An examination of Sidney Smith Hall in Toronto as modern architecture in relation to two other buildings, Villa Savoye in Poissy and the German Pavilion in Barcelona.
Abstract This paper approaches three examples of modern architecture that seem dissimilar at first, Sidney Smith Hall at the University of Toronto, the Villa Savoye near Paris, and what is known as the Barcelona Pavilion. The paper holds that despite their different purposes, they are similar structures according to principles of the modern movement. To conclude, it states that Sidney Smith Hall is significant in a Toronto environment much given to the preservation of architectural heritage, but that has often failed to appreciate its examples of the modern style.
Outline:
Introduction
Sidney Smith Hall, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street
Villa Savoye, Poissy, nr. Paris 1920-1930 (Le Corbusier)
German Pavilion, BarcelonaExposition, (Mies van der Rohe)
Concluding Remarks
From the Paper "As an example of the International Style much pursued by the modern movement, one realizes that the same structure with minimal adjustment could be placed anywhere. (See Khan 1998) Erected in any country in the world, Sidney Smith Hall would offer the same economy of line combined with a feeling of spaciousness and accessibility, its terrace areas suited to the climate of a central Canadian city as much as entirely different settings. This theme of universality was a favourite of both Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier as discussed below. (Padovan 45-48) As a contribution to the international style, Sidney Smith Hall may have shown its ongoing adaptability in the 2003 enclosure of one terrace that was opposed by some but does not seem to have altered greatly the sense of access the architect intended."
Tags: building, Villa Savoye, Poissy, German Pavilion, BarcelonaExposition, Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier
Abstract This paper explains that the Barcelona Declaration, and the Barcelona Process that came out of it, marks a new phase in Europe's foreign policy. It explores how this is a stage in which the European Union is announcing that it cannot afford the continuing conflict in the Middle East and that peace is the only option. This peace is an important factor in the EU's foreign and security policy. It concludes that, even though the EU is not challenging the role of the United States, it is working for peace, not just following in the U.S.'s footsteps.
From the Paper "The reason why the European Union is placing a high level of importance on the Middle East Peace process is that it is related to its own security. This is admitted in the Common Foreign and Security Policy, and explained in the EU's 1999 statement on peace in the Middle East. As the CFSP openly seems to declare, the security interests of the EU cannot be divorced from the Middle East situation, not just because of the close geographic relation between them but because this area provides the EU with the majority of its energy needs and counts as a major trade partner, not to mention a leading source of investment in Europe (16). Therefore, the close geographic and economic relations between the two regions have placed the EU in a position in which it needs to give a status of priority to the Middle East Peace process. It is as such that the EU's resolution on peace in the Middle East firmly calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state, the removal of illegal Israeli settlements and the return of all occupied Arab territories (""EU European Parliament: Resolution ..."). The fact that the EU stresses these points is because it understands that the realizing of these goals is the only way to stabilize the region, thereby creating a peaceful and stable neighborhood for the EU."
Abstract This paper explains that 1992 Olympiad in Barcelona was beneficial for the city; however, it did not live up to the developers' expectations. The paper describes the economic factors, which play a major role in organizing such a large scale event, that helped regenerate the city and countryside with new facilities and infrastructure. The paper also explains that the social impact of the Games on Barcelona must be evaluated further in terms of the lack of consistency in job opportunities and a regression in the tourists and trade industries. In the political arena, the paper points out that this Olympiad marked the end of the Cold War, the demise of the Soviet Union and the unification of Germany.
From the Paper "Aside from the economic and social aspects taken into consideration so far, the Olympic Games also had a political impact. The tradition of the Games sometimes considered that in fact, during the period of the Ancient Greeks, the inventors of the Olympiads, wars were stopped in order to organize the Games. Although there are many doubts concerning the validity of this statement, the idea that the Games stand for peace and unity in an environment framed by a culture of the world is essential for the way in which the idea of the Olympic spirit is moved forward."
Abstract This paper looks at the history of engineering education in the United States and the ways that engineering, and thus engineering schools, continue to improve life for each one of us. However, one cannot understand why engineering school began to assume greater and greater importance in the second half of the 19th century in the United States without considering the historical context of engineering and of engineering education. It shows how the Centennial Exposition of 1876 gave a boost to engineering education, but this was only because people were already prepared to reconsider the place of engineering in the United States.
From the Paper "A decade in the planning, sprawling across 450 acres (and costing the then-unbelievable sum of over $11 million), the exposition welcomed over 10 million people. And the most popular draw to all visitors to the exposition was the was Machinery Hall, where viewers were given intimate glimpses into the working models of steam engines and dynamos. The exposition was in many ways a boosterish celebration of the coming of age of the United States as an world industrial power ? and the impression that this display made on both universities and young people was substantial. "The Centennial Exposition in 1876 in Philadelphia was responsible for a national quickening in mechanical matters and for a growing sense of latent power,? wrote Frederick Remsen Hutton in the 1915 A History of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers from 1880 to 1915."
Abstract This paper analyzes Booker T. Washington's "Atlanta Exposition Address". The discussion and analysis of the rhetorical elements of the speech ultimately convey the argument of this paper, which posits that, through the use of rhetorical elements, Washington managed to create an impression that he is for the emancipation of black Americans from slavery, but does not discount the fact that their emancipation means the continuing control of white Americans over the black Americans.
From the Paper "One of the primary steps towards identifying the elements that will be studied for the rhetorical analysis is to first identify the audience of Washington's speech. This is vital, since the meanings explicitly and implicitly expressed through the style and rhetorical figures utilized in the speech will be applied in the context of the speaker's target audience. Analysis of the speech shows that it has the white (Northern and Southern whites) and black Americans (slaves and freemen) as his primary and target audiences. Reference to the white American audience is expressed in paragraphs 1 to 3, wherein the speaker entices them through the phrase, "Cast down your bucket where you are," in order to entice the white Americans to cooperate with the American society (black Americans, specifically) in the path towards abolishment of and emancipation from slavery. Black Americans, meanwhile, are also targeted in the speech, and Washington includes his fellowmen to discuss how emancipation can be both a privilege and challenge for their community."
Abstract This paper takes the position that the more interesting and pressing question is not the way in which the European nations will benefit from membership in the E.U., but how the development of the E.U. will influence the foreign policy framework of the region. The author points out that the Barcelona Declaration and the Barcelona Process, which came out of it, marks a new phase in Europe's foreign policy in which the European Union is announcing that it cannot afford the continuation of conflict in the Middle East and that peace is the only option. The paper relates that the Barcelona Declaration is ambitious because it basically aims to reshape the Middle East in economic and political terms, democratizing its political systems, liberalizing its economies, and promoting stable peace; these aims require a great deal of time, effort, and economic support from the E.U.
Table of Contents
Barcelona Declaration
Goal of the Barcelona Declaration
Democratization Policy
Conflict Resolution
Conclusion
From the Paper "As stated in a paper prepared by the Research Group on European Affairs, a number of international factors determined the signing of the Barcelona Process in 1995. In the first place, changes in the international political atmosphere and increasing conflict, transitions and even destabilizations of countries in Eastern Europe, the Southern Mediterranean and North Africa, forced the Union to reconsider the nature of "its foreign policy making instruments". That is the EU had to re-define its foreign policy and the way that it planned and carried out this foreign policy so that it would be more in line with the changing international political atmosphere. In the second place, the continuation of instability and social, economic and political problems in the Middle East, which the United States took the lead in resolving and was failing to do so, was having a negative influence on the EU itself, on both the economic and political levels."
Abstract This paper discusses Barcelona's famous architect, Antonio Gaudi. The intrinsic relationship between the city and the architect is explored in the paper. The paper presents a brief biography of Gaudi and examines the general characteristics, influences, and styles of his work and creations. The paper describes three of Gaudi's many projects in Barcelona: the Sacred Family (La Sacrada Familia), La Pedrera (Casa Mila), and the Guell Park.
From the Paper "As some who has visited Barcelona, one would perhaps always remember the historical area around Los Ramblas, the old Gothic Cathedral or the Olympic Stadium, as well as the special charm of the city, proud in its Catalan spirit, but there is little chance that something is likely to impress you more than the presence of Antoni Gaudi in the city, his modernist creations, his dedication to the city and, even more so, the intrinsic relationship between the city and the architect. Indeed, Gaudi has only worked and created in Barcelona and the city represented to Gaudi something that Aix-en Provence was for another artistic genius, Cezanne : place of inspiration and artistic evolution, but probably also the only place where the interior effervescence could be properly exploited."
Abstract This paper provides an introduction of the ideology of anarchism, where the government is typically perceived as evil as well as wholly unnecessary. It includes a background to the development of the theory and its main principles and assumptions. It also looks at a number of key examples throughout history such as Barcelona during the Spanish Civil war and the Paris Commune as well as the current standing of anarchism today.
From the Paper "The individual within the Anarchism ideal is thus rational, but must also be to an extent compassionate, as Buchanan proposes in "The Limits of Liberty" individuals should be "dictated by mutual tolerance and respect". So with this understanding of the individual within anarchic society as a basis, a perception of Anarchism can be developed. Anarchy is most often defined as the ?Lack of a centralized authority.? Government is typically perceived as evil as well as wholly unnecessary. This can often have negative connotations, suggesting a lack of social direction and stability. Yet as Herbert Read proposes in his script, "Anarchy and Order", anarchy ?is ambiguous ? for . . . "without ruler", the literal meaning of the root of the word, is not necessarily "without order", the meaning often loosely ascribed to it.?"
This paper analyzes Henri Cartier-Bresson's photo, "Barrio Chino, Barcelona, Spain, 1933" in its socio-historical context, revealing how the imagery of the photo relates to its context of Depression-era Spain.
Abstract This paper explains that, after returning from Africa in the early Thirties, Cartier-Bresson was influenced by the vivacity of primitivism and tried to find its counterpart in some of the poor neighborhoods of Europe. The author points out that the artist's choice of camera, the small-format Leica, allowed Cartier-Bresson the freedom to shoot quickly and with minimal camera resetting time (i.e. advancing film, changing film). The paper relates that the rising presence of magazines and photojournalism in the 1930s generously supported Cartier-Bresson financially and allowed him the economic freedom required for him to travel the world taking pictures.
From the Paper "The tired, desperate look on the man's face coupled with the look of shock on the face of the drawing, paint a profound picture of desperation. What seems like merely a "snapshot" photograph can be deeply analyzed to reveal an insightful comment on the poverty and hopelessness so prevalent during the depression. In an era when most cameras were large, and bulky, it doesn?t seem possible for a photo such as this one to be taken off the cuff and un-posed. But the fact is that Cartier-Bresson's photos were not posed and the next paragraph will discuss how new camera technology allowed him the freedom to take pictures like this one taken in Spain in 1933."
Abstract This essay is an exposition of William Blake's poem "The Tiger." It analyzes the structure of the poem and also explores the questions that lead the reader toward a consideration of the nature of the tiger's Creator. It gives support through quotations of the poem and uses no outside sources.
Abstract Throughout its history, philosophical writings have primarily been conventional expositions of arguments. However, there have been exceptions, notably the literary forms of the dialogue, the aphorism, the poem, and others. Sometimes, the chosen format functioned specifically to convert the reader, but sometimes not. This paper looks at the relationship, or the lack of one, between literary forms and intent. There is specific scrutiny of Lucretius's "Of the Nature of Things" and Spinoza's "Ethics".
From the Paper "Perhaps, the geometrical form was pedagogical, or a reaction to the imprecision of the prevailing Renaissance style, or a way of avoiding the traditional Scholastic "disputations and questions" format. (Wolfson 32-60) As Wolfson, a major Spinoza interpreter suggests, he ?had something new to say, and he wished to say it in a new way.? (59) It may have simply been a ?desire to produce a book which externally would be different from all other books on philosophy.? (59) Or in Martha Nussbaum's interesting discussion about literary form and content, she specifically cites the example of Spinoza's Ethics and offers the suggestion that this project of writing craft expressed a joy that accompanies the peace of mind found in his philosophy. ?Spinoza cultivates the intellectual joy of which he will speak. (35)"
Abstract This paper provides an exposition of the symbolic use of unnatural actions and motivations of Shakespeare's characters in his tragedy "King Lear." The paper examines the Elizabethan view of determinism, including filial relationships in the play and the Elizabethan ideal.
From the Paper "Shakespeare presents numerous violations against nature in the tragedy "King Lear." Throughout the play he exploits the Elizabethan views of determinism in nature and physical order within the universe. Shakespeare explores the effects of committing violations against established natural laws through his characters' inappropriate dealings within their relationships against the natural order and against their own bodies and minds. His portrayal of unnatural relationships carried a profound significance for Elizabethan audiences."
Abstract The paper looks ar Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" and discusses a number of themes which emerge therein. It explains that Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" is a elegy which tells of the passing of an age of innocence and the emergence of a new epoch in America which will be characterized by violence, upheaval and - ultimately - by breathtaking industrial and technological innovation. The paper discusses how the film illustrates the pull of atavistic collectivity against the counter-tug of individuality. The writer argues that the film's most dramatic and impressive feature lies in its exposition of the dangers of the gang mentality. The writer concludes that "Gangs of New York" is perhaps not Scorsese's best work, but the motion picture will endure simply because it probes the dark psychology of gang life with a vividness that is unforgettable.
From the Paper "Suffice it to say, the elegiac overtones are accentuated by the terrific human loss and waste which typify the film - a rather brutal cinematic tour de force which may not be suitable for many audiences. Additionally, the elegiac components of the film are brought into sharp relief by the desire on the part of the main protagonist, Amsterdam Vallon (played passably well by Leonardo Di Caprio), to avenge the savage murder of his father (Scorsese, Gangs of New York). The tragedy at the heart of all of this is that what appears to be a passably bright, charming young man with a promising future ahead of him is now being marred by events from the long-ago past which compel him to rush forward to seek vengeance; in that sense, the film echoes some of the tropes found in Shakespeare's Hamlet - as Nev Pierce of the British Broadcasting Corporation points out (para.5)."
The essay summarizes the first three chapters in William Chittick's text, "The Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn al-'Arabi's Metaphysics of Imagination", and goes on to analyze the text and themes of the doctrine of divine names and Finding/Being.
Abstract This essay represents an exposition of the first three chapters of Chittick's text called "The Sufi Path of Knowledge: Ibn al-'Arabi's Metaphysics of Imagination", including: the first chapter, "Overview" of Ibn al-'Arabi's life and work; the second chapter, "Theology", with a particular reference to its explication of Ibn al-'Arabi's doctrine of Names; and the third chapter, "Ontology", with a focus on Ibn al-'Arabi's concepts of Being and Finding and the relationship between these important ideas.
Outline:
Introduction
Chapter 1 - Overview - The Divine Presence
Chapter 2 - Theology - The Names of God
Chapter 3 - Ontology
Conclusion
From the Paper "The first of these sections is entitled "Finding God" which not only provides Chittick with an opening for Ibn al-'Arabi's work that would be interesting and accessible to the lay reader, but also allows Chittick to introduce critical concepts such as relationship between Finding and Being, and their implications for our learning of God. "Finding" in this sense is a rendering of the Arabic word wujud, which in other contexts may be understood as "existence" or "being". Chittick also uses this chapter to highlight differences between concepts as they are understood in the West and their significance in Ibn al-'Arabi's teachings. For example, he note that Ibn al-'Arabi's 'main concern is not with the mental concept of being but with the experience of God's Being, the tasting (dhawq) of Being, that "finding" which is at one and the same time to perceive and to be that which truly is'."
Abstract This paper argues that Booker T. Washington's "Up from Slavery"
documents his journey from a slave to an educator in an effort to serve as an inspiration to blacks; nevertheless, many aspects of this book, especially in his Atlanta exposition speech, were harmful to blacks. The paper explains that these harmful aspects are his passive stance in regards to social inequalities levied against blacks, an indirect encouragement of further racism and a message that discourages blacks from progressing socially in the United States. The paper stresses that Washington's ideas are even more harmful because of his prominent position within the U.S.
From the Paper "In addition, the acceptance of social inequality meant more racism, discrimination, and violence against blacks. In contrast to Washington's views, the civil rights movement was a result of proactive movement, involving "artificial" methods such as legislation and agitation. One could suggest that the views expressed in Washington's literature set back the civil rights movement. Additionally, the passiveness in regards to social inequality actually simulated it."
