Artificial intelligence

Not long ago Japaneese scientist were able to construct a robot that can play violin so well that only an experts ear could distinguish the sound from the one that is created by extremely precise finger movements of a professional musician. That proves that there is a posibility to create machines that can perform such complex actions as playing a music instrument or performing a medical operation. People started to think: "If we can do that than maybe we can create a problem so complex that it will be able to create it's own programs and evolve all by itself." Well that is artificial intelligence. Even now the charter of robot rights is being created to insure that by the time we have intelligent robots there will be a package of law to insure that they would not be used for evil nor that they would be abused. I believe that we will have artificial intelligence and that it can make our lives easier if it will be used properly and with responsobility.

Self-Assessment of ESP learning

I think that my writing skills are average at the moment. There is much to improve in ESP vocabulary and summaries. I should learn new words and concentrate more when I write summaries. Self-designed tests and dictations are easier because I do not make as many mistakes as I do in summaries. Contributions to the weblogs are the easiest because we have the ability to check spelling and grammar and the topics are usually those that we learned in ESP classes.

My speaking skills on the other hand are good I believe. I do not face any problems formulating a sentence and getting my message across when participating in class discussions. I also do well while speaking in pairs though the quality of the dialogue also depends on the partner I am speaking with. There are no problems in presentations too because it's easier to speak when I'm prepaired than on the spot.

Listening skills are also good. I usually manage to answer most of the questions during the first time we listen to the records. There are usualy none or minor mistakes. This is both for listening activities in class and for listening to podcasts. Because I'm a students debate club member I also get to listen outside of class. It is even easier because the vocabulary used there is more familiar than ESP vocabulary.

Reading is easy. I understand the meaning without needing to refer to a dictionary when I read at home. Class reading is the same, I do understand the meaning of everything I read. When we do reading comprehension excersises I usually do them without any mistakes so I believe that I am good at tasks that involve understanding the text. The same goes for computer tasks. I believe this is because the articles that we read are usually writen in popular style that a simple person would understand. I think I would face more problems if the text would be strictly scientific.

To summarize I can clearly see that writing is the biggest problem at the moment. I do believe that I can improve if I work harder.

Fear

Autophobia (or Monophobia) is the phobia of being alone. The word is derived from the Greek words autos ("self") and phobos ("fear"). People who have this psychical illness are very sensitive when they are alone. Some people only feel uncomfortable while others may feel paranoia and overwhelming fear. These people usually try to be in public places, are very sociable and kind because they do not want to take a risk that people will leave them. It is really hard for people who have autophobia to work individually because they can’t concentrate while being alone.

The diagnoses and treatment of this phobia is very difficult because people to not usually admit that they have this problem. What’s more the symptoms occur only when they are alone so it’s quite difficult to decide if a person is cured or not. What’s more the work of psychologist requires working with a person, and that means that there is no actual stress for a person who goes to a psychologist. The stress occurs only after he leaves.

It is a good thing that this kind of phobia is rare. On the other hand, those people that have it can’t receive a reliable treatment yet. We have to wait and see what the time will tell.

Meditation

Meditation is recognized as a component of eastern religions, where it has been practiced for over 5,000 years. Today meditation together with other traditions of eastern religions became very popular in the western world. Although many people say that they practice meditation, only few actually meditate the right way.

Meditation is a technique that should help the person to reach the altered state of mind. If done successfully a person would clear his mind from any thoughts and be ignorant to the outside perceptive stimulus. The purpose of meditation in various cultures varies. Some use meditation to carefully think about one thing at a time in absolute quietness, others think that meditation is helping them to interact with deities. The new age occult society treats meditation as one of the ways to reach gnosis the main ingredient in any magical ritual.

Though many theories have risen none were proved. If you really want to learn what meditation is all about, is it good or bad than try it!

Influences

I think that every action and every person we meet in our life has a smaller or bigger influence on us. What’s more every thing we do has an influence on others. I think that this is because we cannot isolate ourselves from the society. That means that every thing we hear, see or touch is recorded in our minds. It’s like a movie that is being recorded every second. The only difference there is that we analyze this movie at the same time and use the wanted or unwanted information to change ourselves. Because we are no different from other that happens to others as well. In other words I understand living as an interaction between people which result is the constant change of a human being.

Psychology of colors

This is one of the most interesting topics I have had during my ESP course so far. It really interesting that different colors can have a great effect on our mood. I personally like black. It is my favorite color. I liked black before I knew what it stands for. Now I like it even more. Now I will give you a short overview of what colors can do to us and how we feel about them.

Black

Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. Villains, such as Dracula, often wear black.

White

Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.

Red

The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.

The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.

Blue

The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.

Green

Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. However, seamstresses often refuse to use green thread on the eve of a fashion show for fear it will bring bad luck.

Yellow

Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.

Purple

The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.

Brown

Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.

To sum up I would like to say that though colors may have an impact on us we still can't judge a person by the color of clothes he wears.

The subfields of psychology

There are a lot of different types of classification of psychology. Some scientists classify 20 other classify even more subfields. The biggest classification has 64 subfields of psychology. I think, that I would like to study cognitive or psychoanalytical psychology, because I’m more interested in the processes that are hidden from us I believe that the most difficult changes in human mind cannot be observed or merely seen, therefore we must use other means to examine it. I think that those two subfields that I have already mentioned are the best ways to deal with things we can’t normally observe, because the fundamental part of cognitive and psychoanalytical psychology is the work in sub – consciousness. I hope that by the time I finish my studies here, those subfields will be available in Lithuania. If not, I’ll have to go abroad.