What is culture, nature, humanity?
What is Culture, Nature, Humanity? Throughout history humanity has strived to create a better world, a better environment for living, by controlling nature or replacing nature with its own improved construction. Somewhere along the line humanity decided that it was more efficient to grow their own crops of food than to rely on nature and the technique of gathering. Eventually humanity became more comfortable with the notion that "humanity knows best" and cleared forests and converted grasslands to farming fields that provided foodstuffs much more efficiently and better than nature. An excellent example of humanity taking control of nature to better it. The emphasis on nature has meant the degradation of human beings. It has meant the exploitation of nature often at the expense of humanity, even if it meant subjecting others to the same exploitation and control applied to physical nature. Emphasis on dominating nature has led, in part, to the crises in our society, the problems of pollution and growth and the social disorganizaation of our cities. Unfortunately, we as humanity have lacked the good sense to see ahead, or are forced by hard times to liquidate Earth's "resources" for the gratification of the moment. Humans fixated on their own welfare cannot help but be injurious to the rest of Creation. History shows that, rather than gratefully accepting the golden
Environmental Thoughts in Theravada Buddhism
Environmental Thoughts in Theravada Buddhism With 95% of the population in Thailand being followers of Theravada Buddhism, influencing the support for local and global environmental concerns is quite possible. Donald K. Swearer in the article "The Hermeneutic of Buddhist Ecology in Contemporary Thailand: Buddhadasa and Dhammapitaka" states that the Buddhist lifestyle and the early sangha are contributions to aid in living in a constantly dangerously changing world. Swearer believes that there are distinct ecological lessons that can be drawn from the texts and traditions in Thai Buddhism. In this chapter he shows how Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and Phra Prayudh both represent two very distinctive but complementary views to the environment issues within Theravada Buddhism. Buddhadasa's ontologically oriented view of nature as dhamma and the ethic of caring for nature correlates with the idea of EcoBuddhism, while Phra Prayudh is an approach, which is grounded in the reasoning of texts and the historical traditions of ancient Buddhism. Buddhadasa infers that the destruction of nature implies the destruction of dhamma. Swearer explains that to care for nature in linked to a pervasive feeling of human empathy (Pali, anukampa) for all surroundings, therefore caring is considered the active expression of empathy. Believing that to care for nature derives from a selfless, empathetic
Write an essay of 1500 words, in which you compare and contrast the treatment of the City in the following Romantic poem and extract from a Romantic poem: Mary Robinson's 'January 1795' and lines 624-741 from Book Seventh of The Prelude by William Wordswo
Write an essay of 1500 words, in which you compare and contrast the treatment of the City in the following Romantic poem and extract from a Romantic poem: Mary Robinson's 'January 1795' and lines 624 - 741 from Book Seventh of The Prelude by William Wordsworth (Romantic Writings: An Anthology, pp.45 - 6 and 147-9 respectively). William Wordsworth's 'Book Seventh of The Prelude' and Mary Robinson's 'January 1795' both describe the poets' views of London in the late 1790s and early 1800s. This essay shall compare and contrast their poetic technique (including tone, language and poetic form); observations of 'the city' and its inhabitants; references to historical contexts and the socio-political backdrop in which they were written. As one of the six major male poets of his time, Wordsworth's excerpt is taken from Book Seventh of a thirteen book autobiographical view of the author's life. Wordsworth's poetry was considered to fulfil the traditional view of romantic writing, employing the same poetic style, imagery, symbolism and myth as his literary counterparts including Shelley and Byron. The excerpt is written as an epic narrative, produced in blank verse, with an uneven iambic pentameter. The use of narrative verse allowed Wordsworth to juxtapose different ideas of the city, demonstrating that conflicting points of view can co-exist. Indeed the poet
Photographer, born in San Francisco, California, USA
Ansel Adams: The Nature of a Photographer Ansel Adams was born on February 20, 1902, in San Francisco to Charles and Olive Adams. He lived a happy, peaceful childhood, and only has one blatant recollection of misfortune. San Francisco has suffered from a terrible fire and earthquake in the year of 1906. But instead of facing it with terrible remorse, he found it inspirational saying, "But we were not burned out, ruined, or bereft of family and friends." Ansel lived a very pleasant life; however, he suffered frequently from illness. His interest in nature, however, was with him even in childhood. Adams enjoyed exploring the outdoors, and his favorite activity was collecting insects. It wasn't long before Adams became impatient with the way school worked. Adams failed to see the reason behind what he saw as senseless memorization, and he had no desire to be in a classroom where such activities took place. After several incidents at school, he was taken out of school and taught at home by his father. Eventually, he reentered school and received an eighth grade diploma from the Wilkins School. Around the age of 13, he began taking piano lessons and became seriously interested in music. It was through music, that he became a better disciplined person and learned how to use art to channel his emotions. He studied under the very prominent pianist, Frederich Zech. It was
Analysis of The Abstract Wild by Jack Turner
Analysis of The Abstract Wild by Jack Turner Jack Turner's The Abstract Wild is a complex argument that discusses many issues and ultimately defends the wild in all of its forms. He opens the novel with a narrative story about a time when he explored the Maze in Utah and stumbled across ancient pictographs. Turner tells this story to describe what a truly wild and unmediated experience is. The ideas of the aura, magic, and wildness that places contain is introduced in this story. Turner had a spiritual connection with the pictographs because of the power, beauty, and awe that they created within him upon their first mysterious contact. Turner ruined this unmediated experience by taking photographs of the pictographs and talking about them to several people. His second visit to the pictographs was extremely different- he had removed the wild connection with the ancient mural and himself by publicizing and talking about them. This is Turner's main point within the first chapter. He believes that when we take a wild place and photograph it, talk about it, advertise it, make maps of it, and place it in a national park that we ruin the magic, the aura, and the wildness of that place. Nature magazines, photographs, and films all contribute to the removal of our wild experience with nature. It is the difference between visiting the Grand Canyon after you
An analysis of "The Need of Being Versed in Country Things".
Carla Le Riche Malan 13763814 21 February 2002 An analysis of "The Need of Being Versed in Country Things" In the opening stanza of the poem, we are immediately introduced to the subject matter of the house which has burnt down, by abstract means of comparing the glow of the destructive fire which has taken place, to that of a sunset glow, "The house had gone to bring again/ To the midnight sky, a sunset glow." Although fire is characterised a natural phenomenon, in terms of burning a house down, it may be seen as "unnatural" and contrasting to a sunset, which possesses natural beauty and origin. The theme of the natural verses the unnatural, is continued in an extended metaphor, in which the existing chimney of the house is compared to that of a pistil in the form of a simile. This simile houses further implications of "death" verses new life in the sense that when in nature, a flower loses its petals and bears its pistil, new life follows in the form of bearing fruit, whereas in the case of a house being burnt down, and only a chimney remaining, little hope remains. In the second stanza we are introduced to the barn which, "... was left/ To bear forsaken the place's name." There is a play on the word forsaken in the sense that it can either refer to the giving up, or renouncing of the name of the place where the house once stood, indicating a feeling of hopelessness, or
"Meeting at Night VS Resolution and Independence".
"Meeting at Night VS Resolution and Independence" In this essay I will attempt to compare and contrast the poem "Meeting at Night" by Robert Browning with "Resolution and Independence" by William Wordsworth. I shall begin by analysing the poems and looking for three similarities and differences, which will make me decide my final conclusion. The simplest similarity that links these two poems is that they are both about nature. Meeting at Night gives the impression of secrecy and darkness that goes together with the night and the morning suggests the revelation which light brings that prevents them getting together. In Resolution and Independence Wordsworth describes the nature more briefly and accurately. The language Wordsworth has used has a great effect on our senses. For example, in the first line 'There was a roaring in the wind all night' Here the use of metaphor 'roaring in the wind' used by Wordsworth relies on our sense of hearing to enable us to experience this image fully. An image however is not necessarily only a visual image; the image can be created by the poet's use of different senses and qualities. Both of the poems also change from negative to positive. In the first verse of Meeting at Night, Browning emphasizes a man's desperate and brave quest for romantic pleasure, which is prevented with obstacles and doubt. Also in the poem "Meeting At Night,"
'Nature-nurture is a false dichotomy.' Explain this statement using examples from either Book 1 Chapter 4, or Book 1 Chapter 5.
'Nature-nurture is a false dichotomy.' Explain this statement using examples from either Book 1 Chapter 4, or Book 1 Chapter 5. The question of whether genetics (nature) or environment (nurture) determine human behaviour is at the centre of a debate that dominated psychology between the mid 1950s and the early 1980s (EPoCH CD-ROM, 2002) and is still present in current psychology. Nature or nurture is a false dichotomy as it is nature and nurture that together, in interaction, are essential to life and development. To illustrate the above notion that the influence of biology and environment are equally important, firstly we shall look at the evidence that our personality can be linked to our biology. Starting with the individual differences approach to personality - in particular the idea of consistency of behaviour across time and situations. Introducing the study of heritability will help us to see the relative contribution of genetics and environments to personality. Lastly, we shall look at environment, the role it plays in personality development and the interaction between nature and nurture. Psychologists working within an individual differences perspective try to find universal dimensions of biological difference that can be mapped into individual differences in brain structure and function. Using a simple model of an aspect of the nervous system, researchers
Comparative Study of Texts: Wordsworth and Malouf
Comparative Study of Texts: Wordsworth and Malouf CONTEXT Wordsworth: Writing in the 18th and 19th Centuries - 'Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey...July 13, 1798.' His English heritage is reflected in his bucolic description of the landscape reflecting the traditional English domestication of nature: 'Here, under this dark sycamore, and view these plots of cottage ground...these hedgerows, hardly hedgerows.' * His position as a revolutionary is reflected in his anger against urbanization and the need to return to nature 'in which the weary and heavy weight of this world is lightened.' 'Meanwhile, my hope has been that I might fetch more invigorating thoughts from former years.' * The 'Romantic' movement: his reactions to urbanization and industrialization as a repression of his emotions - 'a tempest, a redundant energy, vexing its own creation'. o 'But from this awful burthen I full soon take refuge and beguile myself with trust that mellower years will bring a riper mind and clearer insight.' o His yearning for a primitive approach to life, seeking simplicity and crucially a unity with nature - 'The sky seemed not a sky of earth, and with what motion moved the clouds?' * The philosophical and theological concept of nature: there is a connection to the pastoral as a psychological necessity. 'How nature by extrinsic passion first peopled my mind with
Write an essay of 1,500 words, in which you compare and contrast the way nature is represented in the following Romantic poem and extract from a Romantic poem: Percy Bysshe Shelleys Mont Blanc and lines 452-542 fro
T M A 0 4 Question: 'Write an essay of 1,500 words, in which you compare and contrast the way nature is represented in the following Romantic poem and extract from a Romantic poem: Percy Bysshe Shelley's 'Mont Blanc' and lines 452-542 from Book Sixth of The Prelude by William Wordsworth (Romantic Writings: An Anthology, pp.329-32 and pp.133-5 respectively). Introduction Both literary texts that we will be dealing with in this essay, Percy Bysshe Shelley's 'Mont Blanc' and an extract from Book 6 of The Prelude by William Wordsworth belong temporally to the Romantic Period (1780-1830), with the former having been written in 1816, and the latter completed in 1805, although it was not published until 1926. Wordsworth belongs to the 'first generation' of Romantic writers, whose Romantic literature was wartime literature. Thus he had lived through the Revolutionary period and had also witnessed the aftermath of it: the dissipation in a long war. Despite his initial sympathy towards the early ideas of the Revolution concerning man and human liberties, he came to abandon them, turning from a fervent progressist into a resigned conservatist. He began to argue against the received idea of poetic language as a refined mode of eloquence available only to those with an education in previous literary models, employing the 'language of men'. The 'second generation', however, in which