The Evolution of the Automobile Essay Example for Free

The Evolution of the Automobile Essay The official definition of an automobile is â€Å"a passenger vehicle designed for operation on ordinary roads and typically having four wheels and a gasoline or diesel internal-combustion engine† (Merriam-Webster 51). There is no one person accredited for the invention of the automobile, but rather a collection of advancements that evolved into the modern-day automobile (Smith 12). Today, there are approximately 600 million passenger vehicles in existence worldwide, with numbers rapidly increasing in emerging economic â€Å"power countries†, such as China and India (Smith 23). A Flemish man named Ferdinand Verbiest introduced the first design for a self-propelled vehicle in 1672, in China, nearly one hundred years before the first internal combustion engine (Smith 25). From the late seventeenth century to the early nineteenth century, a series of vehicles, all propelled by steam, were constructed and demonstrated worldwide (Smith 34). The steam car was a superior machine in the nineteen hundreds (Smith 34). Steam cars were responsible for everyday travel, commercial transportation and even held land speed records (Smith36). It wasn’t until 1807 that the world’s first internal combustion engine was created, in France, by Nicephore Niepce (Smith 36). Another leader in the creation of the internal combustion engine was Francois Issac de Rivaz, who revolutionized the fuel that the engines ran on (Smith 36). Early automobiles powered by internal combustion engine ran on fuel made of powered and coal mixed with oil or a mixture of elements, such as hydrogen and oxygen (Smith 36). In 1824, and Englishman named Samuel Brown adapted the steam engine to burn gasoline and created the first gas vacuum engine (Smith 38). Sir Dougald Clerk, of Scotland, was accredited in 1876 for designing the first successful two-stroke engine (Smith39). In 1890, Wilhelm Mayback created the first four-cylinder, four-stroke engine (Smith39). Everything changed in 1885, when vehicle engineering took a sharp turn towards the future in regards to efficiency and affordability, thanks to the German inventor, Karl Benz (Smith 49). As the market for economical automobiles in the late nineteenth century began to grow, the need for industrial production was pressing. Benz patented the first four-stroke engine to be placed in his company’s production automobiles in 1888 (Smith 50). The first large-scale assembly production lines appeared in the early 1900s, many of which are still around today (Smith 24). Oldsmobile and Ford were two of the first companies to successfully mass-produce vehicles to meet the vast automotive market needs. American entrepreneur, Henry Ford, invented and improved the assembly line and installed the first conveyor belt system in his automobile manufacturing plant, based in Detroit, Michigan (Smith 95). Assembly lines reduced production costs by training workers to become experts with one specific part of the automobile or machinery, thus reducing production costs (Smith 97). Ford introduced the Model T in 1908, which could be assembled in an unprecedented ninety-three minutes. In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, governments began to create and enforce automobile safety and environmental regulations (Smith 103). The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations is a working party of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the goal of this organization is to facilitate international trade by creating a uniform model of regulations for vehicle design (Corbett 67). The UNECE is also responsible for creating and enforcing regulations on vehicle safety among automotive manufacturers (Corbett 69). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than one million people are injured or fatally wounded on the world’s roads annually (Corbett 70). Some examples of vehicle regulations include seat belts, air bags and laminated windshields (Corbett 71). Seat belts limit the forward motion of the driver or passengers and absorb kinetic energy by stretching to retain movement if an accident occurs (Corbett 71). Air bags inflate to cushion to cushion the impact of the vehicle occupants and are placed in various locations in the vehicle’s interior, such as steering wheels, dash and doors (Corbett 71). Laminated windshields are designed to remain in one piece when impacted to prevent shattering, while maintaining visual clarity just after an accident has occurred, allowing the driver to safely redirect themselves from harm’s way (Corbett 71). There are also regulations for vehicle’ side windows and back windshield (Corbett 72). Windows and rear wind shields must be manufactured with tempered glass, which breaks into granules with minimally sharp edges, rather than splitting into jagged fragments as ordinary glass does (Corbett 72). Many new luxury features, such as paint color choices, differences in interior and upgraded designs and environmental features much as electric or hybrid engines in the twentieth century emerged on the market (Anderson and Anderson 167). The modern day automobile is a vehicle of evolutionary change and has transformed exponentially over the last several centuries. Today, the leading manufacturers of automobiles are Toyota (Japan), General Motors (USA), Volkswagen (Germany) and Ford (USA) (Corbett 22). These leading manufacturers all embody features and characteristics that make their product and branding unique and memorable, as well as abiding by worldwide government standards which include regulations of vehicle safety, environmental protection, energy efficiency and theft resistance (Corbett 13-16, 18). The evolution of motor vehicles from the seventeenth century to present-day is astounding. It would be reasonable to argue that the automobile is the single most evolved piece of modern machinery of all time. Motor vehicle usage has evolved over time, beginning with use for personal leisure and developed for commercial transportation, public transit and racing. The transformation of production and assembly, as well as the addition of customizable features mark the individualistic ideals of the twenty-first century. There no doubt, motor vehicles will continue to evolve throughout time with environmental needs at the forefront worldwide and the ever-growing necessity of increasing luxury among automobile owners. Works Cited Anderson, Curtis Darrel, and Judy Anderson. Electric and Hybrid Cars: A History. Chicago: McFarland, 2010. Print. Corbett, David. A History of Cars. New York: Gareth Stevens Publishers, 2005. Print. Merriam-Webster, Inc. , . Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary. 11th. New York: Merriam-Webster, Inc. , 2003. Print. Smith, Kaelyn. A Brief History of Automobiles. New York: Websters Digital Services, 2011. Print.

Dichotomy of Good and Evil in Beowulf

Dichotomy of Good and Evil in Beowulf Beowulf: Good versus Evil The heroic poem, Beowulf, is a combination of society’s views and religious ideals and concepts of the Anglo-Saxon period, although some of the poem today may appear different compared to the original text prior to translation. The central conflict of good versus evil in Beowulf may have been altered to fit the Christian beliefs of the time. â€Å"Beowulf is considered the oldest of the great long poems written in English, may have been composed more than twelve hundreds years ago, in the first half of the eighth century, although some scholars would place it as late as the tenth century† (Greenblatt, 2012, p. 36). Being one of the oldest verbal and written poems has caused the original meaning and writing to change over the years. Yet, the central themes of good versus evil and the religious undertones could have been an adaptation to the world that was dominated by the Christian believers. The central focus between good versus evil is represented within the combination of pagan and Christian allegories that provides readers with an insight not only what society found acceptable, but the religious convictions of the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages, the church was a major power house and influencing many scholars to adapt pagan heroes into a more acceptable Christian faith hero. It would have been unacceptable for a pagan hero to triumphant over the forces of evil, while proclaiming only one religious belief to be correct. According to Stevick (1963), in order to honor God and the Christian beliefs of the time, the transcriber may have chosen to adapt the pagan references to Christianity in order to make the poem relatable to the Christian believers (p. 80). As readers enter the world of Beowulf, they are giving a glimpse of the social conflict during the Middle Ages. This conflict in expressed through the religious views of a pagan society adapting to a new religion with the mention of One God versus the several Deities normally followed in pre-Anglo-Saxon culture. When Beowulf is considered a Christian story, the strong allegories may be found within the characters of Beowulf and Grendel. Beowulf, the Geat warrior, could be a reference to Jesus in the Christian faith. Jesus had traveled to Israel to save them from their sinful ways, Beowulf comes to the Danes â€Å"to perform to the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt, in the fiend’s clutches† (Greenblatt, 2012, p. 54, line 634-636). Although the image of Jesus is widely known as a humble man, Beowulf appears to be boastful about his feats. The commonality between the two individuals is clear when referencing the Christian faith. Jesus and Beowulf both fight an evil that is determined too great for the likes of normal humanity. Each are willing to sacrifice their lives in order to being salvation to people whom they feel are worthy of the action. Each are faced with a trail of the battle without seeking guidance from God, but rather put their faith in the protection and safety that God has shown them. The most interesting is the lack of reference to Jesus within the tale. According to Blackburn (1897), Beowulf is seen as a representation to the Christian Savior within the poem, even though Beowulf contains no references to him, â€Å"to the cross, to the virgin or the saints, to any doctrine of the church in regard to the trinity, the atonement, etc., or to the scriptures, to prophecy, or to the miracles† (p. 216). Readers are presented with a plot that focuses on Scandinavian culture, however much of the poet’s narrative interference reveals that the poet’s culture is silently different from that of his ancestors and that of his character’s as well. For example, Beowulf lives by the heroic code of honor that is often defined as a relic of pre-Anglo-Saxon culture. Some principles seen within the text, â€Å"Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, spoke: Wise sir, do no grieve. It is always better to avenger dear ones than to indulge in mourning. For every one of us, living in this world means waiting for our end. Let whoever can win glory before death. When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark† (Greenblatt, 2012, p.72, line 1383-1389). The concept of eye for an eye, death for death was met with same justification during this time period. Yet, in some ways it remembers the First Testament of the Bible when eye for eye was the manner of payment injustices. Grendel represents the evils of the world as a whole, although some may see it as the Satan confronting Jesus in his three trails of faith. According to Greenblatt (2012), â€Å"the poem turns on Beowulf’s three great fights against preternatural evil, which inhabits the dangerous and demonic space surrounding human society,† which would be another reference to the Christian allegory reference. (p. 38-39). Grendel is one of three manifestations of evil and the first for Beowulf to face. Grendel’s first attack of evil is on the order of the Danes and wreaking havoc on the people. His evil appears to seek the destruction of the Danish society from the top down, leaving the community without leadership and protection against the evils that may surround them. In this approach, Grendel would be an allegory for the minion demons that cause destruction to order and civil society with wholesome values. While good versus evil is a common theme seen in multiple of folklores prior to Christianity can be seen, the Christianization of the Anglo-Saxon society has influenced the transcriber to relate the story to a boarder Christian audience. According to Stevick (1963), when passages use references to pagan traditions and then mention a Christian reference or lack Christian elements, â€Å"into which at one point a Christian explanation is added in anticipation of a subsequent Christianized account of the fight and explanation of its outcome, and because the poet was attempting to produce a major, written poem about Beowulf that avoided inconsistency in Christianized and non-Christian matter with which he was working† (p. 84). The information and facts that point to a transcriber who found in somewhat necessary to conform the Germanic hero tale into something about the Christian society in which the poem may have originated, and something about the society in which the Christian w riter lives within. The original tale informs readers that the society that the poem may have been written in valued great acts of courage and strength. It would be a society that relished in the tales of great conquests and hardships as a pastime entertainment. However, this would have been different from the time of the poem was transcribed; the rewrite would have been influenced by the power of the Church. All the honor and prestige would have been given to God for blessing them with extraordinary men granting who were favored by God. Success with battles was no longer considered the achievement of the individual’s strength, but by the will of God. It was no longer acceptable to praise or boast about the achievements over a good meal, but rather to be thankful and put one’s faith into God for providing victory over evil. According to Stevick (1963), Beowulf belongs to a more Christianized Anglo-Saxon society and the oral materials existed prior to the conversion of the British kingdom. While oral tradition may have continued with the pagan beliefs still attached, the written version was adapted to include the Christian beliefs. While there is no actual reference to Jesus within the tale, the references to God and contributin g the success to him allowed the stale to be acceptable in a Christian society during the Middle Ages. While the central conflict of Beowulf is good and evil, the rewritten tale removes many elements referencing the pagan beliefs and converting them into the Christian concept of God winning over horrors of evil. This coincides with the conversion of Druid and pagan beliefs into the new belief of Christianity. The church would find ways to convert pagans and druids into accepting the new faith by combining pagan traditions, folklore and references with Christian beliefs. Beowulf appears to be just another victim of Christianity overtaking an existing culture and finding ways to find it acceptable for their beliefs. References Blackburn, F. A. (1897). The Christian Coloring in the Beowulf. PMLA, (2). 205. Retrieved on June 7, 2015 from http://www.jstor.org.proxy- library.ashford.edu/stable/456133?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents Greenblatt, S., et al. (Eds.) (2012). The Norton anthology of English literature (9th ed., Vol.1). New York, NY: W. W. Norton Company, Inc. Stevick, R. D. (1963). Christian Elements and the Genesis of Beowulf. Modern Philology, (2). 79. Retrieved on June 7, 2015 from http://www.jstor.org.proxy- library.ashford.edu/stable/435497?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Elements In The Road Not Taken Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, author Robert Frost uses the simple image of a road to represent a person’s journey through life. A well-established poet, Frost does a proficient job of transforming a seemingly common road to one of great importance, which along the way helps one identify who they really are. This poem is one of self-discovery. Frost incorporates strong elements of poetry such as theme, symbolism, rhyme scheme, diction, imagery, and tone to help create one of his most well known pieces about the human experience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main theme of the poem that Frost attempts to convey is how important the decisions that one makes can be, and how they affect one’s future. In lines 2-3, he expresses the emotions of doubt and confusion by saying, â€Å"And sorry I could not travel/ And be one traveler, long I stood†, which explains how the speaker contemplated their decision of which road to take. In the closing, line 20 of the poem further reestablishes the theme when it states, â€Å"that has made all the difference†, meaning that making the decision of which road to take for themselves is the important key for a successful future. Frost helps to express this theme by using symbolism to portray a road as one’s journey of life. Using symbolism, Frost suggests that the speaker of this poem is taking the harder of the two roads presented before them, because the road the speaker chooses, â€Å"leaves no step had trodden black† (12...

life :: essays research papers

Life's Message A time comes in your life when you finally get it . . . when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out * ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening. You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that neither of you is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you . . . and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance. You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are . . . and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions. And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself . . . and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself ... and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance. You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties...and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche.

Library :: essays research papers

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two explosions rocked western Baghdad's al-Shu'lah neighborhood near a Shiite Muslim mosque on Sunday, killing at least 15 people and wounding at least 57, Iraqi police said. The first blast was triggered near the mosque -- and when people gathered near the scene, a suicide car bomber drove into the crowd and detonated the vehicle in the second blast, police said. Word of the blasts in the capital came just hours after news of two suicide car bombs in Tikrit, about 90 miles (150 km) north of Baghdad. The bombs exploded just 15 minutes and a short distance apart, killing at least six people and wounding 26 at an Iraqi Police Academy in Tikrit, according to an official with Tikrit's governor's office. Police were responding to the first explosion -- which happened in front of the police academy at 8 a.m. (12 a.m. EDT) -- when the second car bomb detonated close by at the meteorology building, the official said. In an earlier attack Saturday evening, seven commandos with Iraq's Interior Ministry were wounded when five mortar rounds landed inside their facility in the al-Baiya' neighborhood of southwest Baghdad, Iraq police said. The attack in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, occurred as new recruits at the academy were about to travel to the Jordanian capital of Amman for a training program, police Lt. Shalan Allawi said, The Associated Press reported. A doctor at Tikrit General Hospital said the bombs killed four policemen and two civilians, with 23 policemen and several civilians wounded, AP reported. Elsewhere, three insurgents were killed Sunday as the roadside bomb they were trying to plant in the town of Mahawil exploded, police said in the nearby city of Hillah. The explosions follow the deaths of at least 12 people Saturday in a series of attacks by insurgents. The U.S. military said Task Force Baghdad soldiers arrested eight people Saturday. They are suspected of shooting down a commercial helicopter Thursday. The military said in a release that an "Iraqi civilian helped Task Force Baghdad soldiers find" eight people, who were being questioned in the crash that resulted in the deaths of 11 people on board. Six American security contractors, two Bulgarian crew members and two Fijian security guards were killed in the crash. A Bulgarian crew member who survived the crash was shot to death, according to the Bulgarian company that owned the helicopter. The helicopter was flying from Baghdad to the northern city of Tikrit when it went down just north of the capital.

Greek Gods Research Paper Essay

â€Å"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature,† (Anne Frank, 5). In times of despondency and even contentment, people look towards the gods for counsel. They set the guiding principles for human subsistence. People worship these ideal beings throughout all circumstances. They pray to give thanks for good fortune, to ask for forgiveness, to be blessed, and more often than not, to obtain security. For a bounteous measure of people, the ultimate purpose in life is to be the most preeminent person you can possibly be, while satisfying your god(s) as well. In the Greek society the gods and the goddesses played a profoundly significant role. The lifestyles of the Greeks were concentrated on religion, which revolved solely around the gods. The gods were evaluated as being divine and were appraised with immense reverence. The Greeks viewed their gods as being immortal, but not eternal. From time to time life could grow to be bewildering and whether a person is at a high point or a low point they could permanently rely on the presence of the gods. The Greeks believed that they were accountable for all happenings. Throughout the entirety of the Greeks’ lives the gods remained as the central principle of existence. Religion was the basis of all Greeks’ lives. People existed merely to carry out the will of the much valued and esteemed higher beings. The Greek beliefs could not truly be considered a religion, but more of a â€Å"threskeia† or a â€Å"eusebia† which mean cult and piety. Eusebia’ chief concern was not wholly the individual, as much as the assembly – may that assembly have been the family, tribe, civilization, or the city-state. The objective of Eusebia was to cultivate benevolence, harmony, pleasure, and affluence. The gods took on a key position in creating this. Similarly, it was intended to circumvent the disapproval of the gods, conflict, controversy, and starvation. It was fixed on sacrifice, which was involved in the joining of the gods with man, and the joining of man with man (http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/lotzc/teaching/seattle/classes/greek_society.html). The gods assisted in the generation of all of this serenity by each playing their r ole, to the best of their aptitude, in the world. There was a  god for all things in nature and each one specialized in something different. There was Zeus, who was the king of gods and the god of the sky; Hera, the goddess of marriage; Poseidon, the god of the sea; Athena, the goddess of war, wisdom and crafts; Apollo, the god of light, intellect and art; Artemis, the goddess of the moon and hunting; Ares, the god of war; Hephaestus, the god of fire; Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love; Eros, the god of love and desire; Hades, the god of the underworld; Demeter, the goddess of fertility and crops; Persephone, the goddess of the underworld; Dionysus, the god of wine and ecstasy; and Hermes, the divine messenger and god of travel (Ions, 7). With each god or goddess following his/her part in the world, conformity could be easily accomplished. The Greeks also believed in myths. The myths contained, along with legends of the deities, legends of heroes who were semi-divine figures. These myths are used to explain the origin of th e Greeks. Eusebia could only be successful if there was reliance on old myths and cooperation between all of the gods. Greek gods and goddesses were looked upon with massive veneration and admiration. The Greek people prayed consistently requesting direction and assistance from the gods, on a daily basis. They believed that the gods would give them succor with their predicaments. They would pray for good fortune on their travels, for their family’s salubrity, for passionate and genuine love, for the prolificacy of their crops, for ascendancy in hunting, for academic acquirements, for ingenuity in the arts, and for a marriage that thrives on ardor and deference. A multitude of times they would not implore anything at all, but would give thanks for the endowments bequeathed upon them. The gods acknowledged selfless and reverential acts such as this. Sacrifices were perpetually made in the direction of the gods. The Greeks conjectured that they would be compensated in their everyday lives if they made methodical sacrifices. On every instant that a beast was slaughtered a fraction of its’ m eat would be extended to the gods. This act was one of homage and adoration. The gods in response to the act of consideration would, in turn, favor the Greeks who made the offering. They appreciated the approbation shown to them. The gods were believed to not disdain any altruism that was bestowed upon them. They would go about this by complimenting the deferential subject with calm seas and cloudless skies for  travel, by buttressing them in their conquests, and by sharing with them wisdom and intellect in times of dire need. If a god or goddess was in anyway dishonored, which was an atypical incidence, he/she would denounce the impertinent being and they would live, should they survive, a damned life. Insolence could in no way, shape, or form, be advantageous to a god or person. When gods were treated with high regards and adulation the result was joviality and elation for all and sundry. The people of the Greek society perceived the gods as undying, but not everlasting. This was an imperative principle in the Greeks’ beliefs and had extreme repercussions on their society. The Greek deities contained human qualities even though they were deathless. This was a substantial factor in the Greek philosophy. They had mothers, fathers, children, and other relatives, just like all human beings did. These characteristics were employed to validate associations of authority and administration. A god/goddesses’ appurtenance to rule could have been shown by expertise in combat, by collections of birthright, by guaranteeing first-rate direction and affluence, or by establishing scientific enhancements (Ions, 7). Particular god/goddesses’ began as solitary entities, but over time achieved interactions with other idols such as themselves. They helped each other out and aided each other in the process of continued existence. Alliances were meaningful in the acquir ing of endurance. The gods possessed much more supremacy than human beings did. They neglected to abide by the rules of the human civilization and they habitually altered their appearances. Unfortunately, the unfairness of these acts remained insignificant. These religious entities could not be killed or ruined by any person or thing. They could not experience physical death. It was completely and utterly impossible. Sycophancy en route for the gods’ connected the humans to their domination. They relied on the deference and immolate gifts of the Greeks. That is how they maintained longevity. The gods could not survive without people who believed in them. The Greeks, favorably, looked up to the gods. Heretofore, should the Greeks have concluded worshiping the gods, they would disintegrate. The gods were exempt from death, decay, and annihilation, but once faith was lost in them they would cease to exist. Although at times life could be perplexing, the Greek people knew that they could eternally entrust in the permanence of the gods. This remained as the one constant in their lives. During happenings of complacency people canonized these divine beings. This is due to the uncomplicated verity that these entities of holiness were amenable for this equanimity. When a Greek individual was blithe, the gods were as well. These idols remained at their sides to partake in the euphoria and to formulate or eradicate it accordingly. The gods lingered amid occasions of mediocrity. When proceedings were flowing neither precisely nor infelicitous they continued to intercede, when desired. Amongst circumstances like these, the gods premeditated schemes to accommodate their advocates. Should they be choleric at their devotees, these divinities would contrive arrangements to hinder them. Even amidst episodes of exigency and anguish, the gods would remain in attendance. They would strive to alleviate the living soul of his/her distress. In the universally acknowledged epic tale, The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus relies on the aid and guidance of the gods. In The Odyssey, Odysseus voyages all over the globe. He is encountered with many impediments, and the lives of his entire assemblage are relinquished. Odysseus’ aggregation faces their demise because they defied the gods. Odysseus, on the contrary, consulted the gods before he concocted any abstractions or took on any exploits. Consequently, the gods supported him and acted towards his benefit. These divinities shared in times of jubilation and that of misery. The gods never forsook any allegiant adherent. All throughout their lives, the people of the Greek society depended on the gods’ constancy. In Greek society gods were presumed to be responsible for all affairs. An accumulation of events could be traced back to these almighty beings. They manipulated all aspects of the world to their fancy. An entirety of the occurrences befell because the gods desired them to. They had power over all things and beings. Each god was connected to a feature of nature and controlled it in conformity to his/her temperament. If a person ensnared an animal it was affirmed to be on account of the goddess Artemis. If a thunderstorm transpired it was because Zeus willed it. If the waters were either calm or turbulent it was due to Poseidon. In The Odyssey, the gods  were answerable for the adventures that Odysseus commenced. On his expedition, Odysseus confronted abundant botherations. This was due to the unembellished actuality that the gods were exasperated. Poseidon made the waters violent and Zeus caused there to be rain, thunder, and lightening in the sky. This caused Odysseus to lose his way and it lengthened his voyage by copious years. Thus, if a god/goddess was tumultuous, disastrous and damaging circumstances would eventuate. Contrastively, if a god/goddess was exultant, congenial and propitious events would be consequent. These absolute beings were also authoritative for minor occurrences. For instance, if a person fell in love it was because of Aphrodite and her son Eros. If crops were fertile or infertile it was due to Demeter. Also, if a person is intelligent and artistic or slow and unoriginal it was because Apollo saw it fit. The gods maneuvered the world to fit their liking. They had ultimate control over all aspects of the universe, including nature. If these all-powerful entities wanted something to arise, it would. The Greek gods were predicated to be accountable for every occasion. The gods and goddesses played an extensively momentous part in the Greek society. The Greeks based their days on religion, and the gods, in accordance. These holy entities were conceived as being immaculate and were conducted with illimitable obeisance. They were also viewed as indestructible, but not amaranthine. The Greeks knew that they could invariably confide in the constancy of the gods throughout all times, pleasant or poor. The gods were also credited by the Greeks to be answerable for all incidences. Throughout the absoluteness of the Greeks’ lives the gods endured as the cardinal principle of subsistence. People looked up to the gods for guidance during episodes of anguish, as well as beatitude. They set up the ideology for the existence of man. These omnipotent beings were praised during all events. The primary intention of life, for most people, is to be as superlative as possible, as well as following the creed of the gods. The Greek gods played a great role within the Greek religion and mindset. Gods and religion governed the choices that people made and how they lived their lives. â€Å"†¦Let people differ about their answers to the great mysteries of the Universe. Let each seek one’s own way to the highest, to one’s own sense of supreme loyalty in life, one’s ideal of life.

Book Report: Thus Spoke Zarathustra Essay

The BookThe contr everyplacesial fable view as of Exis ecstasytialist Friedrich Nietzsche titled so Spoke Zarathustra was origin altogethery written in Ger bit in late ordinal Century. This fabrication book, which was completed betwixt 1883 and 1885, tells most the authors ism of the un shuttinging recurrence of the same, his most contentious account on the death of divinity fudge, and his innovation of the creation of the over populace (Repeboom, 2001). and then Spake Zarathustra represents the philosophy of its feature author, as well as his discover of morals and ethical motive which according to him moldinessiness be taken into account by custody. The books important causa individualifies Nietzsches moral examples as against the morality of his time. In presenting his philosophy and his ideals of morality, Nietzsche satiric wholey and obviously appropriated for himself a biblical style. By doing so, Nietzsche showed his fast opposition to Judea-Christian imagination of theology and morality. summaryThus Spoke centers on the conjured journey of Zarathustra from his ten years of seclusion in the wilderness up to his long travels in the low-land where he met with some(prenominal) kinds of personalities and where he decl be that God is dead and preached his sustain thought of morality. The institute Zarathustra actually came from a historic figure Zoroaster, the Persian diviner who engrafted Zoroastrianism. up to now the rationale of Nietzsche in writing the book is to present a spick-and-span gain or feel of Zarathustra, whose literary affair is to introduce a new design of morality that is totally dissimilar from Judea-Christian ethics and morality. With this Nietzsche claimed that it was his fictitious character Zarathustra who is the first disciplinarian (Nietzsche et al, 1989, p.327). Nietzsche went on by saying that it was Zarathustra who view and spoke of the eternal battle between exhaustively and diabolical. b ingle of the popular lines or quotations in the book is that famous precept God is dead, a construct which was popularized by Nietzsche. However, the most significant pillar of the bol angiotensin-converting enzymey is the concept of overman, translated from the German word demigod (Nietzsche, 2004, p.56). According to Nietzsche, the overman is mans emblem of self, as well as the concepts of self-overcoming, self-direction, self-cultivation, and self-mastery (Nietzsche et al, 1989).In the story, Zarathustra was 30 years old when he practically abandoned his home and persistent to get it on in the hatfuls ((Nietzsche, 2004, p.1). After ten years of living in the wilderness, Zarathustra headstrong to retract the mountains to preach his new found knowledge and gospel singing to the plenty in the lowland. On his way down he met different kinds of individuals deal a saint, the backworldsmen, the parboil criminal, the preachers of death, the priests, and the chaste, among o pposites.The finale the books main characters preaching is the prescript of eternal recurrence. This tenet postulates the eternal repeating of all events. base on the philosophic concept of Nietzsche, only the overman cal fully register said doctrine, because it is only him who has the will forefinger to assume conscientiousness and accountability for all aspects of his aliveness and to want nonentity much than for every moment to legislate over and over again. Zarathustra has a problem confronting this concept of eternal recurrence, since he can non accept the notion that the sickness of the masses will happen again ad infinitum without all cash advance or development.At the last die of the novel, Zarathustra gathers in his cavern in the mountain several individuals who have not as yet achieve the status of an overman. In his cave, Zarathustra and his men enjoy a banquet and have a bun in the oven their joy by singing several songs. At the end of the book, Zarathust ra finally embraced the doctrine of eternal recurrence, as well as the notion that joy is deeper still that mourning can be (Nietzsche, 2004, p.310).The Concept of OvermanOne of the most controversial ideas introduced by Nietzsche is the concept of overman. According to Nietzsche, the status of an overman is what men should achieve. However, one cannot achieve this status without forsaking the determine instilled upon him by the contemporary phantasmal and ideologic structures that continuously envenom his way of persuasion and his perform. During Nietzsches time, the concept of morality was dominate and dictated by the Catholic perform. all(prenominal) societal norms, doctrinal beliefs, spectral traditions, and inexplicable ideas were deeply associated and strongly connected with the spiritual teachings and dogmatic beliefs of the Catholic Church.With this, Nietzsche presented his idea of an ideal man the overman through his fiction book titled Thus Spoke Zarathustra (N ietzsche, 1967). In this book, Zarathustra at the age of thirty pass 10 years living in the wilderness and enjoying his independence and seclusion. When Zarathustra decided to leave the mountain to preach and spread his new-found gospel or idea to the mob of people below, he met a number of different types of people like the priests, the pitiful, the magician, the virtuous, the tarantulas, the last man, to name a few (Nietzsche, 1967).One of the classes of person he met is a saint who given over all his life and works to God. Zarathustra was greatly surprised that the man was never certified that God is dead. There, Zarathustra asserts that man is something which ought to be catch (Rosen & Gillespie, 2000). By overcoming man, an individual must realise his own virtuous according to his own will or mark in life. By doing so, he becomes a actor of determine and not an absorber of the same. Zarathustra also decl atomic number 18s and claims that man is tied between the beasts and the overman, and thus the universe must seek for the coming of the overman by being true to the world and this life and by deserting the morals and ethical standards that poisoned mans mind and his determine.In presenting the overman as the creator of truths, Nietzsche also rebuked all the schematic values and morals of his time. The concept of overman is something that is higher(prenominal) in standards and in terms of values than the men who subordinated their will and live to a structure that preaches for the departure of human mind from earth. Being a creator of values, must live according to his morals and base on what he thinks is right, and nor according to anybodys will or to associations moral standards.In some of his works which were published on the Gay Science, Nietzsche determine at least two structures that set the values and moral standards that should not be imbibed by any man who aspires to be an over man (Allison, 2001). One of which is the religious st ructure or the Catholic Church that preaches predominant Christian values. Christian dogma and new(prenominal) religious beliefs advocate for the virtue of meekness and pity. Nietzsche through Zarathustra contends the absence of any virtue in being crushed if a person is too listless to be able of being otherwise. Thus, this meaning that meekness is never a want virtue if man fails to live as an individual who prepares values.The doctrinal foundation of Christian faith is against the values by which the overman lives for. Nietzsche enumerated the tercet sins that can be committed against God. These sins are the following sex, the desire for billet, and selfishness. These things, based on the existentialist moral label of Nietzsche, should neither be condemned nor abandoned. This is because all these three, when chased with high-priced intent and a clear conscience, are essential to mans existence, power and life. The overman needs all three for his prosecution of happine ss. This is to say based on Nietzsches Existentialist ideals that happiness, therefore, is the goal of every virtuous man.On the other hand, demesne or government is so strong a superstructure in setting substandard esprit de corps codes and values. This is the reason of Nietzsche in presenting his concept of overman. Based on the philosophers personal works, the estate is a potent menace to a free and happy life because it seeks to radiation pattern populace into a middling, unthinking multitude. apart(predicate) from this, the state also advocates for the propagation of the classless principle of democracy that glorifies the meekness of the weak and impedes the growth of the strong-willed and the creative.Critical valuationHowever, it must be carefully remark that Nietzsches argument in his fiction novel that God is dead should not be taken literally. One of the important concepts of the book is the pronouncement made by Zarathustra in one of his many sermons that God is d ead. This statement should be taken in its figurative sociological meaning or essence than as a phantasmal, orphic account. In the book, god represents a metaphysical structure that continues to poison the minds of men. This doctrinal poison is what preventing from induceing the status of an overman.By saying that God is dead, what Zarathustra factor to say is that the arrival of the overman signals the end of the obsolete and old-fashioned moral code of the Christian faith that had become the backrest force of all social, political and spiritual lives of people in the medieval ages (Nishitani, Parkes & Aihara, 1990). It means that the Christian concept of good and evil had already lost its grip on our culture and norms. According to Nietzsche, the golf-clubs and religious concept of the eternal struggle between good and evil was philosophically flawed and defective.This is because the Christian faith and other religious doctrines consider many things that are good to man evil , like sex, power, and selfishness. spiritual institutions, particularly the Chatholic Church, which was the dominant religious appellation during Nietzsches time, considered mans hunt of happiness as evil. Everything that gratifies man is considered evil, succession everything that highlights mans weaknesses and sacrifice is deemed good and virtuous the meek and the poor in spirit are virtuous. On the other hand, those who seek to follow their will to power, and those who desire selfishness and power are considered evil-doers. They are societys troublemakers who need to repent for their sins in order to be saved by a higher being or a supernatural power.Thus, Nietzsches purpose in presenting Zarathustra as the preacher of new yet controversial values, which must be achieved by man alone, and in introducing his concept of overman who must create his own values are the main foundation of his philosophy existentialism. Existentialism is the philosophy that postulates that individua ls themselves generate the meaning and quintessence of their lives (Kaufman, 1989). It means that man must live according to his will. This is what Nietzsche actually posited in his book titled The forget to forcefulness (Nietzsche et al., 1968).By Nietzsches definition, Zarathustra is indeed overman psyche who creates values and who emphasizes the importance of self. The hero in his fiction book embodies what men should do or go through to attain the status or essential level of an overman. For about ten years, Zarathustra abandoned all his material possessions and went to live alone in the wilderness, away from the mob and safe from the values of the Christian faith and the indoctrination of the state.Zarathustra did not remain firm simply because he does not guess in suffering. His goal is the pursuit of happiness. An overman is mortal who rebukes the sacrifice of an individual, and who cherishes personal gratification like sex, selfishness and desire for power. This is bec ause these three elements of personal joy are considered evil by society and by the moral codes of the dominant religious institution. By presenting Zarathustra as a range of a function of an overman, Nietzsche means that man must live independently according to his will and not to the values and moral codes of the Church and the state (Emmanuel, 2001). To be an overman, man must create his own values according to his image and not to the image of the society where he lives.BibliographyAllison, D. (2001). Reading the New Nietzsche. Maryland Rowman and Littlefieldcomplete blood count Arts (2007). Artist behind Biejings birds nest bowlful boycotts Olympics. CBC News Website. August 11. Retrieved kinfolk 22, from http//www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/story/2007/08/11/beijing-artist-stadium.htmlEmmanuel, S. (2001). The Blackwell legislate to modern philosophers. Boston BlackwellPublishingKaufman, W. (1989). Existentialism from Dostoyevsky to Sartre. New York MeridanPublishing CompanyNiet zsche, F., Kaufmann, W. (ed), & Hollingdale, R.J. (1844-1900). The Will to Power. Germany, Nietzsche.Nietzsche, F. & Levy, C. (1967). 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