Abstract This paper discusses how the introduction of new materials in recent decades has provided urban designers and architects with the opportunity to transform the relationship that has historically existed between people and their environments through innovations in construction and the materials from which these buildings are constructed. This paper provides an overview of some of the historical issues, such as the history of plastics, ceramics, semiconductors and reviews questions about the design issues that emerge from the nature of the materials themselves. This is followed by a summary of the research and salient findings in the conclusion.
Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Historical Issues and Influences
Emergent Technological and Design Issues
Conclusion
From the Paper "Citing the example of Japan finding itself in need of coal during the 1930s, Bell reports that the Japanese simply acquired more material by invading Manchuria and appropriating their resources. This author also observed early on that the materials revolution would have a profound effect on how architects and designers selected the materials needed for any given applications, and suggested that new technologies would emerge that would allow for completely customizable materials for any given purpose. This, in fact, is what has taken place in recent years. Indeed, innovations in materials science as well as manufacturing applications that have introduced new composites and the potential for increasingly tiny applications of these substances at the molecular level through nanotechnology promise even more science-fiction-into-science fact realities. "
Abstract This paper explores Michael Walzer's analysis of the revolution of 1640 in England, "Revolution of the Saints." The paper focuses on the reasons for the Puritans and Protestants' success in achieving radical political change.
From the Paper "In "Revolution of the Saints," Michael Walzer provides an account of the dramatic socio-political changes wrought by Puritan radicals in the English revolution of Calvinists. Clergy are labeled rootless intellectuals by Walzer and the individuals who follow them as self-disciplined agents of social and political reconstruction."
Tags: social order, feudalism, work ethic, spirituality, Calvin, Calvinism, materialism, capitalism, ethos
Abstract This essay discusses the main factors that led to the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain and describes the changes in the social and economic organization of the period.
From the Paper "There were a number of factors, from technology to changing views on human nature, that led to the socioeconomic movement known as the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain during the nineteenth century. The Industrial Revolution basically defines the period when there was a change in social and economic organization resulting from the replacement of hand tools by machine and power tools. This development of large scale industrial production took place in England starting at about..."
Tags: raw materials, coal, railroads, working class, middle class, Europe, population, land, agriculture, politics, transportation, labor, energy
Abstract This paper looks closely at the elements of materialism and spirituality. It contends that materialism takes the more significant role in our daily lives. The paper firstly looks at the ideas of psychology, Marx and Nietzsche to prove that materialism is central to our human nature. The author explains that writings negative to materialism usually only deal with the excess of materialism, not materialism itself, to finally conclude that spiritually is important but not vital to existence.
From the Paper "This estrangement between the two spheres of life, the relationship between materialism and spirituality, is as central a divide as one can imagine. From the remains of our earliest writings, these concepts have been illuminated for us by religious figures, philosophers, novelists, and literary critics, amongst many others. The two concepts, however, are often inextricably linked. In our daily lives, it is clear that materialism remains dominant, and it is vital to our survival as a species. Substance, then, is the true reality of the world, as it is used for the medium of explanation. Spiritualism, too, has been shown to play an important role in our lives as well, as faith has been illustrated as a guiding construct for people daily. The following will address the concepts of materialism and spirituality, analyzing the importance or vitality of acknowledging our material nature while allowing that spirituality too has a place ..."
Abstract This paper deals with the issue of the industrial revolution and it's impact on American woodworking. The paper discusses pre-industrial revolution times, what happened during the industrial revolution and tells what is in the future of American woodworking.
From the paper:
"The Industrial Revolution had a tremendous impact on American woodworking. It took woodworking from little shops in villages to huge industrial factories within large cities throughout America. The Industrial Revolution also changed the tools used in woodworking and altered production methods as well. "This was a period in history when new inventions changed the way that people built things and changed where people worked and how they lived" (Industrial Revolution Booklet, 1998, p.1)."
Abstract This junior level paper is on "How did the American Revolution contribute to the outbreak of the French revolution?" It includes that what independent factors propelled the French to the revolution? Sources.
Tags: AMERICAN STUDIES AND HISTORY / AMERICAN REVOLUTION, american french revolution
Abstract This paper provides a historic and economic perspective on the events that lead to the Russian and Chinese communist revolutions. The author first describes the Russian Revolution and the factors that contributed to the overthrow of the Czarist regime. In particular, the 1905 Revolution is seen as a precursor to the 1917 Communist Revolution. The paper then describes how the events in Russia influenced China, and how the Chinese Revolution took a different path than Russia's. The results of both revolutions are traced to present day.
From the Paper "The soviets were to play an important role in the 1905 Revolution and, subsequently, in the 1917 Revolution. By definition, the soviets were "impromptu working-class governing bodies" and "strike committees", but by the end of 1905 they had become successful alternatives forms of local governments, especially in the large cities. Lenin would be ready to speculate this in 1917 and assimilate the soviets as the entities ready to fill in the void of power formed."
Tags: communism, Russia, China, revolution, Karl, Marx, Mao
Argues the potential benefits for society of a Marxist revolution and cites the reasons for the failed Marxist revolutions in Nicaragua, Cuba and Grenada.
2,150 words (approx. 8.6 pages), 11 sources, 2002, $ 80.95
Abstract This paper discusses the meaning of revolution and why the Marxist revolutions in Nicaragua, Cuba and Grenada failed. The paper argues that a revolution promotes the advances of productivity and of the society in general. There are also fundamental changes in political and economic structure. In the case of Nicaragua, Cuba and Grenada, there were major changes, but the lack of economic and political freedom, in combination with U.S. pressure, made it impossible for those revolutions to succeed.
Abstract This paper outlines some of the major similarities and differences that exist between the Haitian Revolution and the much later Cuban Revolution. The social conditions in both places pre-revolution are discussed and compared, as well as some of the changes that occurred following the respective revolutions. The writer shows that while the two may have had some similarities in the 19th century, the 20th century Cuban revolution proved markedly different from the one in Haiti.
From the Paper "Historically, revolutions are often compared and contrasted with one another. This is especially true when the revolutions occurred in the same part of the world, within a relatively short span of time, and with seemingly similar causes. When that is the case, historians love to debate and argue the difference and similarities between the two, especially with regard to the outcomes of the revolutions in question. Haiti and Cuba offer the historical critic a unique case in that regard."
Abstract The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the novels "Pedro Paramo" by Juan Rulfo and "Eva Luna" by Isabel Allende. The paper specifically compares and contrasts how revolution is portrayed in the two novels. Revolution is a key theme in both these novels, one a revolution in Mexico and the other somewhere in South America. The paper notes that both these novels illustrate the passion of revolution and how the many revolutions throughout central and South American really did not amount to freedom and a new social order for the people.
From the Paper " In "Pedro Paramo," the talk of revolution does not even begin until the second half of the book, and the revolutionaries are shown as violent, ignorant, and greedy, which is probably closer to the truth than many people would like to admit. They seem to be fighting for change, but the fact that they will gladly take money from Pedro Paramo to "finance" their cause, which shows that ultimately, they are more concerned with their own needs than fighting the revolution. On other words, they can be bought, and that shows the author's cynicism toward revolution and revolutionaries in general. The public likes to think of revolutionaries as fighting for a higher cause, but in this case, it just seems like they are fighting because it is lucrative, and when that stops, they will move on to something else."
Abstract This paper discusses the way in which Guy de Maupassant treats materialism in his short story, "The Necklace." This paper offers a characterization of the major female character who places value only on material objects.
From the Paper "In his short story "The Necklace" Guy de Maupassant tells the story of a woman who borrows a diamond necklace for a party and loses it during the course of the night. As a result, she and her husband must live in poverty and spend the next ten years working to pay off the debts to replace the necklace. In his characterization of Mathilde, Loisel de Maupassant clearly argues against materialism as she is forced to pay for her petty superficial desires."
Tags: de maupassant, necklace, materialism, irony, material objects, shallow
Abstract This essay discusses that the catalyst and driving force shaping China's revolution was nationalism. The writer maintains that this was far more important than the issues of socio-economic injustice. Further, the writer claims that the revolution in 1949 was not a social revolution but a national one. The essay argues that it was nationalism that led to the changes in China from the fall of the Empire to the 1949 Revolution.
From the Paper "Imperial China played an important role in history and politics of the Far East for almost two thousand years. It was notable in itself by the landmass it covered and the length of time it lasted. Over time, the Chinese developed an old and strong civilization with its unique culture and economic system. According to Lieberthal, it also had a "relatively modern bureaucratic structures of state administration and its explicit, detailed state ideology". Much of its history shaped and influenced the events that occurred in the 20th century."
Abstract The paper looks at the modern as well as older interpretations of the French Revolution to determine to the extent of the impact that the Revolution had on the French Nation. The paper determines the newer perspectives position that the Revolution had less to do with the lasting French identity, and that the political aspects of the Revolution are central to the French Nation.
From the Paper "The French Revolution lasted from 1789 through 1799, and was sparked by the varying views regarding reform as held by the French people. The French Revolution left certain lasting effects upon the French Nation, such as elements of the written constitution, the Code Napoleon and a sense of loyalty to their land. Thus, the claim that the French Revolution constructed the French Nation could in part be shown as true as it certainly altered the mentality of the French people. However, although for many years a stable interpretation had been achieved pertain to the Revolution; these have been lately abandoned in an attempt to view this event from new social, intellectual, cultural and political dimensions."
Abstract This paper reviews Thomas Kuhn's book about scientific advances entitled "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." The paper focuses on several key elements and definitions in the work, with an emphasis on the concept of the scientific paradigm. The reviewer then discusses the role of paradigms in scientific revolutions, citing Kuhn's theory that revolutions appear when an old paradigm is substituted by a new one. Finally, the paper presents Kuhn's view of the past, present, evolution and future of science. The reviewer further describes Kuhn's view of the importance of crises in facilitating the evolution of science. The review concludes that Kuhn 's theory of paradigm and paradigm shifts gives a revolutionary description of scientific progress.
Outline:
Thomas Kuhn's Concept of Paradigm
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions The Past, Present, Evolution and Future of Science
Reference List
From the Paper " First of all, Kuhn (1996) introduces the notion of "normal science", that is, according to him, the science that bases its research on previous research which is recognized as valid by a scientific community. (p.10) It is the structure of normal science that the book proposes to investigate. Furthermore, Kuhn (1996) argues that the most salient aspect of scientific evolution in time is the fact that science does not progress through leaps or through unrelated sets of investigations. On the contrary, scientific research is always conducted under a paradigm, or, to put it differently, all research is based on previous scientific data. The scientific paradigm can be defined as a certain common pattern in scientific research, or a certain set of accepted world views that are held as true for a period of time. The paradigm is thus a set of common beliefs about the world, based on past research. "
A critical paper on the nature of Marxist philosophy on materialism and an examination of whether or not the theory is of a 'scientific' nature as it claims.
3,051 words (approx. 12.2 pages), 10 sources, 2000, $ 89.95
Abstract This critical paper illustrates in a number of ways that dialectical materialism is arrived at through a process of scientific inquiry. The author gives a distinct definition of the meaning of what it is that warrants the description of a theory as "scientific". Next, she applies this definition to Marx's historical theory and shows how it corresponds to this description. Finally, she reflects and responds to some of the ways that Marx's critics are in disagreement with her argument that dialectical materialism is, in fact, a study of history that is based on scientific theory and objectivity.
From the Paper "As a student of history, I believe that there is validity in Marx's "scientific" postulation. The study of history is very important, I believe, in discovering what lies ahead of us and how best to avoid repeating past mistakes. Although there are no "concretes" in history, and at this point, I diverge from Marxian historiography, there must be an objective way of looking at the past in order to theorize about how we have arrived at our current situations. Although I do not believe Marx's theory of history to be entirely correct, I do argue that this theory is arrived at objectively and scientifically."
