Abstract
In this paper, the history of Daoism, also known as The Way of the Celestial Masters, is discussed from 142 C.E. The paper draws from two of the assigned readings to make observations on the way the practice and structure of Daoism has changed from its creation to its current practice in China and Taiwan. The paper shows how what started as an administrative structure has evolved to a series of rituals.

From the Paper
"Taishang Laojun and the first Celestial Master, Zhang Daoling, established "The Way of the Celestial Masters," aka Daoism, later Taoism, in 142 C.E., as a way to provide "a correct religious alternative to (these) popular sacrificial cults." (Abridged Codes p. 348). The founders of Daoism clearly had grand ambition. It was their aim to reduce conflict and violence, teach individuals and communities how to live in harmony, bring an administrative system into governance which would function in part as a genealogical record of society, and also to provide an alternative religion to the prevailing beliefs in demons, Buddhism, and Confucianism."

Tags:daoism, taoism, masters

Abstract
A look at Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Celestial Railroad". An analysis of Hawthorne's writing style and technique to convey the themes and character development.

From the Paper
"What if your religious life could be shown as a journey on a train car? What would others say about you and your experiences? As a matter of fact, Nathaniel Hawthorne did that very thing. In "The Celestial Railroad," he shows the reader a journey taken by a person with no name. This anonymity helps bring the story closer to the reader. To also help with this, Hawthorne uses the genre of the short story. Many facets involving character development and plot glorify this literary genre."

Tags:character, development

Abstract
The paper proviodes a brief biography of Eudoxus and his studies in mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. The paper looks at Eudoxus' accomplishments and relates that Eudoxus substantially advanced the proportion theory, he contributed to the identification of constellations, and he established the first sophisticated, geometrical model of celestial motion.

Outline:
Introduction
Biography
Contribution to Discovery
Conclusion

From the Paper
"C B Boyer, in his "A History of Mathematics" gives a quote from Eudoxus that is quite self-descriptive of this genius, "Willingly would I burn to death like Phaeton, were this the price for reaching the sun and learning its shape, its size and its substance."
"It is descriptive of the man from Cnidus because it shows us the mind of this genius, the curiosity he displayed during his lifetime and why he contributed so much, in particular, to the fields of mathematics and astronomy.
"Unfortunately, all of his works are lost to history. We have snippets, pieces, basic facts about Eudoxus' life and work, and some words from others through the ages who have dug up what could be found and put it together in biographies and descriptions of his work."

Tags:proportion, theory, constellations, celestial, motion, magnitudes

Abstract
This paper explores methods used by astronomers to measure the universe, the dual nature of light, origins of the universe and the solar system and types of stars. It also discusses planets and other celestial bodies.

From the Paper
"Another way to measure the universe is using shadows. Some astronomers observe "dark silhouettes cast by distant clusters of galaxies (Glanz,1999)" against the "cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) (Glanz, 1999)" The glow from this radiation provides a back light that helps measure the size of the shadows. The CMBR was formed back when the cosmos were only 100,000 to 300,000 years old. Because of the CMBRs' age, "everything in the visible universe lies in front (Glanz, 1999)" of it. When the radiation started out, it had hot temperatures due to the universe just being formed. However, as the universe expanded, the temperatures cooled. This gives astronomers additional information to aid them in their measurements."

Tags:solar, system, celestial, space, cosmic, radiation, light, cosmos

Abstract
The paper relates that the novel "The Monkey and the Monk", an abridgement of the Chinese classic "The Journey to the West", is a complex work embodying a number of aspects of Chinese culture, religion and society. The paper notes that one of the most fascinating of these aspects is how the work reflects - and in the process critiques - the extraordinarily complicated and multi-layered bureaucracy of Chinese imperial society; manifested in the novel in the form of the celestial bureaucracy of Heaven. This paper explores this aspect of the work, with a particular reference to the figure of Sun Wukong or Monkey King. The thesis is argued that Wukong's comic subversion and criticism of the celestial social order implicitly conveys a criticism of its similarly bureaucratic earthly counterpart. As is seen, while the divine social order is restored and Monkey King eventually controlled, his rebellious spirit and social criticism nonetheless defines the narrative and continues to resonate with the reader after the work is concluded.

From the Paper
"The novel "The Monkey and the Monk", an abridgement of the Chinese classic "The Journey to the West", is a complex work embodying a number of aspects of Chinese culture, religion and society. One of the most fascinating of these aspects is how the work reflects - and in the process critiques - the extraordinarily complicated and multi-layered bureaucracy of Chinese imperial society; manifested in the novel in the form of the celestial bureaucracy of "Heaven'. This essay will explore this aspect of the work,..."

Tags:asia, china, bureaucracy

Abstract
This paper primarily takes a look at how astronomy has been revolutionized by Einstein's relativity theory. It discusses the different methods of space travel and celestial observations and looks at the three basic parts of Einstein's relativity: time dilation, relativity of mass, and length contraction, as well as dealing with the implications these ideas have had on the macro-world, namely astronomy, and the micro-world, often on the sub-molecular level.

From the Paper
"Special relativity, which is described first here, is more applicable to microscopic physics and situations that involve inertial frames of reference. Inertial frames of reference are scenarios where on object remains at rest in one frame and another object in a different frame moves at a constant velocity with respect to the first object. The three major tenets of Einstein's special relativity are time dilation, relativity of mass, and length contraction. The equations that sprung from the concepts Einstein discussed in these three topics bridged Newtonian physics, or more accurately, refined it to the modern physics that is used today. However, because the physical concepts that Newton developed are applicable in most "everyday" situations, it is still widely used in most areas of science."

Tags:macro-world, sub-molecular, level, astronomy, space, travel

Abstract
This paper examines John Donne's "The Sun Rising," an aubade poem in which the speaker berates the sun for rousing him and his lover after a night of sexual bliss. It looks at how his relationship with his mistress becomes the axis around which both the poem and his life revolve and how in his mind, the vast outer limits of the universe contract to the small space that he occupies with his lover, the only space of any importance to him: his bed. It analyzes the diction of the speaker, the external structure of the poem and the transformation of cosmic symbols and celestial imagery throughout the poem. It discusses how the use of the poem's setting as a microcosm of the world illuminates the poem's central theme of the paradoxical nature of true love.

From the Paper
"The speaker's interpretation of the sun's functions evolves throughout the poem, mirroring the fluctuations of his own passions. Initially, he belittles the sun by associating it with the distasteful tasks of rousing "late schoolboys and sour prentices" (6) and calling mindless automatons, or "country ants" (8) to work. In the second stanza, he further extends his arrogant deprecation of the sun's faculties by asserting both that he could shut out its rays by merely closing his eyes and that his mistress? eyes shine so brightly that they could eclipse its light. Such hyperbolic declarations mark the culmination of his condescending remarks and the climax of his reckless passion, for in the third stanza he tempers his bold assertions by finally recognizing the sun's true duty ?[t]o warm the world? (28)."

Tags:aubade, microcosm, morning, sensibility, symbolism

Abstract
This paper first discusses Anaximander, born in Miletus around 610 BCE, when it was the richest and most powerful Greek city in Asia Minor. This paper explains Anaximander's scientific achievements, which included the creation of the first Greek world map, the first Greek celestial globe, the vertical pointer of a sundial and a spherical model for the heavens with the earth at its center. The author reviews Anaximenes of Miletus, living in the second half of the 6th century, who was Anaximander's successor and pupil; he taught that air was the origin of all things and that the breath of life with the human soul.

From the Paper
"Anaximander wrote a book, already lost in antiquity, quoted by the ancients under the title "On the Nature of Things". In it was contained a description of his map and celestial model as well as an account of the functioning of the world and its development. Beginning from a first principle called the Boundless or Infinite (to apeiron), he describes how "something capable of generating Hot and Cold was separated off ... and a sphere of fire from this source grew around the air in the region of earth like bark around a tree. When this sphere was torn off and enclosed in certain rings, the sun and moon and stars came into existence" (D-K, 12 A 10). These heavenly bodies are "wheel-like, compressed masses of air filled with fire, which exhale flames from an orifice at one point" (D-K, 12 A 17a)."

Tags:miletus, map, globe, pupil, air

Abstract
Traces the rise of Muslim scholarship from the 8th & 9th Centuries. Syntheses of existing astronomical traditions--Persian, Indian & Greek texts. Arab knowlededge of celestial world. Importance of Ptolemaic model for the planets. Establlishment of House of Wisdom in Baghdad. Islamic impact on development of astronomy & mathematics. Contribution of astrologers.

From the Paper
"The rise of Muslim science began after the life of the
prophet Mohammed and the beginning of Islam in the seventh century. The eighth and ninth centuries involved the period of consolidation of the Muslim people, and the real rise of Muslim scholarship occurred in the ninth and tenth centuries (Al-Daffa , 1977). The Muslims integrated the astronomical traditions of the Indians, Persians, the ancient near east, and especially the Greeks into a synthesis which began to chart a new chapter in the history of astronomy from the eighth century onward (IAL). The unification of the tribes of Arabia into a powerful nation, including Persia, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, the whole North Africa, Gibraltar, and Spain created a vast intellectual empire (Ead). However, the Greek legacy did not immediately dominate without a struggle with native ..."

Abstract
The paper analyzes "Ode to St. Cecilia's Day," a poem written by John Dryden which celebrates the feast-day of Saint Cecilia on November 22, as well as the majesty of music. The paper shows that music is a heavenly treat that leads to celestial harmony and the mystery of music is clarified through Dryden's use of metaphor and personification. The paper discusses how in different stanzas, Dryden lends various instruments individual qualities according to their particular sounds. It shows how these instruments become metaphors for human passions and for the wonders of nature.

From the Paper
"Throughout the "Ode to St. Cecilia's Day," John Dryden personifies music in general and instruments in particular. From the second to the sixth stanza, Dryden outlines the specific qualities of certain instruments. Stanza 2 is devoted to Jubal's corded shell. Alluding to the biblical character of Jubal, Dryden further exemplifies the divine nature of music. The corded shell "spoke so sweetly and so well," (line 23). The music that emanates from Jubal's shell has the power to "raise and quell" any human passion (line 24). Because the poet chooses verbs regularly delegated to the realm of human experience, music becomes anthropomorphised. Furthermore, because these verbs tend to be uplifting in nature, music becomes deified."

Tags:organ, Heavens, Jubal, Orpheus, Grand, Chorus