The Neoplatonic Conception Of Love Between People English Literature Essay

The Neoplatonic Conception Of Love Between People English Literature Essay The concept of love in the neoplatonic point of view is viewed as a very strong connection between people. However, love is viewed as an emotion that can be experienced in different forms thus there is the spiritual love and the physical love. It is viewed as a force that can be used to bind everything together and this is highly connected to the love present in religion. This is attributed to the fact that love is the main reason why God has spread himself in the world. The spiritual love that is shared between two people is compared to the love that God shares with people although this has been quite a controversial issue within religion. Love at a spiritual level is viewed as the connection of souls where one has to separate themselves from any physical connection. This kind of love has been known to be quite strong but there is the point that the physical connection is equally important. In one of the poems written by Donnie the ecstasy the concept of the soul needing the body is derived as one of the souls in the lovers story needs the body in order to attain complete satisfaction. The importance of physical connection is also viewed in the second poem where the love if felt despite the fact that here is no spiritual connection. This is attributed as to one of the reasons why the concept of sex does not lack in most love poems. Therefore, this paper aims to look at the concept of the neoplatonic conception of spiritual and physical love derived from two poems. Donnes perception of the Neoplatonic Love is seen to be reflected as two different conceptions but is connected by the same impulse. He uses the concept of renaissance so as to captivate the perception of love according to the neoplatonic love. The human body is used as a mirror of the physical love experienced between people. Donne uses the love shared between two lovers to show that the world can be a small space if it is compressed accordingly. The love shared by the two individuals indicates that they feel like they are the only people existing in the world. Spiritual connectivity is brought out in the poem but it clearly is not enough as the religious concept is not fully brought out as sexual ecstasy. Donne aims o compare religious fulfillment to that of sexual ecstasy and places the two concepts against each other. He feels that the pleasure gained from the two concepts is the same and this is expressed in his work. This was a shocking concept especially considering that it wa s being done during the renaissance period. Donnes poetry is very intimate when it gets to the connection that the souls share in form of love. The souls do not seem to share the connection with the body as they are suspended in a space of their own where their love exists. Their souls are at peace with each other when they are suspended from their bodies and they communicated in a language that only they could understand. During the entire time their bodies lay motionless as their souls bonded with each other. However, even if sex is not involved in the love connection, the bodies are viewed to be very important. This is indicated at the point where one of the souls misses the body and decides to go back. The love that existed between the two lovers seemed to be enough without having their souls involved but with time it proved that physical love was important as well. According to Neo platonic views, love is the main thing that binds all things together. As much as the concept was based on the emotion of love and that it can sustain all, the fact that human beings are fundamentally social is also clearly brought up in the concept. This is despite the fact that the human souls are known to function best when in isolation from the body but the results are not always satisfactory without the body playing its own function. This is compared to the spiritual relationship that an individual shares with God since one is said to seek total contemplation when he is in Isolation seeking God. Thus, if the relationship shared between two people is in the same path as the love of God, then the relationship between the two lovers if the greatest love of all times. The concept of sex is important despite the fact that it is not reflected on a personal level but the connection that the two lovers have bring out the concept rather clearly. The poem appears to be incomplete without it because the neoplatonic love distinguishes between normal sexual pleasure and passionate love. Thus, the connection shared by the souls represents passionate love that could be used to discuss sex in the poem. The sex part of the poem is important as it shows the physical connection that people have which means that their bodies have to play a role. The poem tries to show how the love of the two lovers would strive within their spiritual connection but this is not made possible as the soul longs for the body at some point. Another area where neoplatonic love is highlighted in the form of poetry is in the poem he Passionate Shepherd to His love. The speaker in the poem is a shepherd who is ready to pledge his love and do anything for the female he so admires. He proposes these sacrifices if only the female would agree to be his. The concept of sex is not brought out openly but it is felt in the poem. The speaker does not express the need to enjoy a long term commitment with the female object but his admiration in her is evident. This could mean that he is interested in her sexually in that eh even proposes to give her the finest clothes that the fur from the lambs can make and dress her in expensive ornaments. This will make her an object of his desire in a sexual manner. This is seen in that his main aim is he wants her to come and live with him but which role and enjoy the pleasures of love together. The body of the female of object is viewed as a source of entertainment for the shepherd. The poem is very intimate in expressing emotions to the female object but the aim derived from the passionate expressions is that he wills to posses her sexually. The desire that the shepherd has for the female object is what represents the presence of the woman although she does not play any other role in the poem. The shepherd has physical love for and passion or his object of desire and uses physical matter to woo her. The fact that the shepherd says come live with me and be my love expresses the fact that he is mainly focused on the physical love other than the spiritual connection that the two individuals might have with each other. However, the fact that he is keen enough to offer these gifts shows that he is greatly attracted to her and this is interpreted as love. His approach to the lady is rather civil as he does not directly mention the concept of sex. He knows that he directly makes his motives clear then he might miss out on the chance with the lady. According to the neoplatonic love, passion and attraction varies according to different stages and in this case the love for physical beauty is clearly established. The physical attractiveness is what captures the heart of the shepherd and he approaches it by offering physical attraction as well. The time also matters as it is a pastoral tradition and the available items that can be used to attract the female are used effectively. As much as this poem is set in the renaissance period and the concept of love is greatly reflected in the poem, the subject of sex is also present but in a less expressive manner. The shepherd is calling on the female so that she can be his lover. The subject of sex has been known to play a great role in most poems and this is no exception. This may be attributed to the fact that the poet wants to show the physical attraction that is existent in the concept of love. This is connected to the fact that human beings are very social and this is mainly expressed on physical terms. This forms the completion process of two lovers had begun as proven in the first poem the connection of the soul through the basis of love is not satisfactory enough. Physical attraction and connection is what completes the connection that the souls have hence, the concept of sex is mainly relayed in poems that revolve around love. Neoplatonic conception spiritual and physical love is reflected in the two poems but by using different approaches. The two aspects body and spirit are viewed differently when it comes to the connection of love. At some point spiritual love that is experienced between souls is compared to that spiritual love that God shares with His people. This is because there is the belief that the purpose of human life is to achieve that spiritual connection that man should have with God. For this concept to be achieved, man should separate himself from the physical world and engage with God at a more spiritual level. The same theory is taken and applied in the concept of love. The bonding between souls is considered to be quite passionate and emotional and intimate than the physical connection shared between people. This is the concept that is derived from the ecstasy poem, where the speaker expresses a feeling of victory and satisfaction once the souls are bonding in an intimate session. Howeve r, the concept of neoplatonic love has been quite controversial because at some point, the soul is seen to need the body. Thus, this shows that the existence of the soul without the body does not bring out the desired results in form of connection and passion. Conclusion The physical connection that bodies have is mainly attributed top the fact that human beings are very social and there cannot be existence of the soul connections without physical attachment. This is clearly seen in the second poem where the love that exists between two people physically proves to be equally passionate. The shepherd expresses his love at a physical level and sex is behind his intentions although he does not make that clear. Other factors clearly indicate where the interests of the shepherd lie and he views the body of the female object as impressive and entertaining. Although, the aspect of spiritual connection is not fully expressed in the second poem there is clearly a lot of passion in the shepherd.

Mafia - A History Essay -- essays research papers

Throughout history, crime has existed in many different forms and has been committed by not only individuals, but by groups as well. Crime is something that knows no boundaries; it exists in all cultures, is committed by all races, and has existed in all time periods. Crime exists as a part of the economic institution and is a lifestyle for many people. Crime also exists in both organized and un organized forms. Since the early 1900's, "organized" crime has existed in the United States. The following will show where, when, and why the Mafia came to the United States, who organized it in the United States, and how it differed from its origins in the European mafia. By showing this you will see how this specific type of organized crime has In the ninth century, Arab forces occupied Sicily. The native Sicilians were oppressed and took refuge in the surrounding hills. The Sicilians formed a secret society to unite the natives against the Arab and Norman invaders. This secret so ciety was called Mafia after the Arabic word for refuge. The society's intentions were to create a sense of family based on ancestry and Sicilian heritage. In the 1700's, pictures of a black hand were distributed to the wealthy. This was an unspoken request for an amount of money in return for protection. If the money was not paid, the recipients could expect violence such as kidnappings, bombings, and murder. By the nineteenth century, this society grew larger and more criminally oriented. In 1876, Mafia Don Rafael Palizzolo, ran for political office in Sicily. He forced the voters to vote for him under gunpoint. After being elected into office, he promoted Mafia Don Crispi as Prime Minister. Together the two put Sicily under government control and funneled government funds to the society known as the Mafia. In the 1800's, New Orleans was the largest Mafia site in the United States. It was while investigating the murder of an Italian immigrant that the current Police Chief, David H ennessey discovered the existence of this secret society. Police Chief Hennessey was assassinated before this murder case could go to trial. Twelve men were charged with this assassination but were lynched by a newly formed vigilante group. The Italian Ambassador demanded that the vigilantes be tried. President Harrison who disproved of the vigilantes and gave a large cash settlement to the families ... ...ia consists of a large group of glorified thieves, pickpockets and murderers. Although it began with the adoption of much of the Sicilian heritage it has evolved into an organization that's sole purpose is to make money using any illegal means possible. The members of the American Mafia use extortion, bootlegging, prostitution, gambling, kidnapping, and murder to achieve their ends. The above research has shown that the Mafia has become a wide spread problem. The Mafia has continued to grow and infest our society from the early 1900's. It continues to exploit and destroy the honest citizens of our country. Now, these criminal organizations not only control the adults of our communities but also have begun, through the sale and distribution of narcotics, to control our children. Crime organizations must be stopped however this is a difficult task. They have infiltrated members of our government and law enforcement agencies with the lure of money. Unfortunately, crime does pay in m any instances. It is up to each of us to not look the other way, but be aware that there are really no victimless crimes. One way or another, we all pay either by higher taxes or by a more violent society.

A Captain of Industry

A captain of industry is defined as a business leader that benefits the nation in a positive way. This includes increasing the availability of goods, creating more and new jobs, and donating money to benefit the well being of the people. Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835. His father, Will, was a failing weaver. Leaving Scotland poor, his mother wanted to return in a carriage as a wealthy well-respected woman of importance. This drove Andrew to become successful by amassing wealth in the steel industry. He came from a poor family and had little formal education. When the Carnegies immigrated to America in 1848, Andrew was determined to bring prosperity to his family. He worked many small jobs, which included working for the Pennsylvania Railroad where he first recognized the importance of steel. With this recognition, he resigned and started the Keystone Bridge Company in 1865. He built a steel-rail mill, and bought out a small steel company. By 1888, he! had a large plant, which provided many jobs in the United States. His steel company grew until it made him the wealthiest man in the world. His wealth was abundant and he believed that â€Å"one who dies rich†¦ ies disgraced,† because of this he donated much of his money to different things to educate people because he believed ignorance to be the main enemy of the people. After retiring Carnegie donated much money and time in world peace. The way Carnegie ran his business, donated his money, and worked hard to try and make the world a better place prove that he was a true captain of industry. Andrew Carnegie†s management of his company showed he was a captain of industry. His treatment of workers was completely different from all other businesses at that time. His workers got higher salaries and shorter shifts. Carnegie used a sliding scale for wages. The pay of the workers would increase if profits went up, and the pay would decrease if profits went down. This was motivation for ! workers to work harder if they wanted higher wages. Here Carnegie shows that he is a captain of industry by offering many jobs, of which benefit the people economically, also by rewarding people for more productivity products are then more available. Carnegie had an impressive way of dealing with workers who went on a strike. He didn†t hire new workers, but instead shut the business down completely and made the strikers eventually give in and agree to his terms. Carnegie had enough money to shut down his business if he wished to do so. This showed he was good at running this industry and, again was a Captain of industry. Carnegie†s goals were to have an efficient way of tracking money, i. e. if someone owed him a penny he wanted it, if he owed a penny he wanted the other person to have it, and once he found the cost to make a product he wanted to find ways to make more products for the same amount of money. Carnegie always wanted to cut the costs of his products. His motto was ! â€Å"Watch the costs, and the profits will take care of themselves. † The production of cheap steel and iron greatly increased the productivity of railroads and many other industries. Once he got his profits back, Carnegie immediately put them back into business. Carnegie also used vertical integration to keep his company strong. All aspects of production, from getting raw materials to shipping finished products, were controlled by the Carnegie Steel Company. These financial practices kept his company very strong. Carnegie†s company was so strong that it kept buying, building, and expanding while other companies went out of business. Carnegie†s steel and iron were used all over the United States to build various things. The immense strength and wealth of Carnegie Steel benefited the United States enormously proving that Carnegie was a captain of industry. Some $350 million of Carnegie†s business profits was donated to causes he saw fit. At first, he wasn†t sure of what to do with a! ll of his money. He said that it was a disgrace to die with so much money not spent for good causes. Carnegie established an idea that wealthy Americans had an obligation to do something beneficial to society. In 1889, Carnegie published an article â€Å"The Gospel of Wealth† arguing what people should do with their money. Carnegie was against giving the money to heirs who would become too dependent on it. He was also against giving it to trustees to give away for causes he may not agree with. His final decision was that the individual who owned money should rely on his own intelligence and personality to distribute the money. Carnegie decided to give money to improve education in the United States. He considered the main enemy of a person to be ignorance and thought that building libraries would help to solve that problem. Andrew Carnegie financed about 2, 800 libraries and other educating institutions such as colleges and universities. He only wanted to help those people who coul! d help themselves. Libraries were the main gifts Carnegie gave to our nation. This quite clearly shows Carnegie was a Captain of industry with him donating his money to benefit all of society. After Carnegie retired from business, he also got involved in world politics. His two main wishes were to abolish the British monarchy and make it adopt the American system, and promote peace throughout the world. Carnegie wrote various articles and books and soon became an unofficial diplomat in the cause of reducing differences and promoting peace. He believed that countries should resolve their differences by nonviolent methods. Carnegie was one of the first to call for League of Nations. In 1900, he donated $1,500,000 to build Palace of Peace, which serves today at International Court of Justice, an arm of the United Nations. In 1910, he set up an Endowment for International Peace to stop all the war conflicts in the world. Business, education and world peace all progressed thanks to! the hard work and well earned money of Andrew Carnegie. Obviously by promoting world peace, which would clearly benefit society, Andrew Carnegie is a Captain of Industry. Carnegie†s business ways, charity, and efforts in world peace show he was a captain of industry. After coming to America a failure Carnegie worked his hardest to climb the â€Å"ladder† to become the wealthiest man in the world. The way he handled workers, cut costs, and used vertical integration proved he knew how to run his business in the steel industry to perfection. The steel industry made Carnegie a very wealthy man and with this wealth, believing â€Å"One who dies rich†¦ dies disgraced,† he donated his money to various causes benefiting society. Retired, Carnegie dedicated much of his time to trying to attain peace in the world and changing Britain†s ways of government, obviously bettering society. A Captain of industry is a business leader who benefits the nation in a positive way and Carnegie defines this.

How Fiber Optics Work essays

How Fiber Optics Work essays Thesis: In a fiber optic tube, the speed of light reflects from the cladding no matter what angle the fiber itself gets bent, even a full circle. Furthermore, because the cladding does not absorb any light from the core, the light waves can travel great distances. 3. Where was Fiber Optics discovered H. Transmitting Light through Fiber Optic Cables Our current age of technology is the result of many brilliant inventions and discoveries, but it is our ability to transmit information, and the media we use to do it, that is perhaps most responsible for its evolution. Progressing from the copper wire of a century ago to todays fiber optic cable, our increasing ability to transmit more information, more quickly and over longer distances has expanded the boundaries of our technological development in all areas. Fiber optic technologies are based on the same concept as the signal fires used in ancient China. Instead of sending the signals through the open air, however, a laser sends pulses of light to their destination through a thin strand of transparent glass. At the receiving end, an optical sensor decodes the light pulses with a complex set of standard codes. In some ways, it's also similar to the way people decode the dots and dashes of Morse code. In a fiber optic tube, the speed of light reflects from the cladding no mat ter what angle the fiber itself gets bent, even a full circle. Furthermore, because the cladding does not absorb any light from the core, the light waves can travel great distances. Craig C. Freudenrich, Ph.d defines fiber optics (optical fibers) as long, thin strands of very pure glass about the diameter of a human hair. They are arranged in bundles called optical cables and used to transmit light signals over long distances (par 2). Scientists at Corning Glass Works & Bell Telephone Labs, in the early 1970's, made the significant breakthroughs in optical fiber, to make it realistic to use...

The Basics of Conducting Interviews for News Stories

The Basics of Conducting Interviews for News Stories Conducting interviews for news stories is an important skill for any journalist. A â€Å"source† - anyone a journalist interviews - can provide elements that are vital to any news story: Basic factual informationPerspective and context on the topic being discussedDirect quotesIdeas on how to approach the storyNames of other people to interview Things You’ll Need A thin reporter’s spiral notebook (can be purchased at most office supply stores)Several pens and a pencil if it’s winter (pens freeze in cold weather)A tape recorder or digital voice recorder (optional)A video camera for interviews you plan to webcast Preparing for the Interview Research: Do as much research as possible. If you’re going to interview, say, a cardiologist about heart attacks, read up and make sure you understand terms such as â€Å"cardiac arrest.† A well-prepared reporter inspires confidence in the source.Developing Questions: Once you’ve thoroughly researched your topic, prepare a list of questions to ask. That will help you remember all the points you want to cover. Keys to a Successful Interview Establish a Rapport: When starting out, don’t abruptly launch into your questions. Chitchat a little first. Compliment your source on her office, or comment on the weather. This puts your source at ease.Keep It Natural: An interview can be uncomfortable, so keep things natural. Instead of mechanically reading out your list of questions, weave your queries naturally into the flow of the conversation. Also, maintain eye contact as much as possible. Nothing is more unnerving to a source than a reporter who never looks up from his notebook.Be Open: Don’t be so focused on getting through your list of questions that you miss something interesting. For instance, if you’re interviewing the cardiologist and she mentions a new heart-health study that’s coming out, ask about it. This may take your interview in an unexpected - but newsworthy - direction.Maintain Control: Be open, but don’t waste your time. If your source starts to ramble on about things that a re of no use to you, politely - but firmly - steer the conversation back to the topic at hand. Wrapping Up: At the end of the interview, ask your source if there’s anything important that you hadn’t asked about. Double-check the meanings of any terms they used that you’re unsure about. And always ask if there are other people they recommend that you speak with. Notes About Note-Taking Beginning reporters often freak out when they realize they can’t possibly write down everything the source is saying, word-for-word. Don’t sweat it. Experienced reporters learn to take down just the stuff they know they’ll use, and ignore the rest. This takes practice, but the more interviews you do, the easier it gets. Recording an interview is fine in certain circumstances, but always get permission from your source to do so. The rules regarding taping a source can be tricky. According to Poynter.org, recording phone conversations is legal in all 50 states. Federal law allows you to record a phone conversation with the consent of only one person involved in the conversation - meaning that only the reporter is required to know that the conversation is being taped. However, at least 12 states require varying degrees of consent from those being recorded in phone interviews, so its best to check the laws in your own state. Also, your newspaper or website may have its own rules about taping.   Transcribing interviews involves listening to the taped interview and typing out virtually everything thats said. This is fine if youre doing an article with an extended deadline, such as a feature story. But its too time-consuming for breaking news. So if you’re on a tight deadline, stick to note-taking. Always take written notes, even if you’re using a recorder. Every reporter has a story about the time they thought they were recording an interview, only to get back to the newsroom to discover that the machine’s batteries were dead.

War on Drugs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

War on Drugs - Research Paper Example This paper is a critical examination of the war on drugs in the United States and its effects in the country. Narcotics are a wide range of illegal drugs that are primarily used to influence and change the behavior or mood of the user. Chemically, narcotics are opium derivatives and they include drugs such morphine, heroin, cocaine, codeine among others (Roy, 41). Opiates and cocaine are the most valuable and profitable narcotics in the underworld economy. Narcotics are highly addictive, and they mainly function on the brain and the central nervous system where they reduce the intensity of unpleasant feelings such as pain and could produce euphoric sensations. In medicine, morphine, which is narcotic drug, is widely used to reduce chronic pain. Others narcotics applied in medicine include codeine and oxycodone for relieving pain in patients. Due to the addictive nature of these medically applied narcotics, the abuse of the prescription drugs is a growing concern in the United States (Acker, 57-69). History of Narcotics in United States Narcotics have an ancient history that dates back to the earliest civilization in Greece, Sumeria, Egypt and India among others. to Roy, opium, which is obtained from the poppy plant, played a major role in prehistoric medicine and pharmacy. The drug was mainly used for inducing sleep and as a general painkiller. In addition, the addictive and euphoric properties of opium encouraged people to use it as a recreational drug. The potent properties of opium increased its demand in the world and by 17th century, commercial production and trade in the drug was already established in the European continent. ... By eighteenth century, trade in opium was a very profitable venture because an increasing number of people had become addicted to the drug (72-96). The use of opium was no longer restricted to the rich and it soon became a commodity for mass consumption. Consequently, opium became an important source of revenue for various countries especially in Asia and Atlantic region. The main source of opium in United States in 20th century was China (Zabludoff, 49). Currently the main producers and suppliers of opiate drugs are Colombia, Mexico, Afghanistan and Pakistan (Chepesiuk, 68). Acker classifies the history of narcotics use in the United States in three distinct periods, from 1860 to 1910, 1910 to 1950 and from 1950 to the present (63). In the United States, the period from 1860 to 1910 was characterized by the outbreak of the civil war, which started in 1861 and ended in 1865. During the war, large-scale use of narcotics was noted among the combatants (Acker, 105). The medicinal and ad dictive properties of the drug elicited intensive research from pharmaceutical companies such as the giant pharmaceutical company Bayer. In 1874, chemists from Bayer successfully isolated heroin from morphine. During the period, addiction to morphine had become a major concern in Europe and United States. A growing number of people had become dependant on the drug, resulting to low productivity and increasing level of crime (Roy, 38). Therefore, the medical fraternity hoped that heroin, would cure morphine addiction. The successful synthesis of heroin from morphine well received in the market and the narcotic was promoted as â€Å"a wonder drug† (Musto, 55). The commercial promotion

Project two Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project two - Essay Example This has however become much better than ever, women have started enjoying equal rights and have equal power as their counterparts. Feminism is a very important concept that must be thrown light upon when gender conflict is being talked about. Feminist aims at providing women more power and more rights than ever seen before. There are several feminists fighting for the rights of women all across the globe. Respect is also another important factor for which the feminists are consistently fighting. Gender conflict has made us understand how people enjoy preferential treatment and how the inferior strive for parity in the society. Race conflict is also quite similar to gender conflict, some people consider that their race is superior and others are inferior to them, this is certainly beyond the pale. Having a level playing field in the society is essential to facilitate growth; an ideal society always provides a level playing field. â€Å"Rae Lesser Blumberg developed a theory emphasiz ing women’s degree of control of the means of production and the distribution of economic surplus.† (Blumberg) Blumberg’s aimed at explaining the position of women relative to men in almost all types of societies. These societies included the earliest societies to the late twentieth century. This theory discussed some really important aspects like economic power of women, importance of women in the society, economic power of women in the society, sexual stratification so on and so forth. â€Å"Sexual stratification, Blumberg argues, is ultimately driven by the degree to which, relative to men, women control the means of production and the allocation of productive surplus or, in Marxian terms, â€Å"surplus value.† Such control gives women  economic power  that, in turn, influences their level of political power, prestige, and other stratifying resources. In Blumberg’s view, sexual inequalities are â€Å"nested† at diverse levels: Male-fe male relations are nested in households; households are nested in local communities; and if a society is sufficiently large to reveal a coercive state and a system of class stratification, household and community are nested inside of the class structure that, in turn, is lodged within a larger state-managed society. This nesting is important because women’s control of economic resources can be located at different levels, and the level at which their economic power is strongest influences the power that women can command at the other levels of social organization.† (Feminist Conflict Theory) Macro level control and micro level control are some important aspects which must be paid attention to. A woman is ought to enjoy power in a household if she contributes immensely to the income of a household, she will have a say in micro aspects of the household as well if she can contribute towards work and family income. Similarly a woman who is not able to earn and contribute to wards the household income will not enjoy as much freedom and control as a woman who can earn and support her family. Financial freedom is extremely important for a woman to be considered powerful enough; only a powerful woman can make decisions and can stand against oppression. Economic power at a macro level facilitates women in getting political as well as coercive power in the society. The economic power of women is consistently on the rise; this is the time of transition. This period of transition is perceived as a major