Sunday, May 24, 2020

The Man Who Brought Geometry to the World

Much of our modern science, and astronomy in particular, has roots in the ancient world. In particular, the Greek philosophers studied the cosmos and tried to use the language of mathematics to explain everything. The Greek philosopher Thales was one such man. He was born around 624 BCE, and while some believe his lineage was Phoenician, most consider him to be Milesian (Miletus was in Asia Minor, now modern Turkey) and he came from a distinguished family. It is difficult to write about Thales since none of his own writing survives. He was known to be a prolific writer, but as with so many documents from the ancient world, his vanished through the ages. He is mentioned in other peoples works  and seems to have been quite well-known for his time among fellow philosophers and writers. Thales was an engineer, scientist, mathematician, and philosopher interested in nature. He may have been the teacher of Anaximander (611 BC - 545 BCE), another philosopher. Some researchers think Thales wrote a book on navigation, but there is little evidence of such a tome. In fact, if he wrote any works at all, they did not even survive until the time of Aristotle (384 BCE- 322 BCE). Even though the existence of his book is debatable, it turns out that Thales probably did define the constellation Ursa Minor. Seven Sages Despite the fact that much of what is known about Thales is mostly hearsay, he was definitely well-respected in ancient Greece. He was  the only philosopher before Socrates to be counted among the Seven Sages. These were  philosophers in the 6th century BCE who were  statesmen and law-givers, and in Thaless case, a natural philosopher (scientist).   There are reports that Thales predicted an eclipse of the Sun in 585 BCE. While the 19-year cycle for lunar eclipses was well known by this time, solar eclipses were harder to predict, since they were visible from different locations on Earth and people were not aware of the orbital motions of the Sun, Moon, and Earth that contributed to solar eclipses. Most likely, if he did make such a prediction, it was a lucky guess based on experience saying that another eclipse was due. After the eclipse on 28 May, 585 BCE, Herodotus wrote, Day was all of a sudden changed into night. This event had been foretold by Thales, the Milesian, who forewarned the Ionians of it, fixing for it the very year in which it took place. The Medes and Lydians, when they observed the change, ceased fighting, and were alike anxious to have terms of peace agreed on. Impressive but Human Thales is often credited with some impressive work with geometry. It is said he determined the heights of pyramids by measuring their shadows and could deduce the distances of ships from a vantage point onshore. How much of our knowledge of Thales is accurate is anyones guess. Most of what we know is due to Aristotle who wrote in his Metaphysics: Thales of Miletus taught that all things are water. Apparently Thales believed the Earth floated in water and everything came from water. Like the absent-minded professor stereotype still popular today, Thales has been described in both glowing and derogatory tales. One story, told by Aristotle, says Thales used his skills to predict that the next seasons olive crop would be bountiful. He then purchased all the olive presses and made a fortune when the prediction came true. Plato, on the other hand, told a story of how one night Thales was gazing at the sky as he walked and fell into a ditch. There was a pretty servant girl nearby who came to his rescue, who then said to him How do you expect to understand what is going on up in the sky if you do not even see what is at your feet? Thales died about 547 BCE in his home of Miletus. Edited and updated by  Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Explore the Ways in Which Stevenson Creates an Effective...

Explore the ways in which Stevenson creates an effective horror story in â€Å"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.† Robert Stevenson wrote â€Å"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† in 1885. In â€Å"Dr. Jekyll and My Hyde,† Stevenson creates the atmosphere of a horror story. He does this through many different techniques. He makes subtle suggestions that the central characters lead a double life, creating suspense, dramatic events and the taking of innocent victims. In chapter one, Stevenson creates an enormous amount of suspense and intrigue in the description of Jekyll’s house. Firstly, as Stevenson describes the street, he makes a massive contrast between the attractive street: â€Å"The street and general cleanliness,† and Mr. Hyde’s house: bore in every feature the marks†¦show more content†¦Hyde. As the reader and Utterson have, no clear idea of who Hyde is, when Hyde starts to approach the awaiting Utterson it causes a huge amount of suspense: â€Å"The steps drew swiftly nearer and swelled out suddenly louder.† The tension is intensifies as the steps get closer. Stevenson takes his time to describe Hyde so when the reader is finally about to encounter Hyde is it extremely power as we do not know whether he will commit another horrendous murder, this time on Utterson In chapter five Stevenson does a useful description of the laboratory. Utterson describes â€Å"three dusty windows barred with iron.† However, the year before, Mr Enfield describes the same window as, â€Å"always shut but...clean.† This helps Stevenson create an effective horror story because this slight detail hints that perhaps Mr. Hyde is slowing but steadily taking control of Dr. Jekyll and the murderous evil man will continue before Dr. Jekyll has a chance to stop it all. Stevenson makes Hyde seem a monster/animal/supernatural evil in the way that he is described. Hyde clearly represents â€Å"the beast in man† and is described in a number of animalistic images. When Utterson confronts him, he is described as â€Å"hissing† like a cornered snake; Poole describes him as a â€Å"thing† which cries out â€Å"like a rat†; he moves â€Å"like a monkey† and screams in â€Å"mere animal terror.† He is described as â€Å"A Juggernaut†, â€Å"Like Satan†, â€Å"Deformed†, â€Å"Dwarfish†, â€Å"Hardly human†,Show MoreRelated The Representation of Evil in Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1490 Words   |  6 PagesThe Representation of Evil in Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde This essay will show how evil is represented in Robert Louis Stevensons Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is about evil and the duality of peoples personalities. To show this I will focus on Stevensons use of characterization, setting, historical, social and cultural context, settings, symbols and language. Robert Stevenson lived in the Victorian era, this was a very repressiveRead More Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde2544 Words   |  11 Pagesâ€Å"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† is a gothic horror novella written by Robert Louis Stevenson in the Victorian era. The novella follows a well-respected doctor - Henry Jekyll - and his struggle between good and evil when he takes a potion and becomes Mr Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson - the author of the novella â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde†- was born in Edinburgh in 1850 and died at the young age of forty-four. He wrote the book in 1886. As a child he was very closeRead MoreExplore How Stevenson Creates a Sense of Intrigue and Engages the Reader’s Interest in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.1839 Words   |  8 Pages‘Explore how Stevenson creates a sense of intrigue and engages the reader’s interest in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.’ The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1886. This book is a classic and has been very successful; therefore it has been turned into several films and theatre productions. The book seizes the reader’s attention and gets straight into drama and action, making it hard to put down. This well thought out and complicated book touches on many topicsRead MoreGothic Elements in Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens Essay2075 Words   |  9 PagesThe Gothic was born out of the romanticism genre in the late Eighteenth Century, combining romance and horror in an attempt to thrill and terrify the reader, yet in the Victorian era ceased to become a dominant literary genre. However themes of the Gothic still survived such as psychological and physical terror, mystery, supernatural and madness. The melancholy atmosphere and persistent melodrama in novels such as ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens are examples of Gothic el ements in later novels

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Abraham Lincoln, By George Mcgovern Essay - 1653 Words

In Abraham Lincoln, by George McGovern, McGovern summarizes and gives insight on one of the United States’ most well-known and highly praised presidents, Abraham Lincoln. McGovern thoroughly outlines Lincoln’s life, his struggles and how he became the great president that he was. One point McGovern continues to mention is how no matter how bad a situation was or even when people doubted Lincoln, he would take his defeats and preserve. In the beginning of the book, McGovern recounts Lincoln’s life as a kid and a young adult. He describes how no matter how bad Lincoln failed or how sad he was, â€Å"Lincoln would not resign himself to failure and loss; instead he learned from each experience and carried on† . In addition, McGovern continues to mention how Lincoln never stopped learning. From a young age, Lincoln loved to learn, read and expand his knowledge so he could fully analyze any situation. According to McGovern, this personality trait allowed Lincoln to work and rise up from a farmer’s son to the President of the United States. This trait, also, allowed Lincoln â€Å"to take a far more active role in managing military affairs† . Lincoln was able to come up with a new strategy for the Union to win the Civil War. Additionally, McGovern discusses the two issues that truly defined and shaped Lincoln’s presidency: slavery and unifying the United States. Even before Abraham Lincoln was president, Lincoln made it clear he opposed slavery and felt like it was tearing theShow MoreRelatedAbraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address1685 Words   |  7 PagesAbraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address History remembers Abraham Lincoln as one of the greatest leaders. He has made many significant contributions to the history of the United States and is considered one of the greatest presidents. He sacrificed himself for what he believed in, even if it meant starting a war against his own country. He believed in equality for everyone and that all men were created equal. As president he is best remembered for leading the Union through the Civil WarRead MoreEssay on The Republican Party3091 Words   |  13 PagesStates, the other being the DEMOCRATIC PARTY party. It is popularly known as the GOP, from its earlier nickname Grand Old Party. From the time it ran its first PRESIDENTIAL candidate, John C. Fremont, in 1856, until the inauguration of Republican George BUSH in 1989, Republican presidents occupied the WHITE HOUSE for 80 years. Traditionally, Republican strength came primarily from New England and the Midwest. After World War II, however, it greatly increased in the Sunbelt states and the West. GenerallyRead MoreAmerican Revolution and Study Guide Essay example5377 Words   |  22 PagesRoger Williams George Whitefield Lord Baltimore William Bradford John Peter Zenger Virtual representation Walter Raleigh John Winthrop Paxton boys James Oglethorpe Puritans Triangular trade First Continental Congress John Smith Separatists Molasses Act Sugar Act Francis Drake Pilgrims Scots-Irish Quartering Act William Penn Predestination Louis XIV Boston Massacre Henry VIII Salutary neglect George Washington StampRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesjust about to give up on any consumer application of the magnetron when a meeting was held with George Foerstner, president of the recently acquired Amana Refrigeration Company. In the meeting, costs, applications, manufacturing obstacles, and production issues were discussed. Foerstner galvanized the entire microwave oven effort with the following statement, as reported by a Raytheon vice president. George says, â€Å"It’s no problem. It’s about the same size as an air conditioner. It weighs about the same

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Relationship of Demetrius and Helena Essay Example For Students

Relationship of Demetrius and Helena Essay In the following speech, which uses the technique stichomythia, we understand how strong Demetrius feelings are for Hermia, I frown upon him; yet he loves me still. Hermia is horrible to Demetrius yet he is still besotted with her; she explains that no matter how much she ignores him he still loves her. This ironically is what is happening to Helena. The more I love, the more he hateth me. The nicer she is to Demetrius, the nastier he is to her, thus it is obvious love is not running smoothly for Helena. In Helenas soliloquy she reveals her feelings for Demetrius. She shows the audience how much she cares for him. When she finds out about Hermia and Lysanders plan to run away together she states, I will go tell him of fair Hermias flight. The deep feelings she has for Demetrius lead her to risk their friendship and shows us that when love is not running smoothly it can make you do irrational things and behave out of character. Within this soliloquy Helena also talks about love making you blind claiming: Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and Nor hath loves mind of any judgment taste. When you are in love you only see what you want to. We have heard this before when Egeus explains that a spell had overcome his daughter causing her to only see the good things and not the bad. Helena thinks that Demetrius has made the wrong decision and is lacking judgment because Hermia doesnt actually want him. She believes that he has been beguiled into loving Hermia, once again linking with what Egeus thinks. We find out that Demetrius used to be in love with Helena, So he dissolved and showers of oaths did melt. She is saying metaphorically that when he met Hermia all his feelings for Helena disappeared. Sadly it is evident that her feelings did not change. The whole soliloquy is ironic because he hates her, yet she still loves him. She only sees the worthy things in Demetrius and not how horrible he is to her. True love not running smooth can also crush someones self-esteem as we see when Helena claims, I am as ugly as a bear. She has no confidence and explains how she is Demetrius spaniel. Shakespeare uses this metaphor to emphasize that Helena is prepared to act like a dog; devoted to its owner. Helena also realizes that nothing can hurt more than the person you love not reciprocating your feelings, The wildest hath not such a heart as you. This is believed to be the cruelest thing and is echoed later on in the story in different situations. This argument between Helena and Demetrius carries on into the woods where we notice the change of scene. Shakespeare emphasizes this by the use of rhyming couplets that the characters now speak in to give the magical and spell-like feel. Oberon, the king of the fairies, is conveniently watching the argument. Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love. Oberon vows to help Helena and tells Puck to use a special potion on Demetrius when Helena is near. The potion will restore harmony within their relationship and love will run smoothly for them. As we are now in the woods we are introduced to the fairies, in particular Titania and Oberon who are the king and queen of the fairies. The fairies were considered bad spirits and people believed that they could curdle milk in a bowl, make fruit rot on trees, change the weather and many other things too. Many people thought they lived in a kingdom of their own and were invisible to humans, but occasionally they allowed themselves to be seen as if in a dream. .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 , .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .postImageUrl , .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 , .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224:hover , .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224:visited , .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224:active { border:0!important; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224:active , .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224 .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8712d0a056e26a3d9874b35af8bb9224:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre Nature in Jane Eyre C EssayHence the title, because in the play Puck states that it is going to be a dream to the characters. Titania and Oberon are significant characters in the play and their relationship is not running smoothly. Their relationship has a big affect on the mortal realm and this involves the audience. Puck is Oberons servant and he tells the audience a lot at the beginning relating to the king and queens relationship. And jealous Oberon would have the child/Knight of his train. Titania has an adopted child and this is what their argument is about. Oberon wants to take the child from Titania because she gives a lot of her attention to him, which makes Oberon very jealous and his immaturity leads him to get revenge on his wife. Oberon also feels threatened by Titania. As he is the male he should be the dominant one, but Titania is a strong character and because of this there is no compromise in their relationship; neither of them is willing to back down in an argument which we can see. The argument has major effects on the mortal world, as we learn from Titanias speech. She speaks in blank verse to show her nobility and how important she is. The atmosphere at this stage is very depressing which Shakespeare emphasises by the fact that no one is happy. This is because of the effects of their argument. One of the effects is on the seasons, The nine-mens- Morris is filled up with mud. The seasons are mixed up and no one knows what season they are in, therefore the crops are unable to grow. At this time the people relied on the seasons and weather so that their crops could grow but now, because of the argument, there is no food. Titania states that they are the parents of the problem and they are the only ones who can sort it out. Oberon hints to the audience that he will get revenge on Titania in some way. Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this grove / Till I torment thee for this injury. This shows his anger because Titania will not give him the boy. He acts very childishly and comes across as someone who cannot have his pride destroyed. Titania has disobeyed him; therefore Oberon has to get his own back. When Oberon is talking to Puck he speaks in rhyming couplets. This emphasises the scene they are in but also the fact that they are talking about potions so there is a magical atmosphere. He is discussing the potion that will help restore harmony in the relationship of Demetrius and Helena; however Shakespeare implies that love should not be interfered with. This is ironic because on one hand he is using the potion for a good reason, but on the other he is using it to punish Titania and not compromise, which would be more mature. Here I think the audience feel Oberon should concentrate on his own problem he has with his wife before he deals with other relationships. When the potion is put on peoples eyes as they are sleeping, the first thing they see on waking they fall in love with. Oberon uses the potion for Titania in a way that will cause her to fall in love with a beast or a mortal. The next thing then she, waking, looks upon, Be it a lion, bear or wolf, or bull. This is his way of getting revenge on Titania and once again this shows the audience his lack of compromise and love of deception. When Oberon is speaking to Puck about the flower the potion is made from he talks in rhyming couplets. Shakespeare does this to stress that they are in the woods, and are talking about magical powers; this therefore makes the atmosphere very enchanting. .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 , .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .postImageUrl , .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 , .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0:hover , .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0:visited , .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0:active { border:0!important; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0:active , .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0 .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0169e7e7cd55434ceda018125de8dcb0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Angela's Ashes written by Frank McCourt EssayIn Act 2, Scene 2 Titania is getting ready to go to bed and coincidentally this is when Oberon plays his trick on her, So good night, with lullaby. Her fairies exit the setting and she is left to sleep. Little does she know she will soon wake up and be in love with a beast or a mortal, When thou wakst, it is thy dear. / Wake when some vile thing is near! Oberon squeezes the juice onto her eyes and Shakespeare uses poetry and rhyming couplets to emphasise the fact that Oberon is using a magical potion in the fairy tale setting of the woods.