Abstract The paper briefly summarizes the play "Oedipus Rex" and focuses on how it is seen as a play about human beings' inability to escape a prophecy, or destiny. The paper also shows how Oedipus himself is the enigma which he solves when he pursues the truth, even when he is pretty certain that it will be horrific. The paper asserts that while "Oedipus Rex" has been described as a play about the 'terror of coincidence', if it was simply a play about coincidence, it would not have gained the fame it enjoys. The paper believes that it is the complex motives which drive Oedipus to seek out the truth and the fact that he is a genuine Greek hero that has made Sophocles's play last for thousands of years.
Outline:
Introduction
Destiny in Oedipus Rex
Enigma in Oedipus Rex
Conclusion
From the Paper "To sum up the play briefly; a king who has reigned in Thebes for many years seeks his predecessor's murderers as the answer to a Delphic pronouncement; the anger of the Gods has left his people dying in handfuls. Gradually, he comes to realize that he has slain this former King (whose widow he has married), and also reveals that he left his home country in order to escape a terrible prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. It is then, very slowly and painfully, revealed to King Oedipus that the man whom he killed at the crossroads (King Laius), was his true father, and Jocasta, now Oedipus's wife, is also his mother."
Abstract The paper relates that fewer historical figures are as hotly debated as Michel Nostradamus, a 16th century physician who issued a series of four-line poems that seemed to predict subsequent major world events. The paper discusses how detractors argue that Nostradamus was a first-class con-man, who wrote purposely vague predictions that allow his forecasts to be applied to a variety of events. The paper shows, however, that some of his predictions had a degree of detail that supporters argue is much more than coincidence.
Outline:
Supporting Nostradamus
Nostradamus the con?
Conclusion
From the Paper "Nostradamus, whose birth name was Michel de Notredame, was born in Saint Remi in Southern France and gained notoriety as an innovative physician who healed seriously ill patients suffering from the plague (Nostradamus, 2006). His fame as a healer eventually led him to be appointed court physician to Charles IX in 1560 (Nostradamus, No Date)."
"In 1547, Nostradamus began making predictions in rhyming quatrains that made use of French, Latin, Spanish and Hebrew, eventually culling them together for the publication of Centuries in 1555 (Nostradamus, No Date). Centuries became an immediate hit and people from across Europe flocked to visit Nostradamus at his home in Salon, hoping to earn a glimpse into the future. Nostradamus claimed Centuries laid out a series of predictions for world events from his own era to the end of the world, which he predicted would occur in 3797 (Nostradamus, 2006)."
Abstract The paper relates that Sophocles' work, "Oedipus Rex", is one of the essential myths of mankind and is so fundamental that it transcends and defies any strictly literary interpretation. The paper focuses on the extraordinary coincidences that form the plot of the play and shows how this work is an unanswerable riddle. The paper concludes that unlike another deviation or tragic situation that would probably only cause disgust, it is appreciated and re-used by culture precisely because of its mythical and highly esthetic quality.
From the Paper "Sophocles' work is at once the paragon of the Greek classical tragedy, one of the essential myths of mankind and a great esthetic achievement. Furthermore, the too well-known plot has been made by Freud into a landmark theory of psychoanalysis. The power of the Oedipus story then comes from the archetypical and riddle-like significance of the events described. The work is so fundamental that it transcends and defies any strictly literary interpretation. The extraordinary and ineluctable coincidence which forms the plot of the play is the core of its fundamental significance. The tragedy knows no respite and no resolution for itself; it is an unanswerable riddle, where all the elements converge at different points. The story is at once paradoxical and uncongenial with any simple interpretation."
Abstract This paper analyzes the use of fate, coincidence, and accident in "Libra" as these topics serve to reinforce the book's titular concern with astrology, as well as the affinity that the concept of astrologically-determined fate and conspiracy theories have with each other. It traces the references to fate, coincidence, and conspiracy in the novel, ultimately finding Oswald's sun sign, Libra, to be the generator of the events of the novel.
From the Paper "Libra tells the story of the life and death of Lee Oswald, and the conspiracy to assassinate John F Kennedy. Oswald's life is out of control, constantly pushed and pulled in different directions by those around him. The chaos of Oswald's life and mind are explored throughout the novel, and his character is predictably weak-willed and mercurial. Less predictable, however, is the fact that the seemingly well-organized plot to kill the president is equally out of control, equally subject to the machinations of some greater exterior force. In admitting the chaos of Oswald and his life into their plot, the conspirators subject themselves to the forces of coincidence that this chaos facilitates and allow a greater outside force to manifest itself through him."
Abstract In this article the author looks at the events of 9/11 and its aftermath through the eyes of Carl Jung. He examines how Jung would have reacted to the events of 9/11. He points out that Jung believed very strongly in coincidence. But, would he have thought that 9/11 was a coincidence, something hidden in the collective unconsciousness. Maybe the unconscious beliefs of government officials, the CIA and FBI who knew that there was something going to happen, but didn't know when or where or even how. The paper goes on to describe how Jung would have categorized the different reactions of the American people after 9/11 in his terms of introvert and extrovert personalities. The author examines the different archetypes that Jung proposed in terms of 9/11. The paper concludes with the statement that even Jung would have not have been able to explain the "why?" of the terrorist attacks and what they hoped to accomplish.
From the Paper "Jung dreamt a great deal about the dead, the land of the dead, and the rising of the dead. These represented the unconscious itself -- not the "little" personal unconscious that Freud made such a big deal out of, but a new collective unconscious of humanity itself. It would be interesting to assume that the thousands who died at the World Trade Center, the Pennsylvania field and at the Pentagon were somehow part of a Jungian dream. But, while we might think of Freud and Jung as seeing psychosis in dreams, Jung was more realistic. "Jung felt that, if you want to understand the jungle, you can't be content just to sail back and forth near the shore. You've got to get into it, no matter how strange and frightening it might seem" (Boeree 1)."
Tags: safety, truth, world, concept, shadow, pyschic, mythology, religion, muslim
Abstract This paper takes a look at the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the personal access communication system (PACS) and discusses how they relate to each other.
The paper presents a detailed examination of the HIPAA act and the PACS program to determine whether they collide or coincide with each other.
Outline:
Introduction
Purpose of the Study
Hypothesis
Discussion Through Literature
Collide or Coincide Conclusion
From the Paper "The first indicator that PACS dovetails with HIPAA is the need for passwords and various codes to get into the system and maneuver around its components. When PACS is first installed there is a training period in which those who will be working with the medical imaging department will be trained in how to use passwords and codes to open and enter the system. In addition, many hospitals and other medical facilities have opted to change and rotate passwords on a frequent basis thereby reducing even further the chance that the information contained within the storage area of the system will be accessible by a hacker. "
Tags: encryptions, passwords, government, health, care, productivity, medical, imaging
Abstract This paper attempts to relate the decline of the Greek Bronze Age with the eruption of Santorini in the Aegean Sea. The author examines the developments that led to the decline of the Greek Bronze Age and how they coincide with the eruption of Santorini volcano.
From the Paper 'Two of the greatest controversial questions in ancient Greek history are when did the decline of the Greek Bronze Age begin and what caused this dramatic reversal in progress? Dates have varied from as early as 1350 B.C. to as late as 1100 B.C. Causes have range from massive invasions by barbarians to widespread droughts. However, evidence has begun to surface that suggests the possibility that there was a massive series of natural phenomena that affected the whole eastern Mediterranean region between 1600 and 1300 B.C. After examining all of the current evidence, a conclusion can be drawn that a series of earthquakes shook the region during several decades which set off a cataclysmic volcanic eruption on the island of Thera. This explosion can be directly connected with the decline of Bronze Age Greece."
Abstract This paper discusses self-image and body-image dissatisfaction, and how they correlate with sex, nationality, age and other contributing factors. The author examines such diseases as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and how psychological and physiological issues also coincide with body image and self-perceptions. The paper also looks at how society and the media contribute to body perceptions.
From the Paper "The effects of body image and dissatisfaction can be harmful and even deadly. Certain diseases such an anorexia and bulimia can be almost directly related with self body image. Researchers, Lautenbacher, Kraehe & Krieg did a study on recovering anorexic women. They say that the perception of body size is a contributing factor to anorexia. As evident, ?"perception of body size is involved in these processes that determine the cause of anorexia nervosa" , Lautenbacher, Kraehe & Krieg. Body size ties directly to body satisfaction. Even after many anorexic or bulimic people have recovered, researchers suggest they still are unsatisfied with their bodies and how they look. They may gain weight back but still are dissatisfied with their bodies."
The following paper examines the war on drugs in America, questioning whether the loss of lives, stricter laws and costs of the campaign outweigh the benefits.
1,050 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 2 sources, 2003, $ 36.95
Abstract This essay discusses the pros and cons of the "War on Drugs" in America, paying specific attention to the sales of drugs, legislation issues, the strain on the judicial system, poor communities, increased costs of the campaign and the infringement of individual rights.
From the paper:
?Some critics have pointed to the amount of money the War on Drugs has cost. They claim that the increased costs of the campaign to stop drug flow into the United States have coincided with a decrease of the amount of money spent on education. However, correlation is not the same as cause. The funding of education is an important role for federal, state and local governments. This is why we have federal funding for some educational programs as well as state and local taxes to help pay for public schools.?
A political science essay outlining the expansion of suffrage among the U.S. population throughout American history and the effects of a larger and more diverse electorate on voting trends and party control.
1,315 words (approx. 5.3 pages), 2 sources, 2002, $ 44.95
Abstract This paper discusses the history of suffrage in the United States and it's affect upon the distribution of power between the Republican and Democratic parties at different points in American History. It discusses the three most central suffrage movements in the United States: universal white male suffrage, universal black male suffrage, and universal female suffrage and the expansion of voting rights that coincided with each of these three movements.
From the paper:
"While the universal white male suffrage progressions in the first period had more to do with the influential ideas of the French Revolution and democracy in general, an incentive to settle the western frontier, and increasing trust of the non-upper classes, the suffrage progressions of blacks and women came about from more deliberate effort. Two main reasons for the attainment of the vote by blacks and women is the weakening of the political parties and the increased activist role of the federal government that occurred in the twentieth century."
Abstract This paper examines the history of rhetoric and it's significance in early Greek and Roman civilizations that coincided with creation of democracy and the importance of public speech. It then shows Kenneth Burke's contribution to the new rhetoric as an argumentative weapon and his influence on the post-modern deconstructionism.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Section One: The Preceding Conversation
3. Section Two: Contribution to the Conversation
4. Section Three: Effect on the Conversation
5. Conclusion
From the paper:
"The word "rhetoric" has an old fashioned air about it. It calls up images of schoolrooms with children in ruffled collars and Latin grammars and not a laptop in sight for several centuries. But rhetoric is as alive as is language itself, and this paper examines the importance of rhetorical studies in helping each of us to become the best writers and speakers ? the best communicators ? that we can be. A historical study of changes models and standards in rhetoric can also provide us not only with a sense of how linguistic and especially English style has changed over the years as well as illuminating how our conception of language and its structure and function have changed as well. This paper engages in such an examination by focusing on the work of Kenneth Burke. We begin with a brief overview of the life of this man whose rhetorical work we will then examine."
Abstract The paper discusses how poet Nikki Giovanni bares her soul in her reflective poem entitled "You Are There". It shows, similarly, that Edna St. Vincent Millay also writes from her heart about her past in "What Lips My Lips have Kissed, and Where and Why" (Sonnet XLIII). The paper explores how the two women share several perspectives on the "winter" of their life, but contrast deeply regarding their past lovers. The author also explains how Giovanni and Millay both use symbolism and imagery to convey their messages, which sometimes coincide and sometimes run in opposite directions.
From the Paper "From the very first line of Millay's poem, we are well aware of what she is talking about ? kissing. Her immediate use of the pronoun "my" indicates that she is writing from her perspective, and about her perspective. (Millay, 1) Giovanni's poem's title contrasts in that sense ? her pronoun is "You". Giovanni's poem is more of an ode to one particular love, while Millay lumps her lovers together for the purpose of this poem. As Millay continues into the second line, we see another stark contrast from Giovanni's poem ? Millay declares "I have forgotten", indicating, in my opinion, that none of the past loves were significant enough to warrant a poem being written to them. (Millay, 2) Giovanni's lover, this one in particular that she is writing about, and in lines 6-7 she declares ?lovers ? certainly those / i can remember?. (Giovanni, 6-7)"
Abstract This research provides six specific examples of how the gods were believed to communicate with humanity in ancient Egypt. The research describes ways in which divine-to-human acts of communication were thought to take place in various periods of Egyptian civilization and the content of the patterns of belief. It discusses how perceptions and beliefs appear to have altered over the course of the culture's several-thousand-year tenure, before it was absorbed by Rome in the first century BC. Egypt's pharaonic period, which begins with the Old Kingdom (about 3200 BC), ends in 525 BC, which coincides with the emergence of Greek influence and the infancy of Rome. The paper shows that it is a truism that Greeks and Romans alike considered Egypt to be an ancient civilization.
From the Paper "What began in the Old Kingdom as a perception of the underworld as a place of wondrous information and potentiality was transformed by the time of the New Kingdom into a perception of the underworld as almost instrumental in the project of transfiguration of human experience into divine experience. As Hornung says, the figure of Osiris in the Old Kingdom period is given precedence over the pharaoh "as if it were a title; later [Osiris] is placed before the name of each deceased individual," which shows that godhead could be incorporated in or infused humankind, the oneness symbolic of perfect communication between matter and spirit."
Abstract This paper examines how Henry David Thoreau, in "Walden", or "Life in the Woods", describes, among many other experiences, the transcendental life-style he experienced in his two-year experiment at Walden Pond. It looks at how the experiment at Walden was for Thoreau an attempt to live within nature, to "transcend" not real life but the prison of society and conformity which alienates man from himself, from others and from the spiritual reality which is the essence of nature. It shows how although Thoreau did not consider himself and would never have considered himself, a member of any group which confined his individualism and independence, his outlook on life, nature and man's primary concerns in life and nature coincided with many of the essential Transcendentalist principles. His experiences and writings in Walden reflect his alignment with the Transcendentalists.
From the Paper "Thoreau's transcendentalism is in part simply living in nature simply and economically, nurturing and restoring his spirit through a subtle communion with nature, a communion which does not negate the mind and reason, but which exercises and strengthens the mind and reason. His focus on the details of living economically in nature bespeaks the kind of balance in which the animals and plants in the ecology also live. He takes from nature only what he needs and he uses what efficiently everything he takes."
Abstract This paper discusses how "courtly love" is a term that was retroactively developed to describe a medieval French concept known as ?Fin Amour.? It examines how this concept became widespread in the 12th century and referred to a code of behavior that was to formulate our modern conceptualization of chivalrous romance. This concept was reflected in Francesco Petrarch's "Italian sonnets", which introduced the concept of lyrical poetry in the 14th century. It analyzes how by Shakespeare's time, a renewed interest in medieval court behavior coincided with a growing interest in Italian ducal courts as depicted in "Othello", "Romeo and Juliet" and "12th Night". It also evaluates how Shakespeare's sonnets, which differed from Petrarch's format, invoke medieval romantic concepts of unrequited love and long periods of courtship while taking a more humanistic approach to these themes.
From the Paper "In that jealousy ultimately destroys Desdemona and Othello, Shakespeare's portrayal of love is ultimately a tale of how people shouldn?t behave when they are in love. The way that the ill-fated couple conduct themselves before they leave Venice is essentially anti-social: when they secretly marry and elope, they implicitly reject the values of society and the desires of Desdemona's family. Whereas a modern audience might see Desdemona's refusal to respect her family's wishes as a not to what were to become the cosmopolitan values of liberal, sexually and racially emancipated Europe, a Shakespearean audience would have recognized this action as a serious breach of conventional norms that characterized European society. "
