Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Video games and violence Essay Example for Free

Video games and violence Essay Whatever happened to Candy Land and Monopoly? Today’s youth are being molded into the future working adults improving skills, at the same time, showing aggressive behaviors playing video games. Today’s Video games can be very misleading when it comes to discerning the fantasy of the game. This brings forth serious behavioral issues. According to Curt (1990), â€Å"What worries many experts is that video-game violence is abnormally stimulating, arrives with the apparent sanction of parents and society, and appears on the same TV screen as the evening news, this blurring the distinction between play slaughter and real life carnage. †(Curt, Washington Post,1990,p. 1) Children are consumed within the game. They lose focus of themselves. As a result this affects today’s youth in acting out by manipulating adults in order to get their way(Curt 1990). These behavioral issues are turned around into a more positive manner though. In the game of, Call of Duty, children are soldiers standing up to defend their country. While as adults the reality comes out and washes away the fantasy environment of video games. While on the other hand, video games can be very beneficial for todays youth. Thilmarry(2012) notes that, â€Å"In the article, University of Rochester researchers Daphne Bavelier and C. Shawn Green looked at a study they did on the futuristic first-person shooter game† Unreal Tournament,†in which they found players improved perceptual and attention skills by playing in a first person shooter, player shoot from their own perspective as if theyre holding the shooting device. † While immersed in the game, they have the opportunity to fine tune their perception and memory skills. This could also lead to higher results on test in school with increased memory skills. This also aids todays youth in their problem solving skills when it comes to being sociable and interacting with their peers. Many children self-esteem are increased, as a result, of feeling that they are able to excel within the game. Whereas, under peer-pressure, the child would crumble with the bad comments tossed towards them in not measuring up to other standards. Which in turn makes the video game environment more beneficial for todays youth. With the ever changing technology our children are better equipped for the future. Todays youth are being prepared with various systems and newer versions of games. While in the business environment, working adults are working with ever changing programs. In todays video games, players are able to role-play with other players on the internet. While in the modern business world, adults are using the chat environment to interact with others making well-informed decisions together. With updated versions of video games todays youth learn to adapt more into well informed adults. While Monopoly maybe a long drawn out board game, there is nothing like an exciting video game for todays youth in the ever changing technological day in age. We should always be mindful to buy the most updated and appropriate rated video games for our youth. References 1. Suplee,C. W. P. (1990, Dec28). Weighing virtues, vices of video games. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved from HTTP://search. proquest. com/docview/277808375? account id = 7374 2. Thilmarry, J. (2012). Gaming pros and cons. Mechanical Engineering, 0135(3),20-20. Retrieved from HTTP:// search. proquest. com/docview/963767435? account id=7374.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Role Suitability and Job Performance Research

Role Suitability and Job Performance Research Introduction Role suitability and job performance are two of the key elements studied and developed by occupational psychologists, and have frequently been discussed over an extended period of time. Job performance measures an individuals ability and results in their job, taking into account their ability to use initiative, their thoroughness in completing the tasks assigned to them and the effort they put into each. (Boshoff Arnolds, 1995) Role suitability is the governing attribute looked for in interviews and recruitment and measures the individual against criteria associated with successful application in a specific job role. When considering potential employees, it is vital for companies to ensure that they employ the most effective and efficient worker for the role, whilst also ensuring that the individual will be able to shoulder the responsibilities of the work the role entails. To achieve this, occupational psychologists are employed to advise in the recruitment process. They consider the individual differences that are vital in predicting ability and behaviour within a job role. Two main factors that are considered as the main indicators in job performance are personality type and general mental ability (GMA). General mental ability tests have been used for many years as a measure of potential job performance and validated research over an 80 year period has shown that the tests correlate with job performance measures across a large variety of job roles. (Outtz, 2002) GMA is most often referred to as intelligence, though differentiates from the intelligence normally spoken about by psychologists due to its lack of genetic potential. It is more accurately portrayed as an individuals ability to learn (Hunter Schmidt, 1996) Used as a general indicator of ability, it does not measure specific aptitudes that may be involved in a job, such as numerical aptitude or verbal aptitude. Personality is the other highly regarded indicator of performance in the workplace. Early reviews into the use of personality and job performance gave negative conclusions (eg. Guion Gottier, 1965, Reilly Warech, 1993). However, more recent research has evidenced suggestions that certain job-related criteria can be predicted through the testing of personality. One advantage that it has over cognitive ability testing is that it allows an element of fairness in selection choice, due to a lack of adverse impact on employees. Method Participants The experiment was carried out by joint honours psychology and counselling students from University of Wales Trinity St David Swansea. The participants were of mixed gender, all aged 18 and over. Each participant gave full written consent before taking part in the experiment. Design The experiment was of a correlational design, set to measure whether there were any correlational effects between personality type, in particular extroversion, and their abilities at scoring on a cognitive task. The statistical analysis was carried out using IBMs SPSS program (IBM, 2013). Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) will be used to analyse the results. Cronbach alpha coefficients was used to assess the internal consistency of the BFI-10 test. Finally Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients was used to examine the relationships between the variables. Procedure Each participant firstly completed a consent form, giving full written consent as to their participation within the study. The BFI-10 questionnaire was then issued to the participant, completed, then received and recorded by the experimenter. The Sales ability task was then issued to the participant, its two parts described, then completed by the participant. These papers were then collated by the experimenters and the data entered into SPSS, where the statistical analysis would be carried out. Materials The personality type was measured using the 10 question shortened version of the Big Five Personality inventory test, the BFI-10 (Rammstedt John, 2007) as this allows for an efficient and effective measurement of personality. This is measurable through a likert scale, with five steps ranging from 1= Strongly disagree to 5= Strongly agree. It measures levels of extroversion, agreeableness, openness to experience, conscientiousness and emotional stability with two items (questions) linked to each personality element. The cognitive ability task was measured through an adaptation of the National Sales Aptitude Test â„ ¢ as this is a validated and trusted indicator of ability in a sales environment. The test was adapted and designed to enable us to measure the following key elements of sales ability: Communication skills, persuasive ability, resilience, customer focus, relationship building, attention to detail, problem solving ability and listening skills. These are all important elements when considering somebodys potential sales ability. The test was made up of two sections, each graded differently. Section One was graded by a number value being given to each answer provided, whereas Section Two a point was given for each correct answer. IBMs SPSS software was used to carry out all statistical analysis. A consent and debrief form were also used to gain written acceptance of participation, and to debrief the participants following the experiment. Results All participants completed both scales. The mean score on the extroversion questionnaire was 6.47 with a range from 3-10 (SD = 2.11) and the mean score on the cognitive task was 58.8 with a range from 35-78 (SD = 10.75) In order to test the hypothesis that there is a positive association between increased levels of extroversion and cognitive ability in sales, the relationship between the two was explored using a correlational analysis. The results of a Pearson product-moment correlation indicated an insignificant weak negative correlation between the two variables (r = -.079, n = 40, p = >.05) with very little association being shown between the two variables (See Figure 1). The experimental hypothesis was therefore unsupported. Figure 1. Scatter-graph showing weak negative association between variables. Reference List Rammstedt, B., John, O. P. (2007). Measuring personality in one minute or less: A 10-item short version of the Big Five Inventory in English and German. Journal of Research in Personality,41(1), 203-212. IBM Corp. Released 2013. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. Boshoff, C. Arnolds, C. (1995) Some antecedents of employee commitment and their influence on job performance. South African journal of Business Management, 26(4), 125-135. Outtz, J.L., (2002) The role of cognitive ability tests in employment selection. Human Performance. 15(1/2), 161-171. Hunter, J.E., Schmidt, F.L., (1996). Intelligence and job performance: Economic and social implications. Psychology, Public Policy and Law, 2, 447-472. Guion, R.M., Gottier, R.F., (1965). Validity of personality measures in personnel selection. Personnel Psychology, 18, 135-164 Reilly, R.R., Warech, M.A., (1993). The validity and fairness of alternatives to cognitive tests. In C.C. Wing B.R. Gifford (Eds.), Policy issues in employment testing. (pp. 131-224) Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic.

Endogenous And Exogenous Antioxidants Benefits

Endogenous And Exogenous Antioxidants Benefits Despite the usefulness of oxidation reactions to life, it could also cause a great harm to humankind. Human beings have body that generates free radicals very continuously and these are always produced from the oxidation reaction that constantly takes place in living cells. Apart from the radicals that results from oxidation, some other ones are generated from immune cells to combat bacteria and viruses and also from ingestion, inhalation, and or absorption from our immediate environment during burning by sun or ultraviolet rays. Damage caused by free radicals includes aging, destruction of DNA and clogging of arteries. It is also believed that free radicals may play a role in cancer, strokes, and heart disease. Oxidative stress may also damage or kill cells. Free radicals cause damage to skins structural support and decrease its elasticity, resilience, and suppleness. Antioxidants stop the chain reactions of free radical, and inhibit other oxidation reactions. An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. There are two types of antioxidants: exogenous and endogenous. Exogenous antioxidants are antioxidants we get from our diet and endogenous antioxidants are made by our bodies. Endogenous antioxidants repair free radical damage on the inside by initiating cell regeneration; exogenous antioxidants repair some free radical damage from the outside on in by stimulating cell regeneration. The role of endogenous and exogenous antioxidants Exogenous antioxidants are antioxidants we get from our diet by eating antioxidant-rich foods and by taking supplements. Some well known examples of exogenous antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E. Even though exogenous antioxidants can be obtained from food sources, in our modern day world it is nearly impossible to get enough exogenous antioxidants from our diet to neutralize all of the free radicals generated. This is why antioxidant supplementation is so vital. Endogenous antioxidants are made by our bodies. Because they are produced by our own bodies and not obtained from food sources, endogenous antioxidants are far more potent than exogenous antioxidants. Endogenous antioxidants repair all of the free radical damage by initiating cell regeneration from the inside on out, whereas, exogenous antioxidants only repair some of the free radical damage from the outside on in by stimulating (not initiating) cell regeneration. There are five extremely powerful endogenous antioxidants. They are: Glutathione (GSH), Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Unfortunately, the bodys production of endogenous antioxidants declines as we age. For example, our glutathione levels decline about 10-15% per decade as we grow older. This decrease in endogenous antioxidants is found to be a strong factor in contributing to premature aging and degenerative diseases. There is more than enough studies to verify that by increasing our endogenous antioxidant cellular levels, such as our glutathione levels, we can greatly help prevent many age-related health issues and degenerative diseases like Diabetes, Alzheimers, Cancer, Heart Disease, and many other health concerns. (Curr Cardiol Rev.2008 Nov; 4(4):259-68.) (Kaneto et al, 1999) Sources of Antioxidants All plants produce antioxidants. Even meat, dairy products, and eggs contain some antioxidants, which mainly come from the nutrient-rich plants the animals fed on. Plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple types of antioxidants, such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxides. Antioxidants protection against diabetes Diabetics have high levels of oxidative stress, which basically means too many free radicals and not enough antioxidants to neutralize them. It would be beneficial for anyone suffering from Diabetes to increase their antioxidant supplementation. Glutathione, being the master antioxidant, would naturally be the best choice. Furthermore, inflammation leads to and contributes to insulin resistance. Glutathione, on top of being the most potent antioxidant, is also a powerful ant-inflammatory. Increasing evidence in both experimental and clinical studies suggests that oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of both types of diabetes mellitus. Free radicals are formed disproportionately in diabetes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Abnormally high levels of free radicals and the simultaneous decline of antioxidant defense mechanisms can lead to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.development of insulin resistance. These consequences of oxidative stress can promote the development of complications of diabetes mellitus. (Wiley 2003) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is evidence for increased oxidative stress in diabetesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.With regard to diabetes, antioxidantsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦supplementation have been shown to be beneficial. Thus, it appears that, in diabetes, antioxidant therapy could alleviate the increased attendant oxidative stress and emerge as an additional therapeutic modality. (Vega-Lopez et al, 2004) Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have discov ered that inflammationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦leads to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Science Daily (Nov. 7, 2007) Antioxidants protection against cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke Apples, and especially apple peels, have been found to have a potent antioxidant activity and can greatly inhibit the growth of liver cancer and colon cancer cells (Wolfe et al. 2003) (Eberhardt et al. 2000). The total antioxidant activity of apples with the peel was approximately 83 ÃŽÂ ¼mol vitamin C equivalents, which means that the antioxidant activity of 100 g apples (about one serving of apple) is equivalent to about 1500 mg of vitamin C. However, the amount of vitamin C in 100 g of apples is only about 5.7 mg (Eberhardt et al.2000). Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, but research shows that nearly all of the antioxidant activity from apples comes from a variety of other compounds. Vitamin C in apples contributed less than 0.4% of total antioxidant activity. (Liu et al. 2001) Prospective studies suggest that people with high intakes of fruit and vegetables or blood antioxidant concentrations (Pandey et al. 1995) (Enstrom et al. 1992) in the highest quintile of the distribution have low risks of epithelial cancers,( Steinmetz and Potter 1991) coronary heart disease,(Gaziano et al.1995) and stroke. At least 10 prospective studies have shown that high intakes of fruit and vegetables confer protection against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke (Steinmetz and Potter 1991) (Gillman et al.1995) Abundant evidence proves the role of virgin olive oil in protecting against cardiovascular disease. While it has long been known that olive oil helps decrease total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (Covas et al.2006) new research is shedding light on its additional cardiovascular benefits. According to the Food and Drug Administration, Eating about 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.(Fito et al. 2005). Scientists have proposed that several constituents of olive oil may be responsible for its anti-cancer effects. These include its anti-oxidant polyphenols as well as the lipid oleic acid, which is highly resistant to peroxidation. (Owen et al. 2004) However, there are a number of dietary antioxidants that have been identified that would help us to understand how the antioxidants function, and some are still in the process of development and testing. (Uddin and Ahmad 1995) A group of chemists at University of Scranton in Pennsylvania says that adding a mixture of antioxidants to sunscreen may help enhance protection of cancer. In animal studies, they found that a mixture of various topical antioxidants was more effective than single antioxidants in preventing the formation of skin tumors induced by ultraviolet light. In another study, the same research team found that black tea, green tea, grape seed and cranberry extracts were all promising antioxidants for fighting skin cancer when applied topically. Both studies were presented at the 229th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the worlds largest scientific society, in San Diego on March 14, 2005. Conclusion We need to eat a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables. We cannot depend on any single super antioxidants, a variety of antioxidants are needed. Currently only antioxidants from food compounds with vitamins (vitamins A, C and E) have been proven with antioxidant efficacy. Environmental factors that produce free radicals could be avoided. In numerous epidemiological studies, apples have been associated with a decreased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and asthma. In vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that apples have high antioxidant activity, can inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol, potentially explaining their role in reducing risk of chronic disease. The potential health benefits of apples are numerous. Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, including apples, as part of a healthy diet may aid in the prevention of chronic disease and maintenance of good health.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

SWOT Analysis Starbucks :: business marketing

SWOT Analysis Starbucks Strengths †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starbucks Corporation is a very profitable organisation, earning in excess of $600 million in 2004.The company generated revenue of more than $5000 million in the same year. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is a global coffee brand built upon a reputation for fine products and services. It has almost 9000 cafes in almost 40 countries. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starbucks was one of the Fortune Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2005. The company is a respected employer that values its workforce. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The organisation has strong ethical values and an ethical mission statement as follows, 'Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business.' Weaknesses †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starbucks has a reputation for new product development and creativity. However, they remain vulnerable to the possibility that their innovation may falter over time. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The organisation has a strong presence in the United States of America with more than three quarters of their cafes located in the home market. It is often argued that they need to look for a portfolio of countries, in order to spread business risk. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The organisation is dependant on a main competitive advantage, the retail of coffee. This could make them slow to diversify into other sectors should the need arise. Opportunities †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Starbucks are very good at taking advantage of opportunties. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 2004 the company created a CD-burning service in their Santa Monica (California USA) cafe with Hewlett Packard, where customers create their own music CD. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New products and services that can be retailed in their cafes, such as Fair Trade products. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The company has the opportunity to expand its global operations. New markets for coffee such as India and the Pacific Rim nations are beginning to emerge. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Co-branding with other manufacturers of food and drink, and brand franchising to manufacturers of other goods and services both have potential.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Photosynthesis Investigation :: Papers

Photosynthesis Investigation This is the method used by plants to obtain their food. Plants which use this process only are known as Autotrophic (self feeding) organisms. Plants produce carbohydrates as a result of Photosynthesis, predominately glucose. If a plant cannot use the glucose immediately it stores it in the form of starch. If the carbohydrates were stored as glucose, this would have a drastic effect on each plant cell. They would absorb water through osmosis, swell up and burst. Starch is osmotically inert. Photosynthesis takes place in special mini-organs (organelles in plant cells called Chloroplasts). When chloroplasts are carrying out photosynthesis they make temporary stores of starch in their cells, in the form of grains. So the presence of starch grains in leaf tissue is an indication that photosynthesis is occurring or has occurred very recently. How do we test a leaf to see whether starch is presence in leaf cells? The iodine test for starch. Method- step 1 Â · Half full a beaker with water and bring to the boil. Â · Detach a leaf from a plant and place it into the water. Â · Boil the leaf for two minutes. Â · Remove the leave from the hot water; keep the hot water for next step. Step 2 Â · Place the leaf in a boiling tube, filled with ethanol. Â · Put the boiling tube into the hot water kept from the last step. Â · Swirl the leaf in the ethanol at least once. Â · Continue with this programme until the leaf has turned pale yellow and the ethanol has turned green. Step 3 Â · Remove the boiling tube from the hot water. Â · Carefully tip the ethanol away (into the beaker) and remove the leaf. Â · Drop the leaf back into the hot water, swirl it to remove any ethanol, then place it carefully on a white tile. Â · Spread the leaf out gently until it is flat. Step 4 Â · Using a dropper, carefully add a few drops of iodine to the leaf

Friday, August 2, 2019

Case Study Fast Fashion Essay

After two decades of fast fashion popularity, retailers and consumers have come to realize one of its biggest issues, its impact on the environment. Can fast fashion and sustainability work together? Step 2 The affordability of Fast Fashion is one of the main reasons for its high demand. Lack of authenticity or Intellectual Property. Fast Fashion has forced retailers to desire low cost and flexibility in design. Lack of quality in production Rapid production prevents consumers to get an idea of what’s to expect. (Forecasting) Excess of production. Wastes of these products from the retailers and consumer harm the environment. Reveals what is exposed in runways and fashion shows ahead of time. Fast fashion exploits the young consumer by incentivizing impulse behavior. Consumers are getting used to buying more frequent. Due to such rapid turnover, there’s a lack of exclusivity. Step 3 1. Higher quality, lower quantity. Pros Better option for repair: The customer will rather repair a good quality garment than can last than an inexpensive low quality one. Customer satisfaction: Consumers will be happier with a better value product. Long life: Products that are of better quality will definitely last longer so the consumer wont be forced to dispose. For the retailer, there is a great possibility they may attract a variety of new consumers that do appreciate superior quality. As a result of lower quantity, garments will stand out by look fresher and spacious on the sales floor. Cons Retailers may suffer fewer sales. There is a possibility they may lose some of their usual customers. Fewer options, now that there is a lower quantity. Higher quality means it wont be as affordable for the consumer as it used to be. Companies may have to reinvent themselves and state the fact that they are now enhancing the quality of their products. Consumer will be unwilling to compromise on price. 2. Personalization of Clothing Pros Consumer will be satisfied with having a say in the creation of its particular product. This idea will attract and motivate many more consumers. It’s innovative and fun for the consumer. The design will be personalized and the consumer will want to keep. Cons May require more shopping time for the consumer Products may not be as inexpensive now that the retailer will cater to every individuals needs. Consumers of fast fashion may be disappointed that there will now be less variety. Consumers may not adapt to this idea and reject it. 2. No more wasting, get compensated! Recycle and Reuse. The system involves customers bringing all the used items back to the stores and getting compensated with either a discount or a minimal refund. This is to incentive the customer to care more instead of wasting and harming the eco-system. Pros Companies will be take back used garments and send them off to countries in need. Companies will be able to reuse and reproduce them. Customer’s ability to help other in need is facilitated by the companies they have purchased from. Customers get an incentive to bring items back after knowing they also get a discount/store credit/ refund.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Religious Experience is Nothing but Fantasy Essay

The above criticism to religious belief was proposed by Sigmund Freud; who thought that the origin of relig exp (religious experience) is rooted in the unconscious and that they are a product of eschewed psychosexual development. Freud rejected any appeal to the supernatural to explain these occurrences as our mind regularly deludes itself, pointing to dreams as an obvious example. The materialistic approach to explaining relig exp has led scientists to pinpoint specific physical causes of this phenomena; St Paul of Tarsus is thought to have possessed a form of epilepsy. In this case, Paul’s relig exp would be a fantasy but perceived as real experience. A theistic challenge to materialism is that God and organic explanations of religious phenomena. In this way our brains may be wired up to experience God; materialism does not necessarily deem all relig exp fantasy. But how does one explain those who do not experience religious phenomena? Are some people born with Gods calling card? This in my mind is where atheists and theists will never agree; theists will say God only chooses some to be his messengers and atheists will say that our genetics and upbringing predispose some of us to superstition. In this way we cannot know whether each and every religious experience is fantasy; a conclusion reached by Bertrand Russell who reasoned that the fundamental truth that we cannot get inside someone else’s head and verify the experience deems this argument irresolvable. William James set out specific criteria for a religious experience. For example, the experience must be transient i.e it is temporary and therefore cannot be sustained. This conveniently prevents science from examining the psychological causes of the experience; further evidence that this argument is irresolvable. James based in conclusions in part on Pragmatism; the doctrine that truth is the acceptable conclusion for whomever concerned; in this sense, religious experiences are very much ‘true’ to the believer. This would be seconded by Ludwig Wittgenstein who indentified religion as a closed language game; proposing that the experiences are fantasy is not an accepted move and is only know to the outside observer. Ergo, to say religious experiences are fantasy excludes the one accepted explanation upon which religion is based; God did it. The term fantasy is vague; does this indicate a belief that we want to be true and know is false or rather a true deception ourselves. The former seems plausible in the case of Mass Hysteria e.g The Toronto Blessing, where our desire to fit in overtakes our desire to be right; what psychologists call Normative Social Influence. As James pointed out, these psychological explanations do not necessarily reject God. However, they do give us no reason to believe in him via Occam’s razor (believe in the most simple of the explanations) and thus reckon religious experiences as fantasy. This brings to mind Anthony Flew’s ‘Death by 1000 qualifications’; constantly changing the goalposts for the definition of God so that the eventual result is an idea that possesses no verifiable or falsifiable claim. Thus God cannot be counted in or out of existence, or even on the fence. Kant objected to the term religious experience; calling it a contradiction. How can we experience that which is fundamentally beyond our sensory capacity? We experience people and trees and the world around us because it is finite; as are we. We can level the challenge that we experience the universe, which is infinite, but that we experience finite sections of the infinite set. Similarly we can count numbers but not count to the ‘be it and end all’ of real of the numbers. God we can experience in short, transient bursts but cannot experience the sum of him; this is not logically impossible. Kant’s reasoning is not the reason to reject religious experience as fantasy; as with religion there can only be one wholly true explanation of religious phenomena. Only one religion can be wholly true as they make incompatible claims; and so we must dismiss most religious experiences as fantasy. And if we reject most religious experiences, then those remaining must be of the same psychological nature so they too can be dismissed as fantasy. James’s pluralism is merely another get out clause; another ‘death by 1000 qual’ which offers no explanation to how faiths are linked, and is infinitely less simple than materialism. In conclusion, not every criticism levelled against religious experience is sound. However, only one is sufficient; that because we can track the experience of God to psycho/physiological phenomena, there is no reason left to believe in God even though the two are not mutually exclusive. Since the debate cannot be resolved ala Russell, we must assume the answer is not the theistic one.