A brief history of diving Essay Example for Free

A brief history of diving Essay For those who can swim, diving in the sense of scuba diving or deep sea diving is certainly one of the most enjoyable pastimes a person can have. Like anything else, it has its pleasures and its risks, but the allure of the sea is certainly a major part in the life of any avid diver. Still, diving has its risks and perhaps in some sense those risks are greater than in other endeavors. The allure of the sea and the desire to enjoy it as freely as a fish is irresistible to many. Our fascination with the oceans may have made diving popular in the 19th century, but if so, it was certainly made more popular by the introduction of scuba equipment in the middle of the 20th century. Despite the relatively recent development of deep sea diving apparatus and of scuba diving, men and women have been diving for centuries. Often diving is for pleasure, but at other times it is just another basic survival skill to gather food, hunt for sponges (Hong et al. , 1991) or engage in military endeavors or otherwise. Until the invention of diving equipment, man was unable to go underwater and remain submerged for any extended period of time. His stay under water was limited by his ability to hold his breath so the problem was how to extend the amount of time underwater and, of course, the obvious solution was to find a means to provide an air supply to a submerged person. In August of last year (2006) while testing the Navys new Atmospheric Diving System (ADS) suit off the coast of La Jolla CA, a village of San Diego, Daniel Jackson, a Naval Reserve Diver, made the deepest free dive in history, a total of 2,000 feet. (Guinness, 2006) Perhaps it is because of the allure of the sea, but long before Jackson, men and women practiced breath-holding. Diving has many useful purposes such as gathering and providing food, military, recreational, research and others so these factors have no doubt added to the allure of diving. Despite the relatively new advent of scuba equipment and deep sea diving equipment, diving has been around for a long time. Of course, it is necessary to hold ones breath in order to go to any great depth and people have been using breath-holding techniques for diving for centuries. In ancient Greece, divers held their breath to search for sponges as some people do today, and throughout history some had done likewise in the process of military exploits. For those who wanted to stay underwater longer, the obvious question was how to do so? One solution was to breathe through hollow reeds while submerged. While this technique worked, there were limitations that prohibited it from being a valuable solution. Reeds longer than two feet long do not work well. Today we realize that it is difficult to inhale against water pressure below a certain depth. Another idea was to put air into a bag that could be used underwater, but that also presented problems, most significantly the fact that it caused divers to breathe in the carbon dioxide that had been exhaled. Although Aristotle wrote about a diving bell in the 4th century BC, all diving was probably done by holding the breath up until the 16th century. (Brylske, 1994; Somers, 1997) Whatever diving was done probably did not exceed depths of 100 feet if that much. The diving bell was the predominant diving apparatus during the 22 centuries from the 4th century BC until the around 1800. Using this stationary device, divers could get air from the bell and leave to do whatever they were doing underwater returning to the bell periodically for more air. This allowed divers to remain underwater until air in the bell was no longer breathable. By the 16th century, people began experimenting with diving bells. (Somers, 1997) These were actually bell shaped contraptions open at the bottom that were held a few feet from the surface. The diver could enter from the bottom which was open to water and the top part held compressed air, air that had been compressed by the water pressure. Early designs of the diving bell were refined in the late 1600s and became sizable and sophisticated by 1691 when Edmund Halley patented a ventilated diving bell that allowed divers to remain underwater for as much as an hour and a half. (Gilliam and von Maier, 1992) Even though electricity was not available for electric pumps at that time, manual pumps were used that could pump air from the surface down to divers as early as the 16th century in Europe. However, at greater depths, water pressure became a concern, so metal helmets and leather full diving suits were developed and used to protect divers who went below 60 feet. This diving equipment was continuously perfected up to the 19th and 20th centuries. By the 1830s, diving techniques that relied on air pumped to divers from the surface had been sufficiently well developed as to allow divers to work underwater for extended periods of time. Although these early techniques worked, they didnt entirely compensate for some diving concerns. Eventually, the improved technology of the 19th century resulted in compressed air pumps, regulators, carbon dioxide scrubbers and other improvements that allowed divers to remain underwater for longer and longer periods of time. As diving techniques improved, it became more apparent that there were at least two concerns in diving to depth. One, of course, was the need for an air supply that would eliminate the need to hold ones breath. The other problem was the need to compensate for depth. (Brylske, 1994; Somers, 1997) In 1905 Scotlands John Scott Haldane reported the fundamental discovery that breathing is regulated by the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood and in the brain. Haldane developed a method of decompression in stages that allowed deep-sea divers to ascend to the surface safely, information used for todays decompression charts. His work and that of the French physiologist Paul Bert increased our understanding of the physiological effects of air-pressure sufficiently to improve out knowledge of the hazards of diving to depth and how to overcome those hazards. Our understanding of the effects and safe limits of using compressed air for diving is due largely to the work of Haldane and Bert. (Gilliam and von Maier, 1992) Today, we realize that decompression, recompression, carbon dioxide and oxygen toxicity are important factors to consider in diving. Diving history can essentially be divided into four periods. Initially, there was the period of free diving when humans held their breath. Diving time and diving capacity were limited by the availability of air, the build-up of carbon dioxide and the effects at depth of pressure on the body. (Gilliam and von Maier, 1992) Later advances in diving during the second period of diving history led to the creation of heavy walled diving vessels which could maintain their internal atmosphere to that of sea level (1 atmosphere) so as to prevent the surrounding water pressure from being a hazard to the occupants. Diving bells and bathysphere are two such devices. Bathyspheres are essentially unpowered hollow steel balls that can be lowered from a mother ship by a steel cable. A bathyscaphe is a is bathysphere with a buoyancy control that eliminates the need for a cable. Then there is the submarine, a powered device with its own air supply and which is built so that it can handle all of the problems associated with depth and so it can travel great distances in any direction under its own power. Bathyspheres, bathyscaphes and submarines required a means to maintain the pressure at one atmosphere around the diver and a means to provide fresh oxygen while getting rid of exhaled carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide was eliminated by using soda lime, lithium hydroxide and other compounds that take up the carbon dioxide. Later during this period, one atmosphere diving suits were also developed that were flexible and yet able to withstand pressures at great death so as to allow divers to work at depths up to several hundred meters for hours. (Somers, 1997) Diving entered a period of using compressed air next. The air could be supplied from the surface and delivered to the diver at depth. The hand-operated air compressor was a major advancement in diving history. It had appeared by 1770 and allowed for the development of helmet-hose diving systems that were the predominant diving techniques from 1800 until the mid-1950s. Unlike then final period, during this period of diving the diver is separated from his/her air supply, but has air delivered through a long umbilical cord to a regulator and mouthpiece carried by the diver. At great depth, the diver can be enclosed in a dive suit that can handle the water pressure at depth. These suits can be cumbersome but the buoyancy of the water can relieve some of their burden. Although diving masks with a regulator, mouthpiece and hose may come to mind when one considers these devices, caissons are also included in this category. Caissons are huge spaces that are supplied with compressed air. Diving bells and rigid helmet diving suits are also grouped in this category. The air that the diver breathes is at the same pressure as that of the water surrounding the diver thus leaving him at risk for decompression concerns such as the bends, air embolism, etc. pon their ascent if they ascend too fast. To assist with this concern, special mixtures of gas are used that allow divers to dive deeper than with compressed air. These gas mixtures combine oxygen with another gas or gases such as hydrogen, helium and/or nitrogen. (Somers, 1997; Gilliam and von Maier, 1992) The most recent development in diving is diving with compressed air or gas mixtures that include oxygen carried by the diver. This is referred to by the acronym S. C. U. B. A. which is generally referred to as scuba diving. Scuba stands for self contained underwater breathing apparatus and refers to the fact that the diver carries his or her air supply on their back while diving. Although we may view scuba gear to be a recent development in diving technology, the development of scuba gear can be traced back to 1680 when Borelli, who also experimented with fins and buoyancy compensation, developed a device based on the theory that the hot air a diver exhales could be rejuvenated by cooling and condensing in. (Somers, 1997) Although Borellis gear failed, it still represents a step forward in diving theory and technology. By the first third of the nineteenth century, Condert published a scuba design using a helmet and a compressed air reservoir that fit around the divers waist. In 1865, Rouquayrol developed a surface-supplied regulator system that did ultimately have an effect on todays scuba gear. By 1878, Fleuss and Davis developed a closed-circuit oxygen scuba device that used chemical carbon dioxide as absorbent. (Gilliam and von Maier, 1992; Somers, 1997) The scuba equipment commonly used today was developed by Emile Gagnan and Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Somers, 1997; Cousteau, 1986; Marx, 1990) The two principle types of scuba equipment are open circuit and closed circuit equipment. Open circuit equipment vents the expired air into the water while closed circuit systems all the carbon dioxide to be absorbed and add more oxygen so that the air can be re-used. Scuba divers are at risk for decompression problems if they ascend too fast and various gas mixtures allow scuba divers to go deeper than with compressed air. Scuba diving has a number of advantages over other forms of diving. The tanks allow the diver to remain underwater longer than would be possible by simply holding ones breath. Even though scuba allows divers to go deeper than with snorkeling and allows them more freedom than would be possible using compressed air from the surface, its major disadvantage is that the time spent underwater is limited by the amount of compressed air in the tanks. Since time is of essence and all muscle activity decreases the amount of time that oxygen will be available, scuba divers can increase the amount of time they will have underwater with scuba gear if they exert less energy while diving. Although most divers swim underwater while diving, they can resort to propulsion devices referred to as Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs) commonly called scooters to move underwater. The term SCUBA originally referred to rebreathers used by the military for underwater warfare but today it generally refers to open-circuit equipment. However, rebreathers are also classified as scuba gear. The history of diving is certainly to complex and exciting to cover in these few pages, but what few comments have been presented do demonstrate how rich that history is and how far it extends back in time. Only by considering how far back into history diving extends and the advances diving has made with the passage of time will we truly realize the fascination diving has held for us through time. Perhaps the next great advance in diving will not be man growing gills, but whatever it will be will only add to the present fascination and allure of diving. We can only build on the future of diving by understanding how we arrived at our present level of knowledge and technology.

When Will It End? :: essays research papers

You may heard of me in ancient history. I am Genghis Khan and I,would like to share a story that was not recorded in history.In 1199 near the middle of winter,on the northern borders of china. My two best men and I were left standing,after being at war with the mongolians for several weeks,filled with hunger and dressed with wounds decided to retreat to home to heal and gather more men. I yelled lets go,We lofted on our horses,and right at that moment,a loft of arrows desended,up on all three of us killing my two men,and leaving me wounded in the arm, i broke the shaft of the arrow,and pulled it out,flung it on the ground and dug my spurs into my horses flesh,and like a bolt of lighting we shot through the woods.I knew my horse was weak, not having much to eat,but some bark off the trees,because of the heavy snow, my prayers were to the effect,that i would be home soon. I could hear hoof beats off in the distance,they sounded like they were getting closer, all i had on my mind was d arkness.Once dark my chances of escape are far better,I was still bleeding and felt like my horse was about to give up,as we arrived at the top of the mountain,looking down the other side and down at the bottom was a long winding river,i knew this was my escape,my horse collapsed to its side,gave his last breath.At that moment i heard a branch break,looking over my shoulder,gettig closer was that small army,of mongolians,run,run,run was going through my mind,i was weak and could not move very fast.i could here the words of the savages,bragging about how much my head was worth,then i slipped on the hard snow hit my head

Money Is the Root of All Evil

Money is the root of all evil. Many of us grew up hearing that money is the root of all evil, but that is not really what scripture teaches us. Money is neither evil nor good. It is only what happens with money once it is in our hands that gives it qualities of either good or evil. Money can be many things, depending on how we relate to it. We need to understand the difference between a physical currency that is the basis for our lives and a material desire that is driven by greed. It is a fact that money makes the world go round and this is how we bargain for food, shelter, education, travel and just about everything in life has a price.Money is the reward for our work that allows us to enjoy the good things in life. It is the foundation for our social organizations and the donations to churches and charitable organizations that allows them to become established and function properly within our communities. From this point of view, money is not the evil; it is just a source of our s urvival. From the other hand, the love of money can destroys our lives. Not only money by themselves, but the desire of them. The greediness can destroy individuals, break up homes and even bring down nations.When the love of material possessions, social status and political power are the driving force behind our desire for money, we become rooted in evil. People can also make money there god. It depends on whether money is in control of the person or the person is in control of the money. It is clear, when money is in control of person it can make a lot of harm. To sum up, I should say that money is not evil, as I think. It's just the greed that's in the hearts of those who want it for needless riches and power that gives money the label of being evil.

Video Games and Violence Essay - 2601 Words

One of the main concerns with respect to violence in video games compared to other media is the fact that games are immersive, and interactive. They are repetitive, and based on a reward system which is a proven psychological component of classical conditioning discovered by Ivan Pavlov. This argument however has been going on since the days of the comic book in the 50s, and because of the graphic violence portrayed in them, parents blamed them for their childrens bad behavior. It seems that blaming games, and other media in this way is quite a lazy view to take. Subsequently, it is really using game manufacturers as a scapegoat, while ignoring the bigger issue, the person who has committed this act of aggression or violence, and†¦show more content†¦Even when games were first introduced in the 1970s there was controversy surrounding them. The first game which had controversy about the violence was Death Race, released in 1976. The object of the game was to run down fleeing gremlins, which then turned into tombstones. Although the graphics were very basic, the stick gremlins apparently resembled pedestrians, and this had people at the time worried about their children playing something so violent. Because of this sick and morbid violence, the 60 minutes news programme broadcast an investigation into the psychological impact of video games. It seems strange considering the look of games these days, and the realistic characters, that people worr ied their children might be influenced by a few white pixels. There is a point to be made that maybe a game full of violence and shooting, could be the last straw to set someone off, who is already a naturally aggressive person anyway, but this is not really the same thing. It is down to each individual what they take from a game, and how they perceive their actions within the game, whether they think it is right or wrong to shoot someone, or to cause violence, comes from your role models who surround you as you grow up. To look at the issue surrounding the effect of violence in video games, the sensible place to start would be to find out what kind of professionalShow MoreRelatedThe Effect of Video Game Violence on Physiological Desensitization to Real-life Violence2765 Words   |  12 Pageschildren who play video games for many hours daily. Addiction controls life of people, there is addiction to drugs, cigarettes, alcohol or gambling, and there are some forms of addiction associated with modern life, such as Internet and video games. Most people think that video games are harmful and waste of time. 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More ways of playing violent video games are created each year, but most of us have this question in mind; do violent video games influence peopleRead MoreVideo Game Violence : Video Games892 Words   |  4 PagesVideo Game Violence On December 14, 2012, a twenty year old boy named Adam Lanza shot twenty children and six staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Before arriving to the school, he shot his mother then committed suicide after the shooting. The reports say that he was influenced to shooting others by the video game â€Å"Call of Duty†. Video game violence is defined as a behavior including physical violence intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something impacted by videoRead MoreVideo Games : Violence And Violence1301 Words   |  6 PagesThe issue of violence in these media products has been a highly-debated issue for the past few decades. Recently it has become extremely popular in the subject of violence in video games. It is rumored that games such as â€Å"Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, Battlefield, Halo and many more have been the culprit behind a recent spike in childhood aggression. Many people have their own views on the subject, but it has been most com monly deduced that aggression is caused by the games, but violence does not alwaysRead MoreVideo Games and Violence942 Words   |  4 Pages Video Games and Violence Awe entering in more advanced society of technology, video games has become a popular source of entertainment among us. Almost all of us has rented or owned a video game and we have spent hours playing it. As we all know, video games have become the second most popular form of entertainment after television; the source of entertainment is proven to be violent. Excessive playing of video games has a huge impact on our life as well asRead MoreVideo Games and Violence1011 Words   |  4 Pagesare probably millions and billions of video games sold every year to people. 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Depending on the video game that is chosen, does not mean the child will result in violent behavior later on in lifeRead MoreViolence in Video Games770 Words   |  3 PagesIn the article from Thom Gillespie states that Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is the latest video game to be known of demeaning our society’s youth in the U.S. He states though however, video games such as GTA are â€Å"art† and deserve protection. Moreover, those games just mirror humanitys violent instincts; they do not provoke violence, Gillespie argues. These games also offer chances for debates about ethical issues and the costs of actions. It is known from his writings that Thom G illespie is a professor

Identifying the Common American Sycamore

Minority Report Film Analysis - 1070 Words

Stephen Spielberg’s 2002 science fiction mystery thriller Minority Report, is an interesting commentary on the age old struggle for human beings to find a balance between our desire for freedom and our need for security. The premise of the film is that in the future, 2954 to be exact, the city of Washington, D.C. has instituted a pre-crime police unit which harnesses the â€Å"powers† of three young people with precognition to detect murders before they happen. The main character is police chief John Anderton, played by Tom Cruise, and when the PreCogs foresee him killing someone, he goes on the run and attempts to clear his name. The film ends up dealing with issues not only about freedom and security, but also about the ethics of the criminal†¦show more content†¦Each actor is exceptional in playing his or her role, but Cruise is a stand out. He is widely known for his roles in action films and his performance here shows why. His character is nuanced, not just a macho police officer, and Cruise plays the role well, displaying a vulnerable, flawed, well-intentioned, and well-rounded hero who the view can really get behind and root for. The mis-en-scene and costume design are interesting because they display what life could very well be like in the near future. The environment is riddled with facial and iris detection technology, sleek flying cars, and familiar brands like Gap and Ben Jerry’s. The inclusion of these brands creates a world that is almost believable. The costume is also a mix of contemporary clothing and futuristic, with civilians generally wearing normal clothing and police wearing exo-suits with jetpacks and helmets. The colors in the environment are generally dark and shadowy. Even in scenes that take place during the day time, while the colors may be bright, the overall feel of the film is dark and gray. The editing and camera work of Minority Report are what really make the film feel like a detective movie from the 1950s updated for the turn of the 20th Century. Visually, the film has a hazy, soft quality to it, which gives the viewer a false sense of peace and calm. This, coupled with the use of the color blue, along with black, white and gray, create a seemingly peaceful, comforting environment. This isShow MoreRelatedMinority Report Film Analysis1427 Words   |  6 PagesThe film Minority Report catalyzes a specific message through its usage of film effects and actors. Dystopian films are created through the film’s plot, often enforcing an over-arching method of government corruption and control through its setting, actors, and specific lighting. These key elements utilize the overall tone of the film, and it is the specific use of actors and technicians that ultimately set the film up for success. Minority Report exploits this usage of blocking and setting in orderRead M oreFilm Analysis: The Minority Report Essay1596 Words   |  7 Pages The Minority Report is a film that tries to stop crimes before they happen, with the enlistment of 3 teen pre-cogs. These pre-cogs predict future murders and the authorities swoop in and arrest the would-be murders, before they have the chance of committing the crime. Even thing goes great until Anderton, a cop played by Tom Cruise, is suspected. Written by Philip K. Dick and then turned to film by Steven Spielberg in 2002, the short story to film became a success. Though there are many differencesRead MoreFilm Analysis of Minority Report Essay968 Words   |  4 Pagesaction and another, his freedom to seek good and avoid evil. The animal has no freedom, but is determined by physical and biological laws; like a machine, the animal responds whenever the appropriate stimulus is present† (Bolles 1963, p.182). 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Not only are Latinas negative portrayed, but when they are representedRead MoreGraduation Speech : Senior Honors Program1321 Words   |  6 Pagesmothers and how they have been depicted in film over the past sixty five years. Over the time period of 1950-2015, single mothers are continuously addressed throughout American politics in relation to both economic and moral conditions of the country. For an honors thesis I would be interested in researching the possibility of a relationship between the way single mothers are addressed and mentioned in politics, how they are subsequently portrayed in film, and how the general public conceptualizesRead MoreThe Reason Why Minorities Are Often Suspected First Of Doing Violent Crime1525 Words   |  7 Pages The following paper will try to discover the reason why minorities are often suspected first of doing violent crime, instead of their counterparts. A general reason why trying to understand this phenomenon is important is for the consequences it brings. When an individual, in this case minorities, are suspected of doing violent crime, they are more often targeted more than usual. This leads to mostly minorities being in prison, and in most states, they are not allowed to vote. This is crucial forRead MoreThe Help Film Analysis Essay1686 Words   |  7 PagesHannah Struzynski Film/Documentary Analysis Paper: The Help ERS 100 Section 8 For my film/documentary analysis paper, I chose the movie The Help. This movie was actually originally a book written by Kathryn Stockett, but then in 2011, a screenplay was written and directed by Tate Taylor. I selected this film because it directly relates to some of the topics we talk about in class. Some of them being segregation and discrimination. 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Annotated Bibliography on Introduction to Sociology-myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theAnnotated Bibliography on Introduction to Sociology. Answer: Essay plan The discipline of sociology emerged as a response to the changing social events and the task of the sociologist to identify and explain those events through a critical analysis of the events (Cragun et al. 2014). Sociology is premised on the principles of debunking, disrespectability, relativization and cosmopolitanism (Wolfe Callahan, 2017). The study of sociology enables an individual to contextualize the everyday social interactions and personal troubles in the broader spectrum of issues that have been part of struggles in history. Sociology is the science of examining social events through a critical lens. This essay on introduction to Sociology aims to introduce the readers to the world of sociology and the various tenets, contributions and propositions made by sociologists. It outlines the quintessence of sociology and in what ways it may be different from natural sciences. There is a discussion on the methodological framework that has been undertaken by Durkheim. Sociology has progressed through the years and have responded to the changing vents like the bane of urban life to the critique of modernity. The scathing critique of modernity underlines that the generalized image of modernity an emancipatory project is an illusion and conceals the social, political and political evils that have been promoted and perpetuated. It concludes with the post-modernist and post structuralist approach envisaged by Foucault about the modern institutions and how power is infused in the body of the individuals. The literature (annotated bibliography) selected for the essay plan have been found through the library research catalogue and the suggested readings in the assignment. It is expected that the essay would be enriching to understand sociology by anyone interested to engage with the subject and at the same time these readings are widely cited for the study of sociology. Berger, P. (1963). Invitation to sociology.New York: Anchor,1, 963. Invitation to sociology Peter Bergers Invitation to Sociology is apt for the reading of the scientists who want to understand the fundamental distinctions between the discourses of natural sciences and social sciences. Penned in the year 1966, the book provides the reader an insight into the essence and contents of sociology. The books major strength lies in its ability to focus and critically examine the things that are closer to us. He exhorts the sociologists to not to look at the cultural artifacts as de-contextualized and unpoliticized objects whereas on the contrary those should looked with a critical lens. Mills, C. W. (2000).The sociological imagination. Oxford University Press. Sociological Imagination C W Mills Sociological Imagination underscore on the distinction between personal trouble and public issue. According to Mills, the very notion that individual troubles are isolated events is a facade. Our personal troubles are situated in the broader context of public issues all over the world. History is the manifestation of the individual trials and tribulations. Individuals fail to understand that their personal failures are not unique and are located in the larger society in which they live. The strength of the book is that it enables the reader to contextualize their everyday issues and the weakness may be the strict intellectual parameter set by Berger. Bauman, Z. (1989).Modernity and the Holocaust. Cornell University Press. Modernity and holocaust Liquid modernity is a seminal text in the discipline of sociology that locates the xenophobic attitude meted out to the Jews in the broader context of the essence of modernity. The text brings out Baumans social location as a Jewish critical social scientist who always had to be in the periphery because of his ethnic minority position. The author argues that the theoretical complacency that has surrounded the event of holocaust. The strength of the book lies in its reinterpretation of modernity and the identification of modernity as a bureaucratic-rational event. The shortcoming of the text is that is a synthesis of different themes that have been already addressed earlier by sociologists. Bauman, Z. (2013).Liquid modernity. John Wiley Sons. Liquid modernity In Liquid modernity, Bauman encapsulates the nature of modern relationships as fragile, loose and lacks the intense bond that had existed before the pre-modern era. Bauman also emphasizes on the increasing fear of the stranger that is permeating into the society. Spatial differentiation is growing in correspondence with social differentiation. This text is the legacy of Baumans ethical or normative sociology. Bauman argues that the lack of ethics in society is leading to disintegration of relationships both at the micro level as well as the macro-level. The strength of the text lies in its befitting response to understanding the nature of modernity whereas the possible drawback may be the presence of too many themes in one book, quintessential to Baumans work. Durkheim, E. (2013).Durkheim: The rules of sociological method: And selected texts on sociology and its method. Palgrave Macmillan. The Rules of Sociological Method Emile Durkheim is considered as one of the key figures in the functionalist school of sociology. For Durkheim, sociology is the scientific study of society where reality is understood as sui generis. It underscores on the view that there are social facts that a sociologist needs to intervene. Durkheim proposed that social facts are to be derived through the pre-determination of legal facts. The strength of the text lies in its detailed account of methodology. The drawback of the text lies in its positivist and functionalist orientation of placing too much importance on the structure and overlooking the micro-level everyday human interactions. Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in.Butler, Bodies that Matter. The presentation of self in everyday life Goffman, a micro-sociologist and important figure in the domain of symbolic interaction argued that social interaction is the performance of roles. He used the analogy of the front stage and back stage to underscore on the motivation of human action. In the front stage, the social actors act according to the norms and expectations of the society. In the back stage, the individual retreats from the given role. The strength of the text is that Goffman criticizes the structuralist and functionalist theoretical strands and his contribution of dramaturgical sociology. His weakness lies in not using the gender perspective to understand the dramaturgical tenet. Foucault, M. (2012).Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage. Foucault Discipline and Punish Discipline and Punish highlights Foucaults post-modernist approach towards the existing issues in society. Foucault recognized that power is infused in the everyday social relationships and the body becomes the site to manifest that power. In the pre-industrial society the nature of punishment unveiled its power relationship with the body. The exertion of ones power through corporeality remains the same and has taken the shape in disciplining the bodies in the industrial societies. The strength of the book lies in its nuanced approach of identifying power and the possible critique would be the invisibilization of discussions on gender, body and power. Horkheimer, M., Adorno, T. W. (2006). The culture industry: Enlightenment as mass deception.Media and cultural studies: Keyworks, 41-72. Enlightenment as mass deception by Adorno and Horkheimer The concept of culture industry proposed by Adorno and Horkheimer is a critique of the project of enlightenment. It was believed that enlightenment would be emancipatory and pave the path for progress. On the contrary, enlightenment induced modernity, bureaucratic rationality and capitalism has caused more harm than good. The aspect of culture has been turned into a commodity, manufactured and sold in the capitalist market. This had culminated to a culture of consumerism. The strength of the text lies in its critique of popular culture through a neomarxist approach. The drawback lies in it ability to recognize the subjectivity of the individual in preventing themselves to be cultural dopes. Simmel, G. (2012). The metropolis and mental life. InThe urban sociology reader(pp. 37-45). Routledge. The metropolis and the mental life Simmel also known for his formal sociology has highlighted about the impact of mental health on the individuals residing in the metropolitan cities. Simmel encapsulates the disposition of the modern urban culture. It emphasizes on the psychological implications on the lives of individuals. In metropolis human interactions are short and there is an increasing of animosity and doubt among the people. The strength of the book lies in its critique of the implications of health in the backdrop of urban megalopolis whereas the weakness of the book may be argued as Simmels pessimistic view about the society much like Weber. Weber, M. (2013).The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. Routledge. Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism In Protestant ethic and spirit of capitalism, Weber makes an interesting analysis by linking Protestantism and the rise of capitalism. According to Weber, the prevalence of capitalism and entrepreneurial venture among the protestant believer may be attributed to the specific qualities in the religious sect. Protestants believe that they should not engage in hedonistic life and rather save the money made from the business venture. There is also an emphasis on predestination and calling that is compatible with the temperament of capitalism. The strength of the text lies in its ability to identify a phenomenon with specific values shared by the group. The weakness lies in the overgeneralization of the explanation. References Bauman, Z. (1989).Modernity and the Holocaust. Cornell University Press. Bauman, Z. (2013).Liquid modernity. John Wiley Sons. Berger, P. (1963). Invitation to sociology.New York: Anchor,1, 963. Cragun, R., Sumerau, J. E., Friesen, B., Carter, K., Cragun, D. (2014). Introduction to sociology.St. Petersburg, FL: Wikibooks. Durkheim, E. (2013).Durkheim: The rules of sociological method: And selected texts on sociology and its method. Palgrave Macmillan. Foucault, M. (2012).Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage. Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in.Butler, Bodies that Matter. Horkheimer, M., Adorno, T. W. (2006). The culture industry: Enlightenment as mass deception.Media and cultural studies: Keyworks, 41-72. Mills, C. W. (2000).The sociological imagination. Oxford University Press. Simmel, G. (2012). The metropolis and mental life. InThe urban sociology reader(pp. 37-45). Routledge. Weber, M. (2013).The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. Routledge. Wolfe, C., Callahan, J. S. (2017). Introduction to sociology.