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Search results 141 - 150 of 1770 matching essays
- 141: Kurt Vonnegut
- ... described by Richard Giannone as "comic masks covering the tragic farce that is our contemporary life" (Draper, 3784). Vonnegut's life has had a number of significant influences on his works. Influences from his personal philosophy, his life and experiences, and his family are evident elements in his works. Among his "comic masks" are three novels: Cat's Cradle, The Sirens of Titan, and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. Throughout these ... viewed with more understanding when related to certain aspects of his life. These correlations are best examined in terms of each influence. One of the most significant influences from Vonnegut's life on his personal philosophy has been his participation in World War II. During the war, Vonnegut served in the American army in Europe and was captured by German soldiers. As a prisoner of war, he witnessed the Allied bombing ... of the city of Dresden, in which more than 135,000 people died due to the resulting fires (Draper, 3785). This experience had a profound impact on Vonnegut. From it, he developed his existential personal philosophy and his ideas about the evils of technology. He states, "I am the enemy of all technological progress that threatens mankind" (Nuwer, 39). The influence of Dresden shows up in each of the novels. ...
- 142: Comparing Edgar Allan Poe and Ralph Waldo Emerson
- ... painful loss, bitterness, and depression, Edgar Allan Poe found escspe in writing stories and poems, in which he portrayed haunted lives even darker than his own. There were differences in views on religion, nature, and philosophy between Edgar Allan Poe, who was an Anti-Transcendentalist, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, who was a Transcendentalist. Edgar Allan Poe had a pessimistic outlook on life, and had opinions about religion, nature and philosophy unique to the Anti-Transcendentalists. He felt that God should be feared, and that God was waiting for humans to make mistakes so he could punish them. Edgar Allan Poe also thought that humans were ... showing the psychological effects of terror, evil and greif on the human soul. Ralph Waldo Emerson, however, had a somewhat different outlook. He was an optimistic Transcendentalist. Emerson saw the good in religion, nature, and philosophy. He, like most other Transcendentalists, felt that God was not to be feared but instead to be looked to for guidence. Ralph Waldo Emerson also thought humans should be at peace and in tune ...
- 143: Emerson
- ... could understand themselves better if they study nature and their surroundings. Transcendentalists also believed in an "Over-Soul" where all forms of being are united spiritually. Emerson's lectures and writing were based on this philosophy. (Hirsh) Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston, Massachusetts on May 25, 1803. His father, Reverend William Emerson, was a Unitarian minister at the famous First Church in Boston. His mother, Ruth Haskins Emerson was ... in August 1817. He worked his way through college as a messenger and writer because of the financial strain on his family after his father's death. He developed his great interests in literature and philosophy during this time. Emerson studied Latin, Greek, and French, but didn't pay much attention to mathematics. He liked living in solitude and independence and said that the best thing about college was having a ... with the profession. On December 5, 1832, Emerson traveled to Italy, France, England, and Scotland. In 1833, he met several British writers whose work and ideas meant the most to him and strongly influenced his philosophy Thomas Carlyle, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and William Wordsworth. The conservatism of Coleridge and Wordsworth disappointed Emerson. This helped him to build his own system of criticism and it paved the way of his thoughts ...
- 144: Candide- A Contrast To Optimis
- ... s works were popular in Europe during his time, yet it is his satire, Candide, which is still studied today. In Candide, Voltaire sought to point out the fallacy of Gottfried William von Leibniz’s philosophy by criticizing worldly superiority, the theory of optimism, and the brutality of war. Leibniz theorized that God, having the ability to pick from an infinite number of worlds, chose this world, “the best of all ... Eldorado reflect Voltaire’s criticism of Leibniz’s belief that this world is the best possible. To emphasize his criticism of optimism in the novel, Voltaire created Dr. Pangloss, an unconditional follower of Leibniz’s philosophy. Pangloss believed that everything had its purpose and things happened for the best. Even the horrendous Lisbon earthquake and fire were for the best according to Pangloss. He stated that although the disastrous earthquake took over 30,000 lives, “all this is for the very best. . . For it is impossible that things should not be where they are”(30). According to Pangloss’ philosophy, there was a purpose behind the earthquake. He believed that there was a rational explanation for the earthquake, even though he was unable to provide substantial evidence to support his claim. Another instance where ...
- 145: Critical Biography On J. D. Salinger
- ... innocence. It is "the wisdom and spontaneity that is lost in the distractions and temptations of adult life "(Gorden 2040), that Salinger and Wodsworth both incorporate into their work. Salinger eventually became drawn to Eastern philosophy, especially Zen Buddhism. This affliction pushed Salinger in his later works to stray from his original foundation and fundamental Western ideals of literature and begin incorporating Eastern philosophy into his work. Many critics condemn these resulting works and a few even go as far as saying that Salinger has lost his touch. Possibly due to such criticism, but for still unknown reasons, after ... profound" and others to denouncing it as "immature" (CA 997). As for the negative criticism that Salinger receives, the majority of it derives from the questionable importance and impact of Salinger's incorporation of Eastern philosophy into his later works. Linda Gorden attributes the integration of Eastern philosophy to "[Salinger's] no longer trying to please the conventional readers but ridding himself of conventional forms and methods accepted by Western ...
- 146: Positivism
- Positivism is a system of philosophy based on experience and experimental knowledge of natural sensation, in which metaphysics and theology are regarded as inadequate and imperfect systems of knowledge. (www.eb.com) The 19th-century French mathematician and philosopher Auguste Comte ... the doctrine. He was, in the main, interested in a reorganization of social life for the good of humanity through scientific knowledge, and thus controls of natural forces. The two primary components of positivism, the philosophy and the polity (or program of individual and social conduct), were later combined by Comte into a whole under the conception of a religion, in which humanity was the object of worship. A number of Comte's disciples refused, however, to accept this religious development of his philosophy, because it seemed to contradict the original positivist philosophy. Many of Comte's doctrines were later adapted and developed by the British social philosophers John Stuart Mill and Herbert Spencer and by the Austrian ...
- 147: Plato vs. Aristotle
- Plato vs. Aristotle Plato and Aristotle, two philosophers in the 4th century, hold polar views on politics and philosophy in general. This fact is very cleverly illustrated by Raphael's "School of Athens" (1510-11; Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican), where Plato is portrayed looking up to the higher forms; and Aristotle is pointing down ... would call a "true democracy." Overall, a spirit of moderation prevails. The philosophies of Aristotle and Plato have been around for over sixteen centuries, yet today it is difficult to find specific instances where either philosophy is applied. This may be a result of the fact that today's political philosophy differs from both philosopher's. While Aristotle and Plato uphold the good of the community or state above individual good, today's constitution includes a bill of rights that guarantees the rights of each ...
- 148: A Clean, Well Lighted Place - In Despair About Nothing
- In Despair about Nothing Man is often plagued by the question of his own existence. Existentialism is a subjective philosophy that is centered upon the examination of man’s existence, emphasizing the liberation, responsibility, and usually the solitude of the individual. It focuses on individuals finding a reason for living within themselves. The philosophy forces man to make choices for himself, on the premise that nothing is preordained, there is no fate. Men must find a truth in themselves, a truth that they must be able to live for. Existentialism is in harsh contrast to a belief in a higher power or a god. "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" is a story by Ernest Hemingway about men in successive stages in the philosophy of existentialism, revealing ultimately how the philosophy will fail them. Nothingness is a condition man is faced with when his life has no meaning, when there is no reason to exist. It is the ...
- 149: Essay On Kierkegaard
- ... of the history of thought. In this paper I will be looking into the views of a contemporary author who sees the relationship of willing to belief as an issue recurring thoughout the history of philosophy. In his book Religious Belief and the Will2, Louis Pojman identifies Soren Kierkegaard as a direct prescriptive volitionalist, i.e. a thinker who holds that beliefs can and ought to be (at least in some ... New York: Routledge & Kegen Paul, 1986) Subsequent references to this work will give the author's name and the page number. Evans, Stephen C. "Does Kierkegaard Think Beliefs can be Directly Willed?" International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 26 (1989): 173-184. Subsequent references to this work will give the author's name and the page number. See David Wisdo, "Kierkegaard on Belief, Faith, and Explanation," International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 21 (1987):95-114. See also M. Jaimie Ferreira, "Kierkegaardian Faith: 'The Condition' and the Response," International Journal of Religion 28 (1990):63-79. Louis P. Pojman, The Logic of Subjectivity: Kierkegaard' ...
- 150: Friedrich Nietzche
- ... his young sister, Elizabeth, are dedicated to Friedrich’s success, certain of his future. At the age of 18,Nietzsche lost his faith in traditional religion. His faith received a fatal blow when he found philosophy. In 1865 Nietzsche discovered Schopenhauer’s World as Will and Idea. The work forever challenged Nietzsche’s view of the world. Schopenhauer’s philosophy was rather dark for its time; it became a part of Nietzsche’s world-view was it was well suited to his nature. It seemed as if Schopenhauer were addressing me personally. I felt his ... his misery. The result of Nietzsche’s bitterness was Thus Spake Zarathustra, published in 1883. Written in anger, the work presents the ideal man as everything Nietzsche was not. It was the ultimate paradox of philosophy: the thinker never able to live according to his beliefs. Still, Zarathustra stood apart as a masterpiece. The author knew it was a great work. Yet no matter what Nietzsche might have thought, the ...
Search results 141 - 150 of 1770 matching essays
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