Extraordinary people and their conversation

Each of these people, their thoughts, their philosophy hits the mind like a bullet, ripping through and shredding your conditionings, convictions, attitudes, and thoughts, destroying every comfortable crutch, every attribute of identity. Such ruthless negation can be frightening, even disorienting.

Tagore and Einstein met through a common friend, Dr. Mendel. Tagore visited Einstein at his residence at Kaputh in the suburbs of Berlin on July 14, 1930, and Einstein returned the call and visited Tagore at the Mendel home. Both conversations were recorded and the above photograph was taken. The July 14 conversation is reproduced here, and was originally published in The Religion of Man (George, Allen & Unwin, Ltd., London), Appendix II, pp. 222-225.

TAGORE: I was discussing with Dr. Mendel today the new mathematical discoveries which tell us that in the realm of infinitesimal atoms chance has its play; the drama of existence is not absolutely predestined in character.

EINSTEIN: The facts that make science tend toward this view do not say good-bye to causality.

TAGORE: Maybe not, yet it appears that the idea of causality is not in the elements, but that some other force builds up with them an organized universe.

EINSTEIN: One tries to understand in the higher plane how the order is. The order is there, where the big elements combine and guide existence, but in the minute elements this order is not perceptible.  

TAGORE: Thus duality is in the depths of existence, the contradiction of free impulse and the directive will which works upon it and evolves an orderly scheme of things.

EINSTEIN: Modern physics would not say they are contradictory. Clouds look as one from a distance, but if you see them nearby, they show themselves as disorderly drops of water.

Medicine of the future…a glimpse

Many changes are taking place in the way we discover new treatments and cures for disease. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other deadly conditions affect millions of Americans. New medicines have led to improved treatments of certain forms of breast cancer, hypertension, and AIDS, while other drugs have slowed the decline of degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or arthritis.

As impressive as advances in biopharmaceuticals have been, our work is far from over. Millions of people with serious diseases and conditions, and a health care system struggling with rising costs and gaps in quality, can benefit from new pharmaceutical discoveries.

Every day, more than 100,000 researchers go to work seeking tomorrow’s medical miracles. Explore this section to learn about the tools they are now using to better understand the mechanisms of disease, track molecular biomarkers that signal the emergence of disease or its response to treatment, and design drugs that are tailored to be safe and effective for individuals based on a personalized approach.

Over the past 10 years, a wave of scientific advances and new technologies has dramatically changed how medicines are discovered.

• “Screening” tools, which help researchers sort through millions of compounds in a short period, have drastically reduced the time and cost associated with discovering compounds that might have use as medicines.
• Many other technologies are enabling more efficient delivery of drugs to the patient. 
• Greater knowledge of how diseases work at the genetic and molecular level has allowed researchers to pursue new targets for therapy and better predict how certain biopharmaceuticals will affect specific groups of people.
• Today, over 2,300 new medicines are in development. Many of these potential new medicines will fail in clinical trials, but some may represent tomorrow’s new treatments. Bringing each new medicine to patients will require, on average, 10 to 15 years of testing and review.

New Cancer Drugs in the horizon…

Brain cancers are among the most difficult cancers to treat. More than 18,000 Americans will be diagnosed with brain cancer this year. Many of these will be high-grade gliomas, a highly invasive form of cancer that sends cancerous cells throughout the brain and spinal cord. A potential weapon against this disease is a radiopharmaceutical containing a synthetic version of a substance derived from scorpions, known as chlorotoxin. The chlorotoxin binds specifically to the tumor cells but not normal cells.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. More than 200,000 new cases are expected in the U.S. this year. A medicine in the pipeline for breast cancer targets the Bcl-2 protein, which appears to contribute to the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy. By reducing the amount of this protein in cancer cells, the medicine may enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy. 

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women. More than 148,000 new cases of the disease are expected this year. A potential medicine being developed is a monoclonal antibody that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor. Cancer cells can become dependent on the growth signals mediated through this receptor. By blocking the receptor, the medicine may stop growth of the cancer cells and eradicate existing cancer cells.  

Liver cancer is an especially difficult cancer to treat. More than 18,000 Americans will likely be diagnosed with liver cancer this year and nearly 90 percent of them will die. One medicine in development has been shown to delay the worsening of the disease in clinical trials. The medicine, an oral signal transduction inhibitor, targets proteins involved in both tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis — the formation of new blood vessels that help cancer cells grow. 

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. More than 62,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease this year, and nearly 8,000 will die. A potential new medicine targets late-stage metastatic melanoma. The medicine contains a gene encoding an antigen that may be able to alert the immune system to the presence of foreign tissue, inducing a powerful immune response. 

Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system – more than 15,000 deaths are expected in 2006. Some ovarian cancers release excessive quantities of a surface protein, or antigen, called CA125 into the bloodstream. One potential medicine in development, a monoclonal antibody, stimulates the body’s immune system to attack the protein and kill the tumors.

Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in men, and an estimated 27,350 are expected to die this year. Several vaccines are currently being studied as treatments for cancer. Traditionally vaccines have been used to prevent disease, but the new vaccines attempt to get the body’s own immune system to fight the cancer after it has developed. One potential vaccine has tripled the survival rate of men with advanced prostate cancer in clinical trials. 

Note: All facts and figures are from the American Cancer Society

My Notes on Music

“It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception.” – Albert Einstein 

Music is the organisation of sounds with some degree of rhythm, melody, and harmony. The music of planet Earth is as diverse as the humanity in itself. While western pop music is ubiquitous, making headlines and dominating airwaves, listening to and exploring the music of the world’s many cultures allows further opportunities for universal communication. Lyrics regarding religion, rebellion, and romance are sung in any number of languages, and even while we may not always understand the words, the sentiments do get through. Western music was once mistakenly considered the pinnacle of the sonic arts. Today, however, musicians, musicologists, and listeners alike have learned that music from everywhere in the world has much to teach us–whether it’s the intricacies of African polyrhythms, the microtones of Indonesian Gamelan, or the melodic complexity of Indian ragas. 

“Many of us became musicians to fill an emotional need, not knowing the mind was benefiting too. As more research ties the mind to health and emotional well being, music will become both medicine and exercise for the mind!” 

 Background on Indian Music

The music of India is one of the oldest unspoken musical traditions in the world. An understanding of Mythology is really important to see the significance that Indian music (sangeet) has to Indian society. This is easily illustrated in the story concerning its origin. Perhaps the clearest mythological raison de etre may be found in Bharata’s Natya-Shastra (Rangacharya 1966): 

Once, a long time ago, during the transitional period between two Ages it so happened that people took to uncivilised ways, were ruled by lust and greed, behaved in angry and jealous ways with each other and not only gods but demons, evil spirits, yakshas and and such like others swarmed over the earth. Seeing this plight, Indra and other gods approached god Brahma and requested him to give the people a toy (Kridaniyaka), but one which could not only be seen but heard and this should turn out a diversion (so that people gave up their bad ways)  Although it was decided to give the celestial art of sangeet to mankind, a suitable human had to be found who was capable of receiving this gift. Sangeet had always been in the realm of the demigods (gandharva. A super-human of superior spiritual ability was required to convey this celestial artform to the world of man. It fell upon the great sage Narada to be the first mortal recipient of this divine art. Through Narada, we are indebted for the presence of classical music. 

The introduction of this artform to the mortal world was only the first step. Traditional pedagogy had to accommodate it. Classical music is considered more than mere entertainment; it is a moral and spiritual redeemer. Therefore, the divine qualities inherent in the artform imply certain prerequisites; key among them are guru, vinaya and sadhana. This translates to teacher, humility, and discipline.

The guru, or teacher is the most important prerequisite in traditional musical pedagogy. Music is said to be a guru mukha-vidhya (i.e., knowledge which must come from a teacher). This is considered the highest form of knowledge. Traditional pedagogy is based upon the transfer of knowledge from the teacher (guru) to the disciple (shishya in an unbroken tradition (parampara). The tradition of guru-shishya-parampara extends back countless millennia. The second prerequisite is vinaya (humility). This also reflects the divine origins of the artform.

Classical music is said to be a worship that involves both the listener and the artist alike. Any negative emotions such as arrogance (abhiman) becomes an impediment. This is an impediment from both the divine aspect as well as a matter of simple pedagogy (e.g., “If you think you already know everything, then what is there to learn?”) The final prerequisite for a student of classical music is sadhana (discipline and practice). Sadhana is necessary at two levels. At one level, the divine origins of the artform require that the student “be prepared” to be a recipient of this knowledge. However, from a simple pedagogic standpoint, the music is so incredibly difficult that if the student does not devote countless hours of practice spread over many years, the student certainly will not be able to master the music. This may clarify many points of pedagogy, but what about the artform itself? Any art must deal with the topic of aesthetics.

The Indian tradition has much to say on this point as well. The ancient scriptures describe nine fundamental emotions from which all complex emotions may be produced. Just as all hues may be produced by mixing the three primary colours, so too, all emotions are said to be derived from these principal emotions. They are called navaras and are shown in the table below. These emotions form the aesthetic foundation for sangeet. We must remember that we are talking about music. This requires an acoustic vehicle to convey these emotions. 

The Nine Moods (Nava Rasa)

Shringar – Love

Hasya – Comic

Karuna – Sadness

Raudra – Furious

Veera – Heroic

Bhayanak – Terrible

Vibhats – Disgusting

Adbhuta – Wonderment

Shanta – Peace  

This acoustic vehicle is known as raag. Raag may be thought of as the melodic foundation upon which classical Indian music is based. During the last few centuries it was customary to anthropomorphize the rag in the form of gandharvas (demigods) and apsaras (celestial nymphs). The divine quality of music is perhaps best illustrated in nad siddha. This is the ability to perform miracles by singing or playing certain rags. The most famous miracle-working musician was Tansen (Garg 1984). It is often said that he was able to create fire by singing rag Dipak, or create rain by singing rag Megh Malhar. 

One can appreciate how this artform is considered divine. This divine quality influences concepts such as aesthetics and pedagogy. The reverence that Indians have for this system may only be seen in a traditional approach.
 

The vocal tradition is especially strong in Indian music. It is understood that the song is probably the most ancient form of music. Vocal music occupies a considerable part of Natya Shastra (Indian music). The samaveda is the oldest musical text in India. Most of the classical songs of north India are devotional in nature, but there are few genres which are especially oriented toward religion. Most notable is the bhajan, dhun or kirtan for Hindus, the kawali (qawali) for Muslims, and the shabad for Sikhs (Indian music). Not all the music is serious for there are also many popular genres. The ghazal is one style, which is known for it rich poetic, and romantic content. The Hindi geet which is basically just a song and undoubtedly the most popular is the film song (Indian music). There are also a few genres which are oriented specifically toward musical education. 

Popular Music is music produced for and sold to a broad audience. Indian popular music, which is most strongly influenced by Indian folk music is shaped by social, economic, and technological forces. Popular music is closely linked to the social identity of its performers and audiences.  Indian

Popular Music has one of the world’s most extensive popular music industries. Most Indian popular music is associated with the commercial film industry, centred on Mumbai, in which song-and-dance scenes are inserted into plots.  Film songs are heard all over India, in city streets and even in remote villages, and have also become one of the country’s major cultural exports. It is a remarkably eclectic genre, borrowing freely from other Indian musics and popular music’s from around the world, including some Western harmonic procedures and its film music are widely popular elsewhere in the developing world, from Africa and the Middle East to Eastern Europe and other parts of Asia. Indian popular music has continued to evolve and thrive. Most were sentimental love songs designed to fit the romantic and often escapist cinematic melodramas. It is no longer made the way it used to be. As a result the popular music industry has become much more decentralized, and its products much more diverse in terms of style, language, and subject matter. Since cassettes and cassette players are so cheap, portable, and durable, many millions of poorer rural consumers could afford them and thus enter the popular music market.

A recent survey found out that 90 % of the people whether they are of the new generation or the old say that music has lost its sentimental values.

By the 1950s the film industry had grown phenomenally, and soon became the largest in the world, producing some 700-feature films annually. Where as the remaining 10 % say that the trends and traditional values are changing and in this ever changing world one must keep up to date. Nevertheless, the thriving cottage-industry cassette producers still rely heavily on regional folk music for inspiration and ideas. Western influence remains strong, and many film music composers borrow pop melodies from the West.

Great Books

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust

The Stories of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov

Middlemarch by George Eliot

Freedom at midnight by Larry Collins, Dominique Lapierre 

Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore: An Anthology by Rabindranath Tagore , Krishna Dutta (Editor), Andrew Robinson (Editor)

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche

Glimpse After Glimpse: Daily Reflections on Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

MAN, THE UNKNOWN by ALEXIS CARRELL

You Cannot Die: The Incredible Findings of a Century of Research on Death
by Ian Currie

An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth by Mahatma Gandhi

Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (9 volume set)
by Swami Vivekananda

Badukalu Kaliyiri – by Swamy Jagadatmananda (Kannada)

Abachurina Post Office By K. P. Poorna Chandra Tejasvi (Kannada)

Man Eaters of India by Jim Corbett

Samskara by U R Anantamurthy (Kannada)

Kanoouru Heggadati by K. V. Puttappa (Kannada)

Malegalalli Madumagalu by K. V. Puttappa

Wonder that was India  by A. L. Basham

Tamas by Bhishma Sahani

Ajeya by Babu Krishnamurthy (Kannada)

Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
 

Vocabulary of uncommon SI prefixes

Y: 10^24 yotta

Z: 10^21 zetta

E: 10^18 exa

P: 10^15 peta

T: 10^12 tera

G: 10^9 giga

M: 10^6 mega

k: 10^3 kilo

h: 10^2 hecto

da: 10^1 deka

d: 10^-1 deci

c: 10^-2 centi

m: 10^-3 milli

mu: 10^-6 micro

n: 10^-9 nano

p: 10^-12 pico

f: 10^-15 femto

a: 10^-18 atto

z: 10^-21 zepto

y: 10^-24 yocto

Thought Provoking Graduation Address

Graduation Address by Dr. David Byrd, Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Washington

Good afternoon, doctors. Get used to the sound of it. You earned it. Good morning to your families, friends, and supporters. This is a wonderful day. You will leave here today bound for all corners of the country. Every human emotion is present around you from elation, joy, and anxiety, to confusion, boredom, and even sadness.

You are starting your careers at the beginning of a new direction in medicine resulting from the explosion in information about the human genome. Within the next 25-50 years, we will likely have detailed predictions about the genetic susceptibility to nearly all diseases. A check-up may consist of a history form, a total body imaging scan and a blood sample all channeled into an informatics template, complete with diagnosis and treatment recommendations. You may spend much of your time with patients discussing the results of these recommendations and methods of prevention. Do not underestimate the impact of genetic technology on health care. Look ahead, stay informed, and stay focused.
In the next month, most of you will begin your internship, fresh with enthusiasm, energy, compassion, and a fair knowledge base. You will quickly become exhausted, you will make mistakes that will be pointed out to you in constructive and less-than-constructive ways, and your ego will sink to a level only rivaled by the beginning of your third year clerkships. You will be convinced that you have actually lost knowledge during your first year. You will be out of balance, professionally and personally. But then you will begin to rally as you learn the rules of residency, adjust to sleep deprivation, and watch your smiling patients go home from the hospital cured of their problems by your intervention. You will discover that you actually know a great deal of clinical medicine. Here comes the risk that your ego will rise out of proportion to your capabilities. Residency is similar to a blindfolded skydive. You will survive it and you will be changed by it.

I received a valuable lesson during my fourth year of medical school. I was not someone who awakened each morning passionately ready to “seize the day.” I went to one of my professors and mentors, Dr. Earl Peacock, and asked him how he seemed to live each day with passion for his work. Without hesitation, he answered “Frequent collisions.” He was describing purposely seeking encounters with others or situations where one is put off balance and forced to change direction, stop and think, or act in a different way than the day before. There will be collision opportunities in your clinic practice that will strengthen your vigilance and patient skills if you see them and let them change you. I challenge you to not overlook these opportunities.

When you begin your clinical practice, you will feel a profound sense of responsibility for each of your patients. There will be no attending to walk with you and behind you, only colleagues who are available only if you ask for their help or advice. You will feel the pressure of time management. In the hospital setting, you will be confronted with life-threatening illness. You will see that patients and families want and need more from you than medical opinions. They need you to sit down with them and talk to them and to listen. They will ask you about the role of faith in the treatment and recovery of their disease. Some may ask you about your personal faith and you will be forced to work out your answer to that question. You may recall that you have passed by the hospital chaplain and numerous clergy over the months or years with barely a thought. If you think about it, you will be surprised by the near total absence of dialogue or discussions among health care professionals about the impact of faith and religion on illness and recovery. Don’t shy away from these opportunities for collision.

In the clinic setting, you will hone your clinical skills to interact with the grateful patient, the demanding patient, and the angry patient. It is in the routine clinic visit that your clinical vigilance will be tested. It is easy to be lulled into complacency that each patient is healthy until proved otherwise. Remember that your patients will tell you what the diagnosis is, but you have to be listening.

I want to tell you a story to bring the doctor-patient relationship back to the center today. About two years ago, I had one final patient in melanoma clinic after a long afternoon. This was a routine three-month follow-up to see a very pleasant man in his 60s about two years out from his treatment. He had a fairly early melanoma with an excellent chance of cure. I went in the clinic room with my surgery intern, we warmly shook hands, and I asked him how he was doing. He answered with a smile, “Physically fine.” I was faced with an unexpected decision about the direction of this clinic visit. He had given me complete control of the next step, knowing that I was running behind and the day was long. The quickest “out” that I had was to say, “I’m glad that you’re not having symptoms, let me examine your shoulder.” I’m fully convinced that he would have unconditionally accepted my “feint,” without jeopardizing our good relationship. Instead, I asked, “Tell me what is going on.” He calmly said, “My wife died last night.” I was silent for a moment, absorbing the shock. I looked at my intern, whose mouth was literally open, and we both sat down.
My patient explained that his healthy wife had fallen down stairs several days before and had been in a nearby hospital’s intensive care unit on life support with a massive head injury. He and his grown children had been at her bedside and had watched her go peacefully the night before. He had recently retired and they had been enthusiastically planning their new lives together and now she was gone. I asked him why he was in clinic today and he said he just needed to keep moving, doing the errands, chores, and visits that had already been scheduled. He didn’t want quiet time alone. I asked him how he and his children were doing and he felt well surrounded by their love and support. But they wouldn’t understand how, even in his grief and profound sense of loss, he was also mad as Hell at something, or someone, or at God. How could life be this unfair, how could she be taken away from him?

I listened quietly. My patient felt like screaming but didn’t know how and thought it was somehow not appropriate. I asked him what he was going to do over the next two weeks to take a break. He said he had been planning to join a friend of his for a week of fishing as he does this time each year, but wasn’t going because of the circumstances. He confirmed that the fishing trip would be after his wife’s funeral and memorial service. Feeling less courage than I projected, I carefully but firmly asked him if he wanted to go fishing. He looked at me as if I had pulled a blinder off, and after a few seconds, said a definitive “Yes.” I said, “I want you to go fishing. You have my permission to go fishing. And when you’re out there in the woods where no one can hear, you have my permission to slam your fishing rod against a tree and scream at the forest, at God, or at the squirrels.” He smiled with relief and tears in his eyes, I examined him, and we confirmed that he did not have a recurrence of his melanoma. The visit was about 30 minutes over the scheduled time. As we left his room, I looked at my intern and said, “That experience has nothing to do with melanoma and everything to do with medicine.” This is the kind of opportunity that the practice of medicine will give you. My wish for you is that you never let the scheduling, financial, and political obstacles you will encounter keep you from recognizing and sharing the pearls to be found in the relationships with your patients. My patients help me to be a better person, a better husband, and a better father.

As your practice grows, you will find your balance professionally. It is less likely that you will feel balanced in your personal life. Many of you will marry and have families. I can say without reservation that starting a family and having children will change you forever. Those of you who have parents and family here today should look carefully into their eyes. You will see an unconditional love and pride in their eyes that seems to defy reason, and it does. The wonderful thing about it is that when you are in their shoes years from now, that feeling will become crystal clear to you. My wife Kathy and sons Adam and Stephen fill my soul. Adam, who is in the audience today, knows that there is a golden chain with unbreakable strength that connects our hearts forever. Do not let your families slip away because of the great demands of medical practice. Do anything you can to achieve this balance in your family life. It will complete you as a person. I have never met a retiring physician who wished he or she had spent less time with loved ones.

I want to end with a recurring dream that I have and that I hope to have always. I dream that I’m walking away from presenting at a national meeting or from an honor such as this, feeling light-headed and with a well-stroked ego, and a small, elderly, slightly disheveled smiling woman comes up to me. With complete sincerity in her question, she asks “Are you important?” The result is always the same. I see with humble clarity that we all enter and leave this world in the same profoundly simple way. I answer, “Yes, I am very important, just like you.” We go arm in arm and the dream ends. She is my balancing post.

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been an honor and a privilege to speak to you this morning. Now go forth like the wind, seek your own wonderful collisions, and discover your own stories. Thank you for listening.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

by Erma Bombeck

I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television – and more while watching life.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”
There would have been more “I love yous”.. more “I’m sorrys”… but mostly, given another shot at life,
I would seize every minute…look at it and really see it… live it…and never give it back.
 

Erma Bombeck needed an organ transplant, and even though she could have been moved to the head of the waiting list, due to her prominence and wealth, she refused to do such, and subsequently, died from organ failure.

Metamorphosis

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.

One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.

And we could never fly.

Who matters anyway ?

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

 

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

 

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

 

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

 

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

 

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

 Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

 

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway.

Vocabulary of Science and Studies

Word               Definition

acarology         study of mites

accidence         grammar book; science of inflections in grammar

aceology           therapeutics

acology            study of medical remedies

acoustics          science of sound

adenology         study of glands

aedoeology       science of generative organs

aerobiology      study of airborne organisms

aerodonetics     science or study of gliding

aerodynamics   dynamics of gases; science of movement in a flow of air or gas

aerolithology     study of aerolites; meteorites

aerology           study of the atmosphere

aerophilately     collecting of air-mail stamps

aerostatics        science of air pressure; art of ballooning

agonistics          art and theory of prize-fighting

agriology          the comparative study of primitive peoples

agrobiology      study of plant nutrition; soil yields

agrology           study of agricultural soils

agronomics       study of productivity of land

agrostology       science or study of grasses

alethiology        study of truth

algedonics        science of pleasure and pain

algology            study of algae

anaesthesiology             study of anaesthetics

anaglyptics        art of carving in bas-relief

anagraphy         art of constructing catalogues

andragogy        science of teaching adults

anemology        study of winds

angelology        study of angels

angiology          study of blood flow and lymphatic system

anthropobiology            study of human biology

anthropology    study of human cultures

aphnology         science of wealth

apiology           study of bees

arachnology      study of spiders

archaeology      study of human material remains

archelogy          the study of first principles

archology         science of the origins of government

arctophily         study of teddy bears

areology           study of Mars

aretaics             the science of virtue

aristology          the science or art of dining

arthrology         study of joints

astacology        the science of crayfish

astheniology      study of diseases of weakening and aging

astrogeology     study of extraterrestrial geology

astrology          study of influence of stars on people

astrometeorology          study of effect of stars on climate

astronomy        study of celestial bodies

astrophysics      study of behaviour of interstellar matter

astroseismology            study of star oscillations

atmology          the science of aqueous vapour

audiology          study of hearing

autecology        study of ecology of one species

autology           scientific study of oneself

auxology           science of growth

avionics            the science of electronic devices for aircraft

axiology            the science of the ultimate nature of values

bacteriology      study of bacteria

balneology        the science of the therapeutic use of baths

barodynamics   science of the support and mechanics of bridges

barology           study of gravitation

batology           the study of brambles

bibliology          study of books

bibliotics           study of documents to determine authenticity

bioecology        study of interaction of life in the environment

biology             study of life

biometrics         study of biological measurement

bionomics         study of organisms interacting in their environments

botany             study of plants

bromatology     study of food

brontology        scientific study of thunder

bryology           the study of mosses and liverworts

cacogenics        study of racial degeneration

caliology           study of bird’s nests

calorifics           study of heat

cambistry          science of international exchange

campanology    the art of bell ringing

carcinology       study of crabs and other crustaceans

cardiology        study of the heart

caricology         study of sedges

carpology         study of fruit

cartophily         the hobby of collecting cigarette cards

castramentation             the art of designing a camp

catacoustics      science of echoes or reflected sounds

catalactics         science of commercial exchange

catechectics      the art of teaching by question and answer

cetology           study of whales and dolphins

chalcography    the art of engraving on copper or brass

chalcotriptics    art of taking rubbings from ornamental brasses

chaology           the study of chaos or chaos theory c

haracterology study of development of character

chemistry          study of properties of substances

chirocosmetics beautifying the hands; art of manicure

chirography      study of handwriting or penmanship

chirology          study of the hands

chiropody         medical science of feet

chorology         science of the geographic description of anything

chrematistics     the study of wealth; political economy

chronobiology   study of biological rhythms

chrysology        study of precious metals

ciselure             the art of chasing metal

climatology       study of climate

clinology           study of aging or individual decline after maturity

codicology        study of manuscripts coleopterology study of beetles and weevils

cometology       study of comets

conchology       study of shells

coprology         study of pornography

cosmetology     study of cosmetics

cosmology        study of the universe

craniology         study of the skull

criminology       study of crime; criminals

cryobiology      study of life under cold conditions

cryptology        study of codes

ctetology          study of the inheritance of acquired characteristics

cytology           study of living cells

dactyliology      study of rings

dactylography   the study of fingerprints

dactylology       study of sign language

deltiology          the collection and study of picture postcards

demology         study of human behaviour

demonology      study of demons

dendrochronology         study of tree rings

dendrology       study of trees

deontology       the theory or study of moral obligation

dermatoglyphics            the study of skin patterns and fingerprints

dermatology     study of skin

desmology        study of ligaments

diabology         study of devils

diagraphics       art of making diagrams or drawings

dialectology      study of dialects

dioptrics           study of light refraction

diplomatics       science of deciphering ancient writings and texts

diplomatology   study of diplomats

docimology       the art of assaying

dosiology          the study of doses

dramaturgy       art of producing and staging dramatic works

dysgenics          the study of racial degeneration

dysteleology     study of purposeless organs

ecclesiology      study of church affairs

eccrinology       study of excretion

ecology            study of environment

economics        study of material wealth

edaphology       study of soils

Egyptology       study of ancient Egypt

ekistics             study of human settlement

electrochemistry            study of relations between electricity and chemicals

electrology        study of electricity

electrostatics     study of static electricity

embryology      study of embryos

emetology         study of vomiting

emmenology     the study of menstruation

endemiology     study of local diseases

endocrinology   study of glands

enigmatology    study of enigmas

entomology       study of insects

entozoology      study of parasites that live inside larger organisms

enzymology      study of enzymes

ephebiatrics      branch of medicine dealing with adolescence

epidemiology    study of diseases; epidemics

epistemology    study of grounds of knowledge

eremology        study of deserts

ergology           study of effects of work on humans

ergonomics       study of people at work

escapology       study of freeing oneself from constraints

eschatology      study of death; final matters

ethnogeny         study of origins of races or ethnic groups

ethnology          study of cultures

ethnomethodology        study of everyday communication

ethnomusicology           study of comparative musical systems

ethology           study of natural or biological character

ethonomics       study of economic and ethical principles of a society

etiology            the science of causes; especially of disease

etymology         study of origins of words

euthenics          science concerned with improving living conditions

exobiology        study of extraterrestrial life

floristry             the art of cultivating and selling flowers

fluviology          study of watercourses

futurology         study of future

garbology         study of garbage

gastroenterology           study of stomach; intestines

gastronomy       study of fine dining

gemmology       study of gems and jewels

genealogy         study of descent of families

genesiology       study of reproduction and heredity

genethlialogy     the art of casting horoscopes

geochemistry    study of chemistry of the earth’s crust

geochronology  study of measuring geological time

geogeny            science of the formation of the earth’s crust

geogony           study of formation of the earth

geography        study of surface of the earth and its inhabitants

geology            study of earth’s crust

geomorphogeny            study of the origins of land forms

geoponics         study of agriculture

geotechnics       study of increasing habitability of the earth

geratology        study of decadence and decay

gerocomy         study of old age

gerontology      study of the elderly; aging

gigantology       study of giants

glaciology         study of ice ages and glaciation

glossology        study of language; study of the tongue

glyptography     the art of engraving on gems

glyptology         study of gem engravings

gnomonics        the art of measuring time using sundials

gnosiology        study of knowledge

gnotobiology     study of life in germ-free conditions

graminology      study of grasses

grammatology   study of systems of writing

graphemics       study of systems of representing speech in writing

graphology       study of handwriting

gromatics          science of surveying

gynaecology     study of women’s physiology

gyrostatics        the study of rotating bodies

hagiology          study of saints

halieutics           study of fishing

hamartiology     study of sin

harmonics         study of musical acoustics

hedonics           part of ethics or psychology dealing with pleasure

helcology          study of ulcers

heliology           science of the sun

helminthology    study of worms

hematology       study of blood

heortology        study of religious feasts

hepatology        study of liver

heraldry            study of coats of arms

heresiology       study of heresies

herpetology      study of reptiles and amphibians

hierology          science of sacred matters

hippiatrics         study of diseases of horses

hippology         the study of horses

histology           study of the tissues of organisms

historiography   study of writing history

historiology       study of history

homiletics         the art of preaching

hoplology         the study of weapons

horography       art of constructing sundials or clocks

horology           science of time measurement

horticulture       study of gardening

hydrobiology    study of aquatic organisms

hydrodynamics             study of movement in liquids

hydrogeology    study of ground water

hydrography     study of investigating bodies of water

hydrokinetics    study of motion of fluids

hydrology         study of water resources

hydrometeorology         study of atmospheric moisture

hydropathy       study of treating diseases with water

hyetology          science of rainfall

hygiastics          science of health and hygiene

hygienics           study of sanitation; health

hygiology          hygienics; study of cleanliness

hygrology         study of humidity

hygrometry       science of humidity

hymnography    study of writing hymns

hymnology        study of hymns

hypnology         study of sleep; study of hypnosis

hypsography     science of measuring heights

iamatology        study of remedies

iatromathematics           archaic practice of medicine in conjunction with astrology

ichnography      art of drawing ground plans

ichnology          science of fossilized footprints

ichthyology       study of fish

iconography      study of drawing symbols

iconology          study of icons; symbols

ideogeny           study of origins of ideas

idiomology        study of idiom, jargon or dialect

immunogenetics            study of genetic characteristics of immunity

immunology      study of immunity

immunopathology          study of immunity to disease

insectology       study of insects

irenology          the study of peace

iridology           study of iris

kalology           study of beauty

karyology         study of cell nuclei

kidology           study of kidding

kinematics        study of motion

kinesics            study of gestural communication

kinesiology       study of human movement and posture

kinetics             study of forces producing or changing motion

koniology         study of atmospheric pollutants and dust

ktenology         science of putting people to death

kymatology       study of wave motion

labeorphily        collection and study of beer bottle labels

larithmics          study of population statistics

laryngology       study of larynx

lepidopterology             study of butterflies and moths

leprology          study of leprosy

lexicology         study of words and their meanings

lexigraphy         art of definition of words

lichenology       study of lichens

limacology        study of slugs

limnobiology     study of freshwater ecosystems

limnology          study of bodies of fresh water

linguistics          study of language

lithology            study of rocks

liturgiology        study of liturgical forms and church rituals

loimology          study of plagues and epidemics

loxodromy        study of sailing along rhumb-lines

magirics            art of cookery

magnanerie       art of raising silkworms

magnetics         study of magnetism

malacology       study of molluscs

malariology       study of malaria

mammalogy      study of mammals

manège             the art of horsemanship

Mariology         study of the Virgin Mary

martyrology      study of martyrs

mastology         study of mammals

mathematics      study of magnitude, number, and forms

mechanics         study of action of force on bodies

meconology      study of or treatise concerning opium

melittology        study of bees

mereology        study of part-whole relationships

mesology          ecology

metallogeny      study of the origin and distribution of metal deposits

metallography   study of the structure and constitution of metals

metallurgy         study of alloying and treating metals

metaphysics      study of principles of nature and thought

metapolitics      study of politics in theory or abstract

metapsychology            study of nature of the mind

meteoritics        the study of meteors

meteorology     study of weather

metrics             study of versification

metrology         science of weights and measures

microanatomy   study of microscopic tissues

microbiology     study of microscopic organisms

microclimatology           study of local climates

micrology         study or discussion of trivialities

micropalaeontology       study of microscopic fossils

microphytology             study of very small plant life

mineralogy        study of minerals

molinology        study of mills and milling

momilogy          study of mummies

morphology      study of forms and the development of structures

muscology        the study of mosses

museology        the study of museums

musicology       study of music

mycology          study of funguses

myology           study of muscles

myrmecology    study of ants

mythology         study of myths; fables; tales

naology            study of church or temple architecture

nasology           study of the nose

nautics             art of navigation

nematology       the study of nematodes

neonatology      study of newborn babies

neossology       study of nestling birds

nephology         study of clouds

nephrology       study of the kidneys

neurobiology     study of anatomy of the nervous system

neurology         study of nervous system

neuropsychology           study of relation between brain and behaviour

neurypnology    study of hypnotism

nidology           study of nests

nomology         the science of the laws; especially of the mind

noology            science of the intellect

nosology           study of diseases

nostology          study of senility

notaphily           collecting of bank-notes and cheques

numerology       study of numbers

numismatics      study of coins

nymphology      study of nymphs

obstetrics          study of midwifery

oceanography   study of oceans

oceanology       study of oceans

odology            science of the hypothetical mystical force of od

odontology       study of teeth

oenology          study of wines

oikology           science of housekeeping

olfactology        study of the sense of smell

ombrology        study of rain

oncology          study of tumours

oneirology        study of dreams

onomasiology   study of nomenclature

onomastics       study of proper names

ontology           science of pure being; the nature of things

oology             study of eggs

ophiology         study of snakes

ophthalmology study of eye diseases

optics               study of light

optology           study of sight

optometry         science of examining the eyes

orchidology      study of orchids

ornithology       study of birds

orology             study of mountains

orthoepy           study of correct pronunciation

orthography      study of spelling

orthopterology study of cockroaches

oryctology        mineralogy or paleontology

osmics        scientific study of smells

osmology          study of smells and olfactory processes

osphresiology   study of the sense of smell

osteology          study of bones

otology             study of the ear

otorhinolaryngology      study of ear, nose and throat

paedology        study of children

paedotrophy     art of rearing children

paidonosology  study of children’s diseases; pediatrics

palaeoanthropology      study of early humans

palaeobiology   study of fossil plants and animals

palaeoclimatology         study of ancient climates

palaeolimnology            study of ancient lakes

palaeolimnology            study of ancient fish

palaeontology   study of fossils

palaeopedology            study of early soils

paleobotany      study of ancient plants

paleo-osteology            study of ancient bones

palynology        study of pollen

papyrology       study of paper

parapsychology            study of unexplained mental phenomena

parasitology      study of parasites

paroemiology    study of proverbs

parthenology     study of virgins

pataphysics       the science of imaginary solutions

pathology         study of disease

patrology          study of early Christianity

pedagogics       study of teaching

pedology          study of soils

pelology           study of mud

penology          study of crime and punishment

periodontics      study of gums

peristerophily    pigeon-collecting

pestology          science of pests

petrology          study of rocks

pharmacognosy            study of drugs of animal and plant origin

pharmacology   study of drugs

pharology         study of lighthouses

pharyngology    study of the throat

phenology         study of organisms as affected by climate

phenomenology            study of phenomena

philately            study of postage stamps

philematology   the act or study of kissing

phillumeny        collecting of matchbox labels

philology           study of ancient texts; historical linguistics

phoniatrics        study and correction of speech defects

phonology        study of speech sounds

photobiology    study of effects of light on organisms

phraseology      study of phrases

phrenology       study of bumps on the head

phycology         study of algae and seaweeds

physics             study of properties of matter and energy

physiology        study of processes of life

phytology         study of plants; botany

piscatology       study of fishes

pisteology         science or study of faith

planetology       study of planets

plutology          political economy; study of wealth

pneumatics       study of mechanics of gases

podiatry            study and treatment of disorders of the foot; chiropody

podology          study of the feet

polemology       study of war

pomology         study of fruit-growing

posology          science of quantity or dosage

potamology      study of rivers

praxeology       study of practical or efficient activity; science of efficient action

primatology      study of primates

proctology        study of rectum

prosody            study of versification

protistology      study of protists

proxemics         study of man’s need for personal space

psalligraphy      the art of paper-cutting to make pictures

psephology       study of election results and voting trends

pseudology       art or science of lying

pseudoptics      study of optical illusions

psychobiology study of biology of the mind

psychogenetics             study of internal or mental states

psychognosy     study of mentality, personality or character

psychology       study of mind

psychopathology           study of mental illness

psychophysics     study of link between mental and physical processes

pteridology       study of ferns

pterylology       study of distribution of feathers on birds

pyretology        study of fevers

pyrgology         study of towers

pyroballogy      study of artillery

pyrography       study of woodburning

quinology          study of quinine

raciology          study of racial differences

radiology          study of X-rays and their medical applications

reflexology        study of reflexes

rhabdology       art of calculating using numbering rods

rheology           science of the deformation or flow of matter

rheumatology    study of rheumatism

rhinology          study of the nose

rhochrematics   science of inventory management and the movement of products

runology           study of runes

sarcology          study of fleshy parts of the body

satanology        study of devil

scatology          study of excrement or obscene literature

schematonics    art of using gesture to express tones

sciagraphy        art of shading

scripophily        collection of bond and share certificates

sedimentology   study of sediment

seismology        study of earthquakes

selenodesy        study of the shape and features of the moon

selenology        study of the moon

semantics          study of meaning

semantology     science of meanings of words

semasiology      study of meaning; semantics

semiology         study of signs and signals

semiotics          study of signs and symbols

serology           study of serums

sexology           study of sexual behaviour

siderography     art of engraving on steel

sigillography      study of seals

significs             science of meaning

silvics               study of tree’s life

sindonology      study of the shroud of Turin

Sinology           study of China

sitology             dietetics

sociobiology     study of biological basis of human behaviour

sociology          study of society

somatology       science of the properties of matter

sophiology        science of ideas

soteriology        study of theological salvation

spectrology       study of ghosts

speleology        study and exploration of caves

spermology       study of seeds

sphagnology     study of peat moss

sphragistics       study of seals and signets

sphygmology    study of the pulse

splanchnology  study of the entrails or viscera

spongology       study of sponges

stasiology         study of political parties

statics               study of bodies and forces in equilibrium

stemmatology   study of relationships between texts

stoichiology      science of elements of animal tissues

stomatology      study of the mouth

storiology         study of folk tales

stratigraphy       study of geological layers or strata

stratography     art of leading an army

stylometry         studying literature by means of statistical analysis

suicidology       study of suicide

symbology        study of symbols

symptomatology           study of symptoms of illness

synecology       study of ecological communities

synectics           study of processes of invention

syntax               study of sentence structure

syphilology       study of syphilis

systematology  study of systems

taxidermy         art of curing and stuffing animals

tectonics           science of structure of objects, buildings and landforms

tegestology       study and collecting of beer mats

teleology           study of final causes; analysis in terms of purpose

telmatology       study of swamps

teratology         study of monsters, freaks, abnormal growths or malformations

teuthology         study of cephalopods

textology          study of the production of texts

thalassography  science of the sea

thanatology       study of death and its customs

thaumatology    study of miracles

theology           study of religion; religious doctrine

theriatrics          veterinary medicine

theriogenology  study of animals’ reproductive systems

thermodynamics            study of relation of heat to motion

thermokinematics          study of motion of heat

thermology       study of heat

therology          study of wild mammals

thremmatology science of breeding domestic animals and plants

threpsology       science of nutrition

tidology            study of tides

timbrology        study of postage stamps

tocology           obstetrics; midwifery

tonetics             study of pronunciation

topology           study of places and their natural features

toponymics       study of place-names

toreutics           study of artistic work in metal

toxicology         study of poisons

toxophily          love of archery; archery; study of archery

traumatology     study of wounds and their effects

tribology           study of friction and wear between surfaces

trichology         study of hair and its disorders

trophology        study of nutrition

tsiganology       study of gypsies turnery art of turning in a lathe

typhlology         study of blindness and the blind

typography       art of printing or using type

typology           study of types of things

ufology             study of alien spacecraft

uranography     descriptive astronomy and mapping

uranology         study of the heavens; astronomy

urbanology       study of cities

urenology         study of rust molds

urology             study of urine; urinary tract

venereology      study of venereal disease

vermeology       study of worms

vexillology        study of flags

victimology       study of victims

vinology            scientific study of vines and winemaking

virology            study of viruses

vitrics               glassy materials; glassware; study of glassware

vulcanology      study of volcanoes

xylography        art of engraving on wood

xylology            study of wood

zenography       study of the planet Jupiter

zoiatrics            veterinary surgery

zoogeography   study of geographic distribution of animals

zoology            study of animals

zoonomy          animal physiology

zoopathology    study of animal diseases

zoophysiology   study of physiology of animals

zoophytology    study of plant-like animals

zootaxy            science of classifying animals

zootechnics       science of breeding animals

zygology           science of joining and fastening

zymology          science of fermentation

zymurgy            branch of chemistry dealing with brewing and distilling