Wednesday, January 29, 2020

The Spread of the Renaissance Essay Example for Free

The Spread of the Renaissance Essay What do Da Vinci, Petrarch, Alberti, Erasmus and Shakespeare have in common? More than just being from Europe, these great men of arts and literature all flourished during the Medieval Ages. They are all product of the renaissance period and greatly enriched the development of philosophy and humanism during this period right after the Dark Ages. Renaissance, which literally means â€Å"rebirth† in French, was a cultural movement in Europe. This era took place mainly in Italy then later spread throughout Europe from 14th to 17th centuries. Generally, it was characterized by the revival of learning based on classical sources in the fields of philosophy, religion, politics, literature, arts and science. The primary subject of renaissance was humanism. People believed in the active search for knowledge instead of accepting what already existed (â€Å"Renaissance†, 2007). It was the time when the ancient Greek and Roman literature were rediscovered and relearned. The recovery was headed by Giovanni Boccaccio and Francesco Petrarch. Instead of writing in Latin, which was the lingua franca of the church and the elite during that era, these writers wrote in Italian. This paved the way for other writers succeeding them to follow their beginning. These writers wrote epic poems all in Italian. In Italy, the spread of public knowledge in religious and secular understanding was due to the establishments of public libraries and translation of classical Latin works into vernaculars. One significant work was that of Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, which gave light to a study of modern politics. The spread of Renaissance in other parts of Europe came in the mid-15th to 16th century. It was exported to France by King Charles the VIII after he invaded Italy. The exportation included Italian artists like Leonardo Da Vinci, Francois Rebelais, Pierre de Ronsard and Michael de Mantaigne. Da Vinci, on one hand, has built for France spectacular palaces. He was renowned for his great works like Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, two artistic renditions that has transpired through ages. He had become one of the famous icons of the Renaissance. The wave also reached Poland, Hungary, Portugal, Spain and Germany though the centers of this movement came to be France and England. In England, more than simply the expansion of the arts, Renaissance also impacted the religious practices and beliefs. The period is closely related to the Protestant Reformation that divided the powerful Roman Catholic Church. The reformation led by Martin Luther brought forth the creation of other religious movements — Calvinism, Presbyterianism, Anabaptism and Anglicanism. On the other hand, writers like William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, John Milton and Edmund Spencer gave life the English literature. Shakespeare has already become the greatest embodiment of classical English literature. The Renaissance Age truly gave birth to new understanding of previously acclaimed knowledge of the arts. Furthermore, it has paved a way for more knowledge and ideas to flourish. Not only that the Italians are the masters that provided inspiration (â€Å"Defining the Renaissance†, 2007) but it had come to give justice to the arts of other countries. Though it was mainly focused in Europe, the effect, impact and influence of the era has traversed many continents, races and generations. The movements, products, inventions and ideologies that were created during that era are still regarded until this present to be the exemplary and catalyst for the current movements. The Modern era has been greatly influenced by this period of history. References: Renaissance. (2007). Research Machines. Retrieved September 17, 2007 from http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0011726.html Defining the Renaissance (2007). Looking at the Renaissance. Retrieved September 17, 2007 from http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/renaissance2/defining.htm

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Aristotle vs Plato Essay -- Metaphysics,The Four Causes, Soul and Body

Aristotle is considered by many to be one of the most influential philosophers in history. As a student of Plato, he built on his mentor’s metaphysical teachings of things like The Theory of Forms and his views on the soul. However, he also challenged them, introducing his own metaphysical ideas such as act and potency, hylemorphism, and the four causes. He used these ideas to explain his account of the soul and the immateriality of intellect. Prior to Aristotle, philosophers like Parmenides and Heraclitus argued about the existence of change. Aristotle used the terms act and potency to respond to Parmenides arguments about change’s non-existence and bridge the gap between Parmenides and Heraclitus’ polar views. Aristotle used act and potency to examine numerous things such as, motion, causality and metaphysics. He explained that the act or actuality of a thing is its truest way of being and that potency or potential is a things capability of being, further than its current existence. For example, a soccer ball is in actuality on the field; but in potentiality it can be kicked and enter the goal. According to Aristotle’s reasoning, the becoming or change of the soccer ball occurs when a potential is actualized. Though these changes occur, the thing itself stays the same. When the ball is kicked, it loses the actuality of being on the field and gains the actuality of being in the goal; in turn, the bal l then loses the potentiality of being in the goal and gains the potentiality of being on the field. Aristotle later explains that the â€Å"full reality† of a thing is when the actuality and potentiality of a thing are combined. He notes that while things can be â€Å"pure potency,† meaning not actual or real, that there is... ...usible argument. I can see the understanding in both schools of thought. If I were to think logically I would say Aristotle, because he based his conclusions on science and evidence. However, it is their views on the soul where I make my decision on who I (If I had to choose) agree with. I personally believe that the soul, my soul, is something that exists separate from my body. I believe that my body is a temporary and imperfect thing, but that my soul is immortal. I cannot say that I have come to this conclusion because it is the more â€Å"plausible† answer, but rather a belief in my faith that this life is temporary and all souls are eternal. While I understand that this view isn’t completely in line with Plato’s, I think Plato’s is closer than Aristotle’s to mine. Aristotle. "De Anima." Basic Works of Aristotle. Ed. Richard McKeon. New York: Random House, 1941.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Oedipus: the Fate of Poweruful a King Essay

Imagine being a hero, and your destiny is to kill your father and marry your mother. This is Oedipus’s fate. When he was still a baby, his parents heard of the prophecy they had a shepherd take Oedipus to Kithairon to die. There the shepherd gave the baby to another shepherd from Corinth, where Oedipus was given to the king and queen. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus proves himself to be a tragic hero by exhibiting the four traits of a tragic hero; goodness, superiority, tragic flaw and tragic realization. Oedipus has goodness, the first trait of a tragic hero. Oedipus is determined to solve the problem in Thebes, and declare to Creon that â€Å"once more [he] must bring what is dark to light† (9). Oedipus is saying that he wants to do what is good for his country. He is good because he has already saved Thebes once and he wants to save Thebes again. Later, Oedipus is talking about his wife with Creon and says, â€Å"Everything that she wants she has from meâ€Å"(31). Oedipus is telling Creon that he provides for his wife, not only Thebes. This shows goodness because he cares for his family, not only his country. Oedipus’s goodness may help him now, but his superiority may not help him. Oedipus’ second trait is superiority. The priest proclaimed â€Å"Great Oedipus O powerful King of Thebes! (4)†. The priest is saying that Oedipus is basically one of the best kings Thebes ever had. This shows that Oedipus is superior because people think highly of him. Oedipus asked Teiresias to come to him to help solve the problem. Teiresias is hinting that Oedipus killed Lais, Oedipus got mad at him, so Oedipus starts comparing himself to Teiresias, â€Å"wealth, power, craft of statesmanship, kingly position, everywhere admired† (21), unlike Teiresias. Oedipus is saying that he is better than the rest, since he is king. This proves that Oedipus prides himself and thinks he is better than the people in his country. Superiority is something everyone should have, even heroes; but some also have flaws. Oedipus has hubris, which is his tragic flaw and it led him to his end. Oedipus thinks â€Å"Creon, whom [he] trusted, Creon [his] friend, for this power Creon desires on secret to destroy [him]† (21), when Teiresias told him about Laios’ death. Here Oedipus is accusing Creon of trying to destroy his power. This shows his pride because he is blinded by his arrogance and can’t see that it’s his fault. When pride still blinded Oedipus, he would keep on asking questions about his birth, he’d tell his wife of â€Å"Go on of you, and bring the shepherd here† (57). Oedipus needs the shepherd that could help find out more about his birth. This explains his pride because he keeps asking questions and still can’t see the answer while Iocosta already found out what really happened. His flaw that blinded him and led him to realize something, he was wrong the entire time. The final trait Oedipus has is tragic realization. When Oedipus realized what was happening and that he was the one to blame, he told everybody for the last time â€Å"O Light, may I look on you the last time! I Oedipus, Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his marriage, damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand† (64)! Oedipus realized that he was wrong the whole time and that he was damned in his birth. This shows that even though he was a hero, his pride was there more that it should have been and it made him fall hard. â€Å"No more, no more shall you look on the misery of my own doing! Too long have you known the faces of those whom I should never have seen. Too long been blind to those for whom I was searching† (69). These were Oedipus’s last words. He was looking for a sword and when he saw Iocasta dead, he took her brooches and poked his eye out, because it was a greater suffering than just death. As you can see, Oedipus realized everything he had done and he had to punish himself. You can see that even though Oedipus was a hero, his pride ate his soul more than it should have and it caused himself to poke out his eyes. So you know that Oedipus has the four traits of a tragic hero. Now think about your flaw. Does it make you fall, or you can’t see what’s right in front of you because you are too blind to see it? So don’t be like Oedipus, don’t let superiority and tragic flaw lead you to defeat.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Using Percents - Calculating Commissions

A percent is a value divided by 100. For example, 80% and 45% are equal to 80/100 and 45/100, respectively. Just as a percent is a portion of 100, an actual quantity is part of an unknown whole. This article focuses on using percent and proportions to solve for that unknown whole. Finding the Whole in Real Life: Commissions Real estate agents, car dealers, and pharmaceutical sales representatives earn commissions. A commission is a percentage, or part, of sales. For example, a real estate agent earns a portion of the selling price of a house that she helps a client purchase or sell. A car dealer earns a portion of the selling price of an automobile that she sells. Example: Real Estate AgentNoà « aims to earn at least $150,000 as realtor this year. He earns a 3% commission. Whats the total dollar amount of houses that he must sell to reach his goal?What do you know?Noà « will earn 3 dollars per 100;Noà « will earn 150,000 dollars per ? 3/100 150,000/xCross multiply. Hint: Write these fractions vertically to get the full understanding of cross multiplying. To cross multiply, take the first fractions numerator and multiply it by the second fractions denominator. Then take the second fractions numerator and multiply it by the first fractions denominator.3 * x 150,000 * 1003x 15,000,000Divide both sides of the equation by 3 to solve for x.3x/3 15,000,000/3x $5,000,000Verify the answer.Does 3/100 150,000/5,000,0003/100 .03150,000/5,000,000 .03 Exercises 1. Ericka, a real estate agent, specializes in leasing apartments. Her commission is 150% of her clients monthly rent. Last week, she earned $850 in commission for an apartment that she helped her client to lease. How much is the monthly rent? 2. Ericka wants $2,500 for each leasing transaction. For each transaction, she earns 150% of her clients monthly rent. How much must her clients rent be for her to earn $2,500? 3. Pierre, an art dealer, earns 25% commission of the dollar value of the art pieces that he sells at the Bizzell Gallery. Pierre earns $10,800 this month. What is the total dollar value of the art that he sells? 4. Alexandria, a car dealer, earns 40% commission of her luxury vehicles sales. Last year, her salary was $480,000. What was the total dollar amount of her sales last year? 5. Henry is an agent for movie stars. He earns 10% of his clients’ salaries. If he made $72,000 last year, how much did he clients make in all? 6. Alejandro, a pharmaceutical sales representative, sells statins for a drugmaker. He earns a 12% commission of the total sales of the statins that he sells to hospitals. If he earned $60,000 in commissions, what was the total dollar value of the drugs that he sold?