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Thales of Miletus (c. 624 – c. 546 BCE) - Pre-Socratic philosopher known for his belief that water is the fundamental substance of the universe.
Pythagoras (c. 570 – c. 495 BCE) - Best known for the Pythagorean theorem; believed in the significance of numbers in understanding the world.
Heraclitus (c. 535 – c. 475 BCE) - Known for his doctrine of change being central to the universe, summed up in the phrase "everything flows."
Parmenides (c. 515 – c. 450 BCE) - Introduced the idea that reality is unchanging and that change is an illusion.
Socrates (c. 470 – 399 BCE) - Famous for the Socratic method and his contributions to ethics and epistemology.
Plato (c. 427 – 347 BCE) - Student of Socrates and founder of the Academy; known for his works on political theory, epistemology, and metaphysics.
Aristotle (384 – 322 BCE) - Student of Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great; made foundational contributions to logic, metaphysics, ethics, and natural sciences.
Epicurus (341 – 270 BCE) - Founder of Epicureanism, which taught that pleasure is the highest good.
Zeno of Citium (c. 334 – c. 262 BCE) - Founder of Stoicism, emphasizing rationality and the natural order.
Plotinus (c. 204 – 270 CE) - Founder of Neoplatonism, which influenced early Christian thought.
Medieval Philosophy (300 - 1600)
Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430) - Christian theologian and philosopher whose works influenced Western Christianity and philosophy.
Boethius (c. 480 – 524) - Known for "The Consolation of Philosophy," which bridged classical philosophy and medieval thought.
Anselm of Canterbury (1033 – 1109) - Developed the ontological argument for the existence of God.
Avicenna (Ibn Sina) (980 – 1037) - Persian philosopher who integrated Islamic tradition with Aristotelian philosophy.
Averroes (Ibn Rushd) (1126 – 1198) - Islamic philosopher known for his commentaries on Aristotle.
Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) - Catholic philosopher and theologian who synthesized Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology.
Duns Scotus (c. 1266 – 1308) - Known for his complex arguments on the nature of existence and God.
William of Ockham (c. 1287 – 1347) - Advocated for nominalism and is known for Ockham's Razor, a principle of simplicity.
Early Modern Philosophy (1600 - 1800)
René Descartes (1596 – 1650) - Father of modern philosophy; known for "Cogito, ergo sum" and Cartesian dualism.
Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679) - Political philosopher known for his social contract theory in "Leviathan."
Baruch Spinoza (1632 – 1677) - Advocated for pantheism and rationalism in ethics.
John Locke (1632 – 1704) - Philosopher of empiricism and political theory, emphasizing natural rights.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646 – 1716) - Co-developer of calculus and known for his philosophy of optimism.
George Berkeley (1685 – 1753) - Advocate of immaterialism, arguing that material objects exist only as perceptions.
David Hume (1711 – 1776) - Empiricist and skeptic who challenged notions of causality and religion.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778) - Philosopher of education and political theory, known for "The Social Contract."
Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) - Developed the critical philosophy, emphasizing the limits of human understanding.
19th Century Philosophy
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770 – 1831) - Known for his dialectical method and philosophy of absolute idealism.
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 – 1860) - Pessimistic philosopher known for his work on the will and aesthetics.
Auguste Comte (1798 – 1857) - Founder of positivism and sociology as a scientific discipline.
John Stuart Mill (1806 – 1873) - Utilitarian philosopher and advocate for individual liberty.
Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) - Developed Marxism, critiquing capitalism and advocating for socialism.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900) - Critic of traditional morality and religion, known for the concept of the "Übermensch."
Émile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) - Founding sociologist known for his work on social integration and the nature of society.
20th Century Philosophy
Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970) - Philosopher and logician known for his work in analytic philosophy.
Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951) - Influential in the philosophy of language and mind.
Martin Heidegger (1889 – 1976) - Existentialist philosopher known for "Being and Time."
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905 – 1980) - Existentialist philosopher and playwright, known for works on freedom and responsibility.
Simone de Beauvoir (1908 – 1986) - Feminist philosopher known for "The Second Sex."
Michel Foucault (1926 – 1984) - Philosopher of power, knowledge, and discourse.
John Rawls (1921 – 2002) - Political philosopher known for "A Theory of Justice."
Jürgen Habermas (b. 1929) - Known for his theory on communicative action and the public sphere.
C. Wright Mills (1916 – 1962) - Sociologist known for his work on the structure of power and the "sociological imagination."
Noam Chomsky (b. 1928) - Linguist and philosopher known for his work on language, cognitive science, and political philosophy.
Bayesian Game: A game in which players have incomplete information about other players, such as their payoffs or strategies, and must form beliefs based on probability.
Best Response: The strategy that yields the highest payoff for a player, given the strategies chosen by other players.
Coalition: A group of players who cooperate and coordinate their strategies to achieve a better outcome.
Cooperative Game: A game where players can form binding agreements and negotiate collective strategies.
Dominant Strategy: A strategy that results in a better payoff for a player regardless of what the other players do.
Dominated Strategy: A strategy that results in a worse payoff for a player compared to another strategy, no matter what the other players do.
Equilibrium: A situation in a game where no player has an incentive to unilaterally change their strategy.
Extensive Form Game: A representation of a game that specifies the order of play, possible actions, and information available to players at each decision point.
Game Tree: A graphical representation of an extensive form game, showing the possible moves and their outcomes.
Imperfect Information: A situation in a game where players do not have complete information about the previous actions or payoffs of other players.
Incomplete Information: A situation in a game where players lack knowledge about some aspects of the game, such as other players' payoffs or strategies.
Mixed Strategy: A strategy in which a player chooses among possible moves according to a probability distribution.
Nash Equilibrium: A set of strategies in which no player can benefit by unilaterally changing their strategy, given the strategies chosen by other players.
Non-Cooperative Game: A game where players make decisions independently and binding agreements are not possible.
Pareto Efficiency: An allocation of resources is Pareto efficient if no player can be made better off without making at least one other player worse off.
Payoff Matrix: A table that shows the payoffs for each player for every possible combination of strategies.
Prisoner's Dilemma: A standard example in game theory that shows why two rational individuals might not cooperate, even if it appears that it is in their best interest.
Repeated Game: A game that is played multiple times, allowing players to adjust their strategies based on previous outcomes.
Sequential Game: A game where players make decisions one after another, with each player observing the previous players' actions.
Simultaneous Game: A game where players make decisions at the same time, without knowing the strategies chosen by the other players.
Subgame Perfect Equilibrium: A refinement of Nash Equilibrium for extensive form games, where the strategy chosen is optimal for every subgame of the original game.
Zero-Sum Game: A game in which one player's gain is exactly balanced by the losses of the other players.
Fellow New Brunswickers, The Time for Change is Now!
In recent episodes which consisted of three, I have delved into the depths of a crisis that affects us all:
Episode One: Unveiled the full scope of our healthcare system.
Episode Two: Compared our dire situation with the rest of Canada, highlighting our alarming disparities.
Episode Three: Analyzed the root causes, laying bare the elements that have led us to this breaking point.
We are on the brink of a critical election. This is our moment to rise up and demand the change we deserve.
Years of gross neglect have twisted a manageable problem into a monstrous crisis, one that is tearing at the very fabric of our healthcare system. The band-aid solutions offered by out-of-touch parliamentarians only swell the bureaucracy and drain our resources. They might find these quick fixes convenient, but we, the people of New Brunswick, suffer the consequences.
We need action—real, transformative action.
Call to Action: We must stage a massive demonstration to grab the attention of our government and the media. Let’s make our voices heard loud and clear at least a week before the election.
No single person can shoulder this burden alone. This fight requires all of us to set aside our personal interests and unite as one unstoppable force. Together, through collaboration and relentless determination, we can and will succeed.
To those driven by a burning passion for change, those who are ready to reclaim our healthcare system from the brink, we need you. Join us in this critical mission.
Contact me via Messenger or email—details will be provided at the end of this video-podcast.
Remember, the power to change lies within each of us. Only through our collective effort can we restore our healthcare system to the excellence it once knew. This is our fight. This is our time. Let's make history.
This is J. Andre Faust for Healthcare in Crises.
Rise up, New Brunswickers. The future of our healthcare is in our hands!
Hello and welcome to 'Healthcare In Crises, episode three,' where I explore the intricacies and challenges of healthcare system with a special focus on province of New Brunswick. I'm your host J. André Faust, and I will be delving deep into the issues that define and hinder, healthcare in New Brunswick. From long wait times to the digital divide, let's get ready to uncover the state of healthcare in this beautiful province called New Brunswick, home of our first nations, Acadians and English cultures.
It is common knowledge that New Brunswick’s healthcare is in a complete disarray the main reason is that the political will is not there. Both the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals have failed New Brunswicker's in rectifying this crisis.
They had their chance and they blew it.
There are some factors which directly contributed to our failing healthcare system just to list a few:
1. Long wait times and service disruptions
2. A gross shortage of Family Drs and specialists
3. Staffing shortages
4. Aging population and chronic illnesses
5. Mental Health and Addictions
6. Death in the waiting rooms
7. Diversions of federal funds intend to go towards healthcare goes to general coffers
8. Increased population
9. Bandage solutions creating a complex system that becomes more costly to manage.
Which compromised New Brunswick's healthcare system, a system that is facing significant challenges. Long wait times and service disruptions are common, affecting everything from emergency care to routine treatments. Patients often wait hours in emergency rooms, and securing a primary care appointment can take Months, if not years not to mention the wait time to get a family Doctor if you don't have one." While they maybe knowledgeable, Nurse practitioners can not replace a Dr. because there are many medications that they cannot prescribe, and they cannot make formal diagnoses instead they make the system more bureaucratic and complicated.
Behind these disruptions lies a critical issue: staffing shortages.
Hospitals and clinics across the province are struggling to find enough professionals to cover shifts, directly impacting patient care.
Moreover, the province's aging population and rising chronic illness rates are only adding to the pressure on these understaffed facilities.
The administrative burden in healthcare settings often leaves staff overwhelmed, detracting from patient care. Additionally, mental health and addiction services are desperately under-resourced, despite ever increasing demands.
One of the most heart-wrenching issues is the deaths that have occurred in emergency rooms while patients are waiting to be attended to, a dire consequence of systemic delays and inefficiencies. These incidents highlight critical failings in urgent care delivery.
When compared to other Canadian provinces, New Brunswick's healthcare system ranks poorly. Wait times are longer, and access to care is less equitable, especially in rural versus urban areas. This disparity is also reflected in the allocation and use of federal health funds, which have been diverted from direct patient care to general coffers, resulting in various non-compliance issues with federal standards which limits the Federal contribution to healthcare.
As we've seen today, New Brunswick's healthcare system is at a crossroads, facing numerous challenges but also poised for potential transformation. The only way we can have any strategic reforms is from the bottom up, we the citizens of New Brunswick must be more assertive and take charge, otherwise all you will hear from government is rhetoric and no action.
Thank you and until next time, stay informed and advocate for a healthier tomorrow.
Welcome to Healthcare in Crises, Episode 2. In this episode I will explore the healthcare system of New Brunswick, a province known for its scenic beauty and close-knit communities, yet facing stark healthcare challenges when compared to other Canadian provinces. I’m your host J. André Faust, and together, we will unravel the troubling realities facing New Brunswick’s healthcare and how it stacks up against its Canadian peers.”
New Brunswick is a province steeped in natural beauty and vibrant culture, but beneath this serene exterior lies a health care system in crisis. Recent studies have highlighted the province’s struggles with long wait times, scarce medical resources, and health outcomes that fall short when compared to other provinces.
When we look at the health care systems across Canada, New Brunswick ranks among the worst in terms of availability of key medical resources. With only 2 acute care beds per 1,000 people, New Brunswick, like Canada, lags behind countries like Germany and Switzerland?. The province also suffers from one of the lower life expectancies in the country, with an average lifespan of just 81 years? ( the average age for males 79 and 83 for females.)
Access to care in New Brunswick is another critical issue. The province experiences longer wait times for elective procedures and specialist appointments not mention waiting time at the emergency room which can exceed 15 hours as compared to provinces like British Columbia and Ontario. In some cases, New Brunswickers have faced tragic consequences, like deaths in emergency room waiting areas, which have highlighted the system’s deficiencies?.
When we compare New Brunswick’s health care performance to other provinces, the differences are stark. British Columbia and Ontario often top the rankings, while New Brunswick finds itself near the bottom, particularly in areas like physician availability and acute care bed capacity? ?. Despite being the second-highest health care spender as a percentage of GDP, Canada—and New Brunswick—fail to provide adequate health care services?.
Despite the challenges, there is hope on the horizon. New Brunswick has the potential to transform its health care system by focusing on innovative solutions, enhancing access to care, and addressing inequities in service delivery? The road ahead may be tough, but with determination and unity, the province can achieve a brighter health care future.” This can only be achieved if we work as a collective, all of the political parties must put aside their differences and work for the common goal of bringing back a healthcare system that we once knew.
New Brunswick’s health care struggles are a stark reminder of the disparities that exist within our Canadian health care system. While other provinces excel, New Brunswick lags behind, but the future is still unwritten. Thank you for joining us on this journey into the heart of New Brunswick’s health care system. I’m your host, J. André Faust and Until next time, stay informed, stay hopeful, and let’s continue advocating for equitable care for all Canadians.
In the picturesque landscapes of New Brunswick, a silent crisis brews, one that shatters lives and fractures the very soul of its communities. The healthcare system, a lifeline promised to all, has become a symbol of despair and neglect for too many of its residents. Day after day, we hear harrowing tales of endless waits, not just in hours but in months and years, for essential medical procedures. Elderly citizens, the backbone of our province, languish in never-ending queues, their pains dismissed, their ailments untreated.
Where is the dignity in a mother's tears, shed in the dim corridors of understaffed hospitals as she pleads for her child's care? What justice is there in the fate of hardworking individuals whose cries for help are lost in a bureaucratic abyss, echoing unanswered in the hollow halls of government? The youth, our future, face their own daunting challenges, with mental health support so scarce it might as well be a mirage in the sprawling, rural stretches of our province.
The stories are not just disappointing; they are devastating. They speak of a profound betrayal of trust, where even the most dedicated healthcare workers are stretched thin, battling burnout as they are forced to navigate a system teetering on the brink of collapse. These professionals, trained to heal, are ensnared by the shackles of an underfunded and overburdened system, their skills stifled by the scarcity of resources and the specter of administrative overload.
It is a cruel irony that in a province blessed with such natural beauty and tight-knit communities, the healthcare system remains a beacon of failure. The stark contrast between the promise of equitable healthcare and the grim reality of its delivery paints a troubling picture of a province in healthcare disarray.
We must rise, not tomorrow but today, to demand reforms that are not just patches but foundational overhauls. Let the voices of the suffering be heard and heeded. Our people deserve a healthcare system that heals, not one that deepens wounds and spreads despair. For every citizen of New Brunswick, young and old, it is time to reclaim the sanctity of our health to ensure that no cry for help goes unanswered and no pain is ignored. Together, we must rebuild, not just for the sake of our health but for the very heart and soul of New Brunswick.
In the next video I am going to be talking a bit about some of the reasons to why our healthcare is in such shambles. There is no need, we are paying more taxes now then ever yet pretty well right across the board provincially and federally we are not getting what we used to get for the same dollar back in the 70’s.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which escalated significantly in 2022, has deep and complex roots involving historical, political, ethnic, and strategic factors. Here are some key reasons:
Historical Context: Ukraine has a long history intertwined with Russia. Part of Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire and, later, the Soviet Union. The historical ties and differing perspectives on this shared history contribute to tensions.
Ethnic and Linguistic Divisions: Ukraine is ethnically and linguistically diverse, with significant Russian-speaking populations in the east and south. This diversity has been a source of internal conflict and external influence.
Political Shifts in Ukraine: The 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, which saw the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, marked a significant turning point. It led to Crimea's annexation by Russia and the pro-Russian separatist movements in Eastern Ukraine, escalating tensions.
NATO Expansion: Russia has long been wary of NATO's eastward expansion. Ukraine's growing closeness with the West and potential NATO membership has been a significant concern for Russia, which sees it as a threat to its security and sphere of influence.
Geopolitical Strategy: Ukraine's strategic location as a buffer between Russia and Europe, its access to the Black Sea, and its role in energy transit routes (especially for natural gas) are significant factors in the conflict.
Economic Interests: Russia has economic interests in Ukraine, including natural resources, industrial infrastructure, and agricultural output.
Internal Ukrainian Politics: Political instability, corruption, and economic challenges within Ukraine have also played a role, affecting its relations with Russia and its path towards European integration.
Russian Foreign Policy: Russia's foreign policy objectives, under President Vladimir Putin, aim to reassert its influence in the post-Soviet space and resist Western influence, with Ukraine being a key focus area.
Information Warfare: Propaganda and disinformation campaigns have been used by both sides to influence public opinion and justify actions, adding complexity to the conflict.
International Law and Norms: The conflict raises questions about international law, including the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It's important to note that this is a highly complex and evolving situation, with each point containing layers of nuance and varying perspectives. The viewpoints and motivations of both Russia and Ukraine, as well as the involvement of other international actors, add to the complexity of the conflict
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Sources:
"The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine" by Serhii Plokhy "Borderland: A Journey Through the History of Ukraine" by Anna Reid "Black Wind, White Snow: The Rise of Russia’s New Nationalism" by Charles Clover "All the Kremlin's Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir Putin" by Mikhail Zygarder Putin. "The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin" by Steven Lee Myers
