Abstract This paper discusses interstellar gas and dust, listing the reasons why it is interesting. According to the paper, these reasons are simply that interstellar clouds can simply be enormous and appear at least as mystical and beautiful as the stars themselves., and more practically, the interstellar medium is capable of telling us very significant things about the nature of our universe, how it was formed, and what properties dominate it. Like most branches of astronomy, perhaps the most exciting application of studies conducted upon cosmic dust is to cosmology.
A examination of Sowell's work on economic theory using two of his books: "The Quest for Cosmic Justice" and "The Vision of the Anointed: Self Congratulating as a Basis for Social Policy".
Abstract This paper examines Thomas Sowell's work on economics and social justice by analyzing two of his books::"The Quest for Cosmic Justice" and "The Vision of the Anointed: Self Congratulating as a Basis for Social Policy". It looks at how Sowell's analysis explores the following questions : Is the paradigm of social justice exaggerated? Is society being manipulated to accept the views of an elite group of intellectuals, who have used the platform of justice to remove social privileges? Has the market system and price mechanism failed us? The writer suggests that Sowell's work should be mandated to be analyzed in conjunction with economics. The writer explains that economic theory is being used to subjugate and dictate policies that over-ride the primary components of the market economy. The writer believes that "The Quest for Cosmic Justice" and "The Vision of the Anointed" allow the economic student to realize that at the very fiber of every decision there are costs.
Outline:
Introduction
Quest for Cosmic Justice
The Vision of the Anointed
Sowell's Work and Economic Theory
Has Sowell Gone too Far? A Critique of Sowell's Work
Conclusion
From the Paper "Economics has allowed many individuals (myself included) to be more analytical in their thinking and at times more technical when solving problems. However, the field has been known to produce ground-breaking research in issues that surpass the quantitative esoteric nature that is presented to many individuals. Thomas Sowell's works fall into the former rather than latter category. Sowell's truth-bearing books are sometimes hard to read, because of how unbiased and 'raw' his work is. I sometimes wonder if Sowell was not African American, what would be the reaction to his work, would it still be revolutionary or just racist babbling."
Abstract Describes Zeus as master of the universe. Examines the male principle, the female principle, the transfer of cosmic power from the creative female to the active male, Gaia, the Titans and Monsters, and the gods.
From the Paper "However one explains the way in which Zeus becomes master of the universe-and the fact that ultimate rulership is specified as male undoubtedly has parallels in the whole of recorded human experience-it is necessary to see that the transition of ..."
Abstract This paper presents a comparative and parallel study of the dramatic art of the most prominent Greek dramatists Aeschylus and Sophocles. The writer discusses the similarities and differences between the two tragic poets, both in terms of style and content, and explains how each dramatist uses the chorus. The writer also explains that where the dramatic art of Sophocles is characterized by accomplished symmetry and harmonious grace, that of Aeschylus is hard, grand and severe, and Aeschylus (referred to as the 'Master of the Grotesque') is rightly acknowledged as the inventor of scenic pomp and hyperbole. The writer believes that Sophocles' art of characterization is more complex than Aeschylus and explains how Sophocles uses the third actor to place the audience in a position to judge the chief character from at least three points of view. The writer further asserts that unlike Aeschylus, who is simple and direct, Sophocles carries an explicit irony in his plays and he presents not only the problems, but suggests the solutions also to the intricacies of human life in relation to the cosmic and social order. The writer concludes that, as a modern reader, Sophocles is the greater of the two dramatists.
From the Paper "Of the precious and inexhaustible treasure of the Greek endeavours in the realm of tragedy, very little has come down to the readers. We are aware of the names of a few tragedians with Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides being the being the most prominent. And with these three too, a very little of the whole number of works is left. The extant dramas are those that had been selected by the Alexandrian critics for the study of Greek literature. The reason for being their choice by the critics was their affordability as the best illustration of the various styles of tragic art. Regarding Aeschylus and Sophocles, (the two subjects of this term paper) we are left with seven pieces remaining of each."
Abstract This paper examines the nature of modernity in motion within the futurist movement at the turn of the 20th century. By analyzing "State of Mind: The Farewells" (1911) by Umberto Bocking and "Cosmic Flora" (1925) by Paul Klee, the paper shows how the works present both an organic and industrial representation of the fast movement of technological developments, which provide a distinct sense of motion through composition and objective technique. The paper concludes that, through their desire to capture the quickening tempo of advancing technology and rapid development, these painters took an abstract and progressive view towards motion in composition, in which modern motion became the axis of human progress.
From the Paper "Another advocate and inspiration of the futurist movement was Paul Klee, as his compositions also provide a varied set of modern motion that provide a more organic variety of this style. In "Cosmic Flora" Klee shows a set of tiered expressions of the movement of life in 'cosmic' framework, very much like a set of parallel filmstrips in a moving picture. The different aspects of floral and landscape arrangements act as a similar stylistic that was to be used as a vehicle for motion in futurism. Other artists such as Egon Schiele and Franz Marc used this type of motion that provides a framework for motion in relation to space. Klee's attempt to show an abstract point of view of movement in a cosmic setting is also similar to Boccioni's "The City Rises", which provides the idea of modern urban people as a blurred and nearly incomprehensible set of objects that are restless and constantly active. With the 20th century technological advances making rapid progress, Klee is representative of a more organic type of futurism that expressed movement in the fluidity of modern motion (Klee 31), but without the industrial aspects of Boccioni's works. For Klee the major difference between his own organic motion and industrial motion are the only aspects of differentiation that do not bind him to the futurist movement of Boccioni's "State of Mind: The Farewells.""
Abstract This paper compares the Mosaic Code with the older Code of Hammurabi. The author describes how both represent the values of their time and place and reflect their respective cultures. Both contain laws that apply to almost every conceivable human situation, covering civil, criminal, familial, administrative, and religious matters, and speak to human society as a totality that exists within the larger whole of cosmic or divine order.The paper concludes that by reading between the lines and understanding the motives that dictate this or that prescription, modern legal theorists, ethicists, and philosophers can continue to find meaning in these pronouncements as they have continued to until today.
From the Paper "The laws of Ancient Mesopotamia represent the oldest known collections of codified law -a tradition that predates by many centuries the earliest written laws of other ancient civilizations, such as those of India and China. This civilization, therefore, was unique in committing to writing an entire system of legal thinking. Enacted during the Eighteenth Century before Christ, Hammurabi's famous code was preceded by numerous other written compilations of the law, the earliest yet found being that of the Sumerian king Uruinimgina, or Urukagina, a ruler of city of Lagash in the 24th Century B.C. The "Reforms of Uruinimgina" already reveal a resort to tradition and to divine sanction as necessary underpinnings of the legal enactments of human beings."
Tags: commandment, post-industrial, legislation, prohibition, order, ritual, cosmic, God, sin
Abstract This essay explores the works of David Morris and C. S. Lewis and how each believes that pain contributes to spirituality and faith. Particularly, the paper explores the texts "The Culture of Pain" (Morris) and "A Grief Observed" (Lewis). The author of the paper discusses how pain was treated in the past via religion as "visionary" and how it is treated these days as first crippling, then visionary. The paper shows that Morris believes pain can be visionary?hence his term "visionary pain" while Lewis believes pain is the instrument not of a cosmic Sadist, but a cosmic Healer.
From the Paper "The pain C. S. Lewis describes feeling after the death of his wife in A Grief Observed is"at least initially"radically different than the pain David Morris describes in the chapter six, ?Visionary pain and the politics of suffering,? in his book The Culture of Pain. The design of this essay is to explore these two authors, uncovering how each believes pain contributes to spirituality and faith."
Abstract This paper is about three sculptures of the Buddha image and how they have changed throughout different cultures and time periods. The paper begins with a discussion of a standing Buddha from India, which was where Buddhism began. It then moves on to two other countries, Tibet and Thailand, where Buddhism is still popular. The paper then explains how the people of these countries took what the Indians had done in their portrayal of the Buddha and made it their own, adding parts of their culture to the image. In regards to Thailand, there is a discussion about the Sukhothai walking Buddha, which was probably the most important image from that period. Then, the gold image from Tibet is discussed, which was very interested in the cosmic or Tantric form of Buddhism. The paper concludes by pointing out that the image has changed over time and cultures, but still enables us to know it's a Buddha image through the consistent characteristics given to the Buddha in sculpture.
Abstract This paper takes a critical look at the book "Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe", by Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee. It discusses their theories of the beginning of life on Earth and additional theories to life on other planets. It challenges their research and data and offers other explanations and theories.
From the Paper "Was the occurrence of complex life on the planet Earth an isolated event or simply the next logical step in evolution? Ward and Brownlee seem to believe complex life is unique to our home world or at least extremely scarce in the Universe.1 In addition to the factors in their Rare Earth equation, mentioned in their book are some specific factors peculiar to Earth that may have affected the development of complex life. Beginning with the planet Mars, W&B argue that the fossil record shows that the cooling Earth developed bacterial life as soon as conditions permitted. They suggest that this may be because the bacteria first developed on Mars, which cooled earlier, and that perhaps Earth was then seeded with these bacteria carried by meteorites reaching our planet after having been ejected from Mars by asteroid impacts. The low gravity of Mars makes this more likely, and it is estimated that ten percent of meteors ejected from Mars may impact Earth. A system lacking a Mars-like planetary companion might have been slower to develop bacterial life."
Abstract This paper discusses universal consciousness versus individual consciousness in T. S. Eliot's poems "Four Quartets." He quotes whole stanzas from all of these poems. He discusses the limits imposed by language of human endeavors in "The Dry Salvages" discussing how the poet's life is always a part of a larger human consciousness, vis-a-vis God and suffering.
From the Paper "If there is ambiguity to Eliot's poetic project of attempting to encapsulate the limits of human endeavors into the limited medium of human language, this is intensified even further in ?The Dry Salvages.? The third section of the poem is paradoxically devoted to water and spiritual dryness. The river is called ?useful,? and yet also ?untrustworthy.? Water is fluid, yet reflects the relentless spiritual monotony of human life"
Abstract This essay examines the content of Pre-Qin Chinese religious thinking, namely the religions of the Shang and Zhou dynasty. It explores the forces, which according to the religious beliefs of the Shang and Zhou people, controlled the human and non-human world. It shows that, according to these beliefs, the two worlds mentioned above co-existed and affected one another. Subsequently, the essay reveals that the ancient Chinese ideas about cosmic order and disorder were very closely related to the political domain.
From the Paper "However, at the same time, it can be argued that the human world also controlled, or at least affected, the non-human world. The term "non-human" can be defined very broadly. It simply means "anything that is not human". The people of the Shang Dynasty believed that natural happenings such as storms, droughts, comets or eclipses were affected by human conduct. They were seen as warnings sent by the heavens, so that ?human beings especially rulers might reform their personal conduct as well as their conduct of government.? It is clear that there was a belief that the behavior of the human world would affect the happenings of the non-human world- bad behavior would cause natural disasters."
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."
From the Paper "Janet Hocker Rushing refers to a yearning for wholeness in our time, something that all cultures have longed for in some degree. Our own age is seen as one of fragmentation, secularization, and an absence of unity, leaving us with a modern need for transcendence such as has been noted by a number of writers. Rushing finds that we seek this sense of the transcendent in our entertainment and our art, and she refers to the fact that our modern audiences find transcendence addressed in movies, notably science fiction films that make a cosmic connection in mythic form. She cites E.T. as one particular representative of this genre, and she applies what she calls the "perennial philosophy" to this film, as will be done here with reference to another science fiction film of an earlier era and one of the first to make this mythic connection most directly..."
Abstract This paper discusses the context in which the film "Contact's" religious theme surfaces, the pattern of ideas and events that point to the centrality of that theme and the means by which the theme is elaborated over the course of the story. The author believes, even though the film is a science-fiction adventure story, "Contact" can be interpreted as an examination of a human encounter with God as shown in both the resolution of the story line and the attributes of character informing the narrative. This paper explains that the relevance of Paul Tillich's God-concept to "Contact" is the film's use of extraterrestrial life in a modern experience as a proxy for examining the unavoidability of cosmic uncertainty and of the unsettling brush between ordinary experience and the infinite.
From the Paper "It would be a mistake to consider "Contact" merely a movie "about" religion-science conflict, though Ellie's attempts to articulate the meaning that her space-wormhole experience (and the space program's millisecond of lost radio contact) had for her put her on the verge of saying that the experience was spiritual. For her near-suggestion that the cosmos may include the hand of God, she is essentially shushed in favor of more focus on facts on one hand and accountability for the apparent failure of a very costly science project on the other. That episode is consistent with Carter's view that contemporary culture does not honor but rather trivializes religion: "one should not try to oversimplify the human mind by making religious conviction a ground for invalidating law". In "Contact", what turns out to be Ellie's discovery of a spiritual (not solely spiritual, but not merely scientific, either) connection to the cosmos is what invalidates, and her testimony before a scientific community that does not admit religion into its discourse, even though an explanation without a spiritual dimension does not cover its meaning for her."
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)."
