From the Paper "The clich? that art's beauty is in the eyes of the beholder is clearly demonstrated in the opposite views held by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the most eloquent among the enemies of Romanesque art versus Suger, the abbot of St. Denis, who favored increasing ornamentation in the construction and maintenance of the churches. These two men clearly demonstrate the differences and incompatibilities between the ascetics and the clergy who favored greater luxuriousness.
Given the time frame in which St. Bernard and Abbot Suger lived and worshipped, there are powerful arguments to be made for both sides. On the side of the ascetic view, when St. Bernard quotes a pagan as asking "what doeth this gold in the sanctuary"? - he is clearly signifying that worship of God and.."
Origins, major ideas & importance of ascetic & mystical Islamic religion in society & politics of turbulent era in Western Asia from the 12th century to the 17th century.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 3 sources, 1996, $ 47.95
From the Paper "This research paper evaluates the importance of Sufism in the religion, society and politics of Islamic western Asia during the 12th through the 17th centuries. Sufism represented the tradition of Islamic asceticism and mysticism, the spiritual and intellectual foundations of which first developed in the 7th century and were firmly laid in the later years of the Abbasid caliphate (750-1258). During the period of political disunity which followed the disintegration of the great Arab empire, the Sufi brotherhoods played a significant role in the Islamicization of that empire and its conquerors and successors. Through its teachings and practices, Sufism became an important catalyst for the extension of Islam at all levels, especially in the conversion of infidels and the establishment of Muslim culture at..."
Abstract In "The Awakening", Kate Chopin discusses the legitimacy of hope that human beings' sense of compassion can be extended to Edna Pontellier's ascetic search for liberation and self-realization. The paper discusses how Edna ? a wife, a mother, but primarily a woman ? goes through a series of transformations in which the images of the sea play a crucial role. The paper shows how the sea's potent promises of the infinite and its music of eternity capture Edna's soul at Grand Isle, leading the way to future struggles between her inner truth and the aggression of her surroundings, ultimately culminating in Edna's triumphant fall at the settling of the accounts.
From the Paper "The word "swell" indicates the expansion as a result of Edna's internal pressure to remain seemingly unchanged on the surface, while her entire world falls apart as a result of changing consciousness. Vastness of the sea is the only thing left ?unbroken,? offering unthreatened constancy and support for Edna. So reliable was the appearance of the sea that it allows her to free herself for the first time, and swim fearlessly into the night. It is obvious that the sea has gotten a firm hold of her at this point, and is dragging her further into contemplation of her own existence. The ?billows,? as smooth wavelets are identified with serpents, indicating temptation of Biblical proportions, setting the scene in a modern time Eden, and alluding to the forces of treacherous, subtle sin. The important difference from the original sin is that the "serpents" are white, carrying the message of purity and spirituality, thus preparing Edna to face not death, but new life."
Abstract Analysis of the theme of the ascetic priest in Nietzsche's "Twilight of the Idols" and "The Anti-Christ", two works of criticism against the Judeo-Christian moral system. The paper also examines his views on science and the "will to truth."
Abstract Nietzsche's philosophy is as misunderstood as it is prestigious. This paper traces Nietzsche's steps carefully, to find where his conception of both the apocolyptic "last man" and the glorious "overman" spring from. This is accomplished through an analytic investigation of Nietzsche's reaction to Utilitarianism, touching on the ascetic ideal, transcendence, ressentiment, slave and master moralities, bad conscience and Nietzsche's "value-judgement" epistemology.
From the Paper "It is no secret that Nietzsche's primary goal in his philosophy was to allow for a revaluation of all values. This was not a task Nietzsche took lightly, and even a quick skim through his works reveal the depth of Nietzsche's critique of alternate moral systems, with their binary oppositions of good and evil. One such system was Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism had its strongest support within Britain, and Nietzsche's criticism came from three main perspectives. 1) That Utilitarianism was equivalent to a negation of life and as such, 2) that Utilitarianism provided a poor "instruction manual" to interpreting human history. Finally, Nietzsche amalgamates these two perspectives into 3) an argument that Utilitarianism is a subversion of mankind in general, and as such it, and theories of its type, is leading to a Dystopian state of affairs for the end of history or Nietzsche's "last man". Following from this examination of Utilitarianism, we will direct our attention to Nietzsche's more general critique of antithetical moral values. What is unusual about this critique is the constant focus Nietzsche holds for cultural relevance; Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil is subtitled "Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future". The critique of antithetical values, ascetic ideals and slave moralities is not a conceptual hill to climb; it is the very issue that will decide the future of mankind. This fascinating and innovative interpretation poses a challenge to "modern sensibility"; as Nietzsche suggests an alternative moral paradigm and attitude towards existence that must be explored. Therefore, to conclude the essay, I will discuss Nietzsche's response to Utilitarianism (and Platonic/Christian thought) in the context of Nietzsche's positive morality, "Beyond Good and Evil"."
Tags: philosophy, self, psychology, value, judge, man
Abstract This paper examines how "The Aeneid" by Virgil and "The Life of St. Daniel the Stylite" are both works concerning heroes of their respective times. It looks at how Aeneas, emerging from the time of Rome, is portrayed as the ideal of the Roman epic hero, whereas St. Daniel shows his tenacity as a Christian ascetic. It also explores how both these heroes exemplify the ideals incorporated in each paradigm and, as such, fill an essential need in their respective cultures.
From the Paper "The purpose of Aeneas' journey then is to found a new city, which is Rome. When meeting Dido, the queen of Carthage, he remains with her for a period. They become lovers, and Aeneas is temporarily distracted from his purpose by the pleasures of the flesh. However, upon a reminder of the gods, he does not hesitate to resume his quest. When his purpose is fulfilled, Aeneas has permanently lost what he has sacrificed, because Dido committed suicide. Thus, while some spiritual guidance is embedded in his journey, Aeneas' story concerns the physical realm. He gives up the physical to pursue a greater, but still physical, goal."
Abstract The paper discusses how Shamanism is a term that, although often misunderstood or misinterpreted, is generally accepted by anthropologists as designating a social practice that has existed in human societies for millennia. The word "shaman" has its roots in the language of the Tungus-Turkic tribes populating what is today Siberia and Mongolia. It is important to note that "shaman" has no connection with the English word "man" and is thus gender neutral, with the plural of "shaman" being "shamans." However, the paper notes that the word has been connected linguistically with the Chinese "sha men", which has its roots in the Sanskrit "sramaa" meaning Buddhist ascetic.
Abstract This paper explains that Nietzsche's work, "The Genealogy of Morals", questions and evaluates the value of moral judgments according to a genealogical method, which in turn investigates the origins and meanings of various moral concepts. The paper further explains that "The Genealogy of Morals" discusses ascetic ideals or asceticism, a force that dominates modern thinking and life, and that Nietzsche views this as the expression of a weak and sick will that is unable to cope with its own struggle against itself.
From the Paper "The ascetic priest, Nietzsche writes, is the person who modifies the direction of resentment. While every suffering person instinctively look for the cause or agent of his suffering. The ascetic priest seeks living persons on whom he can unload his feelings in order to obtain relief from his mountains of resentment, revenge and similar torments. It his instinct to strike back as a merely reactive and protective measure or reflex .He needs them for emotional release and he must pretend utterly in order to produce it. He passes his guilt and vileness to others, assaults their past and present, look for what is dark and painful in these in indicating what needs to be healed. Finding cause, he blames it on others and thus keeps them forever bound to their guilt and to their need for his control (Nietzsche)."
Abstract This paper explains that religion in Japan is an amalgamation of various historical influences that has evolved over the last approximate 2000 years. The paper states that the major religions are Shinto, Daoism, Buddhism and more recently Christianity. The author points out that the historical relationship between Japan's imperial symbol and the Shinto faith is causing an ongoing international disturbance in contemporary foreign relations between Japan and its war-time victims. The paper relates that Buddhism, which has been predominant in Japan's culture because of its very early association with Confucianism, was never complicated by any connection with the divinity of the Emperor; thus, for Japan's neighbors, Buddhism is largely viewed as a common cultural thread.
Table of Contents:
Overview
Shinto
Buddhism
From the Paper "Japan's Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, has taken it upon himself to visit the Yasukuni Shinto Shrine in Japan on several occasions. Ostensibly, Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine are to pay respects to Japan's war dead, which is a fairly innocuous act in itself but because of the religious, national, and historical combination of Shinto and the Japanese state, this act is viewed as disrespectful by Japan's war-time victims. Although Shinto had been associated with the state and the imperial throne since the 4th century A.D., in 1868 Shinto was made the official religion during the Meiji Restoration and in 1869 the Yasukuni Shrine was erected."
Abstract This paper explains that Max Weber's "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism", just 150 pages, has been his most influential words. The author points out that, in this breakthrough study, Weber analyzed the relationship between the spirit of abstinence and self-denial that was at the core of ascetic Protestantism and emergent spirit of industrial capitalism. The paper relates that Weber argued that the modern capitalistic spirit was drawn in large part from the intellectual and cultural background of religious creeds, particularly Calvinism. The author underscores that Weber thought that Calvinism produced a mindset suited for involvement and success in business ventures.
From the Paper "Weber observed that capitalism imposed the "calling" on the modern worker, while Protestantism induced it form the medieval worshiper. Asceticism helped to create the "tremendous cosmos of the modern economic order." Today, this mechanistic capitalist order dictates the lives that people live. Their attachment to material goods has become "an iron cage." Goods control the individual. At the same time, the spirit of religious asceticism has been lost. It "has escaped from the cage." Whether this was a final escape or not Weber cold not say."
Abstract This paper examines how Geoffrey Chaucer, in constructing his parade of tale-telling pilgrims in "The Canterbury Tales", includes a representative from every sphere of medieval society, from the law, the clergy, the working class and tradesmen's classes, to that of the knights. Chaucer also includes a psychologically as well as economically and socially diverse cast of characters, including the wealthy and indulgent Wife of Bath as well as the ascetic student of the law called the Clerk. The paper concludes by imagining where Chaucer himself would sit were he to join the imaginary dinner party that he created.
From the Paper "Given the corruption and the often mercenary interests of the clergy, the Merchant might be an appropriate dining companion for both Summoner and Friar. The Merchant is evidence of the fact that although Chaucer was highly critical of the clergy, he did not view the clergy as a uniquely corrupt segment of society; rather corruption was endemic to society on many levels, in all of the different social strata represented by the tales. The Reeve, who tells an equally sexually lewd tale, might be a fitting companion for the Merchant personally, and the Reeve began in the tradesman classes, thus although they come from different professions, the two men are both middle-class and would likely speak a similar social 'language.'"
Abstract This paper looks at Siddhartha, the protagonist in Herman Hesse's novel titled after the main character. Summarizing the book on Siddhartha's journey for enlightenment, the author describes Siddhartha's process of first studying the ways of the forest-dwelling ascetics, the Samanas. The paper then describes how, when that proves to be unyielding in lasting spiritual fruits, Siddhartha begins to embrace materialism and sensuality before realizing his goal of enlightenment with the understanding of unnecessary stringency of asceticism and the meaninglessness in a materialistic existence. The paper also discusses the tradition of asceticism as practiced in several major religions.
From the Paper "Asceticism played a major role in the psychological, social, and spiritual evolution of Siddhartha, the titular protagonist in Herman Hesse's novel. Modeled partly after the historical Gautama Buddha, Siddhartha begins his quest for enlightenment by following in the Brahmin footsteps of his fathers and forefathers. Finding little satisfaction in the rites and traditions of Brahmanism, Siddhartha starts to study the ways of the Samanas. The Samanas are forest-dwelling ascetics, rejecting all types of material comforts including sex, material goods, and any food except that which is required for the survival of the body."
