The document discusses relativism in Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune. It summarizes how the harsh desert environment of the planet Arrakis shapes the culture and practices of its human inhabitants, the Fremen. The Fremen value water above all else and have customs centered around conserving and managing their scarce water resources. While the main characters Paul and Jessica are initially unfamiliar with Fremen customs, they come to live by the tribe's rules and social norms. Paul is even able to influence the Fremen to abandon one of their long-held leadership traditions, demonstrating how perspectives and social rules can change over time based on utility and needs. The environment and need to survive shapes the Fremen worldview in a relativistic way
1. The document discusses the concept of "theurgy" and its portrayal in the fictional works of William Golding. Theurgy involves cleansing oneself to establish a foundation for higher philosophical contemplation and connecting with divine beings.
2. Golding's novels show the regression of society in a godless world but also point to individual transformation as a path forward. His characters face extreme situations that force self-examination and spiritual growth.
3. Through symbolic elements and opposing forces, Golding's novels move readers from loss to corruption to examine human depravity but also the original purity within each person once superficial influences are removed.
This document discusses the awakening of avatars and a new phase of establishing a new world order. It talks about Bill Sheppard being a wanderer who has returned to share information to help with this work. It also discusses the incoming light intensifying and separating those who embrace it from those who rebel against it, leading to increased violence and turmoil as polarities become more defined. However, this violence is seen as temporary and part of the necessary cleansing and transition to the new age.
The document summarizes humanism in Christopher Marlowe's play "Dr. Faustus". It discusses how the protagonist Dr. Faustus represents the Renaissance spirit through his intense desire for knowledge that leads him to sell his soul to Mephistophilis. While Mephistophilis sometimes shows Faustus conflicting perspectives, the knowledge gained through evil ultimately draws Faustus towards superficiality and sorcery. The document argues that as a human, Faustus had the right to seek knowledge, and questions why God would not want humans to become powerful and knowledgeable. It compares Faustus' humanism to that seen in Hamlet, where intelligence leads characters to bear inner conflicts and pay costs.
Ideologies help reduce the intensity of the "orientation response" - the stress of encountering something novel that challenges one's worldview. Ideologies act as mental filing cabinets that allow people to quickly recognize familiar elements in new stimuli, putting them at ease. This is because ideologies have empty categories ready to incorporate new information in a way that confirms preexisting beliefs. As a result, ideologies serve to lessen the frequency and strength of disruptive orientation responses to unfamiliar or challenging facts or events.
This document discusses the foundations of Christian community. It defines Christian community as a place where people can know God and each other through spiritual transformation. Key aspects of Christian community include unconditional love, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and spiritual activities like worship, prayer, and communion. The community should foster spiritual growth and equip people to transform the world through their mission. Individuals are transformed through their participation in the Christian community, and the community supports and sustains individuals on their spiritual journeys. Overall, the document explores how Christian community can empower people through spiritual transformation to change the world.
This exhibit features 13 works related to Dadaism and Surrealism that explore themes of self-immolation, identity negation, semiotics, chance, and the uncanny. Key works included are Kurt Schwitters' Merzbau and Hans Bellmer's La Poupée, shown side by side to contrast their formal and conceptual relationships. Also featured are Marcel Duchamp's readymades Bottle Rack, Bicycle Wheel, and In Advance of a Broken Arm, which question notions of fixed meaning and objecthood. Duchamp's unfinished work The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even is centered among the readymades to depict perpetual desire and contingency.
Just Which Pitch Did George Bush Throw - ver. 2 - 2013Bob Badner
George W. Bush is compared to a pitcher who used various pitches to justify invading Iraq, despite lacking evidence. The document analyzes Bush's rationales - the fastball of WMD claims, the curveball of Iraqi ties to Al Qaeda, and the changeup of "Mission Accomplished. It asserts Bush failed to locate Osama bin Laden and instead targeted Saddam Hussein. Overall, the document argues Bush mismanaged the war through strategic and intelligence failures.
This summary provides the key points from the document in 3 sentences:
The document discusses Nietzsche's views on art and criticism, arguing that art cannot be separated from its historical and cultural context, and that attempts to establish objective criteria for art are misguided. It analyzes articles by critics Roger Kimball and Jerry Saltz dealing with political correctness in art and exposes how both conservatives and liberals constrain artistic expression through imposed moral frameworks. The document concludes by arguing against the idea of discovering eternal truths in art and instead sees art and criticism as reflective of the perspectives and values of their historical time period.
1. The document discusses the concept of "theurgy" and its portrayal in the fictional works of William Golding. Theurgy involves cleansing oneself to establish a foundation for higher philosophical contemplation and connecting with divine beings.
2. Golding's novels show the regression of society in a godless world but also point to individual transformation as a path forward. His characters face extreme situations that force self-examination and spiritual growth.
3. Through symbolic elements and opposing forces, Golding's novels move readers from loss to corruption to examine human depravity but also the original purity within each person once superficial influences are removed.
This document discusses the awakening of avatars and a new phase of establishing a new world order. It talks about Bill Sheppard being a wanderer who has returned to share information to help with this work. It also discusses the incoming light intensifying and separating those who embrace it from those who rebel against it, leading to increased violence and turmoil as polarities become more defined. However, this violence is seen as temporary and part of the necessary cleansing and transition to the new age.
The document summarizes humanism in Christopher Marlowe's play "Dr. Faustus". It discusses how the protagonist Dr. Faustus represents the Renaissance spirit through his intense desire for knowledge that leads him to sell his soul to Mephistophilis. While Mephistophilis sometimes shows Faustus conflicting perspectives, the knowledge gained through evil ultimately draws Faustus towards superficiality and sorcery. The document argues that as a human, Faustus had the right to seek knowledge, and questions why God would not want humans to become powerful and knowledgeable. It compares Faustus' humanism to that seen in Hamlet, where intelligence leads characters to bear inner conflicts and pay costs.
Ideologies help reduce the intensity of the "orientation response" - the stress of encountering something novel that challenges one's worldview. Ideologies act as mental filing cabinets that allow people to quickly recognize familiar elements in new stimuli, putting them at ease. This is because ideologies have empty categories ready to incorporate new information in a way that confirms preexisting beliefs. As a result, ideologies serve to lessen the frequency and strength of disruptive orientation responses to unfamiliar or challenging facts or events.
This document discusses the foundations of Christian community. It defines Christian community as a place where people can know God and each other through spiritual transformation. Key aspects of Christian community include unconditional love, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and spiritual activities like worship, prayer, and communion. The community should foster spiritual growth and equip people to transform the world through their mission. Individuals are transformed through their participation in the Christian community, and the community supports and sustains individuals on their spiritual journeys. Overall, the document explores how Christian community can empower people through spiritual transformation to change the world.
This exhibit features 13 works related to Dadaism and Surrealism that explore themes of self-immolation, identity negation, semiotics, chance, and the uncanny. Key works included are Kurt Schwitters' Merzbau and Hans Bellmer's La Poupée, shown side by side to contrast their formal and conceptual relationships. Also featured are Marcel Duchamp's readymades Bottle Rack, Bicycle Wheel, and In Advance of a Broken Arm, which question notions of fixed meaning and objecthood. Duchamp's unfinished work The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even is centered among the readymades to depict perpetual desire and contingency.
Just Which Pitch Did George Bush Throw - ver. 2 - 2013Bob Badner
George W. Bush is compared to a pitcher who used various pitches to justify invading Iraq, despite lacking evidence. The document analyzes Bush's rationales - the fastball of WMD claims, the curveball of Iraqi ties to Al Qaeda, and the changeup of "Mission Accomplished. It asserts Bush failed to locate Osama bin Laden and instead targeted Saddam Hussein. Overall, the document argues Bush mismanaged the war through strategic and intelligence failures.
This summary provides the key points from the document in 3 sentences:
The document discusses Nietzsche's views on art and criticism, arguing that art cannot be separated from its historical and cultural context, and that attempts to establish objective criteria for art are misguided. It analyzes articles by critics Roger Kimball and Jerry Saltz dealing with political correctness in art and exposes how both conservatives and liberals constrain artistic expression through imposed moral frameworks. The document concludes by arguing against the idea of discovering eternal truths in art and instead sees art and criticism as reflective of the perspectives and values of their historical time period.
Dadaists undermined the notion of a unified self or static being through expressions of the unconscious and self-immolation. They manifested this in various ways, such as the collaborative poems of the Zurich group which suspended ideological meaning, and Duchamp's readymades which rejected inherent beauty or purpose by recontextualizing everyday objects. This undermining of the self was taken to the extreme by Arthur Cravan, whose disappearance represented the ultimate dissolution, versus Duchamp who exemplified detachment through conceptual suspension of meaning. Overall, Dadaism rejected prevailing social hierarchies and measures of beauty through disjunctive and chance-based productions that emphasized process over a fixed subjectivity.
My Mom Called Me a Gangster-The SopranosBob Badner
The document provides a summary and analysis of the finale episode of the TV show "The Sopranos". It discusses how the finale ended abruptly in black without resolution, leaving viewers frustrated. The author speculates that the open ending was meant to set up the possibility for a future "Sopranos" movie. Overall, the author expresses disappointment with the ambiguous ending but understands the creator's desire to continue the story in another format.
Investasi condotel di Bali dan Bandung menawarkan keuntungan seperti ROI tinggi, fasilitas mewah, dan potensi capital gain. Lokasi-lokasi tersebut populer di kalangan wisatawan mancanegara dan lokal.
Este documento describe los fundamentos de la programación orientada a objetos y Java. Explica conceptos clave como objetos, clases, mensajes y principios como abstracción y encapsulamiento. También define objetos como entidades que encapsulan datos y métodos, y clases como plantillas que describen conjuntos de objetos con atributos y comportamientos comunes. Finalmente, señala que los objetos se comunican a través de mensajes solicitando la ejecución de métodos.
Technology has significantly changed the way we learn, bank, shop, travel, and communicate. Education has transitioned from solely using books and writing utensils to incorporating laptops and keyboards. Banking has evolved from paper to plastic cards and now allows online access to accounts and bill payment. Shopping enables browsing and purchasing from home computers. Communication devices like cell phones and tablets have largely replaced traditional house phones.
Este documento presenta información sobre el diseño del sistema de drenaje pluvial urbano en el sector Orellana de la ciudad de Jaén, Perú. Incluye la introducción, objetivos y marco teórico del proyecto. El objetivo general es diseñar el sistema de drenaje pluvial para el sector, y los objetivos específicos incluyen realizar estudios hidrológicos, determinar caudales y diseñar los elementos del sistema de drenaje considerando el tiempo de concentración.
And thou shalt remember all the way
which Jehovah thy God hath led thee.
The Book of Deut.
EIGHTH CHAPTER SECOND VERSE
THE book of Deuteronomy is a not
able example of the religious uses
of memory. It was written during a
crisis in the history of the Hebrews, and
it is the first serious attempt at a phi
losophy of that history. The text is at
once a statement of its theme and a
summary of its main content. It is em
phatically the book of remembrance.
This document provides an overview of Carl Jung's concept of archetypes and the collective unconscious. It discusses three main types of archetypes: character archetypes like the hero and scapegoat; situation archetypes like the quest and journey; and symbol/association archetypes like light-darkness and heaven-hell. Character archetypes include common mythological figures that exemplify certain characteristics. Situation archetypes describe common patterns of events. Symbol/association archetypes are pairs of concepts that commonly represent opposing ideas in stories across cultures.
What Is Religion Essay Example for Free - 949 Words EssayPay. Religion Essay- Discuss The Ways in Which Religion Has Contributed to .... Essay on Aisha Islam Studies of Religion Year 12 HSC Studies of .... Religious Language essay. Philosophy a-level. Falsifiability God. Religious Pluralism and Truth Essays On Cross-Cultural Philosophy of .... Religions Essay Essay on Religions for Students and Children in .... Religion Essay - Christianity Studies of Religion II - Year 11 HSC .... Religion essay: Describe the influence of religious traditions on the .... What is religion essay. What Is Religion?. 2022-11-16. The importance of religion essay. The importance of religion essay papers. Christianity Essay on Significance of Baptism for Adherents Year 12 .... How to Write an Essay on Religion? Its Topics amp; Importance. Freedom of religion essay introduction. Religious Freedom Essay. 2022 .... Science and Religion Essay Essay on Science and Religion for Students .... Religions essay: RELIGIOUS Essays A - Mega Essays. Religion essay essay sample from assignmentsupport.com essay writing. Religion Essay - Characteristics of Religion Studies of Religion I .... Religion Essay GENL1021 - World Religions - UNSW Thinkswap. 012 008578321 1 Religion Essay Thatsnotus. Importance of Religion Essay Essay Example GraduateWay. 006 P1 Religion Essay Thatsnotus. Religion Essay Example Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5. 014 What Is Religion Essay Example 1chase Park Scholarship Pdf Adobe .... Purpose of religion essay. Free purpose in life Essays and Papers ... Religion Essay Religion Essay
JudithButlerGender TroubleFeminism and the Subve.docxtawnyataylor528
This document summarizes Judith Butler's book Gender Trouble, which argues that gender is a social construct rather than a biological fact. The summary discusses how Butler questions the notion of a stable, pre-discursive body and argues that cultural inscription shapes the very boundaries and morphology of the sexed body. It also examines how taboos help establish the contours of the body and regulate appropriate limits and modes of exchange to define what constitutes a body.
This document provides an overview and analysis of Friedrich Nietzsche's concepts of "master morality" and "slave morality" as presented in his work "Beyond Good and Evil." It discusses two primary types of morality: master morality values power, nobility and independence, while slave morality values sympathy, kindness and humility. Nietzsche believes the history of society is the conflict between these two outlooks, with the herd attempting to impose its slave morality universally but masters transcending this mediocrity. The document examines the origins and characteristics of both moralities in detail over multiple paragraphs.
Intuitivie Moments - Discernment of Conscience looks at the millennia from a historic perspective. Important insights into a millennial history either poorly understood or fundamentally unknown - great pictures and quotes for the seeker of truth.
This document contains the preface and first section of Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. The preface explains that the work contains lectures of the Scottish Rite and is intended to be read and studied by members in connection with rituals of the degrees. The first section discusses force, intellect, and the need to regulate force with wisdom and justice to achieve progress and avoid failure of revolutions. It also addresses the immense forces within society that can be used constructively or destructively.
Patriarchy: Desperate Shit Hits The Spectral FanGwynn Adams
A literary analysis of The Sound Of A Voice by David Hwang. This paper was submitted to my professor back in 2014 and I just edited for corrections and clarification.
John Stanmeyer spent five years living in Bali, creating this reportage through the uninhibited and timeless lens of a Holga. His photographs capture practices from decades past, transcending the temporal as they live on today and into the unforeseen future. This body of work only stresses the historicity of spiritual life of Bali, consisting of deeply layered imagery that is witnessed, under- stood and explained in full by few, yet practiced by millions.
Published by Afterhours Books (info@afterhoursgroup.com), the book is available in both Regular Bookstore Edition and Special Signed Limited Edition of 150.
The document discusses the ancient Greek concept of the four humors - black bile, blood, phlegm, and yellow bile - which were believed to govern human personality, health, and disease. The four humors were associated with the four classical elements of earth, air, fire, and water. This system was influential through the medieval and Renaissance periods, and is referenced in the works of Chaucer, Shakespeare, and others. While no longer part of modern medicine, the four humors concept still informs modern understandings of personality types.
The document summarizes Nietzsche's theory on the origins and evolution of morality as presented in his work "Genealogy of Morals". According to Nietzsche, the concepts of "good", "bad", and "evil" originated as terms used by ruling noble classes to describe social status rather than moral concepts. Over time, the meanings evolved. The arrival of the priestly caste introduced the concept of the soul and changed "bad" to imply maliciousness. The priestly caste also led a "slave revolt" that inverted aristocratic morality by claiming the poor and suffering were good in the eyes of God. This new morality was born from resentment of the noble classes' freedom of expression. N
This document is a dedication for a book that aims to provide insight into the current millennial period through examining concepts like conscience, morality, philosophy, and spirituality. It thanks family and friends for their inspiration and support in writing the book. It is dedicated to those who struggle with conscience to understand truth and do what is right, and acknowledges wisdom from the author's parents and a friend whose unfinished work also inspired the book.
Pigeon Feather and Little Quill come of age in a Native American tribe. On the day of a new moon after the spring solstice, they participate in a ritual to become adults. They receive new names reflecting their talents and roles in serving the tribe. The tribe lives communally and in balance with nature, encouraging each person to discover and develop their gifts. In contrast, modern Western society prioritizes competition, materialism, and self-sabotage over community and spiritual connection. This has led to widespread issues like stress, anger, and environmental crises. The author proposes an approach called "Quantum Synthesis" to help people reconnect and thrive.
Dadaists undermined the notion of a unified self or static being through expressions of the unconscious and self-immolation. They manifested this in various ways, such as the collaborative poems of the Zurich group which suspended ideological meaning, and Duchamp's readymades which rejected inherent beauty or purpose by recontextualizing everyday objects. This undermining of the self was taken to the extreme by Arthur Cravan, whose disappearance represented the ultimate dissolution, versus Duchamp who exemplified detachment through conceptual suspension of meaning. Overall, Dadaism rejected prevailing social hierarchies and measures of beauty through disjunctive and chance-based productions that emphasized process over a fixed subjectivity.
My Mom Called Me a Gangster-The SopranosBob Badner
The document provides a summary and analysis of the finale episode of the TV show "The Sopranos". It discusses how the finale ended abruptly in black without resolution, leaving viewers frustrated. The author speculates that the open ending was meant to set up the possibility for a future "Sopranos" movie. Overall, the author expresses disappointment with the ambiguous ending but understands the creator's desire to continue the story in another format.
Investasi condotel di Bali dan Bandung menawarkan keuntungan seperti ROI tinggi, fasilitas mewah, dan potensi capital gain. Lokasi-lokasi tersebut populer di kalangan wisatawan mancanegara dan lokal.
Este documento describe los fundamentos de la programación orientada a objetos y Java. Explica conceptos clave como objetos, clases, mensajes y principios como abstracción y encapsulamiento. También define objetos como entidades que encapsulan datos y métodos, y clases como plantillas que describen conjuntos de objetos con atributos y comportamientos comunes. Finalmente, señala que los objetos se comunican a través de mensajes solicitando la ejecución de métodos.
Technology has significantly changed the way we learn, bank, shop, travel, and communicate. Education has transitioned from solely using books and writing utensils to incorporating laptops and keyboards. Banking has evolved from paper to plastic cards and now allows online access to accounts and bill payment. Shopping enables browsing and purchasing from home computers. Communication devices like cell phones and tablets have largely replaced traditional house phones.
Este documento presenta información sobre el diseño del sistema de drenaje pluvial urbano en el sector Orellana de la ciudad de Jaén, Perú. Incluye la introducción, objetivos y marco teórico del proyecto. El objetivo general es diseñar el sistema de drenaje pluvial para el sector, y los objetivos específicos incluyen realizar estudios hidrológicos, determinar caudales y diseñar los elementos del sistema de drenaje considerando el tiempo de concentración.
And thou shalt remember all the way
which Jehovah thy God hath led thee.
The Book of Deut.
EIGHTH CHAPTER SECOND VERSE
THE book of Deuteronomy is a not
able example of the religious uses
of memory. It was written during a
crisis in the history of the Hebrews, and
it is the first serious attempt at a phi
losophy of that history. The text is at
once a statement of its theme and a
summary of its main content. It is em
phatically the book of remembrance.
This document provides an overview of Carl Jung's concept of archetypes and the collective unconscious. It discusses three main types of archetypes: character archetypes like the hero and scapegoat; situation archetypes like the quest and journey; and symbol/association archetypes like light-darkness and heaven-hell. Character archetypes include common mythological figures that exemplify certain characteristics. Situation archetypes describe common patterns of events. Symbol/association archetypes are pairs of concepts that commonly represent opposing ideas in stories across cultures.
What Is Religion Essay Example for Free - 949 Words EssayPay. Religion Essay- Discuss The Ways in Which Religion Has Contributed to .... Essay on Aisha Islam Studies of Religion Year 12 HSC Studies of .... Religious Language essay. Philosophy a-level. Falsifiability God. Religious Pluralism and Truth Essays On Cross-Cultural Philosophy of .... Religions Essay Essay on Religions for Students and Children in .... Religion Essay - Christianity Studies of Religion II - Year 11 HSC .... Religion essay: Describe the influence of religious traditions on the .... What is religion essay. What Is Religion?. 2022-11-16. The importance of religion essay. The importance of religion essay papers. Christianity Essay on Significance of Baptism for Adherents Year 12 .... How to Write an Essay on Religion? Its Topics amp; Importance. Freedom of religion essay introduction. Religious Freedom Essay. 2022 .... Science and Religion Essay Essay on Science and Religion for Students .... Religions essay: RELIGIOUS Essays A - Mega Essays. Religion essay essay sample from assignmentsupport.com essay writing. Religion Essay - Characteristics of Religion Studies of Religion I .... Religion Essay GENL1021 - World Religions - UNSW Thinkswap. 012 008578321 1 Religion Essay Thatsnotus. Importance of Religion Essay Essay Example GraduateWay. 006 P1 Religion Essay Thatsnotus. Religion Essay Example Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5. 014 What Is Religion Essay Example 1chase Park Scholarship Pdf Adobe .... Purpose of religion essay. Free purpose in life Essays and Papers ... Religion Essay Religion Essay
JudithButlerGender TroubleFeminism and the Subve.docxtawnyataylor528
This document summarizes Judith Butler's book Gender Trouble, which argues that gender is a social construct rather than a biological fact. The summary discusses how Butler questions the notion of a stable, pre-discursive body and argues that cultural inscription shapes the very boundaries and morphology of the sexed body. It also examines how taboos help establish the contours of the body and regulate appropriate limits and modes of exchange to define what constitutes a body.
This document provides an overview and analysis of Friedrich Nietzsche's concepts of "master morality" and "slave morality" as presented in his work "Beyond Good and Evil." It discusses two primary types of morality: master morality values power, nobility and independence, while slave morality values sympathy, kindness and humility. Nietzsche believes the history of society is the conflict between these two outlooks, with the herd attempting to impose its slave morality universally but masters transcending this mediocrity. The document examines the origins and characteristics of both moralities in detail over multiple paragraphs.
Intuitivie Moments - Discernment of Conscience looks at the millennia from a historic perspective. Important insights into a millennial history either poorly understood or fundamentally unknown - great pictures and quotes for the seeker of truth.
This document contains the preface and first section of Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. The preface explains that the work contains lectures of the Scottish Rite and is intended to be read and studied by members in connection with rituals of the degrees. The first section discusses force, intellect, and the need to regulate force with wisdom and justice to achieve progress and avoid failure of revolutions. It also addresses the immense forces within society that can be used constructively or destructively.
Patriarchy: Desperate Shit Hits The Spectral FanGwynn Adams
A literary analysis of The Sound Of A Voice by David Hwang. This paper was submitted to my professor back in 2014 and I just edited for corrections and clarification.
John Stanmeyer spent five years living in Bali, creating this reportage through the uninhibited and timeless lens of a Holga. His photographs capture practices from decades past, transcending the temporal as they live on today and into the unforeseen future. This body of work only stresses the historicity of spiritual life of Bali, consisting of deeply layered imagery that is witnessed, under- stood and explained in full by few, yet practiced by millions.
Published by Afterhours Books (info@afterhoursgroup.com), the book is available in both Regular Bookstore Edition and Special Signed Limited Edition of 150.
The document discusses the ancient Greek concept of the four humors - black bile, blood, phlegm, and yellow bile - which were believed to govern human personality, health, and disease. The four humors were associated with the four classical elements of earth, air, fire, and water. This system was influential through the medieval and Renaissance periods, and is referenced in the works of Chaucer, Shakespeare, and others. While no longer part of modern medicine, the four humors concept still informs modern understandings of personality types.
The document summarizes Nietzsche's theory on the origins and evolution of morality as presented in his work "Genealogy of Morals". According to Nietzsche, the concepts of "good", "bad", and "evil" originated as terms used by ruling noble classes to describe social status rather than moral concepts. Over time, the meanings evolved. The arrival of the priestly caste introduced the concept of the soul and changed "bad" to imply maliciousness. The priestly caste also led a "slave revolt" that inverted aristocratic morality by claiming the poor and suffering were good in the eyes of God. This new morality was born from resentment of the noble classes' freedom of expression. N
This document is a dedication for a book that aims to provide insight into the current millennial period through examining concepts like conscience, morality, philosophy, and spirituality. It thanks family and friends for their inspiration and support in writing the book. It is dedicated to those who struggle with conscience to understand truth and do what is right, and acknowledges wisdom from the author's parents and a friend whose unfinished work also inspired the book.
Pigeon Feather and Little Quill come of age in a Native American tribe. On the day of a new moon after the spring solstice, they participate in a ritual to become adults. They receive new names reflecting their talents and roles in serving the tribe. The tribe lives communally and in balance with nature, encouraging each person to discover and develop their gifts. In contrast, modern Western society prioritizes competition, materialism, and self-sabotage over community and spiritual connection. This has led to widespread issues like stress, anger, and environmental crises. The author proposes an approach called "Quantum Synthesis" to help people reconnect and thrive.
1. Myths are traditional stories that may or may not be true, and serve important functions in religion and society. They often attempt to explain natural phenomena and provide a worldview.
2. Rituals are inspired by myths and help perpetuate religious traditions through symbolic ceremonies and practices. Myths are also often connected to the narrative aspects of important religious rituals.
3. Hindu mythology in particular provides the basis for many Hindu beliefs and practices. Stories from epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata contain mythological elements that explain theology and influence rituals.
This document discusses man's search for truth and some of the challenges involved. It notes that appearances can be deceiving and that our preconceived ideas often stand in the way of seeing things as they truly are. It suggests that to understand truth more profoundly requires opening our minds and hearts more, as well as looking both within and without. Truth involves comprehending things in their essence beyond just appearances or analysis, tapping into deeper qualities within ourselves that certain phenomena spark in response.
Dancing the Possesed Body into FreedomImen Yacoubi
The document discusses possession rituals in the Stambali tradition of Tunisia. It describes how possession allows for a temporary liberation from social roles through symbolic identification with spirits. The body becomes a vessel where different identities can merge regardless of gender or social status. During rituals, the body transcends social roles and engages in a process of becoming through sensory experiences and imaginative reconstruction of personal narratives. Possession heightens social sensitivity and allows for strengthening of communal bonds.
The document discusses writing an essay on the topic of "Two Ways To Belong In America," noting that it requires carefully balancing personal reflection with broader sociopolitical analysis while navigating contrasting perspectives presented in Bharati Mukherjee's narrative and understanding the historical context of immigration and American identity. Crafting a cohesive argument demands a deep exploration of cultural, political, and economic factors shaping characters' sense of belonging.
The document discusses writing an essay on the topic of "Two Ways To Belong In America," noting that it requires carefully balancing personal reflection with broader sociopolitical analysis while navigating contrasting perspectives presented in Bharati Mukherjee's narrative and understanding the historical context of immigration and American identity. Crafting a cohesive argument demands a deep exploration of cultural, political, and economic factors shaping characters' sense of belonging.
1. Connor Rensimer
Relativism in American Thought
Professor Culver
12 March 2014
Relativism in Dune
! Being at least unconsciously aware of the fact of our finite reflective capacities,
the desire for stability, for grounding amidst uncertainty in the World, persists within us.
Such a desire seeks truths and facts, and exhibits itself in the formation of a priori
principles posed in such a way that they come across as having been out there waiting
to be discovered. The job of philosophers once constituted the function of distinguishing
such doctrines of truth, whether they explicitly or otherwise referred to an underwriter
(God) to reality as we “know” it. Regardless of whether or not a preordaining force is
employed in epistemological or ontological explications, a yearning for metaphysical
comfort is implied by any utterance of eternally affixed truth. Relativism discounts such
notions by asserting that a world view is perspectively limited and born from culture—
more specifically, the socially warranted acts of interpretation. Rorty, who fancies
himself a pragmatist, who “does not have a theory of truth, much less a relativistic
one” (“Solidarity or Objectivity?” 230), emphasizes that, due to the incommensurability
of languages, there is no way to adjudicate between different conceptual frameworks,
consequently leaving us with no means to essential or relativistic truth. With knowledge
being situated in such a way, we are left with a multiplicity of perspectives which are
valued according to utility, that which satisfies the needs of self-preservation. The ideas
2. manifest in relativistic dialogue are exhibited in Frank Herbert’s Dune (1965), a science
fiction novel set primarily on a harsh desert planet, concerned with ecology, politics, and
religion with regard to a galactic tribal struggle for dominance.
! Social constructionism claims “that reality—objects, entities, properties, and
categories—is not simply out there to be discovered by empirical investigation or
observation only; rather it is constructed through a variety of norm-governed, socially
sanctioned cognitive activities such as interpretation” (Baghramian, 32). The world is
indeed not ready-made, but rather remains indifferently poised as meaning is imposed
upon it by interpretation and signification; culture is the historically-situated engine
responsible for this conversational activity. On Arrakis, the desert planet which serves
as the main stage in Dune, there dwells a humanoid society known as the Fremen, who
thrive on a dearth of natural resources relative to more lush planets such as Earth or, in
the case of Dune, Caladan. What the Fremen collectively value is what they lack most:
water. Their rites of passage, primary currency, biological patterns, ceremonies and
rituals, and enduring figures of speech are driven by water-based logic, in other words,
an emphasis on surviving the extremes of desert life. The harsh conditions of the planet
demand that they wear special suits which reclaim bodily fluids, allowing them to
traverse as they will whilst losing nothing more than a thimbleful of moisture a day. What
conceptual framework could be more useful in this environment? There, however, is a
disparity between the attitudes toward water between the Fremen and “offworlders,”
especially those from Caladan, e.g. the protagonist of the novel, Paul Atreides, and his
mother, Jessica, who are shocked initially by the Fremen customs. There comes a point
where Paul and Jessica find themselves, after an arduous journey, situated in a Sietch,
3. which serves as a cultural center and shelter for the Fremen, at which point they are
ignorant of the Fremen discipline. The leader of this Sietch, Stilgar, is informed by an
underling warrior of the significant weight of water Jessica and Paul alone possess. He
proceeds immediately to confront the mother and son in order to ascertain the amount
of it and sternly question how they intend to use it:
Stilgar: "What was intended with this wealth?"
Jessica: "Wealth? she thought. She shook her head, feeling the coldness in his voice."
Jessica: "Where I was born, water fell from the sky and ran over the land in wide
rivers…I've not been trained to your water discipline. I never before had to think of it this
way" (Herbert, 291).
To Stilgar’s delight, She and Paul turned over their water for the benefit of the Fremen
whole, for among them was their new home. Shortly following this gesture, Paul is
called out to combat by a Fremen warrior invoking tribal leadership rites, which resulted
in the Fremen dying by the fifteen-year-old’s knife. The tribe proceeds with siphoning
the “life water” (blood) from the fallen warrior’s corpse and arranging the funeral
ceremony at nightfall. In the communal circle where members of the tribe step forward
and express their sentiments toward the fallen with gifts and words, Paul is the only one
to display tears. A Fremen remarks in astonishment, “He gives moisture to the
dead” (Herbert, 306). Not only is it evident that the environment impresses itself upon
the discipline of the Fremen and consequently structure their normative practices, but it
also affects their moral conscience. It is evident that the preservation of the tribe’s water
(their life line) takes precedence over such sentimental expressions. Nehamas’
paraphrasing of Nietzsche encapsulates the relationship between the perceptible world
and the Fremen-contrived reality, stating, "The apparent world, Nietzsche believes, is
not a world that appears to be and is distinct from reality but simply the world as it
4. appears to any being that needs to survive in it and that therefore must arrange it
selectively for its own purposes” (Nehamas, 45). Indeed, it can justly be said that
biological imperatives are the primer for the general psychological and sociological
patterns of a culture. Paul, in accord with this notion, is aware that the empowered
families and factions embroiled in the war are “all caught up in the need of their race to
renew its scattered inheritance, to cross and mingle and infuse their bloodlines in a
great new pooling of genes" (Herbert, 195). Adjacent to water in terms of its prevalent
influence upon the norms of the Fremen, is the spice, “Melange.” The “Spice” is so
pervasive that it exceeds water in the Arrakeen air and serves as a dietary staple, thus it
is an indelible component of Fremen life. Its primal feature is its psychoactive
properties, which entails a synergetic communal awareness, a sense of “oneness.” The
full effect of this awareness is propagated by the consumption of the “water of life,” a
potent narcotic “essence” of the melange spice produced by the Reverend Mother—the
tribe’s spiritual leader—through a chemical alteration. Before the “changing of the
water,” the spice possesses a merely latent narcotic effect, like that of moderate coffee
consumption, but the Fremen, by means of the Reverend Mother, rearrange the natural
substance’s structure in order to amplify its effects for the sake of strengthening the
synergetic bond of the tribe.
! Despite the Fremen’s fervid adherence to their customs—tempered by the harsh
demands of the Arrakeen environment—Paul and his mother, formerly considered off-
worlders, are inclined to overturn a particular principle which determines the leadership
structure within each respective sietch community. This electoral process, known as the
“Tahaddi Challenge,” involves the formal initiation of mortal combat between two
5. warriors of a sietch, in order to determinately alter the power ladder by the sole means
of strength qua strength. At the juncture where Paul, as the symbolic leader (and
prophet) of the Fremen race, is expected to call out Stilgar—technically the commander-
in-chief of the capital, Sietch Tabr—he takes initiative in the sight of his expectant
people, to stake his claim in opposition to the ancient rite:
Paul: “You think it's time I called out Stilgar and changed the leadership of the troops!"
Paul: “Do you think the Lisan-al Gaib that stupid?”
Fremen individual: “It’s the way!”
Paul: Speaking dryly, probing the emotional undercurrents. “Ways change” (Herbert,
413).
Here, Paul has leveraged his power as a prophet, concisely destabilizing the mindset of
the Fremen procession, rendering them doubtful. He proceeds to impress upon the
shaken mass rhetorical questions, in order to illuminate the fact that the tribe possesses
pillars of leadership: Jessica, the reverend mother; Stilgar, the general of the troops;
and himself, free to oversee, delegate, and guide all with the aid of his prescient vision.
At this point Paul reminds the Fremen of their priorities, positioning them in such a way
to accommodate present problems. "The good of the tribe, that is the most important
thing, eh?" "To unseat Rabban, the Harkonnen beast, and remake our world into a place
where we may raise our families in happiness amidst an abundance of water--is this our
goal?" "Do you smash your knife before battle?" (Herbert, 414). In the end, Paul
managed to breach the mindset of the people, ultimately influencing and reconfiguring
their perspective regarding the leadership hierarchy. Who in the whole can deny that
such a thing as the Tahaddi Challenge enacts destruction, rather than positioning the
tribe to flourish? Nietzsche distinguished the method in which particular points of view
may alter a facet of a world-view—such as what Paul demonstrated—in the statement
6. that, "the will to logical truth can be carried through only after a fundamental falsification
of all events is assumed...a drive rules here that is capable of employing both means,
firstly falsification, then the implementation of its own point of view" (WP, 512).
Falsification of ingrained norms affects a state of destabilizing doubt, the foundation
upon which people are willing to listen to alternatives in hopes of finding a grounding
certitude through wearing another perspective. Effectively, the Fremen are naturally
approaching their Prophet’s propositions, asking “‘What would it be like to believe that?
What would happen if I did? What would I be committing myself to?’” (Rorty, “P,R,I”
113).
! The limits of what can be known, and the fact that no moral or conceptual
framework is absolute, is reinforced and underscored by the fact that empiricism, too, is
limited by the finite capacity of human perception. Paul’s prescient vision, which allows
him to sample the winds of time, concretely demonstrates our perceptual limitations
through a more acute level of awareness. "The prescience, he realized, was an
illumination that incorporated the limits of what it revealed--at once a source of accuracy
and meaningful error. A kind of Heisenberg indeterminacy intervened: the expenditure of
energy that revealed what he saw, changed what he saw" (Herbert, 288). Such a
phenomenon underscores the fact that there cannot be, according to Hilary Putnam, a
“quantum mechanical theory of the whole universe” considering that, “our
measurements, our observations, insofar as they can be described physically, are just
interactions within the whole shebang," and further that “the ‘empirical world,’ the world
of our experience, cannot be completely described with just one picture…" (Realism
with a Human Face, 5). These notions suggest that classical physics turns out to be just
7. another form of metaphysics, and it is thus that universalism is moot because we simply
lack the means—namely a God’s-eye view— to conceive a determinate picture of reality
applicable to all historical contexts.
! In conclusion, life is nothing other than what it seems, as there is no distinction
between what is perceptually apparent and what is real or essentially true. Dune, in
accord with relativist thought, encapsulates and addresses what we’re philosophical left
with: the capacity to interpret, converse, and categorize amongst each other at
particular historically-situated loci, ultimately riding and shaping the currents of eternity
and reality for the sake of preservation, proliferation, and evolution. Although this may
be so, there persists a yearning for metaphysical comfort, a God’s-eye view (a view
from everywhere and nowhere), a means for grasping the true essence of things, apart
from the way they appear.
!
!
!