Sunday, October 6, 2019
Visual analysis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Visual analysis paper - Essay Example These religious undertone of the painting was typical of many paintings during the period. It is important to note that the Renaissance period was the time when the strict rules of the visual arts were established. It is the time where academic painting was established where later painters would subscribe until today. During this period, arts flourished as well as science. As earlier mentioned, it was in this period where the strict rules of academic drawing and painting was established where artworks followed a strict method or rules. Unlike the impressionists who did a ââ¬Å"freerâ⬠stroke of brush where details are not emphasized but rather the use of light to emphasize figures, renaissance paintings particularly Flemish paintings followed strict rules, probably the strictest, rigorous and laborious rules. In this method, the canvass (or any other medium such as wood) are not merely stained by paints but rather the colors are build. It typically begins with a drawing where the rule of analytic line is followed. Analytic lines are lines that considers geometrical patterns and proportions in relation to other parts of the subject. Then it is transferred to the canvass (or other medium) by several underpaintings. Generally, a brown layer washes the canvass and lays out the figure or subject then subsequent underpaintings are painted over it. Here, the values, light and shadows are emphasized that would later give depth to the color of the final work. The first layer is usually called ââ¬Å"imprimaturaâ⬠or the first layer where subsequent layers are glazed or painted over it to provide the final body of the painting. Depending on the preference of the artists, the final underpainting can either be in grisalle or verdaccio. Grisalle is a greenish gray which is usually used as an underpainting for flesh
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Mental abuse in children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Mental abuse in children - Essay Example Mental abuse of children arises from a) rejection of a child; b) isolation and; c) verbal abuse or striking terror in a child. A child needs close association with his parents and other people who are around him. When he talks or looks at the eyes of the person who is at close proximity, he seeks the same thing to be reciprocated to him. Otherwise soon the child might starts to think that he is not important enough that he gets the same. If this continues and the child grows to adulthood, he might carry the same attitude towards others and mostly seems withdrawn from his surroundings. The seed of neglect that has been sown in his very childhood might compel to make him think that being so unimportant he deserves no attention at his adulthood as well. (Gardapee, 2011) Isolation of the child from his fellow members or from the others easily results in a loner kind of personality in his adulthood. This follows from the lack of socialization he was subject to during the formative period of his life. Touch carries an important aspect while developing trust with the child and if that touch is absent the child might well feel that he is not wanted or welcome to his parents. Once grown into adulthood, a psychological drawback will definitely follow suit where the child will feel that he is unwanted among his fellow members and at the worst to the greater society.
Friday, October 4, 2019
Criminal investigation Term Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Criminal investigation Term - Essay Example Despite the benefits of fire, the disadvantages include atmospheric pollution, hazard to living organisms, soil erosion, and water contamination among others. Fire can obliterate oneââ¬â¢s house and the entire belongings within an hour or even destroy a large forest and thus, reducing it to a pile of cinders as well as charred wood. Owing to the magnitude of the effects of a fire, there is a need for a thorough analysis and enlightenment on the causes of such destructive fires, the burn indicators, fire setting, and mechanisms of initiating fire, establishing the motives of the arsonists as well as means of locating the suspects. One of the first steps in an arson investigation is to determine not only where the fire originated but also how it started. The importance of pin pointing the origin of the fire allows investigators to more accurately determine whether foul play was involved or if the fire simply started by accident. A certain level of heat and some type of combustible material, which will combust at a given temperature, is needed to create a fire (Swanson, Chamelin, Territo, & Taylor, 2009). If the fire is accidental it could have started for many reasons to include a faulty electrical system, negligent smokers who fall asleep or leave their cigarette burning unattended, and the ever popular space heaters that are normally electrically powered will create enough heat or short out, thus creating a fire. In addition, an accidental fire could occur due to spontaneous combustion. Take for example, linseed oil. This oil is normally purchased as a widely used stain and sealant and can be quite combustible. If in a concentrated form, on something as basic as a rag that was used for staining some furniture, the evaporation caused by the oxidation of the oil creates enough heat to spontaneously combust (William, 2003). This could happen over the course of a couple hours, days, or even weeks
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Human Resource Management in Business Essay Example for Free
Human Resource Management in Business Essay ââ¬ËManaging Peopleââ¬â¢ Describe how your organisation obtains the co-operation of its employees through the contract of employment and employee involvement techniques. Employee Co-operation Contracts of employment An employment contract is a written legal document that lays out binding terms and conditions of employment between an employee and an employer. The employers in ZARA need to makw sure that their employees are aware of what rights and responsibilities they have as workers in ZARA. This contract also includes: The salary rate that is going to be paid to the employees. When they will be getting their salaries What deductions are going to be made from their salaries like income tax. Contractual entitlements These are outlines within the contract so the employee and employer both know what is expected of each other when working in an organization. Things like pay might include the salary amount that has to be given by the employer to the employee and when it is supposed to be paid. Holiday pays might also be included in this depending on what kind of job it is. These contractual entitlements also include the number of hours that the employee has to work, this also includes over time. Type of employment of the employee will be comprised in the entitlement. This can either be temporary or fixed employment. The employees working in ZARA also need to be aware of these contractual entitlements so that that they know what to expect from the employers and vice versa. Firms set some disciplinary rules in the place that they are going to be working in and need to be followed at all times. Employees need to make sure that they follow the rules the employers have set for them until they are working for that firm. Pension benefits are also given to the employee after they leave the organization. These pensions are paid to the employees month after month, the amount is discussed before hand and depending on the employeeââ¬â¢s income history and as well as their age and how long they have served in the firm. Employee and employer rights Employers in Zara need to make sure that they are following the laws of all employee rights in their state. There are some employee rights that need to be followed. Some of these are: All employees need to make sure that they are getting paid the equal sum of money. Employees need to make sure that they arenââ¬â¢t doing any illegal work or something that would be a subject of discrimination. Employers in the firm need to make sure that the employees are not dismissed for an unfair reason. Employees also should be provided with maternity and paternity pay. To receive redundancy pay is basically a sum of money which is given by an employer to an employee who has been made redundant. Payment is done based on the employeeââ¬â¢s rate of pay and length of service. Employees should make sure that they receive an annual leave from their employers within a yearââ¬â¢s time without consequences. Employees should be paid at least a minimum wage in the firm. Type of employment contract: Permanent: this is one of the most common types of employment contracts that businesses follow. This employment contract includes things like the amount of pay and terms and conditions which are accepted by both the employee and employer. This type of contract lasts one year and is renewed after each year on employment. Temporary-companies use this contract because it saves them a lot of money and time. This type of contact lasts for only a short period of time. Full time- This is when an employee is asked to work more than 35 hours a week, but it depends on the job description. For example: a sales man in ZARA works from day till night for a long period of time. Part time- This is when an employee works for a little amount of hours instead of the whole day. For example: there are to employees doing the same job, one works in the night shift and the other in the day shift. Casual- when a firm is in need of employees, they tend to use this kind of employment contract. This has an advantage and as well as a disadvantage forà the employees as they might have less work to do compared to the other employees but they might not know when they are getting their next job. Zara uses full time employment contracts with their staff. Disciplinary procedures Disciplinary procedures are a set way for an employer to deal with disciplinary issues. They should include a disciplinary hearing where youââ¬â¢re given a chance to explain your side of the story. Grievance procedures This is a problem that could occur between the employee and employer, it is a complaint that they could have against each other for something that either of them has done wrong. Union Membership This is when a group of staff or workers is formed into a labor union. These unions play a big role in the firm as they can talk about issues between each other. An example is when there is a problem with the staffs pay amount of even the working conditions. Codes of behavior This is basically a set of conventional principles that are considered binding on the employer/employee. This is mainly about what is acceptable behavior in the firm. Employee involvement techniques Companies might use these techniques in order to get the staff more involved in decisions being made for the organization. This may also motivate the staff as they would feel they are also part of the firm and not just ordinary staff working there. Membership of work groups Firmââ¬â¢s employers might have groups of employees where all the workers work together. This can be advantageous as the workers might have more ideas in the group. There are different types of work groups in firms, For example: Board groups and work councils Quality Circles Intra-organizational groups Suggestion schemes This helps the employeeââ¬â¢s involvement in the organization. Employers make sure that he staff feels like they are part of the firm and that their ideas and suggestions matter. Staffs ideas sometimes make big changes in the organization and benefit them in many ways. To motivate the employees more, the employers give them rewards and prizes to keep them thinking about more and more ideas to improve the company, by doing this, it will motivate employees to work better and harder. How Zara obtains Employee Corporation? The rules, regulations and rights are followed by both the employees and employers in ZARA. ZARA has also explained the disciplinary procedures to the employees and as well as their employers. Employees are involved in the decision makings of ZARA and they are taken into consideration. Working together in work groups also takes place in ZARA. Finally, suggestion schemes are mainly monitored by the firm as this gives each and every employee a chance to share their ideas for ZARA. Devolved authority and responsibility Getting the employees more involved in the firms decision making enables the employees to do better work and be motivated to do it with their maximum capabilities. But this can also be a disadvantage because: The employees would want extra pay if their ideas work and take place in the firm. Employees might get stressed out as they would have more work load on their heads. Open communications This is when there is two way communications in the firm between the employees and the employers. Formal This is when formal communication between the employers and employees happen. For example: the employers are discussing business matters by the use ofà presentations or letters or even emails. Informal This kind of communication happens in an informal way between the staff and the employers. An example of this is: when the staff are chatting with their employers when going home, does not necessarily have to be about business but can be just about other matters. Top down This happens when any information about the firm is given from the top (owners or employers) to the bottom (managers and staff). An example of this is: when an important change comes to the business and the information is carried from the owners to the managers. Bottom up This is the opposite of top down, and information is given from the staff and managers to the top owners of the firm. Lateral This is communication which is done between the employees of the business but with those who are at the same level but different sections of the company. Types of communications Communication is basically the transferring of a message from the sender to the receiver, who understands the message. There are 3 ways of communication and these are: Verbal Verbal communication can be face to face talks, telephone calls, video conferencing, meetings, etc. There are both advantages and disadvantages of verbal communication. One advantage is that information is given out quicker. There is also a high chance where the feedbacks is given immediately and not have to wait for it where as in when a meeting is happening the employers are not sure that all the employees are listening or has understood all the information. This could be of an disadvantage for both the employee and the employer. Written Written communication is a type of communication method and may include memos, letters, reports, emails, etc. When communication is written, it can become of evidence in the future if needed. For example: emails that areà sent between the employee and employer can be kept for the future if any problem occur in the future. This type of communication can also be a disadvantage because the same message can be sent to a large number of people at once and all those people might not read the message immediately and therefore a feedback or reply may be given late. Visual Visual communication can be a form of Charts, firms, posters, etc. This kind of communication can be an advantage as this might be a catch to the eye. The disadvantage of this is there might be no feedback immediately and this kind of communication is not used in all firms because the employees might not understand diagrams and charts. These types of communications are used in ZARA. The employees in ZARA would use verbal communication as it is the easiest method and since they deal in customers, it would train them to become more confident when talking face to face and on the phone. Organizational Culture (ethos, values, mission) Organizational culture refers to the values, practices and behaviors that make up a unique and social environment within an organization. This can be expressed in a number of ways, including the ethos of the firm. An ethos is a code of conduct that a firm basically has. This might be set out in a published set of values or a mission statement so that employees, customers and other stakeholder are aware of what the firm believes in and feels is important. National accreditation (Investors in People (IPP) This type of structure is mostly used in businesses so that all the employees in the firm can be involved with the schemes. Investors in people are one of the well-known awards and also known as (IIP). This can be achieved when employees are able to invest on one of the biggest assets- people . This has mainly 3 rules: 1. Plan, which basically means developing strategies to improve performance. 2. Do, which means taking action to improve the performance. 3. Review, which need to be evaluated and used to improve performance too. Charter Mark and International Standards Organization (ISO)) This is a national award which has helped public service firms, For example: publicà schools and hospitals, to keep developing and improving their quality of service for customers and this can also be done to involve employees in decision making.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Christopher Columbus And The Four Voyages History Essay
Christopher Columbus And The Four Voyages History Essay Christopher Columbus is known as a great historical figure and was considered as one of the greatest mariners in history. He sailed west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a route to Asia but achieved recognition by making arrival in the Americas instead. About 5-6 centuries have passed since his death yet his great navigational skills have not been forgotten and not to mention that the routes he used to travel around the seas, are still being used by sailors till this very day. He was an Italian explorer, colonizer, and navigator. Christopher Columbus was born in the 31st of October 1451, in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. His name is originally pronounced Critoforo Colombo in Italian and Cristà ³bal Colà ³n in Spanish but was translated into English as Christopher Columbus. His father was a poor weaver; he had 4 younger siblings; and went to school during his early ages. Since Genoa was known to be a busy seaport, Christopher learned much of what he knows from the sailors there. He worked with his father for a while but he knew that his destiny was to sail the vast waters. Early Life Christopher Columbus began his sailing career with short fishing trips and worked his way up to longer trips with merchants that traded along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. He began his seagoing career at the age of 14 where he served on several ships in roles that include working as a messenger, common sailor, and probably a 21-year-old privateer as well. Christopher Columbus was interested by map making and geography, which he tends to study between voyages or trips. During the years of his twenties, he went on his first trip out of the Mediterranean Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean. In this trip, his ship was attacked and was set on fire. His only option to survive this tragic occurrence was to swim; he swam six miles back to the shore by only clinging to wreckage. The Voyages Between the years of 1492 and 1503, Christopher Columbus accomplished four round-trip voyages between Spain and the Americas. Columbuss voyages manifested the start of the European exploration and colonization of the American continent thus making Columbus a national hero as he made an impact on Western history. First Voyage After receiving significant funding from the Spanish Monarchs, Columbus set sail on the evening of August 3, 1492. He left Palos de la Frontera with three ships, the Santa Marà a, Santa Clara, and Pinta. These ships belonged to the inhabitants of Palos but the monarchs forced them to contribute to the expedition thus granting the usage of their ships. Columbus first sailed to the Canary Islands in order to resupply and perform repairs. On the 6th of September, he departed San Sebà ¡stian de La Gomera for his first voyage across the ocean that lasted for five weeks. On the 12th of October, one of the Pintas crewmembers spotted land and informed the rest of crew immediately. The captain of Pinta confirmed the discovery and notified Columbus. Columbus named the island San Salvador whilst the natives called it Guanahani. As described by Columbus, the natives at San Salvador, or Guanahani, were peaceful and friendly. Upon leaving this island, Columbus went on to explore the northeastern coast of Cuba and the northern coast of Hispaniola. On Christmas morning 1492, the Santa Maria had to be abandoned as it got wrecked on the shores of the northern coast of Hispaniola. He had to leave behind 39 men at a fort called the Navadid due to no space in the other two ships. His final stop before heading back home was Samanà ¡ Peninsula but his landing wasnt so peaceful as expected. A violent resistance from a hostile named Ciguayos greeted him on his first voyage to the Americas. He stole about 10 to 25 natives before his departure and brought them back to Spain (about 7 or 8 were brought back alive). En route to Spain, Columbus faced another storm, which was considered as one of the worst storms during that century, and was forced to set sail to Lisbon, Portugal where he anchored his ships on 4 March 1943. He stayed for more than one week then left to Spain where he reached on 15 March 1493. Words of his journey immediately spread throughout Europe thus granting him fame and acknowledgment. http://gardenofpraise.com/images5/colmap1.png Second Voyage On the 24th of September 1493, Columbus left Cadiz, Spain in search of new territories, with 17 supply-carrying ships and nearly 1,200 men (consisting of priests, farmers, and soldiers) to settle the region. As what he did on his first voyage, they stopped at Canary Islands and left on 13 October 1493 going on a more southerly course. His first sighting was a rugged land named Dominica then he sailed north where he discovered and named islands that include Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, Redonda, Nevis, Saint Kitts, Saint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Martin, and Saint Croix in His first sighting was a rugged land named Dominica then he sailed north where he discovered and named islands that include Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, Redonda, Nevis, Saint Kitts, Saint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Martin, and Saint Croix in the Lesser Antilles. He claimed all of these lands for Spain. He went on to the Greater Antilles and on the November 19 1493, he boarded at Puerto Rico. He then went back to Hispaniola to check up on the 39 men he left behind at the fort Navadid but all he could find was that most of the colonists were gone and about 11 dead bodies left behind as they have been in a dispute with the Indians. He, however, established a new settlement at Isabella, on the northern coast of Hispaniola. The location happened to be poor though and the settlement didnt last long. He went on to explore the interior of the island in search of gold. He found some and went on to establish another small fort in the interior. He left Hispaniola on the 24th of April and on April 30th, he reached and went on to explore the southern coast of Cuba and was convinced that it is a peninsula rather than an island. He discovered Jamaica on the 5th of May. He went back to Hispaniola and from there, he finally returned to Spain. http://gardenofpraise.com/images5/colmap2.png Third Voyage On the 30th of May 1498, Columbus went to embark on his third voyage. He brought with him six ships from Sanlucar, Spain and led them first to his wifes native land, Porto Santo, which is a Portuguese Island. Afterwards, he went on sail to Madeira to meet up with the Portuguese Captain Joà £o Gonà §alves da Camara before heading to the Canary Islands and Cape Verde. Columbus boarded the southern coast of the island of Trinidad on the 31st of July. From the 4th to the 12th of August, he sailed to the Gulf of Paria that divides Trinidad from Venzuela. He went on to explore the mainland of South America and also the islands of Chacachacare and Margarita Island. He also discovered and named the islands Tobago and Grenada. Columbus returned to Hispaniola yet again on the 19th of August and to his disappointment, many of the Spanish settlers he left behind were unhappy, as they could not find the abundant riches Columbus told them about. Upon his return back to Spain, he was arrested for 6 weeks due to being accused of his and his brothers cruelties by a number of returning settlers and sailors. http://gardenofpraise.com/images5/colmap3.png Fourth and Final Voyage Columbus fourth and final voyage began in May 1502; he sailed with 4 ships that were the Capitana, Gallega, Vizcaina, and Santiago de Palos. His brother Bartolomeo and his son Fernando accompanied him. They left Spain on the 11th of May and sailed to the Arzilla on the Moroccan coast to save Portuguese soldiers that were under siege by the Moors. He then went to the Cabaret on the island of Martinique and landed on the 15th of June. He intended to head to Hispaniola for shelter since a storm was brewing but he was denied port at Santa Domingo and the new governor refused to listen his storm predictions. They instead went to the mouth of the Rio Jaina for shelter. Due to the new governor negligence, he sent out the first Spanish treasure fleet and it happened to sink because of the storm which caused 500 casualties and the loss of a cargo of gold. As for Columbuss ships, they all survived with minimal damage. After the storm, Columbus sailed to Jamaica for a brief stop then went on to Central America. He arrived at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras on the 30th of July. On the 14th of August, he landed on Honduras and from there he spent two months exploring Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica before heading off again to Panama. It was during October when they reached Panama but had to wait until after surviving a tremendous storm in December to explore Panama. The storm began on the 5th of December 1502, and Columbus described it as a storm unlike any other they had ever experienced before. Christopher Columbus described the storm in this segment from his journal: For nine days I was as one lost, without hope of life. Eyes never beheld the sea so angry, so high, so covered with foam. The wind not only prevented our progress, but offered no opportunity to run behind any headland for shelter; hence we were forced to keep out in this bloody ocean, seething like a pot on a hot fire. Never did the sky look more terrible; for one whole day and night it blazed like a furnace, and the lightning broke with such violence that each time I wondered if it had carried off my spars and sails; the flashes came with such fury and frightfulness that we all thought that the ship would be blasted. All this time the water never ceased to fall from the sky; I do not say it rained, for it was like another deluge. The men were so worn out that they longed for death to end their dreadful suffering In May 1503, he sighted the Cayman Islands but the ships took a lot of damage en route to Hispaniola. He had to withdraw to St. Anns Bay, Jamaica due to the ship not being able to travel any farther. For about a year, Columbus and his crew were stranded on Jamaica while some of crew and a few natives padded a canoe to Hispaniola for help but the islands governor disliked Columbus and gave no effort to rescue him and his men at all. Columbus had to persuade the natives to continue providing Columbus and his men food and support; he won the natives over by successfully predicting a lunar eclipse that occurred on the 29th of February 1504. Help finally arrived on the 29th of June 1504, and Columbus and his men finally arrived in Sanlucar, Spain on the 7th of November. http://gardenofpraise.com/images5/colmap4.png Christopher Columbus Death Christopher Columbus died on the 20th of May 1506 in Spain. Even though he didnt get 10% of all profits made in the new lands, he died somewhat a wealthy man due to the gold his crew collected in Hispaniola. However, Columbus believed that what he discovered were part of the East Coast of Asia. Even after his untimely death, his body was still travelling around everywhere. His corpse was first transferred to Valladolid, then to Seville, and later on his son Diego had the corpse transferred to Santo Domingo in 1542. During the year 1795, the French took over and had the corpse moved to Havana. Cuba become independent after the war of 1898 and Columbuss corpse was yet again transferred but this time back to his homeland Spain. Site References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus http://www.buzzle.com/articles/christopher-columbus-biography-and-life-story.html http://geography.about.com/od/christophercolumbus/a/columbus.htm http://columbus-day.123holiday.net/christopher_columbus.html Book References Baldwin, C. C., Paine, N., American Antiquarian Society. (1901).à Diary of Christopher Columbus Baldwin. Worcester, MA: Pub. By the Society. Little, McBougal. (2009). Modern World History: Patterns of interactions. USA: Houghton Mifflin-High School. ISBN-13:978-0-547-03499-7 Top of Form Camusso, L. (1991).à The voyages of Columbus, 1492-1504. New York: Dorest Press. Picture References http://authorshive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/santamaria.jpg http://gardenofpraise.com/images5/colmap1.png http://gardenofpraise.com/images5/colmap2.png http://gardenofpraise.com/images5/colmap3.png http://gardenofpraise.com/images5/colmap4.pngBottom of Form
Stephens Journey to Maturation in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young
Stephen's Journey to Maturation in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce à In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, the author James Joyce uses the development of Stephen from a sensitive child to a rebellious young man to develop the plot of the novel. In this novel, Joyce suggests that through Stephen's experiences with religion, sexuality and education, Stephen not only becomes more mature but these experiences also inspire him to redefine his world and his understanding of his true feelings about art. Religion, besides the practical need for food and shelter is one of the most powerful drives in Stephen's life. Religion serves as Stephen's guidance and saviour yet it is also responsible for his tormented youth and distracting him from his artistic development. As a child growing up in a strict Catholic family, Stephen is raised to be a good Catholic boy who will follow the teaching of Catholism as his guidance in his life. The severity of his family is shown when his mother tells him either to "apologise" (4) or "the eagles will come and pull out his eyes" (4). Stephen is taught by his mother to be tolerant when she "[tells] him not to speak with the rough boys in the college" (5). Similarly, Stephen's father also taught him a Catholic quality by telling Stephen "never to peach on a fellow' (6). Evidence of Stephen following the "never to peach" (6) quality is shown when Stephen agrees not to tell on Wells for pushing him into a ditch. However, as Stephen matures into his adolesce nce, religion becomes his savior rather than his guidance. As Stephen's family condition declines, he sees priesthood as a way to escape poverty and shame. In fact, priesthood is an opportunity for Stephen's personal gain... ...lly as [he] can, using for [his] defence the only arms [he] allow [himself] to use - silence, exile, and cunning" (226-269). By discussing how education affects Stephen from a child to a young man, Joyce has shown the reader Stephen's development as an artist and human being. The novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is an autobiography of James Joyce who delivers the influential aspects in his life and his artistic development to the reader through the eyes of the fictional character of Stephen Dedalus. In the novel, Stephen's journey to maturation and to become an artist is influenced by his religion, sexuality and education. Yet, Stephen is able to overcome the obstacles result from these aspects and experience his life to its fullest. à Work Cited Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. 1916. New York: Penguin,1993. Ã
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Rene Descartes and Lao Tzu Essay
Rene Descartes remains one of the most significant philosophers of the West in the past few centuries. In his lifetime, the fame and popularity of Descartes is just like that of a mathematician or a physicist. But today, he is considered as an original philosopher and his ideas and thought are one of the most studied in philosophy. Descartes made attempts to bring philosophy to a new direction. His school of though has rejected the thoughts of Aristotle and scholastic traditions that had dominion on the whole of philosophical thought during the medieval period. It instead made attempts to integrate fully his philosophy of with sciences that were considered at that time to be new. Descartes altered the relationship between theology and philosophy. These new directions that Descartes had initiated made him a philosopher that is revolutionary, The most famous of his ideas are those that employ a method of hyperbolic doubt. Hi argument consist of the possibility that he may doubt but he cannot doubt that he exists. An essential aspect of this philosophical method is on the first of is ideas. In searching for the foundation of philosophy, whatever that has the possibility to be doubted must be rejected. He resolves the argument by saying that we must only trust what is clearly and distinctively seen that is free from doubt. It is in this way that Descartes peels or takes away the layers of beliefs and ideas that would only obstruct his perspective of the truth. His next philosophical thought is reconstructing knowledge little by little and by piece in such a way that the there will be no instance that doubt will be back. Descartes has proven th he himself should have the basic ability of thinking. This thinking mind is separate from the body, the existence of God, nature and the outside world. Descartes has shown that knowledge is truly possible and that a scientific knowledge of the material world is possible that is based on mathematics. Descartes also speaks about innate ideas. If exterior objects are known to have any clarity and that they really are, then there must be the existence of innate ideas. These ideas do not come from imagination or from the senses. These ideas came from the operation of the mind on its own. Only innate ideas have features of necessity or even universality. Ideas that are experienced are only contingent. He said that ideas do not have any similarity to the objects that they represent. Because of this statement, the mind is essentially a thinking entity and the body is just a substance that is extended and therefore essentially different. There is no idea of extension that can be formed in the mind using the senses. To have a thought of an extended substance, the idea of an extension must be innate or should first belong to the mind. The theory of innate ideas basically speaks about certain pieces of knowledge that are known to exist in man even before birth and not acquired from experiencing the outside world. Descartes used this in his claim that man has innate idea of Godââ¬â¢s existence and basic nature. These innate ideas are not immediately made known to man but require reason in their discovery. The knowledge of God is innate because it is a product of the faculty of faith (Kenny 1997). Lao Tzu, a famous Chinese philosopher, treats the acquisition of knowledge is dictated because it is based on language and socialization. The composition of knowledge is of arbitrary, historically, accidental social systems of creating differences, guiding desires and acting. Lao Tzu justifies the abandoning of knowledge as a method of recovering the natural, genuine and spontaneous impulses of humanity. Society will mold the desires through the use of words and differences. The acquisition of a sophisticated taste will shape the desires of man and also actions and choices that man will take. Man will not desire things naturally because they are just simple and few. Lao Tzu accepts the idea of having pre-social desires. If man will forget or abandon the learned desires that rose from language socialization, then man cam return to nature. The social analysis of knowledge come with the conceptualization of the natural or innate knowledge (Henricks 1989). Although the teachings of Lao Tzu cannot be considered as part of dualism, his ideas will seem to support the primary idea of Descartes as evident in his book, Tao Te Ching. The book talks about the way of Tao that does not vary and compared it to something like a bellow that is inexhaustible but empty. In spite of this unchanging way that makes the world to what it is, everything relies on this unchanging way because it completes everything. There are some similarities to the philosophy of Lao Tzu and Descartes on knowledge. Descartes believed on the innate knowledge of things that man has before he was ever born. Lao Tzu also believed on knowledge that is acquired before pre-socialization wherein man has knowledge before he is immersed in the context of a social world and language. They also have similarities in ideas of dualism. Tao is not extensive and to the worldââ¬â¢s order, it has a spiritual entity as a factor by affecting it by using the mind. Te will become the tool that the unvarying way will utilize to show the effects in the body or the natural world. Tao is the one controlling Te and Te follows what Tao says. Tao is being depicted here as God. The real Tao cannot be defined for when it can defined then it is not the real Tao. The Tao that cannot be named is the one who created heaven and earth. It is in reference of something that nothing greater can be thought of. Tao already existed before all the other beings. For Descartes, the knowledge of Godââ¬â¢s existence is innate because it is the result of the faculty of faith. In man, there is this idea that lies of a perfect being that Descartes is incapable of creating this idea on his own. This kind of idea must have a cause or a formal reality. This cause cold not have come from a less than perfect being or reality. The attributes of God were of being independent, supremely intelligent and powerful and created everything else in this world. God exists necessarily. Note the similarities of Lao Tzu and Descartes of a supreme being. The only difference is that Lao Tzu did not call it a God. Descartes called it a God, being that it is something that cannot be explained or defined and one that existed before the world was created and the One who created everything else that is found in the world. Lao Tzu did not identify with the being as a personal creator.
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