Essays on Human Condition

Since the dawn of our human civilization, people have been trying to find the most effective way of building their behavior. Historically, the patterns of people’s activity have been directly connected to the society itself. Therefore, the social and political utility of the human operations is one of the determining factors. As a result, the behavior of the community, formed by the patterns of personalities, has become an extremely complex system of reasons and consequence. Hannah Arendt addresses the topic of the human being’s behavior in the context of the political history. The Human Condition is her ...

Humans are complex beings. Compared to different species, humans experience conditions well embedded in complex webs of memories, present states and future expectations. If humans have critical rites of passage including most notably birth, marriage and death (each loaded by emotions and ideations defined largely by cultural frameworks in which groups of similar communities interact), a human condition can, accordingly, be defined based on resultant interactions between such critical rites or, more broadly, based on given characteristics, key events and situations composing essentials of one or another human condition. The range of human conditions is, indeed, limitless and can ...

Introduction

Campbell states that there are twelve stages of the heroes journey they are; The ordinary world - something occurs in the heroes life that causes stress. The approach - the hero and allies prepare for the challenge. The call to adventure - something occurs within the heart of the hero that starts them on their journey to leadership. The ordeal - the hero confronts, death, fears, anxieties, where something is learned (Campbell). Refusal of the call - the hero now aware of his / her call, feels anxiety about it, unprepared, unworthy etc. The reward - the hero fights ...

A Perspective of Japanese and American Folk Vocabularies on Emotions

Abstract This brief manuscript is an analytical and comparative study of Japanese and American folk vocabularies for emotions. The comparative analysis is based on the data from research studies that have solidified the evidence-based conclusions by subject-matter experts. Therefore, the narrative here rests firmly on the literature that serves as the foundation for this discussion. Key words: emotional intelligence, cross-cultural psychology, emotion, linguistics, Japanese folk vocabulary for emotion, American folk vocabulary for emotion A Perspective of Japanese and American Folk Vocabularies on Emotions Understanding that the term, psychology, can be described as the scientific study of the mind and ...

Science fiction films demonstrate a form of storytelling that questions the underlying nature of human accomplishment, but all of reality as well. As is evident in various modern films such as Interstellar, The Martian, and Star Wars ideas such as the exploration of space and pushing the boundaries of the unknown are explored. Furthermore, science fiction films demonstrate a strong focus on technological innovation and human accomplishment. These accomplishments are often framed in relation to profound moral questions that are concerned with the circumstances of the human condition. In assessing the relationship between humanity, technology, and society science fiction ...

The Buddha considered suffering (dukkha) to be a part of the human condition; this suffering is akin to a sickness. In order to cure the sickness that is part of human suffering, basic Buddhism prescribes the “Four Noble Truths” as a cure (Gethin 163). First, in order to be cured one must accept that life is about suffering. Dukkha (suffering) comes in the form of physical pain as well as mental anguish. Because human life is constantly subject to change and because change causes suffering, the very awareness of life’s instability and impermanence is a constant source of ...

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Human lives in a world that is changing every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every month, every season, every year. The human condition is changing permanently, it improves and worsens, but it can’t be assumed that there is something wrong with it. There is a famous story about an essay contest in England in 1910. The topic was “What is wrong with the world?”. One writer wrote the great entry that consisted of two words: “I am.”. According to a religious viewpoint, God created human nature or He allowed Satan to create human ...

International Baccalaureate

Introduction “The Joy of Writing”, a poem by Polish poet, essayist and Nobel Laureate Wislawa Szymborska (1923-2012) is an engaging piece that uses vivid images and everyday language to provide new meanings about the creative art of writing. The poem seems to centre on three questions about a commonplace character, related images created with written words and setting. The poem mentions of a doe that hounds the woods in order to drink water from a spring and lifts its head on hearing some ominous sounds. The initial images that Szymborska uses on paper as a writer using her mind and pen set her ...

A. Introduce the three works you will be analyzing (suggested length of 4–5 slides) by doing the following:

1. Summarize background details about the three works, including author or artist names, titles of the works, and the disciplines to which the works belong. 2. Provide a thesis statement to clarify for your audience how all three works connect to a common theme that applies directly to your chosen profession.

B. Provide an objective analysis (suggested length of 4–6 slides) by doing the following:

1. Describe the literary work-- description includes:-

• Form

• Subject matter (Explain in 2–3 sentences.) a. Summarize, in list form, how the author approaches the subject matter (reveals what the work is about) without discussing your personal opinions. 2. Describe the first nonliterary work of art - ...

Abstract

Natural and physical sciences have been considered older disciplines than social science. As such, speculations are that methodologies used in social science in many ways either overlap or have been remodeled for the purposes of interpreting social phenomenon. However, the argument has always pertained to determining the extent a social scientific perspective relies on methods drawn from the physical and natural sciences. In the following pages of this document the writer will conduct an evaluation by implicitly formulating a social scientific question; explaining its significance from a social scientific perspective; analyzing three specific research problems which can emerge from this question; providing a ...

Following the American Psychological Association’s Guidelines

When it comes to being a nurse, on the outside it can look like the individual is acting cold and sterile toward a patient. Oftentimes we are, but only out of necessity. We are delivering medication, treatment, or performing procedures that help keep patients comfortable and, in some cases, save their lives. We must keep a clear head when this is going on. We expect this when we enter the field. What we do not expect, however, is to have to reassess how spiritual, moral, and philosophical worldviews in an effort to understand how we fit in to the nursing practice. We ...

Comment on the following sentence concerning Naturalism in The Vortex: “Human condition is put to the test in one of the fascinating physical environments in the world: Amazonia.” In the book “The Vortex,” the author attempts to build coherently a naturalist ethic that is based on the above statement. The context and nature of the statement are counterintuitive as well as elucidated through the use of simple scientific knowledge about the natural world. In the statement’s context, the world occupies fascinating surrounding. It is through the engaging environment that the human species experience tests, aimed at their survival. ...

Jacques Derrida suggests that forgiveness does not have a limited or proper meaning. People cannot agree on the extent beyond which forgiveness can or cannot go. Forgiveness is so vast that it is hard to determine with certainty who and what calls for forgiveness. The idea of forgiveness asserts itself in the language that people try to adopt in search of forgiveness. The language has a religious heritage called Abrahamic. The language unites Christianity, Judaism and Islam which depicts the cosmopolitan attribute of all people (involving all religions). It is an instance where forgiveness is globalized and resembles a big scene ...

The act of making things is inherent for every human being. Even for those who have physical disabilities, our actions always result in something. In her book The Human Condition, Arendt explains that creators should realize that our work and its products contain a sense of a longer existence compared to the brevity of human life. She implies that in creating something, we should view it in relation to longer time of usage. Even if the creator dies, the created thing – with its durability – can still be useful. We must make worthwhile creation that lasts long. Moreover, Arendt asserts that every ...

In the late 1800’s, Europe was experiencing rapid industrialization and women were beginning to work outside the home. This sociological development led to a public debate on the role and rights of women in society (Pinchbeck 11). At this time a woman was generally legally under the control of her husband or father due to societal norms which were based on antiquated ideas that women were physically and mentally inferior to men and needed to be “looked after” (Pinchbeck 12). However, this hierarchical view of gender roles in families and society were beginning to change around the time A Doll’ ...

Introduction

According to the American Psychiatric Association (2000), a trauma is a shocking and emotionally overpowering situation that makes an individual experience a threat to psychological or physical integrity of self or others, leading to a reaction of intense fear, horror, and helplessness (Stolorow, 2007). Ver Der Kolk (1996) opines that "traumatized people lead traumatic and traumatizing lives", because they tend to re-victimize themselves, inflict self-injury, and externalize their trauma by victimizing others. The childhood trauma may trigger severe psychological reactions like Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that may affect the individual by subjecting him or her to severe depression and alcohol or drug dependence ( ...

One of the most basic elements of human behavior is sociability. We thrive in the ability to communicate and interact with others. It is essential to the continued propagation of our species. We meet, we mate, and we survive by companionship. There are even studies that show that companionship is almost as important to our health as food and water. What makes humans different than almost every other creature on the Earth though is that we can gain our companionship from varied sources, and sometimes different forms of companionship fulfills different emotional and mental needs. Male lions don't ...

Introduction

Aristotle is famously known as one of the greatest Greek philosopher and scientist who lived between 384 to 322 BC .His writing covered a lot of subjects including metaphysics, zoology, biology, ethics, logic physics and many more. After Plato’s death he was chosen to teach Alexander the great which gave him many opportunities .Plato was also a renowned philosopher and mathematician who lived between the years 428 to 347 BC. He started an academy in Athens where Aristotle was his student and was in the frontline in laying foundation for western philosophy and science. Though the two philosophers had work ...

I. Introduction In this research paper, the relationship between science and religion is examined in terms of the potential for a harmonious coexistence. This is an old debate and currently it is a vitally significant one. The view of science and religion as warring enemies has historic roots. The Catholic Inquisition was known to persecute and execute people considered heretics because of their belief in science and scientific things. The Church found science as an explanation offensive. Galileo Galilei is one of the most well known of the victims of the Inquisition. He was imprisoned and forced to do penance ...

Federico Fellini’s La Strada (1954): The Components of a Critical Essay on Film Federico Fellini’s La Strada (1954): The Components of a Critical Essay on Film The goal of a filmmaker is to make use of narrative to match well with cinema’s natural formalistic techniques. Cinema, as André Bazin has noted has its own ontology of being both an objective representation of reality seeing through the subjective lens of the preserved image. It has a unique way of both representing reality, by preserving life through a representation of life (Bazin 2004, p. 10). Filmmakers not only communicate ...

People in the Romantic Period Believed That Music Has the Ability to Communicate Aspects of Life That Reason and Rationality Cannot Music is a medium that for centuries has swayed man in a way no other medium ever has. This is a statement backed by the progress the field of music, be it classical or contemporary has made throughout history. There are many who consider music to be the most effective medium if one wishes to express himself/herself. There are those who say that this is not entirely true as not everyone has musical knowledge and prowess. However, one it cannot ...

Ernest Hemingway’s first novel The Sun Also Rises has received immense critical attention, ever since its arrival on the literary scene. While the novel has met with its fair share of harsh, dismissive criticism, as those of the early readers: "Here is a book which, like its characters, begins nowhere and ends in nothing"; "a most unpleasant book"; "raw satire"; "entirely out of focus”1 and even of Hemingway’s mother, who reflected upon the characters as "utterly degraded people" and that the novel might better have never been written2, The Sun Also Rises has invited applaud and appreciative critical ...

Question 2

Life is a voyage of experiences over which some are good and some are bad. All these bring out the nature of being human and what it means to be human. In publications such as Beowulf, Hamlet, Apology of Socrates and The prince, there are diverse views on what it means to be human. Through these publications, the idea is to find out how the authors perceived the nature of humans in relation to those days that they wrote in. It is therefore important to note that each of the writers wrote in different instances though in the same period ...

Introduction

The book Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is a book based on themes surrounding war. Betrayal, separation, heroism and hope are some of the enduring themes throughout the book. The setting of the book, Greek island of Cephalonia, a previously un-adulterated island, primes the book on exposing the atrocities war and tragedy are capable of on the human condition. It soon becomes apparent that in the face of adversity, the human condition is frail and is prone to cave in under pressure. The author exposes these vulnerabilities through some extra-ordinary happenings such as the betrayal of Mandras by Pelagia, the in-expressible love ...

Paradise Lost is a long standing work that has been credited with illustrating the many aspects of the human condition. This essay will explore Milton’s work in order to develop a better understanding of the layers of philosophy that have been responsible for generations of debate. This review will begin with an analysis of the how I believe the human condition has been reflected in this work and then move to illustrate the irony that is inherent in the reading. In the end, this literature review will demonstrate the full range of the reflected human condition as well as the ...

Science Fiction

Introduction Fantasy as well as science fiction answers this question –What if? Science fiction often takes our understanding when it comes to how our universe works and even imagines technologies and ideas that people have not witnessed yet, but could still fit within our understanding. The fiction, which expands on what people know about science, is working on known principles. There are many roots of science fiction and fantasy as a genre that can be explained through the course of this study. In this research, we also argue that there are major creators of science fiction and fantasy ...

Introduction

James Baldwin in this classic story writes about 2 brothers growing up in a black ghetto called Harlem in New York. These two brothers are from the African-American race and the story was written during the 1950s, a time when the black people were actually enforced to live in a world of discrimination, prejudice, suppression, and poverty. This means that the living standards of black people were very difficult. The idea of individual suffering actually hovers inescapably over this story. Every character suffers in a particular way that is, from poverty, grief, addiction, and limited opportunities in life. For that reason, this essay ...

Introduction

Rhetoric in its wider sense, deals with persuasion and the various modes of persuasion which is kind of factual demonstration. Rhetoric is the identification of the means and ends of achieving effective persuasion, be it at now or in the future. Human condition makes its mind to perceive demonstrations as more convincing and persuasive. Therefore, speech helps with delivery of information by employing words, phrases and rhetoric questions. The conceptual arguments used in speech, determine the general logical dialect in demonstration thereby helping to bring out persuasion. It is more important that any speaker should know that whether ...

Efficient communication is essential to enhance effective co-ordination of the activities within any given setting. It requires the transmission of a clear and understandable message from one individual/office to another. The use of words or rather speech is one of the modes of communication. To be able to pass information in an effective manner, one needs to express the opinion of the majority especially in the political realm. This is particularly essential in political forums. The rhetoric aspect of speech is also considered essential especially when deriving a meaning from a given statement. From a clear understanding of these two aspects, speech is ...

Dead Poet Society is not simply a coming of age story; it is a story about the human condition. Conformity with no possibility of individualism will leave to feelings of discontent, even if conformity is desired by the individual. American culture represents a struggle between the the status quo and innovation towards self actualization. This is why this film is representative of that. The human condition is one which demands options. John Keating creates an atmosphere for creative and unorthodox thinking in such a way that even those craving conformity are draw to. I believe this shows the importance for both teachers to ...

Death is the expression of life. It has a double sense and a double meaning in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. The funeral ceremony, mourning, revenging, talking with ghosts or committing suicidal acts represent passages in the circularity of life, based on various cultural or religious beliefs. The Christian tradition implies a funeral ceremony for the dead people. Hamlet’s father did not benefit of such a ceremony after he was murdered by his brother, Claudius, who later took his throne and his wife. Nevertheless, prince Hamlet is permanently mourning him through his acts, through his perceived madness, illusory estate, and mixed thoughts: revenging ...

James Baldwin’s short story, Sonny’s Blues, is about two brothers who grew up in Harlem, but end up living very different lives. The unnamed narrator is a married schoolteacher living a conventional life still in Harlem, and his brother Sonny is jailed because of a heroin bust. When the story begins, Sonny is in jail, but when he gets out of jail he goes to stay with his brother back in Harlem. Baldwin’s story has many important themes, including human isolation, suffering, control, and artistic expression. The theme of human isolation runs throughout the story and connects with ...

Science Fiction between 1900 and 1960s

According to McGraw-Hill (2001), “between the year 1900 and the 1960s, science fiction was greatly influenced by the hopes, fears and concerns associated with the social and political changes that took place across the world” (p. 24). For example, many nations in the world were struggling with liberations from colonialism and wars had ensued in many parts of the world. Also, there were various changes that occurred in intellectual and spiritual aspects that were associated with social transformations. Some scholars tackled issues to do with gothic mystery, pessimistic visions, and apocalyptic visions in a bid to expound on issues of ...

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s renowned novel The Scarlet Letter exemplifies America’s Puritan past and exposes this community as marred by religious intolerance, highly vindictive spirit and the suppression of all things connected to Nature, as opposed to eternal salvation that is the result of a chaste life. Hawthorne opens up about his ancestral guilt with a darkness no optimism can illuminate, retaining the realism of his work and baring the true face of Puritanism, rendering it repressive and authoritarian, but simultaneously utilizing this community as an analogue for the general human condition. His personal religious beliefs were shaken on his having ...

The life of Pi is a story about a young boy named Piscine Molitor Patel who experiences immeasurable hardships while at sea. Patel is a zoo keeper’s son born in Pondicherry, India. When growing up Piscine was always teased about his name that he decided to shorten it so that he was known as Pi, just like π, the Mathematical symbol. At age sixteen, Pi survives on a life boat while at sea for 227 days after a shipwreck that makes him lose all his family members. The story therefore centers on Pi’s attempts at survival and explores the dehumanizing situation the young ...

Sexuality is part of the human condition. It is also intimately personal; this applies to everyone on the planet. It does not matter if you are on People Magazine’s list of The 10 Most Beautiful, physically disabled or mentality impaired. Individuals with disabilities experience sexual desires like everyone else. However, just the same way that a disability may affect diet and exercise, it can affect how a disabled person experiences their sexuality. It is important to remember though; sexuality just does not go away, no more than hunger and the need to eat. When I started going through the ...

Jonathan Swift’s powerful satire offers a misanthropist’s perspective of the world, one who has lost faith in and has succumbed to the disillusionment in humankind. Gulliver’s Travels is a glimpse into the real state of the human race, with most salient attacks on the social aspect of it: politics, religion, governmental structure and finally, the essence of what it means to be human. However, at the very end of the novel, it becomes clear that only a person who profoundly cares about the state of humanity could have written a work that touches upon all these issues in such a satirical ...

Comparative analysis of employment relations in Australia and the US

Executive summary Globalization has contributed to the changing nature of employment relations. Over the last five decades, developed countries have witness a change in the labor market and laws that regulate equal employment opportunity. This report is prepared for the federal government of Australia. In the report, key concepts are analyzed through a comparison of labor relation practices in the US and in Australia. The implementation of EEO plans by small enterprises is the main issue discovered about EEO that is practiced differently in the two countries. The recommendation made in the report is meant to allow changes in employment ...

This paper envisions a conversation between Gautama Buddha (B), Mahavira (Ma), Shri Adi Shankara (A), Moses (Mo), Mohammed (Moh), Confucius (Co), Lao Tzu (L), and Mutsuhito (Mu). In spite of small differences in their doctrines, all these religious leaders propounded beliefs and lifestyles that would eventually lead to the betterment of the human condition. The importance placed on maintaining simplicity in life was among the basic tenets of all the religious leaders’ philosophies. The fact that human life has grown complex and difficult because of the human beings’ endeavour to develop the world according to their needs would distress all ...

The Metaphorical Significance of The Plague

Albert Camus’ The Plague was first published in France and was an immediate best-seller. Its success and profundity were probably deciding factors in his winning of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. Shortly after publication Roland Barthes, the French critic and philosopher, criticized Camus for what he described as “ignoring history (Maze, 53). Camus’ response is interesting for the way we interpret this novel. In an open letter responding to Barthes, Camus wrote that The Plague had “to be read on a number of levels.” (Maze, 54). This essay will explore these different levels and examine the plague in ...

Consider how the personality of the flawed and unique individual unfolds during the play.

What devices does Shakespeare use to win our sympathy for the main character? Does Shakespeare suggest that the individual can make a difference?

Abstract

In the first section of this paper I deal with the way Hamlet’s character emerges throughout the play, and the way his character exemplifies changes known collectively as the Renaissance are examined. The second section deals very closely with Act Three, scene one and how Shakespeare creates sympathy – and even empathy for Hamlet. The political corruption of the Danish court is ...

The Dual Nature of Humanity in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

The strange tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson is infamously well-known for its discussion of the dual nature of humanity. With the mild-mannered Dr Jekyll and his evil, rampaging alter-ego, Mr Hyde, the novel is an allegorical discussion of the human condition and the division between our good and bad sides which all of us harbours inside of ourselves. Each of us can relate to being happy and sad, good-humoured and grumpy, generous and selfish; good and bad. The tale of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is an extreme examination of that condition. ...

The Dramatic Form and Riders to the Sea

A major difference between dramatic form and other literary forms is its desire to “embody the human experience not only visually and aurally but profoundly (as a true representation).” (Clugston, 2010, 13.3). This means that whilst it utilises poetic and literary techniques, it engages its audience through its presentation of setting, its actors’ portrayal of characters, the expression of language, emotions and its presentation of values which are implicit to the play and the human condition equally. This is presented in John Synge’s Riders to the Sea his presentation of his characters as being true representatives of Ireland in ...

16 May 2011

As a renowned neurobiologist, Antonio Damasio wrote Looking for Spinoza with the sole wish to explore the human brain and its handling of emotions and feelings. The book, part factual evidence and part reflective journal, explores the main ideas of the Dutch philosopher, Benedict de Spinoza. Spinoza is known for his discussion of God as a solely philosophical idea which caused a large amount of controversy which led to Spinoza being removed from the Jewish faith (Jacobs). Spinoza’s discussion of emotions centres on the idea of ‘affects’ in conjunction with the human body: “the affections of the body ...

The tragic story of Hamlet

Hamlet is one of the most popular yet defining plays written by Shakespeare. This masterpiece is a tragedy that makes the human mind contemplate about the problems life throws at us .Hamlet makes one question the nature of man and the good versus evil. (Willbern 8)The play focuses of how the characters deal with different dilemmas that they are faced with; it reveals the various character traits of the human nature. These traits bring out different emotions such love hatred, anger grief and despair.

Characters in the play

Hamlet

Hamlet, who is the main character in the play, is the prince of Denmark. ...