Religion in Octavia Butlers Parable of the Sower

The main reason why Octavia Butler’s 1993 dystopic novel Parable of the Sower is being commonly referred to, as such that represents a high literary value, is that the themes and motifs, contained in it, are discursively relevant. That is, they do reflect people’s anxieties, in regards to the challenges of a post-industrial living.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Religion in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of these challenges is the fact that, as time goes on; the religious appeal of Christianity to Americans continues to become ever more undermined. This simply could not be otherwise, because for even mildly intelligent people, the Biblical fables about Sun standing still in the sky, talking donkeys and Saint Mary becoming impregnated by the ‘holy ghost’ appear rather unconvincing, so say the least. The same can be said about the p rovisions of Christian morality, based upon the vicious assumption that there are ‘chosen people’, favored by God, on the one hand, and ‘infidels’ that will be eventually thrown into the ‘lake of fire’, on the other. At the same time, however, the overwhelming majority of Americans continue experiencing an urge to be spiritually guided. In its turn, this causes many people to think that there are now objective preconditions for the creation of a new religion, which would be both: thoroughly humanistic and conceptually consistent with an ongoing social, cultural and technological progress. This is what Butler’s novel is all about. In it, the author provided readers with an insight as to how religion and science could be successfully combined together – hence, creating a ‘spiritual product’, thoroughly adjusted to the challenges of modernity. Nevertheless, even though that, as it will be illustrated later, the fictious religion of Earthseed (described in the novel) is in fact scientifically legitimate, there are still a few discursive shortcomings to how the author went about reflecting upon this religion’s social implications. Probably the most important qualitative aspect of Butler’s novel is that, even though that its plot unravels in the dystopic future, readers nevertheless do emotionally relate to the characters’ experiences of living in the ‘godless’ universe.Advertising Looking for term paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After all, just as it happened to be the case with the novel’s main character Lauren Olamina, they do often experience the disturbing sensation that there is too much injustice and violence in this world. Such their sensation, of course, contradicts the Christian dogma there is all-loving and omnipotent God, who answers people’s prayers. Yet, as it was illustrated in the novel, it is not only due to the ‘classical’ God’s de facto absence that spiritually sensitive people find it hard to deal with the objective reality’s emanations, but also due to their own intellectual inflexibility. As Lauren noted: A lot of people seem to believe in a big-daddy-God or a big-cop-God or a big-king-God. They believe in a kind of super-person. A few believe God is another word for nature. (8) These Lauren’s words, of course, reveal her as a pantheist, who knew perfectly well that there is very little rationale in believing that God is an individual, capable of experiencing the human emotions of love, fear and anger: My God doesn’t love me or hate me or watch over me or know me at all, and I feel no love for or loyalty to my God. My God just is. (22) At the same time, however, it could not escape Lauren’s attention that there is an apparent order in the universe, which given the main characte r’s perceptual idealism, was causing her to consider the possibility that, even though there is no ‘big-daddy God’, the ‘divinity’ is still there. Lauren revealed the true nature of ‘divinity’ in what can be well defined as the ‘manifesto’ of her newly found quasi-religion of Earthseed: All that you touch, you Change. All that you change, Changes you. The only lasting truth is Change. God is Change. (51)Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Religion in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More What gives Lauren a particular credit, in this respect, is that the earlier mentioned theological provisions of Earthseed are fully consistent with the most recent breakthroughs in the fields of biology and physics. After all, today’s scientists are thoroughly aware of the fact that, while remaining in the state of a const ant transformation (due to the forces of gravity), the chaotically dispersed universe’s matter has a tendency to self-organize itself into complex structures. As one of the 20th century’s most prominent scientists Alan Turing pointed out: Chaotic substratum, although it may originally be quite homogeneous, may later develop a pattern or structure due to an instability of the homogeneous equilibrium, which is triggered off by random disturbances. (37) The full soundness of this statement can be well illustrated in relation to the grains of sand in the desert, which never cease self-organizing themselves into ripples, waves and dunes – quite contrary to the fact that these grains have no awareness of the shape they become a part of. This also explains the seemingly intelligent design of organic life-forms – this design comes as an ultimate result of a physical matter/energy, on the one hand, and the forces of gravity, on the other, continuing to interact fo r the duration of billions and billions of years. What it means is that there is indeed no God, in the traditional sense of this word. What causes the universe to be observably complex and even ‘intelligently designed’ to an extent, is the never-ending flow of energy from the universe’s ‘energetically rich’ regions to the ‘energetically poor’ ones, which will eventually result in the ‘energetic death’ of the universe – the so-called state of ‘universal entropy’. Nevertheless, even though that we are now well aware that there is no ‘big-daddy God’, we cannot help but to experience awe, while exposed to the wonders of the universe. This sensation of awe, on our part, is where the ‘divinity’ actually resides. Therefore, Lauren’s suggestion that God is Change is thoroughly valid – Change is what causes Complexity, and Complexity is what we commonly perceive in terms of God.Advertising Looking for term paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This, of course, implies that we should not seek God up in the sky, but rather within. The fact that we, as the representatives of Homo Sapiens species, have evolved to the point that we now understand the universe’s mechanics, without having to evoke the notion of ‘big-baddy God’, makes us nothing short of semi-gods ourselves. As such, we have the responsibility to act ethically – even in times when this undermines our chances of a physical survival. Hence, the Earthseed’s foremost ‘commandment’: The weak can overcome the strong if the weak persist. Persisting isn’t always safe, but it’s often necessary. (79) Apparently, Lauren knew that, in order to encourage people to behave in a socially appropriate manner, they should not be constantly reminded of the prospect of being sent to hell, on the account of their ‘sins’, but that they should instead be provided with incentives to remain fully aware of the behavi oral implications of their basic humanity. Nevertheless, as it was mentioned in the Introduction, Butler’s vision of the ‘future religion’ cannot be thought of as such that represents an indisputable truth-value. This is because; there are a number of good reasons to think that, even if Lauren did succeed in setting up the communities of ‘earthseeds’ across America, her newly founded ‘Church of Earthseed’ would not remain functional for too long. After all, throughout the course of the novel, Laura continues to position herself as a somewhat socially-withdrawn person, who believed that the pathway towards making people more gentle towards each other is being concerned with suppressing the truth about the fact, in the biological sense of this word, they are nothing but hairless primates. For example, Laura does not seem to understand that people’s endowment with the sense of greed cannot be dealt with mechanistically, because being primates; it is in our very nature to act selfishly. This is the reason why there are strongly defined Communist overtones to her concept of a ‘spiritually rich’ communal living. As Phillips noted: According to Lauren, the moral destiny of earthseed is ‘to take root among the stars’†¦ But this spiritual and political ideal is rendered impossible by a social order based on stark economic polarities. (304) Yet, according to the laws of nature, which define the qualitative dynamics in just about every human society, without ‘polarities’ (inequality), the continual flow of energy that enables Change, in the first place, would have been impossible. After all, the notion of equality is synonymous with the notion of entropy (chaos). In other words, the way in which Lauren went about conceptualizing how the communes of ‘earthseeds’ should operate, contradicted her own understanding of Change, as the driving force of ‘divinityâ €™. There is also another reason to think that the religion of Earthseed would have proven short-lived – while elaborating on the proper ways of a ‘spiritually rich’ living, Butler never ceased to promote the idea that, as compared to what it happened to be the case with men, women are better suited to act as the community’s leaders. This explains why Parable of the Sower has been traditionally referred to as an unmistakably feminist novel (Miller 337). Nevertheless, it does not take a scientist to understand that promoting philosophies that add to already existing tensions between the representatives of opposite genders can hardly be deemed socially productive. The fact that even today, the feminist movement continues to be strongly associated with the notion of mental deviation (which explains this movement’s marginal status), substantiates the validity of this suggestion. Thus, it will only be logical to conclude this paper by reinstating onc e again that there is indeed a good rationale in referring to Butler’s Parable of the Sower, as an intellectually enlightening novel. This is because, as it was shown earlier, Butler’s idea, as to what the ‘future religion’ should be all about, does adhere to what today’s scientists know about how the universe actually function. Unfortunately, as it appears from the novel, the sheer strength of Butler’s prophetic powers, as an advocate of the new post-industrial religion, does not seem to correlate with her somewhat undermined insightfulness, as an individual who understands the qualitative essence of dynamics in just about every human society. Works Cited Butler, Octavia. Parable of the Sower, New York: Warner, 1995. Print. Miller, Jim. â€Å"Post-Apocalyptic Hoping: Octavia Butler’s Dystopian/Utopian Vision.†Ã‚  Science Fiction Studies 25.2 (1998): 336-360. Print. Phillipsï ¼Å'Jerry. â€Å"The Intuition of the Future: Utopia and Catastrophe in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower.† Novel 35.2/3 (2002): 299-311. Print. Turing, Alan. â€Å"The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis.† Philosophical  Transactions of the Royal Society of London 237.641 (1952): 37-72. Print. This term paper on Religion in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower was written and submitted by user Hulkl1ng to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River Essays

Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River Essays Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River Essay Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River Essay Essay Topic: The Heart Goes Last Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River The story, Big Twos of these include symbolism, paradox, metaphors, onomatopoeia, irony, and imagery among others (Brooke and Carpenter 15). In this story, the writer makes use of the various literary elements to piece together a convincing image in the reader’s mind, one such element used extensively by the writer being symbolism. When Nick, the main character, comes home from the war, he expects to gain peace in his home. However, he finds the whole place burnt down and the previously old familiar surroundings inexistent. â€Å"There was no town, nothing but the rails and the burned-over country†, (Hemmingway 253). The state of Nick’s home symbolizes the state of despair that is experienced by most war veterans when they return home after the war. Their emotional state is ruined and unstable showing a similarity to the demolished state of the place. The place is deserted when Nick gets home and throughout the story, he remains on his own. This can also be a symbolic sign to portray the feelings that soldiers have when coming back from war. Most soldiers go through painful ordeals, and it is impossible for any other person to relate to what they feel. Hence, the lonely picture shows their solitary emotions. Nick’s actions are also symbolic. Nick carries a large hiker’s bag on his back and purposely walks away from the road into the woods. He knows what he wants at this point and knows where he is headed. Even when he is tired, he presses on past a pine island towards a certain spot on the riverbank. â€Å"His muscles ached, and the day was hot, but Nick felt happy. He felt he had left everything behind, the need for thinking, the need to write, other needs. It was all back of him,† (Hemmingway 254). Symbolism is used here to represent freedom. The war is over, and there are no boundaries as to where he can or cannot go. There are no rules dictating the food that he can carry and which he cannot. He is also free to decide where to pitch his tent. This part of the story symbolizes the freedom soldiers experience once they get out of the war-torn areas where their every move is dictated. At the beginning, when Nick gets to his home area and goes to the river on the log bridge, he watches the big trout racing upstream. Nick picks up his backpack, walks up the road and turns heading towards the woods. He only takes short rests and even when he is tired, he continues walking. â€Å"He was tired and very hot, walking across the uneven, shade-less pine plain. At any time, he knew he could strike the river by turning off to his left† (Hemmingway 255). Once he arrives at the riverbed, he observes that the trout would race upstream and jump to the surface to catch insects, but after some time, they all settle and easily feed from downstream as the insects settle on the surface (Hemmingway 256). This is symbolic to Nick’s situation. Initially, he was troubled and needed peace of mind, which led to him to go into the woods and to the riverbed just as the trout have to race up the river and jump out to catch the insects. The situation where the trout later calm do wn downstream, and do not have to jump out of the water to catch insects is used to symbolize Nick’s situation. He finally begins to get the peace of mind that he was after; as he had reached the riverbank, he yearned for and embraced his freedom. However, Nick realizes that not all is lost, as the pine trees and the river still exist. Nature is often used for healing processes as a means to attain calm and peace from man-initiated troubles such as wars. Thus, Hemmingway uses nature in his plot to signify that Nick finds the peace he is looking for in the woods, regardless of the derelict state of the town. When he gets to the pool, looking at the trout moving up against the current in the stream gives Nick a renewed feeling. He gets an illusion of the peace he is in search of, the feeling that he once had before the war. This is explained in the quote â€Å"Nick’s heart tightened as the trout moved. He felt all the old feeling† (Hemmingway 253). In the story, Nick noticed that the grasshoppers were sooty black, in contrast to the grasshoppers that he remembered from his childhood. Those from his childhood were either black and yellow in color or black and red. Initially he did not pay attention, but once his mind settled down, he realized that they were black because of the soot from the fire that burnt down the town. The fire had occurred the previous year, but the grasshoppers were still sooty black. This is a form of symbolism since, wondering how long the effects of the past destruction would last on the grasshoppers could be alluded to wondering how long the effects of the war that Nick had just come from would last on him. â€Å"He realized that the fire must have come the year before, but the grasshoppers were all black now. He wondered how long they would stay that way†, (Hemmingway 254). The second part of the story talks about renewal and Nick finding the peace he sought. By being able to pitch his own tent and make his own fishing rod, Nick felt more like the man he should be. There were no rules to govern him or anyone to dictate to him what he was expected to do. This symbolizes a new beginning for him, and a chance to be his own man. â€Å"Nick felt awkward and professionally happy with all his equipment hanging from him†, (Hemmingway 260). In this part, he is enjoying himself, savoring the river’s feeling and fishing. While he throws in the hooks for the second catch after throwing the smaller fish back into the water, there is a great resistance as he hooks a big trout that is not willing to lose the battle. He struggles with it until he reels it. In the shallow waters near the swampy shores, he reels in yet another big trout. The two trout put up quite a fight before they are eventually captured. This struggle is a symbol of the struggle that Nick had gone through in his life. This is further emphasized in that the trout are both male. He does not fish for the small trout as by now he has recognized that bigger risks bring with them greater rewards. â€Å"Nick fought him against the current, letting him thump in the water against the spring of the rod. He shifted the rod to his left hand, worked the trout upstream, holding his weight, fighting on the rod, and then let him down into the net† (Hemmingway 263). In both parts of the story, the writer makes great use of symbolism. The story has a flow and compels the reader to think deeper into the meanings of the words. This makes it an interesting and educative read. Literary elements give a story more meaning as it is subject to various interpretations based on the person reading it. This makes it suitable for a diverse crowd. Hemingway masters the art making him one of the recognizable writers of his time. Work Cited Brooke, Stopford A, and George R. Carpenter. English Literature. New York: The Macmillan Co, 2000. Print. Hemingway, Ernest. The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. Simon Schuster, 1938. Print.

The Kitchen is a Fickle Mistress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Kitchen is a Fickle Mistress - Essay Example The author is quick to remind us of the housewife's complaints of centuries past, and the difficulty in maintaining an elegant domesticity. She tells of the American pioneer woman, carrying wood, heating water, and toiling over the laundry in an all day undertaking. The washing machine, one of the most laudable household helpers, has changed little since its inception. The wood stove was introduced to be sold to women, but actually saved the man from having to cut as much wood. Still, it is the vacuum cleaner that Rosen uses to illustrate our love of cleanliness and how it has become possible to remain immaculate without the aid of servants. It was these devices that gave the housewife the illusion of being a little more royal than maybe she actually was. The article agrees that while all the modern miracles of housework may not save time, and certainly not money, they have made our society better organized. We are cleaner, we have more options for storing and cooking food, and by all such measures we should be happier. Yet, the author argues that the modern housewife is actually doing the work of several servants and, "electric servants did not easily translate into spending less time on housework". Marketers have simply made the experience seem a little more aristocratic. We have every kitchen appliance available to make our cooking experience quick, clean,

Strategic Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strategic Management Accounting - Essay Example Current Situation Electronic Boards plc is electrical engineering company and it has been in the business since 1970’s. Company has almost 200 employees and it has been profitable over the last several years. Since establishment to 1985 company has been conducting operations without maintaining true accountancy systems. However, financial crisis has hit the company and it recorded a loss of ?1.7 million. This loss also had an impact the liquidity position of the company. The company’s management director Jack Watson has recently decided to develop the management accounting system for the firm to keep the track record of entire operations and to make sure that the company is able to understand how different products are performing. This report will analyze and outline the main factors that the company needs to consider in establishing a useful management accounting function within the company. ... Investing In Different Projects It has been found that the company directly purchases new technology or equipment in order to improve the productivity without analyzing the cost and benefit ratio of the investment. Therefore after establishing accounting system, the management would be able to make decisions by analyzing the cost and return of the investment and thus it can be helpful in increasing the profitability as only profitable investment will be accepted and others will be rejected (Jaffe, 2007). Moreover, it will be helpful in reducing the interest charges and high bank charges as the company will not be investing in every other technology that comes up. Identifying Areas Of Improvements As the company will have proper management accounting system, so with this the company will be able to identify areas where it can reduce costs and thus it can be helpful in increasing profitability. CONCLUSION Management accountings system, once developed, will provide more insight about th e current status of business and would enhance its capacity to ability to develop and enhance its capacity to compete and forecast its future needs. Moreover, the company would be able to improve its profitability and at the same time manage situations like recession in a better way. References Jaffe, J. (2007). Corporate Finance, Pashupati Printers Pvt Ltd: Delhi. Keown, A., Martin, J., & Petty, J. (2011). Foundations of finance (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Johnson, G., & Scholes, K. (2001). Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. 6edition, Prentice-Hall:

Trade between Paekche and Japan Essay Example for Free

Trade between Paekche and Japan Essay Paekche, also known as Baekje, was located to the Southwest of Korea and is one of the three kingdoms that formed Korea during the three kingdom era (50 B.C-668 C.E). Paekche was the most vulnerable of the three kingdoms formed then, namely, Korguyo and Silla. All of them were very strongly influenced by China. Paekche, because of its strategic location that brought it very near to China, was especially more influenced and had profound implications when it comes to its living practices and religion. It had been influenced by Buddhism from China which had its origin in India. However, being close to China also meant undue pressure by the huge militarily strong kingdom of China. Also with increasing influence of the neighboring kingdom Silla, Paekche was in dire need of an ally who could not only give the economic impetus it so needs but also the military protection to thwart off Silla’s attempts of conquests. This formed the basis of trade with Japan and thus began the journey of wide political and cultural influences on both the Kingdoms till the last of Paekche which was in 668 E.C.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Paekche along with the various economic goods that it was trading with Japan also started adding in cultural goods. As mentioned above, this was a result of its realization of the need to have closer ties with Japan that the situation demanded. The cultural goods that Paekche started exporting were Buddhism. It was in mid-500s that this significant event occurred when the king of Paekche gifted an image of Buddha and some sacred writings in Buddhism to the king of Japan[i]. It is said that he introduced the religion to the Japanese king saying that it was the religion of the civilized world. Japan, at that time was influenced by Nakatomi as religious practice and hence, the influx of Buddhism was strongly opposed by the court religious heads[ii]. Moreover, the head of the aristocratic clan and the one who led the Japanese military forces, Mononobe, advised the king against sending troops to support Paekche against Silla. However, as time passed and thanks to the growing influence of the Yamato family, Japan slowly started adopting the new religion and Paekche was beginning to trade majorly culture with Japan. Such was its influence on the Japanese kingdom that the lines between Korea and Japan started to blur slowly. Paekche had exported many art forms and technological skills to Japan and Japan’s cultural and technological advances can be attributed to the heavy influx of Paekche’s trade with it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another place where Paekche’s influence can be sensed strongly was the temples and palaces that were built in Asuka Japan during mid-500s and till the end of Paekche in mid-600s. Paekche, along with its religion, also traded architectural forms and subsequent technologies with Japan. Fine example of this is the Horyuji temple built around 601 A.D. The architectural forms and technologies used prove a strong presence of Korean, more precisely, Paekche influence[iii]. Though the temple does not exist today, its remains tell the whole story. It should be noted that when the King of Paekche decided to export Buddhism to Japan, he made sure he does it convincingly. Along with the Buddha statues and writings, the King also sent monks, painters, temple carpenters, expert tile workers, and many more that were successful in getting the right flavor of Buddhism in the Japanese society. After the completion of the temple, the Buddhist monks who were sent by the Paekche king settled in the temple and started preaching Buddhism from there.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The spread of cultural good, Buddhism, was not rapid though. After lot of resistance from the existing beliefs and rituals, which included spread of epidemics as a sign of anger and rejection by the old Gods and then a bigger epidemic that was considered as the sign of Buddha’s fury at denunciation, Buddhism as a religion started making place for itself in the kingdom. This general acceptance increased the bonding between the two kingdoms and Paekche became Japan’s closest ally among the Korean kingdoms. This can be observed from the fact that Japan actively started protecting Paekche from external threats. This can also be attributed to the fear Japan had developed after it lost Mimana to Silla rulers which is supposed to have influenced the â€Å"Horse rider† culture of Japan. All the above combined reasons helped the relation between Paekche and Japan grow closer like never before. Japan and Paekche relationship was not just formal. The diplomatic ties had extended to strong military ties with Japan helping Paekche to defend itself against the growing stronghold of Silla in Korea. Slowly, Japan had sided with Paekche and joined the allied forces in Gaya when it wanted to expand its influence in that region. Japan also extended its help to the King of Paekche, Jeonji in launching a coup and thereby helping him in becoming the king.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This speaks a lot about the kind of intimacy the two kingdoms had acquired due to the trade relationship between them. Paekche was known to be the superior one within the relationship when it comes to culture. This is quite evident from the fact that the Paekche prince had gifted a Chiljido (a seven branched knife) around 4th or 5th BC to the Japanese king and had ordered him to pass it down through the generations to come in Japanese royal family. This truly demonstrates the diplomatic superiority that Paekche had.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By the end of 500 B.C, a perfect trade relation was formed between the two where both the kingdoms traded with each other according to the requirements of both the kingdoms. This gave birth to the perfect model where, not superiority, but genuine economic considerations and needs of the state were the basis of trade, thereby giving economic growth for both the countries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fall of Paekche was in essence the end of the relationship for both the kingdoms. However, Japan showed its loyalty to the Korean kingdom by not siding with the allied forces of Silla and Dang. Instead it preferred to oppose them and hence support the last remnants of the kingdom Paekche. It is not surprising that after Paekche fell to the joined forces of Silla and Dang, there was a huge entry of the Paekche citizens to Japan. They traveled all across the sea to settle in Japan rather than China. This strongly demonstrates the high degree of the closeness that the two kingdoms maintained. Moreover, this influx into the country brought about a massive change in the lifestyles of Japanese too who actively started intimately getting influenced by the culture of Paekche like their clothing, or the way unmarried women dressed up, and other day to day nuances like pottery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The trade between Paekche and Japan was an effort to compensate the military and cultural needs of both the nations. This trade, like all other ancient trades, brought about colossal changes in both the countries through culture exchanges. The most significant change is, of course, the fact that Japan, today, is one of the largest followers of Buddhism in the world. [i]   Kaplan H. Eddward .1st draft, 10/94; 3rd rev., 9/99. [ii]   Perez B Louis, The History of Japan, by Greenwood Press, 1998 [iii]  Ã‚   Lucie R. Weinstein (KEJ: 3. 232) Bibliography Reichauer, Edwin. Japan: the Story of a Nation, , Fourth Edition, Alfred A Knopf, 1989   Ã‚  Ã‚   Yamamura et al, Kazo. The Cambridge History of Japan, Vol  3.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Cambridge University Press, 1990 Perez, B, Louis. The History of Japan, Greenwood Press, 1998   Ã‚  Ã‚   Meyer W, Milton. Japan: a Concise History, Third Edition,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rowan and Littlefield Publishers, Inc 1993 Hong, Wontack. Relationship between Korea and Japan in early period : Paekche and Yamato Wa. Seoul, Korea, 1988. Griffis, William Elliot. Corea, the hermit nation. New York, C. Scribners   Ã‚   sons, 1882. Ballard, George Alexander. The Influence of the Sea on the Political History of Japan.   Ã‚  Ã‚   New York: E.P. Dutton Co., 1921. Japan’s Rapid Transition into Derivative High Civilization and its Consequences. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   March 26, 2007, from http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~kaplan/eas201/201-14.pdf    Japan, Buddhism and the Warlords, to the Kamakura. Retrieved March 26, 2007, from   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h07japan.htm Paekche culture in Asuka Japan: The most visible and dominating influence. Retrieved March   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   26, 2007, from http://gias.snu.ac.kr/wthong/publication/paekche/eng/hi3-5.pdf A survey of Baekje History, Retrieved March 26, 2007, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://baekje.chungnam.net/eng/new_hist/index.htm Korea during the age of the Yamato Imperial Clan. Retrieved March 26, 2007 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://gias.snu.ac.kr/wthong/publication/paekche/eng/hi3-7.pdf

Maxwell Relations :: essays research papers fc

My topic for the report is Thermodynamics Maxwell Relations, and in this report I will show how to derive the Maxwell Relations, as well as give several examples of how and when they are supposed to used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The change in U depend on the changes in the system entropy, volume and XI’s this idea may be abbreviation (1-1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  U = U(S, V, XI)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In system of constant mass and composition, whose work can be expressed only in terms of its PV properties, there are no X’s and U is changed only by reversible heat and P dV work. Therefore (1-2) dU = T dS – P dV. The differential of the accumulated internal energy in a fixed-composition, P dV – work system is.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  = dH = dU + d(PV) (1-3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   = dU + P dV + V dP. Substituting equation (1-2) in equation (1-3), we obtain (1-4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  dH = T dS + V dP.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the defining the Helmholtz function A we obtain ( 1-5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  dA = dU – d(TS) = dU – T dS – S dT. Substituting equation (1-2) in equation (1-5) (1-6)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  dA = -S dT – P dV. From the Gibbs Free Energy equation and equation (1.4) (1.7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  dG = -S dT + V dP. We have in equations (1-2), (1-4), (1-6), and (1-7) expressed dU, dH dA, and dG in terms of P, V, T, and S. We know that thermodynamic properties have exact differentials. If a property M is a function of x and y, (1.7a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  M = M(x,y) then a differential change in M, dM, is the sum of the amount that M changes in the interval dx, with y held constant, plus the amount that M changes in the interval dy, with x held constant (see figure 1.1), or (1.8)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  dM = (M/X)y dx + (M/Y)x dy. The terms (M/X)y and (M/Y)x are called partial derivatives of M and dM is called total differential. Equation (6-8) can be written (6.9)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  dM = B dx + C dy, where B and C represent (M/X)y and (M/Y)x respectively.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now equations (1.2), (1.4), (1.6), and (1.7) are total differentials, and have the same form as equation (1.9). By comparison with equations (1.7a), and (1.8), equation (1.2) may be written as   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  dU = (U/S)V dS + (M/V)S dV, form which it follows that   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  T = (U/S)V and P = -(U/V)S In a like manner, from equation (1-4) and (1-2) we obtain (1-10)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  T = (H/S)P = (U/S)V , And from equation ((1-2) and (1-6), (1-11)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  P = -(U/V)S = -(A/V)T and from equation (1-4) and (1-7), (1-12)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   V = (H/P)S = (G/P)T And from equation (1-6) and (1-7),

Basic Problems of Philosophy

â€Å"Aristotle: He argued for the existence of a divine being, described as the Prime Mover, who is responsible for the unity and purposefulness of nature. God is perfect and therefore the aspiration of all things in the world, because all things desire to share perfection. Other movers exist as well—the intelligent movers of the planets and stars (Aristotle suggested that the number of these is either 55 or 47).The Prime Mover, or God, described by Aristotle is not very suitable for religious purposes, as many later philosophers and theologians have observed.Aristotle limited his â€Å"theology,† however, to what he believed science requires and can establish. † Source: Brumbaugh, Robert S. â€Å"Aristotle. † Microsoft Encarta 206 (DVD). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005 This falls under problem number one,† What is the ultimate nature of reality, existence or being. † It is not the perfect one for me. Because it just recognizes that t here is a God, who is the Prime Mover. Everything starts from him, the ultimate nature of reality, and existence. But it does not answer the relationship of God with Man or to each and everyone of us.Other Movers are also recognized, and it confuses the proposal, Aristotle mentions the existence of a divine being, and also other intelligent movers. It did not answer how they relate to each other. Just a mere mentioning of their existence, may not be enough. Somehow, there must be a way in determining their existence and most especially to Man. It must be considered that the existence of Man has never reached a Harmonious level. But instead we are always in trouble, such as anger and hunger are everywhere. Code† 31147726 Basic Problems of Philosophy Page 2Type of order: Research paper Deadline: March 18, 2007 5:35 2. According to Socrates, the principal speaker in The Republic, an ideal state would consist of three classes. The Philosopher-Kings would exercise political power i n the service of justice and wisdom; the soldiers would protect the state as a means of acquiring honor; and the civilian population would provide for the material needs of society. A large part of The Republic is devoted to a detailed presentation of the rigorous intellectual training of future rulers.This section also contains a fundamental analysis of metaphysical and scientific thought. The government of the state acts to enforce the virtue, and consequently the true happiness, of the individual citizen, and an ordrerly and productive public life is the result. Criticizing the doctrines of atheism and materialism, Plato reaffirmed his idealistic position and asserted this belief in the moral government of the universe and the immortality of the soul. Source: â€Å"Republic (literature). † Microsoft Encarta 2006 (DVD). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005.This is about problem number 2 and three. (3) Ethics, answering such questions as: How do we determine the basis fo r making moral judgments such as, this action was right and that wrong? (4) Logic, answers questions as: How should society be organized? What should be the relationship between the Government and the People? This is almost what we have today, a democratic government. Generally good, as long as the Philosopher-kings will be righteous ( I think this is equivalent to our president and the congress now. ) Because they are in power, or the one who rule. But when they becomeCode: 31147726 Basic Problems of Philosophy Page 3 Type of order: Research paper Deadline: March 18, 2007 5:35 cruel and corrupt, the government or the Republic will be in trouble. Probably this is Plato’s greatest contribution to mankind. This is an exact example of how society should be organized and managed. The relationship between the government and the people, may not be perfect but at least law and order is establish. Because a decent life is offered to ordinary folks and they have a good chance of contr ibuting their talents for a better government and society.Ethics and Logic goes together, in such a way as how the government will deal with its people, there must be moral values and judgment such as to get the support, respect and most of all the trust of the people. That will be a healthy relationship. 3 â€Å"Anselm:Scholastic thought was less interested in discovering new facts and principles than in demonstrating the truth of existing beliefs. Its method was therefore dialectical (based upon logical argument), and its intense concern with the logic of argument led to important developments in logic as well as theology.The Scholastic philosopher Saint Anselm of Canterbury adopted Augustine’s view of the complimentary relation between faith and reason and combined Platonism with Christian theology. Supporting the Platonic theory of ideas, Anselm argued in favor of the separate existence of universals, or common properties of things—the properties Avicenna had call ed essences. He thus established the position of logical realism—an assertion that universals and other ideas exist independently of our awareness of them—on one of the most vigorously disputed issues of medieval philosophy. † Source: Carpenter, Andrew N.â€Å"Western Philosophy. † Code: 31147726 Basic Problems of Philosophy Page 4 Type of order: Research paper Deadline: March 18, 2007 5:35 Microsoft Encarta 2006 (DVD). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation 2005 (2) Epistemology, answering such questions as what does it means to know something? What is the difference between knowledge, belief, faith, absolute certainty and so on? I believe in the separate existence of universals or common properties of things. —an assertion that universals and other ideas exist independently of our awareness of them.It is my personal view that knowledge is another thing while faith must be different. Since when talking about knowledge, it starts from the mind and to be implemented physically, so its nature will be more materialistic. While Faith is another thing in a sense that it may not be necessarily materialistic, example is in the belief of God, whom we cannot see nor touch but just the strong belief and faith goes along with it. For me, when considering absolute certainly, it has something to do with our materialism and our materialistic society. Such as, when you throw a stone, it is certain that will go back to the ground, at a certain distance.While faith is more of the mind, never physical. The relationship with belief is that it may not be necessarily logical or scientific but you still believe on it. Faith is beyond reason. 4. â€Å"Aquinas: The subject treated in Aristotle’s Metaphysics (substance, causality, the nature of being, and the existence of God fixed the content of metaphysical speculations for centuries. Among the medieval Scholastic philosophers, metaphysics was known as the â€Å"transphysical science† on the assumption that, by means of it, the scholar Code: 31147726 Basic Problems of Philosophy Page 5Type of order: Research paper Deadline: March 18, 2007 5:35 philosophically could make the transition from the physical and theologians St. Thomas Aquinas declared that the cognition of God, through a casual study of finite sensible beings, was the aim of metaphysics. With the rise of scientific study in the 16th century the reconciliation of science and faith in God became an increasingly important problem. † Source: â€Å"Metaphysics† Microsoft Encarta 2006 (DVD). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005 (2) Epistemology, answering such questions as what does it means to know something?What is the difference between knowledge, belief, faith, absolute certainty and so on? Though, I don’t consider this proposal as the exact points of Aquinas. Because when talking about God, Truly it is not only faith but absolutely about the exact opposite of materialism. So, faith is not enough either, but you shall live with it. And that must be impossible in our materialistic society now. One example is, can you live without money? I stand that God and science are the exact opposite. My proposal is, â€Å"why look for food when the Omnipotent Being already provided us everything.† And when you say, so many are hungry†¦. blame Yourself, Man or Us. 5. Discartes: The most famous exponent of dualism was the French philosopher Rene’ Descartes, who maintained that body and mind are radically different entities and that they are only fundamental substances in the universe. Dualism, however, does now show how there basic entities are connected. Source: â€Å"Metaphysics. † Microsoft Encarta 2006 (DVD). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005. Code: 31147726 Basic Problems of Philosophy Page 6Type of order: Research paper Deadline: March 18, 2007 5:35 (1) What is the ultimate nature of reality, existence, or being. (2) Epistemology, answer ing such questions as what does it mean to know something? What is the difference between knowledge, belief, faith absolute certainty and so on? Both of these problems may not be the exact points of Dualism. Since the body, or the physical composition of man is like any material objects. While in the mind, where knowledge and faith resides, it is not material, I mean you cannot see or touch them. And I believe that is the â€Å"True Knowledge†.Descartes got it right, that body and mind are radically different entities. I believe that it is not only ideas or anything else which comes out of the mind, because it is a lot more. Such as no matter how scientist work for years to duplicate the human brain, I believe it is a useless endeavor because success is impossible. Because God is deep within us, and nobody could copy our Creator, the Omnipotent Being. You may create duplicates, but it is only physically and never the inside, because the Truth is in there†¦and it is not m ade of anything material. 6. Lucretius:He is an exponent of Classical Materialism.There are other more recent schools of metaphysics, which also versions of materialism. Although classical materialism seems at times naive in its scientific outlook, it is not altogether out of date. Classical Materialism is the standard variety of atomic materialism- the view that all that exist if composed of matter, matter is constituted by combination or juxtapositions of ultimate particles, which are called atoms and are solid, indestructible, ever-lasting, and Code: 31147726 Basic Problems of Philosophy Page 7Type of order: Research paper Deadline: March 18, 2007 5:35 indivisible; and-for Lucretius-all there is in the universe is just matter, and empty space or vacuity. (1) What is the ultimate nature of reality, existence, or being? If Lucretius call it as Classical Materialism, I believe that is the same thing with the nature of reality, existence, or being. Since the Truth must be indestructi ble, ever-lasting and indivisible. But I wonder why he called it as Classical Materialism, since it might be the exact opposite of materialism. Because a wooden chair.Will have the atoms of a wood and no longer a chair, same thing also with a chair made of steel. And the human body after all is composed of its smallest parts the atoms of water? And who put them together to become what we are now, a human being. My answer is the Energy coming from a divine source, the Creator. Who knows absolutely and exactly who we are, male or female. Is it the same energy that binds this smallest particles together to form a certain entity, is the atoms we know today the smallest or is there something else much smaller than the atoms.Such that, it is not these atoms which matter but the energy that will combine or bind them together to create objects or materials. What is that energy all about. Where it came from, I believe it is an energy coming from an Omnipotent Being Lucretius only mentioned a bout the atoms, but matter cannot be formed with a single atom, it must be more than one and bound together at a certain energy. And what kind of energy is it, is it inherent between the atoms combining together. But I believe that energy comes from an Omnipotent Being and not from anything else.