Abstract The mechanistic worldview, on the one hand, depicts nature as atomistic, passive, lifeless, and wholly devoid of purpose. Feminist critics of deep ecology's insistence that an anthropocentric worldview is the root cause of the ecological crisis agree that there are important connections between the oppression of nature and the oppression of women that the anthropocentric emphasis of deep ecology obscures. Nature itself is conceived of as feminine. The powerful metaphor of "Mother Nature" allows one to see women and nature as both nurturing and gentle as well as wild and unpredictable. The irrational forces of nature must be tamed by culture and the emotional nature of women must be constructively directed by the masculine force of rationality.
This paper discusses the book, "When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals," by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy, which supports the rights of animals.
Abstract This paper explains that, although scientists have been trained carefully to believe that animals do not experience emotions and to avoid anthropomorphism, attributing human feelings, attitudes, or thoughts, to animals, the authors of this book suggest that this position is not true. The author points out that, in one of the most convincing chapters of the books, Masson and McCarthy write about the behavior of elephants around the bones of elephants that have died, describe animals appearing to grieve after a mate or partner leaves, and depicting an elephant who cried tears when beaten for performing badly. The paper relates that the book makes a compelling case for requiring evidence, not assumptions based on beliefs of biological superiority when dealing with animals, especially when using animals for experimentation. The paper questions, however, whether humans should die because it is wrong to practice life-saving surgery on other animals first when animal experiments have saved many, many lives.
From the Paper "The author notes that we have put a lot of effort into demonstrating things humans can do that other animals cannot: Laugh, worship, and anticipate (p. 24). The reader notes that "use tools" used to be on that list. It can't be any longer because both chimpanzees and sea otters use tools. Chimpanzees will push a straw or small diameter stick down a to lure termites out so they can be eaten. Sea otters gather flat rocks that they lie on their stomachs. Then when they gather seafood, they beat the clams, snails or whatever against the flat stone to break them open. Reasoning, imagination and anticipation may be functions of intelligence rather than related to emotions."
Abstract The main point of this paper is that consciousness is not something that is specific to human beings; but that man is likely the only species that truly does not understand the depth and intensity that animals possess in their special consciousness. It analyzes various ways in which man acts towards animals that shows how insensitive we are to other living creatures' consciousness - they are used for experiments, as a food source, in labor, etc. The paper argues humanity has taken advantage of the animal kingdom, while at the same time given nothing back in return with regard to a level of appreciation for nonhuman sentience. It examines research in the field which proves that animals do have definite levels of consciousness and different animal species are compared to each other to determine their level.
From the Paper "What is consciousness if not the awareness that one exists and, therefore, acts upon that knowledge as a means by which to maintain survival? Just because animals do not outwardly possess the prerequisites of consciousness set down by man's definition does not mean they do not exhibit their own consciousness in various other -- and significantly more elusive -- ways. When science has taken to task the issue of animal consciousness, it has typically pitted several species against one another as a means by which to establish some semblance of conscious behavior. Results from these types of research methods have consistently demonstrated a considerable divergence between and among species residing at varying rungs upon both the evolutionary and supraliminal ladders."
Abstract Alarm calls are widespread in nature, and researchers are exploring why such calls are given, as they may draw attention to the animal giving the signal, and thus put its life at risk. Other researchers are looking at what the different calls signify in order to learn how animals communicate, and ultimately use this knowledge to determine how human cognition has evolved.
From the Paper "Alarm calls are widespread in nature, and researchers are exploring why such calls are given, as they may draw attention to the animal giving the signal, and thus put its life at risk. Other researchers are looking at what the different calls signify in order to learn how animals communicate, and ultimately use this knowledge to determine how human cognition has evolved. This paper will look at the alarm calls of some animal species, what they signify, how they have developed, and how they relate to the animal's habitat.
Alarm calls of animals are part of a complex language system, with different calls being used to warn of different predators and triggering different survival actions, depending on the animal species, according to Milius (1998). For example, a vervet monkey can make three different kinds of alarm calls, and each ..."
Abstract This paper proposes that Darwin's theories need to be re-analyzed and considered together with today's advances in science and with the advantage of hindsight and modernity. The paper explains what Darwin's theory is and then explores the issues and problems with the theory in light of today's knowledge.
Contents
Introduction
Anthropomorphic Animal Understanding
Assumed Intelligence or Programmed Response
Environmental Stresses as a Precursor to Change
The Difference Between Animals and Humans
Darwin's Assumption
Examples in Plant Life
Positive Response to Environmental Stress
Chemical and Biological Programming for the Well-being of the Species
Examples in Animal Life
Well-Fed Bears
Maladaptive Response to Reward Training
Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper This hypothesis does not take into consideration the positive nature of adverse conditions. This hypothesis does not address that learned behaviors, a mental cognitive function, may not be the only factors influencing the animal's behaviors. In humans, we have the ability to use our mental abilities to overcome fears, to relearn habits, and to change behaviors. Humans have the ability to, as a result of stresses or reward, chart an individual course of action unrepentant of environmental stimuli. As a facilitator of the success of individualization, we also have the ability to overcome environmentally adverse conditions if necessary in order to complete our mentally cognitive chosen course of action.
Abstract This paper examines the role of paintings in ekphrastic poetry (the rhetorical description of a work of art). It shows how Elizabeth Bishop makes her fictional painting 'real' through her poem, "Large Bad Picture". It presents a comparison between "Large Bad Picture" to W.H. Auden's "Musee des Beaux Arts." The paper also provides an examination of how Bishop divides her poem between setting the scene and then delivering the poem's argument.
From the Paper "Having settled her reader comfortably, Bishop then takes the next two stanzas to describe in clear, precise language the subject of the painting. In one long sentence enjambed over two stanzas, she describes the sunset, the span of high blue cliffs and the small caves that dot their base. The final line of the third stanza returns the reader to the title describing the caves that riddle the cliffs as being "masked by perfect waves." (12). Her description of the waves as being "perfect" give the first hint of her contention that this is a bad picture. The reader begins to understand that this composition, while possibly well executed, is unrealistic, that the painter has seen perfection in natural phenomina that are inherently imperfect and organic."
Abstract This paper details Goodall's extensive research into primate behavior, which began in the early 1960s and would continue for many years. This paper reviews Goodall's groundbreaking book, in which the author found many similarities between chimpanzee society and human society. This book delves into how Goodall began her research by fitting into the primate society. This paper discusses the manner in which Goodall personalized her subjects by giving them names and in some ways anthropomorphizing them in her description of their behavior, which runs counter to any scientific study of primate behavior in itself. Goodall's book also delves into how the chimpanzees began to accept the author and researcher as one of their own. Goodall did not write this book as a scientific report but as a popular account of her life in Africa and her interactions with chimpanzees. The writer of this paper explains why author and anthropologist Jane Goodall has become a key figure in the field of primate research.
From the Paper "Goodall found many similarities between chimpanzee society and human society, noting how interesting it is when she finds something that is different about chimp society in the exclusion of the male from familial responsibilities, calling this "perhaps one of the major differences between human and chimpanzee societies, for most human family groups look upon the father not only as the begetter of the children but as the protector, and usually as the provider of food, or land, or money." However, she also notes that at the time, women were demanding more equality so that the role of the males was being questions, though she also says this is only happening in a very small minority of cultures." It is not clear what it would mean if this were more widespread, whether it would reflect something innate in primates that only emerged when society changed, or whether it occurs in chimpanzee society for some similar reason."
Abstract This paper explains that both the Australian movies "Babe" (1995) and "Babe: Pig in the City" (1998) center on the title character, Babe, a cute talking pig that is continually thrust into extraordinary circumstances; however, despite both starring Babe, the pig protagonist, the movies themselves are very dissimilar. The author points out that (1) "Babe" is non-picaresque but 'Babe: A Pig in the City' is relatively picaresque, (2) 'Babe' features only a few and less varied animals but the animals in "Babe: Pig in the City" are more varied and (3) "Babe" takes place on a farm with Farmer Hoggett, the main human character, while "Babe: Pig in the City" takes place in the city with Mrs. Hoggett the main human character. The paper concludes that both stories are skillfully told, moral, entertaining, humorous and deeply satisfying.
Outline
Introduction and Thesis Statement
Non-picaresque ("Babe") vs. Picaresque ("Babe: Pig in the City")
Animals in "Babe" vs. Animals in "Babe: Pig in the City"
Farm Setting of "Babe" vs. City Setting of "Babe: Pig in the City"
Conclusion
From the Paper "The Hoggett farm where Babe (1995) mainly takes place is, after all (notwithstanding the presence of a whole cadre of talking animals) a rather ordinary farm. However, the city where Babe and Mrs. Hoggett find themselves, within "Babe: Pig in the City", is no ordinary city. It features the Hollywood sign, the Sydney Opera House, and the Statue of Liberty, for example, all in one. It is, overall, a rather heartless city, but it still possesses a hotel with an owner kind enough to accept and care for, many animals, a sort of "homeless shelter" for unfortunate creatures."
Tags:anthropomorphism, farm, dissimilar, animals, moral
Abstract In this article, the writer looks at five short stories written by English veterinarian, James Herriot. The writer discusses Herriot's popular work, based on his practice, the animals and various other accounts of his life. Further, the writer notes that Herriot generally avoids the anthropomorphizing of animals indulged in by others and instead presents them as animals now in a human world, a domesticated world on the farm and in the home, still in his native Yorkshire.
From the Paper "James Herriot is a veterinarian practicing in Yorkshire in England, and he achieved great popularity writing about his practice and his "patients" in books like "All Creatures Great and Small" and numerous other accounts of his life. His popularity was greatly extended by a television version of his work first on British television and then replayed in America. He has also written a number of short stories about animals, collected in the book James Herriot's Animal Stories in which the author presents stories about different animals and the human beings who interact with them."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the issues of science versus religion when trying to unlock the mysteries of the universe. According to the paper, religion and science are often at odds, especially regarding core issues such as the nature of time, the origins of humanity and the nature of religion itself. The paper goes on to discuss how, rather than be at odds with one another, science and religion should cultivate a shared interface, complementing each other in their mutual endeavors.
From the Paper "One of the most pressing questions in both religion and science is the nature of disease. Geneticists have been trying to unearth so-called founder mutations: one original genetic mutation that subsequently caused generations of people to carry and/or suffer from a serious illness like sickle cell anemia. Unlike many other mutations, founder mutations can be traced to one original ancestor. The discovery and study of founder mutations allows anthropologists to research the general patterns of human migration, providing a more complete understanding of history. Religion views genetic mutations in a different light. Many fundamentalist Christians, for example, might propose that disease is God-given. Yet if Mary Schweizer, an Evangelical Christian scientist, can unite religion with science then anyone can. Her devotion to fundamental Christian thought is not at odds with her scientific endeavors, according to Yeoman. In fact, Schweizer views science as a spiritual endeavor, as a means to discover the meaning of life, death, and seeming anomalies. Religion and science share common goals and objectives even when their theoretical underpinnings are in conflict with one another."
Tags:anthropomorphic, images, ancient, artifacts, questions, Stonehenge, civilization, new, age
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the idea of God posited by Benedict Spinoza with that posited by Gottfried Leibniz. The paper points out that, according to Spinoza, God exists necessarily from its divine nature, inhabiting the world as the world inhabits it. It claims that Leibniz saw the elegance of this utterly rational God, though he also espied a threat that he attempted to displace by defending the traditional anthropomorphic idea of God. Spinoza's God is beyond human, to which the human notions of 'good' and 'evil' do not apply. Leibniz saw in this God no freedom, no agency, and no morality by which man could live. The paper concludes that these two philosophers, arguably the most significant of their day, differed drastically in their views of God's role with regard to the world. While Spinoza's view of a non-human God appeals to humanity to find a liberal and democratic method by which to exist in the world, Leibniz's more traditional view of God involves the reliance upon faith and provides a perfect example upon which humanity must model itself.
From the Paper "While this eminently rational idea of God possesses an almost geometric elegance, the implications of such a view would greatly disturb Spinoza's contemporaries, Leibniz among them. Since all things follow necessarily from God's nature as substance, determined solely through itself, it follows that things could not be any other way than they are. "Things could not have been produced by God in any manner or in any order different from that which exists." This is an utter rejection of the supreme anthropomorphic father figure, who chooses between right and wrong and lays down laws by which humanity is judged. Good and bad are reduced to human notions relative to our limited experience of the world, completely irrelevant to a universe that functions from the necessary. Morality is seemingly abolished, and God seems too powerless to ever have created anything at all. In fact, freedom to Spinoza is the ability to be determined by nothing other than one's nature, which entails that only God is completely free as the one substance, and to choose to be anything but what he is would be absurd, as what he is, is perfection. "...God alone is a free cause. For God alone exists only from the necessity of his nature and acts from the necessity of his nature." The threat to the theocratic order is explicit here, for while Spinoza's God is necessarily perfect, he is not necessarily good. Following from necessity, what we term 'evil' is as much in God as what we call 'good'. This God is not based on relative human notions or longings: it follows purely from the necessity of reason. Spinoza maintains that he sees God as surely as he can see the truth of a geometric proof: "I know it in the same way that the three angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles." The rejection of ultimate reward and punishment places the onus for morality squarely upon human shoulders; a yoke religion explicitly labors to remove because it is too heavy for most humans to bear and would lead to social chaos. Perhaps Spinoza had such in mind when he penned the last line of his Ethics: "...all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare."
Abstract "The Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T.S. Elliot is a book full of poems which describes different types of cats and their various personalities using anthropomorphism. This paper discusses how it is a book that has a wide variety of techniques, using personifying vocabulary, specific feline terms along with invented words and names. It contends that the book is a wonderful cocktail of ingredients that have harmoniously blended in together.
From the Paper "The following up poem Growltiger's Last Stand finely shows how unrealistic ally T.S. Elliot can portray a cat. Growltiger is described as a cat "who travelled on a barge" . Despite this eccentric description of the cat, T.S. Elliot writes great deal on the personality of this cat and the interaction he has with his travelling environment. As said in the poem, "[...] he was the roughest cat that ever roamed at large", "The Persian and the Siamese regarded him with fear." T.S. Elliot also shows the "sentimental side" of Growltiger, this strengthens the portrayal of the human side which cats have. This deeper emotional side of a cat seems to only be shown in this poem whereas in other poems, the description is concentrated more on the acts, the observable behavior and traits and also the more, what I can call, shallow emotions. "
