Is homosexuality nature, nurture or both - Free Essay Example

Homosexuality is the sexual attraction to ones own sex. There is much debate as to whether or not homosexuality is a choice, which it is not. To say it is a choice is diminishing to a homosexuals confidence and mental health. Being homosexual, or gay as it is more commonly known, has to do with someones biology. With multiple aspects, gay is hard to explore. Is it nature, nurture or both? Can someone change their sexuality? What all is involved in determining ones sexual identity? Contrary to popular belief, being homosexual does not mean that one is attracted romantically to someone of the same sex. While homosexuality is an umbrella term for most individuals who experience same-sex attraction, it is not that simple. Homoromanticism is the romantic attraction to those of ones own sex without sexual attraction. This is different from homesexuality in the aspect that it explains romantic attraction and has no determination over sexual attraction. Homosexuality has been around since the beginning of time and is not a new fad, unlike some think. The recent outbreak, for lack of a better word, of homosexual individuals are due to recent advances of their rights, mainly the right to marry. Before same-sex marriage was legal, many homosexual individuals would be forced by their families to marry someone of the opposite sex in hopes that they would procreate. The idea that the only goal in life is to procreate, has caused the idea of homosexuality to be perverted into something that it is not. Many individuals have a perverted idea of what a homosexual individual is and because this topic is not widely publicized, there are still those who believe that it is wrong. While there have been many advancements in regards to homosexuality, such as removing homsexuality from the list of mental illnesses, there is still a long way to go before homosexual individuals, who have no choice in who they are, are seen as equal to their heterosexua l counterparts. Many scientists and behavioral specialists believe that homosexuality is not only a matter of just nature or just nurture. It is a widely accepted notion that homosexuality is a product of both. Some believe that homosexual males have the physical development of males, but the mental development of females (Islay). Some believe that homosexuality is due to the type and amount of certain hormones a fetus was exposed to during its development in the womb (Islay). There is irrefutable evidence that proves that homosexuality is a part of who a homosexual person is. This evidence has to do with part of an individuals brain. A paper written by Richard Islay, a researcher, breaks apart a study done by scientist Roger Gorski and his colleagues on multiple heterosexual men and women, as well as homosexual men. The nucleus, INAH3, found in the brain, is two to three times larger in heterosexual men than in homosexual men (Islay). After determining the size of INAH3 in a heterosexual womans brain, it was concluded that the size of INAH3 is the same in a heterosexual woman as it is in a homosexual man (Islay). Furthermore, consequent studies found more conclusive evidence. The anterior commissure, also found in the brain, is larger in heterosexual women than it is in heterosexual men (Islay). It was also found that the anterior commissure is larger in homosexual men than it is in heterosexual men, by about the same amount as they had previously found i t to be in the brain of a heterosexual woman (Islay). Another study similar to this was also conducted, but instead used a multimodal MRI. Scientists used these images to prove the same thing Gorski and his colleagues had proven with the INAH3 and anterior commissure (Manzouri and Savic). If homosexuality was a choice, how could this data, that was proven twice, be true? The idea that a homosexual male has the mental development of a female and the physical development of a male is highly plausible. This idea can be proven by the aforementioned studies. It would make sense to believe that because different parts of a homosexual mans brain are the same sizes as parts of a heterosexual womans brain, and not the same size as parts of a heterosexual mans brain, that they would have the same mental development. Additionally, there are the beginnings of evidence of a gay gene that codes for fetuses to be homosexual while in the mothers womb. Some scientists believe that homosexuality is linked to fecundity, which was later revealed to mean fertility (Adriaens and De Block). It is believed that matrilineal fecundity is highly linked to male homosexuality (Adriaens and De Block). It was never discussed further on who was involved in these studies, but there had to have been some compelling evidence. In the Robles family, there is a high fecundity on the mothers side of the family. Whether extremely young or in their mid-thirties, women in the Robles family are able to have babies back-to-back, many times with use of contraception. This scenario is possible evidence to prove that high matrilineal fecundity is linked to increased homosexuality in men on a loosely based conclusion. There have 22 children in four direct generations, eight of which have been male, and five of which have been gay. Again, the so-called gay gene makes an appearance. In Mike Smith and Mary Ann Drakes work, Suicide homosexual teens: What can biology teachers do to help, they discuss an experiment a scientist by the name of Hamer conducted. In Hamers experiment, he took 40 pairs of gay brothers and closely examined their karyotypes and found that 33 of the pairs had inherited the same part of their mothers X chromosome, which is higher than the 20 pairs that he had expected (Smith and Drake). Hamer labeled this gene, q28, the gay gene. While more evidence has to be conducted to prove the genes credibility, it is still a large step in determining the biology behind being gay.

Comparing the Mothers in The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin...

Comparing the Mothers in The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun The plays, The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun, deal with the love, honor, and respect of family. In The Glass Menagerie, Amanda, the caring but overbearing and over protective mother, wants to be taken care of, but in A Raisin in the Sun, Mama, as she is known, is the overseer of the family. The prospective of the plays identify that we have family members, like Amanda, as overprotective, or like Mama, as overseers. I am going to give a contrast of the mothers in the plays. In The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, we embark on the task of seeing a family living in the post WWII era. The mother is Amanda, living in her own world and wanting†¦show more content†¦In this play, Amanda, wants the best for her children, but should realize that they have their own lives. A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, tries to give readers an overall look of what it feels like to be given a chance to make a difference. The play includes Mama, the stronghold of the family, her son, Walter Lee, a dreamer, Beneatha, Walter’s sister, who wants to be a doctor, his wife, Ruth, a realist, and their son, Travis. The play setting is like that of The Glass Menagerie, and is set in post WWII and tells how Mama wants to make a difference for her family. A Raisin in the Sun, unlike The Glass Menagerie, tells how Mama wants something for her entire family to enjoy, unlike Amanda, who wants her family to provide for her own enjoyment. In A Raisin in the Sun, Mama inherits ten-thousand dollars, due to her husband death, and buys a nice house in a white neighborhood. She entrusts Walter Lee, with sixty-five hundred dollars of the ten-thousand dollars, to put into the bank. Mama tells Walter Lee to divide it between him and Beneatha. Instead of putting the mon ey where Mama told him, Walter decides to invest it with friends, in which, he ends up getting scammed. In turn, this made it difficult for the family to decide whether to move into the house or not. Mama lets Walter Lee make the decision to move into the house or to give up. He realizes at the end of the play that this was for his family moreShow MoreRelatedParallel Themes in the Plays, The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun623 Words   |  3 PagesIn the plays The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun, both tried to soak up the dreams they all had envisioned. The hardships of life and trying to get that dream can be a struggle. In both plays reality was a major factor of disrupting them from pushing towards it. In a Raisin in the Sun it was Prejudice and being black people. In The Glass Menagerie it was probably Laura the disabled sister and daughter. The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the sun are similar in ways of how they live and

The Complicated Life of Socrates - 1183 Words

Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher that was born in Athens, Greece around 470/469 BC. He served in the Athenian army and fought in many battles. When Socrates retired from fighting in the army, he began focusing on expressing his beliefs. He wasn’t the typical â€Å"teacher† or â€Å"preacher†; he was a very critical and analytical thinker that helped guide his students and the Athenians during his time. Through his teachings and beliefs, Socrates had positive and negative influence on the people during his time and modern time. Although he is credited as one of the founders of Western Philosophy, Political Philosophy, and Ethics, his teachings was in disagreement with the teachings of the democracy of Athens, which led to him being put to†¦show more content†¦The whole of his conduct will be the exhibition of one excellence, steady and assured certainty of the true scale of good† (Taylor). Also important to Socrates’ teachings was his way of analyzing, which became known as the Socratic Method. The Socratic Method was an experiment to figure out the truth and beliefs of people by examining with a series of questions. Kern says, â€Å"Socrates was aware that people were not open to the truth and that they had many barriers to reaching it. He knew that we all spend most of our time living in error. So he developed a procedure by which he was able to rise from error himself and to raise others from error as well† (Kern).By the use of critical thinking and analyzing, Socrates’ students were able to figure out their extent of knowledge, truth, justice, and belief. To answer problems, the students would break the problem down into questions, and with contradiction, the answer or better solutions could be found. The Socrates Method can be related to the modern Scientific Method, starting with a hypothesis, and testing the hypothesis until achieving consistent results. This method was mainly used to display how people should act in society, justice, and moral. The Socratic Method led him toShow MoreRelatedFalse Facts About False Beliefs1075 Words   |  5 Pagesmaterialize. If the hypothesis does not appear to materialize, it is considered wrong. Therefore, if the hypothesis were true, the expected implications would not have followed. A quote from Socrates states: If I could only find a man wiser than myself then I might go to the god with a refutation in my hand. Socrates found that he was more knowledgeable then these men and never did he presume to be more knowledgeable than he was. He recognized that he was more knowledgeable but realized the point whenRead MoreFate Or Free Will?882 Words   |  4 Pagesyears now. This is a tremendously complicated dialogue and conceivably even inexplicable. Philosophically, there is an extremely diaphanous line separating free will and fate. Free will resides within one’s individuality; it has to do with the present. The how and when experiences that are within our controls that is free will. On the other hand, human beings do not have immortality, so one will never be capable enough to circumvent dying that is fate. Socrates was one of the most distinguishedRead MoreSocrates s View Of Philosophical Thought983 Words   |  4 Pages Socrates was a novel philosopher who challenged the limitations of philosophical thought during his lifetime. More specifically, Socrates was a key proponent for the idea known as ‘Dualism’, in which the mind (Soul) and the body are not mutually exclusive entices, bur rather interact in a tangible manner in which they come to have a reciprocated relationship. Throughout many religions and spiritual movements, Socrates view of a interaction between the immortal soul and the physical body is evidentRead MoreThe Apology Of Plato s Apology982 Words   |  4 Pages In the â€Å"Apology,† Socrates seems disobedient, disrespectful and even boastful as he speaks to the magistracy. In â€Å"Crito,† however, Socrates is found sleeping soundly as he patiently awaits his punishment – death. It seems that Plato’s works paint two entirely contradicting portraits of his mentor. Yet, it was not a contradiction for Socrates to refuse Crito’s help to leave Athens and avoid punishment, because the alternative penalties or escape would compromise Socrates lifestyle, and since he failedRead MoreEssay about Plato’s Apology933 Words   |  4 Pages Plato’s Apology Socrates was a very simple man who did not have many material possessions and spoke in a plain, conversational manner. Acknowledging his own ignorance, he engaged in conversations with people claiming to be experts, usually in ethical matters. By asking simple questions, Socrates gradually revealed that these people were in fact very confused and did not actually know anything about the matters about which they claimed to be an expert. Socrates felt that the quest for wisdom andRead MoreSocrates Views On Socrates729 Words   |  3 PagesTo question what no man has questioned before, that is what we praise Socrates for. Socrates’ Philosophies grew out of his questioning of the social norm. Using this technique, he seems to always focus on three main aspects: justice, virtue, and morality. Socrates claims that he has no wisdom. He states, â€Å"I know I have no wisdom, great or small.† The world has an infinite number of possibilities and anything he declares understand ing, is extremely minimal compared to the possibilities that existRead Moreâ€Å"A Truly Just City?† Essay701 Words   |  3 PagesIn the book â€Å"The Republic,† by Plato, Socrates constructs a utopia of a pure aristocracy to channel his visions of what he constitutes to be a just city. Socrates’ ideal of justice, is of a virtue that can be developed out of reason and knowledge, and when tuned correctly can be the justified way of governing a city. Fundamentally, the rulers are driven by specific appetites and virtues, that develop a cycle of ruling between the stages of aristocracy, timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and eventuallyRead MoreThe Father Of Modern Physics1414 Words   |  6 Pagespeople as prodigies or fathers of their field, but what really defines somebody as knowledgeable? I believe that Socrates even today is still thought of as one of the greatest philosophers of our time, taking up multiple students who became just as famous as himself th rough his teachings. Yet many people argue if he actually knew anything. To decide if the people who believe if Socrates is actually knowledgeable we first have to define knowledge. Knowledge is experience you have gained about a subjectRead MoreThe Dilemma Of The Euthyphro Dilemma952 Words   |  4 PagesThe Euthyphro Dilemma gives the readers many good points to understand relativism about morality and connect with religion. Also, this is these dialogues between Euthyphro and Socrates, and it find out in the Plato’s dialogue. In the Euthyphro, Socrates asks whether a thing is pious (or good or right) because it is loved by the Gods (or, in its secular form, ‘loved by someone’), or is a thing loved by the Gods (or someone) because it is pious (or good) (Plato, 1981, 10a); it can be considered oneRead MoreWhat Is Right And Wrong?958 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"What is Truth?† Life is characterized by many situations that require decision making, especially on ethical and moral grounds. The issue of what makes an action right and wrong has been studied for a very long time and several theories developed to address this issue. Socrates and Aristotle are some of the early philosophers who came up with theories about the rightness or wrongness of our actions. As noted by Warnek (2005), Socrates considered self-knowledge as necessity of life and also, an important

Affirmative Action as defined by the Meriam Webste Essay Example For Students

Affirmative Action as defined by the Meriam Webste Essay mrsrs Dictionary is an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups or women. In 1961 John F.Kennedy issued an executive order calling for Affirmative Action as a means to promote equal opportunity for racial minorities, in hiring by federal contractors. This was the first official use of the term by the Federal Government. Eight years later Nixon as President beefed up the Office of Federal Compliance Programs, which along with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has become one of the governments two main enforcers of affirmative action policy.(Groliers Electronic Encyclopedia, 1993) Such efforts have vastly expanded opportunities for Afro-Americans. However they have also touched off complaints from many whites that Afro-Americans are benefiting from reverse discrimination. Under the equal opportunity act of 1972 most federal contractors, subcontractors, all state and government institutions (including universities) must initiate plans to increase the proportions of their female and minority employees until they are equal to the proportions existing in the available labor market.(Groliers Electric Encyclopedia, 1993) Affirmative action plans that establish racial quotas were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the case of University of California VS. Bakke in 1978. This case arose when the medical school of the University of California at Davis twice rejected Allen Bakkes application while admitting members of racial minorities who had lower test scores. Bakke charged that the medical schools policy of setting aside 16 of the 100 positions for racial minorities was a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. In a complex 5-4 decision the Supreme Court ordered that Bakke be admitted. The court ruled that even though universities may consider race and ethnic origins as a factor in evaluating candidates for admission, they may not establish fixed racial quotas.(Time Magazine, May 27 1991, pp.22) The decision was, however upheld in the case of Private Business and Unions in United Steelworkers of America vs. Webber in 1979. This case arose when Brian F. Webber sued Kaiser Aluminum and the United Steelworkers of America for setting aside half of the positions in a training program for minority workers with less seniority. The Supreme Court overruled this case by a 5-2 vote holding that the Kaiser program did not violate title VII of the civil rights act of 1964. The ruling was that, private employers could voluntarily adopt plans designed to eliminate conspicuous racial imbalance in traditionally segregated job categories. Then in 1984 and 1986 the justices ruled against upsetting seniority systems in favor of minorities.(Harpers Magazine, July 1991, pp.27) In 1984 the Supreme Court struck down a Richmond ordinance intended to quarntee Afro-Americans and other minorities a greater share of the citys construction contracts. The decision not only threatened similar programs in 36 states, but also opened the door to legal attacks against other racially based government schemes. A key component of the court ruling was the requirement that all government distinctions based on race be subject to strict scrutiny. This means that public sector affirmative action programs are valid only if they serve the compelling state interest of redressing identified discrimination.(Time Magazine, February 6 1989, pp.60) Affirmative action has moved to the forefront of public debate in recent months with a proposed California ballot initiative that would end many race-based preference programs. The University of California itself has become the focus of debate after Ward Connerly, a Regent for the University of California system called for an end to such preferences in admissions. The Chancellor of UCLA Charles E. Young, quickly took a strong stand against Mr. Connerly, saying that affirmative action had benefited the university and should cont inue.(NY.Times, June 4 1995, pp.22) The University Of California at Berkeley campus was among the first of the nations leading universities to embrace the elements of affirmative action in its admissions policies, and now boasts that it has one of the most diverse campuses in America, with whites accounting for only 32% of the student body. However Berkeley may soon become one of the first campuses in the nation to abandon the cornerstone of affirmative action in higher education. The University Board of Regents expects to consider a proposal to prohibit the use of race and ethnicity as factors for admissions.(NY. Times, June 4 1995, pp.23) Then on Thursday July 8, 1995, the California University System Board of Regents adopted a plan to dismantle affirmative action plans within the university system. Effective January 1, 1997, the University of California system shall not use race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin as a criterion for admission to the University or any program of study. The following is a brief excerpt from the resolution: The president shall confer with the Academic Senate of the University of California to develop supplemental criteria for consideration by the board of regents. . . In developing such criteria, which shall provide reasonable assurances that the applicant will successfully complete his or her course of study, consideration shall be given to individuals who, despite having suffered disadvantage economically or in terms of their environment (such as an abusive or otherwise dysfunctional home or a neighborhood of unwholesome or anti-social influences),have nonetheless demonstrated sufficient character and determination in overcoming obstacles to warrant confidence that the applicant can pursue a course of study to successful completion, provided that any student admitted under this section must be academically eligible for admission. (NY Times, June 4 1995 pp.7) The regents decision was hailed as an Historical a chievement by Republican Governor Pete Wilson. Wilson responded to White House Chief of Staffs Leon Panettas contentions that the board of regents made a terrible mistake and that the Justice Department would begin a review of the billions of dollars that flow from the federal government into the states universities, by claiming that the state will not be intimidated by the implicit threat of losing the huge largess in student aid and research funds that the university receives. The university would follow through with the dismantling of the programs because, they were wrong and unfair.(NY Times, July 22 1995, pp.7) There are however two unusual twists to the assault on affirmative action in the University of California system, that defy the stereotypes. First the race based preferences are being attacked by a black member of the board of regents and defended by Berkeleys Asian-American Chancellor. Second the racial makeup here has extended the fault line in the debate to minority V S. minority, as well as black VS Bibliography: .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 , .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .postImageUrl , .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 , .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328:hover , .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328:visited , .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328:active { border:0!important; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328:active , .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328 .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9c1d1580031fb0ebb08a6c506240b328:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: James Joyces araby Essay