Saturday, May 23, 2020
The Field Of Psychosocial Epidemiology Essay - 1369 Words
The field of psychosocial epidemiology requires an understanding of independent, moderating, and dependent variables as they relate to health outcomes. What makes this challenging is that these variables are often multifactorial in nature. Using Figure 15-1 in your textbook as a guide (Friis and Sellers, 2009), develop a model that describes the independent, moderating and dependent psychosocial variables associated with a chronic health condition. Obesity is a chronic health condition characterized by presence of excess of body fat. Obesity is measured by using Body Mass Index (BMI) in children 2 years of age and older. The BMI is calculated by the body weight (in kilograms) divided by the height squared in meters. In adults, a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2 is regarded as overweight and a BMI greater or equal to 30 kg/m2 is regarded as obese. Obesity in adults is subcategorized as class I (BMI ≠¥30 to 35), class II (BMI ≠¥35 to 40), and class III (BMI ≠¥40) (Klish, 2016). It is associated with physiological ailments such as hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, various forms of cancer, and is a key factor in metabolic syndrome (Must et al., 1999). A marked increase in the prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents has been observed all over the world in 80’s and 90’s. Evidence from the US suggests that this upward trend has continued into the 21st century ((Janssen et al., 2005). The prevalence of obesity among adolescents in the United StatesShow MoreRelatedHow do Psychosocial Factors Influence Cardiac Health Essay1308 Words  | 6 PagesHow do psychosocial factors influence cardiac health? Cardiac related health problems are one of the leading causes of death in industrialized areas throughout the Western world.1 Psychosocial factors such as stress and anxiety are often disregarded but have a major role to play in the development of cardiac disease. These factors are mostly manageable, allowing the risk of cardiac disease to decrease. This paper aims to discuss the influence of these psychosocial risk factors on cardiac healthRead MoreSocial Phsycology1120 Words  | 5 Pagesa psychological as well as a physical issue has given rise to the field of a. epidemiology b. oncology c. psychological anthropology d. health psychology 24. The study of health psychology focuses on a. preventing and treating illnesses b. promoting and maintaining health c. improving the healthcare system d. all of the above 25. 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This led to changes in viewpoints which reflected in the use of the same adult criteria for depressiveRead MoreA Critique Of Ehrlich, David E, And Donald G Rainnie1681 Words  | 7 Pagesconfirmed a significant relationship between PS and reduction in anxiety-like behavior among adult offspring and infants. However, exposure did not affect the body mass of the experimental rats as they reported normal growth rate. It only affected psychosocial aspects such as reduced sociability because of lowered excitability of BLA neurons as PS altered the characteristics of both fully mature and developing BLA principal neurons among adults. Another developmental trajectory enhanced by the exposureRead MoreThe Ups And The Downs : Bipolar Disorder2236 Words  | 9 Pagesbipolar disorder are the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-V (SCID) and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS). Another tool sometimes used is the Composite Interview Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) which is mainly used for epidemiology purposes but has been found to underdiagnose bipolar disorder. Bipolar II disorder is harder to diagnose because of the unique hypomanic episodes, wh ich are harder to distinguish from regular emotions because they are less erratic and risky. ThisRead MoreEssay Psych Research3628 Words  | 15 Pages†¢Possession of a valid drivers license from state of residence. Must possess and have access to an automobile. $150 per completed document for CBRs Comprehensive Bio-Psychological Reports $200 per completed document for CBEs Comprehensive Bio-Psychosocial Evaluations $25 for no-shows (after the first one) Pediatric Psychologist Are you a psychologist that has work directly with the pediatric population? Are you looking to join a progressive organization that provides the highest quality careRead MoreHealth Disparities Among African American Infants3116 Words  | 13 Pagesto LBW and PTB, several case studies will be reviewed and compared. The purpose of reviewing and comparing is to find out accuracy, validity, and similarities of any studies, tests, theories or hypotheses. According to the (American Journal of Epidemiology 2009 v. 172), a case study in (Cook County) Chicago, Illinois, African American women were more likely to be uneducated, single and have no or inadequate prenatal care. 67% of African American women lived in lower income neighborhoods, in comparisonRead MoreMicrotia2489 Words  | 10 Pageschild and is flexible. Microtia research has been focused on plastic surgery. Not much advancement on the cause has been mentioned. The focus is to treat the appearance of Microtia and the other factors that are associated with the deformity. Psychosocial impact/ Early intervention Microtia affects children with acceptance and self-esteem issues that may manifest during school age as individuals have different physically different from other children with only one ear and possibly having a hemi
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Japanese Greetings and Parting Phrases
Learning greetings is a great way to start communicating with people in their language. Particularly in Japaneseâ€â€a culture that prizes proper social etiquetteâ€â€knowing how to use greetings and parting phrases correctly will open doors for you as you study the language. The greetings and parting words below include audio files that will allow you to listen to the phrases and learn how they are pronounced. Using Ha and Wa in Hiragana Before studying Japanese greetings, its important to learn how two important words are used in hiragana. Hiragana is a part of the Japanese writing system. It is a phonetic syllabary, which is a set of written characters that represent syllables. In most cases, each character corresponds to one syllable though there are few exceptions to this rule. Hiragana is used in many cases, such as writing articles or miscellaneous words that have no kanji form or an obscure kanji form In Japanese, there is a rule for writing the hiragana for waã‚ ) and haã ¯). When wa is used as a particle, it is written in hiragana as ha. (A particle, joshi, is a word that shows the relationship of a word, phrase, or clause to the rest of the sentence.) In current Japanese dialogue, Konnichiwa or Konbanwa are fixed greetings. However, historically, they were used in sentences such as Konnichi wa (Today is) or Konban wa (Tonight is), and wa functioned as a particle. Thats why it is still written in hiragana as ha. Common Japanese Greetings and Parting Phrases Listen to the audio files carefully by clicking on the links, and mimic what you hear. Repeat this a few times until you are able to pronounce the greetings and parting phrases. Good MorningOhayou㠊㠯よ㠆。 Good AfternoonKonnichiwa㠓ん㠫㠡㠯。 Good eveningKonbanwa㠓ん㠰ん㠯。 Good nightOyasuminasai㠊や㠙㠿㠪ã •ã „。 GoodbyeSayonara㠕よ㠪ら。 See you laterDewa mata㠧㠯㠾㠟。 See you tomorrow.Mata ashita㠾㠟明æâ€" ¥Ã£â‚¬â€š How are you?Genki desu kaå…Æ'æ °â€"㠧㠙㠋。 Tips on Greetings and Parting Phrases Enhance your knowledge of Japanese greetings and parting words by reviewing some basic tips about the various phrases. Ohayou Gozaimasu Good Morning: If you are speaking to a friend or find yourself in a casual setting, you would use the word ohayou (㠊㠯よã †) to say good morning. However, if you were on your way into the office and ran into your boss or another supervisor, you would want to use ohayou gozaimasu (㠊㠯よã †ã â€Ã£ â€"㠄㠾ã â„¢), which is a more formal greeting. Konnichiwa Good Afternoon: Although Westerners sometimes think the word konnichiwa (㠓ん㠰ã‚“ã ¯) is a general greeting to be used at any time of day, it actually means good afternoon. Today, its a colloquial greeting used by anyone, but it can be part of the more formal greeting: Konnichi wa gokiken ikaga desu ka? (ä »Å æâ€" ¥Ã£ ¯Ã£ â€Ã¦ ©Å¸Ã¥ «Å'ã „ã ‹ã Å'㠧㠙㠋?). This phrase loosely translates into English as â€Å"How are you feeling today?†Konbanwa Good Evening: Just as you would use one phrase to greet someone during the afternoon, the Japanese language has a different word for wishing people a good evening. Konbanwa (㠓ん㠰ã‚“ã ¯) is an informal word you can use to address anyone in a friendly manner, though it can also be used as part of a larger and more formal greeting. Mastering these greetings and parting words is a great early step in learning Japanese. Knowing the correct way to greet others, and to say goodbye, in Japanese demonstrates respect and an interest in the language and culture.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Behavioral Health Services Free Essays
Mental illness refers to any condition or disease affecting the human brain that has an impact on a person’s thinking, feelings, behavior, and his interaction with other people and his environment. The symptoms of mental illness vary from mild to acute, depending on the exact illness involved; however, if mental illness goes untreated, the individual affected often finds difficulty, or inability in coping with their daily activities in life (MedicineNet, 2008, para. 1). We will write a custom essay sample on Behavioral Health Services or any similar topic only for you Order Now Physical illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes are commonly easy to diagnose via a simple blood test or a diagnostic examination. This, unfortunately, is not the case with mental illnesses. The doctor would have to rely on the symptoms of the individual (e. g. how long they have been present, how severe they are, etc. ) and conduct a physiological examination to gather further information or to verify their initial diagnosis (National Institute of Mental Health, 2005). Although mental illnesses cannot be prevented, they can be treated using medications and various forms of therapy. Deinstitutionalization The deinstitutionalization of mental health patients during the 1960s was enforced to close down the operation of state mental institutions and was first believed to be a win-win situation for everyoneâ€â€the conservatives wanted to cut costs, and the liberals envisioned the freedom of the residents of these institutions whom they believe are being treated involuntarily (Failer, 2002). However, disaster resulted from this movement. Huge numbers of obviously mentally-ill individuals materialized on the city streets. These individuals were dirty, wearing torn clothing, having hallucinations and talking to themselves or yelling at others, and on the whole, acting in a weird manner. Majority of the discharged patients were transferred to nursing homes, deteriorating neighborhoods, proprietary homes, and low-cost housing. The patients confined in nursing homes increased from 19-44% from1950 to 1970 (Kramer, 1975). Particularly affected by the nursing home conditions were the elderly who received short shrift because they were not admitted to custodial institutes and for months, they were forced to stay in acute care centers waiting for placement in cheaper and more suitable institutions. Also, a huge percentage of the discharged patients had nowhere to go because they no longer had families, or their families did not want to take them in. Deinstitutionalization resulted in the hindrance in the continued care and treatment of the mentally ill. Integrated Health Care Mental health services are integrated into primary health care services as doing otherwise implies a number of disadvantages. Without mental health providers, there would be no one to conduct diagnostic, capacity, cognitive, and personality assessments for differentiating normal body processes from adjustment reactions, medication side effects, pathology, or a blend of these problems. Also, behavioral and mental health problems would not be properly diagnosed and treated. Mental health experts are also needed as their expertise would contribute to the design, execution, and assessment of patient outcomes and team care. Depending on the degree of illness of the mentally-ill patient, other health and social services might be needed. Some simply needs a place where they would not accidentally hurt themselves. Others may just require therapy. Some need a place where there are people who will see to it that they are taking medication properly. Some mental illnesses are associated with physical illness, emphasizing the need for primary health care services. Some need social services such as vocational rehab, family support groups, and day care centers. The Managed Care Approach On the whole, managed care involves paying for what is â€Å"adequate†and what is â€Å"medically necessary†, using the cheapest alternative. The Center for Mental Health Services (CHMS) outlines its possible benefits and drawbacks: Advantages 1) Better facilities, with more proficient medical professionals. 2) Expanded alternatives, consisting of support services and treatment options. 3) Money saved may be used for making health insurance cheaper. Disadvantages 1) Patients with long-term mental illnesses may require not just short-term acute care (the preferred alternative in managed care). 2) The symptoms of the patient may worsen if hospitalization is denied without offering options for intensive care. 3) Difficulty in protecting confidentiality. 4) Difficulty in the continuity of care for patients who receive short-term treatments at different locations. Mental Health Care Funding The three governmental sources that provide benefits for mental health care include Medicare, Medicaid, and the Department of Veteran Affairs. The following outlines the populations eligible for these programs. Note, however, that these are the ‘basic’ descriptions of who are eligible. Eligibility would still depend on various specific factors and criteria. Medicare Eligible populations include: – individuals aged 65 and above, – individuals under age of 65 with certain disabilities, and – individuals with End-Stage Renal Disease, regardless of age (US Department of Health and Human Services). Medicaid Eligible populations include certain low-income individuals who qualify for an eligibility group recognized by the laws that vary according to state (US Department of Health and Human Services). Department of Veteran Affairs. Eligible populations include veterans actively engaged in one of the seven uniformed military services. If a veteran has been discharged from the military, he/she can still be eligible if the discharge was not due to dishonorable service (GovBenefits. gov). Recommendations 1) Have primary health care practitioners undergo mental health training or instigate collaboration with mental health experts. This allows primary health care practitioners to attend to the health needs of mentally-ill patients, and the mental health needs of patients with chronic or infectious diseases. 2) Develop a system for identifying the exact need of the mentally-ill patient before he/she is admitted. Incorporate clinical and behavioral assessments to determine whether the patient needs medication, counseling, therapy, or a combination of these. 3) Develop and provide rehabilitation programs, therapies, and counseling for the patients and their families and friends. 4) Develop recording systems that permit the continuous supervision, assessment and updating of the patients’ mental health activities to gather data that would be used for service improvements. References Failer, J. (2002). Who qualifies for rights? Homelessness, Mental illness, and Civil Commitment. Cornell University Press. GovBenefits. gov. VA – Health Care – Basic Medical Benefits Package for Veterans. Retrieved August 14, 2010 from http://www. govbenefits. gov/govbenefits_en. portal? _nfpb=true_pageLabel=gbcc_page_category_nfls=falsebid=303mode=report Kramer, M. (1975). Psychiatric Services and the Changing Institutional Scene. Rockville, Maryland. MedicineNet, Inc. (2008). Mental Illness Basics. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://www. medicinenet. com/mental_illness/article. htm National Institute of Mental Health. (2005). Information about Mental Illness and the Brain. Retrieved August 13, 2010, from http://science. education. nih. gov/supplements/nih5/mental/guide/info-mental-a. htm The Center for Mental Health Services. Managed Mental Health: What to Look For – What to Ask. Retrieved August 14, 2010, from http://mentalhealth. about. com/library/ken/blmmh. htm US Department of Health and Human Services. Medicaid Program – General Information. Retrieved August 14, 2010, from http://www. cms. gov/MedicaidGenInfo/ US Department of Health and Human Services. Medicare Program – General Information. How to cite Behavioral Health Services, Papers
Saturday, May 2, 2020
Descartes Dream Argument free essay sample
How do we know we are not dreaming some particular experience we are having, or we are not dreaming all our experience of this world? When we dream we imagine things happening often with the same sense of reality as we do when we are awake. In Descartes dream argument, he states there are no reliable signs distinguishing sleeping from waking. In his dream argument, he is not saying we are merely dreaming all of what we experience, nor, is he saying we can distinguish dreaming from being awake. I think his point is we cannot be for sure what we experience as being real in this world is actually real. When Descartes remembers occasions when he is dreaming, he falsely believes he is awake. Reflecting on this, Descartes thinks he cannot ever tell whether or not he is dreaming. How can he know he perceives his hands right now? Maybe, it is all just a dream. We will write a custom essay sample on Descartes Dream Argument or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If it were just a dream everything would seem to be the same. In order to have knowledge the suggestion he is dreaming is false, he somehow has to have some knowledge of being awake. I believe his dream argument could be formed in this way: 1. When we are dreaming we are not in a good position to tell whether we are actually dreaming or awake. 2. Any experience you are having right now could also mean you are dreaming. In other words, you can’t possibly know you are dreaming even if it is a dream. 3a. For each of your experiences, you can’t tell whether your experience is a dream or not. (You can’t tell which of your dreams is a waking experience or a dreaming experience). 3b. For all you know, all of your experiences may be dreams. (You may be walking around in a dream, never having any walking experiences) Most philosophers think the dream argument supports both conclusions, but many philosophers also think this argument is strong enough to support 3a but not 3b. It is not really clear whether Descartes is arguing for the stronger claim or the weaker claim. It could be 3b, the weaker claim, is enough to support his purpose. Maybe he does not need a stronger claim to prove his theory. The last step in Descartes argument says if he cannot tell whether he is dreaming, then how can he trust any of his senses telling him about the environment? To know anything about the external world on the basis of his sensory experiences, it seems like Descartes would have to know those experiences are not all just a dream: To know anything about the external world on the basis or your sensory experiences, you have to know that you are not dreaming. I believe the things in my dreams must have been patterned after real things. So, even if I might be dreaming now, I know the world has colors, things that take up space, have shape, quantity, and a place in space and time. Now if you pull premises 1-4 together, we get the result of the conclusion: 5. Therefore, you can’t know anything about the external world based on your sensory experiences. In an interpretation of Descartes Dream Argument, premise 1 supports premise two and premise 3a and 3b support premise 4. So let us take a look at premise 2, 4, and the conclusion. This looks like the valid inference rule, such as modus ponens. P ? Q P__________ Therefore, Q However, that is not what is exactly happening in the dream argument. For premise 4 says to know you would have to know you are not dreaming. But premise 3 says you cannot know you are dreaming. In order for Modus Ponens argument to work, it would have to contain the premise: â€Å"I know I am dreaming. †Since Descartes cannot actually declare he is dreaming, it will not work. So there goes the premise of the argument. The most Descartes can say in his argument is â€Å"you can’t tell whether you experience is a dream,†premise two states â€Å"You can’t possibly know you are dreaming,†to premise 3, â€Å"you can’t tell if you are dreaming†to the conclusion, â€Å"You can’t know anything. †In order for Modus Ponens to work once again Descartes would have to know he was dreaming. As stated above he cannot state his position as if he is dreaming, so there goes the premises argument. So if this is not a valid argument, then perhaps there is a way to revise my interpretation on Descartes’ Dream argument so it turns out to be a valid rgument. Can we make the argument valid by changing premise 4? 2. Any experience you are having right now could also mean that you are dreaming. In other words, you can’t possibly know that you are dreaming even if it really is a dream. 4. I know that I am dreaming. Therefore, you can’t know anything about the external world based on your sensory experiences. This is now valid but is Descartes actually dreaming? Lets try switching around premises one. 1. If I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams, then I cannot believe anything based on images as true. . I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams. 3. Therefore, I cannot believe as true anything based on images. The argument is now valid again. But the question remains, whether the argument is sound and all the premises are true. A dream is a dream because its external conditions make it a dream and not because of a sense perception. If I am asleep and having an image of a body, than I am dreaming. If I am awake and having an image of a body, then I am not dreaming. Usually I am having a sense perception, but it could also be a hallucination. Dreaming is a certain kind of state. The only way to know you are not dreaming is to know you are not in a state of being asleep and having mental images, sounds, etc. No amount of images, sounds, can tell me I am in the state of being asleep and having images, sounds, etc. before my mind. If premise 2 is true, you can never be certain you are dreaming, as opposed to having sense perception. For instance, I can never step outside of myself to check what state I am in. It is indeed possible I could be dreaming. Descartes, however, has a very different kind of reply to the dream argument. He does not challenge premise 2 at all, instead he challenges premise one: If I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams, then I cannot believe as true anything based on images, etc. Descartes states in meditation one, â€Å"Nevertheless, it surely must be admitted that the things seen during slumber are, as it were, like plain images, which could only have been produced in the likeness of true things, and these general things eyes, hands, head, and the whole body,are not imaginary things, but are true and exist. This statement is actually very clear because the reply is the contents of dreams (Mt. Everest, other people, houses, etc) must come from reality. We get images through the world that we live in, so even if I am dreaming, I know there are mountains, people, and houses. They must exist in order to have dreams like the ones I have. If the world was different then I would have different kinds of dreams. †In Descartes final thoughts he admits it seems to be possible I am now dreaming even though no one could know anything about the world around us. I think Descartes point to be made throughout the dream argument is we are able we are not dreaming if we are to know an external world around us. If we are to know our external world around us, then we would have a better understanding of why we dream. It would also give us a better understand to distinguish from being awake to dreaming. It seems to me the point throughout his dream argument the point he is trying to make is we cannot be sure of what we experience as being real in the world is actually real. Descartes may have not made his point to be valid or true, but made us think outside the box, there are other possible choices to why we experience these thoughts when we dream. Descartes Dream Argument free essay sample How do we know we are not dreaming some particular experience we are having, or we are not dreaming all our experience of this world? When we dream we imagine things happening often with the same sense of reality as we do when we are awake. In Descartes dream argument, he states there are no reliable signs distinguishing sleeping from waking. In his dream argument, he is not saying we are merely dreaming all of what we experience, nor, is he saying we can distinguish dreaming from being awake. I think his point is we cannot be for sure what we experience as being real in this world is actually real. When Descartes remembers occasions when he is dreaming, he falsely believes he is awake. Reflecting on this, Descartes thinks he cannot ever tell whether or not he is dreaming. How can he know he perceives his hands right now? Maybe, it is all just a dream. We will write a custom essay sample on Descartes Dream Argument or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If it were just a dream everything would seem to be the same. In order to have knowledge the suggestion he is dreaming is false, he somehow has to have some knowledge of being awake. I believe his dream argument could be formed in this way: 1. When we are dreaming we are not in a good position to tell whether we are actually dreaming or awake. 2. Any experience you are having right now could also mean you are dreaming. In other words, you can’t possibly know you are dreaming even if it is a dream. 3a. For each of your experiences, you can’t tell whether your experience is a dream or not. (You can’t tell which of your dreams is a waking experience or a dreaming experience). 3b. For all you know, all of your experiences may be dreams. (You may be walking around in a dream, never having any walking experiences) Most philosophers think the dream argument supports both conclusions, but many philosophers also think this argument is strong enough to support 3a but not 3b. It is not really clear whether Descartes is arguing for the stronger claim or the weaker claim. It could be 3b, the weaker claim, is enough to support his purpose. Maybe he does not need a stronger claim to prove his theory. The last step in Descartes argument says if he cannot tell whether he is dreaming, then how can he trust any of his senses telling him about the environment? To know anything about the external world on the basis of his sensory experiences, it seems like Descartes would have to know those experiences are not all just a dream: 4. To know anything about the external world on the basis or your sensory experiences, you have to know that you are not dreaming. I believe the things in my dreams must have been patterned after real things. So, even if I might be dreaming now, I know the world has colors, things that take up space, have shape, quantity, and a place in space and time. Now if you pull premises 1-4 together, we get the result of the conclusion: 5. Therefore, you can’t know anything about the external world based on your sensory experiences. In an interpretation of Descartes Dream Argument, premise 1 supports premise two and premise 3a and 3b support premise 4. So let us take a look at premise 2, 4, and the conclusion. This looks like the valid inference rule, such as modus ponens. P ? Q P__________ Therefore, Q However, that is not what is exactly happening in the dream argument. For premise 4 says to know you would have to know you are not dreaming. But premise 3 says you cannot know you are dreaming. In order for Modus Ponens argument to work, it would have to contain the premise: â€Å"I know I am dreaming. †Since Descartes cannot actually declare he is dreaming, it will not work. So there goes the premise of the argument. The most Descartes can say in his argument is â€Å"you can’t tell whether you experience is a dream,†premise two states â€Å"You can’t possibly know you are dreaming,†to premise 3, â€Å"you can’t tell if you are dreaming†to the conclusion, â€Å"You can’t know anything. †In order for Modus Ponens to work once again Descartes would have to know he was dreaming. As stated above he cannot state his position as if he is dreaming, so there goes the premises argument. So if this is not a valid argument, then perhaps there is a way to revise my interpretation on Descartes’ Dream argument so it turns out to be a valid rgument. Can we make the argument valid by changing premise 4? 2. Any experience you are having right now could also mean that you are dreaming. In other words, you can’t possibly know that you are dreaming even if it really is a dream. 4. I know that I am dreaming. 5. Therefore, you can’t know anything about the external world based on your sensory experiences. This is now valid but is Descartes actually dreaming? Lets try switching around premises one. 1. If I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams, then I cannot believe anything based on images as true. . I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams. 3. Therefore, I cannot believe as true anything based on images. The argument is now valid again. But the question remains, whether the argument is sound and all the premises are true. A dream is a dream because its external conditions make it a dream and not because of a sense perception. If I am asleep and having an image of a body, than I am dreaming. If I am awake and having an image of a body, then I am not dreaming. Usually I am having a sense perception, but it could also be a hallucination. Dreaming is a certain kind of state. The only way to know you are not dreaming is to know you are not in a state of being asleep and having mental images, sounds, etc. No amount of images, sounds, can tell me I am in the state of being asleep and having images, sounds, etc. before my mind. If premise 2 is true, you can never be certain you are dreaming, as opposed to having sense perception. For instance, I can never step outside of myself to check what state I am in. It is indeed possible I could be dreaming. Descartes, however, has a very different kind of reply to the dream argument. He does not challenge premise 2 at all, instead he challenges premise one: If I cannot distinguish with certainty between sense perceptions and dreams, then I cannot believe as true anything based on images, etc. Descartes states in meditation one, â€Å"Nevertheless, it surely must be admitted that the things seen during slumber are, as it were, like plain images, which could only have been produced in the likeness of true things, and these general things eyes, hands, head, and the whole body,are not imaginary things, but are true and exist. This statement is actually very clear because the reply is the contents of dreams (Mt. Everest, other people, houses, etc) must come from reality. We get images through the world that we live in, so even if I am dreaming, I know there are mountains, people, and houses. They must exist in order to have dreams like the ones I have. If the world was different then I would have different kinds of dreams. †In Descartes final thoughts he admits it seems to be possible I am now dreaming even though no one could know anything about the world around us. I think Descartes point to be made throughout the dream argument is we are able we are not dreaming if we are to know an external world around us. If we are to know our external world around us, then we would have a better understanding of why we dream. It would also give us a better understand to distinguish from being awake to dreaming. It seems to me the point throughout his dream argument the point he is trying to make is we cannot be sure of what we experience as being real in the world is actually real. Descartes may have not made his point to be valid or true, but made us think outside the box, there are other possible choices to why we experience these thoughts when we dream.
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