The wax argument and its purpose

Rene Descartes is a famous French philosopher whose ideas and considerations are prominent, and they are studied up to now. Some of the ideas are controversial. There are a lot of different theories considered by Rene Descartes. However, the wax argument is one of the most contentious and discussed issues.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The wax argument and its purpose specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is essential to consider the way of thinking Descartes applies to when trying to understand the nature of the wax argument and its importance. Using wax as the object for reflection and consideration, Descartes has concluded that to judge an issue one is to reject thinking about its properties at the moment and to rely only on his/her deduction and mind. Feelings and perception of the aspects prevent a person from an objective consideration of the issue. Emotions are also extra in this case. Thus, to create an u nbiased opinion about a problem all the perceptions and feelings are to be removed. Trying to follow the way of thinking Descartes applied to, the following process may be considered. Descartes has taken a piece of wax, and he has listed its main characteristics. Having considered the shape, texture, size, color, smell and other features of the wax, Descartes has created a particular point of view about the piece of wax, however, after he melted this piece another substance was seen. It is essential to understand that this melted piece of wax was the same piece. However, its shape, texture, size, color, and smell changed. This is the main idea of the wax argument Rene Descartes has presented. To measure an object (wax in this case), Descartes recommends not to shift to the perceptions, feelings, and emotions; deductive method is to be used to consider the issue. Following the way of thinking Descartes applied to while concluding the deduction use only while making decisions about th e object qualities, the following data is to be considered. Having melted the piece of wax, it has lost all its initial conditions. However, it remains the same wax. Therefore, thinking about wax, people are not to refer to their sensory abilities. Descartes refers to wax as to something more extended, such as space. Moreover, a piece of wax may come through many changes a person may not be aware. However, it remains that piece of wax. Therefore, the wax is perceived through personal understanding. Finally, when people say that they â€Å"see† the wax, they usually judge through understanding what they see (Lacewing 235).Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, the main conclusion Descartes comes to is that â€Å"when we perceive an object like the piece of wax, there is an act of judgment involved in our perception. I do not see the piece of wax – I infer that it i s there from appearances provided by my sense† (in Morton 74). Thus, such consideration is referred to as a wax argument. When people are to consider an object, they are to frustrate from the perception of this object, think objectively and discuss the fundamental characteristics of it. There are three primary purposes of the wax argument presented by Descartes. The wax argument â€Å"serves as an argument for rationalism and, by implication, nativism†, â€Å"it serves as the first sketch of Descartes’ reasoning and theory regarding the nature of corporeal and non-corporeal substance†, and â€Å"it serves as an argument that, contrary to common sense, the mind is known better than the body† (Graziano 1). These purposes help us consider the main metaphysical categories wax argument is applied to, modal properties, numerical identity, and substance-things. It should be concluded that each object has at least one feature when considering the properties of an object. People are unable to know about each property an object may have under various conditions. However, the basic knowledge about an object helps him/her identify it under the diverse influence. The numerical identity of objects refers to the different ways of identification, numerical and qualitative. Finally, substance-things category relates to the properties of an object which may be a collection of coexisting properties and the predicted ones (Graziano 3). Descartes uses the wax argumentation in consideration of God as an existing creation. A philosopher applies this theory trying to explain that it does not matter that we are unable to see God; we understand that God exists. The perception is reduced to a minimum, and only the deduction is to be applied while considering this issue. This trust in the things which are not absolutely certain is the central theme of Descartes and his philosophy. When applying to the wax issue, in this case, the philosopher tries to pro ve that it is possible to trust in God without having any visual support as trying to visualize God we apply to our perception which is not necessary in case of wax argumentation. This is one of the main characteristic features of the wax argument. It teaches people not to see the object but to consider it the way one understands. Returning to the discussion of wax as a piece, the following data should be mentioned. A philosopher tries to show us that a personal vision of wax is what important in comparison with wax as an object which is seen. Personal consideration is the primary purpose of wax argument.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The wax argument and its purpose specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People should be able to get the main idea of an issue no matter what conditions the problem is at the moment. Each person applies to experience he/she has in the question of personal understanding of the objects a nd their qualities. It is essential to see the piece of wax even when it is melted and to be aware of its initial qualities. Therefore, considering the main idea of the Descartes’ wax argument and its implementation into practice, the following statement should be referred to, â€Å"I now know that even bodies are not strictly perceived by the senses or the faculty of imagination but by the intellect alone and that this perception derives not from their being touched or seen but from their being understood† (Descartes 22). The human mind works so actively that when we see an object, we can consider its main properties no matter under which conditions an object has appeared. The human brain is unique. People can perceive objects as they are and to consider them in their initial appearance. People are able to consider the main properties essential for a particular object when treating various objects. The main idea of the wax argument is that people usually use their min d to treat an object and to define its characteristics and only when they refer to perception trying to identify the conditions which have affected it. Works Cited Descartes, Renà ©. Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy: With Selections from the Objections and Replies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Print. Graziano, Richard G. Descartes’ wax argument for the sum res cogitans. 2011. 28 Sept. 2012. PDF File. Retrieved from https://cla.calpoly.edu/ Lacewing, Michael. Revise Philosophy for AS Level. New York: Taylor Francis, 2007. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Morton, Peter. A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind, second edition: Readings with Commentary. New York: Broadview Press, 2010. Print. This essay on The wax argument and its purpose was written and submitted by user Matilda Flores 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.

Dystopic Literally Traditoin Essay Example

Dystopic Literally Traditoin Essay Example Dystopic Literally Traditoin Essay Dystopic Literally Traditoin Essay A dystopia is an often futuristic society that has degraded into a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian. Dystopian literature has underlying cautionary tones. Dystopian settings are often distinguished by authoritarian or totalitarian forms of government, and feature different kinds of repressive social control systems. A lack or absence of individual freedoms and expressions are common within the genre, as is warfare and violence. BioShock is a first-person shooter video game developed by Irrational Games (at the time, named 2K Boston), and published by 2K Games.Bioshock fits the description of what one would typically expect from a dystopic body of work. In dystopian visions articulated at the beginning of the twenty-first century, one can observe a tendency to approach biotechnology as implicating the threat of post-humanity, and Bioshock uses the video game medium to explore these dystopic implications. One of the most prolific lines within the game is A Man Chooses, A Slave Obeys. This line is said by Andrew Ryan, the game’s antagonist. He was a business magnate from the 1940s and 1950s who sought to avoid scrutiny from governments and other oversight by constructing an underwater city.In doing so he would escape from moral boundaries and fundamental rights, and so the city of Rapture was born. However, when Ryan’s vision for a utopia in Rapture collapsed into dystopia, he hid himself away and used armies of mutilated drug-addicted humans to defend himself and fight those who chose to resist him. Similarly, a band by the name of Godspeed you! Black Emperor’ aimed to emulate a dystopic environment through their music. Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a Canadian post-rock band. Their track The Dead Flag Blues aims to encapsulate and provoke an emotional response from the listener.The song begins with an ominous introduction. Back by a chilling string melody, the speaker describes a derelict city in where a corrupt government brainwashes drugged civilians. The introduction is followed by the sounds of a train and high-volume suspended noise. This eventually develops into a Western-themed melody, and is capped off by an upbeat section which includes glockenspiel, violin, and slide guitar. The solemn beauty and decaying rhythm are designed to generate and emotional response from the listener. Akin to other pieces following the dystopian literary tradition Godspeed you!Black Emperor utilizes it’s medium to project a warning message, as is shown in the attached lyrics: The car is on fire, and theres no driver at the wheel, and the sewers are all muddied with a thousand lonely suicides, and a dark wind blows. Dystopic themes are being alluded to through the text. Godspeed you! Black Emperor refers to society is referred to as car; this car is being devoured by a symbolic fire representing greed. Without a driver behind the wheel, the fire cannot be extinguished- the flames shall surely consume the vehicle, and the car shall surely crash and kill all those around it.Similarity, a modern sewer is designed to pump filth away from an area. However, the startling lack of generosity caused by the thousand lonely suicides has blocked the sewers; it is implied that there is now no way to escape the film of modern life. The dark wind’ implies a complete disintegration of integrity; it is an omen for a bleak future. The government is corrupt, and were on so many drugs with the radio on and the curtains drawn. The government’s lack of integrity and interests are presented to the listener.Everyone is on drugs which have been sold to them for obscene profit by corporations because of government manipulation. The people close their windows, though which they might get a clear view of the world, and allow the radio to distract them from society’s imminent downfall. A corrupt government is common sight within traditional dystopian texts; Godspeed you! Black Emperor has used this to their advantage. Were trapped in the belly of this horrible machine and the machine is bleeding to death. The sun has fallen down and the billboards are all leering, and the flags are all dead at the top of their poles.It went like this: The buildings tumbled in on themselves; mothers clutching babies picked through the rubble and pulled out their hair. The skyline was beautiful on fire, all twisted metal stretching upwards- everything washed in a thin orange haze. I said, Kiss me, youre beautiful- these are truly the last days. You grabbed my hand and we fell into it, like a daydream or a fever. We woke up one morning and fell a little further down for sure its the valley of death. I open up my wallet and its full of blood.

Invisible Cities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Invisible Cities - Essay Example In time, however, Khan realizes that the nonexistent places the traveler speaks of describe, bit by bit, his town of Venice (Calvino et al, 28). The City of Zobeide On a personal note, the most captivatingly described the city in the book is Zobeide. The city of Zobide was the most captivating. Unlike in the description of other cities, Marco Polo not only explains the physical outlay of Zobeide but also tells of its origins. He does so in an imaginative and poetic manner that adds some charisma to the city. The description of Marco Polo concerning the foundation of the city is intriguing. The city was founded by men of different backgrounds who had an identical dream. He explains that each of the men dreamt of a woman running at night in the streets of a city. The woman was naked with long hair and each man desired to have an encounter with her. Every man would chase her through the city’s alleys but would ultimately lose her. When they awoke, the men resolved to travel in se arch of the city in their vision, but never found it. They, however, found each other and decided to build a city similar to the one in the dream. In designing the city’s streets, they arranged the spaces, alleys and walls in a different manner from the dream in order to trap the woman efficiently, and so Zobeide came to be. They settled in it, waiting for the woman to appear in the night, which never happened. Other men arrived into the city, having had the dream of the naked woman and recognized some features in Zobeide that resembled the city of their dreams. For this reason, the arcades and staircases were changed to resemble the woman’s path so as to build her a better trap. The first man, however, could not understand why the rest were drawn to the city as in his eyes, it was ugly (Calvino et al, 157). What is revoking about the description, though, is the fact that it portrays no realistic way of living. It has no real culture, economics or politics. In the narr ation, we are clearly told of the men’s goal and the actions they took towards them; but as for details of how they achieved such, the author keeps us in the dark. The many livelihoods, the governance and interpersonal relations are missed out; components vital in the narration of a city. The narration about the city of Zobeide evokes a feeling of pity from readers towards its occupants. It is sorrowful to read of the trouble the men undergo under the mental imprisonment by the woman in their dream. Additionally, after travelling far and wide, constructing a city and reconstructing it, the men end up disappointed since she never shows up. They are forced to carry on without what seems to be their uttermost desire in life (De, 137). The use of symbolism in the narrative is intriguing. The woman figuratively represents the desire which inspired the creation of Venice. The name Zobeide is also used in another book called Arabian Nights as the name of Caliph Harun al Rashidâ€⠄¢s wife. The woman is used in many works of art to represent desire; which eventually is the building force of societies and history, when bound up with the right amount of power and creativity. The building and rebuilding of Zobeide, as described by Italo, is a metaphor to illustrate human past of semiotic development. Desire provides the desire, then a drive, which produces the impulse to achieve a goal. In spite of the woman being the core reason for the city’

Internet use for business -Chapter 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Internet use for business -Chapter 6 - Essay Example The basic use of internet for businesses is buying and selling of goods and services by creating E-commerce websites to sell their goods from cell phone contacts to CDs and books. Online eliminates the need of business store and in most case no holding an inventory. A business can also buy some items and services, such as bulk-buying or printed materials online by use of internet. Customers purchasing trends and interests are monitored by business owners on the internet. To find out what people think every day about a particular goods or service, owners of business can visit message boards and online networking sites. Feedback on this enables the business owners to improve on their products , for example, business owners can find out what car enthusiasts wants by visiting car forums or use internet to connect and communicate with the customers on websites. Businesses also use internet to discover new customers through advertising online. Internet enables the advertisers to reach possible customers quickly and efficiently. Pay-pr click advertisements are circulated on internet search engines and websites, to allow owners of the business to reach the potential customers using search terms allied to their business. The affordability and reach of internet advertising makes even smallest business owners in a position to compete with big businesses. When economic conditions get worse, IT must continue to perform at the same level with little money and fewer resources, all while IT remaining compliant. For the IT managers to get the visibility they need to: Internet has enhanced practices like telephone marketing and other support services like fax, direct sells among others. These are ways which facilitates relations in the industries and allow smooth movement of information among people. For example, lowering of prices to attract more customers can be advantageous for a short period of time before the

Mooting Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mooting Assessment - Essay Example The event was to be a charity fundraiser involving fun and frivolity and for this reason the respondent, Kaboom Ltd were hired to provide a Bulldozer along with a driver who will give rides to children around the ground. Unfortunately on the day of the carnival, the Bulldozer driver, Dave had been under the influence when driving the Bulldozer and consequently lost control of the vehicle. This accident claimed the lives of many people and some of them incurred serious injuries as well. My appellant, Ms. Muddleton, was the passenger on the Bulldozer and though she was physically unscathed, but my Lordship, she had the misfortune of witnessing this horrific incident and now suffers from a psychological condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ms. Muddleton’s condition is characterized by acute anxiety and is further distressed by flashbacks of the event, causing her to relive the experiences over and over again, because of negligence on part of Dave, who was under Kaboom Ltd’s employment, which automatically holds the company liable as well for the damage and destruction caused by Dave. Order of Argument: - Now my Lordship and my distinguished friend opposite may apply the principles established in the case of Joel v Morrison, reported in 1834 that deems Dave’s actions as ‘Going on a frolic of his own’ thereby exonerating the respondent from taking responsibility for this unfortunate incident. However, I would like to make a submission of the same case principles, according to which the employer is also held liable for a tort of an employee as long as it was carried out in the process of the employment. The accident occurred in course of Dave’s duty to his employer, Kaboom Ltd; he broke a solemn traffic rule and was heavily intoxicated while operating the vehicle that ultimately led to this catastrophe and caused the appellant great psychiatric harm. The principles established by the Salmond Test further reiterate my claims, according to which the tort of an employee is the result of authorization from the employer’s side. I do agree that Dave did not have any sort of authorization from the respondent, but that still fails to vindicate them for as per the Close Connections Test, the employee; in this case Dave’s tort is closely related to his employment, which automatically holds the employer, Kaboom Ltd vicariously liable for their employee’s action. In further support of my submission, I would like your Excellency to turn his/her attention to the case of English v. Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co Ltd. Which came to light in the year 1937 and its details can be found in the parliamentary archives of the United Kingdom House of Lords Decisions. Would your Excellency benefit from a brief summary of the said case? [Let Lordship reply with a yes] The case involved Mr. English, who was under the employment of Wilson & Clyde Co. Ltd. The appellant in this case lost his life in the pro cess of repairing an airway and naturally his death was deemed as being a result of his own negligence by his employers. Mr. English’s family contested this claim of the employer’s and later on it was nullified by the distinguished House of Lords, who stated that a negligence on part of the employee is to be the employer’s responsibility. The binding contract between the employee and the employer is such that it holds the latter liable for the former’

The Tragedy By Pablo Picasso

The Tragedy By Pablo Picasso The Tragedy by Pablo Picasso was painted in 1903 in Barcelona, Spain (nga.gov). The piece was constructed by oil on wood. It stands at 41 7/16 x 27 3/16 inches (nga.gov). The time at which The Tragedy was created is known as Picassos blue period. At this time he was dealing with the recent suicide of his close friend Carlos Casagemas (Artist Pablo Picasso). The blue period was defined by gloomy and depressive subject matter, and an overuse of blue colors. Both of these characteristics are evident in The Tragedy. The scene in the painting is that of a middle aged man, a woman, and a young boy standing on a shoreline. The scene is dark blue and gloomy which helps to create an overwhelming feeling of sadness evident in the painting. The three of them are position at an angle from the viewer and the woman stands with her back to the viewer. Their body language tells us of stress and depression. Picasso provided little detail to the sky or ocean, both of which are blue. The dark sand also lacks detail and has been mixed with shades of blue. The bodies and clothes of the people are the only detailed parts of the work. This was done to make sure that the viewer knows the importance of the piece is human emotion. The three of them are without shoes, and their clothes are dark in color suggesting that they are wet. Picasso mostly used line and color to complete the visual elements of The Tragedy. The colors of the blue period reflected the depression of his own life into his art. This is especially true in this work. The lines in this piece are mostly vertical. Most are a part of the makeup of the people. Two strong vertical lines outline the woman and one strong vertical line holds up the right side of the man. Other vertical lines make up the remainder of the man and also the boy. These types of lines are also very emphasized in the makeup of their clothes. One strong horizontal line separates the water from the sky. The strong horizontal line helps to balance the painting which is mostly dominated by vertical lines. The work is mostly still with slight motion apparent where the water meets the shore. Picasso used several white, flowing lines to represent this motion. Otherwise the ocean and the sky are calm and still. The painting is not quite symmetrical. The woman stands to one side of the scene, and the boy and man to the other. Though this would seem to set the piece off balance, Picasso did a great job of keeping the work very well balanced through the use of color and line. The scale of the people in comparison to the water and sky is not well proportioned. The people almost seem too big for the scene. Though this is so, I believe it is an effect used to again show the focus of humans and their emotion to this work. The deep blues of this art is what caught my eye. When I saw this piece I knew I needed to know the story. After some research on the piece I feel as though the story Picasso is telling us is still unknown. Perhaps he wanted the individual viewer to interpret the story in their own way. One review on the work (The Artist Pablo Picasso) suggested that the man, woman, and boy are a family. This review suggests that the family is not stranded on the beach as many would assume at first look, but rather that they are a homeless family who live on or near this beach. The reviewer says that the way the family stands suggests this possibility. He argues that the family seems familiar with the area and stands aloof as if in deep thought rather than looking as though they are distraught and confused as they would if they were lost. A second review of the work written by Jon Corey suggests that guilt is a main theme in the work. He says that multiple characteristics of the mans posture suggest that he is the guilty party. These characteristics include a dropped head and one foot a step back from the other. He says that the body language of the woman implies that she is the one who reprimands the man. Corey also suggests that the three subjects are not a family. This is illustrated through the distance between the three of them. We assume that if they were a family there would be a stronger feeling of connectedness between the three of them. Although I agree more with the latter analysis of the work, Corey does not tell us his view of where the three of them came from. In my personal opinion I think that the three of them did come from the sea, but like Corey I do not think they are a family. They all look cold and wet as if they had just washed ashore. I feel that that they are the only three survivors of a ship that capsized. Perhaps guilt is a theme of the piece in that they feel guilty of being the only survivors. Blue is my favorite color, and though it represents sadness especially in this particular work, I am still very drawn to it. I think that the mysteriousness of the work also draws me in. I am not typically a fan of Picasso, but I like this piece. It is something that I would have in my own home if given the chance. I am still interested to know if there was an intended story behind the work or if it was simply meant for me to tell my own. Works Cited Artist Pablo Picasso, The. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.theartistpablopicasso.com/pablo- picasso-painting-tragedy.htm (2010, April 21). Corey, Jon. (2007, November 13). Art History. Retrieved from: http://quazen.com/arts/art-history/pablo-picassos (2010, April 21). National Gallery of Art. (2010). Pablo Picassos The Tragedy: Metamorphosis of a Painting. Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/feature/picasso/index.shtm (2010, April 20). Claude Monet: The Japanese Footbridge 1899 Claude Monet was a French artist who lived from 1840 until 1926. This painting titled The Japanese Footbridge was completed in 1899. The piece is a scene from his own water garden at Giverny (nga.gov). The scene was recreated by him over 250 times during the later half of his life. He became so obsessed with painting this particular scene that eventually became the only topic of his works (nga.gov). There are multiple other works by Monet with same or similar titles and content. This piece is 32 x 40in and was created by oil on canvas (nga.gov). Monet was a major part of the impressionism movement. The term impressionism was actually an insult made toward a work by Monet (Frank 366). The term stuck and the movement grew. The focus of these artists was landscapes, seasons, and time of day. The impressionist wanted to portray what the eye actually sees rather than what the mind knows (Frank 365). From this movement The Japanese Footbridge was created. The painting depicts a stream surround by very tall and thick grass. The stream is covered in light pink lily pads. The water is not clear, but rather emphasizes the reflection of the grass surrounding it. As an impressionist piece the colors are not separated, but instead meshed together making a less vivid image of the scene. Starting the bottom of the work you see the scene as if from almost eye level with the water. At the top of the canvas a blue-gray bridge crosses the stream leading to either side of the grassy banks. There are trees in the background giving us a sense that the stream winds out of view. Like most of Monets work and that of other impressionist there is very little to the scene. The bridge, water, grass, lily pads, and background of trees complete the scene giving us no view of the sky or what lies to either side of the stream. The visual elements of the work give the viewer a feeling of peace when viewing the painting. The lines are soft and curved. The curve of the bridge is the most prominent line in the work. The soft yet bold line of the bridge combined with its blueish-gray color sets the mood for the viewer. Although it is a peaceful scene, the balance of the color scheme sets the mood to neither happy nor sad. The dark greens and blues contrast the light pinks and white. The scene is very still which also helps the viewer to feel at peace. There is no recognizable notion to movement of the water leading us to believe it is either a still stream or a very slow moving one. This lack of notion makes me feel as though time is standing still in the painting. The center of the work is light in contrast to heavy. The heaviness or mass in the piece is focused in the background and to the sides. This mass is concentrated in the thick forest of tress in the background and the overgrown grass to the sides. The focus of light (color) is on the bridge. In a few spots on what we see as the front of the bridge the color is very light blue. It almost does not match the rest of the bridge. Monet used this to give the illusion that the sun is reflecting off the bridge. Knowing that time of day was important to his work, I must conclude that this is a scene at either sunset or sunrise. The painting is almost perfectly symmetrical. The stream runs directly through the center of the work dividing the two grassy banks into two small equal proportions. The way the water winds smoothly around the lily pads leads the eye to the trees of the background. In this background there is a dark spot in the trees that falls in the center of the work. This spot helps to divide the work to be even more symmetrical. The bridge railings were positioned just enough off center to prevent the work from being perfectly symmetrical, but the work is still very well balanced. A reflection of the bridge falls in the bottom of the painting extending the balance from not only left to right but also top to bottom. With the reflection of the bridge Monet makes it clear to us that this is a wooden bridge by revealing the bottom of the bridge in the reflection. In the reflection we see brown that we do not see if the actual bridge. I have found from this class that I enjoy impressionism more than any other types of art. I cannot say that this is my favorite piece by Monet since I favor the work Impression: Sunrise as one of my favorite works of art in general, but I do like The Japanese Footbridge. I like the serenity of the scene and I love the bridge. I think the things I do not like about the painting are the view and the colors. I feel a little trapped in the small scene Monet provides for us and I want to be able to see what lies outside of what he is allowing us to see. I also find the colors a little dull. Like all artists I am sure he had a purpose in choosing his colors, but something a little brighter would have made the piece better for me. Even the use of more light could have brightened it up just enough to take away that neutral feeling of neither happiness nor sadness. Over all I think it is a good painting. He used the visual element and the principles of design in a way to make the piece easy o n the eye and enjoyable to look at. Works Cited Frank, P. (2009). Prebles Artforms. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. National Gallery of Art. (2010). The Collection. Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg85/gg85-74796.html (2010, April 19). The Shipwreck By Claude Joseph Vernet Claude Joseph Vernet was a French painter in the eighteenth century. He was the most famous water and landscape artist of his time (nga.gov). He was well known for portraying weather and time of day in his work (nga.gov). Most of his pieces included scenes of either rain, lightning, clouds, moonlight, sunset, storms or a combination of these subjects (nga.gov). He Specialized in [these] stormy seascapes, often depicting sailing vessels in distress (nga.gov). Vernets painting The Shipwreck is an example of one of these specialized seascapes. The piece is 44 ÃÆ'- 64 inches and was created with the use of oil on canvas. The scene in The Shipwreck is that of a ship being washed under by massive waves. The ship has approached the beach, and the few remaining on board are just seconds from either safety or disaster. Most passengers have made it to the safety of the beach and are frantically watch as the ship is overcome with water. The wind is so powerful that the sail of the ship is being pulled inland and is running almost parallel to the beach. Those who have escaped the sinking ship have done so by climbing down the ropes of the sail and dropped safely off the rope and onto the beach. The survivors stand holding ropes of the sail in what looks to be an attempt to stabilize the ship just long enough for the remaining passengers to escape via this route. Two people hang from the ropes of safety as though debating when to let go and make the fall to land. A person on the beach stands beneath them with their arms raised as to say Jump and I will catch you. Four people have made it to the top of the sail and are approaching the safety of the ropes. Another person climbs the sail in an effort to reach the top and make his way down the rope. One last person can be seen on the deck of the ship. His back is to us as he leans over the side of the ship that is yet to go under. He leans hard. It makes the viewer ask if the man is on his way overboard or if he is his last attempts to reach out for someone who has already gone overboard. To the right a person is stranded on a boulder that lines the beach. To the left another bolder strands two more people. Behind these two people a huge wave crashes against the tall rock shore line. In the front left hand corner a group of people have made it away from the crashing shore and to a safer place. Three of them attend to a limp woman who seems to be injured or even unconscious. Another man in this area rolls a barrel up the beach to a safer place. In the back ground another ship can be seen. It also looks as though it too will soon be taken by the storm. Atop the tall rocky shoreline a castle can be seen in the distance. Vernet used lightening from the storm to create light in this piece. A huge diagonal streak of lightening hangs in the sky just above the second ship. The sky is lit in pink around the lightening while the rest of the sky is covered in dark, stormy grays and blues. The lightening streak has a sharp line that shows its strength and assertiveness in the sky. This line points directly to a city in the background of the painting. The city is lit by the lightening in a warm pink. The warmth of the city symbolized a safe place. It says to the viewer; If only the ship would have washed ashore here, everything would be okay. Vernet used other sharp, assertive lines as well. The mast of the ship which hangs over the beach holds a sharp line that points toward the upper left hand side of the painting. The eye follows this line upward and to a broken tree branch that hangs in the rocks of the shore. Vernet used color to show us that this tree has recently been broken in the midst of the storm. The remaining tree limbs blow hard to the left indicating the direct of the overpowering wind. From there the eye is caught by the white of a breaking wave against a dark background. This is when the two people stranded on the boulder are noticed. From the boulder the eye is taken by horizontal lines of the waves of the sea and carried over to the sinking ship. This is when the viewer takes more detail to deck of the ship. From here the viewer is also made aware of a man stranded on a second boulder. Line and color are the strongest visual elements in this piece. Though line plays a great role in the flow of the work, I feel that Vernets use of color is what made the painting great to me. The dark sky is lit by the lightening in a pinkish orange. This color is reflected on the city in the background. Above the city the sky is purple. The purple blends into a dark blue and grays which then become lighter blue in spots above the ship. These lighter blue spots were used to portray the sun that is hidden behind the dark, stormy clouds. The portrayal of the sun is also evident on the beach. In the area that is the focus of the piece, the sun shines down and lights the people. The sand here is lighter, and the ocean is green in this area rather than blue. In the sky above this area a break in the clouds reveals the blue sky. This is where the sunlight is coming from. I think the use of light here gives the viewer a sense of hope, and the knowing that these people will survive. In contr ast to these people, the last man aboard the deck of the ship is very dark. A small area of light reflects of his back just enough to make him noticeable. I feel that this man was painted in dark colors to portray his fate of not surviving this shipwreck. The color and the seascape is what made me choice this painting. I love the blues, greens, and purples of the piece, and water is my favorite subject when it comes to art. After close attention to the detail of this piece I respect it in a different way. The symbolism of light and dark in this painting is beautiful. I have never really thought of art in that sense until now. It has opened my eyes to how perfectly the visual elements can be manipulated to create something meaningful. Works Cited Claude Joseph Vernet: The Shipwreck. (2010). Retrieved from the National Gallery of Art website: http://www.nga.gov/feature/artnation/vernet/index.shtm. (2010, April 24). Vincent van Goghs Girl in White After research on Starry Night by van Gogh, I have taken interest in him. I wanted to research another piece by him so I choose Girl in White. I choose this piece for two reasons. The first reason was because I wanted to study something far different from Starry Night. At first glance of this piece it is easy to see that the content and colors used are considerably different in the two paintings. Secondly, the time at which this was painted is interesting to me. I know that he died in July of 1890 after a self inflicted gun shot wound to the stomach (Life of van Gogh ). Girl in White is dated 1890 (nga.gov) as well, meaning this piece by him was created in the midst of his final emotional breakdown. Girl in White was done in the post-impressionist style which van Gogh is known for. It a 26 1/4 x 18 1/16 inch oil on canvas (nga.gov). The content is exactly what it sounds like it would be. A girl dressed in a white dress stands in the center of the painting. She is surrounded by tall flowers and appears to be standing in the middle of a field. There is little detail to the work. The flowers in the piece hardly even resemble flowers. Van Gogh simply used long, thick brush strokes to represent these flowers. They are slightly off color to the rest of the back ground which makes them more noticeable. He also painted occasional small red circles which represent the buds of the flowers. The girl is dressed in a white dress. To me this dress looks to be a wedding dress, but she wears a large sun hat on her head which means this probably is not a wedding dress. Although titled Girl, this does not look to be a girl, but rather a woman in her mid to late twentys. What little facial features van Gogh did provide make to woman appear to be stressed and unhappy. If this were a young girl I would expect a lighter mood expressed on her face. The lines in the piece are all vertical. The woman appears to be very tall because of the way these lines were used. The long straight lines of her dress, long arms, and near abnormally long hands and fingers make this so. A curved line used in the hat which falls across her forehead helps to break up all the vertical lines. Without this line, the painting would seem too sharp and less appealing to the eye. The placement of the woman on the canvas also gives this vertical appearance. The very bottom of the canvas consists of the lower half of her dress, but her feet are not showing. The upper part contains a small amount of the surrounding field, but the womans hat nearly reaches the top of the canvas. Her body takes up most of the space vertically, yet more of the field is apparent to the left and right of the woman. This combined with many vertical lines emphasizes her appearance of being very tall and thin. Van Gogh used light in an interesting way in this piece. I feel that it is hard to focus on this womans face because it appears dark and shaded from light. Instead the eyes are more drawn to the lighter areas of the woman which focus on her dress around the breast area and lower stomach. I do not know if this was meant to be symbolic of fertility in anyway, but it seems possible. The colors in this piece are plain and far different from a lot of his work toward the end of his life. Van Gogh painted with dull colors in his early works, but had taken a drastic turn in color scheme in his later pieces. I personally feel like this piece is reflective of the emotional pain he was enduring at the time this was created. Since dark colors a usually associated with death and dying, which I believe van Gogh was debating at the time this was created, I feel that the light colors used here represent his peace he associated with no longer being in his cruel world. It is known that van Gogh used color to express emotion in his work and this helps me to draw this unusual conclusion. When I look at this piece and consider the artist, and the year it was created, a story comes to my mind. I do not know if the story I create is anywhere close to the truth. I did not research this piece by van Gogh specifically, instead I wanted to take my own view of it and analyze it without any outside bias. The story I see is that of van Goghs lover after his death. She is dressed in her wedding dress when she hears the news of his death. In deep sorrow she wanders aimlessly into a field. There she stands with no direction of where to go, and the confusion and sadness is shown on her face. The light reflected on her breast and stomach could be symbolic of their plans to have children or symbolize that she is already in the early stages of pregnancy. Works Cited Life and Art of Vincent van Gogh. (March 23, 2010). Retrieved from http://lifeofvangogh.com National Gallery of Art. (2010). The Collection. Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/vangogh/vangogh-46505.html (2010, April 28). Thomas Morans Grand Canyon of Yellowstone Thomas Moran was born in England in 1837. He moved to the United States as a young boy, and grew up in Pennsylvania. Though born in England, he is considered an American artist (nga.gov). The subject of his art was always American landscapes. Grand Canyon of Yellowstone was completed in 1872 and is considered a part of Morans western collection. This painting is said to have launched his career as an artist (nga.gov). Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a landscape scene from Yellow Stone National Park in Wyoming (Smithsonian). The view is from inside of a canyon. The viewer looks out over a ledge and straight ahead to a water fall in the distance. A mist has built up from the fall and it clouds the view. From the mist, the eye catches the blue water of the Yellowstone River (Smithsonian) and carries the viewer back to the ledge. Two people stand in the distance at the edge of the ledge. It is said that one of these two people is Moran himself (nga.gov). Also in the distance what appears to be a horse and people with luggage are making their way up the trail toward to viewer. The viewer is looking west. I think this is important to the work because it symbolizes Morans plans of exploration further west. It is as if he stopped here and took in the view of the direction he was headed. I know that the viewer is looking west because more vegetation is apparent on the right side of the canyon. More vegetati on indicates a northern direction. I know this from personal experience in the western United States. Moran used light to show us how huge the western sky is. He did this by creating large dark and light areas throughout the piece. This is significant because starting with the position of the viewer the ground goes from dark to light, back to dark, and again to light in the far off distance. The first dark area is not as important as the second because it is likely only the shadows of the canyon. The second dark area however is representational of a cloud over head. This is noticeable because of the way the ground is again lighter in the distance. If you have ever experienced the huge western sky this is easy to catch on to. I think Moran did the piece this way because he wanted to include the feeling of the large sky without actually showing it. The view from which the scene is painted does not allow much room for the sky so he had to show its enormousness in a different way. In the far distance above the canyon the land flattens to a plateau. In the even further distance snowcapped mountains can be recognized. This is also another indication that the viewer is looking west and toward the Rocky Mountains. The scale at which Moran painted himself and the other people helps us to grasp the vastness of canyon. They are so small that they are almost not even noticed. This gives the viewer an idea of how huge the canyon really is. Moran was painting for those who had never seen anything like this before, and he wanted them to be ale to feel completely engulfed into the scene as he had felt. I do not feel that Moran did anything too fancy with the piece as far as visual elements are concerned. I think he painted what he saw the way he saw it, and that is what makes it great. I think this is obvious by his use of colors. They consist of dull browns and earth tones. They are not popular or catchy colors that would typically draw you into a painting, but they are the true colors that he saw. Because of this I can appreciate this painting more than any other that I have studied. I know that it is real. There is no underlying meaning or message to be heard. It is just truth. He wanted you to see the canyon as it really is and appreciate its natural beauty. Landscape pieces are my favorite subject in art. I am especially fond of Morans western collection because of my own personal attachment there. I can relate to his art better than any other artist I have studied because I know what he felt when he painted these scenes. I know that I felt the same way the first time I traveled west. It is an indescribable feeling of beauty and you become completely engulfed in to it. To me there is nothing else like it, and I long to be back there almost every day! I am so glad I found this piece because it helps to fill in a little piece of me that is missing.

Prospect of Democracy in Burma Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Prospect of Democracy in Burma The prospect for the development of a democratic state in Burma has recently become a remote possibility. Burma’s military leaders have been holding talks with the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). The dialogue started while Aung San Suu Kyi was still under house arrest. When she was released in 2002, the international community and the people of Burma expected the process to evolve to the next stage – substantive political negotiations. However, the whole process has stalled. Burma’s military remain in control. In justifying the hiatus, the Burmese military leaders engage in various forms of platitudinous rhetoric, carefully designed to obfuscate their totalitarian intent. The theme of this rhetoric is that the country is undergoing a transition toward a multi-party democracy. Burma’s influential intelligence chief, General Khin Nyunt, has warned that â€Å"such a transition cannot be done in haste or in a haphazard manner. The world is full of examples where hasty transition from one system to another led to unrest, instability and even failed states† . However, this linguistic charade is not consistently maintained. Burma’s generals have made disturbing pronouncements that overtly envision a highly compromised, paternalistic democracy. They assert that any democracy in Burma must incorporate ‘Asian values’, and is therefore incompatible with Western models of democracy. The generals have proved recalcitrant in the face of international pressure, and persist with their particularly Burmese variant of democracy. Nyunt recently said that â€Å"The democracy we seek to build may not be identical to the West but it will surely be based on universal principles of liberty, justice and equality†. It is more than likely that Burma’s military rulers are now looking at the Chinese political model as the basis of their new constitution. This rhetoric, centered around various abstractions and elaborations of political vision, is calculated to distract from the decidedly non-democratic Burmese political reality. What has actually been happening is that the country’s top military leader – Senior General Than Shwe – has strengthened his control over both the army and the administrative structure. Ever since the arrest of four members of the former military dictator General Ne Win’s famil... ...ase against the government - without provoking violence - while at the same time cooperating with the generals in a dialogue which recognizes the limitations of its current political potency. Bibliography Evans, George, ‘Human rights in Burma’, Contemporary Review, Oct, 1994, v265, n1545, p178 Jagan, Larry, Burma's opposition slowly rises from ashes http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1885565.stm BBC News. 2002 Jagan, Larry, Junta has little to celebrate http://www.rebound88.net/sp/junta/s14junta-thanshwe.html Bangkok Post, 2002. Jagan, Larry, Deadlock in Burma http://www.himalmag.com/2002/october/burma.htm 2002. Lintner, Bertil, ‘Divide and rule: peace treaties marginalise democracy groups.’ Far Eastern Economic Review, Jan 27, 1994, v157, n4, p20 Linter, Bertil, ‘New camouflage: army maintains tight controls despite election pledge’, Far Eastern Economic Review, May 11, 1989, v144, n19, p32 Maidment, Richard. Goldblatt, David. Mitchell, Jeremy. Governance in the Asia Pacific. Routlage, London, 1998. Seth, Mydans, Burmese General Says Transition to Democracy Will Be Slow. http://www.burmaforumla.org/burmese_general_says_transition_.htm New York Times, 2002.

Understanding The Principles Of Developing Postive Relationships

1. 1:1 Why effective communication is importantWe are more likely to communicate information to one another if we have positive relationships. Parents and other adults who come into the school are more likely to give beneficial support if communication is strong and effective – this, in turn, benefits pupils. It is also important for pupils that we model effective communication skills. This means checking what we are saying sometimes in moments of stress or excitement, so that they can understand what our expectations are in school.If we ask pupils to behave in a particular way when communicating and then forget to do so ourselves, they will find it harder to understand the boundaries of what is acceptable. Effective communication and positive relationships do not happen by chance. You should think about the way you relate to others and the messages that this sends out. In situations where communication breaks down, misunderstandings can lead to bad feeling.1. 1:2 The principl es of relationship buildingThe principles of relationship building with children  and adults in any context are that if others are comfortable in our company, they will be more likely to communicate effectively. Where people do not get along or are suspicious of one another, they are likely to avoid one another wherever possible. Positive relationships are not something which should be left_ to chance and it is important to consider the ways in which we can develop them. We build relationships with others in school on a daily basis in a number of different ways.Although you may do some of these without necessarily thinking  about it, it is worth taking time to consider whether you do all of the following. ? Effective communication – this is the key area for developing relationships with others and also covers many different forms of communication (see below). ? Showing respect – in order to develop positive relationships with others, it is very important to be cour teous and respectful, and to listen to their points of view. Adults and pupils with whom you work may also be from different cultures and have different beliefs or values from your own.You  should ensure that you acknowledge and respect the views of others at all times and take time to remember names and preferred forms of address. ? Being considerate – take the time to consider the positions of others. You may be working with a child or adult who is under particular pressure at a given time and need to understand why they may have behaved or reacted in a certain way or out of character. ? Remembering issues which are personal to them – it will always help to build positive relationships if you enquire a_er particular aspects  of another person’s life – for example, if you know that a colleague is concerned about their child getting into a particular secondary school, or if you are aware that it is a child’s birthday. ?Taking time to listen to others – make sure that you take time to listen to other people, in particular if they are asking for advice or help, or if they need to confide in you. You should always show that you are interested in what they have to say and respond appropriately. ? Being clear on key points – when you have conversations with others in which you are giving  them information, you should always ensure that they are clear what you have said at the end of the discussion. This is because it can be easy to be distracted from the main point of the conversation. When talking to children, always ask them to repeat back to you what they need to do. ? Maintaining a sense of humour – although the nature of our work in school is important, we should also sometimes take time to see the funny side of different situations. Laughter can be a good icebreaker and is also a great way of relaxing and relieving stress.

A Quiz About Missing Connections

A Quiz About Missing Connections A Quiz About Missing Connections A Quiz About Missing Connections By Mark Nichol Writing is often compromised by a writer’s failure to think a sentence through to its logical conclusion. Often, along the way, a small but crucial word or phrase is omitted that leaves a gap in a parallel construction, thereby contributing to the reader’s confusion. In each sentence below, determine the missing element, then check my revisions at the bottom of the page to see how our solutions compare: 1. â€Å"The corporation runs hydropower plants from Maine to Montana.† 2. â€Å"Because Martinez was so young, it was natural to compare his potential with Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax.† 3. â€Å"If she could, she would travel to Saturn to see the rings as well as other galaxies to see if there is life elsewhere.† 4. â€Å"Remember the sixties dream of an entire meal served in a pill, like the Jetsons?† 5. â€Å"The practice field utilizes the same dirt on the warning track as the team’s home stadium.† Answers and Explanations 1. The impression is that the plants are somehow interconnected in a continuous string from one state to the next, rather than that the plants can be found in various states in and between the two states mentioned. Complete the thought with the addition of a phrase that clarifies that the plants are located intermittently and eliminates the possible misapprehension: â€Å"The corporation runs hydropower plants in many parts of the country, from Maine to Montana.† 2. The comparison should not be described as the one between Martinez’s potential and Sandy Koufax; it should be between the respective potentials of the two men. That distinction is clarified by the addition of two words that indicate the true parallel relationship: â€Å"Because Martinez was so young, it was natural to compare his potential with that of Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax.† 3. As written, the sentence suggests that the subject desires to travel to Saturn to see two features the planets rings and other galaxies – both for the purposes of determining whether life exists elsewhere besides Earth. But the two things she wishes to experience are Saturn’s rings and other galaxies and only in the latter case because she’s curious about the possible existence of extraterrestrial life. This significant misunderstanding is due to one small but important omission: The sentence is missing a preposition before the reference to other galaxies that parallels the one before â€Å"Saturn to see the rings†: â€Å"If she could, she would travel to Saturn to see the rings, as well as to other galaxies to see if there is life elsewhere.† 4. This sentence implies that the Jetsons constituted an entire meal served in a pill. However, the writer is referring to a futuristic idea reminiscent of something that might have appeared, or perhaps did appear, in the 1960s animated television series The Jetsons referring to the program, not the family featured in it and that’s what the sentence should indicate: â€Å"Remember the sixties dream of an entire meal served in a pill, as in The Jetsons?† 5. The suggestion here is that the dirt on the warning track at the practice field is dug up and deposited in the home stadium and that it is shuttled back and forth repeatedly. What the writer means is that the dirt on the practice field’s warning track and the dirt on the home stadium’s warning track are from the same source. This fact must be explicated in such detail, including specifying that the dirt in question at the home stadium is to be found not just generally within the structure, but, more precisely, on its warning track: â€Å"The practice field utilizes the same type of dirt on the warning track as that found on the perimeter of the team’s home stadium.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?8 Types of Parenthetical Phrases5 Keys to Better Sentence Flow

Re-examining the Decline of Spain essays

Re-examining the Decline of Spain essays Richard Kagan writes in his insightful article, Prescotts Paradigm that Spanish history is often overshadowed by historians fixation on the decline of Spain. While some of the prejudice could originally be ascribed to anti-Catholicism and racism, most modern historians have managed to overcome the worst of these biases. However, there are still some historians who focus on Spains perceived backwardness or decline, citing the cause of Spains fall from a world power on an inept monarchy and a lack of innovation among merchants. In this paper, I will attempt to discover what the possible causes were for Spains disappearance from the world scene. In his recent article, Elite Self-Interest and Economic Decline in Early Modern Europe, Richard Lachmann uses his elite model to assess Spains decline, claiming that Spain failed to advance because of a lack of a centralized state and a greedy merchant class. He writes, The Spanish Empire failed to achieve economic dominance despite its geopolitical primacy because locally based elites in each Spanish province and colony limited the appropriation of fiscal or human resources by the central state or by a putative commercial elite. Lachmanns Elite Model focuses primarily on who controls the state and commercial resources, rather than on the resources themselves. He argues that the combined Habsburg and Catholic Church domination caused a failure when it came to economic growth: The joint Habsburg-aristocratic domination of peasants, towns, and the Catholic Church retarded Spanish economic development. Lachmanns claim smacks of the same type of racist and anti-clerical scholarshi p that Kagan warned against. Can Spanish decline really be laid at the doorstep of the monarchy and the Catholic Church? Or are there larger forces at work that contributed to Spains decline? The t...

Choose two pieces of literature, one labeled fantasy and one labeled Essay

Choose two pieces of literature, one labeled fantasy and one labeled realistic fiction that treat the same important theme, such as family, getting along with your peer group, the value of imagination, etc - Essay Example However, Salinger’s book is ultimately more effective, because it must function in a world familiar to reality, rather than a fantasy world of whimsy. In Frank Herbert’s â€Å"Dune,† Paul Atriedes is a young prince whose family moves to a desert planet. After the death of his father, Paul must join with local freedom fighters to overthrow the Harkonnen spice empire. In the process, Paul becomes a sort of living legend, and a combination Muhammad- and Jesus-figure. He is able to do this because â€Å"Dune† is not a world that has to function familiar to the reader’s reality. In Salinger’s book, Holden Caulfield is also a sort of prince; his parents are wealthy, he is white, and he goes to an expensive boarding school. And like Paul, he must overcome his demons and become a man. But it is much harder for Holden, because he is intimately familiar with the crazy world that is close to New York reality (realistic fiction). And instead of earning the respect and women of freedom fighters through knife fighting, Holden is taken advantage of and beat up by a pimp. His story is funnier, and also more human than Paul’s; this is because his story has to function by the rules of

Shakespeare in the Bush Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shakespeare in the Bush - Essay Example The tribal head, in the end, points out that the story has some loopholes and advises her that they should get guidance from them or their own elders to make the story of Hamlet more meaningful. Laura, a professor of anthropology is living among the people an Africa tribe for some research project. The people there remained busy in their ceremonies while the writer spent time in reading Hamlet. The writer used to go to their huts and drank beer with them and talked to them. Once the old man of the tribe showed curiosity in the â€Å" papers† read by the writer and asked them to tell the story she was reading. The writer told them the story of the Hamlet and during the rendition of the story it dawned upon Laura that it was difficult to communicate some concepts to these tribesmen as the concepts of â€Å" King† and â€Å" ghost† were alien to them and they were satisfied instead with the their own terms like â€Å" chief† and â€Å" witch† to interpret these concepts. Although the writer knew that the use of these words may change the connotations of the story but she had no other way. Furthermore, Hamlet’s reaction at the remarriag e of his mother was strange to them as in their culture it was a common practice and they saw no wickedness in Claudius’ acceding to throne and marrying Gertrude. Old man also thought that Ophelia must have killed by Laertes as a result of some witchcraft and they were also surprised at the fact that Polonius did not reveal his identity while hiding behind the arras. The Old man without embarrassing the writer makes her realize that there were certain flaws in the story and she should take the advice of the elders of her community to access to the true meaning of the story. Thus in the end the writer comes to know that the idea of universality of literature is somewhat baseless as every culture has its own ways of interpretation of stories and there could be more than one meaning to a story like