Mr. Price

The Tequesta Tribe

The Tequesta was a little, quiet local American clan. They were the main clan in south Florida and they lived in Biscayne inlet which is currently present day Miami dade district and half of Broward area they likewise had some little island in the Miami keys. They assembled numerous towns at the mouth of the Miami River and along the beach front islands. The boss lived in the fundamental town at the mouth of the Miami River. The Tequesta lived in Huts. in the same way as other different clans in Florida the houses were worked with wooden posts, raised floors, and rooftops covered with palmetto leaves. uring the year the principle town migrated to hindrance islands or to the Florida Keys during mosquito season which kept going around a quarter of a year. They wore light apparel The men wore a kind of undergarment produced using deer stow away while the ladies wore skirts of spainsh or plant strands dangling from a belt. The Tequesta local American clan were trackers and gatherers. The y depended chiefly on fish, shellfish, nuts, and berries for food. The men got sharks, sailfish, ocean dairy animals which is a manatee. TheTequesta men likewise devoured cassina known by the dark beverage which alcoholic on significant ceremonies. while the ladies and kids assembled mollusks, conchs, shellfish, and turtle eggs in the shallow waters. The manatee was viewed as a delicacy and served predominantly to the boss and other significant pioneers. In the Everglades, they chased bear, deer, wild pig, and little warm blooded animals. The Tequesta utilized shells and sharks' teeth for an assortment of devices. These included sledges, etches, fishhooks, drinking cups, and spearheads.Sharks' teeth were utilized to cut out logs to make kayaks The Tequesta language may have been firmly identified with the language of the calusa of the southwest Florida coast and the Mayamis who lived around lake okeechobee in the lower Florida landmass. The Tequesta were once thought to be identifie d with the Taino, the Arawakin individuals of the Antilles. The Tequestas had numerous strange traditions, for example, when they cover their boss, they buryed the smallbones with the body and put the enormous bones in a crate for the town individuals to worship and hold as beneficiary divine beings. They additionally took the tissue from the bone, consumed the fragile living creature and afterward gave the cleaned unresolved issues dead boss' family members, with the bigger bones setting off to the nearest individual. The miami circle is the site of a known Tequesta town south of the mouth of the Miami River . Ithas of 24 huge gaps or bowls, and numerous littler gaps, which have been cut into bedrock. Together these openings structure a circle roughly 38 feet in width. Different game plans of openings are evident as well.The Circle was found during an archeological review of a site being cleared for development of a tall structure. Charcoal examples gathered in the circle have been radiocarbon dated to roughly 1,900 years prior. The tequesta were second in power among the little clans of Florida’s southeast coast. Toward the northwere the Jeaga and Jobe, and toward the west and southwest were the amazing Calusa. As indicated by history specialists of the mid twentieth century the head of the Tequesta was identified with the head of the Calusa.The first record of European contact with the Tequesta was in 1513, by Juan Ponce de Leon when he found florida's coast. During the 1500s, Europeans started showing up in Florida. From the outset the Tequesta didn't invite these new guests. Be that as it may, in a little while, the Europeans won their kinship by paying off them by bringing endowments of hued fabric, blades, and rum. The Tequesta numbered around 800, yet they began to cease to exist because of settlement fights, subjugation, and sickness. By the 1800s the Tequesta clan had just a couple of survivors.

Ultimate Guide to Blockchain Technology

Ultimate Guide to Blockchain Technology There are many confusing definitions and allusions floating around of what “blockchain” and blockchain technology is. In the succeeding discussion, we will attempt to shed some light on the concept of blockchain, as a whole. © Shutterstock.com | Olga DonskayaIn this article, we will start with 1) an introduction to blockchains, then discuss 2) the role of blockchain technology, 3) how blockchain technology works, and lastly 4) the advantages of blockchain.AN INTRODUCTION TO BLOCKCHAINSTake a look at how the internet has evolved, taking our lifestyle and the way we do things along with it. Aside from completely revolutionizing how we communicate and connect with each other, it has also completely changed even the way we conduct transactions, even those of a financial nature. In the past, the idea of making payments online seemed farfetched, but that has been overturned with the introduction of various technologies that made it possible, such as online bank transfers and PayPal.Bitcoin technology was one of these, introducing the digital currency that came to be known as “Bitcoin”. This virtual currency, instead of physical coins, were simply balances maintained on a public ledger containing all Bitco in transactions, using private and public keys that are verified through the technology’s computing power. What made it prefered to other forms of traditional online payment methods is its lower transaction fees. Its operations were decentralized to “miners”, or the individuals or entities that own the governing computing power in the Bitcoin network.Where does the blockchain come in?You can say that the blockchain technology is a spinoff of Bitcoin, and it has been noted as the latter’s main innovation.All executed Bitcoin transactions are permanently recorded and kept in public ledgers, and each public ledger is a “blockchain”. Files, or “blocks” containing data that pertains to the Bitcoin network are added as they are completed in a linear and chronological order, thus forming a chain of blocks, or the blockchain.The exact details about the developer of blocks and blockchains are unclear. All that is known is that the first block was created in 2009 by a Japanese named Satoshi Nakamoto, and that is not even his real name but his pseudonym. He started it, and others followed suit. Even when Nakamoto reportedly ‘disappeared’ in December of 2010, many others took blocks and blockchain technology forward.Here is short description of blockchain technology: THE ROLE OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGYThe Bitcoin network has tons and tons of transactions, which means there is a need to monitor and keep close track of them. In February 2015 alone, it was estimated that there are, on average, 10,000 Bitcoin transactions per day. The block or blockchain is the record of these transactions, so they serve as the proof of all these transactions having taken place, since the blocks record the transactions as they happen. Once these transactions have been completed, they are then moved into the permanent database, or the blockchain.At the moment, blockchain technology is still in its early stages, but it is expected to revolutionize how the industry works. It is continuously growing and evolving, with the most recent version having more or better functionality. The growing interest in Bitcoin will certainly make it more mainstream in the future. Information and electronics giants Microsoft, Intel, IBM and HP are already looking into it. Even Wall Street is showing interest, with names such as Barclays, Citi and UBS dipping their hands into blockchain startups and technology.An analogy has been made between traditional banking and blockchain. Banks have a record containing the full history of all its banking transactions. The bank transactions are recorded into the bank’s system chronologically, as the transactions happen.Now you can look at the bank’s records as the blockchain, and the blocks are the individual bank statements, showing the transactions per month. They are similar in how the Bitcoin transactions work.HOW BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY WORKSA Block is composed of a group of transactions over a specific time frame; multiple blocks linked together make up a Blockchain. Another thing that you should never forget about the blockchain is that it is a ledger record of the transfer of Bitcoins between or among people or entities.Before we can dive into the details of blockchains, let us first get some key terminologies out of the way. As mentioned earlier, the block or blockchain is the record of transactions. A “transaction” refers to the transfer of value or ‘coins’ from one address to another, or from the sender to the recipient. Meanwhile, the “address” is the account number of the person or entity that you are sending the coins to. The creation of the blocks is through a process called mining, and it is done periodically.There is a need to manage the address, in case one person is using multiple addresses or has a single address that is used multiple times. There is also a need to monitor the running balances of the coins and keep track of the transactions entered into. For that, you will need a s oftware to do this; that software is called the “wallet”.Recording of TransactionsTransactions are time-dependent, meaning they happen in a specific order. Once a coin has been spent, there is no way to go back in time to spend it again.Thus, it follows that the recording of blockchains of transactions is also chronological, or as the transactions happen. As the transactions take place, a record will be created, and that data will be written into a blockchain.Data recorded on a blockchain becomes a historical record: it cannot be changed, and the fact that it happened cannot be hidden, either. The block, when already stored, becomes read-only, so it cannot be edited.How to Get StartedThe problem of most people when trying to understand blockchain technology is that it can get very technical. After all, we are talking about stuff related to nodes, cryptography, keys, hash metadata, etc. We will try our best to keep things simple.Choose the blockchain. There are a lot of blockchai ns that you can choose from, depending on your preferences and who you want to work with.Download the client software from the website of the blockchain you have selected. You can choose from the two types of reference clients:Full or Core Client: This allows you to download the blockchain in its entirety, and will be run as a full node on the Bitcoin network.Lightweight Client: Once downloaded, it will connect to other nodes in the network but does not download the whole blockchain. It is also selective in the information that it downloads, targeting only the transactions to its own addresses.Obtain coins. You can either purchase the coins or earn them, depending on what options are made available to you.Start transacting.In order to transact, the sender must know the address of the recipient, or the person that he or she is sending payment to. There is a small transaction fee involved, and it is up to the sender to calculate it or not, although it is recommended that it be calcula ted.Control in BlockchainsControl of coins in transactions is transferred from inputs to outputs. Cryptography is adopted for this type of control, and this is primarily due to the programmable nature of transactions. This basically means that, in every transaction, certain conditions must first be met before coins can be spent or transferred. The increased security provided by cryptography is also preferred for blockchains, considering that blockchain transactions are essentially anonymous, thus the need for better control.Senders and recipients each have their respective addresses (or account numbers). Senders will send coins by placing them publicly under the control of the recipient’s public key, which is the recipient’s address. Do not worry that the public key is truly public, or accessible by just anyone. The public key will remain hidden, thanks to hashing.At this point, it is the network that is in control of the coins. In order for the network to transfer control of th e coins to the recipient, the latter must prove that he has the matching private key to the hashed public key. Once the control is in the recipient, he or she may now spend the coins received.This means that there are two keys that will be used: a public key and a matching private key, with one key performing encryption and the other in charge of decryption, and vice versa.MiningMining is the process of collecting transactions and subsequently creating blocks, and the ones who create the blocks are called “miners”. Another way to look at mining is as a way of securing the blockchain, considering how solving or creating a block can be very complicated and even “mathematical”.Bitcoin performs mining around every 10 minutes. Let us say, for example, that there are 50 transactions in one ten-minute period. All 50 transactions are grouped together into a single block. On the next 10 minutes, there were 30 transactions; they will make up another block. The third ten-minute period showed 40 transactions, and they are in the third block. These three blocks, when linked together, form a Chain.The records are linear and chronological, so the numbers (or the ‘height’) of the blocks are also in ascending order, with 0 being the first block. When a new block is added, it can only directly link to the one before it. The newer blocks link TO the immediately previous block, and not the other way around. See illustration below: Each block is assigned with a corresponding Block ID, which is the hash of the data within the block, and serves as its digital fingerprint. The ID, or the hash of the metadata, is what identifies the block. The metadata is what contains the Merkle Root of the data related to the transaction.The Merkle Root hash will be added to the other metadata in the header, and the whole thing is hashed to come up with a resulting hash. If the resulting hash begins with a “0”, then the block is considered to be “solved” or completed. If it does not begin with a “0”, the whole process is repeated, using different increments. This is repeated until the resulting hash starts with a zero. This is where the “hard math” on the transactions comes in.Once blocks have been “solved”, the transactions â€" contained in the blocks â€" are then broadcasted to the network. The miners will then compete to create the next blocks that will be added to the chain. Miners are in competition with each other, racing as to who will first publish or broadcast a block.ADVANTAGES OF BLOCKCHAINSNow, many people are wondering why there is a need for blockchains when they can just stick to using databases in order to record transactions. There is nothing wrong with traditional databases, but blockchains have proved to be the better option.Blockchains are fully distributed. This makes the fault-tolerance of this distributed ledger technology very high. Everyone who is part of the Bitcoin network, and is running the Bitcoin client, will have a copy of the blockchain, so they can easily access it at anytime. Miners are also distributed. One benefit from this feature is that no single computer, or even a group of computers, will be able to dominate the network.Blockchains make use of decentralized verification. There is no central authority that it answers to, which is something that has been found to be very limiting in databases, as they have to constantly answer to a central authorit y figure. There is also no need for a central bank to intervene or for a clearinghouse to be involved.Blockchains offer enhanced security. Many users highly value anonymity, and blockchains support that by making use of software algorithms to record transactions in a reliable manner, without divulging any personal information about identities. All that is needed is the address to make payments and receive them. This pretty much makes it immune to fraud and tampering.Blockchains enhances trust among parties, even 3rd party trust. Security is high when it comes to blockchains. There is no physical exchange of value and, in transactions, the records remain on the blockchains even if the control of the Bitcoin is transferred from the sender to the recipient.There is a low barrier to entry. Anyone can enter the network and make use of Bitcoin and blockchains, because all it takes is a computer, internet connectivity, and downloading the client software.Blockchains advocate real-time tran sactional capability. Consumers are more demanding in the sense that they want immediate, almost-instant, results. When they place an order, they want feedback right away. They also want to be able to make payments RIGHT NOW so the products they purchased will be shipped at this same moment or a few hours from now, within the same day. Certainly, they would want to get rid of dealing with more waiting time for transactions to clear through some other regulatory hurdle.Blockchains enhance global operations. Businesses are taking their operations global or worldwide, and blockchains certainly help in facilitating this.Blockchains prevent double spending. The cryptographic controls that are in place in blockchain technology prevent duplication, so there is no risk of double spending on the part of the one making the payment. Each transaction is processed only once, and then it enters the block. The transaction cannot be processed again, so there is no fear of data redundancy, which is something that cannot be said with some bank’s recording systems. Tracking of the transactions is also made easier, because the blocks are arranged in a linear and chronological manner.Blockchains come with very low transaction costs. This is one of the main draws of Bitcoin and its innovation, blockchains. As much as possible, consumers want to save money, and they would want to spend less on transaction costs so they could get more value from their money on items that they really want or need to purchase.Advocates and supporters of blockchain technology are positive that it will soon go beyond Bitcoin and be applicable in bank transactions and even several non-financial transactions. Like vote-counting in government elections, for example. Sure, it may take a while, but at the rate things are going, we have no doubt that there is a great possibility of that happening.There are a few concerns about how blockchains will be able to accommodate the ever-increasing number of transact ions. It has been said that a new block is created every 10 minutes, so we are looking at 6 new blocks per hour and 144 new blocks per day. Many fear that there will come a point where the blockchain will be plagued with problems with storage and speed, leading to issues on synchronization and updating. Naturally, these will have implications on the security of the data or transactions being recorded. This is certainly a challenge that will have to be addressed by the proponents of this technology.

Inclusive Education Essay - 3017 Words

Currently, there are many obstacles that face special education. Although we live in a democratic nation, many people are unaware that every human being is to be treated equally in an educational institution. Is society conscious of the fact that students with special needs are able to be included in regular education classrooms, whether they be mentally or physically disabled? What actions should people take as legislator, citizen, parent, teacher or student? Typically, the primary responsibility of general education teachers is to use their skills to instruct students in curricula dictated by the school system. Typically the primary responsibility of special education teachers is to provide instruction by adapting and†¦show more content†¦The legal beginnings of inclusion began when educational institutions responded to the Civil Right’s Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, a time of reform and the public joining forces to gain identity and respect. The landmark case, Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, entailed that â€Å"separate was not equal.† This set a legal precedent in establishing education as a right that must be available to all on equal terms. (Winzer Kas, p. 28) In 1971, the case of Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens v. the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania established that schools in state must provide a free public education to all school-age children with mental retardation. In 1972, the establishment of the act entitled ‘FAPE’ gave meaning to free and appropriate public education to students ages three to twenty-one. (Winzer Kas, p. 42) In this same year, the case of Mills v. the Board of the District of Columbia found that exclusion of children with disabilities is a violation of the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th amendment. This case expanded the class of students with disabilities beyond mental retardation to include all types of disabilities. (Winzer Kas, p. 42) However, in 1975, the passage of PL 94-142 altered how society viewed special education. It was labeled as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (re-authorized as Individuals withShow MoreRelatedInclusive Curriculum : Education And Inclusive Education769 Words   |  4 PagesInclusive Curriculum In the 19th century, special needs learners, particularly students with disability have to be segregated in the special schools. However, over the past decades, humanity’s progress has occurred in acknowledging that students with special needs enjoy the same education rights as their peers. Nowadays, this group of student cohort has access to mainstreaming schools and inclusive education. In Australia, today’s classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse. According to AustralianRead MoreInclusive Education1804 Words   |  8 Pagesaccess to regular schools – that is the basic idea of the department’s Inclusive Education or Mainstreaming Program. In the Mainstreaming Program, the department maintains a warm and accepting classroom community that honors differences and embraces diversity of students. In the Philippines in 1992, the enactment of Republic Act 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, provided the Department of Education a stronger impetus to improve on its educational services for these childrenRead MoreInclusive Education3595 Words   |  15 PagesINCLUSIVE EDUCATION: CHALENGES AND PROSPECT IN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE ABSTRACT Inclusive education is process of strengthening the capacity of the education system to reach out to all learners, irrespective of their abilities, disabilities, ethnicity, gender and age, and receives quality education. The purpose of the study is to ensure that all children gain access to quality education that will prepare them to contribute to country’s progress. Recommendations to send children with disabilities toRead MoreInclusive Education And Its Impact On Education1074 Words   |  5 PagesBackground In the last few decades the education system has changed drastically. As a result of The Salamanca Statement which highlights right of education for all children (UNESCO, 1995) implementation of inclusive education has been the goal in many countries (Leyser Kirk, 2004). Although the movement of inclusive education has gained momentum in recent years, there are number of factor that plays important role for inclusive education to be successful, such as training, resources, legislationRead MoreInclusive Education Essay1546 Words   |  7 PagesInclusion, a complex issue which creates continuous debates. In the book Creating Inclusive Classrooms, J. Spencer Salend defines inclusion as : â€Å"[†¦] a philosophy that brings diverse students, families, educators and community members together to create schools and other social institutions based on acceptance, belonging and community [†¦] (Creating inclusive Classrooms, 2005, p.6) As a result, inclusive education considers as from a young age, all students as full members of the school communityRead MoreThe Challenges Of Inclusive Education Essay1592 Words   |  7 PagesChallenges of inclusive education Koster (2009), defines the ‘social participation’ as, â€Å"The social participation of peoples with special needs in regular education is the presence of positive contact/interaction between these children and their classmates; acceptance of them by their classmates; social relationships/friendships between them and their classmates and the people s perception they are accepted by their classmates† He further says that in a regular classroom students with differentRead MoreInclusive Education in India2690 Words   |  11 PagesA note on Inclusive Education Historically, attempts towards development and ensuring equality and justice for all have commonly been found to conform to the norms and systems of the majority. Most of these attempts have articulated the need for inclusion of all segments of the society – however, in most cases this articulation took the form of ‘special care systems’ that ultimately led to further exclusion of these com munities – physically, mentally and psychologically. For a variegated and multi-segmentRead MoreInclusive Education For Children With Disabilities1631 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract Inclusive education is where children with disabilities receive special education services in the general education setting. Many factors can make inclusion difficult or complex. Accommodating instruction to meet the educational needs of all students is one of the most fundamental problems in education. Many argue that inclusive practices benefit all students. While others argue that inclusive education is inadequately designed to meet the needs of exceptional students. Benefits of inclusiveRead MoreCollaborative Teaching And Inclusive Education1495 Words   |  6 PagesSpecial education settings provide an exclusive service to students who are physically or mentally challenged. There are many creative, and innovative teaching approaches and techniques developed these days to facilitate learners with special needs. Focusing to expand their learning outcomes I have decided to choose Collaborative Teaching and Inclusive Education as the most effective evidence-based strategy. As a ma tter of fact, the understandings and mastering of the strategies are crucial beforeRead MoreSpecial Education vs Inclusive Education887 Words   |  4 Pagesbeneficial to students in areas of learning other than academic, including that of emotional and social development. Wagner is in support of inclusive education, but believes that â€Å"Placement in regular education alone does not ensure success.† (Wagner, 1996). It is important to understand the individual needs of children included in mainstream education, as well as their strengths and weaknesses (Harrison, 1998). Wagner also advises the use of teacher aids, saying that â€Å"At least partial support

Oral Dracula from a Reader and Femminist Perspective

Bram Stokers Dracula an oral presentation Good Morning/Afternoon Today I will review Bram stokers 1897 novel Dracula, the approaches I will be using to reviewing the novel include the world centred approach, and the reader response approach exploring the themes of reader positioning and the authors intented reading and reader, then focusing on the world centred approach of the feministtheory. reader centred -attention on the reader -different readers from different social, cultural, religious backgrounds etc , will being and interpret different meaning to text, refletc ing from there own backgrounds and life experiences -perception of real life and the way the text presents personal or human life experiences world centred†¦show more content†¦Christian believe that Consuming the body and blood of Christ will give them ever lasting life, as Dracula consumers the blood of the living to give himself everlasting life, The word or Name of Dracula also meaning devil, So it soon Becomes apparent that the portrayel of religion positioned the reader to a intended reading from that perspetc ive. There are many other theme that are evident within Stokers Dracula.. which brings us to the second part of the review focusing on the world centred theory including a in depth look at the novel from a feminist approach in literature. After religion the universal themes that are evident in the novel are that of good against evil, love and the topic which I wish to discuss female roles. In Bram Stokers novel Dracula, women are portrayed as either weak and easily seduced by the vampires powers or evil seductress and sexual beings..... when Jonathan is left by the count, I his castle to die he finds himself confronted with 3 vimpyress, one of the women is described by Jonathan in this encounter The girl went on her knees, and bent over me, simply gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal........... Jonathan describes her as been voluptuous, a word that can be used or interpreted as something which he desired. MinaShow MoreRelatedEssay on Oral Dracula From A Reader And Femminist Perspective1431 Words   |  6 Pages Bram Stokers â€Å"Dracula† an oral presentation Good Morning/Afternoon Today I will review Bram stokers’ 1897 novel Dracula, the approaches I will be using to reviewing the novel include the world centred approach, and the reader response approach exploring the themes of reader positioning and the authors intented reading and reader, then focusing on the world centred approach of the feministtheory. reader centred -attention on the reader -different readers from different social, cultural, religious

Attention Deficit disorder Free Essays

My high school years have been challenging but I have managed to fit in. I was born with a condition known as Attention Deficit disorder (ADD). This condition causes inattentiveness, over-activity and impulsivity. We will write a custom essay sample on Attention Deficit disorder or any similar topic only for you Order Now I learnt to cope with these conditions by having a good self-esteem. I did not to inform the administration about my condition because I did not want to receive special treatment like getting more time to take my tests. I took challenging courses like chemistry, functions statistics and trigonometry. To improve my understanding of the academic material and also to get a better grade in my course, I attended summer school. I did this to retake courses that were difficult to understand during school time and to boost my overall cumulative G.P.A. These courses required sustained mental efforts in class, which were difficult to maintain, but I extended my school hours to get more help from my teachers. I even arranged with them to stay longer hours in the school labs for extra tutoring. I am very talented in gymnasium and my talent helped me get admitted in the varsity cheerleading team during my junior year, where I learnt to cultivate my interpersonal skills. During practice I dedicated all my energies to the teams performance and was promoted me to the assistant co-captain of the varsity cheerleading team. I had supportive friends in the team, who with my coaches assisted me to solve difficult class work problems. They lifted my self-esteem in believing in me. Through the team I learnt that to succeed I needed to have self-confidence. During my sophomore year I attended sylvan learning center, where I learnt to study and improve my skills to become academically successful. In the center I was able to develop good interpersonal skills and improve my communication skills. This has enabled me cultivate good leadership qualities. I believe am capable of getting in the university and once am there I will use talents in the gymnasium to occupy my free time. Being idle is a way of causing distraction and I want to remain focused during my academic years. I will use my interpersonal skills to develop good relations with a students and also to be become a student leader. I will study hard in the university to achieve all my goals despite my condition. I believe in working hard to be successful. Work cited Stein, E, Amy. Fragments: Coping with attention Deficit Disorder. Haworth press. 2003. 91-120. How to cite Attention Deficit disorder, Papers

The Major Features and Theorists Views on Religion

Introduction Sociology of religion refers to the study of cultural beliefs, practices, and forms of organizations. Sociologists study religion through some of the established tools and methods. Some scholars employ quantitative research while others choose qualitative designs in studying how religion affects human behavior. In particular, the census system, content analysis, demography, and sampling are some of the methods employed under quantitative designs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Major Features and Theorists Views on Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, observation, the use of interviews, comparative analysis, and application of historical methods are some of the techniques employed in qualitative designs. In the study of religion, many issues arise, but the most fascinating ones include theoretical explanations of religion and the major features of religion. Therefore, this article will discuss the views of various theorists on religion, as well as the major features of religion. Views of Various Theorists Emile Durkheim was the first theorist to make use of religion in comprehending human behavior. He undertook a study among Catholics and Protestants to ascertain the rates of suicide. The study was a milestone in the academic circles because it distinguished sociology from other disciplines such as psychology. Durkheim carried out a methodical study of religion in society by employing a positivist approach (Johnstone 9). He was mainly interested in identifying the forces that hold individuals together in the modern society. Durkheim established that religion is indeed the major unifying factor in society. In one of his works, he established that religion is not imaginary, as many would think. In his study, he noted that religion is existent because it affects human behavior in a number of ways. Religion brings out the realities of society. This would imply that each society has its own form of religion. A supernatural power exists in society, which controls human life. The supernatural power is too strong to an extent of forcing individuals to come together to define it. In this case, Durkheim noted that religion is the expression of collective consciousness, which is the synthesis of individual awareness. This consciousness translates to a certain form of reality. To Durkheim, simple societies, such as the Australian Aborigines, have simple religious structures, which are simply associated with particular clans and families. However, complex societies have advanced religious structures that tend to embrace universalism. In the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Max Weber offered an alternative explanation of religion. To Weber, religion is a perfect answer to human necessity for theodicy. He noted that human beings are troubled by the fact that some forces cannot be controlled through human efforts.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this case, human beings try to resolve issues affecting them through the worship of the supernatural. In particular, individuals are troubled with the idea that some people might suffer for long before they succeed in life. Religion is the only consolation for individuals facing various problems in the world. Through religion, individuals have an opportunity to escape from trouble meaning that they can be relieved from untold sufferings if they worship a supernatural being. In society, people pursue salvation in the same way they pursue wealth. To Weber, religion played a critical role in the rise of capitalism in Europe. In Europe, Protestants believed in predestination implying that the position of each individual in society is already determined. Rational Choice theory is one of the theories supported by scholars such as Weber, which explains social and economic actions (Johnstone 36). The theory states that human beings should always strive to do things perfectly. In other words, the individual should always choose the most cost-effective method when accomplishing certain aims and objectives. In society, people try to achieve their objectives using the available means and techniques. However, the most effective technique is usually chosen because of the constraints in life. In this regard, an individual conducts a critical review of available alternatives before arriving at the most cost-effective method. Weber noted further that the relationship between religion and society is very important to sociologists because it helps in explaining the behavior of individuals in a number of ways. Religion shapes human behavior because an individual would definitely behave in a way that his or her religion permits. Religion is understood as a belief system, as well as a social institution. It is considered a belief system because it configu res people’s viewpoints. In other words, it influences an individual’s understanding of the world. Given the fact that the world is full of tribulations and intricacies, Weber views religion as a social institution since it sets the patterns of social actions, which are structured based on the values and practices of society. Individuals evaluate their actions using the values and practices generated by religion. Since it is considered an institution, it has an organizational structure that influences the behavior of individuals in any given society. Therefore, religion is very important in examining the social and cultural context of any given human action. Understanding individual religious beliefs is not of concern to sociologists, but instead they are interested in examining the collective behavior of individuals in society, as well as how religious beliefs influence behavior. One of the most important reasons that forces sociologists to study religion is that it i s related to other social factors, such as race, age, gender, and education. In complex societies, various theorists show that some religious beliefs are associated with certain races. In this regard, religion would define social stratification of a certain society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Major Features and Theorists Views on Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Members of society with similar religious beliefs would tend to identify themselves with certain behaviors. They would then tend to conduct themselves in a certain way, which would be different from the conduct of other races. For instance, a majority of members of the Arab society would be identified with Islam. Through Islam, they have formed strong cultures that define their behavior in society. In particular, members from the Arabic race are not allowed to intermarry with other races without undergoing certain processes. In this reg ard, it would demand that a member from another race be converted to Islam for him or her to be accepted as a marriage partner. Regarding age, religion influences people differently. Furthermore, age groups are affected differently by religion. Durkheim found out that youths are affected more by religion as compared to the old. This is why suicide rates are high among the youth and the middle-aged individuals as compared to the old. Equally, religion affects men differently as compared to women. Religion is important to sociologists because it determines change in society. A religious society is reluctant to embrace new ways of doing things because change would interfere with the established customs and beliefs. For instance, many people find it hard to utilize family planning methods, as well as the use of protection during sex because their religions do not permit. Some religious values suggest that people were created to multiply. This problem is common in the third world whereby people are still practicing beliefs associated with traditional religion. Features of Religion One of the main characteristics of religion is that it is a group affair. Religion is considered a group phenomenon because of certain aspects that should be understood in sociological terms. In many societies, including western cultures, emphasis is always placed on beliefs, even though other aspects of religion are also important. In this case, religion is considered as a group phenomenon because it entails educating children on what constitutes the belief system. For instance, children are always exposed to literature that exposes them to catechism, which is the testimonial that any believer should consent. In other communities, children are expected to study the scripture in a certain stage of his or her life, which would help such a child in giving a sermon. Islam and Judaism are some of the religions that encourage their children to learn the fundamentals of the belief system.Advert ising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Christianity and Judaism insist on academic and formal belief system whereby children need to undertake religious courses to equip them with the basics of belief system. Other aspects of religion that makes it a group phenomenon include customs, religious experiences, and the sense of community. These facets do not refer to the individual religion, but instead they refer to the manner in which religious groups restructure themselves in society as far as focusing on shared meaning is concerned. Religion is a group phenomenon in the sense that it has an indispensable cognitive feature. In other words, it shapes the knowledge and the skills of the believer in a number of ways. Sociologists observe that the skills and the knowledge gained through religious customs organize personal opinions into a certain system, which serve as the basis of action. For instance, if an individual beliefs that some form of influential wicked spirits surrounds him or her, he or she would generate evidence regarding the presence of these spirits and would consequently adopt some measures to protect him or herself. In particular, an individual would resort to prayer, which would be conducted in accordance to the religious customs. In western societies, beliefs are treated as mere opinions that do not have substantial effect on the third party. In such societies, people rely on empirical evidence that can be tested scientifically. Empirical evidence is referred to as scientific knowledge. In this regard, the existence of evil spirits is only real to an individual who believes in the faith. This belief shapes an individual’s experiences and actions. Therefore, an individual who believes that spirits cause sickness and the other individual who believes that germs cause diseases are similar in the sense that they both base their arguments on a certain body of knowledge. Religion is also viewed as a group phenomenon because of the rituals, which consist of figurative actions that dis tinguish spiritual meanings. A ritual is a ratification of the spiritual meaning while beliefs signify the cognitive characteristic of religion. It should be understood that the two are intertwined because they both offer a detailed meaning of religion. Rituals are mainly employed to denote the unity of the group because it brings members of a certain group together. Scholars observe that rituals play a critical role in religious convictions because they help members in remembering some of the shared meanings. Moreover, a ritual revitalizes the consciousness of the individual, which has a significant effect to the group, as well as the individual. For an individual, he or she is able to identify him or herself with a group while the group benefits because its commitment and sense of harmony is renewed. Religion is always considered a group phenomenon because it generates some religious experiences that signify subjective engagement with the sacrosanct. Such experiences are usually c onfidential and personal, but people tend to share them with other group members through expression of beliefs and rituals. Through religious experiences, an individual would definitely belong to a religious community, which is a community of memory. Religious community refers to a group that shares collective memories regarding certain beliefs. Why People Choose to be Religious People become religious in different ways, but most people find themselves subscribing to a belief system through birth and socialization. In fact, socialization is the main contributing factor to people’s religiousness. In some religions, such as Islam and Judaism, children are expected to adopt the religious culture through birth. They are introduced to the basics of religious beliefs at the family level. An established education system is always established, which introduces children to religious beliefs and principles. In the Islamic religion, it is mandatory for children to study Islamic laws, wh ich are derived from religion. Other factors that compel individuals to be religious include the fear of the uncertainty, need for validation, the desire for orderliness, and the need to belong. People in the world have never explained the real cause of death. In this regard, people feel that they are safe when they belong to a certain religion. Moreover, people believe that religious organizations provide answers to numerous problems affecting humanity. In fact, religious organizations comfort those with problems. Regarding orderliness, it is generally believed that religion helps an individual to accomplish his or her missions peacefully. Works Cited Johnstone, Ronald. Religion in Society: Sociology of Religion. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2007. Print. This essay on The Major Features and Theorists Views on Religion was written and submitted by user Madeleine Alvarez to help you with your own studies. 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