Category: Consciousness

Introduction

Diversity refers to the dissimilarities that exist among people based on aspects such as race, gender, political affiliation, and sexual orientation among others. The topic has become popular in many institutions globally. This situation has instigated moves to encourage diversity consciousness in not only workplaces but also schools among other social environments. A school setup is a representation of a socially diverse institution as it accommodates diverse people.

As a result, it becomes a pool of individuals with wide-ranging mindsets concerning various spheres of life. Accommodation of learners from different cultural groups can enrich the academic accomplishment of the students academic accomplishment and well-being besides motivating inter-ethnic acceptance among them. Such variations provide them with different opinions, unique experiences, and perspectives of life. This paper provides an insight into a personal action plan for diversity consciousness by examining the benefits acquired through the process.

Personal Growth

Students take particular courses based on various motivations and needs. Some of them pursue their courses of choice to fulfill dreams and aspirations while others aim at appreciating their quest for knowledge. The commencement and completion of this course were both motivating and enthusiastic. My dream to join this course was guided by the desire to acquire knowledge applicable to real-life situations.

The application of the skills learned in class to solve real-life problems is the fulfilled vision. The course has heightened my awareness of diversity and its importance. Indeed, the knowledge about diversity is an excellent tool that correlates with academic prowess, achieving self-esteem by sharing experiences, developing individual identity, and gaining inter-ethnic tolerance. The course has also led to the awareness that diversity can cause discomfort among peers where rough interactions are experienced.

This situation leads to the development of mistrust and conspiracy. Other uncomplimentary effects of diversity are interpersonal conflicts, lower levels of communication, and disrespect among peers. By pursuing this course, I have learned to diminish such hostile situations through dialogue and mutual respect. With the understanding that each person is talented with dissimilar abilities, I have found a synthesis of social diversity.

The learning process washes away and replaces our previous misconceptions with a quality understanding of diverse life spheres. Before enrolling in this course, my knowledge and understanding of diversity were skewed. I viewed it as an approach that infringed the differentiated cultures, values, and beliefs among other aspects people. However, I am now in a better position to spearhead the advancement of social diversity in the school.

The process of learning is continuous. For this reason, its effectiveness must be given room for self-development. Diversity consciousness demands a live spirit. By maintaining a proactive approach to appreciating the diverse groups in the school, there will be the creation of a sound learning environment that underpins the development of mutual respect amongst the teachers, students, and parents. Moreover, the structured lessons have fostered diversity consciousness amongst classmates as they acknowledge varied cultural perspectives. Personally, the course has helped me erode the misconceptions about the opinions of other students at school. The diversity class has also sharpened my skills in handling diversity issues.

Diversity Benefits

Various benefits accrue from the awareness of diversity. In light of the perspectives of each participant in my group, I have learned to appreciate the importance of diverse people in almost every aspect of life. At the outset, diversity is a crucial factor that has improved my creativity. A multicultural and multiethnic environment brings about a plethora of unique skills that originate from particular societal groups (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008).

This state of affairs has led to the understanding of various problems such as racism that exist in human society. Many confrontational problems that occur in multicultural environments require us to make proper decisions each day. Early this year, I met two ethnically different students quarreling. The cause of disagreement was linked to their discomfort in class. With the skills gained through social diversity, I gained the courage to solve the problem amicably. Secondly, the value of diversity has underpinned the formulation of informed decisions. At one time, I was about to defer my studies to seize a job opportunity in a city restaurant.

However, sharing my problems with my group members encouraged me to make a sound decision continuing with the studies whilst seeking alternative solutions to the predicaments. This move led to innovation and the discovery of several ideas. At the beginning of the year, my science club was involved in a number of projects that aimed at encouraging innovation in the college (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008). Having been an active member of the association, I was awarded a sponsorship to advance scientific innovation.

Diversity Communication

Cheng and Xie (2013) posit that communication is an imperative tool that fosters diversity awareness. Through communication, different issues are raised. This situation leads to the generation of diverse viewpoints that are shared amongst the students taking the course. Consultations are also accomplished either in writing or verbally through communication techniques. The primary role of passing information from one party to the other is promoting diversity by providing a platform to seek perspectives on issues that matter to all people. For instance, the mass media is used in the transmission of values (Cheng & Xie, 2013).

This practice explicates the theory of the socialization function that entails the methods in which individuals embrace the conduct and standards of a particular group. They portray different values, beliefs, and attitudes that characterize diverse societies. By watching, listening, and reading, people gain a lot of information about others. Therefore, the media provides role models whose virtuous behaviors should be observed and/or imitated.

Successful diversity consciousness requires the exemplification of effective communication by the leaders of any institution; hence, proper language should be used to overcome the barriers to the promotion of diverse settings. Next, in cases of disagreements, individuals should react friendly to avoid rough interactions that can kill the spirit of diversity. The two ways can improve communication between people thereby increasing productivity.

According to Cheng and Xie (2013), communication helps attain a consensus that is highly valued in diversity consciousness. There is a need to ensure a common language during the communication process to avert possible barriers to the passage of important information. In addition, proper channels need to be in place for the effective delivery of messages.

Diversity Goals

The chief goal of the action plan is to pledge allegiance to foster diversity awareness with a view of avoiding stigmatization of the minority groups in society. This practice will make their differences a part of the majority. This situation will encourage diversity tolerance (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008). Another vital goal is to conduct a frequent evaluation of the diversity program, especially in the schools, to identify possible drawbacks and methods of mitigating them.

Diversity Action

Planning is a prerequisite to the success of any activity undertaken since it highlights the steps of achieving the layout goals and objectives (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008). Therefore, realizing diversity awareness depends on the understanding of goals that guarantee a healthy environment. Diversity involves the interactions and contacts between people of dissimilar backgrounds. A social and psychological process should be put in place. The social process will enhance the interaction to offer a platform for self-assessment and discovery of strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, the psychological process will prepare and help them diminish inter-ethnic tensions and anxiety; hence, it will promote knowledge (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2008).

Secondly, there is a need to engage inter-ethnic peers in constructive events that cut across both cultural and denominational divides. In so doing, new values will be acquired. In a school setup, healthy teacher-student interpersonal relationships can be aimed at achieving diversity by building quality bonds and reciprocated trust (Pianta, Hamre, & Stuhlman, 2003). Lastly, strengthening peer norms and networks to promote virtuous attitudes, sociability, and experiences will ease the prospects to know and learn from each other. Personally, gaining skills in decision-making, problem-solving, exposure, innovation, and teamwork will be great achievements.

Communities that host us will also get all-around leaders who view issues with global perspectives to provide valuable decisions. The benefits will be viewed from a global dimension. Innovation and discovery resulting from the interactions and contacts will provide solutions to global problems such as vaccines or cures for some diseases such as HIV/AIDS. The scenario that is exhibited during the construction of a house involves the cooperation of a structural engineer, architect, land surveyor, and construction managers among others (Pianta et al., 2003). This blending ensures a perfect completion of the building. If one of them is not consulted, the consequences become unfavorable.

The same spirit can be integrated into our social lives to yield the fruits of diversity. For the result to be realized, certain resources must be present to honor the pledges and commitments to diversity. In this spirit, I will be motivated to participate in community building activities to deliberate on issues affecting society with a view of formulating lasting solutions. Another valuable resource to help stick to my commitment is building standard networks with diverse people ranging from the rural to urban populaces, desert to island dwellers, moderates to radicals, and leaders to subjects in an attempt to encourage them to appreciate their experiences of diversity.

Conclusion

In summary, diversity of race, color, ethnicity, political affiliation, sexual orientation, and geographical locations provides make individuals unique. Mixing up such people brings about diversity that helps in the achievement of objectives not only in the school setting but also in the workplace among other social places. Enrolling in this course has taught me significant diversity values that will be useful throughout my life.

This paper has highlighted my personal developments and benefits that have resulted from learning diversity. Communication has been deemed paramount to achieving diversity goals. People should embrace social integration and advance the call for diversity in all spheres of life. Interracial marriages can also help bridge the gaps existing among varied communities to ease the ethnic pressures experienced in the present day.

Reference List

Cheng, S., & Xie, Y. (2013). Structural Effect of Size on Interracial Friendship. Proceedings of the National Academy of the USA, 110(18), 7165-7169.

Pettigrew, T., & Tropp, L. (2008). How does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? Meta-analytic tests of three Mediators. European Journal of Social Psychology, 38(6), 922-934.

Pianta, R., Hamre, B., & Stuhlman, M. (2003). Relationships between teachers and Children. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

The human mind and consciousness present many challenges to researchers, and numerous studies allow them to discover different phenomena, especially in the field of self-awareness. The documentary Human Consciousness (2014) from BBC provides viewers with an insight into different experiments which scientists conduct to explore the aspects of the functioning of the human mind. The most notable experiment in the documentary was the mirror self-recognition test, and current research shows that it is highly influenced by sociocultural factors.

Despite the fact that the mirror self-recognition test is fairly simple and does not require many resources, it enables researchers to understand the capacity of people to recognize themselves. Essentially, the aim of the mirror self-recognition test is to measure the ability of a child to be aware of themselves. The experiment takes place in accordance with three main stages, which should be strictly followed. The first stage involves letting the child approach a large mirror and spend several minutes looking at their reflection. The next move involves the parent of the child placing a small mark on the childs cheek close to the mouth where it can be visible. The third stage implies once again placing the child in front of the mirror and allowing them to see the reflection. The child passes the test if they touch the mark, which proves that they are self-aware and can link the image of the mark visible in the reflection to the actual one on their body. The film experiment showed that children start to demonstrate the signs of self-recognition only starting at the age of 18 months.

At the same time, as the current research suggests, sociocultural factors also play a major role in the ability of the child to pass the mirror self-recognition test. The study conducted by Cebiolu & Broesch (2021) explored the cross-cultural aspect involved in the test. The purpose of the study was to establish whether children who were raised in different social and cultural had different passing rates for the mirror self-recognition test. Additionally, the research aimed at discovering whether confounding factors such as motivation had any effect on the ability of the child to pass the test. Specifically, the researchers recruited 57 infants ranging in their age from 18 to 22 months. The infants belonged to two different sociocultural environments, namely, rural Vanuatu, a small archipelago in the South Pacific, and urban Canada. In order to conduct the experiment, the researchers employed a classic form of the test and placed a mark on the face of each participant and then let them look in the mirror.

The results of the study were significant and clearly demonstrated that social and cultural factors had a considerable role in the ability of children to pass the test. Specifically, the experiment showed that 68% of the children from the Canadian urban environment passed the test. In the case of the Vanuatu children, only a total of 7% of children participating in the experiment passed the test. Essentially, the results enabled the researchers to understand that the sociocultural environment was predictive of the childs capacity to demonstrate self-awareness. Moreover, the research also discovered that factors such as the motivation of children to show the mark did not affect the experiment. In other words, self-development was the only factor that affected the ability of the child to pass the test successfully.

The mirror self-recognition test demonstrated in the Human Consciousness documentary enables researchers to gain insight into human self-awareness. Experiments demonstrate that children younger than 18 months old tend to fail to pass the test. At the same time, the results of the research conducted by Cebiolu & Broesch indicate that sociocultural factors also have great significance when analyzing childrens ability to recognize themselves.

References

Cebiolu, S., & Broesch, T. (2021). Explaining cross-cultural variation in mirror self-recognition: New insights into the ontogeny of objective self-awareness. Developmental Psychology, 57(5), 625638. Web.

Human consciousness BBC documentary mind science. (2014). Dailymotion. Web.

No universal definition of consciousness exists despite numerous attempts by philosophers, scholars, researchers, and even practitioners to formulate it. Defining this concept remains a daunting task because people hold conflicting perspectives on the term (Vithoulkas & Muresanu, 2014). Dehaene et al. (2017) agree by asserting that consciousness has multiple meanings as it is used in widely different senses, including the transitive, intransitive, and reflexive ones. This phenomenon remains utterly complicated to explain despite that all people experience it.

There are numerous instances when I am conscious in life, but meditating emerges as the most prominent one. In general, meditation involves being mindful of oneself and requires an individual to focus on ones awareness at a particular moment (Manuello et al., 2016). This state hinges strictly on a specific form of consciousness. I often engage in this activity when I am incredibly calm and relaxed. Manuello et al. (2016) explain that during this process, the mind rests and attains a state of consciousness that is entirely distinct from the normal state of being awake. During this process, I try to comprehend all the levels of myself and finally experience the core of consciousness within me. Meditating and being conscious are not religious activities; rather, they are a scientific process (Vithoulkas & Muresanu, 2014). This statement means that people follow a specific order during this engagement, adhering to definite principles, and realizing verifiable outcomes. Therefore, meditating facilitates a deeper understanding of oneself and the surrounding environment.

An intricate link exists between mindful meditation and the state of consciousness. For instance, when I am most conscious, my mind tends to be clear, relaxed, and inwardly focused. Meditating requires being fully awake and alert, which involves shifting ones thoughts and concentration from the external world or the activities happening within the surrounding environment. In other terms, this practice calls for the attainment of an inner state which is still and focused on allowing the mind to become silent. When this level is achieved and no longer distracts the person, meditation often deeps, and the individual becomes more conscious (Manuello et al., 2016). Therefore, I am more mindful when I am in this spirited calmness.

Reflecting on the above discussion, it emerges that awareness and wakefulness are the major aspects of being conscious. Cognition relates to the content of consciousness or what the mind is focused on, and wakefulness denotes the degree of being aware (Vithoulkas & Muresanu, 2014). Furthermore, there are main types of consciousness  internal (self-awareness) and external awareness. Self-concept is constrained to the inner world, comprising unique thoughts, reflections, memories, feelings and emotions, and imagination (Manuello et al., 2016), while external awareness focuses on the outside world at a specific moment. Consciousness entails being aware of oneself and the world around the individual, and this awareness is subjective and unique to a person (Vithoulkas & Muresanu, 2014). Therefore, when people describe their emotions, feelings, or thoughts in words, this phenomenon is a part of their consciousness.

Finally, the human mind plays a vital role in the state of consciousness. Being conscious is essentially a mental process because it involves receiving and processing information in the brain, crystalizing the data, then storing the relevant cues, and discarding the less useful information (Vithoulkas & Muresanu, 2014). In addition to the five senses, other mental processes (including memory, reasoning, and imagination) enable the process of consciousness through perceiving and manipulating information.

References

Dehaene, S., Lau, H., & Kouider, S. (2017). What is consciousness, and could machines have it? Science, 358(6362), 486-492. Web.

Manuello, J., Vercelli, U., Nani, A., Costa, T., & Cauda, F. (2016). Mindfulness meditation and consciousness: An integrative neuroscientific perspective. Consciousness and Cognition, 40, 67-78. Web.

Vithoulkas, G., & Muresanu, D. F. (2014). Conscience and consciousness: A definition. Journal of Medicine and Life, 7(1), 104-108.

Philip Dicks work is a unique illustration of how a gray morality can be properly spelled out to reveal the ambiguity of any characters and story. The central figure, Rick Deckard, is manifested in the plot as a man confronting evil; but at the edge of the narrative, the reader already doubts humanitys virtue. The question of what it means to be human is becoming more and more obscure. The book exposes a blurred line between people who gradually forget how to feel in modern realities and robots who do not feel anything due to their nature.

One of the fundamental dogmas of the story is the ultimate demand for empathy. Androids are examined specifically for empathy; the central religion is based on emotional and spiritual wholeness; the protagonist talks a lot about sympathy and the moral side of exterminating androids. For Rick, being human means having emotion, empathy, and compassion. After another murder, the man assumes that sympathy has eradicated the line between predator and prey, winner and defeated (Dick, 2008). Compassion for the robot prevents him from concentrating on performance; empathy blocks his feeling of satisfaction with the accomplished duty.

Another severe dilemma in the story is the changing and deforming of ones identity. Robots are forced to disrupt their nature and manifest emotional affection to survive. People need to overcome compassion and sympathy to kill creatures that are frighteningly similar to real people. Rick says numerous times that identity violation is a fundamental condition of life (Dick, 2008). In Philip Dicks world, both sides have to make big sacrifices against personality to adapt to the cruel reality. Robots pretend to be empathetic people, and humans themselves pretend to be soulless androids to relieve the burden of assassination.

The story turned out to be quite ambiguous and with a controversial blurred gray moral. The writer does not give a point-blank response to what is the actual harm in his book. People appear in the story as beings capable of intense and conscious compassion, but still occupiers and slave owners. Androids and humans, on closer examination, are not much different if the world erases human empathy and integrates robots into society. Both parties can live in peace without disregard and slavery. The book is especially relevant in our time when technology is developing at a tremendous pace, and artificial intelligence is progressing day after day.

Reference

Dick, P. K. (2008). Do androids dream of electric sheep? Ballantine Books.

Introduction

Freudian and Marxist philosophies are the defining attributes of the social and ideological life of Europe in the XXth century. However, in spite of the fact that both branches were developed during one period, they are based on totally different conceptions, which is obvious from the comparative analysis of the philosophies.

Different approaches

The main thing that is different between the two philosophies is the field of their studies. Freud and his followers focused on introspection and the analysis of the deep processes of human consciousness that are far from its surface. At the same time, Marx, who also studied human consciousness, had a more general approach to it.

For Marxism, the main term is not individual, but society, which defines a direction for this philosophy. Deriving from the different approaches that were mentioned, the Freudian and the Marxist philosophies have different visions of consciousness itself. For instance, Freud studied consciousness as a complex structure with several levels: consciousness, preconsciousness, and unconsciousness (Berg, 4).

The first level is a location where all the mental processes of a person occur. The second level is the one where the hidden or restrained feelings, emotions, wishes, fears, etc. are being stored. And the last level is the one that cannot be controlled by the human and is affected by several factors.

Freudism defends the idea that the stem of ones life is their unconsciousness, which determines the persons thoughts, feelings, actions, and all the other spheres of life. On the other hand, Marx and his followers believed that the process went in a different order: the social, economical, and political life of individual shapes his or her consciousness (Soeteman, 66).

Thus, an individual is not the one to choose an ideology, way of perceiving life and other conscious processes: it is the society that influences ones beliefs and behavior.

Studying dreams

The same approach was used by Marxists in the study of dreaming. To be specific, they treated dreams not as an individual phenomenon with specific characteristics for every person, but as an indication of the whole of humanitys consciousness (Domhoff, 112). In other words, what a person sees in his or her dreams is predetermined by the experiences of the global community.

The most influential, according to philosophy, is the consciousness of the nation. In contrast, the Freudian perception of dreams is based on ones personal experience. Also, Freud and other representatives of the philosophy used the terms like condensation, displacement, symbolization as the determiners of the dreams content (Norton, 16).

All the processes were usually connected to the sexual sphere (Berger, 85). Another feature that makes the Freudian and the Marxist philosophies unlike each other is that Freud used to relate most of the subconscious processes of a person to his or her sexual experience, fantasies, and feelings. Sex played a leading role in forming ones motives for life for Freudians.

Unlike this position, Marxists saw the economical and political conditions of societys development as the primary factors that determine the way people live. Deriving from this, the two philosophies had different views on human history development.

For instance, for Freud, the history was moved by the wishes and ambitions that some individuals did not manage to satisfy and therefore realized in other spheres (so-called displacement) (Norton, 113). To compare, Marxism is tightly connected with the term historical materialism, invented by Karl Marx, and which expresses the view that the historical process is moved by people, who can define the mechanisms of progress and destruction.

Therefore, according to Marxism, people can plan the course of history and use all their powers, such as science and technological progress to reach the higher and higher levels of development (Lorimer, 89).

Conclusion

To conclude, it has to be said that the Freudian and the Marxist consciousnesses differ in several aspects, such as their fields of research, attitudes towards consciousness and its structure, and the aims of their philosophies. Both conceptions influenced the history of human philosophy considerably.

Works Cited

Berg Henk. Freuds Theory and Its Use in Literary and Cultural Studies: An Introduction. 

Berger Arthur Asa. Cultural Criticism. In: Foundations of Popular Culture, Vol. 4. London: SAGE Publications, 1995.

Domhoff, William. The Mystique of Dreams: A Search for Utopia Through Senoi Dream Theory. 

Lorimer Dough. Fundamentals of historical materialism: the Maxist view of history and politics. 

Norton: The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al. New York, London: Norton, 2001.

Soeteman, Arend. Pluralism and law: proceedings of the 20th IVR World Congress, Amsterdam, 2001. 

George Simmel and William DuBois have played a significant role in developing the theories of social science. Their double concepts are among the most known approaches to addressing the idea of consciousness and the stranger. The stranger represents a particular social kind, which is shaped by the inherent traits of an individual. Simmel shows various social kinds, including the miser, the poor, and the adventurer, regarding a stranger.

The connection between a stranger and a group relies on the fusion of opposites that consist of nearness and remoteness. In contrast, DuBoiss work is perceived as a liability to society as it reflects the subjective concept of being black in America. It views a black American as the seventh son, who identifies himself through the eyes of the others world, signifying an unusual awareness of double consciousness. This paper analyzes the differences and similarities between the two theoretical concepts.

Simmels Notion of the Stranger

Simmels concept of the outsider embodies a certain social type in individuals. The social types are developed from the intrinsic qualities of a person influenced by others. However, there are other communal groups, including the miserable, the poor, and the adventurer, which affect the strangers relationship with a group. Moreover, the latters relationship to the set stems from the combination of the opposites nearness and remoteness (Appelrouth & Edles, 2016).

The outsider is an insider as long as they have similar general qualities as the group, such as race or sex. However, the stranger becomes an outsider due to their general impersonal and unique characteristics not shared with others, which makes them seen as distinct people whose character is primarily different from the group.

Nonetheless, the unique combination of being near and remote allows the stranger to be an outsider within the group. Additionally, the stranger becomes a reliable acquaintance of group participants due to their objectivity. However, Simmel does not consider the stranger to be an individual who comes and goes. He assumes that they are socialized under similar conditions as the dominants in society, though remaining an outsider.

DuBoiss Notion of Double Consciousness

In contrast, DuBoiss work, The Soul of the Black Folk, symbolizes a change in tone from sensible in his earlier work to an ardent and militant tone that sets to address race subjectively. The double-consciousness describes an individual whose identity is in two-ness, which reveals the social divisions in American society. DuBois argues that colonization and interventionism resulted in Africas exploitation while creating his concept of the race line (DuBois, 2014).

DuBois argues that prosperity in colonial nations comes from the darker races of the world. The identification of the color line dealt with race as an impartial population classification and as an emblematic reality. He demonstrates double consciousness when he explains that the African American was a seventh son born with a veil and gifted with a second sight where they see themselves through others eyes (DuBois, 2014). The double-consciousness also reflects the experiences of blacks as a marginalized group in society.

In addition, DuBois shows that African Americans can see the communal barrier between individuals, but whites were unable to see the veil as they belong to the dominant group. He captures the complexity of blacks living in America and argues that being strangers in America does not allow them to have a true reflection of their self-consciousness as they have to see themselves through the eyes of the world (DuBois, 2017). This concept continued to be used and discussed to understand the racial cultures, societies, and literature.

Similarities and Differences in Theories

Both the stranger and double consciousness are similar in that they both recognize how a person can fit in a group by some special or general characteristics. However, they both show how they can exist outside the group due to their specific character that is not rational to the dominant group. The stranger and double consciousness theory also emphasize the feeling of distinctiveness that inhibits solidarity and the formation of a united sense of identity.

This demonstrates how African Americans live outside of the dominant white community and yet must exist within the society. In both theories, the group confronts a person who lives inside and outside of the group. For instance, a stranger, black, is confronted by the dominant group, whites, to which they do not belong, yet they cannot see their racism. The African American position is shown to be related to the outsider.

However, the two theorists differ in that Simmels stranger is mostly positive participation, although the blacks marginalization in society is a definite form of oppression. He defines the stranger as both physically close but socially distant, showing that the stranger comes and stays despite not being socialized in mainstream society (Appelrouth & Edles, 2016).

Moreover, Simmel identifies several ways a stranger can benefit from their position as strangers because of being the outsider within and equally valuable members of the community. They portray certain objectivity and are expected not to judge. In contrast, double consciousness is entrenched in conflict, as African Americans in the community must find a system to unify the double-sided ways of being both African and American in a predominantly white society that perceives their race as inferior.

Simmels Thesis on Group Distance

Simmel introduces social distance theory where a stranger fits in some aspects, but whites alienate them due to personality differences with their group. He explains that distance is inversely related to the amount of knowledge available to the persons involved. Simmel emphasizes that the sphere of knowledge is influenced by the relationships and the participants self-revelations (Ritzer, 2011). This ensures that everyone reserves and maintains an area of privacy.

However, restraints are common, although not a constant aspect in all social relationships (Ritzer, 2011). Furthermore, it shows that society cannot lie if people know enough information about one another and leads to the question of individuals capability to endure the burden of complete self-awareness as a social person.

Simmels work tends to stress distance as an inverse function of the effect between sentiments and conventional norms. His requirement for privacy in society has been discussed, especially in treating the role of segregation. However, Simmel has a dilemma in that human beings have the ability to assume multiple roles that differ and are contrary to the expectations.

Therefore, for social interaction to be made possible, public and private life must be similar and, at the same time, keep some distance. For example, a doctor takes care to give minimal information about the patients ailment, or a husband sets guards on his wife to ensure confidence by giving less irrelevant information. The distancing promotes the unity of the relationship itself through social distancing. Moreover, by using the Tuareg veil and evaluation of the social system, it is evident that social distance pervades all social relationships to varying degrees within different communities and individual relationships.

Moreover, the Simmel concept of social distancing demonstrates that an individuals privacy and withdrawal is an acceptable qualities in society. Similarly, the Tuareg veil reveals that keeping some level of emotional distance is common in difficult relationships but must be perpetuated to maintain a generalized relationship.

For instance, delicate social situations require more social distance and removal of the actors, as seen in the doctor-patient interaction. Furthermore, the kind of social distance which is popular is the one that arises within certain categories of players whose behavior is expected to interact. Role-specific social distance is seen in how a husband treats his wife with polite consideration and affection. Unfortunately, the Tuareg veil is a generalized distance that has a tendency to diffuse social interactions completely.

Conclusion

In conclusion, double consciousness and stranger theories have influenced critical concepts in social sciences. Simmel and DuBois use their theories to examine further the social issues such as inequalities and racism. They both discuss the lack of belonging by outsiders within a society where they are tolerated but not accepted.

However, they differ on appreciation, with DuBois displaying blacks as the seven sons in society and Simmel finding them beneficial as outsiders within. Simmel also believes that the strangers role is historically connected to economic interactions. They hold certain objectivity and can be confessed to without the threat of judgment on the one who confesses. However, the stranger is not withdrawn from society completely, as shown through Simmels social distancing and awareness of social norms.

References

Appelrouth, S., & Edles, L. (2016). Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory: Text and readings (3^rd ed.). Sage Publications.

DuBois, W. E. (2014). The souls of Black folk. Create Space Independent Publishing.

Ritzer, G. (2011). Classical Sociological Theory (6^th ed.) McGraw Hll.

Animals are alive creatures that can feel pain, startling, freezing, and other spontaneous emotions. In general, it is assumed that animals are driven by their inborn instincts. For instance, when the sheep sees the lion, it runs away to avoid being eaten by the predator. In this case, the instinct of self-preserving is crucial for the sheep. However, there is a significant difference between animals and human beings. It is expressed in conscious feelings, such as reporting mood, happiness, sadness, or other emotions. It is essential to examine the scientific point of view to prove that animals can feel conscious emotions.

There are many points of view on this topic. Some people may report that they can trace the mood of their pets. Overall, I have noticed it while contacting my friends cats and dogs. This experience was fascinating because sometimes it seemed that pets could understand human speech. Moreover, it is impressive how domestic animals are happy when their hosts come home. Dogs wag their tails, jump, and bark happily.

It is interesting because some cognitive processes are happening in the consciousness of the pet. For instance, one of the animal studies suggests that animal processes include metacognition, self-recognition, and episodic-like memory (Neindre et al., 2017). Accordingly, these processes create the capacity to know and deal with their experiences and own knowledge (Neindre et al., 2017). Moreover, animals even can fall into depression after suffering unpleasant experiences. It is suggested that the animal has a specific type of consciousness, which enables it to acquire the world.

Due to many complicated actions happening in the animal brain, specific operations generate their neural pathways and allow them to feel conscious emotions. Therefore, animals can sense and respond to external factors and experience emotions generated in their neural system. It is also possible to trace the similarities between human and animal emotions and understand that pets may grasp some information equally to human beings.

The psychological theory proposed by James and Lange is an exciting approach in terms of the psychology of emotions. The theory suggests that manifestations of emotions (laughter or crying) are a cause of feeling itself rather than its consequence. Therefore, if the person cuts off the external manifestation from feeling, nothing will remain entirely. For instance, the human feels sad because he cries but does not cry because he is grieved (Giulio, 2021). It is essential to recall an example of the manifestation of the James-Lange theory in action.

This approach states that the person shapes his mood by expressing a particular emotion. For instance, it is essential to smile to provoke a good mood. In general, I would agree with this theory because an example from my life proves it. When my friend received a bad mark for her final exam, she could not stop crying as this mark would influence her graduation paper. She was distraught by receiving the low score; however, her hysteria provoked more panic. I decided to calm her down, but it did not work. Then, I told her to make an effort and smile for twenty seconds, as I saw this method on the internet. As a result, she stopped crying, and her mood was improving rapidly. It is fascinating how this method works with unstoppable hysteric crying.

Overall, the theory of James-Lange is practical, and some real-life proofs approve of its efficiency. It can be suggested that people should smile if they want to improve their mood and vice versa, their attitude spoils because of crying. This approach is interesting to examine in terms of everyday psychology, and it is possible to apply it in daily life to change the humans attitude towards some things.

References

Giulio, P. (2021). The Human Emotions and the Perrotta Human Emotions Model (PHEM): The new theoretical model. Historical, neurobiological and clinical profiles. Archives of Depression and Anxiety, 1, 2028. Web.

Neindre, P., Bernard, E., Boissy, A., Boivin, X., Calandreau, L., Delon, N., Deputte, B., DesmoulinCanselier, S., Dunier, M., Faivre, N., Giurfa, M., Guichet, J., Lansade, L., Larrère, R., Mormède, P., Prunet, P., Schaal, B., Servière, J., & Terlouw, C. (2017). Animal consciousness. EFSA Supporting Publications, 14(4), 1-165. Web.

Debunking Freudian theories on sexual orientation

Sigmund Freud considered a person is not born with a particular sexual orientation. As the most common cause of homosexuality, Freud names long and intense fixation on the mother regarded the Oedipus complex. Freuds theory still has little empirical evidence. If the approach is correct, most people would have a memory of becoming heterosexual. Instead, heterosexuals believe they have always been that way. Then why is this statement not true for homosexual people? Swaab et al. (2021) published another study that casts doubt on Freuds theory. He states that there is no evidence of the decisive role of the social environment in the development of sexual orientation. It can be concluded that psychology has little in common with sexual orientation.

W.E.B. Du Bois Dual Consciousness

The dual consciousness theory of W.E.B Dubois can be explained as the feeling of ones identity split into parts. A person feels like an American and black and lives in different cultural, social, and ideological realities. It is complicated to combine these roles to fight stereotypical thinking. Moreover, according to Dubois, the presence of two conflicting positions leads to the fact that both consciousnesses are incomplete. A person who appears white on the outside can enjoy all the privileges but experiences even more depressing signs of dual consciousness. A person moves away from the racial community to which he belongs and is forced to prove to himself that he is part of a white society.

References

Swaab, D. F., Wolff, S. E., & Bao, A. M. (2021). Sexual differentiation of the human hypothalamus: Relationship to gender identity and sexual orientation. Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 181, 427-443.

The Phenomenology of Spirit is a philosophical work by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, first published in 1807. The result of this paper is a systematic attempt to chart the development of human consciousness as it moves from naivety and unconsciousness through various stages of self-awareness until it finally reaches a state of full self-consciousness and spiritual enlightenment. Hegels description of self-consciousness in the Phenomenology of Spirit leads to the conclusion that people must seek acknowledgment from others. Kant would critique this pursuit of the ethical life, stating that it leads to the mistreatment of others (Verghese, 2022). When the possibility of mutual recognition is introduced, and the case of mutual recognition is submitted, the beginnings of spirit and the potential for collective identity are witnessed. Fanon contends that even when slavery was abolished, the formerly enslaved people did not attain dialectical transcendence (Fanon, 2014). The purpose of understanding is developed further in Hegels mature works, especially the components of the philosophy of a place where it becomes an essential element in the development of ethical life.

In Hegels perspective, self-consciousness is prompted to seek acknowledgment from others for two reasons. For starters, self-consciousness is only feasible in the presence of another self-conscious being. To be self-conscious, one must be aware of oneself as distinct from others, which is only viable if one is also aware of others as persons separate from oneself (Verghese, 2022). Second, by analyzing the nature of recognition, the chapter guides self-consciousness toward a complete awareness of its nature and its relationship to others (Verghese, 2022). The philosopher describes self-consciousness as a factor that is for itself. Selfknowledge, including ones sense of independence and appreciation of self, is never a consequence of easy reflection (Verghese, 2022). Instead, understanding ourselves as individual self-consciousness involves the understanding of another. One must recognize oneself as mediated through this difference.

The Phenomenology of Spirit, Hegels most essential and widely studied work, is a detailed exposition of the journey of the human spirit through history. Hegel argues that human nature must go through a process of dialectical development to reach its full potential. This development occurs through a series of struggles between opposing forces, which he calls lordship and bondage (Fanon, 2014). The first stage of this process is the struggle between the master and the enslaved person. In this struggle, the master is the one who wants to control and dominate the enslaved person, while the enslaved person is the one who wants to be free from the control of the master. The enslaved person eventually overcomes the master and achieves freedom. However, this freedom is only partial, as the enslaved person is still subject to the will of the master.

In Hegels account, self-consciousness is led to look for another for recognition because it is only through recognition by another that self-consciousness can become aware of itself. Hegel accounts for directs self-consciousness toward the concept of the I that is We, which is only achievable through recognition by others. (Verghese, 2022). Hegel introduces the idea of a struggle for recognition, describing an encounter between two self-consciousness, which both seek to affirm the certainty of their being for themselves (Verghese, 2022). Such a conflict is described as a life and death struggle as each consciousness desires to confirm its self-existence and independence through negation or objectification of the other. That is, it seeks to incorporate the other within its field of consciousness as an object of negation, as something which this consciousness is not, thus affirming its unfettered existence.

Kant would critique this quest for the ethical life for failing to recognize each individuals fundamental dignity. Each individual has a distinct value that cannot be reduced to purely instrumental. According to Kants categorical imperative, we must always see people as ends in themselves, never as means to our objectives (Verghese, 2022). This quest for an ethical existence falls short because it does not consider each individuals fundamental dignity. This quest for an honorable existence fails to recognize the distinct value of each individual. Immanuel Kant is best understood for his categorical responsibility, which is most frequently said in two manners. This first asserts that the individual should function as if the choices one makes for oneself would turn into universal law. The second states that a person should do so that they treat each person as the end and never as simple as a way. Kant named the absolute imperatives, which meant that their needs were general and not subject to situational factors.

Kant is known for his belief that there is one ethical duty, which he named categorical imperatives. These requirements of moral philosophy are derived from this side of responsibility. (Verghese, 2022). Categorical imperatives represent intrinsically logical rules; they are better at and of themselves; they must be obeyed at all places and conditions if our behavior equals observing the moral law. The categorical imperative offers the test against which ethical statements will be measured (Verghese, 2022). Kant also said that these ethical norms and ends could be used for the categorical imperative, that rational beings seek specific fortunes using the proper ways.

Judith Butler has many reasons that make her think of spiritual start-ups on the verge of mutual identity. When an individual is acknowledged, they may believe that they are members of a group and feel a sense of belonging. An individual understands who they are and how they fit into the world through acknowledgment. According to Butler, the emergence of the recognition of mutuality in this chapter marks the beginning of spirit and the capacity for collective identity (Verghese, 2022). She maintains that when individuals perceive and acknowledge one another as subjects with equal value and worth, the way is opened to a shared sense of purpose and community. This recognition is required to form any collective identity since it permits individuals to come together and feel as part of something larger.

Butler says this discovery is not always easy or evident because it requires people to let go of their egos and opinions to see and understand one another completely. She maintains that we can only hope to build collective identity through mutual acknowledgment. Hegel recognizes mutually in the Lordship and Bondage chapter of the Phenomenology of Spirit, which he claims is required to develop spirit (Verghese, 2022). Butler claims that the introduction of the possibility of reciprocal recognition marks the origins of spirit and the capacity for collective identity. According to Butler, this is the beginning of spirit since we recognize the possibilities of communal identity for the first time (Verghese, 2022). It is the acknowledgment of the other as a topic of equal worth and value. This acknowledgment is the foundation of communal identity, as we can only build a sense of self through recognizing the other. This is because mutual recognition is only feasible if we consider ourselves as members of a community or group rather than as individuals.

Mutual acknowledgment is essential to spirit since it is the only way to achieve unity and purpose. The introduction of the possibility of reciprocal recognition marks the origins of spirit and the capacity for collective identity. Hegels idea of life was expensive in terms of the cosmos but also stunning in terms of time (Verghese, 2022). One of Hegels daring hypotheses was that God as a general meaning cannot be seen except in the deitys immediate existence of a specific kind at a given time but must be comprehended over a lengthy period of growth as the process.

Frantz Fanon uses the analog of enslavement to express the mistreatment that people underwent through. Frantz Fanon believes that the formerly enslaved people did not experience dialectical transcendence because they were still subject to mental slavery (Fanon, 2014). He says that the formerly enslaved people continued to live in a world where they were not regarded as human beings but as inferior people (Fanon, 2014). They could not fully engage in the colonys social and political life because they were perceived as inferior to the white colonizers (Fanon, 2014). Frantz Fanon mentions that awareness of the body for people of African descent is only the negating process (Fanon, 2014). It is the third-person awareness that Fanon is talking about. Frantz Fanons statement suggests that people of African descent are only aware of their bodies in a negative way. This is because they are constantly being aware of how their bodies are different from the majority population.

Frantz Fanon has represented the leading force for those understanding competition and prejudice within existentialism and phenomenology. Fanon writes in dark skin and white masks, I got into the world anxious to reveal the significance of things, my spirit desirous of taking in the origin of the world, and here I am the entity among different objects (Fanon, 2014). Moreover, inferiority is defined by the difference, by the white gaze. Such a point is interpreted through the structure representation: that person of color encounters difficulties elaborating his body schema in the white world. The picture of ones structure is only negating. Rather than being at home in his own body and going out of tradition, Fanon interprets his structure as mainly an entity for others, requiring him to go by tacit knowledge of the principles and norms of the white reality. Fanon analyzes the significance of violence in decolonization in the chapter Concerning Violence (Fanon, 2014). He claims that violence is required to topple the colonial system and attain national liberation.

The introduction to a dark surface gives a glimpse of how colonized people were dehumanized by the white masks, entailing critical foundational pieces of criticism. This sums up Fanons straightforward statement; that people of color are locked in the dark, and white people are locked in whiteness. Fanon draws the relationship between ontology and sociological structures, insisting that the latter produces the former, which, in exchange, locks subjectivities into their racial categories (Harfouch, 2019). The following chapters are, in some ways, a lengthy, continuous debate for these statements, venturing into questions of the word, gender, embodiment, and dialectics. First, Fanons opening gambit presents the central idea of the region of non-being. The region of the non-being is that, as Fanon puts it, of darkness, honestly faced with its status in the anti-black world (Harfouch, 2019). In an exciting and essential twist, Fanon, in this beginning, does not distinguish descent into the region as anarchy or hopelessness. Instead, he counters with the experience of the judgment as it vibrates harmonies vibrates.

Finally, Hegels Phenomenology of Spirit leads to the conclusion that people must seek recognition from others to attain self-consciousness. According to Kant, this pursuit of an ethical life leads to the abuse of others. Butler claims that the introduction of the possibility of reciprocal recognition marks the origins of spirit and the capacity for collective identity. According to Fanon, even after slavery was abolished, formerly enslaved people did not achieve dialectical transcendence.

The conclusion that people must seek recognition from others to attain self-consciousness is based on the fact that self-consciousness can only be achieved in the presence of another self-conscious entity. To be self-conscious, one must be aware of oneself as distinct from others, which is only feasible if one is likewise aware of others as distinct individuals from oneself. Furthermore, Hegels Phenomenology of Spirit directs self-consciousness toward a fuller awareness of its nature and relationship to others by investigating the nature of recognition.

Although Kant would criticize this pursuit of the ethical life, Butler claims that when the possibility of mutual recognition is established, it is seen in the beginnings of spirit and the possibilities of communication. This creates a mutual acknowledgment of the spiritual role that helps to achieve unity and purpose. The recognition of spirits marks a collective identity and origination of the spirits. The life of Hegel was expensive, stunning, and recognizable to the Supreme Being, which fosters and ensures growth and development. Hegel understands the role of self-consciousness that enables an individual to identify his/her distinct character and an individual relationship with others.

References

Fanon, F. (2014). Color and agency: Hegels master/slave dialectic in the lens of Frantz Fanons black skin, white masks. Web.

Harfouch, A. S. (2019). Hegel, Fanon, and the problem of recognition. In Frantz Fanon and Emancipatory Social Theory. Brill. 139-151. Web.

Verghese, A. (2022). Ironys subversive bite: destabilizing colonial legacies in contemporary art. Doctoral dissertation, Research Space Auckland. Web.

Neumans theory of health as expanding consciousness has been widely used by nurses and caregivers across the world. It is evident that Margaret Neuman is one of the greatest theorists who have contributed a lot to the field of nursing. Margaret developed the theory from the idea that human health is the absence of pathogens, diseases, or disabilities. According to Margaret, it is usually impossible to eliminate all diseases and disabilities. That being the case, Neuman believes that all persons could be healthy regardless of the absence or presence of a disease. The theory stipulates that all persons are part of a wider process aimed at expanding human consciousness regardless of their situations. The theory encourages people to become aware of their health and find a new meaning in their lives. This is eventually what helps them connect with the world and people around them.

Margarets theory views health as the ability to attain consciousness as a unitary being. This means that individuals with disabilities or diseases can attain this kind of consciousness and health status. The theory disregards the notion that health is the absence of disease. According to the theory, it is impossible to have a complete absence of disease. The theory goes further to explain how human suffering and physical deterioration are common in the presence of a disease. A person suffering from a certain disease might be undergoing deterioration, the caregiver should always the person expand his/her consciousness. The process will make people conscious and subsequently make it easier for them to find greater meaning in their lives. The theory can help people connect with the outside world and people in their surroundings.

According to the theory, suffering is a way of manifestation through which an individuals paternalistic system is portrayed. Pathological conditions and deterioration are essential because they manifest the total pattern of an individual. According to the theory, removing a disease (or suffering) from the body will not change the total pattern of the individuals. It is therefore evident that human suffering or physical deterioration plays a huge role in the manifestation of peoples patterns. This constitutes the health of such individuals. The theorist goes further to consider health as the expansion of human consciousness.

From the above description, it is notable that Martha Rogers influenced Margaret towards the development of her theory. Marthas theory of Unitary Beings views humans as unitary elements. This explains why they are inseparable into different parts. Humans have unitary fields that form open systems with the environment. The unitary system, according to Rogers, is what dictates human experiences and health. That being the case, nursing is a partnership between the client and the nurse. The partnership should promote new levels of human consciousness. It is agreeable that Rogers greatly influenced Neumans views on nursing. Neuman used the idea of unitary beings to come up with the theory health as expanding human consciousness.

Rogers considers human beings as part of the unitary system. Such individuals have dynamic fields that are facilitated by the environment. Both environmental and human fields are always exchanging their energies. According to the theory, human beings undergo different stages through which they exchange their energies with the environment. Such sequential stages begin from birth to death thus promoting the relationship. Rogers considers death as the extreme condition whereby the policy between the environment and the human system is unable to maintain the life process. In conclusion, Rogers theory of Science of Unitary Beings inspired Margaret Neuman to come up with her famous theory of health as expanding consciousness.