Reading the Constitution Essay Example for Free

Reading the Constitution Essay In their essay, How Not to Read the Constitution, Lawrence Tribe and Michael Dorf describe the ways the Constitution has been interpreted by different people. Tribe and Dorf make it clear that the idea that the Constitution should be interpreted based on what the framers original intent was is not the way to read the Constitution, it takes much more than that. Tribe and Dorf also explain that justices do not interpret the Constitution in a way that would please the readers (the people) on purpose, because if that were so then the authority of the Constitution would lose all legitimacy if it really were only a mirror for the readers ideals and ideas (p. 49). This means that people have the tendency to interpret the Constitution based on their own beliefs. Also, the justices themselves have their own beliefs and their own interpretations of the Constitution, but they should not come up with a decision based solely on their own opinions. The exact way to read the Constitution is indefinable, therefore in their essay, Tribe and Dorf instead described how not to interpret it and implied that justices should make wise decisions that are not entirely based on their own beliefs, the original intents of the framers made generations ago, or the expectations of the public now. In the case Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, Planned Parenthood was challenging a Pennsylvania law that placed some restrictions on abortion. Many opponents of abortion hoped that the Supreme Court would use the case to strike down the decision made in Roe v. Wade, which states that a state ban on all abortions is unconstitutional. The majority of the court voted not to do so. This is a good case for providing insight into the way justices interpret the constitution and make their decisions. Justice of the Supreme Court Sandra Day OConnor wrote the majority opinion for the case. The majority voted not to overrule the decision made in Roe v. Wade. OConnor wrote on behalf of the majority and wrote in the opinion that the main reasons for this decision were based on the principle of stare decisis and the fact that the cases central ruling is workable for the states and does not come at odds with other precedents. Also, OConnor wrote that the word liberty from the statement no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, (the Due  Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment) includes a womans right to an abortion. Thus, the precedent decision made in the case Roe v. Wade that deals with the rights to and restrictions on abortion still stands. Justices William Rehnquist and Atonin Scalia each wrote dissenting opinions about this case. In Rehnquists dissenting opinion, his main point upon which he disagrees with OConnor is that the right to an abortion is not fundamental. By this statement Rehnquist means that the word liberty in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not encompass the right to an abortion because the right to an abortion is not implicit in the concept of ordered liberty. Thus, he does not agree with the majority opinion. Scalia disagreed with OConnor and the majority about roughly the same point Rehnquist described in his dissenting opinion. The difference in Scalias opinion is that he believes there is no question that the right to an abortion is a liberty, but he states that it is not a liberty that is protected by the Constitution. Out of these three justices, Sandra Day OConnor would most agree with Tribe and Dorfs essay about how to read and interpret the Constitution. I believe she would be in agreement with them because unlike Rehnquist and Scalia, it seems that she interpreted the Constitution not by what she thought the framers originally meant, but by what she thought would do some good in the future. She also made it clear in her writing that the decision by the majority was not made based on the justices personal beliefs. She shows this in the majority opinion she wrote, the stronger argument is for affirming Roes central holding, with whatever degree of personal reluctance any of us may have, not for overruling it.

Shapes Investigation :: Papers

Shapes Investigation Summary I am doing an investigation to look at shapes made up of other shapes (starting with triangles, then going on squares and hexagons. I will try to find the relationship between the perimeter (in cm), dots enclosed and the amount of shapes (i.e. triangles etc.) used to make a shape. From this, I will try to find a formula linking P (perimeter), D (dots enclosed) and T (number of triangles used to make a shape). Later on in this investigation T will be substituted for Q (squares) and H (hexagons) used to make a shape. Other letters used in my formulas and equations are X (T, Q or H), and Y (the number of sides a shape has). I have decided not to use S for squares, as it is possible it could be mistaken for 5, when put into a formula. After this, I will try to find a formula that links the number of shapes, P and D that will work with any tessellating shape - my 'universal' formula. I anticipate that for this to work I will have to include that number of sides of the shapes I use in my formula. Method I will first draw out all possible shapes using, for example, 16 triangles, avoiding drawing those shapes with the same properties of T, P and D, as this is pointless (i.e. those arranged in the same way but say, on their side. I will attach these drawings to the front of each section. From this, I will make a list of all possible combinations of P, D and T (or later Q and H). Then I will continue making tables of different numbers of that shape, make a graph containing all the tables and then try to devise a working formula. As I progress, I will note down any obvious or less obvious things that I see, and any working formulas found will go on my 'Formulas' page. To save time, perimeter, dots enclosed, triangles etc.

Nervous System (Science Report) Essay

-The nervous system is a very complex system in the body. It has many, many parts. The nervous system is divided into two main systems, the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system. The spinal cord and the brain make up the CNS. Its main job is to get the information from the body and send out instructions. The peripheral nervous system is made up of all of the nerves and the wiring. This system sends the messages from the brain to the rest of the body. -The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves that lie outside the brain and the spinal cord. These nerves carry impulses like sensations and information from the body to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the body. Thus, the peripheral nervous system connects the CNS to the muscles of the body. -The central nervous system (CNS) is the processing center for the nervous system. It receives information from and sends information to the peripheral nervous system. The two main organs of the CNS are the brain and spinal cord. The brain processes and interprets sensory information sent from the spinal cord. Both the brain and spinal cord are protected by three layers of connective tissue called the meninges. -The function nervous system is the major controlling, regulatory, and communicating system in the body. It is the center of all mental activity including thought, learning, and memory. II. The organs Central Nervous System Brain the brain is one of the most important organs in the human body system. It is the center of all commands. It monitors all the conscious and unconscious processes of the body. The brain coordinates various organs of the body and controls all the voluntary movements in the body. The brain is the organ that helps you remember things, learn, understand, think, create, talk, hear, taste, etc. The brain is divided into three segments, that is, fore brain, mid brain and the hind brain. The fore brain consists of the cerebral hemispheres and olfactory lobes. The mid brain is the region that mostly contains optic lobes, and the hind brain is the region that includes the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata. The pituitary gland is present in the lower side of the fore brain. It is called the ‘master gland’ as it regulates the function of many other glands in the body. Spinal Cord The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that run down the back from the brain in the spinal column. The spinal cord is about 40 cm in length and as wide as the thumb. The function of the spinal cord is to relay all the impulses, information and sensations from all around the body, internally and externally, to the brain. If the spinal cord gets affected due to an injury, it may sever some or most of the connections between the brain and other parts of the body, leading to paralysis in different parts of the body like the upper and lower limbs. Peripheral Nervous System Nerves The 31 pairs of spinal nerves branch off and reach out to different parts of the body and perform different functions. The nerves of the cervical region supply information to the back of the head, neck, shoulders, arms, hands and the diaphragm. The nerves of the thoracic region supply information to the chest and some parts of the abdomen. The lumbar region nerves cover the lower back, parts of the thighs and the legs. The nerves of the sacral region provide information to the buttocks, most of the leg, feet, anal and genital area. Somatic and Autonomic Nervous System The PNS is further divided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The somatic nervous system contains sensory (afferent) neurons that carry information from organs/muscles to the CNS, and motor (efferent) neurons that carry information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles of the body. Sensory neurons provide the brain all the information regarding the environment. The somatic nervous system plays an important role in transmitting the information and controlling voluntary movement. Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System The autonomic system regulates the involuntary body functions like respiration, heartbeat, blood flow and digestion. It is further subdivided into the sympathetic nervous system which regulates your flight-or-fight responses, and the parasympathetic system that helps regulate various normal functions of the body, for example, sexual arousal, salivation, lacrimation (shedding tears), urination, digestion, and defecation. Functions of the parasympathetic nerves include constriction of eye pupils, increase in secretion of saliva, increased digestion, decrease in heartbeat, etc. The sympathetic nerve functions involve dilation of eye pupils, sweating, production of goose bumps, decrease in digestion, etc. One of the important nerves, the vagus nerve is divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. The sensory system is also a part of the nervous system. Sensory systems for vision, hearing, somatic sensation (touch), taste and olfaction (smell) work with the help of the sensory receptors, neural pathways and certain parts in the brain that help process sensory information. When you feel cold or hot, it is the sensory neurons that are doing their work. The motor neurons are reactors, that help the body react to different environment. For example, the immediate pulling away of your hand when you touch a hot stove is a motor neuron reaction. The somatic motor neurons convey orders to the muscles. A subsystem of the peripheral nervous system is the enteric nervous system. Normally, it communicates with the CNS but studies show that it works autonomously too. It regulates the gastrointestinal system in the body. III. Multiple Sclerosis| A chronic disease of the nervous system that can affect young and middle-aged adults. The course of this illness usually involves recurrent relapses followed by remissions, but some patients experience a chronic progressive course.| The myelin sheaths surrounding nerves in the brain and spinal cord are damaged, which affects the function of the nerves involved. Also associated with aging.| Tremor, rigidity and poverty of spontaneous movements. The commonest symptom is tremor, which often affects one hand, spreading first to the leg on the same side then to the other limbs. It is most profound in resting limbs, interfering with such actions as holding a cup. The patient has an expressionless face, an unmodulated voice, an increasing tendency to stoop, and a shuffling walk.| Sciatica| A common condition arising from compression of, or damage to, a nerve or nerve root.| Usually caused by degeneration of an intervertebral disc, which protrudes laterally to compress a lower lumbar or an upper sacral spinal nerve root.The onset may be sudden, brought on by an awkward lifting or twisting movement.| Pain felt down the back and outer side of the thigh, leg, and foot. The back is stiff and painful. There may be numbness and weakness in the leg.| IV. A. The cortex gets its name from the Latin word for â€Å"bark† (of atree).B. There are approximately 100 billion neurons in the human brain.C. The average human brain weighs about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms).D. Unlike humans, the octopus does not have a blind spot.E. The average length of the adult spinal cord is 45 cm for men and 43 cmfor women.

Cosmetic Surgery Covered By Insurances - 1866 Words

Cosmetic Surgery covered by Insurances? What is cosmetic surgery? Cosmetic Surgery is a way to refine the body in the way a woman wishes. Body refinement can be done to any woman and/or man under certain circumstances. Many women and men choose to go thru this method based on their self esteem and not liking the way a certain part of their body is, however many people believe they don’t have another option so the only method they believe will work is going thru this method. A second cause of undergoing this method would be due to reconstructive surgery. A large number of people may have gone thru an accident which might have left a body part deformed or caught a skin disease. To continue there is as well as many as many babies born with a certain disorders or abnormalities which require what is known as reconstructive surgery. Cosmetic surgery was first used as far back as 4,000 years ago for facial injuries or so it is according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In around the 1900’s cosmetic surgery was mostly used for reconstructive procedures for Soldiers who needed reconstruction after fighting in World War I as well as World War II being that most soldiers wanted to look the same as before they even went to war. After the 1950’s cosmetic surgery started becoming more known due to the value that it had from its soldier and it was not only used for reconstructive but it started being used for achieving a more better appearance. By the 2000’s cosmeticShow MoreRelatedPlastic Surgery Essay713 Words   |  3 PagesPlastic Surgery and Its Types Surgical specialties are known as an important part of medicine. There are many surgical specialties, and every specialty focuses on a specific system of the body. One of these specialties is plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is one of the most important specialties that focuses in appearance improvement, and it has two separate types which have some similarities in master programs, concepts, and procedures. 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