John Locke

John Locke John Locke Reading through John Lockes Second Treatise, The Declaration of Independence, Martin Luther King Letter from Birmingham Jail, Karl Marx The Communist Manifesto, E Fromms Escape from Freedom, Thomas Mores Utopia, Henry David Thoreaus Walden there comes an almost universal viewpoint that the nature has its state and then there is the law of nature. The state of nature is in discord with the law of nature. The law of nature comes out as the closest approximation of the ideal world that we should all live in and which all these writers seem to push for in their struggles whether as pastor, as in Martin Luther or as a writer as in Thoreau. The state of nature is different. It is what it is as we see it. There is social injustice about and men of convictions can only but rise up and fight to restore the world to its law of nature. According to Fromm, although man is born a freak of nature, he has to find principles to replace instincts, and control it as per his wishes. He has to try and overcome all conditions that are negative like death, starvation, disease etc through his action and decision. Like the rest, he sees that humanitys true nature is freedom. Martin Luther King sees lots of double standards and superficiality when he looks at issues from the state of nature perspective. The state of nature in his time is that there is a sweltering injustice against the people of colour but this is happening in society where Christianity is the main religion. Rather than Christianity, the clergy railing about this injustice, they look the other way. They do not want to confront the real issue probably for fear of being associated with violence. But Martin Luther opposes this kind of religious bastardisation when he seeks through non violence movement to demonstrate that religion must be concrete, at the service of man according to the law of nature. It should press for equality and justice for Gods children because that is what the law of nature is. The current state where people are segregated, and wallow in injustice does not represent the law of nature but the state of nature. To him, there is a yawning gap between the state of nature a nd the law of nature as per the conditions. When he tries through non-violent struggles; he is trying to bring the law of nature into concretization. The true nature is when freedom is had. Similarly, Thoreau, through his staying in the pond experiences nature in its true self, the law of nature. He escapes the state of nature where there is rigid and an economic system so exploitative. The state of nature is enslaving instead of freeing us. Its civilization does not make us better people but instead it enslaves and degrades us. His escape to the pond is a desire to live as per the law of nature. Karl Marx also espouses the same view that human existence is haunted by a spectre of exploitation, internecine class struggles but each time there is the majority suffering and a few enjoying. The majority proletariat and the minority, who own the property and the means of societys production the bourgeois class subjects the rest of humanity to sub human conditions. Even the family is like that, so materialistic and intended for exploitation and not succor. That is the state of nature-quite convoluted. The proposal of the Communism manifesto is thus a sentimental wish to retur n to life as per the law of nature-where resources are to be used for the common good. No private property, no exploitation, no classes and no struggles. That will be the nature according to law of God. In all the writings, the issue of God comes out as one who stands where justice is. In Martin Luthers case, God is not the religion but where there is justice and fairness, God is the supreme good. We see that God can be fought for, if need be. Thomas More through his writings and activities appears so harsh to those who have a dim view of God, that even he is accused of have taken part in the persecution of the heretics. The idea of God as conceptualized by Erich Fromm is no different. He sees God as the ultimate being, that all temporal lifestyles should reflect respect for God. In Mores utopia, that there is no place for Atheists suggests that absence of God is unacceptable. He must be there, everywhere. The idea of natural rights comes out clearly in Karl Marxs works just as in Lockes and Thoreaus works as well as in Fromms.All people have a right to personal freedom that is so majestic, real and liberating than the freedom offered by governments. Waldens escape to the pond where he lives in freedom and Mores Utopian portrayal reflects that men are in bondage and their wish is to live in freedom some day where the natural rights apply. Locke sees that written law should be positive and this can only be through a legitimate democratic set up. That this should not necessarily be the law to control us but that we should be ready to control ourselves with laws that are human but not necessarily written seems to be the suggestion of Fromm. The idea of social contract comes out in mixed shades from the various writers. Locke sees constitutions in a democracy as social contracts between the governed and the institutions in place to govern them. When people in subordinate themselves into social contract, the cede some of their personal freedoms for greater good. Some of the individuals natural rights are ceded in the fulfillment of social contract. The civil state is beholden to the people and is charged to the protection of property and civil liberties. The civil state should also have power over the people. In Lockes civil state, the natural rights form the basis of laws. But it can be overthrown if it ceases to serve the people. Martin Luther seems to present a related argument when he urges civil disobedience for the people of colour to protest an unjust law and government that does not protect all. Even if legitimate, it can be opposed by all means so that it stops its excesses. Henry Thoreau also concurs that higher laws take precedence over human laws. It is human to treat some people with indifference and unjustly but higher laws demand that all be treated equally. It thus in a way seems to suggest that what is human is moral and should be upheld at all costs. The civil state should serve the interest of the people who have willingly instituted it. The individual on his part has his natural rights but also has his social obligations. The individual may not necessarily act always according to the natural rights but will have to insubordinate themselves to society. Acting according to individual right and in pursuit of natural law might lead to coalition with the civil authorities at times as we see in Walden. Fromm argues that truly, each person is a unique individual, separate from the rest, but that does not make one to live individualistic life but they should overcome their separatedness, and join the rest. One would only be schizophrenic if they just lived in the world according to their own thoughts, feelings and needs. Thoreau however affirms that society and its laws oppress the individual. The idea of community is extensively explored in Karl Marxs work. The society should ideally live a communist lifestyle where all are equal and no one has claim to private property. On communistic set up only brings conflicts and bleeds resentment from the vast marginalized sections of society. The end result will be a revolution where the oppressed will seek to restore communism. When Martin Luther King claims that it will be great that day even the whites will support the people of colour to fight unjust laws suggests that a community is important in enforcing a natural law. Fromm suggests that we have to try and overcome our awareness of our separateness by trying to come closer to each other in what he calls need for relatedness. This is his thesis that men should live as a community. But Waldens escape to the pond shows a community can even be found in the nature and one can just be as happy within it. Failure to overcome our separateness and join others according to Fromm is in fantile narcissm which is a trait that cannot support a communal existence. There is a way in which the idea of common good is looked at by the various writers.Locke, Fromm, Karl Marx, and Martin Luther openly affirm the idea of the common good. That everything should be for the common good including laws, religion, and production systems. In Martin Luthers case, Christianity seems not to be for the common good as it is in his society, what with double standards and convoluted interpretations of the gospel by whites? In Karl Marxs case, the social and economic set up should be violently altered to suit all or for the common good. The bourgeois only exploit the proletariat and by the former hoarding wealth, they use it selfishly while it should be for common good. This is the sentimental state More would like to see in Utopia where everything including land is used for common good. By suggesting personal wandering in the Pond, Thoreau seems to be suggesting the need for one to escape to a world without fetters where they will live richly. The idea of the majority unfortunately ending up overriding the minority is expressed variously. Locke affirms that the majority take sway over minority in politics. Mores utopian existence shows everything should be used for the utility of the majority and not for the individual. But as Thoreau shows, the majority can be oppressive to the individual. Society is seen as a conspiracy against manhood. In Mores work, Karl Marxs work and John Lockes work, property is to be used for all. Karl Marx sees that property should not be held by individuals but by all. Mores Utopia affirms this to be the ideal society as property will benefit all. Thoreau sees that no good life can come out of a life where one is working for others, for perpetuation of private property. The issue of freedom is explored at length. Martin Luther sees freedom as the acme of humanity, justice should be there for all and the quest for it has never been easy with those seeking for it ending up being branded extremists. For More, there can never be freedom which allows people to denounce God.For Fromm, freedom should be backed by reason and buttressed by morality. The modern world seems to allow unconventional freedoms. One cannot claim freedom when they are breaking moral laws. For Karl Marx, freedom will be had with the removal of the unjust system that exploits the working class. Money is also viewed as the cause of exploitation of others especially by Karl Marx. Wealth should be for all including money. In martin Luther King, the idea of protest by not buying from all malls suggests that his views are that money should be used to pursue justice and should be morally used. Putting your money to the oppressor only allows him wield more power to exploit you. Thoreau sees money may not be the ultimate requirement to buy happiness but happiness can be got in simple life forms. Fromm asserts that money should never be hoarded, just like all other wealth forms although the modern world seems to gravitate towards that.

Social Media Audit and Campaign Planning -- Fortune International Essay - 2

Social Media Audit and Campaign Planning -- Fortune International Realty - Essay Example The critical aspect of the social media marketing strategy has already been outlined above which includes reviewing the ideas and practices that competitors have and also a clear determination of the resources that are needed. This includes the need to have a team in place to not only develop as well as maintain the company’s social network presence. The above plan also outlined how the administration of the site should be carried out. In this instance, the objectives should act as a guide to determine the manner in which Fortune Realty will behave within this space and also provide the chance for the company to fully participate with the largest amount of confidence. It is important to note that having a purpose will ensure that the company has both a motive as well as guidance for all the engagements that it will have within this particular space. In having a purpose, Fortune Realty will have better opportunity to get more invitations to interact with all its numerous stakeholders. Making a decision on the objectives is key since it will enable a better decision on the technology that will be used. In this instance, Fortune Realty’s objectives are to increase on its brand awareness and visibility. In addition, the company hopes to actively build and manage on its relationships and manage trust and also generate a large amount of word of mouth. Ensuring that one has a specific audience in mind means that the company will have a far better idea of exactly who it is engaging with because having no restrictions means that there is a greater chance for the message to be diluted. In this instance, the firm’s audience can be its current customers, prospective customers, company staff, and the entire real estate community and business partners both local and foreign. The first strategy is to actively build relationships with those stakeholders that have been identified as critical

The Mississippi River Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Mississippi River - Essay Example Archaeologists use the term Mississippian to refer to the number of native Indian tribes that existed between about 750 and 1500 AD (or after) all over the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Cumberland River valleys. The Mississippian existence can be identified with a number of common characteristic traits: potteries generally ‘tempered’ with compressed ‘mussel shell’, rural-based maize cultivation, big ‘flat topped’ mounts placed in the vicinity of the town marketplace are all common features of Mississippians (Thomas, 1999, p. 151). Over the last few centuries, extensive archaeological works have been done in this region to know more about the Mississippian people. Their progress from dependence on forests to adoption of maize as a chief source of food is now linked up. Also, comparative studies between different regions forming the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Cumberland River valleys show that a common history united them and there were exchanges o f goods and art items between them. Bow and arrow were used by Mississippians. They related their agricultural vocation with religion. Mississippians worshipped a deity resembling fire-sun and travelled extensively. During the time when Mississippian tribes thrived, they use to organize large ceremonies in sites now called Cahokia, Moundville, Spiro, and Etowah. The Mississippian aristocracy was powerful with holdings of hundreds of small farmers who used to live in smaller fenced colonies and farms. A large part of eastern North America did not adopt the Mississippian culture. However, economies of all were relied on some degree to the Mississippian economy. Offspring of the great American Indian Confederacies of the American southland together with so-called Five Civilized Tribes are profoundly linked with their Mississippian heritage (Thomas, 1999, pp. 151). Cahokia is often called by the archaeologists as Mississippi City of the sun. Cahokia is one of the most important sites fo r archaeologists to understand the civilization of early Mississippians. Cahokia was the biggest city in the native North America. Situated on the extensive tidal plain that links the Mississippi river and the Missouri river, Cahokia possessed fertile soil and abundant wildlife. Around 700 AD, efficient villages were set up by late Woodlanders who depended on forests and also grew few farm products, including little maize. Cahokia was purposely situated near the main farmland belt, linked to the land and water routes and connecting the city to both nearby and faraway communities (Thomas, 1999, pp. 152, 154). According to Thomas, the more broad-based Mississippian culture evolved later, around 850 and 900 AD. Despite the fact that sedentary lifestyle of Mississippians varied distinctly from the forest-based Woodland community, it is believed that there was probably a genetic link between the two. Between 800 and 1100 AD, Mississippian people explored beyond customary Woodland-style f arming of native plants to opt for import of Mexican maize. Maize has been cultivated intensively throughout eastern North America long before, which was perhaps the reason for emergence of its more multifarious sociopolitical arrangement. Finally, the maize cultivation would be the backbone for the emerging Iroquoian federation of the Northeast, the Fort Ancient confederation beside the middle Ohio

Media Comparison: Egypt and Hong Kong

Media Comparison: Egypt and Hong Kong Wenting 1 Questions 3 Select any specific aspect(s) of mass media in one of the following four countries – Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea –, and compare it/them with another country of your choice. Discuss the similarities and/or differences between the two countries. Specific aspect(s) can be: media system, media history, media control/ regulation, media content, media policy, new media etc. Introduction The media plays an important role in informing the population about the current activities within and outside the country. The media also points out the evils of the current government. This is the reason why most government tries to restrict all forms of media such as print and press. In order to fully appreciate the significance of the role of the media in a nation, a cast study of Egypt and Hong Kong have been selected for analysis. Two aspects of the media have been selected, the media control/regulation and the media history of these two nations. These two countries have been selected because they both have similar and different aspects in relation to their media. These two nations have also experienced unprecedented changes in the past decade and hence forming a fundamental basis for analysis on the past and current challenges affecting the media. Similarities between Egypt and Hong Kong media Egypt and Hong Kong have experienced a number of similarities regarding their media histories. They have both experienced pervasive government regulation. Egyptian media has been controlled by government agencies with majority of the media house being state owned. On the other hand, after the 1997 handover, Hong Kong media has experienced increasing control by the Chinese government which took over from the British colonial power. Majority of the Hong Kong media senior personnel have been absorbed by the Communist government. With the unfolding of these events, in 2011, Hong Kong Press Freedom Index dropped significantly to 54th place from 34th (Weisenhaus, D 2014, p.273).This was a significant drop and a demonstration of the unfolding events regarding media control in Hong Kong under the watchful eye of the Communist government. As such, both Egypt and Hong Kong have experienced a considerable media control from various governmental agencies (Hackler 2006, p.331). Both Egypt and Hong Kong have laws that protect the freedom of press, in Egypt, Article 48 of the constitution states that the freedom of press, publication and information is protected. The law further states that any censorship of the newspaper is also prohibited; this includes suspending and warning of newspapers by the administration. This law only permits limited censorship of any material being disseminated in the media in times of crisis that has a direct effect on the country’s security. Similarly, in Hong Kong, the Basic Law, Article 27 protects the freedom of publication and press in the country (Chan So 2002, p.324). There are other provisions under Article 39 which further protect the media (Chan So 2002, p.324). Both of these countries thus have provisions that protect the freedom of the media despite the challenges experienced in both cases. According to Sakr (2013, p. 45) Egyptian journalism has been struggling to gain freedom from the executive control. In the wake of 2005 multi-candidate elections, embolden journalist were inspired to go beyond the norm and report massive corruption, and other evils of the government. Major changes in the media structure materialized in 2011 as journalist found loopholes in the internet to circumvent government initiatives of restricting the media. Evading proxies and other internet restrictions were used to gain access to social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Journalist used this informal online space to challenge misinformation from the mainstream media about the declining popularity of dictatorial leadership under the former president Hosni Mubarak. This media control struggle continued after the Mubarak and Mosri regime to the current regime under President Sisi. The government under these three presidents has always struggled to control the media in order to advance their in terest and hide the shortcomings of their leadership. Similarly, in Hong Kong, during the British administration, the media was given freedom but there were restrictions especially regarding the British administration. The government encouraged criticism of the communist nations including China but restricted dissemination of information criticizing the British government. After the handover of control in 1997, the Chinese government has further tightened the grip on public media control by absorbing major players in the industry and firing those who reject their ideals. This is clearly evidenced by the sacking and murder of Kevin Lau, a renowned journalist early this year. The struggle to free the media from restrictive government control is bound to continue in these two nations. Differences between Egypt and Hong Kong media The media histories of these two nations are different in many ways. These differences are mainly because of the governments that have been in control over time. Hong Kong was under British control for 150 years until 1997. Over this period, Hong Kong enjoyed press freedom as there was no censorship as compared to the mainland China. Citizens were allowed to criticize Chinese regimes. As a result, Hong Kong became the home to major Asian media such as Asian Wall Street Journal, and Epoch Times, and the anti-communist group. On the contrary, Egypt media has been heavily controlled by the state in all sectors including news agencies, broadcast and print media. In fact, the leading Egyptian news houses such as Al-Akhbar(The News), Dar Al-Tahrir (The Liberation House) and Al-Ahram (The Pyramids) are all controlled and owned by the government. The Shura Council manages appointments of editors and other key decision making people in the media (Kouddous 2011). According to Kouddous (2011) 8 4 % of the population in Egypt depends on the public media such as the TV as the main source of information. The internet is however increasing in popularity as the main source of information to the population; this was particularly evident during its recent revolution that led to the ousting of the Mubarak regime. The other major difference between Hong Kong and Egypt is the fact that Hong Kong has not experienced any major media struggle as it was recently experienced in Egypt. Despite the fears experienced after 1997 when China resumed control of Hong Kong, the fears against free press did not materialize. Hong Kong media protection is deeply rooted in the constitution; Article 27 of Hong Kong basic law as well as Article 16 of the Bill of Rights. On the contrary, Egypt has experienced an intense struggle for a free media especially under the Mubarak regime. According to Kouddous (2011) during the uprising, most bloggers and journalist were arrested, harassed and executed by the regime for reporting contentious issues in the media. Despite the long historical state control of the public media in Egypt, the trend has taken another turn especially after the ousting of the Mubarak regime. The dominantly state owned satellite TV before 2011 are now being owned by individuals who are not pro-government. According to Iskander (2012, p.123) privately owned newspapers has increased since 2011.Majority of the Egyptian population is now online; about 29.8 million by 2012 (Sakr 2013, p.47). Notably, during the 2011 uprising, the social media, mainly Facebook and Twitter were used to organize massive riots that saw the end of the Mubarak regime. This is a positive indicator to the trend in the control of the media in Egypt. Alternative media such as online social media which is hard to control is continually forcing the government and other regulatory bodies to relax their grip on the media. Conversely, the less regulated media in Hong Kong is facing threats from the government. Recently, on the 26th February 2014, Kevin L au, a renowned journalist known for his firm reporting against the Chinese government was murdered by an assailant suspected to be a government agent (Weisenhaus, D 2014, p.277). Massive demonstrations were witnessed as a result of Lau’s brutal murder. Conclusion As critically discussed, there are a number of similarities and differenced between the histories and regulations of Egypt and Hong Kong media. Egypt has been under government control for decades despite the provisions allowing for free press. Similarly, Hong Kong freedom of press has been restricted by the Chinese administration, despite the freedom experienced under the British colony, some restriction against publications that dented the British government existed. With the current Chinese regime, Hong Kong’s media has suffered a major blow that has seen it drop in ranks according to the Press Freedom Index. Both nations have experienced violence and incarcerations of renowned journalist. The recent murder of Kevin Lau in Hong Kong is an example of this unfolding. In Egypt, all the three regimes, the Mubarak, Morsi and Sisi have imprisoned and incarcerated journalist who report information which gouges the image of the current regime. On the other hand, Egypt has had a long history of press restriction until 2005-2011 which marked the start of a free press through alternative information dissemination such as the internet. Conversely, Hong Kong has enjoyed a significant press freedom over the past 145 years under the British colony. This has seen Hong Kong provide a safe home for major international media such as the Asian Wall Street Journal. This foundation has however been shaken by the Chinese regime which took over from the British control in 1997. As such, these countries have experienced both similar and different media challenges. References Chan, MK So, AY 2002, Crisis and Transformation in Chinas Hong Kong, M.E. Sharpe,Sydney. Pp.324-329. Hackler, DL 2006, Crisis and Transformation in Chinas Hong Kong, M.E. Sharpe, Beijing. Pp. 331-343. Iskander, E 2012, Sectarian Conflict in Egypt: Coptic Media, Identity and Representation, Routledge, New York. P.123-127. Kouddous, SA 2011, After Mubarak, Fighting For Press Freedom in Egypt, The Nation, Retrieved from http://www.thenation.com/article/161555/after-mubarak-fighting-press-freedom-egypt# Sakr, N 2013, Transformations in Egyptian Journalism, I.B.Tauris, Cairo. Pp. 45-56. Weisenhaus, D 2014, Hong Kong Media Law: A Guide for Journalists and Media Professionals, Expanded Second Edition, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong. Pp. 273-286.

The Poetic Style of Henry Charles Bukowski Essay -- essays research pa

Henry Charles Bukowski Poetry is the art of rhythmical composition written or spoken for exciting pleasure by beauty imaginative or elevated thought. It is also literary work in metrical form. By definition, a poet is a person how composes poetry. The relationship between poetry and the late Henry Charles Bukowski is equivalent to that of a professional ice skater and the ice that he skates on . By the same token, it compared to something a bit less governed, although a pro ice skater is free to graze the ice at his own expense, the root of professional ice skating is indeed restricted. For example, judges, rules, regulations, agreements, terms, and contracts that can't be waived, which controls the skater. Compared to a bird in the sky, the previous example falls short of my perception of freedom when relating it to poetry and Bukowski. A bird in the sky greatly broadens the very core of my argument, at the exact same time contradicting the argument -for those with the keen eye. Buk owski's writing define...

Tok Bias Essay (Gavin Menzies, Jared Diamond, Etc.)

Theory Of Knowledge To what extent can disagreement aid in our understanding of history? October 2012 International School of Curacao Wordcount: 2,691 Historical Disagreements To what extent can disagreement aid in our understanding of history? Disagreement has been present in the world ever since the first biotic and abiotic factors roamed the Earth. In order to understand what the question is asking, we must define its key words. Disagreement is defined as a difference in opinion and diversity.Even though the word disagreement has a negative tone, it does not necessarily have to be bad. Disagreement offers people a different point of view and can help the world’s population improve its understanding of each other. This brings me to the next key word in the question: understanding. Understanding is described as the comprehension of a certain topic and as having a mental grasp on something. People encounter disagreements during discussions, which makes the conversation richer. I find it is important, for every human being, to understand that disagreements are healthy.Without disagreement, there will be too much familiarity and similarity, and life will be lacking adventure and uncertainties. Disagreement and lack of understanding are often, if not always, seen in history. Many wars start because of a disagreement and/or because of the lack of willingness of understanding. History is defined as the study of the past. Much of the study of history is factual. Facts are statements supposedly set in stone and true. From a young age on, children are taught that facts are not to be altered. As they grow up, they find that this is false: history is not entirely set in stone.And that is exactly what this paper will be covering, with the help of Jared Diamond, Galileo Galilei, Gavin Menzies, Fritz Fischer, Charles van Doren, and Reuben Abel. Historiography is the writing of history. According to Reuben Abel, different historiographies are influenced by the history of civilization. This history of civilization is depending on climate, soil, and geography. Geography brings up another historian that helps support that disagreement aids in the understanding of history. Jared Diamond did research on why historiography is different in different continents.He published his findings in a book called â€Å"Guns, Germs, and Steel†. Diamond argued that the gaps in technology and power between human societies are not caused mainly by cultural and racial differences. He states that the geography and ecology of European and Asian landmasses gave the societies there an advantage over those on other continents. Although Diamond’s findings sound realistic, his work was critiqued for ‘factual errors’. Diamond, although criticized, is important to mention in the discussion on how disagreement aids in the understanding of history.His findings may not all be correct, but some are. This shows that there were many different factors playi ng in the different historiographies in different continents in the world. Reuben Abel goes on by stating that the history of civilization is also dependent of race, hereditary ability, and psychological factors. Additionally, it depends on the motif of power and on the theory that history is the history of class struggle. This is an idea taking from Marxism, and the first kind of approach to history: that it is cyclical.Reuben Abel goes on by stating that historiographies should be appraised and assessed, but that there is no crucial experiment that can test the validity of a theory of history. Abel’s claim that â€Å"History is far from being exclusively scientific or factual; it is also a larger part creative† is one I can agree with. History is not just facts. Between the factual sentences, there has to be at least one sentence linking one fact to another. The main reason why Reuben Abel is important to mention in this essay about disagreement aiding the understand ing of history is that humanity has not yet discovered every bit of evidence in the world.Abel mentions that the past is â€Å"inferred from present evidence†. What he means with this is that the evidence found in modern times indicates the past. With this, Abel concludes that present evidence is not complete. Hence, the past remains a mystery. A good example of historical deception is Stalin’s photograph taken with Nikolai Yezhov, which was altered later to remove Yezhov. Disagreement has been present in history and often a source of major (bloody) historical events. A good example of disagreement aiding in the understanding of history is the three different views of any historical event.You have the Orthodox view of a historical event, which is the traditional outlook and interpretation of historical ‘facts’. The second view is the revisionist one. These historians take a second look at the evidence of the first view. The third view is the post-revisioni st view. Historians look at both the traditional and the revisionist view of the same historical event, and conclude ‘something’ based on both views. This is important in discussing how disagreement aids in the understanding of history. The three views obviously have a different opinion of what caused a certain historical event.But this disagreement, that is healthy, provides the world’s population with a better understanding of history. The disagreement gives the world the option to choose which view they support the most. Gavin Menzies is another great example of one who argues the truth of history. He states that it was not Christopher Columbus who discovered America in 1492, but the Chinese. He says that the New World was ‘stumbled upon’ by the Chinese in 1421. This is seven decades prior to Columbus. Menzies is relevant in the discussion about disagreement aiding in the understanding of history, because he questions and challenges history.He has found and states his evidence, in his book, supporting that China had been actively sailing around the world during the 1420’s. The reason why he is arguing the truth of America’s discovery is because he himself found out that many historical Chinese events happened in 1421. This is the main reason why he decided to write a book about the Chinese discovering America before Columbus. Additionally, Menzies is important to mention in the discussion of how disagreement can aid in the understanding of history because of his thesis.His thesis changed the Western age of discovery and altered the common belief that Europe discovered Asia. Some of his arguments include finding Asian jade in Aztec tombs, and allegations of Chinese ideograms found on pre-Columbian pottery. Another argument he uses to defend his statement(s) is the idea of maps that show countries that were not yet discovered by Europe in the 15th century. His third supporting argument is that not only many acade mics in China support him; also academics on the West Coast of America believe Zhang He found North America and Australia during his two-year journey over the ocean, which began in 1421.Menzies re-opened the discussion of truth in relation to history in 2008 when he stated that the Chinese sparked the Renaissance. With his book, Menzies received much criticism. Oxford professor Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, for example, counters Menzies’ evidence of maps by saying: â€Å"What [Gavin Menzies] doesn’t understand is that maps at that time were as much acts of the imagination as cartography†. Menzies replies by stating that there are over 6,000 references that support the idea of ‘diffusion theory’. This is the idea that there are various alternative theories that discuss America’s discovery.Menzies goes on by stating that it is â€Å"Virtually impossible to still argue that Columbus discovered America, that Cook found Australia or that Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the world†. This is also because evidence was discovered that the Vikings discovered America 500 years prior to Columbus, and 430 years prior to the Chinese. Menzies also states that in the 1400’s, only the Chinese had the capacity and knowledge to explore the world. The article on his website summarizes that Menzies says that the Chinese fleet could have circumnavigated the world four times between 1421 and 1426. The key word to view is could.By using this word, Menzies assumes that the Chinese could circle the world four times, while there is hardly any sign of evidence to support this argument. If Menzies had evidence to support his statement, he would not be using the word could. Another reason why Menzies is significant when looking at disagreement aiding in the understanding of history is because he introduces the idea of ‘diffusion theories’ to a younger audience. He is able to make people question what they were taught a t school and think about their sources. But then this question comes to mind: is Menzies’ goal to prove China’s role in the discovery of America ethical?This means that many historians that studied the topic of discovery should and will be questioned. Many people will be questioning their beliefs and Spain (as well as various other countries) will be suffering under a ‘bad image’. Menzies is making the public question their authority and textbooks. Another man who made the public question their authority and textbooks was German historian Fritz Fischer. In 1961, he introduced that Germany intended to start a (world) war to gain more economic and political dominance over Europe, Africa, and Asia.Germany had a strong sense of colonialism, and found imperialism very important. Fischer, as a revisionist, concludes that therefore Germany is responsible for the start of the Great War, or the First War. His colleagues and the (German) public received his contribu tions with shock as it challenged the traditional view that Germany stumbled into the war, just like the other great European powers did. Younger historians later found truth in some of his evidence and Fischer became Germany’s best-known living historian to the world, until he died on December 1st of 1999.The main reason why Fischer is important to mention in a discussion about disagreement aiding in the understanding of history is because his statement opened up the discussion of the world wars. Before, German people were not allowed to speak of the war, as it was still a very sensitive topic. Fischer blew new life into the topic of Germany’s intentions. The disagreement among him and his supports and other historians has shown that there is more evidence to what humanity is aware of now. Back then; the causes of the Great War were debatable, yet one was seen as set in stone.Now children are taught that there are various causes of the Great War. This disagreement cau sed by Fischer has resulted in a better understanding of the intentions of Germany in the Great War. Another important subject related to disagreement in aiding the understanding of history is truth and reality. Before and somewhat after the Renaissance, religious populations believed that the world was flat, and that one could fall off of it. This was, however, proven wrong by various scientists in BC and in AD. Another example of human deception and ignorance of truth and reality is Charles van Doren’s game show appearance.In January of 1957, he entered a game show and won more than $1 million. It became later known that Van Doren was given the answers to the questions and that he therefore cheated. Van Doren’s cheating shows that even something as simple as a game show, can be manipulated. When viewing this problem on a larger scale, one will make the startling discovery that certain things are happening that ‘ordinary’ people are not and will never be aware of. The manipulation also shows and supports the idea that what happens in the present, and what happened in the past, may be believed to be true, until one knows the actual truth.Sometimes people do not want to have a disagreement about history and present knowledge. A good example of this is the Renaissance, specifically Galileo Galilei. Galileo was famous for his scientific findings and believes. In 1632, he published a book in which he stated that the Earth was moving around the sun. By doing so he was proving the common believe of the Earth being central in the universe, wrong. This angered the Pope, and Galileo was found suspect of heresy and was forced to say that his findings were wrong. Additionally, he became imprisoned and persecuted by the church.Galileo is important to mention in the discussion of disagreement aiding in the understanding of history as he demonstrated the advantages of experimentation and change. He was among those who began the Scientific Revoluti on in Europe. Disagreement is necessary in discussions and in life. Without it, life would be dull and too familiar. Because of disagreement, many people are given the option to choose who and what they want to believe. This is when historiography comes into place. Historiography is the writing of history. There is someone who writes the history that children are taught of in class.This someone can be a traditional Orthodox historian, a revisionist historian, or a post-revisionist. The lessons for history that we, the ordinary and educated part of humanity, are taught were once determined by one of these categories of historians. Their view is what we value as truth and factual. Galileo, for example, was one among many who proved the truth of a flat Earth wrong. He discovered, with a telescope and calculations, that the Earth is round. Although found mad at first, Galileo proved something that was found true by many religious people, false. Another example of this would be Gavin Men zies.He argued that it was not Columbus who discovered America, but the Chinese. Although he receives many critics on his book, he has proven that there is new evidence supporting that Columbus was not the first on America. This has made many people question their textbooks and take a second look at many historical facts. Fritz Fischer has done similar and made Germans and other countries in the world take another look at their textbooks. He did so by stating that Germany is responsible for the First World War, as they promoted imperialism and colonialism. Germany was greedy and therefore to blame for the First World War.Jared Diamond has also made people check their textbooks. He introduced the idea that there are various factors influencing each historical event. Diamond proved that Europe and Asia were able to conquer the New World due to their geography and agriculture. Charles van Doren did not prove anything wrong either, but proved that humanity may be deceived by their lack of knowledge. By entering a game show and winning through cheating, Van Doren has proven that something as simple as a game show can be manipulated. This raises the question of what else is manipulated that humanity is unaware of?To conclude, disagreement is important when looking at history. History is not set in stone, and can never fully be. Reuben Abel said that the evidence found today, determines the history. This is true as much information is still lacking from history, and certain events are still lacking cause and reason, which would be determined by the evidence. The disagreement among historians wakes up humanity. It forces us to study certain events better in order to fully understand all of its possible causes. We will be able to understand history better by viewing different possibilities.The people present during the historical events are gone, and only psychical evidence is left over. From this, historians conclude their professional opinions. Disagreement aids in t he understanding of history as it provides humanity with the possibility of variety. Bibliography BBC News. (2002, October 22). Experts hope to emulate Chinese Columbus. Retrieved September 21, 2012, from BBC News: http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2349929. stm Clark, J. (2012). Did the Chinese beat Columbus to America? Retrieved October 1, 2012, from How Stuff Works: http://history. howstuffworks. om/european-history/chinese-beat-columbus. htm Dictionary. (2012). Disagreement. Retrieved October 3, 2012, from Dictionary: http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/disagreement Dictionary. (2012). Fact. Retrieved October 2, 2012, from Dictionary: http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/fact Freudenrich, C. C. (2011). World History. Retrieved October 1, 2012, from Curiosity: http://curiosity. discovery. com/question/how-know-vikings-north-america Gavin Menzies. (2011, August 11). Australia as surveyed by Zheng He fleet voyagers before 1433 -paper delivered in Brisbane, August 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2012, from Gavin Menzies: http://www. gavinmenzies. net/Evidence/5-australia-as-surveyed-by-zheng-he-fleet-voyagers-before-1433-paper-delivered-in-brisbane-august-2006/ Hitt, J. (2012, January 5). Goodbye, Columbus! Retrieved October 1, 2012, from New York Times: http://www. nytimes. com/2003/01/05/magazine/goodbye-columbus. html? pagewanted=all&src=pm Lovgren, S. (2005, July 6). â€Å"Guns, Germs, and Steel†: Jared Diamond on Geography as Power. Retrieved October 3, 2012, from National Geographic: http://news. nationalgeographic. com/news/2005/07/0706_050706_diamond. html Menzies, G. 2011, August 18). At the time only the Chinese had the capacity and knowledge to explore and chart the world. Retrieved September 20, 2012, from Gavin Menzies: http://www. gavinmenzies. net/Evidence/1-at-the-time-only-the-chinese-had-the-capacity-and-knowledge-to-explore-and-chart-the-world/ Merriam-Webster. (2012). Understanding. Retrieved October 2, 2012, from Merriam-W ebster: http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/understanding Saxon, W. (1999, December 10). Fritz Fischer, 91; German Historian Blamed Germany for First War. Retrieved October 3, 2012, from New York Times: http://www. nytimes. om/1999/12/10/world/fritz-fischer-91-german-historian-blamed-germany-for-first-war. html Stanfor Solar Center. (2010). Who was Galileo? Retrieved October 3, 2012, from Stanford Solar Center: http://solar-center. stanford. edu/galileo/ The Free Dictionary. (2012). History. Retrieved October 2, 2012, from The Free Dictionary by Farlex: http://www. thefreedictionary. com/history The Telegraph. (2008, August 1). Gavin Menzies: mad as a snake- or visionary? Retrieved September 21, 2012, from The Telegraph: http://www. telegraph. co. uk/culture/books/3557568/Gavin-Menzies-mad-as-a-snake-or-a-visionary. tml Wikipedia. (2012, October 3). Jared Diamond. Retrieved October 4, 2012, from Wikipedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Jared_Diamond ——— ———————————– [ 1 ]. Dictionary, 2012 [ 2 ]. Merriam-Webster, 2011 [ 3 ]. Free Dictionary, 2009 [ 4 ]. Dictionary, 2010 [ 5 ]. National Geography, 2005 [ 6 ]. Wikipedia, 2012 [ 7 ]. The Study of History: What is the Past, 1976 [ 8 ]. The Study of History: What is the Past, 1976 [ 9 ]. The Study of History: What is the Past, 1976 [ 10 ]. New York Times, 2003 [ 11 ]. New York Times, 2003

Biography of George Frideric Handel Essay - 621 Words

George Frideric Handel George Frideric Handel (23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a baroque era composer, with an impressive repertoire of compositions. Handel didn’t grow up in a music rich environment, but in fact, he was forbidden by his father to touch any musical instrument, but found time when everyone else was asleep to play a clavichord he had smuggled to an upstairs room in the house. He grew up in Halle, Germany and at the age of 18, he traveled to Hamburg, and took a job as a violinist in the Hamburg Opera House. He supported himself by giving private lessons, and eventually published his first opera, Almira. That was in 1703. By the end of 1710 he had completed an Italian tour that included visits to Florence, Rome,†¦show more content†¦Despite his success, life was not exactly easy for Handel. He was often criticized by members of the English social establishment because of his artistic endeavors. 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