Woodrow Wilson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Woodrow Wilson - Essay Example From the economic perspective, Woodrow Wilson established several successful policy reforms. In 1913, as a part of economic reforms, Underwood tariff has been lowered from 40% to 25% (Clements, 1992). Wilson provided compensation for this decrease in the form of federal income tax, supported with the Sixteenth Amendment to the US Constitution. In addition, Wilson initiated complex reforms supporting farming business in the United States, including programs of educational support and initiatives providing farmers with low-cost long-term mortgages (Clements, 1992). Woodrow Wilson also became famous for his support for small and medium business and enactment of antitrust policies. Recent scholarship has emphasized the importance of ideology in understanding Woodrow Wilson's politics. While Wilson scholars have examined his idealism, few have traces ideological and religious roots of principles that formed his mindset. Practically, during the period of American neutrality from 1914 to 1917, he made numerous public speeches that afford insight into his religious beliefs, their relationship to his understanding of presidential leadership, good government, and especially foreign policy (Knock, 1992). Wilson believed that good leaders used oratory to inform people of important issues and guide them to support the best practices. As the importance of the issue or policy at stake rose, so did the importance of speaking on it. Wilson's speeches reflect what he thought the public need to know to approve his plans and undertakings, and the concepts he used to gain that approval. Wilson continuously stressed his impartiality in the exercise of his duties. As chief executive, he claimed to express the opinion of American citizens, rather than his own. He clarified that he did not confuse the opinion of newspapers editorials and the popular view. "With all due respect to editors of great newspapers, I have to say to them that I never take my opinions of the American people of their editorials" (Link, 32:29). Being president denied him expression of his opinion, as his job required he focus exclusively on the country's interests and not his own. Wilson's stress on national opinion reflected his need to interact with the people beyond the confines of Washington, D.C. As he stated during a Flag Day celebration: "I felt caught up and buoyed along by the great stream of human purpose which seemed to flow in front of me by the stand at the White House, and I shall go away from this meeting, as I came away from that parade, with all the deepest purposes of my heart re newed" (Link, 37:224). Wilson's expressions of his desire for contact with non-politicians and government functionaries reinforced the image he cultivated of a common man elected to serve the people. He regularly described himself as an average man, despite Ph.D., a brief period as a lawyer, and years spent as a college professor and president (Clements, 1992). As a common man, Wilson operated as an associate, servant or helper. He explained the function of both Congress and the President as servants of the people. By arguing that public officials needed to confer with their people

U.S. and Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

U.S. and Terrorism - Essay Example A balance exists between the actions of the police and the needed approaches to ensure the Americans safety against terror and the liberties of the citizens. Patriotic act is one of the examples. In patriotic act, the content was designed in such a way that the country and the citizens are protected from any recurrence of the terror act like what happened on September 9th. The patriotic act seems dangerous to the liberties of the citizens when put in practice. This seems like an attack to the premises that founded the country. The act of cybercrime and terrorism has also risen to be a major concern in the country and the law enforcement agencies. This plot was to be used to bring down the government, and it prompted the establishment of the new act. As the government steps up its operation against terrorism, the enemy is taking advantage of our weakness. The enemy is aggressively taking advantage of the information that we post in our open sources and use it against our forces. Sensitive information is being post in the blogs and internet. Such operations security leakage places the lives of the American citizens at risk and degrades the effectiveness of the governments operation to fight against

Postmodern Frame Essay - Text in Art Essay Example for Free

Postmodern Frame Essay Text in Art Essay The use of text within to the visual arts can be traced back as far as the inscribed carvings found on cave walls created by the Indigenous population of Australia approximately 46000 years ago. However, over the past few years, the use of text in art, also known as the art of typography, has become a frequent means of communication for artists in the creation of their works. Text within art can be projected, scrawled, painted, computerised and carved to the point that a work may be created of nothing but language. The art of typography is the technique of arranging type in such a way that makes language visible. It treats fonts as individual entities to be enjoyed by the audience. Some artists deal with language as a character on its own as opposed to a surface to draw upon. These artists place texts in ways that are intended to stimulate the way an audience perceives a work, to evoke emotion or to create a statement. However, others, particularly graphic designers, tend to focus on the decorative powers of text. Regardless of the artist’s intentions, the appearance of text within art can shift our appreciation of their sound and meaning. Artists that explore text in art include: Barbara Kruger, Yukinori Yanagi, Katarzyna Kozyra, Jenny Holzer, Wenda Gu, Shirin Neshat, Miriam Stannage, Colin McCahon and Jenny Watson. Artists such as Jenny Holzer, Wenda Gu and Shirin Neshat explore the cultural implications of language in art and the importance of language to identity through the inclusion of text that reflect a postmodern concern with the way we receive information in our contemporary society. Jenny Holzer is an American conceptual artist who belongs to the feminist branch of artists that emerged during the 1980’s. Originally an abstract painter and printmaker, Holzer became heavily interested in conceptual art and began creating works using text. The introduction of text within Holzer’s work occurred gradually however, over time, they have entirely replaced images. These works are usually displayed in widely viewed, public areas. Holzer’s works typically deal with the idea of communication. She is highly aware of the power of words and the power of the media and therefore has a focus on the ability of language to distort or manipulate truths. â€Å"I was drawn to writing because it was possible to be very explicit about things. If you have crucial issues, burning issues, it’s good to say exactly what’s right and wrong about them, and then perhaps to show a way that things could be helped. So, it seemed to make sense to write because then you could just say it†¦ no painting seemed perfect. In particular, I didn’t want to be a narrative painter, which maybe would have been one solution for someone wanting to be explicit.† – Jenny Holzer. Through the use of text in art, Holzer is able to transmit powerful environmental, social and political messages that reveal beliefs and myths and show biases and inconsistencies that highlight her social and personal concerns of today’s contemporary society. Holzer’s works are confronting and provocative and inspire us to make changes. They make us remember that language is not always a factual statement; it can be true or false depending on the context. Holzer forces us to analyse our own behaviour and consider how we have been influenced and manipulated. Her works are designed to make us stop and think about how we are maturing socially. Holzer’s truisms â€Å"MONEY CREATES TASTE – 1982† and â€Å"PROTECT ME FROM WHAT I WANT 1985† are part of her 1983-85 series – â€Å"Survival†. These are LED installation pieces consisting of large scale text that were projected onto a billboard in Times Square, New York. The inscriptions were bright, clear and menacing and connected themselves to the everyday glow of the city. The phrases were flicked over the busy intersection for two to three seconds creating an element of surprise and capturing the audience’s attention. The main focus of these works was to make a profound statement about the world of advertising and consumer society today. Holzer’s aim was to persuade the audience to pause and reflect on their lives. Her work emphasises the notion that within our society, we are driven by the world of media, thereby producing a mass materialistic, consumerist culture. â€Å"MONEY CREATES TASTE† is almost a plea from Holzer to stand back and assess our needs as a culture rather than what we are fed to believe we want by the media. The use of this concise statement â€Å"PROTECT ME FROM WHAT I WANT† has shown us that we are in the process of losing our identity and sense of culture and can be manipulated by the underlying motives of the media. Shirin Neshat is an Iranian born artist who, upon turning seventeen, moved to California to study art. In 1990 when Neshat flew back to Iran to visit her family, she was confronted by the changes in culture and the narrow restraints of everyday life in the Islamic Republic. She was faced by a very strict, pure form of Islam introduced by the Iranian government in order to erase Persian history. Since having lived in the two cultural contexts of Iraq and the USA, Neshat is able to examine the cultural concerns of individual beings in a metaphorical and poetic way. She attempts to address problems of identity, race and gender in a shocking manner and intends to undermine social stereotypes and assumptions. Her works explore the differences between Islam and the West, males and females, limitations in life and freedom, old and new and the public and the private domains. Neshat aimed to provoke questions amongst her audience as she explored Islam through her art making and comments on issues related to feminism and multiculturalism. However, her works were not only confrontational and symbolic; Neshat also paid particular attention to aesthetics. In her 1994 print and ink, â€Å"Rebellious Silence†, Neshat depicts an Islamic, Muslim woman, covered in a veil holding a gun. Her calm face is divided by the starkness of the cold, steel weapon and is laced with Islamic calligraphy symbolic of the Niqab, a more extreme veil that an Islamic woman must wear as it signifies her obedience to the male supremacy in Islamic culture. Her clothing and weapon make us question whether this woman has rejected her submissive female role to embrace violence. She is looking directly at the camera and looks determined to fight. Questions of motives arise amongst the audience. Neshat’s 1996 work â€Å"Speechless† is a black and white photograph in which Neshat has chosen to make herself the subject. This image is a close up of Neshat’s face. She looks determined and powerful however, like her creation â€Å"Rebellious Silence† – her face is covered with an overlay of Islamic text. The Arabic inscriptions that create the veil act as a barrier. It symbolises the support of the Islamic revolution. The visual struggle between Neshat and the veil is representational of the fight for freedom and the support of religion. By putting the text on her face, the body part where people can identify emotions the most, it serves as a reminder of the power that religion has over women and the oppression it has towards free expression. The gun in the picture is another juxtaposition. The woman seems to be embracing the gun as a part of her, giving off a threatening feeling, but at the same time, it does not feel dangerous because of her conflicted emotions: freedom versus oppression. The inscriptions tell of a man who died in the Iran/Iraq conflict of the 1980’s. This is also insulting to the women who also experienced this conflict. Her art does not disapprove nor approve of Islam, but instead encourages the audience to reflect upon their own ideas, assumptions and expectations. He works carry both personal and emotional connotations. Wenda Gu was born in China and studied traditional, classical landscape painting. He was employed to teach ink painting and although he no longer practices in China, text remains central to his work. This initial technical training has provided the incentive for his most confronting pieces in which the powerful use of language challenges social and political traditions. â€Å"These are questioning and symbolic works that violate the orthodox doctrine of artistic value. They represent a direct threat to authority.† Michael Sullivan. Gu ambitiously attempts to address, in artic terms, the issue of globalism that dominates discussions of contemporary economics, society and culture. He aims to appeal not only to the present population, but also to future generations in his quest to extend the boundaries of human perception, feeling and thought and express humanity’s deepest wishes and powerful dreams. Gu strives to unify mankind and create a utopian feel within his works. Gu worked to simplify the Chinese language and to encourage people to embrace new attitudes towards their old language. He combines a long standing fascination with classical Chinese calligraphy with a contemporary take on universal concerns that cross cultural and ethnic boundaries. Gu’s work today focusses extensively on ideas of culture and his identity and has developed an interest in bodily materials and understanding humanity across ethnic and national boundaries. Gu’s 1994-96 work â€Å"Pseudo Characters Contemplation of the world† is a series of ink paintings in which he uses traditional calligraphic styles and techniques but subverts them with reversed, upside down or incorrect letters. The pseudo character series consists of three ink on paper scrolls in which he has combined calligraphy and landscape, disrupting the conventions of both, powerfully distorting artistic tradition of China. Gu has attacked the written word by glorifying the spirit of the absurd. Gu’s most significant artworks have been a series entitled â€Å"United Nations Project†. This is a series of 15 works that were conceptually planned to relate to the locations social, political, historical and cultural situation. This series confronts two taboos. That of language and the human body. The main material for these installations are human hair collected from hairdressers from all over the world and the hair itself serves as a connection to all people. They typically consisted of screens tied together with twine, forming a canopy of internationally collected hair that was fashioned into nonsensical scripts combining the Chinese alphabet and others. His works are distinguished by the two themes which intersect. The first relates to language and the way in which cultural conventions are signified ad the second, is the use of human hair which is a symbol for significant human endeavours. The human hair is a blueprint containing DNA information, which is common to all humans yet seen fundamentally as individual. Jenny Holzer, Shirin Neshat and Wenda Gu all explore the cultural implications of language within art. They share a prime focus on the links between culture and identity. They have used language and text to convey their powerful messages and have drawn upon their own personal experiences. Concerned with the human condition, both they and their artworks have had a significant impact on society and the way in which we interpret information. Madison ******** Year 12 Visual Arts Art History and Art Criticism. Essay on Text The inclusion of text in artworks reflects a post-modern concern with the way we receive information in our contemporary society and the importance of language to identity. Explore the cultural implications of language in the work of Jenny Holzer, Wenda Gu and one other contemporary artist. Analyse specific artworks to support your argument.

Relationship Between Mind And Body

Relationship Between Mind And Body The relationship between the mind and body has been a preoccupation among philosophers since the Greek antiquity, with famous writers such as 5th Century philosopher Plato, and his student Aristotle. Ideas concerning the mind and body originate as far back as Platos and Aristotles time, whereby they questioned whether or not intelligence is connected with the body. In the 16th Century, Michel de Montaigne treated the same question again, and it was then continued in the 17th Century but by Renà © Descartes and Blaise Pascal. Their point of view is diverse and the conclusion that they reach upon at times is somewhat in a way satisfying to each other or plain rejects. Before embarking on the essay, a brief explanation on their works will be examined. Michel de Montaigne was one of the most influential yet sceptical writers of the 16th Century, especially with his Essais being a compilation of various short topics describing man and human nature. His essays had direct influence on other classical thinkers such as Renà © Descartes and Blaise Pascal. Blaise Pascal was not only an influential French philosopher, but he was also a French mathematician and physicist. His unfinished most famous work in philosophy, Pensà ©es, is a series of philosophical sections and essays, whereby Pascal identifies and explores the contradictions of human nature with regards to psychology and sociology. Pascal used his personal thoughts and opinions concerning human suffering and religious beliefs to write this philosophy towards the close of his life. French philosopher, but also a mathematician and scientist Renà © Descartes, had published two well known philosophical works in history called Discours de la Mà ©thode and Mà ©ditations Mà ©taphysiques. Descartes main goal was to present us with a series of thoughts that he took into consideration, in order to shed light on his views on God and the existence. Rà ©ne Descartes was, by nature a dualist. In fact, he created the notion of Cartesian dualism and was the first person to clearly classify the mind with consciousness and to differentiate this from the brain, which held intelligence. Cartesian dualism viewed that ones intelligence cannot be touched and is non-physical. He was the first to create the mind and body problem, an issue which tried to question how the mind and body can interact, especially if the mind is based solely on thought and the body is purely an addition. This was the basic breadth of the mind-body debate which began during the times of Plato and Aristotle and extended long past Descartess death. Aristotle believed mind was connected to the soul. The mind is the soulss object, which becomes active only when it thinks. The soul, which is also known as the intellect, does not work unless it is thinking. Therefore, it is unlikely that it would be mixed with the body. Aristotle was therefore a thinker who was more concerned with the metaphysical concepts. Platos thought was more based on concrete principles of the natural world. While Aristotle described the levels of reality, Plato focused on subjects such as how one could be of a righteous character, and therefore a better person within themselves. Cartesian dualism permits both these theories to work together in order to be recognised as one. Descartes, like Montaigne and Pascal to some extent, were philosophers who all had different ways of going about their works. Descartes used more indirect means of philosophising. Meanwhile, Pascal would have been purposely direct and informative, as a mathematician who drew on his knowledge of the sciences in order to develop his conclusions. On the other hand, Montaigne studied himself with subjects such as religion, philosophy, humanism as he believed this was crucial in order to describe human nature. These three Frenchmen contrasted with their views regarding the mind and the body. While Descartes thought that the mind was separate from the body, Montaigne along with Pascal definitely would have argued that the mind was part of the physical body. Obviously, there are good arguments for and against these two very different views, which will be explained. Montaigne preferred to make his opinions clear by providing facts in order to attempt to uncover the truth, providing the readers a chance to analyse his thoughts personally. His aim was to describe man and human nature by using memory as a description to address his topic. This is what he did to highlight his view on the mind and body. He argued that the development of the mind is connected to the body and expressed how he believed the imagination is the drive for the downfall of the body. His philosophy regarding these two substances is one of which explains his view that a healthy mind comes from the studies of other great writers. Lame que loge la philosophie doit, par sa santà ©, render sain encores le corps. (Montaigne: 208: 1969) He argues that anyone who is taught by the philosophy of past great writers will have the perfect body, as he believes thinking for oneself is truly unhealthy for the body and mind. Therefore, according to him there is only one type of education whic h should be used, based purely on thoughts of the past to achieve both a healthy body and mind. In order to transform a child to becoming a well formed healthy man, there should be a connection between the mind and body. Throughout De Linstitution des enfants Montaigne proves his opinions for training both body and mind and therefore the tutor is responsible for this training as ce nest pas assez de luy roidir lame; il luy faut ausi roidir les muscles. (Montaigne: 201: 1969) When training the body, two advantages appear. Firstly, the mind is able to relax and secondly the body is able to build itself for the prevention of illnesses. Therefore, the mind cannot work unless the body has been trained. Furthermore, tout lieu retirà © requiert un proumenoir. Mes pensees dorment, si je les assis. Mon esprit ne va pas seul, comme si les jambes lagitent. Ceux qui estudient sans livre, en sont tous là  . (Montaigne: 76: 1993) Even though he was distracted by his books, he persists that one cannot achieve the pleasure of reading unless our mind and body are exercised in the correct manner. There is a healthy regime of the mind no less than of the body, and in fact the two are inseparable. An inquiring mind will be just as active as a healthy body in the pursuit of its interests. (ONeill: 101:2001) According to Montaigne, it is common for one to believe that the mind operates in a different manner to the body. But, even the active life of the body is inseparable from intelligence which itself is not exercised simply by closing ones eyes. (ONeill: 101: 2001) Thus, one should not separate these two elements. We can understand that Montaigne fully believes in this connection. Descartes was able to make complex philosophical concepts simple by breaking them down into manageable pieces. This is what he tried to do with the mind and body problem in order to insist that they are two unique substances, with the mind being regarded as a non-physical element, without connecting to the body. He therefore believed that he could live without the mind. Secondly, that the mind and the body may be dissimilar but they do interact. Nevertheless, he understands that this relationship is not ideal in that doà ¹ il est entià ¨rement manifeste que, nonobstant la souveraine bontà © de Dieu, la nature de lhomme, en tant quil est composà © de lesprit et du corps, ne peut quelle ne soit quelquefois fautive et trompeuse. (Descartes: 89:1992) The mind and body are surely two separate things in some senses of the word, but Descartes could have seamlessly made these two entities dualist aspects that can and must be separated. This is because intelligence comes from a place which cannot be defined. One cannot control the human mind and simply confine it to the body, because intelligence is completely separate from ones physical capabilities. For example, if one were to be paralysed from the neck down, Descartes would argue that the mind would still be unharmed. Similarly, someone could be unconscious but their brainwaves could still be functioning well. Since he believed in the power of the mind and intelligence, he was a deep thinker. Descartes argues, quil y a une grande diffà ©rence entre lesprit et le corps, en ce que le corps, de sa nature, est toujours divisible, et que lesprit est entià ¨rement indivisibleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. je considà ¨re mon esprit, cest-à  -dire moi-mà ªme en tant que je suis seulement une chose qui pense, je ny puis distinguer aucunes parties, mais je me conà §ois comme une chose seule et entià ¨reà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.lesprit semble à ªtre uni à   tout le corps, toutefois un piedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ou quelque autre partie à ©tant sà ©parà ©e de mon corps, il est certain que pour cela il ny aura rien de retranchà © de mon esprit. (Descartes: 86: 1992) Descartes disputes that the mind and body are separable, and argues that the mind is different to the body and therefore one can exist without the use of the other. Furthermore, to clarify this argument, Descartes gives an explanation of the body. If man loses a limb or part of their body, they have not lost the mind. According to Descartes , the mind is the core element that makes him aware that he exists. His well known philosophical quotation je pense donc je suis (Descartes: 110: 2000) is connected to this theory of dualism as it forms the basis of it. According to him, we exist due to the fact that we think. He realises that he has a working mind, without being entirely sure that he has a body. The combination of mind and body presents Descartes views of a genuine human being (Cottingham: 7:1999). He realised that a problem could not simply be analysed on the common sense level. Moreover, his statement cest-a-dire lame par laquelle je suis ce que je suis, est entierement distincte du corps, (Descartes : 111 :2000) can assert that the soul is the fundamental self, in contrast to the Thomist thesis that a human being is essentially a composite of body and soul. (Moriarty : 142: 2003) It is possible for one to doubt everything from God to ones body, but it is not possible for one to deny the fact that there is a consciousness, which led him to this famous motto. He realised doubting t he truth would be the only manner in which he would find out what was essentially true regarding the mind and body. However, he managed to put this aside and found one true belief, cogito ergo sum. (Descartes: 110:2000. His belief in God is strong, as he believes God is all-powerful. This enables him to believe that anything he wishes to visualise is without a doubt possible. If he can prove Gods existence, then he will be able to confirm other truths in life. Since the mind and body can be considered clearly as separate, it means that it is possible for God to make it happen. Descartes is not exactly clear on the connection between mind and body, but we can deduce from his work that he did not think they were related. Even though this was the case, he still discusses at some length the nature of the union of the human mind with its body. (Wilson: 177: 1982) Most likely, Descartes would take a roundabout way at arriving at his conclusions. First, he would take an abstract concept, by using the mind and intelligence as a kind of springboard for talking about other subjects more liberally. Then, he would continue to use evidence to back up his theoretical reasoning, probably using more abstractions to support his theoretical concept. Finally, he would wrap up in summation by using some concrete examples of what he was talking about in abstract terms. He believed in what he thought made him who he was. Un autre est de penser; et je trouve ici que la pensà ©e est un attribut qui mappartient : elle seule ne peut à ªtre dà ©tachà ©e de moi. (Descartes : 2000 : 25) not so with Pascal, who could clearly distinguish between the thought processes and separate that out from himself. Pascal, who preferred making explanations about various aspects of reality difficult and layered it with complicated aspects of knowledge argued against the dualist, and easily made the reverse of the mind and body argument. According to him, doubt could only lead to more doubt. He believed that one could not explain ones existence through reasoning and that man is mostly guided by beliefs and feelings. Therefore, the only solution and help is faith. One can only gain certain knowledge through obedience to God. He also confirmed that one may not be able to use his mind due to a certain reason, but yet his body would be kept physically alive. Je puis bien concevoir un homme sans mains, pieds, tete, car ce nest que lexperience qui nous apprend que la tete est plus necessaire que les pieds. Mais je ne puis concevoir lhomme sans pensee. Ce serait une pierre ou une brute. (Pascal: 107:2000) Therefore, it would seem that the mind and body definitely would be connected. Pascal also believe d in the power of the mind, but his focus was more on the physical and the reality of the body. The body is a concrete substance, and empirical in the sense that its functions can be measured and regulated. In his implications, he will find religious yet ethnical views to explain the mind and body problem. For instance he quotes toute notre dignite consiste donc en la pensee. Cest de là   quil faut nous relever, et non de lespace et de la duree, que nous ne saurions remplir. Travaillons donc a bien penser. Voila le principe de la morale. (Pascal: 171: 2000) It is possible to note his stress on morality here as he wants to acknowledge the suffering of human existence that could be found from these two non-connecting substances. Pascal would have been much more of a mathematical thinker. He thought in a linear fashion, and his arguments were in relation to geometry theorems. First, Pascal would begin with one argument and then logically make sure the other arguments followed in a linear sequence. For example, he would take one statement which would be his main idea. Next, Pascal would most likely support this idea with relevant evidence and facts. He would clearly and succinctly make his case as for why the mind and the body were one and the same element. Pascal was primarily concerned with the differences between the intuitive mind and the mathematical mind. In some ways, this would have been the difference between Descartes, Pascal and Montaigne. The mind and the body are surely two separate things in some senses of the word, but Descartes could have seamlessly made these two entities dualist aspects that can and must be separated. Pascal and Montaigne would have no doubt argued in the contra, that the mind and body are ultimately one and the same. However, any philosopher would see that all three philosophers would have had equally valid arguments in trying to convince people of their view. Each philosopher had very valid points about their own positions that would lend relevance to each of their particular theories. Pascal saw himself as a defender of Christianity, whilst Descartes knew himself as purely a philosopher. Without question, Pascal did take into consideration Descartes belief on the mind and body, but he did not believe that Cartesian Dualism was between the soul and the body, but instead between the infinity of God and sin of men. Montaigne accepted that the mind and body were connected, but should be used in the correct manner in order to work efficiently. Yet, all three thinkers share opinions regarding the creation of human and with this we can discover how they both have certain views in common. They both consider human beings as having a body, mind and thought, and because of this, Pascal regard man as un Roseau pensant. (Pascal: 171: 2000) They also realise that the mind and consciousness can encompass the body. These philosophers were all thinkers who looked at the world from their own perspectives and tried to make sense of their worlds. They tried using reason in order to make deductions and educated guesses, making sure to try their hardest to come to logical conclusions. As we can see, the relationship between the mind and body as conceived by all three philosophers vary. Both Montaigne and Pascal believe in the connection of the mind and the body, but Descartes does not. Pascal was hugely influenced by Montaignes writings and this could be the reason why they shared more of the same thoughts. Descartes was also influenced by the works of Montaigne, but had more of an influence from Aristotle and Plato. Both Montaigne and Pascal were sceptics and therefore questioned and rejected ideas of their times, which resulted in doubt. But whilst Montaigne did not find this a problem, Pascal did as he was over whelmed with religious doubts. Alternatively, Montaigne and Descartes differed because Descartes strongly agreed with the dualist view that the mind and body are independent substances. But, all three philosophers argued in favour of Gods existence. For Montaigne, he argued religion and human values through sceptic philosophy and doubt, Descartes through doubt and Pascal through faith. Descartes chose to understand that the mind must be separate from the body and therefore, intelligence was a nonphysical entity. Pascal and Montaigne thought intelligence and the mind were part of the body and also the same. In that sense, all three men were classically trained philosophical thinkers who followed in the footsteps of their predecessors by rationally deducing logical and well-thought-out arguments. Each of these men should be revered for their great contributions to society. 2990 words

Themes Of Betrayal In James Jo Essay -- essays research papers fc

Origins of the Theme of Betrayal in James Joyce's Dubliners Throughout his early years, certain people and events heightened Joyce's awareness of the hopelessly corrupt environment of Ireland that had betrayed so many of its own. The more profound of these enlightening inspirations were the betrayal and downfall of Charles Stewart Parnell, the indifference of Henrik Ibsen towards literary protests, the neglected native artistry of James Clarence Mangan, and Joyce's own role as Prefect. These occurrences provoked Joyce's bitter resentment towards Ireland, initiating the gradual alienation towards his church and homeland. The issue of betrayal is prevalent throughout Dubliners, for Joyce imagined it, hated it, and feared it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  James Joyce was born into a country dominated by England, and the cause of Irish freedom captured his imagination at an early age. The spokesman for this cause was Charles Stewart Parnell, who became a heroic figure to Joyce. It was the early period of Joyce's life that saw Parnell greatest influence and tragic betrayal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By 1889 the attempt to implicate Parnell in the Phoenix Park murders of 1882 had failed, but in the same year he was accused of adultery in the divorce suit of captain O' Shea. At first it appeared that Parnell might weather this scandal, but a coalition of political enemies and devout Catholics ousted him from leadership of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and the rural population of Ireland turned against their leader with savage hatred. Even Parnell's Lieutenant Tim Healy, who had vowed never to betray his leader, finally turned against Parnell. After a year of campaigning against his enemies, Parnell died on October 6th, 1891—this day marks the beginning of James Joyce's resentful feelings towards Ireland, which were eventually revealed in Dubliners.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Parnell's body was brought to Dublin for burial, thousands were waiting for a glimpse of the coffin. Among the spectators was St. John Irvine, who mournfully recalled: It was taken from a deal case—'which was thrown aside, but, as it fell, crowds seized it and tore it into fragments that they might have even that as a relic of him'—and carried to City Hall. It lay there under O'Connell's statue through a wet and stormy morning and noon, while t... ...s Clarence Mangan evoked in Joyce the fear of restriction and limitation, leading to his departure from Ireland. From Henrik Ibsen, Joyce learned to ignore protest and controversy, heightening his bitter resentment towards Ireland after nine years of frustration in finding a publisher for Dubliners. And it was Joyce's failed role as Prefect of the Sodality that led to his abandonment of Irish Catholicism. His early life proved to Joyce that Ireland was corrupt, both morally and spiritually. Therefore, Joyce's alienation from, and resentment toward, Ireland were inevitable, as was the theme of betrayal in Dubliners. Works Cited 1) Goldberg, S.L. James Joyce. New York: Grove Press, 1962. 2) Kershner. R.B. Joyce, Bakhtin, and Popular Literature: Chronicles of Disorder. North Carolina: North Carolina U.P., 1989 3) Mangalaner, Marvin, and Richard Kain. Joyce: The Man, the Work, the Reputation. New York: New York U.P., 1956. 4) Sullivan, Kevin. Joyce among the Jesuits. New York: Columbia U.P., 1958. 5) Ellman, Richard. The Conscience of Joyce. Toronto and New York: Oxford U.P., 1977. 6) Garrett, Peter K. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Dubliners. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1968.

Chaucers Canterbury Tales Essay - The Powerful Wife of Bath

The Powerful Wife of Bath   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Geoffrey Chacer's The Canterbury Tales we are introduced to 29 people who are going on a pilgrimage to St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury. Each person is represented to fit a unique type of behavior as shown by people during the medieval ages.   My attention was drawn to the Wife of Bath through which Chaucer notes the gender inequalities.   Predominantly, women could either choose to marry and become a childbearing wife or go into a religious order.   Women were seen as property.   Women during this period of time, had limited choices when it came to societal roles.   The Wife of Bath exonerates the accepted roles of society, reflecting women's attempt to gain control during the medieval period.      Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The General Prologue presents an interesting description of The Wife of Bath.   Her character is noted to be strong and bold and we learn she is slightly deaf.   The Wife of Bath was married and widowed five times and has had numerous companions.   The Wife of Bath is a skilled cloth maker and a devoted Christian pilgrim who has made trips to several shrines.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through her unique introduction in The General Prologue we learn much of her physical attributes.   The Wife of Bath is gapped tooth.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Gat-toothed was she, soothly for to saye.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Upon an amblere esily she sat" (p.91, ll. 470-471)    This physical feature is attributed to lust and passion.   The fact that she could ride a horse easily also could take on sexual connotations (Maclaine 32).   The horse she "rides" so well could actually be her husband.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Early in the Wife of Bath ... ... of Bath is unique in her style of thinking, which is what makes this character so interesting to study.    Works Cited and Consulted Bowden, Muriel.   A Reader's Guide to Geoffrey Chaucer.   New York:   Noonday Press, 1964. Hallissy, Margaret.   A Companion to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.   London:   Greenwood Press, 1995. Herman, John P. and John J. Burke, Jr., ed.   Signs and Symbols in Chaucer's Poetry.   University, Alabama:   University of Alabama Press, 1981. Lambdin, Laura C. and Robert T. Lambdin, ed.   Chaucer's Pilgrims:   An Historical Guide to the Pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales.   London:   Greenwood Press, 1996.   Nardo, Don, ed.   Readings on the Canterbury Tales.   San Diego:   Greenhaven Press, 1997. Plummer, John F.   "The Wife of Bath's Hat as a Sexual Metaphor."   English Language Notes, 18 (1980-1981).      

Indicate a Person who has had a Significant Influence on you, and Describe that Influence

Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae. Cholera was prevalent in the U.S. in the 1800s before modern water and sewage treatment systems eliminated its spread by contaminated water. Only about 10 cases of cholera are reported each year in the U.S. and half of these are acquired abroad. Rarely, contaminated seafood has caused cholera outbreaks in the U.S.However, cholera outbreaks are still a serious problem in other parts of the world, where cholera affects an estimated 3 to 5 million people and causes more than 100,000 deaths each year. The disease is most common in places with poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine. Common locations include parts of Africa, south Asia, and Latin America. If you are traveling to one of those areas, knowing the following cholera facts can help protect you and you r family.Cholera CausesVibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, is usually found in food or water contaminated by feces from a person with the infection. Common sources include:Municipal water supplies Ice made from municipal water Foods and drinks sold by street vendors Vegetables grown with water containing human wastesRaw or undercooked fish and seafood caught in waters polluted with sewage When a person consumes the contaminated food or water, the bacteria release a toxin in the intestines that produces severe diarrhea. It is not likely you will catch cholera just from casual contact with an infected person.Cholera SymptomsSymptoms of cholera can begin as soon as a few hours or as long as five days after infection. Often symptoms are mild. But sometimes they are very serious. About one in 20 people infected have severe watery diarrhea accompanied by vomiting, which can quickly lead to dehydration. Although many infected people may have minimal or no symptoms, they can still contribute to spread of the infection. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:Rapid heart rateLoss of skin elasticity (the ability to return to original position quickly if pinched) Dry mucous membranes, including the inside of the mouth, throat, nose, and eyelidsLow blood pressure Thirst Muscle cramps If not treated, dehydration can lead to shock and death in a matter of hours.Yellow fever is caused by a virus. The yellow fever virus is a single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the Flavivirus genus. After transmission of the virus occurs, it replicates in regional lymph nodes and subsequently spreads via the bloodstream. This widespread dissemination can affect the bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes, kidneys, and liver, in addition to other organs. Tissue damage to the liver, for example, can lead to jaundice and disrupt the body's blood-clotting mechanism, leading to the hemorrhagic complications sometimes seen with yellow fever. Yellow fever is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes.Various species of Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes serve as vectors and are responsible for the transmission to human and nonhuman primates, which serve as reservoirs for the disease. Three transmission cycles for yellow fever have been identified. Sylvatic (jungle) cycle: In tropical rain forests, infected monkeys pass the virus to mosquitoes that feed on them. These infected mosquitoes then bite humans who enter the rain forest for occupational (for example, loggers) or recreational activities. Intermediate (savannah) cycle: In humid or semi-humid regions of Africa, mosquitoes that breed around households and in the wild (semi-domestic mosquitoes) infect both humans and monkeys.The virus can be transmitted from monkeys to humans, or from human to human by the mosquitoes. This is the most common type of outbreak in Africa. Urban cycle: When infected humans introduce the virus into urban areas with large numbers of unvaccinated individuals, infected m osquitoes (Aedes aegypti) transmit the disease from human to human. This form of transmission can lead to large epidemics.