On the Road to a Unified Science of Culture :: Biology Essays Research Papers

On the Road to a Unified Science of Culture: Beware potholes Culture has developed far beyond the requirements for survival, such that our forays into art, music and pure mathematics are 'useless' from the biological point of view. In "The Selfish Gene", Dawkins (1987)5 introduced the concept of the meme, analogous to but separate from the gene, to explain this puzzling phenomenon. The resultant field, memetics, has been a recent battleground between various disciplines. While a natural science approach to culture remains the stage for the debut of a much hoped-for unified science, interdisciplinary work has yet to transcend traditional academic lines. Ignorance, prejudice and territoriality pose serious hurdles to the synthesis of science, which must, very simply, begin with the scientist. Memes are units of cultural transmission propagated by imitation and may include ideas such as natural selection and fairy tales, behaviors such as shaking hands and sitting upright, and styles such as baggy pants and slang. Like genetic evolution, memetic evolution fits the classic 'survival of the fittest' scenario: the process of replication produces variation that is acted upon by selection. However, memes exist for their own sake, not for the sake of man or the sake of genes. In this sense, they are 'selfish', and the separation means that human culture can no longer be explained in terms of biological advantage (Dawkins 1987)5. Memetics sprang from Dawkins' meme concept as a natural science approach to culture, and many grand visions have been penned for this, the final frontier of the unified science. Wilson exhorts the synthetic scientific method, which he terms consilience. He imagines connecting causal explanations across all levels of organization and between all branches of learning as the "Ariadne's thread" that is needed to traverse "the labyrinth of empirical knowledge" (Wilson 1998: 73)10 . Similarly, Plotkin (2002)9 thinks of complete intertheoretic reduction as the unattainable ideal, but believes that the possibility of some reduction by explanatory causal mechanisms extending across some levels is sufficient. He emphasizes that unified science requires all science to be done, and so does not sideline the work of social scientists. More importantly, both scientists believe a unified science of culture is possible because humans are products of nature and natural processes. Although a relatively new field, thus far held at bay by conceptual disagreements, the ranks from which the meme debate pulls its opponents is admirably wide.

Finding Meaning in a Stolen Life Essay

It is said that all life does indeed involve suffering but it is what we make of this suffering that will determine whether or not we find meaning in our life. One must look within and around himself to create meaning in her life; one can finding meaning by creating works or doing deeds, experiencing things or encountering people, and choosing one’s attitude towards the suffering in her life. There will always be obstacles in the way to meaning—the tragic triad of pain, guilt, and death—but one must use this to fuel your drive to find meaning by maintaining tragic optimism—faith, love, and hope. Many people lead difficult lives, however, some find meaning and others choose not to. In the memoir A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard, Jaycee Dugard is put through what she describes as an â€Å"intolerable situation,† but manages to make meaning of the suffering in her stolen life. Jaycee Dugard has experienced tragic triad: pain, guilt, and death. She deals with pain throughout the entirety of her early life. The main source of her pain and suffering was Phillip who kidnapped and put her through hell on earth. Jaycee recalls the day Phillip took her—the first painful experience she had with the man that would strip her of her innocence. Jaycee recollects what was running through her mind at the time of her traumatic abduction: â€Å"Someone is dragging me and I am being lifted. My limbs feel like they weigh a ton. I try to resist and try to push away from farther into the bushes. The paralyzing feeling returns accompanied by a strange electrical current zapping sound. I am helpless to resist for some reason. † (9-10). It is not long after her abduction when Jaycee is put through an even greater mental test. She has been scare and alone since she was taken from her world on that faithful day and now Phillip would only make her more scared and alienated. Phillip does to Jaycee what nobody should ever have done onto them. She experiences pain physically and mentally when he rapes her and she remembers him trying to justifying her suffering: â€Å"He says it would be easier on me if I didn’t resist or struggle so much next time. He says it wouldn’t hurt as much. I think to myself, if you didn’t do it in the first place then it wouldn’t hurt at all. But I am too frightened by his act to say a thing in objection to him. † (31-32). Jaycee feels her first sense of guilt in her new life when she is given a kitten. Her kidnappers brought her home a kitten and she was happy but says, â€Å"I have begun to feel guilty for asking for her in the first place. I should have thought about the place we were going to put her. This is no place for a kitty. He says his aunt is an animal lover and will take her. † (41). She does not want the kitten to stay in the little room with her because she knows it is not fair for the kitten to not have a lot of space to run around and be happy. Her giving the kitten away makes her feel better because she knows it is not good for the kitten to be stuck in the room of suffering. She manages to get over this guilt but soon she is faced with a greater obstacle. Jaycee experiences death for the first time. It is not that of her own life but the death of one of her animals that brings her greater suffering she notes, â€Å"Blackjack lived a long life. Toward the end I took primary care of him and I was the one that found him when he died. It was very hard for me. At the time, I had made a cat enclosure which he would go in at night to keep safe, and that’s where I found him one morning†¦ I cried a lot for him. † (160). Jaycee was an animal lover and for her to find the cat she took care of dead was very hard for her. However, all of these experiences made her a stronger person. Jaycee did not allow the tragic triad to keep her from making meaning of her life. She kept searching. Jaycee Dugard was on her way to countering with two of the three parts of tragic optimism–love, and hope. She had children at a very young age and although she did not want them from Phillip or at the ages of fourteen and seventeen she loves her children very much. She loves both of her daughters, she did not want to give either of them up, stating, â€Å"I did it because that was the only thing I could do. I would do it all again. The most precious thing in the world came out of it†¦ my daughters. † (110). Her love for her two daughters fueled her positivity towards her adverse life. She was a very hopeful person all through her young life and her daughters gave her more of a reason to hold fast. Jaycee was constantly hoping that she would one day be emancipated. When she is first placed in the room out back, she hoped someone was looking for her and that they would find her one day to take her from home. Although she had a rough life from the age of eleven until the age of twenty-nine, she kept a very positive attitude by doing work and keeping busy. She found greater meaning in her suffering by creating works. She started a business—a printing company–with Phillip who has put her through endless torture. Over time she learned how to do it on her own and does most of the work for the company: â€Å"I work up a design and he takes it to the costumer and gets it approved when he brings it back to me, I print them on cards. The job turns out great and I am very proud of myself Phillip says that he thinks I should do the workups and he will get the jobs and help with the printing. †(127). Instead of weeping in sorrow for herself that her childhood and beginning of her adult life were taken away from her, she does work to make herself productive. This is good for her because instead of living in the existential vacuum, she feels like she is accomplishing something other than watching television every day like she used to and she feels important. . It takes a very positive person to find meaning in the kind of suffering Jaycee had to endure, and she embodied this person. She chooses to have a positive attitude towards being captured and enslaved. Throughout the time she was taken she kept a journal and instead of always writing about how much she misses her mom and wishes she was not with Phillip and Nancy, she wrote, â€Å"10 things that make me happy; 1. hearing someone laugh; 2. when my cats are near me†¦ 10. knowing someone loves me. †(183-184). Instead of thinking of all the bad in her life, she chose to stay positive and think of things she appreciates about life. Not everyone can do that, but she learned that staying positive is more meaningful. All life involves suffering as the main character Jaycee Dugard would know. She suffered a lot in her life from the time she was kidnapped up until she was saved eighteen years later. She suffers the first day she is taken. â€Å"I want my mommy. I want time to reverse itself and give me a do-over,† she cries about the situation she is in (10). Then it gets worse. Jaycee describes what is going on when she was thrown in the back of the car and taken to Phillips house where her suffering would begin: â€Å"A blanket is thrown on top of me and I feel a lot of weight on my back, I feel as if I can’t breathe. I hear voices but they are muffled. The car is moving. I want to get out of the car. I twist and turn, but something is pinning me down. † (10). She goes through a scarring experience as he puts her through the greatest suffering she will have to endure in her 18 years here. A few days after kidnapping Jaycee, Phillip takes advantage of her, â€Å"he stands back up and takes off all his clothes. I do not want him to do that†¦ I feel so helpless and vulnerable. I feel so alone. He lies on top of me. I can’t stop crying. † (31). She was raped and had to suffer through it because she had no other choice as she was too afraid of what he would do if she did not cooperate. Even after being raped and impregnated, she had to pretend she was not the mother of her children. She says that, â€Å"on the roof I felt like my pulse was going to jump out of my skin. I wanted to grab her and hold her. † (154). Phillip and Nancy wanted Jaycee to pretend that they were the parents of the children she gave birth to and that she was just their sister, but Jaycee did not want that. Jaycee wanted to be able to take care of her children and it killed her that she had to let Nancy do it. However, she did overcome the situation. When she was found and reunited with her real family, she wanted to meet with Nancy, â€Å"I wanted to see her for many different reasons, the biggest being closure. Telling her that what she and Phillip did was not okay in any way. † (243). Although her kidnappers took most of her life away from her, she still stood up to them in the end and wanted them to know she was a stronger person. Although Jaycee suffered a lot she did not let it get the best of her. She has made meaning of her life. However, it did not happen right as she was freed as she said, â€Å"my growth has not been an overnight phenomenon. Nonetheless it has slowly but surely come about. † (261). She is doing well now and both of her kids are in high school. She reunited with one of her friends from her childhood and now they are really close. She knows what they did to her was wrong but she said she got the most precious things out of it and that was her two daughters whom she loves a lot. She stays clear of living a provisional existence while she was captured and even after she was liberated, she didn’t go through moral deformity and bitterness. Sometimes, Jaycee looks at her life and thinks she thinks, â€Å"I don’t deserve it. † (267). Jaycee was a self-determinist and believed she had free will to make of her life what she wanted it to be. She utilized tragic optimism to resolve the tragic triad she had to go through. Jaycee kept a positive attitude towards her life and used this to create work and endure the experiences she had to go through and to find love, the greatest way to make meaning of one’s life, in the children she was forced to bare. She now knows that, â€Å"it’s the simple things that count,† and she has used that mentality to make meaning of all her suffering throughout her whole life (268). Citations 1. A Stolen Life Dugard, Jaycee. A Stolen Life. N. p. , n. d. Web. 22 May 2012. 2. Man’s Search for Meaning Frankl, Viktor E. Man’s Search For Meaning. N. p. : Beacon Press, 2006. Print.

The Development Of Gothic Architecture - 1515 Words

The Development of Gothic Architecture To describe the development of Gothic Architecture, you must first know what the Gothic Period is. The Gothic Period is described as the time between Romanesque and Renaissance periods. This ranges from the end of the 6th well into the 16th century in European countries. This was a revival of art and architecture during the period which erected many monumental structures that still stand. Gothic architecture was most common in France, England, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Within Gothic architecture there are different sub categories. The first, Anglo-Saxon period, during the time of St. Augustine’s mission. This style lasted from the late 6th to middle 11th century where it was take over by another style. The Style prevailing over the previous is the Anglo-Norman reigned from the middle 11th century until the end of the 12th century. This style was trumped by Semi-Norman, or Transitional style which gained traction during the very end of the 12th century which paved the way for the ‘English’ styles of architecture. The ‘Early English’ style is the style of the 13th century. The next century hosted the ‘Decorated English’ style of architecture, which lasted until the Florid Style. The Florid, or Perpendicular English style lasted from the 15th to the early 16th century. The last of the Gothic architectural styles is the Debased English, which encompassed the last part of the 16th century. Through thisShow M oreRelatedThe Development Of Gothic Architecture1445 Words   |  6 Pages The Development of Gothic Architecture in England The perceived English gothic periods were slightly different from those of France. The Early English gothic (approximately from 1175 to 1265) corresponded to the High gothic period in France. By 1300 the gothic style had become fully assimilated into Britain. â€Å"The next phase of development is known as ‘Decorated’† (Pragnell 2007 pg. 48) where there was much more ornamentation. The Decorative English period (1250 to 1370) used vaulting with elaborateRead MoreThe History of Gothic Architecture in Italy Essay1711 Words   |  7 PagesAbbott Suger wanted to make Saint Denis a magnificent showplace as the royal Abbey church of France and burial place of French kings. Ribbed vault which were capable of spanning large areas was designed to make gothic churches larger. These Gothic Churches were characterized by enlarged clerestory zone, windows enormous size with inserted new zone and triforium below the ribbed vaults and supporting of an arcade of high piers lining of the nave. These characteristics ensured the support of theRead MoreArchitecture Is The Thoughtful Making Of Space1268 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Architecture is the thoughtful making of space† said Louis Kahin. This is because architecture is the act of taking space and transforming it into a grand masterpiece using creativity, imagination and skills. Since the beginning of time, architecture has been known to be one of the most captivating features of man’s work. A combination of inventiveness, hard work and talent is necessary to wind up with an architectural design that will leave an imprint within onlookers. Architecture is a means toRead More Romanesque and Gothic Architecture Essay1144 Words   |  5 PagesRomanesque and Gothic Architecture The 11th to 15th centuries saw a great surge of the Christian Church within Europe which was emphasized by the persuasiveness of the Crusades. The growing population of the Church increased the demand for the increased presence in architectural monuments and during the Romanesque and Gothic periods, a great cathedral construction boom occurred across Europe. The Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles were distinctive in not only the massiveness of the RomanesqueRead MoreDifferences Between Eastern And Western European Architectural Styles1223 Words   |  5 PagesGothic architecture is often characterized just by the visual aspects that define it; however, there is much deeper influence in the structure and form of the style. The term is sometimes used to define a time period, but some critics believe there is no true definition of the term gothic. The style has evolved from many different things throughout history, and its influence is still evident throughout buildings in Eu rope. Gothic architecture and different styles of architecture can commonly beRead MoreGothic Architecture During the Middle Ages Essays1234 Words   |  5 PagesGothic architecture a new style developing from an old style of architecture with similar characteristics and in a way different. Architects wanted to build bigger buildings with stronger walls something that could not be found elsewhere. The old buildings did not have windows they were dark places that in order to get light they needed many candles. Not even the candles could give the right amount of light the buildings needed. The middle ages architects wanted big windows on the buildings and thisRead MoreAnalysis of the Romansque Style of Architecture1451 Words   |  6 Pages References â€Æ' Architecture affirms the wealth and culture of a society. The Romanesque style is a little like Roman architecture. Gothic architecture structures were beautifully made and offered the light of the new world to be shared. Both styles can be regarded as revolutions in building styles. By comparing the Romanesque and Gothic Architectural styles, I found that both styles were popular in the middle Ages, although Romanesque was first and later evolved into the Gothic style. Founded byRead MoreA Critical Comparison of Gothic Architecture in Italy, France and Germany1091 Words   |  5 PagesGothic was first used as a term of contempt during the late renaissance. The Goths were barbarians- which leads to many theories as to why Goth was the chosen title for a style that required extreme engineering as well as technical and artistic know how. Since then vast efforts have been made to rename the style with a term that better encompasses the idea of gothic style. The Gothic style was an over exaggerated, awe-inspiring attempt to become closer to God. The worshipper was not onlyRead MoreGothic Architecture And Its Impact On The Modern World1424 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology, culture, architecture, and all other aspects of Earth are on an ever-evolving cycle, reaching closer and closer to perfection at each tick of the clock. Witnessing these developments is like candy to our eyes, as we dwell in the research and creation of new models. Imagine the base model of all development as a Romanesque style of architecture, and the more improved model as gothic. Because gothic architecture was formed over a span of 5 centuries later than that of the romans, it isRead MoreNotre Dame Of Chartres And The Temple Of Khonsu1703 Words   |  7 Pagesthe moon god. Compared to the Egyptians, the barbarians of Chartres, France were more focused on building the ideal cathedral for their city. During the French gothic era of architecture, different cities in France were in competition with each other. Each city wanted to build the tallest, brightest and delicate cathedral. These French gothic cathedrals took several generations to be completed. It took approximately thirty years to complete the Chartres cathedral, but there were at least five previous

An Analysis of The Summoning of Everyman - 1884 Words

Running Head: Everyman Everyman Introduction The play The Summoning of Everyman, which in short is also referred to as Everyman is a morality religious play that was written in the 15th century. One of the main aims of the play is to revisit Christian salvation by making use of certain allegorical characters. Obtaining of Christian salvation has been explained in the play. The main morale of the play is that the good and bad deeds will be accounted for by the God after death and resurrection in His ledger. Whole of mankind is represented by Everyman in the play. Everyman asks the others to accompany him in his journey to improve his account of good and bad deeds. All allegorical characters in the play seem to personify certain abstractions that include Goods, Knowledge and Fellowship (Anonymous, Bruster, and Rasmussen, 2009, p. 67). Things do not have any importance in the real life, especially if the main aims and goals of ones life are taken into account. The main assets of an individual are his good or bad deeds as has been highlighted in the play. There is a popular saying that you cant take it with you. It has been asserted in the play. The phrase highlights the fact that there is nothing that we have brought into the world, so we cannot take anything from this world. Everyman departs on a journey that tests their discernment on life where our true friendships lay, the power of our possessions, and ones eternity; through all the hardships, one can determineShow MoreRelatedPerception of Death Essay1340 Words   |  6 PagesPerception of Death and The Treatment of Death in â€Å"Everyman† Liberty University Everyman Thesis: â€Å"Everyman† is a play that gives a message that death is inevitable. It shows that there is nothing a person can do to avoid it regardless of their worldly riches. I. Introduction A. Title of Poem – â€Å"Everyman† B. Author - Unknown C. Summary of Plot II. Analysis of the Play A. Characters B. Setting C. Theme III. The Author’s View of Death Read MoreEssay on Everyman Analysis1887 Words   |  8 PagesAnalysis of Death in â€Å"Everyman† Name Outline 1. Give brief overview of Death a. Discuss when he appears and for what reason b. Discuss his objectives and what his reason for being there is c. Discuss who he is talking to d. Give thesis statement 2. Quote the excerpt of Death’s conversation with God 3. Quote the excerpt of Trussler and his summary of the conversation 4. Discuss the atypical depiction of Death e. Follow up with Ron Tanner’s quotation

A Short Analysis of Aeschylus Agamemnon - 4558 Words

Aeschylus- Agamemnon Characters- The Watchman Clytaemnestra The Herald Agamemnon Cassandra Aegisthus The Chorus 1). The Watchman: • The watchman sets the time and place for the play (Agamemnons palace in Argos, the house of Atreus); he describes the many miserable nights he has spent on the rooftop of the palace watching for the signal fires that will herald the fall of Troy. • The watchman is one Aeschyluss small characters, but like the herald he serves an important role as he not only sets the scene but also perhaps portrays the mood of Argos awaiting their king and soldiers return. • That woman†¦show more content†¦Ã‚• The leader initially reacts with disbelief and doubt of Clytaemnestra a phantom spirit sends you into raptures and Â…giddy rumour you havent indulged yourself- to which Clytaemnestra is resentful and quick to defend herself No one takes me in with visions Ââ€" senseless dreams. immediately demonstrating a manlike pride (similar to Medea). She has ruled Argos for ten years now as is a strong woman and ruler. • She enters a long speech listing places which the Greeks would have known and boasts of her great achievement in constructing the chain of beacons that brought the news of the fall of Troy and I ordained it all, torch to torch, running for their lives She is portrayed as a strong willed and clever woman something which Greek society considered to be very dangerous and unnatural. • Clytaemnestra begins a description of the fall of Troy the Greeks and the Trojans are likened to oil and water (which do not mix when added to each other) and she speaks of her wish that the Greeks do not desecrate any temples, perhaps because of her wish that Agamemnon return home so she may have her revenge. The leader (unaware of this secret desire) complements her on her insightful and surprisingly humane speech and further establishes her male qualitiesShow MoreRelatedEssay The Cycle of Vengeance in Aeschylus’s Oresteia2440 Words   |  10 Pagesthe Oresteia will inevitably disregard some if not much of the trilogy’s essence and intent, on the positive side it will establish a platform of characters, events, and motives with which this paper is primarily concerned. As such, I begin with a short overview of the Oresteia and the relevant history that immediately precedes it. The house of Atreus is cursed, it would seem, with the perpetual cycle of vengeance, the law of an eye for an eye. The curse originated with Tantalus, who angeredRead MoreEssay on Analysis of Aeschylus Agamemnon4499 Words   |  18 PagesAnalysis of Aeschylus Agamemnon Characters- The Watchman Clytaemnestra The Herald Agamemnon Cassandra Aegisthus The Chorus 1). The Watchman: †¢ The watchman sets the time and place for the play (Agamemnon’s palace in Argos, the house of Atreus); he describes the many miserable nights he has spent on the rooftop of the palace watching for the signal fires that will herald the fall of Troy. †¢ The watchman is one Aeschylus’s small characters, but like the herald he serves an

Research Questions, Objectives and Hypothesis Free Essays

Research objectives are the goals of the research study. Research objectives specify the reason researchers are conducting research. For example, researchers may want to better understand the difference in pain scale results among subjects with a diagnosis of moderate traumatic brain injury. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Questions, Objectives and Hypothesis or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this case the research objective would cause researchers to take steps to conduct scientific analysis to determine the variations in pain experienced between a group of individuals without a diagnosis of TBI and a group of individuals with TBI. The research objective is to determine if there is a difference in perceived pain levels among patients with a diagnosis of moderate traumatic brain injury as compared with individuals without a diagnosis of moderate traumatic brain injury. The objective is the reason researchers are conducting the research. Farrugia et al. cites Hayes in saying when formulating a research objective it is essential to know â€Å"where the boundary between current knowledge and ignorance lies. † (Farrugia 2010). Understanding the missing component among previously conducted research and current observations is a key component when formulating a research objective. Research questions are the questions asked in order to achieve the objective. According to Farrugia et al. , an effective research question should â€Å"specify the population of interest, be of interest to the scientific community and potentially to the public, have clinical relevance and further current knowledge in the field† and be compliant with current ethical standards (Farrugia et al. 2010). The study authors further suggest using the FINER criteria in order to develop an effective initial research question. This delineates the research question into several component parts to analyze in detail the efficacy of the research question and if, among all the available or visible possible questions, the question chosen is the most effective research question to guide the study. For example, according to Jackson, a research question may state â€Å"do science majors score higher on intelligence tests then students in the general population† (Jackson 2011). This question guides the course of the research study and guides researchers in setting up the study effectively and accurately. It is important, throughout the course of research, to ensure that additional questions do not cloud the initial research question (Farrugia et al. 2010). This requires a focus on the original research question and the ability of researchers to set aside additional questions that may arise for later research studies. A research hypothesis or alternative hypothesis is the hypothesis which researchers â€Å"want to support that predicts a significant difference exists between the two groups being compared† (Jackson 2011). For further description, Farrugia et al. describes the research hypothesis a hypothesis developed â€Å"from the research question and then the main elements of the study — sampling strategy, intervention (if applicable), comparison and outcome variables — are summarized in a form that establishes the basis for testing, statistical and ultimately clinical significance† (Farrugia et al.2010). The research hypothesis differs from the null hypothesis and sets the course of the study, the study details and types of measures used during the study. Jackson provides an example of a research hypothesis being derived from an initial research objective when a researcher wants to illustrate that children who attend educationally-based after school programs have higher IQ scores compared to children who do not attend educationally-based after school programs. The alternative hypothesis in this case would be that the researcher wants to prove that children who attend educationally-based after school programs have higher IQ scores. In order to accomplish this, because of the nature of proving and disproving facts and the impossibility of proving the truth of the hypothesis through statistics, the researcher would have to construct a null hypothesis â€Å"the hypothesis predicting that no differences exists between the groups being compares† (Jackson 2011). In this case the null hypotheses would perhaps say that children who attend academically-based after school programs have the same IQ scores as children who do not attend such programs. This would then allow the researcher to attempt to disprove the null hypothesis using inferential statistics to reject the null hypothesis, which in turn would mean the research or alternative hypothesis, is potentially supported by the data gathered by the researcher. Another important consideration is weather the hypothesis will be one-tailed or two-tailed. A one-tailed hypothesis is an hypothesis â€Å"in which the researcher predicts the direction of the expected difference between the groups† (Jackson 2011). A two-tailed hypothesis is â€Å"an alternative hypothesis in which the researcher predicts that the groups being compared differ but does not predict the direction of the difference. † Whether one-tailed or two tailed (Jackson 2011) the hypothesis gives credence to the research and provides the schema on which researchers build their research study. How to cite Research Questions, Objectives and Hypothesis, Essays

Success Depends on Opportunity and Not on Character free essay sample

What Are Steroids? Steroids has more than one meaning. Your body naturally produces some steroids, to help you fight stress and grow bigger during puberty. (But your body knows just the right amount that you need, so theres no need to take any extra. ) Theres also a type of medicine called steroids that people might take if they have pain, asthma, or a skin problem. But these arent the kind of steroids getting attention in sports. When people say steroids (say: stare-oydz), they often mean illegal anabolic steroids.Anabolic steroids are artificially produced hormones that are the same as, or similar to, androgens, the male-type sex hormones in the body. The most powerful of these is testosterone (say: tes-tos-tuh-rone). Anabolic steroids can be taken in the form of pills, powders, or injections. Anabolic steroids are always illegal, meaning that you could get arrested for buying, selling, or taking them. We will write a custom essay sample on Success Depends on Opportunity and Not on Character or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some athletes take anabolic steroids because of their testosterone-like effects, such as increasing muscle mass and strength. This might sound like just a guy thing, but girls also have used steroids to get stronger and change the way they look.And its not only professional athletes who have taken these illegal drugs. Investigations and studies have shown that teens, college athletes, and others have taken steroids. There are supplements available that contain anabolic steroids. You might see ads for these on the Internet or in the back of sports or body building magazines. Some have been banned in the United States while others are still legal. Legal or illegal, these supplements can cause health problems. Kids should not take any steroid supplement, even those that are still on the market.Dangers of Steroids Anabolic steroids cause many different types of problems. Less serious side effects include acne, oily hair, purple or red spots on the body, swelling of the legs and feet, and persistent bad breath. A kid or teen who takes steroids might not grow as tall as he or she was supposed to grow. Some other serious and long-lasting side effects are: †¢premature balding †¢dizziness †¢mood swings, including anger and sadness †¢seeing or hearing things that arent there (hallucinations) †¢extreme feelings of mistrust or fear (paranoia) †¢problems sleeping nausea †¢vomiting †¢trembling †¢high blood pressure that can damage the heart or blood vessels over time †¢aching joints †¢greater chance of injuring muscles and tendons †¢jaundice or yellowing of the skin; liver damage †¢trouble peeing †¢increased risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer These risks affect girls: †¢increased facial hair growth †¢deeper voice, like a mans †¢shrinking of the breasts †¢period changes Specific risks for boys include: †¢shrinkage of the testicles and penis problems †¢pain when urinating (peeing) †¢breast developmentBecause steroids can be injected (given in a shot), users run the risk of getting illnesses that can be passed through needles that are dirty, or shared. These include HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, a serious liver disease. Though some problems may show up right away, others may not appear for years. One former Oakland Raiders lineman who died of brain cancer believed that steroid use during his football career was one reason he got the disease. Using Steroids Isnt Playing Fair Your health is the No. 1 reason not to use steroids or a steroid supplement. But theres another very important reason: Its just not fair.When people use steroids, it gives them an unfair advantage against others who trained and practiced without using illegal steroids. And because all levels of sports — from high school to the pros — are testing athletes for steroid use, theres a growing chance the person will get caught. If caught, he or she will face a lot of embarrassment and could be banned from the sport. But maybe worst of all, any achievements the athlete made while on steroids could be questioned. Someone might say, He didnt really deserve to be on the All-Star team, he was on steroids. Or, She shouldnt have that trophy, she was cheating