All about education

Thought experiments (Gedankenexperimenten) are “facts” in the sense that they have a “real life” correlate in the form of electrochemical activity in the brain. But it is quite obvious that they do not relate to facts “out there”. They are not true statements.

But do they lack truth because they do not relate to facts? How are Truth and Fact interrelated?

One answer is that Truth pertains to the possibility that an event will occur. If true – it must occur and if false – it cannot occur. This is a binary world of extreme existential conditions. Must all possible events occur? Of course not. If they do not occur would they still be true? Must a statement have a real life correlate to be true?

Instinctively, the answer is yes. We cannot conceive of a thought divorced from brainwaves. A statement which remains a mere potential seems to exist only in the nether land between truth and falsity.  It becomes true only by materializing, by occurring, by matching up with real life. If we could prove that it will never do so, we would have felt justified in classifying it as false. This is the outgrowth of millennia of concrete, Aristotelian logic. Logical statements talk about the world and, therefore, if a statement cannot be shown to relate directly to the world, it is not true.

This approach, however, is the outcome of some underlying assumptions:

First, that the world is finite and also close to its end. To say that something that did not happen cannot be true is to say that it will never happen (i.e., to say that time and space – the world – are finite and are about to end momentarily).

Second, truth and falsity are assumed to be mutually exclusive. Quantum and fuzzy logics have long laid this one to rest. There are real world situations that are both true and not-true. A particle can “be” in two places at the same time. This fuzzy logic is incompatible with our daily experiences but if there is anything that we have learnt from physics in the last seven decades it is that the world is incompatible with our daily experiences.

The third assumption is that the psychic realm is but a subset of the material one. We are membranes with a very particular hole-size. We filter through only well defined types of experiences, are equipped with limited (and evolutionarily biased) senses, programmed in a way which tends to sustain us until we die. We are not neutral, objective observers. Actually, the very concept of observer is disputable – as modern physics, on the one hand and Eastern philosophy, on the other hand, have shown.

Imagine that a mad scientist has succeeded to infuse all the water in the world with a strong hallucinogen. At a given moment, all the people in the world see a huge flying saucer. What can we say about this saucer?  Is it true?  Is it “real”?

There is little doubt that the saucer does not exist. But who is to say so? If this statement is left unsaid – does it mean that it cannot exist and, therefore, is untrue? In this case (of the illusionary flying saucer), the statement that remains unsaid is a true statement – and the statement that is uttered by millions is patently false.

Still, the argument can be made that the flying saucer did exist – though only in the minds of those who drank the contaminated water. What is this form of existence? In which sense does a hallucination “exist”? The psychophysical problem is that no causal relationship can be established between a thought and its real life correlate, the brainwaves that accompany it. Moreover, this leads to infinite regression. If the brainwaves created the thought – who created them, who made them happen? In other words: who is it (perhaps what is it) that thinks?

The subject is so convoluted that to say that the mental is a mere subset of the material is to speculate

It is, therefore, advisable to separate the ontological from the epistemological. But which is which? Facts are determined epistemologically and statistically by conscious and intelligent observers. Their “existence” rests on a sound epistemological footing. Yet we assume that in the absence of observers facts will continue their existence, will not lose their “factuality”, their real life quality which is observer-independent and invariant.

What about truth? Surely, it rests on solid ontological foundations. Something is or is not true in reality and that is it. But then we saw that truth is determined psychically and, therefore, is vulnerable, for instance, to hallucinations. Moreover, the blurring of the lines in Quantum, non-Aristotelian, logics implies one of two: either that true and false are only “in our heads” (epistemological) – or that something is wrong with our interpretation of the world, with our exegetic mechanism (brain). If the latter case is true that the world does contain mutually exclusive true and false values – but the organ which identifies these entities (the brain) has gone awry. The paradox is that the second approach also assumes that at least the perception of true and false values is dependent on the existence of an epistemological detection device.

Can something be true and reality and false in our minds? Of course it can (remember “Rashomon”). Could the reverse be true? Yes, it can. This is what we call optical or sensory illusions. Even solidity is an illusion of our senses – there are no such things as solid objects (remember the physicist’s desk which is 99.99999% vacuum with minute granules of matter floating about).

To reconcile these two concepts, we must let go of the old belief (probably vital to our sanity) that we can know the world. We probably cannot and this is the source of our confusion. The world may be inhabited by “true” things and “false” things. It may be true that truth is existence and falsity is non-existence. But we will never know because we are incapable of knowing anything about the world as it is.

We are, however, fully equipped to know about the mental events inside our heads. It is there that the representations of the real world form. We are acquainted with these representations (concepts, images, symbols, language in general) – and mistake them for the world itself. Since we have no way of directly knowing the world (without the intervention of our interpretative mechanisms) we are unable to tell when a certain representation corresponds to an event which is observer-independent and invariant and when it corresponds to nothing of the kind. When we see an image – it could be the result of an interaction with light outside us (objectively “real”), or the result of a dream, a drug induced illusion, fatigue and any other number of brain events not correlated with the real world. These are observer-dependent phenomena and, subject to an agreement between a sufficient number of observers, they are judged to be true or “to have happened” (e.g., religious miracles).

To ask if something is true or not is not a meaningful question unless it relates to our internal world and to our capacity as observers. When we say “true” we mean “exists”, or “existed”, or “most definitely will exist” (the sun will rise tomorrow). But existence can only be ascertained in our minds. Truth, therefore, is nothing but a state of mind. Existence is determined by  observing and comparing the two (the outside and the inside, the real and the mental). This yields a picture of the world which may be closely correlated to reality – and, yet again, may not.

SAT importance has changed dramatically over the past few years. Many students strive to score as high as possible, because a high SAT score may translate into acceptance, and in some cases, scholarship money.

The basics of testing can be learnt quite easily; however the focus of this article is whether spending several thousand dollars for a prep course is ideal. At some private schools, more than half the students don’t think twice about spending thousands on a good coaching company.

Do you need a prep course? It depends on how you learn best, and what is your motive for taking up such a course. Most of the techniques in prep courses are already mentioned in prep books that are sold in bookstores for thirty dollars.

Top students seldom gain much from coaching. The effortless insight that marks the best standardized test-takers cannot be taught. On the other hand, a student who lacks motivation may not benefit from a SAT prep course either. For diligent students, the benefits from a prep course will vary. If you are the type who is well-organized and initiative, you’d probably do as well with self-coaching software and books.

If you are enthusiastic about a prep course, by all means, take up one. If you believe that a prep course will raise your score, chances are that it will. Other types of students who may benefit from a prep course include students who learn best with adult direction. They often need help in staying focused, so a prep course will be a good idea. It depends on how you learn.

Before you sign up for a test prep course, be sure you research thoroughly what exactly you will be taught. Meet the instructor firsthand. Don’t pay too much attention to guarantees; they are not reliable indicator of how effective a particular course is. It’s always a good idea to try to take up a prep course BEFORE the first time you take the SAT. That way you’ll avoid a sudden spike in your score – an event likely to raise suspicions in the admissions offices – which is the result of a cram course.

Accredited checking technician jobs are similar to pharmacy technician jobs. While the latter receives the prescription, takes out the drugs from shelves and packs them, the former checks the dispensed prescription for its accuracy. Checking, labeling and packing have all become formal procedures and the accredited checking technician will be trained in all these in a pharmacy context.

Training to Become an Accredited Checking Technician

The technician training is done under vocational training schemes, and accredited checking technicians are NVQ 3 or BTEC certified (in UK). The checking technician is trained to check that:

• The medicine or product matches the prescription and is in date
• It is assembled using correct equipment and processes
• It is packed and labeled appropriately
• Appropriate records are made
• Health, hygiene and safety procedures are followed at all times

To equip the technician with the required competencies, the vocational training program will typically:

• Start with an explanation of the legal and professional issues involved in checking, packing and labeling pharmacy medicines
• Train the technician to work with other staff of the pharmacy
• Make the technician go through typical checking exercises
• Involve a final project to check 1000 items at a hospital without errors
• Proceed to a test and assessment by a panel of pharmacists and technicians
• Involve a probation period during which his or her performance is observed

By the end of such a course, the trainee would have gained the practical skill needed to check dispensed medications against the prescription. The person would typically check only items dispensed by another person, not by himself or herself. The prescription would also have undergone review and approval by a pharmacist regarding its correctness and accuracy.

Self-checking by non-pharmacists (like an accredited checking technician) is also considered acceptable once the technician has gained sufficient experience attested by their dispensary manager. To continue their checking career, the technicians need to be reassessed every two years.

Role of the Accredited Checking Technicians

The role to be assigned to accredited checking technicians have been the subject of some debate. Pharmacies have considered entrusting them with more responsibilities to cope with the serious shortage of pharmacists.

Some groups have opposed this move on the ground that technicians cannot be entrusted with responsibilities requiring professional knowledge. They see the move as an attempt to cut costs, replacing high cost pharmacists with lower cost technicians.

As we saw above, accredited checking technicians have to undergo a rigorous program of training and assessment before they are allowed to check.

Accredited checking technicians perform a labor-intensive function that also requires specialized vocational skill. In doing this, they relieve the pharmacist to focus on the more important tasks of checking all prescriptions, and other tasks requiring a higher level of professional knowledge.

Without the support of pharmacy technicians and accredited checking technicians, the pharmacist will be overburdened in any busy dispensary, and not be able to provide a sufficiently satisfactory level of service.

The above, in essence, is the significance of accredited checking technician jobs.

Students who excel at sports such as baseball, basketball, football, soccer, gymnastics, rowing, athletics, track and field events, swimming, or golf often attend college on an athletic scholarship.

One can get a full or partial athletic scholarship provided you have good grades, appropriate ACT or SAT scores, and the discipline and talent that every dedicated sports person needs.

The first step is to find out which colleges or universities offer academic programs of your interest, along with opportunities to excel in sports. It is important to educate yourself while playing sports. Weigh carefully the pros and cons of attending a NCAA division 1 college against a smaller college. Often you will be able to excel at the smaller college while in a large institution you may just be a pebble in the ocean.

Playing sports at college is not the same as playing at school or in a local community. Find out from your local coach where you stand athletically and whether you are “good enough” to aim for college sports. The criteria considered are: academics, sports competitions participated in at high school, playing abilities and victories, and the maturity level of the student.

In athletics, scholarships are offered in two ways, the first through formalized applications and the second at the recommendations of scouts who represent colleges and travel far and wide evaluating players in different sports and seeking the “gems”—players with star qualities.

To succeed you need to start early, in your sophomore year. Ensure that you keep your grades up, as there are academic requirements to be met. Create a folder of your athletic achievements. Find out from your coach which athletic programs would suit your talents or prowess. Do your research well and select schools that offer a great balance between sports and academics. Consult a career guidance professional; this will give you an idea of what subjects to study to qualify yourself at something other than sports. You must contact the coaches at colleges you are applying to, stating your keen interest in their programs.  Be sure to showcase your academic and athletic achievements, and to mention that you are seeking scholarships /financial aid. It is advantageous if you submit applications to the colleges where you plan to contact the coach, as this indicates you are a serious candidate.

Colleges and universities enroll great athletes by offering scholarships. If you handle the college applications in a sensible and disciplined way you can enroll at some of the best colleges with a full scholarship.

Today, the world never owned such opulence of womanly character or such splendor of womanly manners or multitudinous instances of wifely, motherly, daughterly, sisterly devotion, as it owns today. I have no words to express my admiration for good womanhood. Woman is not only man’s equal, but in affectionate and religious nature, which is the best part of us.

However, as you may see, nowadays it is easier for a man to find an appropriate wife than for a woman to find a good husband. According to a New York Times analysis of census results, in 2005, 51 percent of women said they were living without a spouse, up from 35 percent in 1950 and 49 percent in 2000.

There are multitudes, who have never been married and still greater multitudes, who got married but change back to be single. Marriage has become a difficult business, especially for women.

First, it is a matter of arithmetic. Statistics show that globally even there are about 105-107 boys born for every 100 girls, yet after the age of 40 women outnumber men. In 2003, the Census Bureau estimated a total of 144,513,361 females of all ages, compared to 138,396,524 males in the US.

It would seem women are a favorite with the Lord, and therefore He has made woman kind live longer and stronger. By mathematical and inexorable law, you see, millions of women will never marry.

The second reason lies in the shortage of good husbands. There are thousands of men who have no right to marry, because they have become so corrupt of character that their offer of marriage is an insult to any good woman.

Third, during the last 40 years, through the increased opportunity opened for female through education, in many countries, women are receiving better and higher education.

Based on 1971 census, 68% of 25-to-29-year-old university graduates were male. Ten years later, women had more or less caught up to men as only 54% of graduates were male. By 1991, women had become the slight majority, comprising 51% of graduates. In the 2001 census, universities had clearly become the domain of women, as they made up 58% of all graduates.

If woman continue to advance in mentality at the present ratio, before long many men may have difficulty in finding a woman who is ignorance to make appropriate consort.

And, this has become a global issue. In Europe, England, Japan, China, more and more woman find out marriage is becoming a difficult business for them. Facing such global matrimonial unbalance between men and women, what will you do?

Benedictine University has a long standing history of quality education. Originally founded in 1887 by Benedictine monks, the school has undergone several name changes and grown to what it is today. Initially a school to teach Czech and Slovak men, it grew to become coeducation and finally it included a complete curriculum of course work and advanced study. Because of the demand for more flexible education options to accommodate the needs of stay at home parents and working adults, Benedictine University adopted an adult learning program.

An adult learning program is ideal for any adult with restrictions on their time due to professional or family obligations. It enables the student to continue their education in a formal atmosphere, getting all the advantages of traditional college courses. However, learning at Benedictine University is done at an accelerated pace and at more convenient times. This will allow the working adult to fit in classes after work and on the weekends and allow the stay at home parent to study during times the children do not need to be taken back and forth to school.

The classes at Benedictine University for adult learning are designed for adults who have not yet completed their bachelor’s degree. Therefore, the class sizes are smaller and comprised of peers with similar situations. To enroll in the program, each student must be at least twenty four years old and have at least two years work experience. This can be a much more comfortable environment for adults who have life and work experience already. Often sitting in class with students much younger than you are can be uncomfortable. Also, because of life experience, many of the topics covered you may already be knowledgeable on. Sitting through tedious work you are already familiar with can be frustrating and lead to a lack of drive. However, learning among your peers will be motivational.

The flexibility of adult learning at Benedictine University allows the student to plan their course schedule according to their existing time commitments. Because the reality is that sometimes these commitments change, you can design the courses each time to coincide with your personal and professional life. You may also take stop outs if your schedule becomes especially hectic. The modules, or classes, have a staggered year round schedule to accommodate all needs. You may start a module at the time that is convenient for you. You may also design your work load for as many or as few classes as you can handle at one time.

Benedictine University has decreased fees for adult learning to make obtaining a degree more affordable. There is also tuition assistance available from the financial aid center. Benedictine University has a proven record of academic excellence and continues this by developing programs for the needs of all their students. By designing an adult learning curriculum they are able to accommodate the unique scheduling requirements of adults with time restrictions due to personal or professional obligations. No longer does completing a bachelor’s degree have to be a daunting task. Using the flexibility the adult learning program affords, you can get a solid education without sacrificing existing responsibilities.

A GED or General Education Diploma is sometimes also called a General Education Development program.  The basis for the GED is a series of tests to determine if a minimum level of proficiency has been reached.  These are not difficult tests but do require a wide breadth of understanding on a variety of subjects.
Today, distance learning may be the option most preferred.  It is an affordable way to work toward a GED, and determine the level of skills necessary to pass the GED exams.  Unfortunately, there are companies that offer shortcuts to almost every kind of education.  Promises of college degrees, doctorates, and even high school diplomas are all available for the right price.  These companies are in the business of selling shortcuts that are really bogus credentials.  Fake diplomas and worthless transcripts are a growth industry with the explosion of information found on the Internet.

In most cases, the GED — the term for General Education Development credential — is the only official ‘diploma’ that has value and is meaningful for adults who never completed their high school education. There are exceptions. Many people have been duped or misled with the promises of phony certifications.  These diploma mills are nothing more than a printer, some software and a marketing plan.

The reality is however, that many businesses do not check into the background of a person to that extent.  This is especially true of jobs in the lower 50% of the general pay scale.  Recently there have been a rash of high level business president, vice-president types who have been found to have used phony credentials to obtain their positions.  If large corporations paying huge salaries to these types of people don’t check them out, how deeply do you think they will check your his troy?

Still, the future is anything but set.  Although it’s possible to get away without having solid educational proof, the future may be much different.  In a few years, it may be possible for companies to check historical records online and then the phone degrees will all become evident.

The very best solution is to obtain a solid education no matter how much effort it may take.

When it comes to choosing a college to pursue you degree in Communications you should take the time to do your research and visit as many schools as possible to find out what exactly sets there programs apart from others.  While many schools claim to be the “best” it can be a subjective term as what defines the best is different for every person.

A college education is important in getting the job you want in life.  Often we know generally what we would like to pursue in life but have a hard time nailing it down to a specific field.  This is where schools and academic advisors come into play by helping you define your career goals and showing you the best way to pursue a degree in that particular field.  For example, a communications specialist can work in human resources, advertising, publications, research and development, sales and marketing, and training departments. They can do contract work as a freelancer, work for a consulting or public relations firm, in the foreign service, for the government at all 3 levels, labor unions, non-profit organizations, in the medical services field, and at colleges, universities, technical and vocations schools.  From one degree all these potential career opportunities exist!

The best way to find a school that matches you interest and will provide the quality of education you are seeking in your field is to contact others who are already in the industry.  You can not only find out from them what college they went to but also what they feel is important when choosing a college because of the real-life experience they have working in the field.  Often they recommend you look into a different school than they attended because of what they have learned on the job.

There are lots of mind-boggling questions swirling around students’ minds, as they hold their pen and wonder what to write for a piece of paper called College Admission Essay. Some of the questions that bother them are the following: what is the style of writing they should adopt for this specific kind of essay, what is the tone to use, and what topic to talk about. The students are really interested in knowing what the admission officers would like to read in a College Application Essay. For them, hitting the bull’s eye with their College Application Essay will definitely increase their chances of admission to their desired university. Entrance to a top university is a tough competition that one has to outwit, outplay, and outlast everybody with their creatively written essay.

Writing one’s College Admission Essay is not the same as writing a research paper. This means that one’s essay should not be formulaic as though one is just stating facts about oneself. There’s a tendency for most admission essays to be boring and lifeless if one writes it in the form of research paper. The moment that the admission officers discover that one’s writing and essay is a complete drag, they are likely to miss the important details contained in the essay even though the credentials are excellent. The first thing an applicant has to remember is that Admission officers want the essay to be personal and imaginative. The next thing they have to take note of is how to write something personal without making it appear as a lifeless paper. The trick for this is to make the tone of the essay a conversational one. Since one is talking about his life, narrate it in a light humorous tone as though one is talking to another person like a friend. In this way, one will definitely get the focus and the hearts of the admission officers. People should freely express themselves. It is observed that the grammar is not given so much concern because the Admission officers are not reading an essay to find out if the applicant knows about subject-verb agreement. The application essays were created so that the Admission officers will know the applicant’s attitude and outlook in life.

The student’s goals in writing their College Admission Essay should always be to make it memorable. The applicant should ensure that the readers will peruse the essay from beginning up to the end. One can use witty catch phrases as well as funny stories and jokes as a springboard to start introducing one’s topic. Speaking of topics, it is best to stick with personal experiences rather than re-stating one’s resume or academic transcripts.  Admission Officers are on the prowl to find unique personalities that will blend with the school’s standards and environment. They are after the authentic person behind the numbers and statistics i.e. grades. Another thing that the students have to remember in writing College Application Essay is to be original and individual. This means that their writing should reflect the unique individual creature that they truly are. Being creative and imaginative does not really have to be fictional. One’s admission essay should be true, honest, and most importantly sincere. The Admission officers can go beyond the beautiful words and detect if it’s true or not. Aside from that, Admission officers read thousands of essays, and they can’t recall everything they read. Thus, it is the applicant’s job to make a real impression on the reader. Make your essay fun and exciting.  Don’t simply provide a lifeless detailed paper about yourself; instead show them colors and wonders of your personality.

One of the key benefits of training through the National Heavy Equipment Operators School is the sheer abundance of employment opportunities that you will enjoy afterward. It’s hardly a secret that the economy in the United States has seen better days; the cost of living has skyrocketed, and with wages largely remaining stagnant, it has become increasingly difficult to stretch a dollar and make ends meet.  There just aren’t as many good jobs out there as there have been in the past.

Be that as it may, there is one industry that has demonstrated a sustained, regular growth regardless of the economic climate.  The construction industry has remained the largest service industry in the United States for years, and this trend shows little sign of abating.  As the majority of people in this country can attest, constructions projects of various shapes and sizes are always in effect.  Road crews routinely perform street maintenance.  State and local governments employ heavy equipment operators for everything from road clearing to strip mining.  Some major metropolitan areas are even in the midst of multi-year, multi-billion dollar highway renovation projects.

With the amount of money that is being dedicated to these construction projects, not just anybody is selected to work on them.  Private companies and governmental agencies want to be assured that only the best-qualified applicants are selected to operate the heavy machinery in use.  Here, the National Heavy Equipment Operators School can help you to differentiate yourself from the others.  While many people believe that experience in the construction field is the only qualification that matters, the influx of construction projects and heavy equipment needs has changed the climate somewhat.  Our program at National is the only accredited heavy equipment training program in the country, and thus a certificate of successful completion is highly regarded and respected in the industry.  Simply put, our training program will help you get started in the heavy equipment field.

The training course itself at National is convenient and thorough.  It is divided into one half home schooling and one half on-site equipment training at our facility in North Florida.  The cost and time commitment for the successful completion of our program is comparatively minimal, and yet the benefits of it can be tremendous.  With the right combination of desire, integrity, and training, you can assure yourself of reliable and lucrative employment opportunities for years to come.