Discuss The Importance Of Oracles To Oedipus Rex - 1620 Words

1. Discuss the importance of oracles to the ancient Greeks and specifically, to Oedipus Rex. Include a consideration about whether human actions are the result of predestination (Fate/Destiny) or free will. What does Sophocles seem to believe on this issue? After reading the passage throughly, I feel that for the ancient Greeks fate was an important aspect to their daily lives it shaped and formed human life. Fate has evolved during the years mainly because for the Greeks it was seen something as an unstoppable force while now in days it has became our destiny. I’ve came to realization that fate was the will of gods. In other words, it was the reality revealed by the oracle at Delphi. Oracles to the ancient Greeks had a significance†¦show more content†¦Oedipus guilt and justice towards this play was very pleasing because he was born with a curse and didn’t recieve what he deserved because of the way he turned out and it’s bad because he isn’t one to blame for in this situation. Jocasta who wasn’t necessarily a main character didn’t show her character in the play until towards the end her justice was that she never thought that the curse would happen as a reality and in complete honesty she didnt deserve it because she didn’t do anything wrong to serve for the punishment of her son becoming the way he became. Laius didn’t deserve what he got because it was honestly a tragedy of him being the one killed by his son. 3. Construct a family tree for the Theban family of Oedipus starting with his great-grandfather and continuing thru to his children. Also, include a â€Å"side-branch† for his adoptive parents. To bein with, an important character who came up a lot in the reading was Lauis. Who happens to be the father of Oedipus, husband of Jocasta, and Grandfather of Eteocles. Not only that, but his role is king of the Thebes. Moreover, Jocasta as mentioned before was the wife of two characters in the reading who happen to be Lauis and her son Oedipus only because he was cursed to marry his mom. She was also mother and grandmother of other characters named Polynices, Ismene, Etocles, and Antigone. But she’s also sisters with Creon. Furthermore, Oedipus is the son of Jocasta and Lauis but also wife ofShow MoreRelated Odepius Rex Demonstrates Success Leads to Folly Essay820 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Oedipus Rex demonstrates that success leads to folly, arrogance and mistakes in behaviour.† Discuss. Oedipus the King is a play that recognises the importance of humility and recompense. Oedipus’ acknowledgement of the Gods’ superiority is evident in his fear of the prophecy coming true, indeed, he flees from Corinth for precisely this reason. But at the same time through Oedipus’ self-blinding (where he â€Å"alone† is responsible for his fate) there is a sense of wilful defiance in the face of theRead MoreA Comparative Tragedy Study of Fatalism and Determinism: Oedipus Rex and Thunderstorm2489 Words   |  10 Pagesï » ¿A Comparative Tragedy Study of Fatalism and Determinism: Oedipus Rex and The Thunderstorm 1. INTRODUTION The Thunderstorm and Oedipus Rex, the representatives of Chinese and Greek play, both tell tragic stories about incest and unexpected destiny. The two masterpieces reveal much about the literature patterns and philosophical implications of the different cultures. The exploration of the two plays could help further understand the oneness of world literature and the tragedy of unlike cultureRead MoreOedipus The Good Life1455 Words   |  6 Pagescultural values and contexts. Group I: Oedipus - Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles Group II: Socrates in the Apology (written by Plato) Parallels: i. Oedipus and Socrates both yearn/search to seek the truth (mission; desire to do what they believe is right; reputation (Oedipus/honor, honesty – Socrates/just); search for meaning) ii. Question (both question Apollo first –elucidating power that controls our destiny) *Persistence in unveiling the truth (Oedipus) * Provoked feelings of anger and resentmentRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesAppendix I Glossary 673 Appendix II References 683 Name Index 705 Subject Index 709 Combined Index 713 iii This page intentionally left blank CONTENTS Preface xvii INTRODUCTION 1 3 THE CRITICAL ROLE OF MANAGEMENT SKILLS The Importance of Competent Managers 6 The Skills of Effective Managers 7 Essential Management Skills 8 What Are Management Skills? 9 Improving Management Skills 12 An Approach to Skill Development 13 Leadership and Management 16 Contents of the Book 18 Organization

Professional Roles and Values - 7002 Words

Professional Roles and Values Melissa Hurst WGU Professional Roles and Values RUP1 Professional Roles and Values INTRODUCTION Nursing is not just simply going to school and passing the NCLEX. It truly is an experience like no other, filled with lifelong learning that continues far past the classroom. Nurses learn not only from their classroom and clinical experience, but also from past experiences and even our earliest predecessors. Although at times it can be very hectic and challenging, it is equally as fulfilling and rewarding. Nursing qualities include eagerness to learn, a kind and caring attitude, compassion, empathy, integrity, ability to embrace diversity, self-awareness, ability to be a good listener and†¦show more content†¦They help to establish accountability, and foster a voice that speaks to society on behalf of the profession. Nursing characteristics are discussed among the colleagues within the organization. They assist with advocacy for nurse and client needs, help to ensure that a healthy profession is maintained, and even help with establishing trust between the profession and society. Many organizations are geared towards a specialty focus within the profession, such as critical care or neonatal nursing, and help to enhance work within the specialty. The organizations help with educating society, administrators over healthcare, colleagues within the profession, and even those responsible for making policies on issues specific to the profession. The organizations offer a platform for unity, collaboration, networking, and support for the different specialty areas. They also help tackle and address the different issues that may affect nursing including political issues. The organizations have the ability to communicate with their members, which is a great benefit in helping nurses stay informed on the most current issues at hand. Nursing organizations also help with professional development by offering either discounted or free continuing education courses that provide the credits that nurses are required by the Board of Nursing to complete on a yearly basis. The need for nurses to understand and meet the many changes within society, the different cultures, andShow MoreRelatedProfessional Roles and Values2539 Words   |  11 PagesC304 Professional Roles and Values The face of nursing has evolved and changed since it’s inception. Today’s nurse is faced with cultural, ethical and technological issues that didn’t exist even twenty years ago. As such, nurses have had to continuously evolve to continue to provide the quality, selfless care that patients have always relied on them for, and expected, since the very beginning of nursing. From pediatrics to gerontology, nurses are serving a culturally, religiously and financiallyRead MoreProfessional Roles and Values3448 Words   |  14 PagesA. Functional Differences between the Board of Nursing and Professional Nursing Organization: The Board of Nursing is a regulatory agency that enforces the Nurse Practice act through disciplinary action, provides the NCLEX for registered nurses to obtain their license to practice in that state and approves nurse education programs (Cherry amp; Jacob p.71). The Board of Nursing regulates my personal professional nursing practice by the following. I have to pass the NCLEX to get my RN licenseRead MoreWgu Professional Roles and Values1104 Words   |  5 PagesProfessional Roles and Values Project A. Regulatory agencies are government related agencies that are responsible for exercising authority in a supervisory capacity. One example of a regulatory agency is the State Board of Nursing, which is a government regulated agency. The State Board is responsible for the public health and welfare, by assuring that licensed nurses provide safe and competent care. Regulatory agencies, such as the Board of Nursing, regulate my practice by enforcing thatRead MoreProfessional Roles And Values Project1709 Words   |  7 PagesProfessional Roles Values Project My motto as a nurse is that â€Å"in the world you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world†. My professional nursing statement is to promote the health of the children and families in my care by teaching them about wellness and self care habits, preventing the spread of disease, advocating for healthcare needs, and returning patients to their community at their maximum potential for health and productivity. I aim to provide best-quality care andRead MoreProfessional Roles and Values Essay1577 Words   |  7 PagesMy Professional Role and Values RUC1 My Professional Role and Values What is the functional difference between a regulatory agency, such as the Connecticut Board of Nursing, and a Professional Nursing Organization, such as ASPAN? The former is the state regulatory agency that a person who after meeting all the requirements, can apply for a nursing license. The latter is a specific organization that focuses on a specific type or filed of nursing. A Professional Nursing Organization canRead MoreProfessional Roles And Values Project1545 Words   |  7 Pages Professional Roles and Values Project Annie Munoz Western Governors University A. Functional Differences The Georgia Board of Nursing is responsible for regulating and supervising practical and professional nursing. They also control the types of offered professional education and the practice of those registered with said board. Through the use of certain legislation, they are able to determine safe standards of practice for the nursing community. On the other handRead MoreEssay on Professional Roles and Values2478 Words   |  10 PagesProfessional Roles Running head: Professional Roles and Values 1 Professional Roles and Values Jennifer Kelso, RN Western Governor’s University Professional Roles 2 Professional Roles and Values The nurse supervisor has the responsibility of coaching all of her staff members in the importance of utilizing her team members to provide the most holistic care for patients. As a nurse supervisor it is important to recognize when a team member is struggling with this concept and to provideRead MoreRoles and Professional Values Nursing2598 Words   |  11 PagesRUP1: Professional Roles and Values in Nursing Allegra Connors Western Governors University Functional Differences There are many differences in functions of a regulatory board of nursing such as the Illinois Board of Nursing (IBN) and a professional nursing association such as the Hospice and Palliative Nurse Association (HPNA). The Illinois Board of Nursing functions as the licensing body for professional nursing, regulatory enforcer and where complaints about nurses or nursing practiceRead MoreEssay on Professional Roles and Values896 Words   |  4 PagesNVT Task 724.7.3-01-08 Wendy Scimeme Western Governors University NVT Task 724.7.3-01-08 A. Promoting Interdisciplinary Care When nurses promote collaborative interdisciplinary care, they are ensuring the availability and accessibility of quality health care (ANA, 2010). As the nursing supervisor in this clinical setting, I would hold a staff meeting with the family nurse practitioner (FNP), nurse, licensed vocational nurse (LVN), nutritionist, and social worker. I would ask them to speak aboutRead MoreWgu Professional Role and Value Essay1210 Words   |  5 PagesProfessional Role and Value Western Governors University Professional Role and Value Regulatory agencies are government agencies created to provide rules by defining laws, concepts and authorities. There are federal and state regulatory agencies with different levels of involvement and collaboration with professional associations. These government regulatory agencies are shaped by the assistance of associations with functional differences like the Board of Nursing (BRN) and Professional

Why School Should Pass Out Condoms At High School Students

In this day in time it is not an uncommon sight in my school to see a young girl with a baby bump. Or when you hear of that someone has contracted an STD it is not that surprising. My mom speaks of a time when someone contracted a STD it was handled like a death sentence. Also whenever a young girl became pregnant after she started â€Å"showing† you would not see her until after the baby was delivered. I believe that there are countless factors to why many teens in my Community are more vulnerable to having risky sex, such as the media, lack of activities and peer pressure. I believe that since most teens between the ages of 13-18 are in school for eight hours out of the day five day a week and many parents are at work when they arrive home until late at night that this issue could be addressed at school. So I believe that schools should pass out condoms to high school students. The media glamorizes sex and unknowingly encourages teen pregnancy. I come from a school with the majority are minority and generally we listen to Rap, Hip hop and other sexually explicit music. I feel that this is sending a misleading message to the upcoming generation. Almost 750,000 U.S. teens aged 15–19 become pregnant. At my school in the year of 2012 six high school females became pregnant. Then 2013 school year eleven female students got pregnant. Last year 2014 a staggering twenty-four girl got pregnant six had a miscarriage. This number is alarming. And even though this school has just startedShow MoreRelatedEssay on Teaching No, but Saying Yes1540 Words   |  7 Pagessoon be parents or must now live with an incurable disease. With this information in mind, American public schools need to be teaching middle school and high schools students the importance of safe sex. Many programs focus on the idea of abstinence, refraining from sexual activity until marriage, but t hese programs seem to have little to no effect on our youth. By age 19, most college students have engaged in some type of sexual activity. With this information, programs need to be set up to show AmericanRead MoreSex Ed in Middle School1723 Words   |  7 PagesSex Education Should be Taught in Middle School Starting sex education at a younger age is a sensitive issue. Our society becomes more and more liberal about sexual issues of the younger generations, but sex education in middle schools or from their parents are still the same as it was in the past, giving superficial information to students. Most teachers or parents are not prepared to let their students informed about contraception, because most of them think that students are very naive and theyRead More Preventing Teenage Pregnancy Essays1195 Words   |  5 Pagesthe past few years less sex and more condoms use has meant lower rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. Abstinence is not a crime, as most teenagers and their peers seem to think. The actual crime among teens is not being able to fit in. Most teens have sex because of their peers being sexually active. The percentage of sexually active males declined from 57.4 percent to 48.8 percent, essentially erasing the gender gap. In high school students a lone the rate for being sexuallyRead MoreSex Education And Birth Control1384 Words   |  6 PagesXueBing Xie Mr. Hines ELA 11 College English 1/29/15 Rough Draft (4pgs) Title: Sex Education and Birth Control should be enforced to prevent Teenage Pregnancies â€Å"Approximately one million teens get pregnant and give birth every year in the United States. Eighty percent of those births are to unmarried teens (ProQuest Staff)†. Teenage Pregnancy is when a mentally immature female adolescent under the age of nineteen is pregnant. Pregnant Teenagers would have to face many consequences and problemsRead MoreHuman Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv )1914 Words   |  8 Pagesreceive no help from anyone. Shortly after she gives birth, she dies because her body is unable to fight off opportunistic infections any longer. The baby is then left to grow, survive, and fend for him or herself. This deadly pattern continues, which is why Africa is home to the most HIV-positive people (the majority of whom happens to be black). It is unclear to me how America can have money for wars and entertainment, yet there are still other human beings suffering from a deadly disease. It seems asRead MoreChurch vs. State1298 Words   |  6 Pagesin the pledge of allegiance; which is practically force fed to all public school students throughout their academic careers. Federal endorsement of a deity or religion violates the United States constitution. Yet here we are as Americans, reciting this pledge at nearly every social gathering; from sporting events to high school assemblies. And we are using this money for anything and everything. Day after day these words pass through our hands and through our minds and most Americans think nothingRead MoreChlamydia Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pagesmost common sexually transmitted disease is a disease that isnt as well known. This disease is called chlamydia. Chlamydia is a disease that is infecting young adults all over the country. This disease is of great concern for indivi duals in high school and those in college. This disease is the leading cause of sterility. Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. It primarily infects cells in the tube which carrries urine from the bladderRead MoreIs The Women Be Blame For Staying? A Violence Relationship?1398 Words   |  6 Pagesbe physical abuse, verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse, or a combination. Date violence happens to people of all races, and cultures. It can happen on first date or when you have been a relationship for a long time. Date violence has no time frame. Why do we blame the women for staying in an abusive relationship? No one enters into an abusive relationship on purpose. The signs be right there in our face and we don’t even see them. Women be so focus on trying to please their man and don’t realizeRead MoreSexually Transmitted Infections And Young Adults2462 Words   |  10 Pagesadults have been a concern of mine since I was in high school. I grew up in California and it seemed that the spread of STIs was always talked about. I lived about one and a half hours from San Francisco and the transmission of HIV always seemed that it was a problem in that area. I grew up afraid that if I had sex I would contract a STI the first time I had sex. This was mostly due to concern the school made of STIs. During my high school years we had several classes on sex education. TheseRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy Rates And The United States3104 Words   |  13 Pagesrecent years, the rates are far behind European countries. Studies have shown that U.S. teenagers have (a) high rates of sexual intercourse at a younger age, (b) high rates of sex without contraceptives, (c) high rates of pregnancy, (d) and high number of multiple sex partners in comparison to European countries like Sweden, France, Netherland (Bell, 2009). One of the main reasons for high rates of teenage pregnancy in the U.S. is the continuation of ineffective abstinence based education (Bell,

World Civilizations Ii Essay - 2469 Words

World Civilizations II Unknown Unknown University World Civilizations II Unknown xxxx x, xxxx How could rational thought and technological development have affected the world’s development in the modern age and the development to where we are today? The Purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how rational thought and technological advancement was the driving force behind the Modern Age. The reader will have some understanding as to how rational thought opened up minds to a new way of thinking that would lead the way for individuals to question society, religion, and government. This paper will also include technological advancements that helped to spread the thoughts of intellectuals and philosophers. By the end of this paper†¦show more content†¦Rational thought is given to all of us it is up to us what we do with it part of that is challenging what we are told and not just rolling over in acceptance of what has been put in front of us. Appling the Enlightenments teachings to how we see the world can help us and future generations to live without turning a blind eye to actions that we know to be wrong. Technological development has come a long way from what it was but has only made it to where it is now due to past acc omplishment from those that came before us. It is only because of what we know from what we have been taught that allows us to grow and move on to the next level of technology. It is because of these reasons that the past technological developments that were made makes this subject modern, because without them we could not be where we are today. How is this subject different to what came before the Modern Age? Before the Modern Age the Enlightenment only existed in the minds of those that would write it, it was because of the Modern Age that allowed for the coming of the Enlightenment. Technology brought us the printing press that would produce the works of philosophers and intellectuals that could be printed quickly and distributed without having to be written by hand at a high price. Being able to move the thoughts of philosophers and intellectuals around quickly was what allowed the Enlightenment toShow MoreRelatedD Day During World War II Essay1299 Words   |  6 Pageslive in infamy forever. The people taking part in it then may not have known it then, but what they were taking part in would have effects on the world for years and years to come. D-Day had a major impact on Western Civilization because it led to the eventual end of World War II, the collapse of the Nazi party in Germany, and the liberation of Europe. Part II D-Day occurred on June 6th, 1944. It refers to the allied invasion of the beaches on Normandy, France. The Allied forces are the countries ofRead MoreThe Economic Development And Security Essay1040 Words   |  5 PagesWith the emerging of Globalization throughout the world most developing countries have not seen the positive impact that other Developed countries have seen with Globalization in either economic or political stability. It has been the thought of many intellects (Political scientist) that the strength of a government and of its people security are tied to directly to the poverty in one’s nation. This relationship comes from the end of World War II. In the last several years many have started to questionRead MoreEssay on Is Western Civilization in a State of Decline?756 Words   |  4 Pagesproductive outcomes than the twentieth century? Or just merely, is the Western civilization in a state of decline? Supporting this issue, Samuel P. Huntington, shows two different considerations of the western civilization in ‘The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order’. The first consideration is the western dominance on the economic, political, cultural and security situation of every other civilization and region. The second consideration depicts its slow decline with the internalRead MoreThe Discovery of Penicillin1750 Words   |  7 Pagesand the simple dose of an antibiotic was unheard of. It is hard for our civilization to appreciate the medical advancements we have today due to the invention of penicillin, the medical miracle. Penicillin was considered the miracle cure when it was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 and it saved several lives including our soldiers but have we abused this medical miracle? However, it is imperative for our civilization to understand how penicillin was invented, the war it saved, and the resistanceRead MoreHistory Of Th e World. Arguement: Throughout All Of Human1642 Words   |  7 Pages History of the World Arguement: Throughout all of human history, each major revolution or major event has lead to an even more important event or more significant revolution following it. During the Paleolithic period, humans grouped together in small societies such as tribes, and survived by gathering plants and hunting wild animals.The Paleolithic is characterized by the use of stone tools, although at the time humans also used wood and bone tools. Humankind gradually evolved from early membersRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel A Number Of Themes 1508 Words   |  7 Pagesa reservoir of the fragmented accounts of expeditions through deserts. The characters are all exiles from their homeland who have gathered together at the Villa San Girolamo at the end of World War II. The novel focuses on the relationships among four characters that have all been deeply suffered by World War II. These characters in Ondaatje’s novel have also travelled extensively and have ended up in a damaged villa in an unfamiliar country,where they must reconstruct their new identities. OndaatjeRead MoreLord of the Flies by William Golding932 Words   |  4 PagesFlies by William Golding. Lord of the Flies was written in 1954 after World War II. Ruler of the Flies is a purposeful anecdote about something that many readers can’t really describe. Individuals cant choose precisely what. Its either about the inalienable underhanded of man, or mental battle, or religion, or personal inclination, or the creators emotions on war; however William Golding was in the Navy throughout World War II, or perhaps the greater part of the above. At the point when Lord ofRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies1111 Words   |  5 PagesThe Lord of the Flies Research Project While the World War II was in act, Adolf Hitler once incited â€Å"You only have to kick in the door, and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down†(Adolf Hitler). The structure coming down symbolizes the fact that the boys’ structure of order, and civilization came crashing down as well. This is found throughout the book. Adolf Hitler is known for his dictatorship, his exquisite leadership skills, and violent warfares.. He uncovered that leadership skillsRead MoreRelationship between Communism and Fascism984 Words   |  4 PagesThe analysis of World civilization is better in the context of the world wars, II and I, however, World War II has profound impact on World civilization. During World War I the fighting took place on trenches but during WWII given the technological advancements made people to fight virtually using anything available as in the case in 1939. Communism and Fascism are revolutionary moments that were majorly felt during the twentieth cent ury across the world and specifically in European Countries suchRead MoreMiddle East Conflict Essay859 Words   |  4 Pagescountries are separate and do not truly form one cooperative unit. It is believed that the area was where human civilization first started with the Sumerians in the Fertile Crescent, or Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, namely modern day Iraq. Ten thousand years have passed since, and the area has seen much conflict, but the many invasions by great civilizations, such as the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman empires, have made the Middle East into the

Examine Family Diversity and the Life Course Free Essays

Examining Family Diversity and the Life Course Many years ago, Parsons studied families from different type and decided that through structural differentiation, the multifunctional extended family became the nuclear family, and made a point of focusing on this type of family. Marxism also made this mistake, as well as feminism. What these approaches didn’t take into account was that there are many other types of family out there, which is even truer in contempary society. We will write a custom essay sample on Examine Family Diversity and the Life Course or any similar topic only for you Order Now This essay will attempt to asses the extent of this diversity, and the explanations of it. The first approach I will talk about is the new right. They are a very controversial collective with very right wing ideas. Charles Murray believes that family diversity is a bad thing, and that lone parent families are detrimental to society. 90% of families are patriarchal. He argues that this causes delinquency in young boys, as they have no male role model to aspire to, so they look to the streets to find one instead. This process creates and underclass who are dependant on the welfare state. However, there are people that would disagree. Feminists argue that there is very little evidence that matriarchal lone-parent families cause delinquency, and that actually they are a positive thing because they encourage and portray the growing independence of woman. Another issue the new right have with diversity is that family diversity encourages a dependency culture. They are ague that any type of family that is unstable such as reconstituted families, lone-parent families and cohabiting families present a risk of dependency on the welfare state. This is extremely detrimental to society as the welfare state is a ‘perverse incentive’; it takes money from those who work hard, gives money to those who do nothing, and allows fathers to avoid their duty as breadwinners. The neo-conventional family, a term coined by Chester, takes a slightly different look at diversity. Whereas he agrees that there has certainly been an increase in diversity, he does see this increase as large, or as a bad thing. The nuclear family is still the dominant family type, considering is still account for 56% of families. Most marriages continue till death, ohabitation is just a step before marriage, and births outside marriage have indeed increased, but most of them are jointly registered. He also points out that we can’t presume that all families considered diverse are permanent, and rather we go through a life cycle of families. We live in a nuclear family whilst young, cohabit before marriage, live in a nuclear family after marriag e, then live alone after divorce, with many other steps in-between. Another point he makes, and defines the term neo-conventional with is that many families now have dual earners, where both spouses work. There are some issues with this though. The new right would argue that whereas the nuclear family still accounts for the majority of families, that number is declining and may slip into a minority in coming years. Feminists would say that whereas many families are indeed dual earners now, Chester ignores the emotional and domestic labour that women do. The rapports also have their view on diversity. They disagree with Chester in that diversity is actually very widespread, and also very important unlike the New Right’s perspective. They attempt to define diversity by splitting it into 5 different groups: Organisation diversity which focus on how roles are distributed among the family; some families have joint conjugal roles, whereas some have one wage earner and one domestic labourer. Cultural diversity takes into account ethnic, religious and cultural differences. For example, some the majority of white British households are nuclear, whereas most afro-Caribbean families are single parent. Social class diversity implies that income can affect your family. Middle class families are more likely to interact with their children than working class families. Life-stage diversity. Where we are at in our life course will affect diversity. University students are likely to live in a family at all, whereas those who are in their 30s are more likely to be in a nuclear family. The final factor is generational diversity, which means that generations will affect diversity. Younger generations are more likely to cohabit than older ones. All of the above approaches are modernist perspective. They look at diversity through one lens and attempt to apply a structure to it. An argument against all of the above approaches is post-modernism. This approach believes that we make our own choices about family life and relationships, and that it is wrong to assume that that there is a best family type for society. It tried to look at the family from the perspective of the individual, and relies more on meaning that statistics. Post-modernists would argue that the new right ignore the benefits of diversity, and say that the nuclear family is the best for society, when we need to look at the needs of the individual instead. They would say that Chester ignores the extant of diversity and focus too much on trying to reinforce the nuclear family’s presence. Finally, they would agree with the rappoports that diversity is a good thing, but reprimand them for trying to structure diversity, when it needs to be looked at from each individual’s perspective. Giddens, a post-modernist, argues that contraception had allowed marriage to be more about meaning and love rather that purely about reproduction, and that feminism has led to better job opportunities and education. He says that both of these points have led to greater choice and equality in society. The new right would agree that contraception is a good thing as it has potentially lowered that number of lone-parent families, but would argue that the freedom it brings has undermined the stability of family. Giddens would agree with this, but that this risk is worthwhile if it meets the individuals need, and leads to a purer family. Beck, another post-modernist, builds on the idea of risk in the family. The greater choice we now have has moved us away from tradition in two ways. We now have greater gender equality due to feminism, and a greater individuality because of an increased self interest. The new right would disagree with beck as well, and argue that this increased self interest means that we may put out interests ahead of those who need them more such as children, which can undermine their future. Stacey complied some case studied she carried out on a number of Californian women, and found that there may be another type of family that other sociologists hadn’t noticed yet. Many of these women rejected tradition family values, divorced their husband, and then remarried. This new family is based on the connection between the woman, and the wife of the woman’s ex-husband. They had formed a financial and domestic partnership. Stacey calls this the divorce-extended family. Chester may argue that whereas this may well be going on, than this isn’t a type of family at all and that it’s rather just two nuclear families that have some contact, which would support his view of the nuclear family’s stability. Points from both modernist arguments and post-modernists can be taken into account. It is becoming increasingly apparent that diversity is growing. Whereas the new right believe this is a bad thing, they fail to realise that diversity is actually better in some cases where empty-shell marriages where children are used as scapegoats for their parent’s anger. On the other hand they may have a point, because divorce rate in decreasing, and people are getting married for love more than anything now so the nuclear family seems to be an increasingly stable environment. This occurrence of this stable environment is decreasing though, meaning that Chester’s point may not be as valid as he thinks, and this decrease means that family diversity is increasing which supports the postmodernist view. How to cite Examine Family Diversity and the Life Course, Essay examples

Leonardo Da Vinci as a pioneer in science Essay Example For Students

Leonardo Da Vinci as a pioneer in science Essay It were  easier for the mature intellect to recover that belief in fairy-tales which is the privilege and joy of childhood, than for any of us to return to a point of view which enlightened men have long since left behind. If our imagination be keen and our sympathy quick, we can perhaps understand what it was that our forerunners believed, but we shall never feel towards it as they felt. There are no dryads in the woods, no naiads in the streams, for us ; the rudely hewn block of wood is no fetish to which we bow ; the story of griffin or vampire does not affright ; the naà ¯ve mediaeval miracle wrought by some pious relic has no power to confirm our faith : in these things we detect at the most an allegory or a hallucination. The race makes certain advances, as a traveller journeys through a strange country by night, without being able to map out its course. Not only are the gates of birth and death wrapped in the mists of lethe, but so too are the thresholds of progress. Only i n the realm of reason, and of morals derived from reason, do all men walk as equals and contemporaries. The mirage of fancy, the fog of superstition, vanish as the sun of reason prevails ; once men regarded them as permanent realities ; now we know that they were evanescent ; herein lies the difference between us and our ancestors,—a difference absolute and unalterable. As we are more learned so are we more sophisticated than our fathers. We hesitate to say of any truth â€Å"This is final,† because finality implies a world bound in adamantine unchangeableness, whereas we perceive that ours is a fluent and unfolding world. This perception, which is coming to be the common property of cultivated  men, even of those who strive most earnestly against it, distinguishes the Modern from the Middle Age. To us, all things are in process of development; to the mediaeval, all things—religion, science, gov- vernment—were fixed. The earth itself was to him the centre of the universe, a fixed point round which the planets, sun, and stars revolved; his religion, formulated long before according to supernatural dictation, might be neither amended, nor put in question. Philosophy was not the exploration of the infinite by finite man, but the exercise of his mind along a clearly defined path which always curved back to the starting-point. Scie nce was a mixture of halftruths and absurdities: the dictum of Aristotle, Ptolemy, or Galen being accepted as infallible, even when plainly contradicted by the experience of every day. Government, in theory at least, was a rigid scheme foreordained from the beginning. I am not concerned to point out what benefit the race derived from that age of formulas ; benefits there were, if only in the knowledge gained that the soul cannot prosper in bondage ; my purpose is to call fresh attention to the contrast between that age and our own, in order that we may measure the magnitude of the achievement of such men as Leonardo da Vinci who broke away from mediaevalism, and who, though surrounded by conditions utterly un- like ours, nevertheless belongs in spirit to our time rather than to his own. That spirit was the spirit of inquiry, the modern spirit; the mediaeval did not inquire, he took for granted. Not only in all those considerations which haunt serious minds—the nature of God, im- mortality, conscience—did he accept without demur the statements handed down to him, but also in purely physical affairs was he un- critical. Read the manual of the medical school of Salerno, and see how hearsay and superstition took the place of observation in the treatment of the simplest form of disease. Read Brunetto Latini’s â€Å"Natural History† and see what fantasies were spread concerning the animal kingdom. One example will illustrate the general attitude of mediaevals towards demonstrating facts : There was an old fable that salamanders can live in the hottest flame. A modern would have put a salamander in the fire and watched the effect; the mediaeval, on the contrary, never thought of applying so simple a  test,—he believed the fable, and gravely repeated it. His habitual attitude was one of credulity. We need not wonder at this. Inquiry presupposes ignorance, a worthy desire to clear away doubts. We do not dispute over the multiplication-table. But to the mediaeval the ultimate mysteries of human destiny were wholly removed from the pale of inquiry; he might not understand the strange scheme of the incarnation, of vicarious atonement, of the resurrection, but he believed it, and believing, he ceased to inquire. He did not doubt the reality of heaven or of purgatory: he was more certain of the existence of hell than of the countries beyond his native mountains. This certainty could not but discourage investigation into the primal mysteries. Moreover, his creed tended to make him despise the material world in which he lived. The Christianity which he professed was a composite of Hebrew, Persian, and pagan beliefs, which had been fitted together at different times. That they were mutually contra- dictory did not trouble him, because he gave a proof of his faith when he believed impossible doctrines ; that they conflicted with the simple, authentic teaching of Christ did not trouble him, because that teaching came to him after councils, doctors, and a hundred popes had stamped their several interpretations upon it. Among the strange doctrines which had wound itself round early Christianity was the Manichaean doctrine that matter is the product of an evil principle, a Devil, who wars perpetually against God, the creator of spirit. This being accepted as true, the part of the devout mediaeval was plain : he strove to eschew the material world as the Devil’s kingdom. This world included, of course, his own body, which he mortified to the glory of God and the discomfiture of Satan. To have allowed his attention to wander to the processes of nature and to have examined into their causes would have been unholy and perilous : unholy, because in so doing he would have given to the works of God’s adversary interest which he ought to consecrate to God alone ; perilous, because the Devil had cunningly sown the world of matter with lures to ensnare the souls of men. And after all what could it profit him to learn all possible knowledge concerning the material world? In God’s world, in heaven, which  he hoped to enter after a brief exile here below, such knowledge would be irrelevant, useless, impious. His body, therefore, was not merely an inert clog to salvation, it was the active ally of the Fiend, who spread before every one of the bodily senses attractions to entice the soul away from the contemplation of God. Pleasure became synonymous with sin ; beauty was the mask of temptation. Only by a strenuous asceticism, a mortification of the senses, and a starving of all mundane desires, could the mediaeval devotee cheat the Devil. What Was the Renaissance Like EssayWhat we do know, however, is that in the fifteenth century a few men began to scrutinise nature, very tentatively at first, and with no premonition of the results which such scrutiny would reach. Foremost among them was Leonardo da Vinci. Other investigators of that century, Copernicus the most conspicuous, have ranked higher than he in the annals of science; but none, as I hope to show, equalled him in scientific endowment. He was disenthralled from mediaeval preconceptions, for he possessed a temperament so purged of theories that in approaching a new fact his sole aim was to discover the true nature of that fact, unbiassed by what others had found in it. His curiosity was insatiable ; his methods were observation and experiment; his advance was from the known to the unknown, whereas the mediaeval, as we have seen, took the unknown for granted, and ceased to inquire. That Leonardo’s achievements  in science and invention should never ha ve had due recognition, is to be attributed in part to their great range—the world remembers longer him who travels farthest in a single direction, than him who travels .far in many; and in part to an accident which buried them for three centuries. Even now we have but an imperfect record of them. Not as a candidate for belated fame—Leonardo’s fame is secure—but as a pioneer of the modern spirit, and as a favorite whom Nature took into her confidence, let us consider him here. The important facts in Leonardo da Vinci’s life can be briefly told. The natural son of a Florentine notary, he was born at the castle of Vinci, on the Arno, between Florence and Pisa, in 1452. Vasari relates stories of his youthful precocity, which often aston- ished his instructors, and of his fondness for music. Being admit- ted early into the studio of Verrocchio, he learned not only painting and sculpture, but also the goldsmith’s art, which, we may remark, had an influence not easily to be computed in giving to the Florentine School of Painting that precision, that loyalty to the line, which distinguish it from the Venetian School. How the young Leonardo painted into one of his masters pictures an angel far beyond Verrocchio’s skill, and how he drew a Gorgon’s head so life-like that it frightened persons who came upon it unawares, need not here be repeated. In 1472 he was already an independent artist, and during the next eight or nine years he worke d in Florence, but to what purpose we can only guess, as almost all the fruits of this period have been lost. In 1480 he addressed a remarkable letter to Lodovico Sforza, tyrant of Milan, asking for employment and laying chief stress on his ability as a military engineer. The letter brought him an invitation to go to Milan, where he was engaged in mechanical and engineering enterprises, in the direction of ducal festivities, and in the construction of a colossal monument to Francesco Sforza, Lodovico’s father. The fresco, â€Å"The Last Supper,† is one of the few remaining authentic works of Leonardo’s brush during his long residence in Lombardy, and no one now can say that a single patch of color in that ruined masterpiece was laid on by him. Indeed, fate, which showered upon Leonardo innumerable gifts, seems to have de- creed that posterity should know his genius by hearsay only, so perversely has fate allowed his works to be lost or mutilated. That colossal statue of Sforza was not yet completed when Louis XII. invaded the Milanese and put an end to the sculptorâ€⠄¢s work there; the great fresco has suffered irreparably from neglect, violence, and restoration; and of the half-score paintings which remain scarcely one gives us a hint of the beauty of its original coloring. In 1500 Leonardo visited Venice and Florence. Two years later he was appointed engineer by Caesar Borgia, who was engaged in a military expedition against those States south of the Po that had not already submitted to his tyranny. During this summer we have glimpses of Leonardo at Urbino, Pesaro, Rimini, Cesena, and Cesenatico, along the Adriatic; at Siena, Chiusi, and Orvieto in the Centre; and at Piombino near the Tuscan Sea. In the following spring he settled at Florence and painted â€Å"The Battle of Anghiari on one wall of the council hall of the Palace of the Signory, while on another wall his young rival, Michael Angelo, painted avast group of â€Å" Soldiers Bathing.† Not a trace of either fresco survives. But Leonardo, never at his ease in Florence, returned to Milan in 1506. Thenceforward, until 1515, he seldom stayed long in anyplace ; till Francis I. came into Italy and induced him to go back to France, where he was assigned a residence at the Chateau Cloux, nea r Am- boise on the Loire, 1516. There he died May 2, 1519, and was buried in the Royal Chapel at Amboise. In person, as in mind, Leonardo lacked no gifts. He excelled in dancing, in fencing, in horsemanship, in lute-playing. Well known anecdotes, chiefly drawn from Vasari’s precious and inex- haustible quarry, illustrate alike his unusual physical strength and his wonderful dexterity. He was genial in temper and kind in heart, and he possessed the rare combination of humor and wit. His interest in man and in nature was many-sided and unflagging; nothing being too vast or too minute for his attentive curiosity. He had the patient inquisitiveness of the specialist who pores over details; he had also the generalising faculty of the philosopher who deduces laws and discovers wider relations. His attitude towards life was, in a word, thoroughly modern and scientific. As little as possible did the past, with its traditions and dogmas, hamper him : to search  out all things, to experiment and verify, to let his own eyes test and reason be the judge—this was Leonardo’s met hod. Leonardo Da Vinci inventions Part Two