was the combination of the significant influence witnessed having been imparted by Erasmus and Martin Luther that finally instigated the long time coming Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was the main event occurring during the Renaissance that allowed for the institutionalizing of knowledge and new ways of obtaining and exploring it. The defining characteristic concerning the Protestant Reformation is â€Å"the collapse of the hierarchical structuring of both this and the other world† (Bellah, 368).[xvii] It was the leadership of modern intellectuals, or humanists, such as Erasmus and Luther that proved to be a catalyst to the movement: â€Å"Luther by a spiritual declaration of independence in which he boldly cast off, once and forever the ecclesiastical authority of Rome† (Bellah, 370).[xviii] It was the consistency marked by the motivation of the ever evolving humanists, with the newly found sense of confidence toward the ability to influence society that culminated in the beginnings of the Scientific Revolution. â€Å"During the late Middle Ages ,the application of natural philosophy logic to theology transformed it into an analytic discipline. The extraordinary nature of this transformation is manifested when we see the kinds of questions that were routinely discussed in the average theological treatise.†[xix] The humanists’ demands for answers and unceasing attitudes at the time finally paid off. Prior to the Protestant Revolution, the many attempts of humanists to voice their opinion and freely explore their new interests without having to fear the authorities. Historians have â€Å"emphasized human attitudes and values† in this fight for intellectual freedom† (Buttimer, 5).[xx] The Protestant Reformation as a continuation of the beginnings of the humanism movement paved the way for the Scientific Revolution. â€Å"Before science could have reached the stage it did in the seventeenth century, there had to be a widespread use of reason and reasoned analysis. The medieval universities supplied the intellectual context for all of Western Europe. They developed a new approach to nature† (Grant, 420).[xxi] The new religious organization allowed for intellectuals and humanists of the time to truly pursue their ideas that were in opposition to previously existing knowledge that had been universally accepted as being true. Overall this culmination of the split between Church and State, the power granted to the individual due to the Protestant Reformation, and the defining characteristics of humanism during the Renaissance were the leading factors in the birth of the Scientific Revolution. Intellectuals in the seventeenth century soon came to view the world and universe as never before. For example, it was now known that rather than existing in an earth-centered universe, they were in fact living in a sun-centered universe. Famous figures in history existing at this time continued the already established tradition, and were able to impart great influence. These figures include, but are not limited to, Galileo, Francis Bacon, Rene Descartes, and Isaac Newton. There emerged a shift from thinking the abstract, such subjects that previous philosophers had once been dedicated to, to pondering and experimenting the physical world around them. Prior to this time, Aristotle, Galen and Ptolemy were relied on for foundations concerning the fields of physics, medicine, and astronomy. Just as there were certain individuals and movements that laid the foundations previously, there are also those researchers who were responsible for the carrying on of life into the Scientific Revolution. â€Å"It remained for Galileo, however, to apply the mean speed theorem to the motion of real falling bodies and to devise and experiment to determine if bodies really fall with uniform acceleration. Thus began the new science of mechanics and the beginnings of modern physics† (Grant, 421).[xxii] Before Galileo was even able to begin his investigations concerning the previous, it was essential that the events and transformations during the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries occurred. More modern discoveries attributed to the seventeenth century and furthermore during the Enlightenment, would have been seriously delayed had this transformation not occurred. People were finally granted the power, and discovered a new found sense of confidence when it came to the pursuit of new kn owledge and ideas. If it had not been for this fight, individuals like Galileo would have had this job to do themselves. It is important to note that the culmination of the Scientific Revolution did â€Å"originate with the great scientific minds of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, from the likes of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton† (Grant, 421).[xxiii] Furthermore, this historian in particular states that â€Å"although it is possible to insist that the full-blown concept of intertia did not appear before Newton, there can be no denying that Galileo, Pierre Gassendi, and Descartes played a role in opposing the Aristotelian concept that everything that moves must be continuously moved by something else and in suggesting instead that once something was moving perhaps it might simply carry on moving until something else stopped it† (Henry, 554).[xxiv] Several important foundations for the study of nature, and in general life at its core, were products of the Renaissance, Protestant Reformation, and ultimately the Scientific Revolution. If it were not for the perseverance of humanists, and their sense of devotion, the advancements included in the Scientific Revolution may have not come for some time down the road. One of the most important outcomes that is still used as a basis today for scientific experimentation is the scientific method. â€Å"The scientific method is such that, whatever the weaknesses of human endeavor, scientific truths will steadily emerge and will come to be recognized and established as a matter of inevitability† (Henry, 555).[xxv] In a way, Henry’s definition of the scientific method can be seen as already applying to the transformation that created it. ———————– ENDNOTES: [i] Bishop, W. S. B. (1906). The sewanee review. Erasmus,14(2), 129-148. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27530759 [ii] Henry, J. H. (2008). Isis. Ideology, Inevitability, and the Scientific Revolution, 99(3), 552-559. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/591713 [iii] â€Å"Geography, Humanism, and Global Concern.† Anne Buttimer. Annals of the Association of American Geographers , Vol. 80, No. 1 (Mar., 1990), pp. 1-33. [iv] Bishop, W. S. B. (1906). The Sewanee review. Erasmus,14(2), 129-148. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27530759 [v] Nauert, C. G. N. (1998). The sixteenth century journal.Humanism as Method: Roots of Conflict with the Scholastics , 29(2), 427-438. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2544524 . [vi] Bishop, W. S. B. (1906). The Sewanee review. Erasmus,14(2), 129-148. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27530759 [vii] Nauert, C. G. N. (1998). The sixteenth century journal.Humanism as Method: Roots of Conflict with the Scholastics , 29(2), 427-438. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2544524 . [viii] Nauert, C. G. N. (1998). The sixteenth century journal.Humanism as Method: Roots of Conflict with the Scholastics , 29(2), 427-438. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2544524 [ix] Nauert, C. G. N. (1998). The sixteenth century journal.Humanism as Method: Roots of Conflict with the Scholastics , 29(2), 427-438. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2544524 [x] Nauert, C. G. N. (1998). The sixteenth century journal.Humanism as Method: Roots of Conflict with the Scholastics , 29(2), 427-438. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2544524 [xi] Nauert, C. G. N. (1998). The sixteenth century journal.Humanism as Method: Roots of Conflict with the Scholastics , 29(2), 427-438. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2544524 [xii] Bellah, R. N. B. (1964). American sociological review.Religious Evolution, 29(3), 358-374. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2091480 [xiii] Nauert, C. G. N. (1998). The sixteenth century journal.Humanism as Method: Roots of Conflict with the Scholastics , 29(2), 427-438. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2544524 [xiv] â€Å"Bishop, W. S. B. (1906). The sewanee review. Erasmus,14(2), 129-148. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27530759 [xv] Bishop, W. S. B. (1906). The sewanee review. Erasmus,14(2), 129-148. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27530759 [xvi] Bishop, W. S. B. (1906). The sewanee review. Erasmus,14(2), 129-148. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27530759 [xvii] Bellah, R. N. B. (1964). American sociological review.Religious Evolution, 29(3), 358-374. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2091480 [xviii] Bellah, R. N. B. (1964). American sociological review.Religious Evolution, 29(3), 358-374. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2091480 [xix] Grant, E. G. (2004). Scientific Imagination in the Middle Ages.