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Mencius and Xunzi on Human Nature, 2008.
A discussion of the views of two influential Chinese philosophers from the third century B.C., Mencius and Xunzi, on human nature.
3,570 words (approx. 14.3 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 99.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the views of Mencius and Xunzi, Chinese philosophers from c. 300 B.C., who belonged to the school of thought of Confucius (551-479 BC). It compares their differing approaches to human nature and relates that while Mencius saw the individual as fundamentally good, Xunzi's viewed human nature as bad and in need of care and correction. The paper addresses the influence of these two extremely influential philosophers, whose contrasting approaches continue to be seen today in Chinese civilization. The paper concludes that their thoughts on human nature are timeless and, thus, they will continue to be reviewed and discussed for many years to come.
Outline:
Introduction
Human Nature as Corruptible
Man as Weak and Bad
Implications over Time
Concluding Remarks
From the Paper
"Mencius spent years moving from court to court and we presume that he had many chances to see how feudal rulers chose to lead. He was a sought after advisor to different rulers towards much thinking on what worked and what did not to restore order, for example, or prevent future troubles. He seems to have come up with something like the Social Contract that shaped Western thinking in the modern era in a model of a decent kind of leadership and attention to the needs of life and protecting citizens to which individuals could adhere. If a decent environment was not provided, then the people should be expected to overthrow those in power towards new leadership. In the view of Mencius, a ruler must show jen in humaneness, humanity and benevolence, as a very old Chinese concept indeed. (Chan Jen) There should also be the yi of righteousness and a sense of duty, if a ruler wanted to see righteousness, cooperation and industriousness amongst his subjects."
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Mencius, Xunzi & Confucius, 2005.
An examination of the theories of Mencius and Xunzi in relation to Confucius.
675 words (approx. 2.7 pages), 0 sources, $ 26.95
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Abstract
The paper compares ideas of Mencius and Xunzi in relation to Confucius. The paper examines how Mencius and Xunzi were Confucian in outlook but Mencius had an optimistic view of human nature in great contrast with Xunzi. Mencius was harder on those with authority, whereas Xunzi saw the Dao as important for everyone, and with people of all kinds able to radically transform themselves.
From the Paper
"Mencius and Xunzi offered philosophies that show that they do belong to the same Chinese civilization and that they inherited the ideas of Confucius. (551-479 BC) However, they departed from Confucius in ways that would help to create other lines of Chinese philosophy. In all three, one sees a division between the social and the individual, but also, thought on how leadership influenced the individual, and the role of both individuals and the ruler in making a better society of better people."
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Human Nature and Buddha Nature, 2002.
Looks at the differences and similarities between the Confucian concept of human nature and the Buddha concept of Buddha nature.
2,650 words (approx. 10.6 pages), 2 sources, $ 97.95
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Abstract
This paper is a comparison/contrast of the Confucian concept of human nature with the Buddhist concept of Buddha-nature. The two concepts are extremely different, but they still have much in common.
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Nature in Literature, Drama and Poetry, 2002.
This paper explores how nature is portrayed in different literary works by such authors as Elizabeth Bishop, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jack London, Patrick Meyer, Henry David Thoreau and William Wordsworth.
2,100 words (approx. 8.4 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 65.95
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Abstract
This paper compares and contrast how nature is portrayed in a variety of literary works. The works included in this paper are Elizabeth Bishop's ?The Fish,? Ralph Waldo Emerson's ?Nature,? Oliver Wendell Holmes's ?The Chambered Nautilus,? and Patrick Meyer?s ?K2," Jack London's "To Build A Fire," Henry David Thoreau's "Walden, Or Life in the Woods" and William Wordsworth''s ?The World is Too Much With Us." Some of the topics discussed include cruelty in nature, man's relationship with nature, the different elements of nature, the Romantic and Transcendentalist view of nature and the true communing of individual soul with nature. The paper concludes with the author tying all of these topics together by illustrating the similarities between human nature and nature itself.
From the Paper
"Emerson is most concerned about how Emerson sees nature, and would like to see nature better as an American. Emerson does not consider that while observing nature everyone is not only changed internally by nature, whether by cold or by beauty, but also that the observer changes nature itself, even in as simple as something as walking through the perfect and untrodden snow. Just as animal life impacts and is impacted by nature; human beings exist a part of nature and are subject to natural forces. These forces include but are not limited to cold, illness, injury, death, birth, and seasonal extremes. The metaphor of the only observing eyeball denies such an impact."
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Concept Of Nature In Dickinson And Emerson, 2002.
Analysis of poet Emily Dickinson's view of nature & Ralph Waldo Emerson's ideas on nature.
4,275 words (approx. 17.1 pages), 10 sources, $ 135.95
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Abstract
Analysis of poet Emily Dickinson's view of nature & Ralph Waldo Emerson's ideas on nature. Emerson's transcendental notion of the unity of nature, humanity and God. Dickinson's image of nature as antagonistic and mysterious. Discusses several poems by Dickinson. Emerson's conception of nature & the poet's role in understanding nature.
From the Paper
The relationship between Emily Dickinson's poetry and Ralph Waldo Emerson's ideas on nature and the poet's function is very complex. Despite Emerson's great influence on the poet and the similarity of their conceptions of the poet's role early in Dickinson's career she was eventually to go beyond his light-filled, hopeful conception of the relationship between humanity and nature in her concentration on the questions of loss and death that cast not just human existence but all of nature in a wholly different light. Dickinson did, of course, write many poems that reflected Emerson's Transcendental notion of the unity of humanity, nature, and god. But Emerson's was ultimately a serene conception in which the means of transcendence resided in that relationship among the aspects of creation--nature mediated, he believed, between humanity and deity. Even though Emerson
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The Environment: Nature and Society, 2007.
An examination of man's relationship with nature, and the ways in which modern man has learned to coexist with his environment.
1,853 words (approx. 7.4 pages), 2 sources, APA, $ 59.95
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Abstract
The writer proposes that nature and society have not always peacefully coexisted; while one cannot argue that nature does not support mankind's existence, throughout much of early history mankind dominated over nature rather than lived synergistically within the context of natural society. The paper explores how ideas about nature, society and their interconnection have transformed significantly from the early 19th century to the present. While early history in America is marked by a period of ecological imperialism, modern environmental trends are shifting more toward an Arcadian outlook. The paper concludes that mankind has developed a greater appreciation for the interrelationship between nature and society and focuses less on exploiting or conquering the environment and nature, and more on supporting the environment and discovering new ways of coexisting with nature.
Outline:
Introduction
Ideas About Nature and Society Early 19th Century
Contemporary Ideas of Nature and Society
Conclusions
From the Paper
"As time progressed however, society began slowly but surely realizing the devastating effects industrialization had on nature. Slowly people began realizing that industrialization could not exist apart from nature, but rather everything man did to support industrialized processes influenced nature. Nature was not simply a source of natural resources for man to exploit, rather nature provided mankind the very sustenance he needs to survive. Slowly society began adopting a more conservationist rather than exploitative approach to nature. Prominent government agencies and members of ecological groups began realizing that nature and society must coexist in a more Arcadian manner."
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The Dis(Unity) of Nature and Humanity, 2005.
An analysis of how modern views of what is "natural" or part of "nature" often clash with classical and currently popular conceptions of those ideas.
1,080 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 37.95
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Abstract
In "The Organic Machine," Richard White ambitiously redefines the natural world in terms of energy transfer. His is one of many contemporary views intended to counter classical conceptions of the natural world, conceptions that are still popularly held by many today. This paper shows that White's version is based on a startling and unique perspective, but one must ask whether it is satisfying and whether it is realistic.
From the Paper
"Perhaps White is correct in stressing the fundamental unity of all action. Perhaps a handmade wooden fish wheel is essentially no different from a massive steel turbine, and perhaps all movement that occurs on the earth's surface can be condensed into simple exchanges of energy. Yet one cannot help think that this simplification somehow removes a vital facet of reality. Are Shakespeare's writings, which Emerson continually praises, mere dashes of ink on a page, fundamentally no different from any other piece of written word? Is a Beethoven Sonata really just a string of 1's and 0's on a compact disc?"
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Confuciani vs. Buddhist Concept of Human Nature, 2002.
Explains both the Buddhist concept of human nature and the Confucian concept of human nature and then compares the two philosophies.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 1 source, $ 71.95
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Abstract
This paper compares Confucian concept with Buddhist concept of "human nature". Buddhism emphasizes the spirituality of the individual, and is a more "inward-oriented" philosophy. Therefore, as will be argued, while Confucianism represents "human nature" as external actions and rituals shaping the inner man, Buddhism represents the "Buddha nature" as the inner man achieving ultimate selflessness through meditation and reflection.
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The Power of Nature in ?To Build a Fire? and ?The Law of Life?, 2006.
This paper details the use and power of nature in two of Jack London's short stories "The Law of Life" and "To Build a Fire."
1,947 words (approx. 7.8 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 62.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews and analyzes two particular works from American naturalist writer Jack London who focuses on the weakness, vulnerability and impermanence of human beings, juxtaposed against the strength, power and permanence of nature. This paper details the author's use of nature in his short stories, "The Law of Life" and "To Build a Fire." This paper details the common threads in both stories which include the laws and cycles of nature, the power of nature and human beings' fundamental vulnerability to nature's strength and permanence. This paper describes how in both works of writing, London creates nature, in particular the Arctic cold and snow, as a sort of character in and of itself, with which human beings are forced to interact, based on their being forced to respect nature's own power. This paper also contains various portions of text from both works of writing.
From the Paper
"Within "To build a Fire", then London implies that an animal's instincts, unimpeded by the prideful stubbornness of humans, are superior to those of humans. Animals, for instance, know that they cannot control nature; therefore, they respect it. Humans, on the other hand, having learned to control a great deal of their natural environment and have, therefore lost their fear of all natural environments. Animals like the husky of this story wisely and instinctively respect the power, mystery, and fickleness of nature; people such as the hiker sometimes do not, to their detriment. Because humans adapt to environments, the man attempting in vain to build a fire believes he can adapt himself even to this one, that he will be, somehow, invincible against the freezing temperature."
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Confucian vs. Buddhist Nature, 2002.
A comparative analysis of the Confucian concept of human nature with the Buddhist concept of Buddha nature.
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 1 source, $ 44.95
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Abstract
This essay will argue that Confucianism saw the concept of human nature in terms of its social context, in which humans are social beings first and individuals second. In contrast, Buddhism was a philosophy of the individual, and instead of attempting to understand human nature preferred to focus on Buddha nature. Rather than addressing people's lives as social creatures, Buddhism looked at the potential for individuals to maximize their potential to transcend reality and becomes Buddha themselves.
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Human Nature, 2006.
This paper explores the issue of human nature and focuses on the views and theories of philosophers Thomas Hobbes and David Hume.
2,540 words (approx. 10.2 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 76.95
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Abstract
The writer of this well-researched paper defines human nature as the full scale of human behavior that is believed to remain constant for long periods in time and does not differ in the context of the various cultures that are seen in the world. This paper examines various theories on human nature, in which each possesses a distinctive view on the subject, including that of Plato. According to Plato, there is an intellectual soul that is resident in the brain of an individual. This paper analyzes the topic of human nature by focusing on the opinions and theories of Thomas Hobbes and David Hume. Thomas Hobbes is considered one of the individuals responsible for the transition from the medieval way of thinking to the modern thought process in Great Britain. This paper touches on Hobbes' book "Leviathan" and his views on human nature which are very clear. Hobbes' conception of human nature is a mechanistic one. Hobbes contends that the study of the movements of the physical bodies would prove to be enough in explaining all that goes on in the universe. Hume's approach to human nature differs from that of Hobbes. Hume contends that we, as humans, can only make inferences on what would happen in the future by what we have experienced in the past. The writer contends that Hume progresses from there to say that we would be incorrect to believe that this knowledge and experience of the past is enough to justify what would happen in the future.
Table of Contents:
Hobbes
Limitations in Hobbes' View of Human Nature
Hume
Ethics of Reciprocity
References
From the Paper
"There have been several theories that have been put forward on human nature and each of them possesses a distinctive view on human nature. The earliest views on human nature of substance come from Plato, whose thoughts on life were influenced by Socrates. In the view of Plato there is an intellectual soul that is resident in the brain of an individual and an appetitive beast that is to be found in the belly and genitals of the individual. The role of the former was in keeping the latter in check and over a period of time escape from this uncomfortable cohabitation by welcoming death. This dualist theory of Plato did have immense on the thoughts on human nature and that time and this influence can be seen in Christian theology with the Gospel of John. The extension of these beliefs of Plato on human nature had their influence on Descartes and led him to formulate the theory that man is made up of a soul that thinks and a body that is an extension of it."
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The Cumulative Nature of Science, 2006.
This paper focuses Thomas Kuhn's essay: "The Nature And Necessity of Scientific Revolutions" in which Kuhn contends that the majority of scientific knowledge is in fact not of a cumulative nature.
1,220 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
The writer of this paper ponders the question as to whether or not science is in fact cumulative. This paper analyzes Thomas Kuhn's essay: "The Nature And Necessity of Scientific Revolutions" which focuses on the cumulative nature of scientific knowledge as the central issue of consideration. This paper details Kuhn's two interpretations concerning what it means for science to be cumulative. The first definition contends that for science to be cumulative, old and new theories would out of necessity be compatible. In the second definition Kuhn proposes that were science to always move from some methodological lower to some higher type would result in a cumulative effect.
From the Paper
"Proving that science is cumulative does not in any way require one to also prove that old paradigms are compatible with their newer counterparts. What we need to show, rather, is that paradigms do in fact build upon one another. If this can be shown, the cumulative nature of science will in turn become apparent (hopefully). Given the acceptance of a paradigm, a number of other developments follow. Within the structure of normal science one attempts to utilize the given paradigm in order to advance science. By applying the paradigm, scientists attempt to develop further theories within its framework. From there these theories will eventually lead to either technological or social advances (depending on the science under consideration). In this pursuit of applying the paradigm, we eventually encounter anomalies which cannot be resolved within the given framework. Simply because these anomalies exist does not make it necessary to overthrow the current paradigm. Rather, these anomalies do not become a problem until a specific group of scientists find it necessary for them to be explained."
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Nature in Poetry, 2002.
Shows how poets Elizabeth Bishop, Marianne Moore and C.K. Williams incorporate the imagery of nature into their works.
971 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
Nature is a source of inspiration for the poet and nature is used for its imagery, for its symbolic meaning and for its role as a powerful force in human life. Many poets show a particular affinity for nature, tending to delve into it as an example of fertility, a connection with the infinite, a symbol of human sexuality, and so on. The paper examines how poets such as Elizabeth Bishop, Marianne Moore and C.K. Williams show an affinity for nature and develop images of nature by means of a strong sense of poetic language. It explores how each shows ways in which form mirrors content, reflecting in some fashion an organic sense of both nature and language.
From the Paper
"Marianne Moore's metrical and linguistic complexity is evident in her poem "The Fish." The title of the poem bleeds directly into the first line to create an opening sentence: "The Fish/ wade/ through black fade." Moore often uses this technique to make the title part of the poem and to set it apart as a symbolic image of all that will follow. Similarly, the end of each stanza remains open, bleeding directly into the beginning of the next stanza. the entire poem is therefore interconnected, as if part of a larger unit. Critic Charles Molesworth identifies the poem as one of Moore's more complicated and says it shows a particular interest of hers: "Moore was very interested in the intersection between nature and culture" (Burgess)."
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"Crimes Against Nature", 2004.
A review of the book "Crimes Against Nature" by Karl Jacoby which details the destruction of nature by man over time.
1,487 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 49.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how Karl Jacoby's book "Crimes Against Nature", paints a picture of an undetermined and inadequate governmental stance on conservation and details the direct and indirect effects these blunders caused. It looks at how the book details the state and federal government conservationist policies spanning the late 1800s and early 1900s that eventually set the tone for the widespread changes that would occur in the mid 1900s.
From the Paper
"Jacoby is also quite critical of the federal government to conserve natural resources and oversee wild areas. Federal conservationist policies in Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon seriously curtailed the rights of the Indian population, countering treaties that specifically stated these rights. The 1872 proclamation setting aside Yellowstone National Park caused the relocation of many Indian tribes, in what was described as, "rearranging the countryside, in which native peoples and nature were slotted into distinct categories and separated from one another." (87). However, instead of eliminating any future contact with the Indians, reservations were placed within close proximity to the park, and the rationing system in place was often inadequate, leaving the Indians with no choice but hunt for food. "
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Nature in Poetry, 2002.
Examines the differences in expressions of nature in the works of Romantic poets, Wordsworth, Keats, and Coleridge.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 1 source, $ 71.95
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Abstract
Wordsworth, Keats, and Coleridge wrote extensively on this subject. "Little we see in Nature that is ours" because we don't give Nature anything. Time, to Keats, should be spent appreciating what is in one's life. In Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", we see a different side of nature. The wrath of nature is not pretty. Coleridge, Wordsworth, and Keats maintained a difference in attitude toward the Romantic expression of our human relationship with nature.
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