Renaissance of Thoughts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Renaissance of Thoughts - Essay Example However the thesis proves to be a contrast. According to Aristotle, no one would be able to stay happy and wise unless the â€Å"philosopher’s paradox† is defended. Socrates commitment to the sufficiency thesis, however, offer lucid substantiation for Socrates’ dedication to the requisite of wisdom for happiness and so defines the fundamental significance of wisdom for Socrates. On the typical interpretation, Socrates argues for the sufficiency thesis in Euthydemus 278–282. Irwin nicely exhibits this way of reading the passage: â€Å"Socrates takes it to be generally agreed that we achieve happiness by gaining many goods (279a1–4), but he argues that the only good we need is wisdom. He argues in three stages :( 1) Happiness does not require good fortune added to wisdom (279c4–280a8). (2) Wisdom is necessary and sufficient for the correct and successful use of other goods (280b1–281b4). (3)Wisdom is the only good (281b4–e5). Fro m this Socrates concludes that if we want to secure happiness, we need not acquire many goods; we need only acquire wisdom (282a1–d3)†. (Jones 2013). In this context it is relevant to discuss the philosophy of Roger Bacon where he made precise observations about the natural processes of life. His attention was mainly relating to alchemy and his misconceptions had connection with his knowledge of magic. He loved to experiment and because of this some of his contemporaries regarded him as necromancer and sorcerer. His thirst to know the truth paved the way for a new experimentation where he formed a head from dead human heads and expected it to speak to him through the aid of devil. Alchemists applied some experimentation technique in the Aristotelian domain, to draw conclusions from the principles which had already been ascertained through thoughts, philosophies and observations (Krebs 1999 124) around 2500 years back, the Buddhist tradition explained the meaning of happ iness. However, Buddha’s first preaching was about the fact that the foundation of happiness revolves round suffering and pain and both happiness and pain are the results of our own deeds and thoughts (cloudwater.org n.d.). As per Martin Luther King Jr. â€Å"If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional, Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective† (The Wisdom of Martin Luther King, Jr. n.d). Thus the thoughts of scholars state that gaining continuous knowledge and obtaining wisdom from various experimentations are the main sources of happiness. Happiness is a universal term and it can’t be obtained staying aloof from others. The perspective of eminent scholars state that â€Å"happiness can’t be felt unless we know what sadness is.† However the modern day philosophies state that people today, tend to relate happiness with material possession. It is true that wealth brings happiness, but for a moment. In the words of Jesus Christ, â€Å"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God† (Gulla 2010 170) The urge for wealth and material possession is defined by our needs. It can be said that, however, even if needs are satisfied, it can’t provide a long-term satisfaction as needs are innumerable.  

International Accounting Standards Master Essay

International Accounting Standards Master - Essay Example The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) replaced the IASC which had stopped operations in April, 2001(Schioppa,2004). The new replacement board concentrated its efforts developing the International Financial Reporting Standards starting in the year 2001. Furthermore, the International Accounting Standards Board in London is a privately-funded and independent accounting standard-setter that headquartered in London, United Kingdom(Buthe,2005). They say that accounting is an art. Meaning, any accounting data can be written in whatever style the bookkeeper or accountant wants provided information is understood. In summary, the International Accounting Standards (IASs) had been issued by the IASC from 1973 to 2000. Also, the International Accounting Standards Board had been replaced by the International Accounting Standards Council in 2001. Since then, the IASB has amended some IASs, it had inclusively proposed to amend other IASs, it had proposed to replace some IASs with new International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs), and had adopted or even proposed certain new IFRSs on topics for which there was no previous IAS. With the help of their separate committees, both the IASC and the IASB had issued Interpretations of Standards. Finally, the financial statements must comply with all of the requirements of each applicable standard and each applicable interpretation to be described as complying with IFRSs. C) International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) in relation to International Accounting StandardsIn terms of interpreting the international accounting standards, the International Accounting Standards Board has replaced the IASC's Standing Interpretations Committee (SIC) with the the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC). The replacement took place in the year 2001. This committee is mandated to reviews or not. on a regular basis inside the context of current International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) and the IASB Framework, all accounting issues that will likely receive differing or unacceptable treatment in the non- appearance of authoritative guidance. Its view is to reach consensus on the appropriate accounting treatment. When developing its interpretations of financial accounting theory, the IFRIC gets feedback as it works hand in hand with similar national committees from many countries in the world. The IFRIC makes technical decisions that are taken at sessions where the public is invited to observe. The bottom line here is that the international accounting standards must be distributed and explained to all countries in the world for understandability and speed(Buthe,2005) As a result of the virorous efforts of The three accounting bodies above, the existing procedure for setting international accounting standards is now well established. Since accounting is the language of business, then international accounting standards insures that more nations understand each other when scrutinizing the balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows. II. Why is the development of International

Impact of Technology on Trade

Impact of Technology on Trade Technology plays a crucial role in the development of countries. It is very important both for developed countries and developing countries as technology progress will enable countries to be more competitive in the global market. Thus progress in technology helps countries to develop the economy and strengthens their trading positions in the competitive global market (Sabir, 2010). With the development of technology, high-tech products will become the major players in international trade. The traditional primary products and ordinary manufacturing goods will account for less in the international trade business than before. In order to illustrate the impact of technology on trade and development for the country, this essay will take South Korea, a developed country and the Samsung products as example to analyze the way the technology influences the countrys development and its trade. Technology development in South Korea The development of technology can decide the future of the country in terms of its economy growth and its position in the international community. South Korea, as all we know, is a lively example in the technology research and development. Forty years ago, South Korea was still a laggard agricultural country and was empty in science technology fields. However, during 40 years endeavor, South Korea has made outstanding performance and achievements in the technology development. Its innovation capability is improved a lot and the distance to developed countries regarding the technology aspect is becoming closer. Since 1970s and 1980s, the science technology policies of South Korea have been gradually shifted from introduction imitation model to self-development and innovation (Viotti, 2002). Therefore, since then, high-tech projects, such as sophisticated electronics, new materials, semiconductors, precision chemistry etc. have been developed rapidly in South Korea. That Semi-conduc tors enterprises, such as Samsung, can successfully compete in the international semiconductor market can not separate from the independent technological innovation. Thanks to the technology progress, South Korea has made great development in economy. As we know, economy and technology are two essentials which can not be separated from each other for the country. The progress of technology will promote the development of the countrys economy, meanwhile, economy growth will enable the country more capital to the technology research. From the experience of developed countries, their fast development in economy can not be separated from their progress in technology. Technology is becoming the core for the developed countries (Hausmann and Rodrik, 2003). Impact of technology on trade and economy growth Economic development of South Korea started in 1950s and achieved a take-off in economy growth in 1960s. In the initial stage, South Korea applied inward economy growth strategy; however, since 1962 the country began to implement an export-oriented economy development strategy. South Korea is severely dependent on the external markets since its internal market is very limited. The country is highly focused on the export business to create foreign exchange and import the scarce resources. With the development in high-technology fields, South Korea has realized to increase the exports of the high-tech products which have successfully contributed to a rapid economic growth for the country. South Korea has achieved a considerable growth in its GNP from 87 USD in 1962 to 10 936 USD in 2001. This is close to the highly-developed countries. Among the exporting volumes, the high-tech products are increasing year by year. In 1988, the high-tech products accounted for 15.97% of the total expor ting volume. In 1999, the high-tech products reached to 32.2% (Kwon, 2010). The progress in technology has greatly helped South Korea in achieving good result in the global trade market and resulted in a great growth in GDP and its overall economy. Samsung Electronic is a typical successful example in the research and development of technology for South Korea or even for the whole Asian countries. Many technological and electronic manufacturers in Asian countries are trying to learning from Samsung Company. Samsung Electronic Company has made great contribution to South Koreas economic development. Samsung has got its white goods and other products such as mobile phones famous in the global marketplace. In 2000, the export amount of Samsung Electronic has reached to 18.6 billion US dollars which accounted for 11 percent of the total exporting value. In 2004, Samsung has made a breakthrough of 50 billion US dollars of exporting value and accounted for 21% of the total export value in South Korea (Kang and Jin, 2006). The reason why Samsung products can take a great market share in the global trade market is highly dependent on the technology progress. Take Samsung mobile phone as example, with the continuous innovation and progr ess made in the technological field, Samsung mobile phone is now become one of the leading mobile brands in the world. It has already posed a threat to Nokia and Motorolas leading positions in the global mobile phone market (Uimonen, 2000). Facing the fierce competition environment in the global mobile phone market, Samsung mobile phone maintains its strategy to position high-end products for the people with certain consuming capability. High-end products need high-technology to support and continuous improvement in the technology innovation to maintain the high price. Therefore, Samsung never stops its technology research and contributes considerable amount of money into new technology research and innovation every year. Besides the mobile phone area, Samsung is also making efforts to expand its other electronic products with high technology, such as TV, LED, refrigerator, and other white goods in the global markets (Bonaglia, Goldstein and Mathews, 2007). Of course, China is its l argest trading partner and Samsung products have covered a relatively large market share in China. Conclusion In conclusion, technology progress is the major power and source to speed up the development of the social economy for a country. Nowadays, as peace and development are the major theme for the international communities, high-technology is attached great importance in boosting the economy growth for a country. At the same time, under the globalization trend, the development of technology will help the country to be more competitive in the global trade market thus to boost the countrys economy development.

Law and Slave Identity in Dred and Puddnhead Wilson Essays -- African

Law and Slave Identity in Dred and Pudd'nhead Wilson What is a slave? A slave, according to many of the laws in the individual slave states during the 19th century, was an article of property, a thing, and an object not human. However, according to another, the 3/5 Compromise of 1787, a slave was worth 3/5 of a white man. The population of the Southern states was heavily African, and this compromise enabled them to count those slaves as 3/5 of a citizen in order to get more representation in Congress. What does that mean for interpretations of the law? Can a `thing' be tried for murder, or is a slave a man who has committed only 3/5 of the crime? Unfortunately, laws often have an ambiguity that allows them to be misinterpreted. In the case of American slave laws, the ambiguity was such that the identity of the slave could be misinterpreted or even manipulated to serve unjust social practices. Furthermore, one of the interpretations of the slave's identity is as a child under the guardianship of the slave master. If this translation were correct, however, the slave should have the right of protection under the law. But as said before, state law claims that a slave is a thing and therefore warrants no protection. The laws of slavery in the 19th century were ambiguous to the point that no one legal definition of a slave or a slave's rights could be made according to the law. Both Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain experimented with this ambiguity of identity and the laws surrounding it in their novels Dred and Pudd'nhead Wilson. The lawyers in Dred and Pudd'nhead Wilson are Edward Clayton and David (Pudd'nhead) Wilson. Both of these lawyers are given the opportunity to interpret the identity of the slave during trial... ...ecting themselves from the bite. "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. – Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar." (Twain 99) Works Cited Carton, Evan. "Pudd'nhead Wilson and the Fiction of Law and Custom." Ed. Eric J. Sundquist. American Realism: New Essays. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982. Crane, Gregg. "Stowe and the Law." Cindy Weinstein. The Cambridge Companion to Harriet Beecher Stowe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. "Slavery and Indentured Servants." Law Library of Congress. 9 Dec. 2004 < http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awlaw3/slavery.html>. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp. Ed. Robert S. Levine. New York: Penguin Books, 2000. Twain, Mark. Pudd'nhead Wilson. New York: Bantum Books, 1981. Law and Slave Identity in Dred and Pudd'nhead Wilson Essays -- African Law and Slave Identity in Dred and Pudd'nhead Wilson What is a slave? A slave, according to many of the laws in the individual slave states during the 19th century, was an article of property, a thing, and an object not human. However, according to another, the 3/5 Compromise of 1787, a slave was worth 3/5 of a white man. The population of the Southern states was heavily African, and this compromise enabled them to count those slaves as 3/5 of a citizen in order to get more representation in Congress. What does that mean for interpretations of the law? Can a `thing' be tried for murder, or is a slave a man who has committed only 3/5 of the crime? Unfortunately, laws often have an ambiguity that allows them to be misinterpreted. In the case of American slave laws, the ambiguity was such that the identity of the slave could be misinterpreted or even manipulated to serve unjust social practices. Furthermore, one of the interpretations of the slave's identity is as a child under the guardianship of the slave master. If this translation were correct, however, the slave should have the right of protection under the law. But as said before, state law claims that a slave is a thing and therefore warrants no protection. The laws of slavery in the 19th century were ambiguous to the point that no one legal definition of a slave or a slave's rights could be made according to the law. Both Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain experimented with this ambiguity of identity and the laws surrounding it in their novels Dred and Pudd'nhead Wilson. The lawyers in Dred and Pudd'nhead Wilson are Edward Clayton and David (Pudd'nhead) Wilson. Both of these lawyers are given the opportunity to interpret the identity of the slave during trial... ...ecting themselves from the bite. "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. – Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar." (Twain 99) Works Cited Carton, Evan. "Pudd'nhead Wilson and the Fiction of Law and Custom." Ed. Eric J. Sundquist. American Realism: New Essays. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982. Crane, Gregg. "Stowe and the Law." Cindy Weinstein. The Cambridge Companion to Harriet Beecher Stowe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. "Slavery and Indentured Servants." Law Library of Congress. 9 Dec. 2004 < http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awlaw3/slavery.html>. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp. Ed. Robert S. Levine. New York: Penguin Books, 2000. Twain, Mark. Pudd'nhead Wilson. New York: Bantum Books, 1981.

Water Refilling Management System

Conceptual frameworkThe Conceptual framework shows the inputs and processes on how the customer and the management works’ within the system. Input refers to the data inputted by the customer and management. The data to be input first by the management are the customer and container information’s. The customer information contains id, name, address, contact number, type, cash balance, container balance and description of a customer, while the container information contains id, type, total count, unit price and description of a container. The system provides each the customer and container id automatically. Customer and container information are required to be in the system first to process transactions.There are four types of transaction, namely: purchase order, delivery, payment and container return. Each of this transaction consists of required information referred in the table below. The customer id, name, type, cash balance, container balances, container type unit pr ice of the specific customer and product are gathered by the system automatically.Table 1.1 Transaction information Purchase order Delivery Payment Container return Customer id Customer name Customer type Container types Unit prices Container tracking id’s (optional) Container count Total amount Comment Customer id Customer name Customer type Container types Unit prices Container tracking id’s (optional) Container count Total amount Mode of payment Comment Customer id Customer name Customer cash balance Payment amount Comment Customer id Customer name Customer Container balances Container types Return count CommentLevel 0.

Scientific Inventions

ASSEMBLY LINE: Primitive assembly line production was first used in 1901 by Ran some Eli Olds (1864-1950), an early car-maker (he manufactured the Oldsmobile, the first commercially successful American car). Henry Ford (1863-1947) used the first conveyor belt-based assembly-line in his car factory in 1913-14 in Ford's Highland Park, Michigan plant. This type of production greatly reduced the amount of time taken to put each car together (93 minutes for a Model T) from its parts, reducing production costs. Assembly lines are now used in most manufacturing processes. BAEKELAND, L. H. : Leo Hendrik Baekeland (November 14, 1863 – February 23, 1944) was a Belgian-born American chemist who invented Velox photographic paper (1893) and Bakelite (1907), an inexpensive, nonflammable, versatile, and very popular plastic. BAKELITE: Bakelite (also called catalin) is a plastic, a dense synthetic polymer (a phenolic resin) that was used to make jewelry, game pieces, engine parts, radio boxes, switches, and many, many other objects. Bakelite was the first industrial thermoset plastic (a material that does not change its shape after being mixed and heated). Bakelite plastic is made from carbolic acid (phenol) and formaldehyde, which are mixed, heated, and then either molded or extruded into the desired shape. Bakelite was patented in 1907 by the Belgian-born American chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland (November 14, 1863 – February 23, 1944). The Nobel Prize winning German chemist Adolf von Baeyer had experimented with this material in 1872, but did not complete its development or see its potential. Baekeland operated the General Bakelite Company from 1911 to 1939 (in Perth Amboy, N. J. , USA), and produced up to about 200,000 tons of Bakelite annually. Bakelite replaced the very flammable celluloid plastic that had been so popular. The bracelet above is made of â€Å"butterscotch† Bakelite. BAROMETER: A barometer is a device that measures air (barometric) pressure. It measures the weight of the column of air that extends from the instrument to the top of the atmosphere. There are two types of barometers commonly used today, mercury and aneroid (meaning â€Å"fluid less†). Earlier water barometers (also known as â€Å"storm glasses†) date from the 17th century. The mercury barometer was invented by the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli (1608 – 1647), a pupil of Galileo, in 1643. Torricelli inverted a glass tube filled with mercury into another container of mercury; the mercury in the tube â€Å"weighs† the air in the atmosphere above the tube. The aneroid barometer (using a spring balance instead of a liquid) was invented by the French scientist Lucien Vidie in 1843. BATTERY: A battery is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. Each battery has two electrodes, an anode (the positive end) and a cathode (the negative end). An electrical circuit runs between these two electrodes, going through a chemical called an electrolyte (which can be either liquid or solid). This unit consisting of two electrodes is called a cell (often called a voltaic cell or pile). Batteries are used to power many devices and make the spark that starts a gasoline engine. Alessandro Volta was an Italian physicist invented the first chemical battery in 1800. Storage batteries : are lead-based batteries that can be recharged. In 1859, the French physicist Gaston Plante (1834-1889) invented a battery made from two lead plates joined by a wire and immersed in a sulfuric acid electrolyte; this was the first storage battery. BUNSEN BURNER: The laboratory Bunsen burner was invented by Robert Wilhelm Bunsen in 1855. Bunsen (1811-1899) was a German chemist and teacher. He invented the Bunsen burner for his research in isolating chemical substances – it has a high-intensity, non-luminous flame that does not interfere with the colored flame emitted by chemicals being tested. CASSEGRAIN TELESCOPE: A Cassegrain telescope is a wide-angle reflecting telescope with a concave mirror that receives light and focuses an image. A second mirror reflects the light through a gap in the primary mirror, allowing the eyepiece or camera to be mounted at the back end of the tube. The Cassegrain reflecting telescope was developed in 1672 by the French sculptor Sieur Guillaume Cassegrain. A correcting plate (a lens) was added in 1930 by the Estonian astronomer and lens-maker Bernard Schmidt (1879-1935), creating the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope which minimized the spherical aberration of the Cassegrain telescope. CELLOPHANE: Cellophane is a thin, transparent, waterproof, protective film that is used in many types of packaging. It was invented in 1908 by Jacques Edwin Brandenberger, a Swiss chemist. He had originally intended cellophane to be bonded onto fabric to make a waterproof textile, but the new cloth was brittle and not useful. Cellophane proved very useful all alone as a packaging material. Chemists at the Dupont Company (who later bought the rights to cellophane) made cellophane waterproof in 1927. CELSIUS, ANDERS: Anders Celsius (1701-1744) was a Swedish professor of astronomy who devised the Celsius thermometer. He also ventured to the far north of Sweden with an expedition in order to measure the length of a degree along a meridian, close to the pole, later comparing it with similar measurements made in the Southern Hemisphere. This confirmed that that the shape of the earth is an ellipsoid which is flattened at the poles. He also cataloged 300 stars. With his assistant Olof Hiorter, Celsius discovered the magnetic basis for auroras. COMPOUND MICROSCOPE: Zacharias Janssen was a Dutch lens-maker who invented the first compound microscope in 1595 (a compound microscope is one which has more than one lens). His microscope consisted of two tudes that slid within one another, and had a lens at each end. The microscope was focused by sliding the tubes. The lens in the eyepiece was bi-convex (bulging outwards on both sides), and the lens of the far end (the objective lens) was Plano-convex (flat on one side and bulging outwards on the other side). This advanced microscope had a 3 to 9 times power of magnification. Zacharias Janssen's father Hans may have helped him build the microscope. DA VINCI, LEONARDO: Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an Italian inventor, artist, architect, and scientist. Da Vinci had an interest in engineering and made detailed sketches of the airplane, the helicopter (and other flying machines), the parachute, the submarine, the armored car, the ballista (a giant crossbow), rapid-fire guns, the centrifugal pump (designed to drain wet areas, like marshes), ball bearings, the worm gear (a set of gears in which many teeth make contact at once, reducing the strain on the teeth, allowing more pressure to be put on the mechanism), and many other incredible ideas that were centuries ahead of da Vinci's time. DAVY, HUMPHRY: Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) was an English scientist who invented the first electric light in 1800. He experimented with electricity and invented an electric battery. When he connected wires from his battery to two pieces of carbon, electricity arced between the carbon pieces, producing an intense, hot, and short-lived light. This is called an electric arc. Davy also invented a miner's safety helmet and a process to desalinate sea water. Davy discovered the elements boron, sodium, aluminum (whose name he later changed to aluminum), and potassium. EDISON, THOMAS ALVA: Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) was an American inventor (also known as the Wizard of Menlo Park) whose many inventions revolutionized the world. His work includes improving the incandescent electric light bulb and inventing the phonograph, the phonograph record, the carbon telephone transmitter, and the motion-picture projector. Edison’s first job was as a telegraph operator, and in the course of his duties, he redesigned the stock-ticker machine. The Edison Universal Stock Printer gave him the capital ($40,000) to set up a laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, to invent full-time (with many employees). Edison experimented with thousands of different light bulb filaments to find just the right materials to glow well, be long-lasting, and be inexpensive. In 1879, Edison discovered that a carbon filament in an oxygen-free bulb glowed but did not burn up for quite a while. This incandescent bulb revolutionized the world. ELION, GERTRUDE: Gertrude Belle Elion (January 23, 1918 – February 21, 1999) was a Nobel Prize winning biochemist who invented many life-saving drugs, including 6-mercaptopurine (Purinethol) and 6-thioguanine (which fight leukemia), Imuran, Zovirax, and many others. Elion worked at Burroughs- Glaxo Wellcome for decades (beginning in 1944) with George Hitchings and Sir James Black, with whom she shared the Nobel Prize. She is named on 45 patents for drugs and her work has saved the lives of thousands of people. ENIAC: ENIAC stands for â€Å"Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. † It was one of the first all-purpose, all-electronic digital computers. This room-sized computer was built by the physicist John William Mauchly (Aug. 30, 1907 – Jan. 8, 1980) and the electrical engineer John Presper Eckert, Jr. (April 9, 1919 – June 3, 1995) at the University of Pennsylvania. They completed the machine in November, 1945. FARNSWORTH, PHILO T. : Philo Taylor Farnsworth (1906-1971) was an American inventor. Farnsworth invented many major major components of the television, including power, focusing systems, synchronizing the signal, contrast, controls, and scanning. He also invented the radar systems, cold cathode ray tube, the first baby incubator and the first electronic microscope. Farnsworth held over 300 patents. FOUCAULT, JEAN: Jean Bernard Leon Foucault (1819-1868) was a French physicist who invented the gyroscope (1852) and the Foucault pendulum (1851). A gyroscope is essentially a spinning wheel set in a movable frame. When the wheel spins, it retains its spatial orientation, and it resists external forces applied to it. Gyroscopes are used in navigation instruments (for ships, planes, and rockets). Foucault was the first person to demonstrate how a pendulum could track the rotation of the Earth (the Foucault pendulum) in 1851. He also showed that light travels more slowly in water than in air (1850) and improved the mirrors of reflecting telescopes (1858). FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN: Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706-April 17, 1790) was an American statesman, writer, printer, and inventor. Franklin experimented extensively with electricity. In 1752, his experiments with a kite in a thunderstorm (never do this, many people have died trying it! ) led to the development of the lightning rod. Franklin started the first circulating library in the colonies in 1731. He also invented bifocal glasses and the Franklin stove. The idea of daylight savings time was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784. GALILEI, GALILEO: Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an Italian mathematician, astronomer, and physicist. Galileo found that the speed at which bodies fall does not depend on their weight and did extensive experimentation with pendulums. In 1593 Galileo invented the thermometer. In 1609, Galileo was the first person to use a telescope to observe the skies (after hearing about Hans Lippershey's newly-invented telescope). Galileo discovered the rings of Saturn (1610), was the first person to see the four major moons of Jupiter (1610), observed the phases of Venus, studied sunspots, and discovered many other important phenomena.