Dante, Plato, Aristotle Essay Example for Free

Dante, Plato, Aristotle Essay The assignment is poetry v. philosophy. Plato speaks of a quarrel b/t poetry and philosophy. He dismisses the arts while Aristotle defends them. DO we see traces of this quarrel in later traditions? If so, where? And how is it played out there? For this essay, in addition to Plato and Aristotle, focus on Dantes Inferno. (Please look to see if my thesis is clear and strong, my evidence is all relevant, and whether this whole essay persuades you) Throughout his life, Plato strongly believed that the arts and philosophy directly opposed each other. On the other hand, Aristotle defended poetry as an aid to philosophy. Dante, a philosophical poet, successfully synthesizes Plato and Aristotles views in the Divine Comedy of the Inferno without compromising either school of thought. He acknowledges the fact that while the arts have its uses within the material world and philosophy its uses in the spiritual, both need the other to be complete. Both Plato and Aristotle agree that poetry brings about great emotion which has a lasting impact on the individual and society. However, they disagree on poetrys emotional effects. In Meno, Plato believes it results in harm while Aristotle argues that it leads to improvement in Poetics. Upon closer inspection, we see that Dantes Inferno contains a philosophical significance underlying its poetic style. Poetry and philosophy work towards the same end, but in different ways. There is no doubt that poetry is an imitation. What Aristotle and Plato dispute over is the source of that imitation. Plato strongly states that the arts are mimetic, twice removed from the truth. They are an imitation of the ideal entities in the realm of the forms, in which all things are perfect. For instance, tragedy presents multiple possibilities and situations rather than a single essence. In Meno, Platos Socrates discusses the difference between doxa and episteme. Poets, politicians and priests utilize doxa, a type of knowledge that is not mediated through any intellectual reasoning. This further demonstrates the composition of the material realm. Right opinion, or doxa, flees from the mind just as the materialistic body quickly perishes. Socrates says opinion is not worth much until it is fastened with reasoning of cause and effect (Plato 65). He is alluding to episteme, true knowledge that remains in the brain. This is accomplished through intellectual inquiry in the ideal realm. Throughout the dialogue, Menon insults Socrates by saying he looks like a stingray, alluding to a type of numbing-drug. However, Menon proves to have false knowledge as Socrates shows how anamnesis occurs via the Socratic Method. Only when he experiences aporia, the state of confusion and realization of ones ignorance, can he reach true knowledge. The reference to the drug, pharmakon, symbolizes how Menon became numb to the false, material world in order to transition to the divine realm where all things originate. While Plato asserts that imitation comes from the true essence of things, Aristotle believes it has its roots in human action. In Poetics, he examines how humans have an instinct for imitation, harmony and rhythm. We often learn our earliest lessons from mimesis. Aristotle asserts that the only way to reach the ideal is through action. He views it as a horizontal developmental rather than a vertical one, as Plato did. By the process of energia, we move from potential to actuality. This is also analogous to the concept of the material to the ideal. We come out of the cave and into the sun through our own activities. As the arts best represent action, tragedy contains knowledge because it presents psychological possibilities and universal truths about ourselves. Each possible reality may be the ideal essence. Tragedy, after all, is an imitation of action and of life, not men. The stage externalizes whats within our souls. The actors play out the meaning of life which the audience can safely inspect without endangering themselves. This perspective is extremely human-centric compared to Platos divine ideal. For instance, tragedy contains plot that is action-centric and based on the structure of incidents. Unlike a story, a plots events can be resequenced in any fashion. This is like an experiment in which the stage is our lab. A plot can furthermore be split in two ways: complex or simple. A complex plot contains peripeteia and anagnorisis. The latter, similar to Platos Meno, shows the progression from ignorance to knowledge. Yet the characters on stage, even after making decisions, are still susceptible to Fortunes will. Thus peripeteia occurs, alluding to God and the divine realm we ultimately reach with the aid of anagnorisis. There are some things people cant control. However, what we do imitate and control are our actions within the material world. For Aristotle, action was the most significant aim to focus on. In Dantes Inferno, the poet Virgil guides Dante into Hell. Poetry begins to act as a gentler remedy compared to philosophy. It is more relatable to the human mind and physical world. Through catharsis, Dante must eliminate all emotional tumult to become enlightened. This process of catharsis is similar to the movement from the material to spiritual realm. Paradiso, the highest realm, is where true intellect exists and where we become one with God. In the second canto, Dante demonstrates the wickedness of emotions and the materialistic realm when Virgil tells him: Your soul has been assailed by cowardice, which often weighs so heavily on a man- distracting him from honorable trails- as phantoms frighten beasts when shadows fall. (lines 45-48) This is an extremely Platonian perspective. Partially right, Plato believed that tragedy produced cowardly leaders as it appealed to passion rather than logic and reason. Through Virgil, Dante demonstrates how the arts, especially poetry, are effective in cleansing the soul of emotion by experiencing or contemplating it. Much like the Socratic Method in Meno, Dante must become numb to false knowledge via catharsis and begin with a clean slate. He accomplishes this by observing the damned in the inferno. When he passes through aporia, only then will he become enlightened and obtain truth. The shadows are a reference to Augustines visio corporals, the cave of pure materiality, in which false knowledge resides. Dante says in canto one that man must come out of the shadowed forest (line 2) where he is so full of sleep (line 11). All this is accomplished through human action, represented through tragedy and poetry. Furthermore, Virgil symbolizes the coming emergence of Christian Rome through Dante. He has already taken Aeneas to the Underworld, setting up the entire story. Parallel to this, poetry lays the necessary foundation for the coming age of philosophy. Dante uses typology of the inferno to paradiso. Like the Hebrew Bible, the inferno remains incomplete and foreshadows whats to come. The New Testament completes the text, in the same way philosophy does to poetry. Each is interdependent on the other. In the Inferno, Dante fails to read the inscription to the Gateway to Hell, demonstrating how the archaic style of backgrounding no longer resounds in the new age of foregrounding. This method brings to light how the mind reads and interprets with reason. Because the material realm is incomplete, Dante cannot move to this abstract, spiritual meaning without first going through the forest. In the third canto, Virgil describes to Dante how those in hell have lost the good of the intellect (line 18). The mind can never be fulfilled as it is a pure sensory experience. This is proven when Virgil is only able to guide Dante so far. He cannot take Dante beyond the material realm because he is not a Christian. He represents the arts, the non-metaphysical. A higher entity, Beatrice, will lead him to paradiso. Virgil declares in canto one: If you would then ascend as high as these / a soul more worthy than I am will guide you (lines 121-122). Likewise, we can think of poetry, represented by Virgil, as a disguise to philosophy, the eventual remedy of Beatrice. While philosophy speaks of a thing itself, poetry uses metaphors as a transition to reach a philosophical conclusion. It is a vehicle for truth in its own peculiar way, addressing our minds through imagination, sensibility and feelings. Dante can synthesize Plato and Aristotles views because they are working toward one common goal: the divine, the cave of pure intellect. The mechanisms of philosophy are simply a more sophisticated turn on poetry. Traces of Plato are still seen in Dante, especially when he states in the fifth canto: Those who undergo this torment are damned because they sinned subjecting reason to the rule of lust (lines 37-39). However, in tragedy, what seems irrational and absurd to the audience becomes permeated with reason as it speaks the universal truth about ourselves. The arts show there is something beyond human thought and action as the audience learn how we cannot control everything. There is something beyond this human, materialistic world that we cannot begin to understand. This is God, which is exactly what philosophy aims at. It speaks the truth, not only of human action, but of the existence of the ultimate good. In this way, poetry consists of rational thought and intellect. Virgil tells Dante in canto eight: Forget your fear, no one can hinder our passage; One so great has granted it (lines 104-105). We are turning inward to our souls to reach the divine. This also speaks of Gods infinite and unexplainable power. God makes the impossible possible. Dante had to go down into the deepest level of hell to see the divine. This irony demonstrates catabasis and anagogy, the one single movement towards God. Furthermore, Cassius and Brutus foreshadow Judas betrayal. These three make up the material inversion of the Holy Trinity. We are able to see God in Lucifer. This demonstrates the typology from the inferno to paradiso as well as the process of recollection in Platos Meno and Aristotles Poetics. Just as Dante had to move through death to experience life, the reader must pass through poetry to obtain philosophy. All thinking about God involves moving from the material to the realm of the forms. The divine uses metaphors, our language, to help us understand. We are able to indirectly talk to God through poetry as He determines our fate. It was his will to send Dante into Hell. Like poetrys catharsis and philosophys pharmakon, Dante engages his mind as he journeys through the inferno. By looking and contemplating the suffering of the damned, he becomes reconciled to aspects of his life which would otherwise be nonsensical. Both the poet and philosopher seek the existence of God and of the metaphysical. Although Dante recognizes that the arts have limited utility, he realizes how poetry helps lay the foundation for philosophy through the Aristotelian and Platonian method. It has a cognitive function by helping to better appreciate and complete philosophy. As Venantius Fortunatus wrote in his hymn Vexilla Regis, by death did life procure. Likewise, by poetry did philosophy come about.

Comparison of Nursing Theories

Comparison of Nursing Theories Jessica N. Baker The grand nursing theories are too abstract to effectively guide practice, but they can provide a world view. Middle range theories, on the other hand, are less abstract, but are more easily linked to practice. Compare and contrast these two types of theory and how they can be used to inform ANP practice using one grand theory and one middle range theory as examples. Nursing theories are organized frameworks of concepts and purposes to guide nursing practice (Risjord, 2010). Two types of nursing theories are grand nursing theories and middle range nursing theories. Grand nursing theories encompass all aspects of the human experience and allow for general application whereas middle range theories are less abstract and are more specific (McKenna Slevin, 2008). Although there are similarities and differences between grand nursing theories and middle range theories both types of theories can prove to be useful when informing advanced nursing practice (McCrae, 2012). Grand nursing theories are broad in scope and relate to larger areas of nursing such as promotion of health for all individuals in a society (Powers Knapp, 2011). Although broad and non-specific, grand nursing theories provide several implications for advanced practice nursing. It is widely known that healthcare is constantly becoming more complex at an exponential rate. Because of rapidly increasing complexities the abstract nature of grand theories can be useful for complex phenomena relevant to nursing such as aging populations and complex disease states (Florczak, Poradzisz, Hampson, 2012). Grand theories can highlight the complexities of these and other complex issues concerning for advanced practice nursing in a global society (Im Ju-Chang, 2012). By using grand theories the advanced practice nurse can view each client both as an individual as well a part of larger systems (Florczak, Poradzisz, Hampson). One grand theory that can be used to guide advanced nursing practice is Neuman’s systems model. This theory uses prevention as the basis for health promotion and it provides a holistic and comprehensive approach to maximizing client health by focusing on stressors that influence the relationship between the client and the environment (Florczak, Poradzisz, Hampson, 2012). The environment is comprised of five interrelated biological, mental, environmental, social, and spiritual variables (Neuman Fawcett, 2012). The role of the nurse is to retain stability in the client-environment relationship through three levels of prevention (Florczak, Poradzisz, Hampson). These include primary prevention that occurs before the client experiences a reaction to a stressor, secondary prevention that occurs after the client experiences a reaction to a stressor, and tertiary prevention that occurs after the client has been treated through secondary prevention methods (Skalski, DiGerolamo, Gig lotti, 2006). Using Neuman’s systems model the advanced practice nurse can clearly identify appropriate interventions at different stages of disease processes (Lee, 2014). By discussing the five environmental variables with patients, partnerships can be created to mutually create goals (Skalski, DiGerolamo, Giglotti, 2006). The advanced practice nurse can also promote prevention through client education and counseling (Neuman Fawcett, 2012). Like grand nursing theories, middle range theories provide several implications for advanced practice nursing. Middle range theories can be described as the link connecting research and practice (Fawcett Garity, 2009). Middle range theories can be descriptive, explanatory, or predictive and each plays a role in informing and guiding advanced nursing practice (Fawcett, 2005). When compared to grand nursing theories, middle range theories have a narrower scope, greater levels of specificity, and greater ease of concept application (Powers Knapp, 2011). A middle range theory that influences advanced nursing practice is the theory of optimal client system stability. This theory was derived from the grand theory of Neuman’s systems model as described above. This theory has only one proposition and that is that stability represents system health (Neuman Fawcett, 2012). This theory is useful because interventions by the advanced practice nurse are linked to client outcomes (Florczak, Poradzisz, Hampson, 2012). There are multiple applications when age, health status, and stressors are identified (Risjord, 2010). One such example is a study of fatigue in patients with diabetes by Casalenuovo (2002) that examined the relationship between stress, well-being, and fatigue. In this study the author concluded that interventions aimed at enhancing client well-being reduced fatigue. Both grand and middle range theories are sets of interrelated concepts to guide thinking in advanced practice nursing (Risjord, 2010). However, there are many differences between these two types of theories. Grand nursing theories consist of conceptual frameworks to provide broad insight useful for general practice. Because of the level of abstraction they are usually not easily testable (Florczak, Poradzisz, Hampson, 2012). Grand theories are often developed through insightful appraisal and considerations. Middle range theories are narrower in scope and are a bridge between grand theories and nursing practice (Fawcett Garity, 2009). Because middle range theories are less abstract and their concepts are more easily operationalized they allow for hypothesis testing. Middle range theories are often evolved from grand theories, literature reviews, and clinical practice making them more specific to nursing practice (Florczak, Poradzisz, Hampson). Despite multiple differences, both grand theories and middle range theories have a role in informing and influencing advanced practice nursing. Grand nursing theories define the role of nursing and separates nurses within the infrastructure of health care professions whereas middle range nursing theories guides the nurse to considerations when making clinical decisions (Florczak, Poradzisz, Hampson, 2012). The different types of theories provide different advantages for practice. These two types of theories are complementary and each type can contribute to advanced nursing practice and knowledge (Risjord, 2010). References: Casalenuovo, G. A. (2002). Fatigue in diabetes mellitus: Testing a middle range theory of well-being derived from Neumans theory of optimal client system stability and the Neuman systems model. Dissertation Abstracts International, 63(5), 2301B. Florczak, K., Poradzisz, M., Hampson, S. (2012). Nursing in a complex world: A case for grand theory.Nursing Science Quarterly,25(4), 307-312. Fawcett, J. (2005). Middle-range nursing theories are necessary for the advancement of the discipline.Aquichan,5(1), 32-43. Fawcett, J., Garity, J. (2009). Evaluating research for evidence-based nursing. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis. Im, E., Ju-Chang, S. (2012). Current trends in nursing theories. Journal of Nursing Scholarship,44(2), 156-164. Lee, Q. (2014). Application of Neumans system model on the management of a patient with asthma.Singapore Nursing Journal,41(1), 20-25. McCrae, N. (2012). Whither nursing models: The value of nursing theory in the context of evidence-based practice and multidisciplinary health care.Journal of Advanced Nursing,68(1), 222-229. McKenna, H. P., Slevin, O. (2008).Nursing models, theories and practice. Oxford: Blackwell. Neuman, B., Fawcett, J. (2012). Thoughts about the Neuman systems model: A dialogue.Nursing Science Quarterly,25(4), 374-376. Powers, B., Knapp, T. R. (2011).Dictionary of nursing theory and research. New York, NY: Springer. Risjord, M. W. (2010).Nursing knowledge: Science, practice, and philosophy. Chichester, West Sussex: Blackwell. Skalski, C., DiGerolamo, L., Gigliotti, E. (2006). Stressors in five client populations: Neuman systems model-based literature review.Journal of Advanced Nursing,56(1), 69-78.

Quasi-experimental Design :: Research methods and statistics

I. Jackson (2012), even-numbered chapter exercises, p 360. 2. The recommended design for this type of study is a non-equivalent control group post-test only design. 4. If a study is confounded, the researcher is not absolutely certain that changes in the dependent variable were caused by the manipulation of the independent variable, or some other uncontrolled variable. In a non-equivalent control group post-test only design, any differences observed between the two classes may be due to the non-equivalence of the groups and not to the injection of quizzes. No pre-test measures were given to establish equivalence. Another confound that may impact the results of this study could be the testing effect. Repeated testing may lead to better or worse performance. Changes in performance on the test may be due to prior experience with the test and not to the independent variable. In addition, repeated testing fatigues the subjects, and their performance declines as a result (Jackson, 2012). Because the professor is interested in determining if the implementation of weekly quizzes would improve test scores, an experimenter and/or an instrumentation effect may also affect results. In a single group post-test only design, possible confounds include the lack of a comparison group and the absence of an equivalent control group. Once again, a testing and an experimenter effect could also contribute to changes in test performance. 6. A single-case design is used when: 1. Only one person is measured. 2. The researcher does not want or need to generalize the results to a population. 3. The researcher believes it is unethical to withhold treatment to one group. 8. A multiple-baseline design differs from a reversal design by attempting to control for confounds through the introduction of treatment at differing time intervals to a few different people, to the same person in different situations, or to the same person across different behaviors. Reversal designs attempt to control for confounds by reversing the baseline and treatment conditions one or more times to assess the impact on behavior (Jackson, 2012). 2. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of quasi-experiments? What is the fundamental weakness of a quasi-experimental design? Why is it a weakness? Does its weakness always matter? Quasi-experimental designs are experimental designs that do not provide for the full control of extraneous variables. Primarily, the absence of control in this design is due to the lack of random assignment to groups. Quasi-experimental research designs are used in the study of cause and effect by manipulating the independent variable.

Women in Muslim Society :: essays papers

Women in Muslim Society 1 ABSTRACT In the western society today there is a stereotypical belief that Islamic women are treated unequally and cruelly. The object of this report is to challenge this stereotype and the argument of gender equality within the Islamic Religion/Muslim society. 2 INTRODUCTION The status of women in the Muslim society is neither a new issue nor a fully settled one. The position of Islam on this issue has been among the subjects presented to the Western reader with the least objectivity. This report is intended to provide a brief and authentic display of what Islam stands for in regard to women within their beliefs. The teachings of Islam are based essentially on the Qur'an (God's revelation) and Hadeeth (elaboration by Prophet Muhammad). The Qur'an and the Hadeeth provide the basic source of authentication for any position or view which is attributed to Islam. This report focuses on the position of Islam regarding the status of woman in society 3 METHODOLOGY The information of this report was obtained through:  Mullah, Hassan Ismahael- One of the priests (Mullah^s) of the Gold Coast Islamic community. Mullah Ismahael was approached with the question over equal rights within his religion and its typecasts. In response he stated that ^he opposed these stereotypes for it is against the true meaning of Islam, Muslims do not believe in such inequality^ and with this he was a main source of information quoting from the Qur'an and Hadeeth plus giving his viewpoint in many aspects of this religion.  Qur'an (God's revelation) and Hadeeth (elaboration by Prophet Muhammad).  Library resources  The Internet 4 WOMAN IN ISLAM 4.1 The Spiritual Aspect The Qur'an provides clear-cut evidence that woman is completely equated with man in the sight of God in terms of her rights and responsibilities. The Qur'an states: "Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds" (Qur'an 74:38). It also states: ...So their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying): I will not suffer to be lost the work of any of you whether male or female. You proceed one from another ...(Qur'an 3: 195). Woman according to the Qur'an is not blamed for Adam's first mistake. Both were jointly wrong in their disobedience to God, both repented, and both were forgiven. (Qur'an 2:36, 7:20 - 24). In one verse in fact (20:121), Adam specifically, was blamed. In terms of religious obligations, such as the Daily Prayers, Fasting, Poor-due, and Pilgrimage, woman is no different from man. In some cases indeed, woman has certain advantages over man. For example, the woman is exempted from the daily prayers and from fasting during her menstrual periods

A Comparison of This Perfect Day, Brave New World, and 1984 :: comparison compare contrast essays

This Perfect Day, Brave New World, 1984: Dystopian Masterpiece This Perfect Day belongs to the genre of "dystopian" or anti-utopian novels, like Huxley's Brave New World and Orwell's 1984. Yet it is more satisfying than either. This Perfect Day is probably Ira Levin's greatest work of his career. Levin's work, despite being written in 1970, is very plausible having realistic technology, such as scanners and computers which watch over the entire family, the entire population of the world. This novel could be used to show the dangers of a Utopian society as well as being full of anti-Communist and anti-racist sentiment. This Perfect Day also displays the feeling that communist and segregated institutions can be defeated, as the protagonist Chip over powers the "family" and their vile Uni Comp as well as rising above the segregated community he reaches after fleeing the family. This work could best be placed in an area of the curriculum where it is the students job to learn that although everyone might not be equal, nor should they be, they are st ill human and deserve to be treated with the respect and kindness we would expect to be treated with. This work could be used in conjunction with other works of literature that display the same ideals against communism and discrimination as well as a lack of compassion for others. Other works that could be used in cohorts with Levin's This Perfect Day, are Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut and even the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Both of these novels show the dangers of trying to create a Utopian society and the chaos it causes. In Harrison Bergeron, handicapping has become an American institution and it is the governments responsibility to make sure that everyone is equal in every way which ends up causing chaos and rebellion. The Handmaid's Tale shows the dangers of when an extreme group takes over the United States after a nuclear holocaust, with women being placed in a submissive role to men, only being used to reproduce. This Perfect Day could also be used in a section with novels such as Uncle Tom's Cabin which portray the evils of racism and discrimination, just as the land where Chip ends up after escaping the family, is very racist and segregated. He is forced to endure the taunts and tortures of the folks who had fought Uni from the beginning, yet he rises above these bounds to return and destroy Uni Comp, thereby destroying the family.

Othello Critical

Travis Gordon ELA 30-1 October 3rd, 2012 Jealousy, the universal feeling we’ve all experienced at one time or another. Whether it be the newest piece of technology that someone has that you don’t and wish you did, or that kid on the playground that had those new light up shoes that were all the rage. Jealousy is not something that can be avoided, only controlled. It sneaks up on you, like a tree root sneaks up on concrete before it breaks to the surface.In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, jealousy is a key component used by many characters as a weapon that is twisted and manipulated to serve their own ends. Iago, a deceitful and manipulative snake or the ironic pseudonym â€Å"Honest Iago† uses jealousy as a way of getting what he wants without realizing nor caring about the backlash of repercussions his actions have on the people around him. ‘O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock The meat it feeds on.Th at cuckold lives in bliss Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; But O, what damned minutes tells he o'er Who dotes, yet doubts–suspects, yet strongly loves! â€Å"(III,iii,) He refers to jealousy as a â€Å"green-eyed monster†, because it is a scary thing to behold when it gets out of hand. Once it is unleashed, it is not easily contained. Once he contaminates Othello’s mind with the thoughts of Desdemona being unfaithful to him, and sneaking around behind his back with his lieutenant Cassio, it spreads like a wildfire inside Othello’s head.He begins to doubt himself. Although he knows in his heart Desdemona to be true to him, he can’t help but think about the false accusations Iago has impregnated his mind with. Another character Iago manages to control with the raw power of jealousy is Roderigo. Iago manages to convince Roderigo that if he puts â€Å"money in thy purse†, Iago will make it so Roderigo can be together with Desdem ona. This is a clear example of how easy it is to control a person once you give them a false hope of something that could never be. What should I do? I confess it is my shame to be so fond; but it is not in my virtue to amend it. † (I,iii,317-318) Roderigo admits to Iago that he is overcome with jealousy for Desdemona, but it isn’t within his character to change the way he feels towards her. Iago sees an opportunity to make a profit from Roderigo’s misfortunes and sets him on a mad quest to be with the woman he loves. The idea’s Iago plants into Roderigo, once they are rooted deep inside him, start to teem like weeds in an unkempt garden.It is a dream that in the end costs Rodrigo more than just his wealth. He pays the iron price, with his life. Jealousy, when set upon a person who has already harboured inside them, it spreads. Once it spreads, it is no easy task to eliminate or control. We see this in Othello, as it costs many of the characters their liv es, because of a feeling false hope and manipulation, in the hope that what they wanted would be theirs.

Distracted driving Essay

Distracted driving is exactly what it sounds like. Distracted driving is driving while distracted. These distractions can range anywhere from eating to using a cell phone while driving- texting or calling, from loud music to having friends and family members in the car with you while you are driving. Almost anything can be a distraction as long as it takes your attention away from driving for anytime as short as five seconds. In fact, one study it said that eighty percent of all crashes and collisions and that at least sixty five percent of near crashes and collisions have to do with the driver being inattentive or distracted while behind the wheel. Three seconds may not seem like a very long at all, and it may not be but when you are behind the wheel of a two ton block of metal three seconds can change everything. There is countless case after case about drivers being distracted and getting into a fatal car accident. To drive safely on the road it takes one hundred percent of your f ull attention to what you are doing. There are many different kinds of distractions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, classifies the biggest and most common driver distractions into two categories and four subcategories. The two broad categories are distractions that happen inside the vehicle and distractions that happen outside the vehicle. Distractions that happen outside the vehicle are things like billboards, especially if they have bright colors or just in general a distracting image, someone spinning or holding a sign to attract business for their shop or car wash, animals such as birds, or anything that could possibly be happening in the outside world. Then comes the four subcategories of the main category of distractions that happen inside the car. These four subcategories are cognitive distractions, visual distractions, auditory distractions, and biomechanical distractions. Cognitive distractions have to do with any kind of mental distraction. This could be anywhere from day dreaming to talking on a cell phone while driving, since your attention is not fully on driving and what you are doing. Having a conversation with someone else is another example of a cognitive distraction, whether it is with someone who is in the car with you at the moment or a phone call. A visual distraction is something that  causes you to take your eyes off the road. This could be a billboard or a flashing light or even another accident. You would think with people and government trying to cut down on car accidents there would be more restrictions on billboards and people holding and spinning signs on the side off the road to try and attract drivers into their businesses. However, I am also not exactly an expert on billboard laws on street side laws, as far as I could know these people and billboards could be breaking the law. Auditory distractions are any distractions caused by a sound. Having a conversation with someone who is either in the car with you or talking to them on the cell phone could also be classified as an auditory distraction since having a conversation creates sound. Another common auditory distraction is loud music. When you have your music on too loudly in the car you are impairing your ability to hear other cars honking at you or an emergency vehicle’s siren signaling you to move out of the way. Both of these things could cause serious issues. An auditory distraction could even be listening to the directions given by a fellow passenger or a GPS. The last of the four subcategories of distractions that happen inside the car is a biomechanical distraction. A biomechanical distraction is defined as any mechanical act not specif ically related to driving that the driver does. This could be as simple as a push of button or the changing of a radio station. This goes to show that simple things that you would not think would cause an accident or be an issue while driving can in fact cause an accident. Many of these driving accidents are fatal or leave the driver and the other passengers in the car seriously injured. Just last night, Thursday the seventeenth of July, my father himself was in a car accident as a result of distracted driving. He was driving down a road where there was a bad accident on the other side, emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances were everywhere. His lane was pretty clear and moving however the car in front of him abruptly slammed and their brakes and stopped in the middle of the lane. My father did not have to react fully and when he slammed on his brakes his car was not able to come to a complete stop and ended up ramming into the car that stopped in front him. This car stopped to take a look at the accident that was the other side of the road which is just plain ironic since they ended up causing an accident of their own. Luckily in the accident my father was involved in both parties involved turned out okay and  virtually unharmed. However, my father’s car is most likely totaled although we will not know for certain until we take it in to be checked. When people are in accidents due to distracted driving not everybody is so lucky, many distracted driving accidents are fatal. Another personal real life example of distracted driving causing a serious injury is what happened to my cousin when he was in high school. The football team, which he was a part of, was driving home one night after an away game in the rain. The driver of the bus was already at a higher risk of getting in an accident since it was raining at night while he was driving a car full of people. The bus driver got distracted for a split second and the bus swerved off the slippery road into a nearby ditch. My cousin, Brian, ended up being paralyzed from the waist down and hasn’t been able to walk since this accident happened twenty odd years ago. However, he did not let this accident ruin his life. He decided he wanted to help other people that were paralyzed or in similar situations to him. He is now a surgeon and does lots of stem cell research. He is also happily married with three kids. Both of these accidents did not end in fatality, but there are accidents caused by being distracted that end in death every day. It is one of the biggest causes of all accidents to this date. Keep this in mind when you are driving down the road. Everything can wait when it is your life that is on the line.