Human learning and survival Essay Example for Free

Human learning and survival Essay There is a common belief that the ability to learn is what makes human survival possible. I believe that survival is not based solely on learning. Human survival especially in times of vast environmental change is the result of a combination of learning, logic, reasoning and subsequent application of knowledge. The thing that sets humankind apart from other living things is intellect, which according to the dictionary is the ability to learn and reason. Learning is simply the ability of animals (humans included) to acquire and retain new information. Whenever we try to learn a new dance step, learn a new language or simply remember the names of people we meet, we in fact use our learning faculties. So do animals when they figure out that scrounging around in garbage cans can reward them with food. Darwinian theory proposes the idea of evolution wherein living things adjust biologically, mentally and physiologically to environmental conditions and demands. When the concept of survival of the fittest and natural selection is discussed, it pertains to animals that are not just physically fit but mentally as well (Arrizza). In fact most biologists and anthropologists support this thinking by citing the example of how humans have always depended on their wits in order to survive. More often than not, it is the more dull-witted ones who perish even before they have given birth to offspring, which probably is a good thing for succeeding generations (Thorndike, 1931, p. 184). It was stunningly simple. Nature does what animal breeders do, but gradually, and over longer periods of time. In a species, those individuals who are best adapted in their hereditary endowment will succeed, and survive, better than their fellows. That is the struggle for existence. Those successful individuals will leave more offspring, and this will move the mode, the central tendency of the species, in their direction. Following generations will continue to undergo selection for still better adaptation: running, swimming, seeing, hiding, chewing, or all together. (Howells, 1993, p. 6) Supposing this theory was correct however, it would imply that the weak or learning challenged humans would have been weeded out a long time ago. The thing is that in todays times, learning challenged humans still exist and even thrive. There are some quarters that may opine that intelligence and the development of skill are products of mental evolution. Evolution refers to progress to something more functional, advanced and suited to the current environment (Human Evolution). The fashioning and use of primitive tools are just a few hallmarks of how human intelligence has evolved and applied learning into something that helped their survival. For all practical purposes, learning is often seen as an attempt to create a memory or store information that lasts as it is invariably linked with memory. Dr. Eric R. Kandle, vice chairman of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives sums it as: Learning is how you acquire new information about the world, and memory is how you store that information over time (What is learning) Simply put, it is just the accumulation of facts and information. At this point it is important to point out the difference between learning and memory. Kandle points out that not all learning can get stored into long term memory. Such is the case of things a person learned in school. Unless these lessons are used in day to day life, many will have trouble remembering them some years after. Kandle adds that There is no memory without learning, but there is learning without memory. (What is learning) True learning cannot exist without memory but Thorndike (1911) scorns the idea that human learning is the same as real human intellect. He states that learning alone does not include the more complex processes of reasoning or inference. No real thought is given to the relationship and causality of things, neither is there an appreciation of the progress the application of learning is causing. He further posits that learning is based solely on factors that are present in the environment. It is human intellect that makes it possible for humans to think and develop further learning outside the box or beyond what are present in his environment. Rychlak (1994) supports this contention with his own theory of Logic Learning. Rychlak believes that learning is an inherent quality in both humans and animals alike. Humans however possess the power and capability of logic that enables them to make sense and assign purpose and function to information that is learned. (p. 35) Learning is not limited to humans. Every living organism has the capability to learn. It has been proven that animals including dogs, cats and even bees have information and skill acquiring capabilities. While most animal characteristics are arguably innate or instinctive like a newborn baby or puppys nipple searching and sucking reflex, many later skills are learned. What sets people apart is rather not limited to the capacity to learn and store information but rather in the processing of this information afterwards and figuring out what to do with it. Animal learning is mostly based on impulses and instinct. There are three different ways by which organisms learn: by trial and error, by observation and imitation, and by instruction. (Campbell, 1998, p. 39) Trial and error is by far the most common method of learning among living organisms. An example of this is when a mouse tries to figure its way out of a puzzle by trying out first one path, then another until it hits upon the correct path to follow. Observation and imitation is illustrated by how the young of animals and humans alike acquire learning by watching and imitating the actions of their parents. This is most commonly the basis of the development of behavioral patterns and actions. Finally, and what is arguably the method unique to humans is the method of instruction through language. Why is it unique? Instruction needs conscious thought and full intention of teaching. What is more is that instruction is a big factor in the propagation of a culture yet the topics and methods of instruction are also largely dependent on culture (p. 40). Language is also another important and distinctive part of both human culture, instruction and in effect, human learning (Alland, 1973, p. 209). Using language in instruction speeds up the learning process thereby allowing for more potential information to be learned and assimilated. Instructions and responses are direct and accurate. In the same way, a shared language serves both as a unifying element of culture and shared experience between individuals. Learning and Adaptation Enough mention has been made of adaptation with regard to human survival†¦what is adaptation? Adaptation is lexically defined as an adjustment to conditions present within an environment or a reaction to a persistent and present stimulus. It allows an organism to adapt or change components or behaviors within itself to match the demands of its environment. Survival is an organisms ability to exist and propagate in relation to its surroundings and environments. Is learning the key to adaptation and in effect human survival? No. But it is one of the fundamental and major contributors to it. Like most living organisms, humans have physical limitations that are challenged by natural elements and processes such as climate, hunger and other environmental conditions. Unlike other animals however, humans are relatively less sensitive and attuned to environmental changes (Piantadosi, 2003, p. 1). It is at this point that the human ability to learn, reason and compare their living conditions and determine problems that may exist and threaten their survival. Like people in modern days, primitive men had their environment with its own accompanying problems. If modern people today are challenged by more high tech issues like traffic, work, and finances, our primitive ancestors had to figure out ways of keeping warm in the winter and putting food on the table (or rock). There were challenges in how to hunt and capture prey effectively as well as make sure that they do not become prey to carnivorous predators of their time. From plain materials and tools fashioned with flint and animal bone, primitive humans graduated to working with copper which was more malleable yet as tough as stone, and then to the much stronger bronze which was formed by melting copper with tin and finally, iron (Hartman, 1996). Supporters of learning as the keystone of survival wold point this out as a way by which learning improved human existence. But basing on definitions alone, learning meant that they simply realized that stone is not so easy to work with, copper is malleable but pretty weak, and bronze and iron are harder metals. It is logic and reasoning that made it possible for them to realize that 1. ) there are problems with the materials they are using, 2. ) they need to find a better solution to their requirements, hence the search and formulation of copper and bronze. Without logic and reasoning people then would have simply stopped at knowing. One may look at this the same way as the differentiation between science and technology. Science is that wide and impressive body of knowledge which will remain meaningless unless applied and utilized in technology.

The Material And Process Requirements For Driving Shaft Engineering Essay

The Material And Process Requirements For Driving Shaft Engineering Essay Based on my research, a drive shaft, driving shaft or propeller shaft is a mechanical component for transmitting torque and rotation that usually used to connect other components of a drive train that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement between them. Besides that, drive shafts carrying an important role as carrier of torque in driveline application. They are subject to torsion and shear stress, equivalent to the difference between the input torque and the load. Therefore, they must be strong enough to bear the stress, whilst avoiding too much additional weight as that would in turn increase their inertia. Drive shafts frequently incorporate one or more universal joints or jaw couplings, and sometimes a splinted join or prismatic join to allow for variations in the alignment and distance between the driving and driven components Based on the functions that has been discussed in previous, I know that the material of drive shaft must be strong enough to bear the stress, light weight which able to reduce the overall automobile weight and thus, increase their inertia at the same time. For the mechanical properties that required for drive shaft including the ability to minimize the losses in transmission, high tensile strength material, high torsional strength and light weight. Therefore, I would like to suggest that polymer matrix composite is more suitable as a chosen material that can be apply in driveline application. 1.1 Design Factors In the progress of my research in driveline application, I found out that marketing considerations are paramount in the motor car industry. There are two factors make this particular application attractive to the industry. On the one hand, vehicles are solid in the market place on claims of increased comfort, luxury and smoothness of operation. On the other hand, the manufacturer is also seeking to provide the maximum performance with the minimum fuel usage at the same time. Thus, usually these two requirements are conflicting. For example, a decrease in body panel thickness reduces mass and so increases performance and fuel efficiency, but this change also increases internal noise. Therefore, some automobile industry has spend much modal in doing research and recently, they have an idea which using carbon fiber (polymer matrix composite) in drive shafts which able to contributes to achieving both aims simultaneously. The factors to be optimized in a shaft after meeting the basic operating requirements just outlined is mass, smoothness of ride and cost. This is because reducing mass is important: To improve performance of vehicle and reduce fuel consumption. To reduce un-sprung mass and so improve vehicle handling and ride. To reduce the residual out of balance forces from rotating parts and so further improve smoothness in use. 2.0 Material Selection Based on the research of different type of material of drive shaft or propeller shaft in driveline application, I have chosen polymer matrix composite as the material selection in driveline application. 2.1 Introduction to Polymer Matrix Composite Polymer Matrix Composite is the material consisting of polymer matrix combined with a fibrous reinforcing dispersed phase. Polymer matrix composites are very popular due to their low cost and simple fabrication methods. Use of non-reinforced polymers as structure materials is limited by low level of their mechanical properties such as tensile strength of one of the strongest polymers (epoxy resin) is 20000 psi (140 Mpa). In addition to relatively low strength, polymer materials posses low impact resistance as well. Besides that, the reinforcement tends to be stiffer and stronger than the matrix providing stiffness and strength. Reinforcement is laid in a particular direction, within the matrix, so that the resulting material will have different properties in different directions. As example, composites have anisotropic properties. This characteristic is exploited to optimize the design and provide high mechanical performance where it is needed. 2.2 Design of a Composites Shaft According to A.W. Thompson from Bristol Composite Materials Engineering Ltd, He has mentioned the two typical shafts side by side, one made in steel and the other in composites as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 Composite Drive Shaft (Upper) with Steel Shaft The illustration shows the simplicity of the design made possible by carbon fiber. The combination of high stiffness and low density in the composite enables a longer shaft to be made without reaching a critical whirling speed. The whirling speed of a rotating shaft is the speed at which it becomes unstable and defluxions occurs normal to the axis of rotation. The advantage in whirling speed is such as to enable most two piece steel shaft to be replaced with a single composite part. Besides that, weight and cost are reduced by dispensing with the central universal joint and the associated bearing. Moreover, N.V.H (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) factors are improved by the consequent isolation of the passenger compartment from drive line vibration following deletion of the centre bearing from underneath the drivers seat. Further reductions in N.V.H are possible by modification to the orientations of the fibres in the properller shaft tube, which effect longitudinal and radial stiffness. 2.3 Reason Selecting Polymer Matrix Composite as Material in Driveline Application The basic attraction of polymer matrix composite materials for driveshaft application is that they make it possible to increase the shaft length, which is otherwise constrained by bending resonance. For many vehicles, a one piece composite shaft may replace a two piece steel shaft which simplifies both the shaft and installation in the vehicle. Besides that, by using fibre reinforced composites, it is possible to arrange the fibre orientations in the tube so that the bending modulus has a high value (above 100Gpa) whilst the specific gravity is low (below 1.6). This leads to a favourable specific bending modulus and an enhanced critical speed as well. Figure 2 Critical Speeds for Automotive Propshaft According to A.W. Thompson from Bristol Composite Materials Engineering Ltd, the relationship between shaft length and critical speed for tubes suitable for automotive propshaft is illustrated in Figure 2. The graph shows that, for a particular application where a critical speed of 8000 rev/min is acceptable, the longest shaft possible out of steel is 1250 mm whereas a composite shaft of 1650 mm could be achieved. Thus, the maximum length for either shaft is reduced depending on the compliance of the end connections. For acceptable NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness), there must also be an adequate margin between vibration drivers and bending resonance of the shaft. Nevertheless, it is generally true that a composite shaft can be made longer than a steel shaft and that for automotive platforms where a two-piece steel shaft with centre support bearing is specified a one-piece composite shaft may be acceptable. This fundamental material property advantage is a powerful technical driver for composite shafts, and substantial weight savings can be achieved. One-piece shafts also simplify the design and engineering of the vehicle floor pan. Therefore, based on explanation above, it is obviously that I have chosen carbon fiber composite (one type of the polymer matrix composite) as the material for drive shaft and further material properties will be discuss in detail later as well. 2.3.1 Material Property of Carbon Fiber Composite (Polymer Matrix Composite) According to Core Composites, Division of ROM Development Corporations research, the material properties of Carbon Fiber Composite are as below: Features Benefits Extremely High Stiffness With a variety of modulus available from standard 33 msi to ultra high modulus pitch over 125 msi carbon fiber has the highest specific modulus of all the commercial reinforcing fibers. High Tensile Strength The strongest of all commercial reinforcing fibers in tension. Especially good for the tension skin on composite laminates. Excellent Corrosion Resistance Used in reinforcing concrete, carbon has good alkaline resistance as well as resistance to salt water and many other chemical environments. Excellent Fatigue Properties Used as a primary reinforcement for fatigue prone products such as helicopter and wind turbine blades as well as offshore power and driveline application. Excellent Compression Properties Proper fiber sizing for the resin matrix selected can yield impressive compressive properties but this quality can be quite difficult to measure with standard ASTM test methods and careful test specimen preparation is critical to achieve accurate result. Low Coefficient of Linear Expansion Carbon is a good tooling reinforcement for molds that will see temperature and where parts need tight dimensional stability. 2.3.2 Composite Shaft Performance According to the research that done by Tetsuyuki Kyono, Composites Development Center, Toray Composites (America), Inc. about the carbon fiber composites applications for auto industries, they have mentioned about carbon fiber composite drive shaft having crush worthiness. Crash load generated during head collision can be absorbed by newly developed joining technology with no adhesive between carbon fiber composite tube and steel adapter. This technology can add safety value to passenger cars in addition such as weight and noise reductions. Therefore, the performance data of the composite shaft should be take consideration as one of the main section in choosing the best material to apply in driveline application. Thus, they have evaluated torque carrying capability as index of shaft performance. One of typical data has been shown in Figure 3. It is noted composite drive shaft performed as expected up to 150à ¢- ¦C at static torsional test and showed much better fatigue resistance than steel system shown as target. Figure 3 Torsional Strength of Drive Shaft for 2000 Nm Class In Figure 4, residual torque carrying capabilities after exposure to various environments are shown in percentage compare with control data. As shown below has shown the reduction in performance of composite drive shaft is very minimal. Figure 4 Residual Torsional Strength (%) after Environmental Testing 2.3.3 Proving Test After the obvious laboratory tests above to show static strength and stiffness, fatigues tests are important as well. Carbon fibre has an excellent performance in fatigue and glass fibre is as good as most metals. A composite shaft has withstood 106 cycles of maximum torque as compared with the 104 cycles typically required of a steel shaft. Shafts were fitted to cars to gain road experience and demonstrate satisfactory operations. Such testing demonstrates that the component really works and meets all the criteria required. In this application, for instance, road use showed that: Temperature resistance to underbody environment was satisfactory Corrosion resistance (example: to salt spray was not a problem) Creep loading resistance was adequate Resistance to flying stone damage was not a problem End attachment strength was adequate Shock load capability was adequate Based on the proving test that has been done by A.W.Thompson, we knew that polymer matrix composites is suitable to be taken as material in driveline application such as making drive shaft or propeller shaft as well due to its attractive material properties and more affordable cost as well if compare with others material such as steel. 2.3.4 Crash Performance of Composite Propshafts According to Dr Andrew Pollard, GKN Technology, Wolverhampton, UK, he stat that increasing public interest in safe vehicles is encouraging car manufacturers and their suppliers to design components and systems that will perform well in a crash (2). The propeller shaft in rear- and fourwheel- drive cars is good example of this. Figure 5 Behaviour of Propeller Shafts in Frontal Crash In a frontal crash, the propeller shaft transmits forces from the engine/gearbox unit to the rear axle. Many vehicles today have a two-piece propeller shaft that can buckle at the centre bearing in any direction, depending on the joint position at impact. It is therefore virtually impossible to predict the axial force and the energy absorbed by the shaft in a crash. This is illustrated in Figure 5, contrasted with the behavior of a propeller shaft with a defined axial collapse mode. The target for crash-optimized propeller shafts is to achieve a defined behavior of axial force and displacement during an impact and consequently controlled energy absorption as shown in Figure 5. 3.0 Manufacturing Process of Carbon Fiber The process for making carbon fibers is part chemical and part mechanical. The precursor is drawn into long strands or fibers and then heated to a very high temperature with-out allowing it to come in contact with oxygen. Without oxygen, the fiber cannot burn. Instead, the high temperature causes the atoms in the fiber to vibrate violently until most of the non-carbon atoms are expelled. This process is called carbonization and leaves a fiber composed of long, and tightly. The fibers are coated to protect them from damage during winding or weaving. The coated fibers are wound onto cylinders called bobbins. The fibers are coated to protect them from damage during winding or weaving. The coated fibers are wound onto cylinders called bobbins. Moreover, the inter-locked chains of carbon atoms with only a few non-carbon atoms remaining. Here is a typical sequence of operations used to form carbon fibers from polyacrylonitrile. 3.1 Spinning First: Acrylonitrile plastic powder is mixed with another plastic, like methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate, and is reacted with a catalyst in a conventional suspension or solution polymerization process to form a polyacrylonitrile plastic. Second: The plastic is then spun into fibers using one of several different methods. In some methods, the plastic is mixed with certain chemicals and pumped through tiny jets into a chemical bath or quench chamber where the plastic coagulates and solidifies into fibers. This is similar to the process used to form polyacrylic textile fibers. In other methods, the plastic mixture is heated and pumped through tiny jets into a chamber where the solvents evaporate, leaving a solid fiber. The spinning step is important because the internal atomic structure of the fiber is formed during this process. Third: The fibers are then washed and stretched to the desired fiber diameter. The stretching helps align the molecules within the fiber and provide the basis for the formation of the tightly bonded carbon crystals after carbonization. 3.2 Stabilizing Forth: Before the fibers are carbonized, they need to be chemically altered to convert their linear atomic bonding to a more thermally stable ladder bonding. This is accomplished by heating the fibers in air to about 390-590 ° F (200-300 ° C) for 30-120 minutes. This causes the fibers to pick up oxygen molecules from the air and rearrange their atomic bonding pattern. The stabilizing chemical reactions are complex and involve several steps, some of which occur simultaneously. They also generate their own heat, which must be controlled to avoid overheating the fibers. Commercially, the stabilization process uses a variety of equipment and techniques. In some processes, the fibers are drawn through a series of heated chambers. In others, the fibers pass over hot rollers and through beds of loose materials held in suspension by a flow of hot air. Some processes use heated air mixed with certain gases that chemically accelerate the stabilization. 3.3 Carbonizing Fifth: Once the fibers are stabilized, they are heated to a temperature of about 1,830-5,500 ° F (1,000-3,000 ° C) for several minutes in a furnace filled with a gas mixture that does not contain oxygen. The lack of oxygen prevents the fibers from burning in the very high temperatures. The gas pressure inside the furnace is kept higher than the outside air pressure and the points where the fibers enter and exit the furnace are sealed to keep oxygen from entering. As the fibers are heated, they begin to lose their non-carbon atoms, plus a few carbon atoms, in the form of various gases including water vapor, ammonia, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, and others. As the non-carbon atoms are expelled, the remaining carbon atoms form tightly bonded carbon crystals that are aligned more or less parallel to the long axis of the fiber. In some processes, two furnaces operating at two different temperatures are used to better control the rate de heating during carboniza tion. 3.4 Treating the Surface Sixth: After carbonizing, the fibers have a surface that does not bond well with the epoxies and other materials used in composite materials. To give the fibers better bonding properties, their surface is slightly oxidized. The addition of oxygen atoms to the surface provides better chemical bonding properties and also etches and roughens the surface for better mechanical bonding properties. Oxidation can be achieved by immersing the fibers in various gases such as air, carbon dioxide, or ozone; or in various liquids such as sodium hypochlorite or nitric acid. The fibers can also be coated electrolytically by making the fibers the positive terminal in a bath filled with various electrically conductive materials. The surface treatment process must be carefully controlled to avoid forming tiny surface defects, such as pits, which could cause fiber failure. 3.5 Sizing Seventh: After the surface treatment, the fibers are coated to protect them from damage during winding or weaving. This process is called sizing. Coating materials are chosen to be compatible with the adhesive used to form composite materials. Typical coating materials include epoxy, polyester, nylon, urethane, and others. Eight: The coated fibers are wound onto cylinders called bobbins. The bobbins are loaded into a spinning machine and the fibers are twisted into yarns of various sizes. 3.6 Quality Control The very small size of carbon fibers does not allow visual inspection as a quality control method. Instead, producing consistent precursor fibers and closely controlling the manufacturing process used to turn them into carbon fibers controls the quality. Process variables such as time, temperature, gas flow, and chemical composition are closely monitored during each stage of the production. The carbon fibers, as well as the finished composite materials, are also subject to rigorous testing. Common fiber tests include density, strength, amount of sizing, and others. In 1990, the Suppliers of Advanced Composite Materials Association established standards for carbon fiber testing methods, which are now used throughout the industry. 3.7 Health and Safety Concerns There are three areas of concern in the production and handling of carbon fibers: dust inhalation, skin irritation, and the effect of fibers on electrical equipment. During processing, pieces of carbon fibers can break off and circulate in the air in the form of a fine dust. Industrial health studies have shown that, unlike some asbestos fibers, carbon fibers are too large to be a health hazard when inhaled. They can be an irritant, however, and people working in the area should wear protective masks. The carbon fibers can also cause skin irritation, especially on the back of hands and wrists. Protective clothing or the use of barrier skin creams is recommended for people in an area where carbon fiber dust is present. The sizing materials used to coat the fibers often contain chemicals that can cause severe skin reactions, which also requires protection. In addition to being strong, carbon fibers are also good conductors of electricity. As a result, carbon fiber dust can cause arcing and shorts in electrical equipment. If electrical equipment cannot be relocated from the area where carbon dust is present, the equipment is sealed in a cabinet or other enclosure. 4.0 Fabrication Process of Driveshaft by using Polymer Matrix Composite According to the project research that done by Alex Santiago from Texas AM University Kingsville, he has discussed the fabrication process of drive shaft by using polymer matrix composite which is carbon fiber as main material. As reference, the fabrication process by Alex has been taken for me to understand the hand make drive shaft by using carbon fiber in real life. Thus, the following fabrication process is belonging to Alex from Texas University which is worth to be taken as references in this topic discussion. There are several things to consider when picking a fabrication method. Time is a major consideration. There is little time for fabrication, so the fabrication process has to be quick. The fiber has to be laid at specific angles to give the shaft certain characteristics. The weave patterns have to be tight and compact. Resin has to be applied evenly. The shaft has to be wound in a way such that the yokes can be easily attached. The easiest fabrication method for creating a hollow tube is filament winding. Filament winding is an automated process in which a filamentary yarn in the form of tow is wetted by resin and uniformly and regularly wound about a rotating mandrel. The filament winder can be programmed to create specific and tightly wound patterns. To create a composite part on the winder, a winding pattern is needed, along with a mandrel, mold release, fiber, resin and hardener, a way to apply even pressure to the part and a curing procedure. The wind patterns were determined by using Laminate Design software created by Dr. Larry Peel. After entering mechanical properties for the resin and tow, different wind angles and layers were tried in the Laminate Design software until the driveshaft had the desired characteristics. Table 1 gives the wind angle and its purpose. The tow, resin and hardener, and adhesive are the most critical elements of the shaft. Each structural component must be carefully selected so that the shaft has good mechanical properties. The tow which was used in the Laminate Design Software calculations was chosen because it is strong, light weight, and aerospace quality carbon fiber. Fiber used by the aerospace, although expensive, is rigorously quality controlled. It was decided that this fiber would be uniform, therefore giving the driveshaft uniform properties. The resin and hardener were chosen for several reasons. First, the resin is tough. The resin also has a high viscosity. High viscosity is desired because, with the wet winding process, is easier to control the amount of resin being applied to the tow. Wet winding will be discussed further in the process section. Another reason for choosing this resin is its elongation at break. At 6% elongation at break, it is known that the resin will not be too brittle and that the wound shaft will have some flex for absorbing the shock between shifting gears. Finally this resin was chosen because of its high pot life. After mixing the resin and hardener, there is a little over two hours before it begins to gel. This is enough time to wind the entire shaft before the resin sets up. The adhesive was chosen for a few reasons. Foremost, the adhesive also met the criteria for high tensile lap shear strength at room and elevated temperatures. At room temperature the adhesive has lap shear strength of 4,200 psi. At 250 F the lap shear strength is 2,300 psi. Also, the adhesive is aerospace grade, ensuring high quality. Table 1 Wind Angles 4.1 Mandrels In order to produce the mandrel of a driveshaft, several derivations should have gone through. Mandrels made of cardboard tubing and solid shafts were considered. These ideas were never fabricated because it would be hard to remove the mandrel from the wound tube. The resin would cause the cardboard mandrel to stick to the shaft making it impossible to remove. A solid shaft of steel or aluminum would be heavy, and expensive to create. 4.1.1 Mandrel 1 Firstly, it was decided to create a mandrel made of steel muffler tubing which was split with a plasma cutter into four parts along its length. The idea was to wind the shaft, let it cure, then dismantle the mandrel and remove the tube. Next, two pieces machined out of steel were created and attached to the muffler tubing which allows the mandrel to be spun in the filament winder. One end is chucked into the winder the other end has a live center which spins on a center point. This mandrel did not work because the mandrel pieces could not be bolted to the machined ends in a way that they were square. This was due to the fact that the muffler tubing is cold rolled which means it is pre-stressed. Once the tubing was split into four pieces, each piece bowed. 4.1.2 Mandrel 2 A second mandrel was created using muffler tubing which was split into two pieces. This mandrel was square when bolted into place. To keep the tension of the fiber from pulling the gap in the mandrel closed, three round, wooden pucks were evenly spaced through the center of the mandrel. The second mandrel was used to create a practice drive shaft. The pucks were evenly spaced through the center of the mandrel. Shrink wrap tape, which shrinks and applies pressure when heated, is wrapped around the mandrel over the areas where the pucks are. The tape applies pressure and keeps the pucks in an upright position as shown in Figure 6. Once the pucks were set in place, a few dry runs were made with no resin. One pass of each fiber angle was wound. Figure 6: Wooden Puck in Mandrel Once the winding began, it became obvious that there was not enough turn around room. When winding a composite part, there are four defined areas on the part. The entire part consists of the head, the turn around, the useable shaft, and the tail. The winding layout is shown in Figure 6. The wind angle is the angle the fiber makes with the center line of the mandrel. The 45 degree and 15 degree wind angles did not have enough friction to stick to the mandrel in the turnaround areas. The fiber began to slip and bunch up, causing misalignment in the pattern. Figure 6: Winding Layout This created a new problem. To keep the fiber from slipping, the turnaround area needed to be lengthened. The mandrel at its current length just fits in the curing oven, making it impossible to lengthen the mandrel. To alleviate this problem, two pieces of pipe, about one foot long each, were threaded into the ends of the machined pieces as shown in Figure 7. Adding the extensions made more turn around area. These threaded pieces can be removed once the shaft is wound and the resin sets up. When the extensions are removed the mandrel can easily be placed in the oven to finish curing. Figure 7 Mandrel Extensions The wind patterns were tested again with the extended turn around room. The extensions and the change in diameter kept the fiber from slipping, and allowed for full uniform coverage by the fiber. The test patterns were removed, and resin and hardener were mixed and poured into the resin bath to start a practice shaft. The resin bath applies resin to the fiber before it is wound about the mandrel. The resin bath can be seen in Figure 8. A practice shaft was wound using the setup shown in Table 2. A practice shaft was wound for a few reasons. The practice shaft allowed testing of the wind patterns with the resin and the fiber together. Curing temperature and time could be observed. Dismantling the shaft can be attempted, and the shaft can be inspected for proper resin wet out, roundness, and overall strength. Table 2 Practice Shaft Wind Pattern Setup Figure 8 Resin Bath This was a very difficult process. First, the material that wrapped over the end caps had to be cut back in order to expose the bolts holding it to the mandrel. Once this was accomplished we began removing the bolts. Resin had seeped into the threads of some of the bolts causing them to stick. The head of one bolt was twisted off trying to get it out. This bolt was machined out. Once the caps were removed the shaft did not collapse as expected. The gap were the mandrel had been split had filled in with resin. A tubing cutter was used to cut the shaft into sections and then it was split in half with a band saw. A 2 foot piece was spared and slid off the shaft. The ridge left inside the shaft was 0.125 inches deep. This created a stress riser that severely reduced the integrity of the shaft. It was obvious that this mandrel was not going to work. 4.1.3 Mandrels 3 Improving upon the mistakes on the previous mandrels, a new, one piece, mandrel was made from aluminum tubing. The tubing maintained a 2.75 inch OD and was readily available. A 16 gauge 2.75 OD tube was purchased. The tubing is normally made for turbo charger inlet ducting. A test piece was cut from the tube to be used for testing. The test piece was wet sanded with 2000 grit sandpaper. A silicone mold release compound was applied to the test shaft. 90 ° test patterns were wound onto the piece and cured at 250 °F for 15 hours. We used a higher curing temperature in order to expand the aluminum mandrel while compacting the fiber. After curing was complete, we then placed the test mandrel in the deep freeze that was Ãâ€" ¾20 °F in order to shrink the aluminum tube. The test mandrel was removed from the freezer. The tube was impacted onto a block of wood while holding the fiber. The mandrel came out with no difficulty. This test was successful. The third mandrel was fitted to the end caps. The end caps were then bolted to the mandrel. Figure 9 shows the final mandrel. Figure 9 Final Mandrel of Driveshaft 5.0 Conclusion As conclusion, the potential for carbon fibre composites (one type of polymer matrix composite) in automotive drive shafts as a means of achieving substantial weight reduction has long been recognized and has been demonstrated in small volume since 1988. Finally, I think that polymer matrix composites is the most suitable materials which can applied in driveline application and engineers should find cost effective applications on it to bring this applications to fruitful use in future.

Antigone :: essays research papers

Antigone In the play Antigone, the debate over who is the real tragic hero is and the controversy of Greek ideals in the Antigone continues on to this day. Who is the tragic hero in Antigone? Is it Antigone herself or is it Creon the ruler of Thebes? The belief that Antigone is, is a strong one. Still there are people who think Creon is the tragic hero. Antigone is widely thought as the tragic her. The play is named after her. In addition, she is the antagonist in it. Many people usually associate the antagonist, the good guy as a tragic hero. Look at much television shows, especially cartoons, the good person usually wins. Then there are those who might think Creon was the tragic hero because the gods were against him, and that he truly loved his country. There are five criteria or standards you must meet first in order to be a tragic hero. First, you must be a person of high character or status. The character must not be too overwhelmingly evil or good. Then they must be brought from h appiness to misery. Then brought from happiness to misery. Second, the hero enacts a harmartia, "wrong act." This either may be a flaw in judgment or an error. Third, the hero experiences a perpateia, reversal of fortune. This is the tragic downfall or plot twist in the story. Fourth, the hero recognizes his or her responsibility. Fifth, the story ends with a catastrophe. The catastrophe either may be an emotional event, this even may be a death. The Antigone is widely thought of as the tragic heroine of the play bearing her name. She would seem to fit the part in light of the fact that she dies doing what is right. Antigone buries her brother Polynices, but Creon does not like her doing that one bit. Creon says to Antigone, "Why did you try to bury your brother? I had forbidden it. You heard my edict. It was proclaimed throughout Thebes. You read my edict. It was posted up on the city walls." (Pg. 44) Antigone buries her brother without worrying about what might happen to her. By doing this, she takes into consideration death and other consequences for burying her brother. Antigone follows what she thinks is right according to the gods. She is the supporter of her actions in the burial of Polynices.

interracial marriages Essay -- essays research papers fc

The law forbidding interracial marriage was terminated in 1967, and in the midst of rapid racial change, one fact is unmistakable: A growing number of Americans are showing that we all can get along by forming relationships and families that cross all color lines. In the past couple decades, the number of interracial marriages has increased dramatically. Interracial dating and marrying is described as the dating or marrying of two people of different races, and it is becoming much more common to do so. Thirty years ago, only one in every 100 children born in the United States was of mixed race. Today, the number is one in 19. In some states, such as California and Washington, the number is closer to one in 10 (Melting Pot). Since 1960 the number of mixed race marriages has doubled every decade (Love’s Revolution). Interracial couples only represented a surprising 2% of all couples in 1990, with interracial marriages representing only 4% (YGGDRASIL). In 1998, there were 1,348,000 interracial married couples. Today, 15% of all babies born in the Golden State are of mixed race. Between 1968 and 1989, children born to parents of different races increased from 1% of total births to 3.4%. There has also been an increase in births to Japanese and White parents. There are now 39% more births to Japanese-White parents than births to Japanese-Japanese parents (in the U.S.). Between 1968 and 1989, Chinese-White births more than tripled (from 1,000 to over 3,800). From 1970 to 1991, t...

Sending Technology Back in Time :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Sending Technology Back in Time The hot sun was shining high in the sky, as wind picked up dirt and threw it through the air. A tall, dark haired man stepped carefully behind a wooden plow. The animal that pulled the wooden, manmade creation was a shaggy, dark-gray donkey. The field is approximately two acres, and will probably take from sunrise to sunset to plow. In the distance, a brown horse and buggy slowly move along a flat dirt road. The long and tedious trip to the nearest town will take all day. John, the man guiding the plow, will have to take the same journey in a few days. For the most part, John is able to stay on the farm and perform daily tasks. The farm is self-sufficient. The lives of John and his family are devoted to taking care of the farm; without it, they would have nothing. Days are long on the farm and the five children that are old enough work a full day. The oldest children help in the fields with the plowing or planting. The younger children help with the simpler tasks and the two youngest run and play. The work is laborious and time consuming, and John's body aches after each day of work. The setting sun in the west tells John that it will soon be time to stop. When the only light that revealed any of the outside world was from the small glow of a gas lantern, John finally called it quits. Glad that the day was over, he headed back in the house. Dinner was already on the table, and all the kids were seated around it, hands and faces washed. John's wife, Anne, spent nearly the whole day preparing the meal of foods that were all acquired from their farm. When all the food was cleared from the plates, John headed to bed. He dreamed of little, knowing that all he had to wake up to the next morning was more work. As the sun began to creep through the blinds of the windows, a loud, obnoxious beep rang through his room. John woke with a jump to find that the noise was coming from a small box with a clock face on the front. The beeping continued until, John was finally able to find the off switch. The sound was still ringing in his ears, as he took a glance around his room.

Discuss Marxist’ Theory of Alienation

OUTLINE AND ASSESS MARX’S CONCEPT OF ALIENATION When considering the concept of sociology and its definition, one immediately thinks of trying to understand the world in which we live. However, for Karl Marx we should not only understand the world, but also seek to actively change it (Macintosh, 1997). The concept of alienation differs in terms of its sociological meaning in relation to that of the psychological definition and has been used to describe many other phenomena’s over the last four centuries.The aim of this essay is to assess the concept of alienation according to Karl Marx and explore his theory relating to four differing perspectives assigned to this, whilst also researching its historical roots and any relevance in today’s society. The concept of alienation in relation to sociology was developed by Karl Marx (1818-1883), a German philosopher, political economist, revolutionary and the founding father of Communism. His ideas for this theory originat ed in the writings of Feuerbach, who along with George W.F Hegel, were major influences on Marx. However, unlike Feuerbach, who believed that religion had a negative impact on human experience and that man was alienated from god, Marx considered man to be alienated from man in a social context. Indeed, Marx criticised Feuerbach’s work entitled ‘The Essence of Christianity’, which was published in 1841 for not developing the concept of alienation further by linking it to economic production strategies.In it, Feuerbach insists that visions of god being similar to their own image allow for them to alienate themselves from this fictionally created character. Therefore, issues regarding low self esteem and other social or personal problems can be diluted by visiting places of worship. He insists that guidance, leadership and solace can be found within the church. Indeed, Feuerbach argued that the church was used by the government as state apparatus to control society (Hughes et al, 1995 pp. 29-30).Marx took these points onboard and rather than relate them to religion, embraced it to include the notion that alienation was an objective condition associated with the social and economic attributes of capitalism, thus leading to alienated labour. For Hegel, human thoughts were continuously developing and advancing throughout history, thus providing a more knowledge and rational understanding of society (Hughes et al, 1995, pp. 25-26). Unlike, Marx, who states materialism and economic power, shapes our thinking, Hegel insists it is the other way round and that mind shapes matter.In other words, our knowledge shapes the need and inventiveness needed to shape future materials. Historically, according to Hegel, by exploring previous economic processes, then the material base on which societies, institutions and ideas are built are in evidence due to rational logic and natural progression. Marx however, disagrees with this theory. He believes that such ab stract ideas did not exist and therefore provided limited explanations relating to the social world. The true nature of human experience therefore and life were totally under emphasised.His theory of historical materialism was constructed further in future writings. ‘The first historical act is . . . the production of material life itself. This is indeed a historical act, a fundamental condition of all of history’ (Marx & Engels, 1976). His many writings, which spanned four decades, underpin what has become known as Marxist theory and are used to develop our understanding of many areas relating to social life (Abercrombie et al, 2000). However, Marxist theory is primarily based around the class conflict of the bourgeoisie, i. . ruling class who own the mode of production and the exploitation of the proletariat, i. e. working class who are forced into selling their labour. The 3 stages relating to the industrial revolution have led to his alienation theory being supporte d by many sociologists. First came the agricultural revolution (1700-1800), followed by the industrial revolution (1800-1950). The final stage of these phenomena was the service revolution from the 1950s to the present day. Economic and surplus values are at the heart of Marxist theory.For Marx, alienation is an objective condition associated with the social and economic attributes of capitalism and results in alienated labour. The main use of Marx’s theory relating to this concept is in relation to the form of labour in any given capitalist society. However, he also talks of ‘alienation’ in the sphere of social and economic relations (Turner, 1999) Marx argues that humans are denied their basic natural essence, and as such was only realised in their labour. This allowed for a creative activity which was carried out in unison with others.Marx was of the opinion that people transformed a world outside themselves. Now the processes relating to production were one o f ‘objectification’. By this he means that man now produces material objects that embody human creativity, yet leaves them feeling detached and separated from the creator. Once the product is objectified, man no longer recognises himself in the product and autonomous manufacturing techniques leave him feeling alienated. Within capitalist societies Marx identified four levels of separation resulting in the concept of alienation. 1) Within a capitalist society the worker has no control over the fate of their production, therefore alienating them from the results of their labour. Although having been involved actively in the production of such commodities the worker is left feeling subdued, unattached and emotionally removed from the end product. This is now controlled by others, and as increased production multiplies, so does the division and separation of the labour process. (2) The worker is alienated from the act of production. For Marx, no individual satisfaction is a chieved as the worker’s own creativity is alienated from production.Furthermore, external constraints forced upon the worker removes any attachment from the’ fruits of their labour’ and in doing so, the product ceases to be an end in itself with work becoming merely a commodity. To the worker, the saleability of the product is their only concern. (3) The worker is alienated from their ‘specific being’ or human nature. Marx states that the individual’s human qualities are deprived. This is due to the first two levels of alienation, as outlined above, reducing the workers creative production activities and thus removing themselves from their natural self being and converting them into social animals. 4) The worker is separated from other humans. The emergence of capitalism has transformed human social relations into market relations. According to Marx, people are now judged, not be their human qualities and attributes but rather by their positi on within the market (Giddens, 1970). For example the separation of labour is also the separation of man from man in relation to class conflict and competition and also lends theory to their alienation of the products of their labour.Capital itself can also be seen as a source of alienation because its accumulation generates its own needs which reduce people to the level of commodities (Haralambos, 1998). The above four levels of separation and alienation of man is intrinsically linked and can be used to identify phenomena in regards to any society. Many pro-capitalist economists agree with Marx’s theory that all humans are treated as commodities that can be rented and that everything can be traded for monies. For Marx, this ensures that the gap between rich and poor widens, with both lasses pushing in opposite direction. However, he attacks other economists’ interpretations of the causes of capitalism and believes that they do not distinguish between both capitalists and the workers. Marx argues that competition is seen as an enforcement mechanism of the capitalist’s mode of production (Reiss, 1997). According to Marx, as all aspects of feudalism are connected, then so too are all aspects relating to capitalism. He is quoted as saying, ’’the worker becomes the poorer the more wealth he produces’’ (Marx, 1976).In other words, as the worker increases production, this only enriches their bosses whilst they still remain poor. Capitalist economists however, view each aspect of feudalism as an accidental corruption in relation to capitalism. Marx also explores the historical development of alienation and its intrinsic link to the division of labour. As society changes and tribes and villages continue to expand, so too does the division of labour (Rius, 1996). For society to survive trade and exchange must occur.This leads to more growth in exchangeable goods which in turn leads to an upsurge in use-value and exchange -value commodities. When considering use-value, this relates to how in demand a commodity may be of use to the individual. However, exchange-value relates to what commodities can be traded for other objects. For Marx, commodity fetishism has attributed to the alienation of man from the fruits of their labour (cowling, 1989). There are many examples of alienation in today’s society. The term Fordism originates from Henry Ford and the techniques he initiated to instil mass production.Indeed, his ideas and practices are still dominant in today’s society and are at the forefront of all technological mass production facilities and businesses. To enable production on such a large scale, Ford redesigned the whole manufacturing capabilities of his workforce. Unlike industrialists of the nineteenth century where skilled labour and handmade crafts were a necessity in the making of goods, Ford recognised an ability to mass produce by giving individuals a particular task in relati on to their labour duties.This would be made possible by re-designing all machines to carry out one specific purpose, rather than numerous functions (Watson, 2003). As such, there was now no need for skilled persons in which to operate machines. Individuals were now taught how to use particular machines which they would now carry out monotonously for the rest of their employment. This de-skilling technique ensured minimum waste and maximum output as the machine only had one way in which to operate. Ford realised that once you standardise the design of the car, you can standardise the whole production system.Thus, with the standardisation of machinery producing standardised parts, it now allowed for mass reproduction as all parts are identical therefore interchangeable. Although production of Fords automobiles had increased rapidly, the initiation of Frederick Winslow Taylor’s (1856-1915) scientific management system would ensure mass production on an even larger scale. Taylor was the man who introduced ‘time and motion’ studies to the workplace. He carried out an experiment on a pig iron gang at work. By observing their working habits, Taylor was able to redesign their work pattern.Like Ford, his task was to break a job down into standardised parts. He initially listed a set of rules to which the workers must comply to and then instructed them when to start, walk, lift and stop. Once the experiment was complete Taylor found that their productive output had increased by 400%. Taylor’s results would now allow for managers to command instructions to staff who would carry out tasks they specifically assigned to. This would undoubtedly lead to a separation of labour and also man’s alienation from man, as people who had previously worked side by side where now given specific tasks (Hughes et al, 1995).Ford would eventually instil Taylor’s scientific management technique into his workplace to generate even more productivity. T o do this Ford introduced the assembly line. Before this point, many of his employees worked unsupervised and at their own pace. However, with the emergence of assembly lines, workers now had to work in unison with the speed of the production line, and not that of the individual. This technique has greatly enhanced fords production levels and as such, Fords’ automobile plant in River Rouge USA, is now the largest in the world.By the 1990s over 10,000 people were employed there and over 90,000 cars and trucks were being produced each year (Watson, 2003). . Other examples which support Marx’s theory on alienation include multi-national companies such as McDonalds and Burger King, who epitomise our need for fast food productivity and back up his argument of commodity fetishism. Regardless of which outlet of McDonalds visited, the consumer will receive identical foodstuff and levels of service due to the standardisation of the product (Huczynski, 1991). Also, such companie s are immediately recognisable due their uniforms and company logo.Mass reproduction is applied to give the consumer a standardised food source which consists of various items such as burger, bun, relish and tomato. A time scale is also in place and many of the products on offer are controlled by a timer which goes off when certain items such as French fries and burgers are deemed ready. The main objective is to get the product to the consumer as quickly as possible with the minimum fuss. This is made possible by the way each McDonalds’ outlet is designed. By using both Fordism and Taylorist techniques workers can produce vast amounts of food that can then be passed onto the consumer within seconds.Marx’s concept of alienation is evident here as there is no need for skilled workers such as cooks and chefs to be employed due to the nature and resulting end product of such businesses (Huczynski, 1991). A critique of Marxist theory would be to suggest that if alienation i s produced and enacted by humans, then surely they also have the ability to change and reverse it. It is also contradictory as individuals opinions of alienation differ in relation to each person’s objective situation and consciousness.Although it cannot be denied that workers within capitalist societies do contribute to the common wealth as stated by Marx, the emergence of flexi-time, paid holidays and overtime empowers the worker and enables them to generate extra sums of money for themselves (Watson, 2003). Also, working for someone else may perhaps lessen the burden experienced by others, such as those who own small businesses. It is easy to engage Marx’s suggestion that workers lack rights, and there is much evidence to support this with the emergence of sweatshops and low paid immigrant workers (Rattansi, 1982).However, trade unions play a significant part in readdressing these issues by way of fair representation. Many jobs available to the masses today, do in f act, alienate workers and help establish capitalist theories, but humans have the freedom to change jobs or start their own businesses and trade unions are also in place to protect and represent employees (Giddens, 1971) His ideologies can also be construed as outdated as most of his concepts and terminologies are from over 100 years ago.Man may have been separated by man in relation to labour over centuries, but although this may be true in some aspects, technology and working conditions have rapidly improved over the same period. We also have the ability to influence each other rather than work in isolation. It appears that his concepts of alienation, although significant in his earlier political works and in lending credibility to research at that particular time, are rarely given a second thought in his later writings.For this reason it could be argued that Marx no longer held the opinion that the alienation of man and the collapse of capitalism was a foregone conclusion. BIBLIO GRAPHY Abercrombie, N. Hill, S and Turner, B. (2000) Dictionary of Sociology Penguin Book Cowling, M & Wilde, L. (1989) Approaches to Marx, Open University Press Giddens, A. (1971) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory, C. U. P. Giddens, A. (1970) Marx, Weber and the development of capitalism Haralambos, M. (1986) Sociology – a new approach, Causeway Press LtdHuczynski, A. Buchanan, D. (1991) Organizational Behaviour, Prentice Hall Hughes, J. A. , Martin, P. J. , & Sharrock, W. W. (1995) Understanding Classical Sociology, London: Sage Macintosh, I. (1997) Classical Sociological Theory. Edinburgh University Press Marx, K. , & Engels, F. (1976 [1845-46]) the German Ideology, Part 1 London: Lawrence & Wishart. Rius, E. (1996) Introducing Marx, Icon Books Turner B, (1999). Classical sociology. 1st ed. Uk: Sage. Watson, Tony J. (2003) Sociology, Work and Industry Routledge

Should We Have Gone to War in Iraq Persausive Essay

Operation Iraqi Freedom How many people do you know that have fought in the United States most recent war? This war was called Operation Iraqi Freedom. Many people have family members that fought in this war, or maybe a neighbor. The Iraq war was started shortly after 9/11 when the United States felt that Iraq leader Saddam Hussein had weapons of Mass Destruction. (WMD’s) With the rumor that Iraq had WMD’s President Bush felt the US military had to go on the offense to assure the safety of the country. With that in mind I agree with going to war in Iraq. Also, Saddam Hussein was also rumored to be supporting and housing terrorists and members of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Finally, Saddam Hussein committed many acts of violence against the Iraqi people that he reigned over with an iron fist. Although many people don’t feel that we should have gone to war in Iraq because some Iraqi people didn’t want the troops there, and because many troops were killed, I feel that war in Iraq was the right thing to do so that people throughout the world and the United States could be kept safe. First, Saddam Hussein was thought to be aiding various terrorist groups that don’t like the United States very much. Many people in President Bush’s cabinet and administration felt that Saddam Hussein was aiding the terrible terrorist group Al-Qaeda, which was the terrorist group responsible for the thousands of deaths in the US on 9/11. With no financial evidence of aiding Al-Qaeda, there is evidence of Saddam helping other terrorist groups. It has been reported that Hussein would give money to the families of Palestinians killed in conflict. He was known to give up to $25,000 to the families of suicide bomber, which many of these bombers were working for militants groups like Hamas. The United States could not let someone who was supporting terrorism stay in power. Second, the United States had to go to war with Iraq, to get Saddam Hussein out of power after the many violent acts he committed over his reign in Iraq. One of these terrible acts of violence was after an assassination attempt on Hussein’s life. While riding through the city of Dujail, an attempt on Hussein’s life was made by Shiite militants. Saddam Hussein decided that he need to wipe out the entire city of Dujail, which had 148 residents, including dozens upon dozens of children. These were the crimes that Saddam Hussein brought up on and eventually executed for. Hussein’s worst acts came in the years 1986-1989. In these years his administration called for an extermination of any living thing in the northern Kurdish region. In this time Hussein killed 182,000 Kurds using chemical weapons to kill many of them. As you can see the United States could no longer have this man ruling an entire country. Finally, rumored WMD’s were the biggest reason the United States decided to go to war. After many years of the UN searching for these weapons Iraq decided not to let inspectors into the country anymore. The Bush administration took these signals as Iraq and Hussein not wanting the UN to find the weapons of mass destruction. Before the invasion, and before inspectors were banned from Iraq, rocket warheads, 50 liters of mustard gas, and 50 missiles were decommissioned. These things gave Bush administration a strong feeling that Saddam Hussein was hiding WMD’s from the rest of the world. Although no WMD’s were found during the war, I still feel that going into Iraq was the right decision. There was no way we could let there be rumors about Saddam Hussein having WMD with what he has done to people with them in the past. Saddam Hussein was a terrible dictator that killed many people with chemical weapons. When he was rumored again to have weapons, the Bush administration decided it was time to act against Hussein. They had to make sure the evil dictator didn’t have any WMD’s. In doing this the Bush administration and the brave soldier of the US military protected the lives of many people in the Middle East and maybe the lives of many here in the United States. â€Å"The War Crimes of Saddam Hussein. † Civil Liberties at About. com – Your Guide to Civil Liberties News and Issues. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. http://civilliberty. about. com/od/internationalhumanrights/p/saddam_hussein. htm â€Å"Rationale for the Iraq War. † Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. .http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Rationale_for_the_Iraq_War#Human_rights