The Two Visions Of St. Augustine :: essays research papers

A common thread of faith and reason runs through the two different theological visions of St. Augustine in his Confessions. This can be seen by comparing the ascent, the vision, the descent, and language in the two visions. Although other parts of the text will be referred to, the central part of these visions are as follows:Vision 1: "... in an instant of awe, my mind attained to the sight of the God who IS. Then, at last, I caught sight of your invisible nature, as it is known through your creatures. But I had no strength to fix my gaze upon them. In my weakness I recoiled and fell back..." Vision 2: "And while we spoke of the Eternal Wisdom, longing for it and straining for it with all the strength of our hearts, for one fleeting instant we reached out and touched it. Then, with a sigh, leaving our spiritual harvest bound to it, we returned to the sound of our own speech,..." (Page 197)The two excerpts are written in similar styles. Both contain strong Platonist language, such as references to the line (the image of climbing to knowledge in the second vision, page 197), the cave ("confusion of images," in the first vision, page 151), and the sun (the transient quality of the first vision, page 152). The language in each vision also refers to the method of ascent. In the first vision, Augustine makes his ascent by reason, seen through words like, "my thoughts," "the power of reason," and "bodily sense." In the second vision, Augustine and his mother, Monica, make the ascent by the power of love. This is seen by words such as, "flame of love," "our hearts," and "strength of our hearts." (Page 197)The method of ascent to each vision is significant when considering the role that faith and reason play in each. Together, the method of ascent, faith, and reason represent Augustine's journey to faith. The first ascent is necessarily made by the mind and reason, necessarily because Augustine has not yet received faith, which would enable him to go farther. (Page 151) Augustine begins his ascent with questions about the nature of his mind. He tries to answer these through the consideration of material things, the soul, and reason itself. (Page 151) Everything that he deliberates is arrived at by a reasonable chain of thought that takes place in his mind.

NATO :: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO

NATO We have already advanced the war on terrorism into Iraq, we have the ability to look back at it with additional knowledge. The expression,† hindsight is 20/20," is also relevant. We have additional knowledge now that we did not have prior to advancing the war on terrorism into Iraq and that knowledge can easily influence our perspective. During the time prior to moving into Iraq, I think we, as a nation, reacted resolutely to stop terrorists and their ability to train. After the events of Sept. 11 the movement into Afghanistan I do not think met with much resistance by the American public. That same public opinion was different for the advance into Iraq. I think the previous action, namely the Gulf War, influenced that reaction as well. In the four major paradigms or schools of thought on international relations, the realist school of thought believes politics is a power struggle among nation-states. Thomas Morgenthau is the â€Å"father† of realism. Realists have little faith in international law or international organizations. The globalist school of thought focuses on economic interdependence of the global arena. Political and economic decisions in one industrialized nation have consequences for all other nations as well as non-state actors. We believe President Bush acted on Iraq primarily using the realist school of thought. The realists have "little faith in international law or international organizations." The situation in Iraq had been degrading for some time as Saddam Hussein was not adhering to the resolutions from the Gulf War. We tried to get the international community and NATO to back us and agree with our position. But this didn't happen. I believe President Bush lost confidence in NATO and acted independently. Alternately, we acted with the globalist school of thought in regards to the war on terrorism.

Tess of the D’Urbevilles – Hardys View on Industrialisation

Explore Hardy’s attitude towards industrialisation in phase the fourth. Industrialisation became a growing presence amongst the Victorian Era and had an elusive yet undeniable impact on the population. Within the novel Tess Of The d’Urbervilles and in particular phase the fourth, Industrialisation is heavily focused on and explored. However Hardy establishes a balanced and ambivalent viewpoint towards the implications and presence of Industry as there is evidence to suggest both positive and negative aspects to its advancement.This therefore demonstrates that Hardy, especially through his effective use of binary oppositions offers a complex view which evokes a variety of Interpretations. To successfully convey clear comparisons between industrial interventions and rural aspects of pastoral life, Hardy uses binary oppositions to effectively highlight these contrasts. For example, parallel distinctions between light and shade / symbolic colours (Industry vs. Country) are made apparent in chapter xxx.This is shown when a ‘feeble light was beginning to assert its presence’ used to describe the train and this is in contrast to the ‘expanse of shade’ which represents the countryside. The connotations of ‘light’ against what essentially is darkness may that the train of which modern life represents offers optimism, hope and a prosperous future compared to the harsh standstill that is rural life. However this can also be successfully challenged with the argument that the light is superficial and not real which can justify its feebleness, and offer a rather negative and weak view of industrialisation.Another interpretation to this comparison may be that the fact the light of the train ‘asserts’ itself suggests that industrialisation is imposing itself on rural life and the environment in quite a forceful yet inevitable manner. To further support this, the ‘fitful white streak of steam’ which asserted itself on the ‘dark green background’ can be effectively seen as symbolic of the demising taint of which industry inflicts on the rural landscape.Furthermore this conjunction/fusion of industry on the country side again highlights the obvious visible contrast and proposed artificial lights/ colours against the natural and pure landscape. This proposes that Hardy presents quite a negative and tarnishing view of industrialisation and its impact on the countryside. However the negative perception of Industry is counter argued with the inclusion of the celestial and terrestrial comparisons, for example ‘’terrestrial star yet in more importance†¦ to mankind than the celestial ones’.This is of high significance because it directly addresses the view that although nature a creation by god, which is represented by the natural celestial star is grand and majestic, however it is not always useful especially when in contrast to an evolving modern (manmade) industrial world. This can be therefore effectively be argued that this balance hardy creates between the presentations of Industry is way of suggesting that the fusion between nature and industry is symbiotic and thus in affect beneficial to both.This displays Hardy’s effective complexity within his attitude towards industrialisation and this may because it is an accurate response of his believes that despite that industrialisation is inevitable it is both positive and negative and will have a dual symbiotic impact of society, which is made apparent by his balance argument. Hardy also intricately uses the focalised theme of industrialisation in this chapter to again highlight the motif of social development. Tess is potentially used as an instrument by Hardy to distinguish clear opposing comparisons between the two conjunctions that is industry and the countryside.For example while Tess in awe of the train, is described as a ‘motionless’ which is a dir ect opposition to the moving pace of the train. This is effective in the claim that whilst industry is forever evolving and inevitable to progression, the rural life is still, unmoving and highly limited. This is also enforced by Hardy’s representation of Tess (which is symbolic for the countryside as one of ‘ no date or fashion’ which is negative and highlights the contemporary progression made against the ‘unsophisticated’ life of the countryside.Hardy’s structure with the inclusion of industrial elements is also highly interesting. This is because in contrast to the beginning of the novel where Hardy incorporates no use of modern/industrial aspects, as the novel progresses and especially as Tess attains a higher social status due to her peaking relationship with Angel who represents modern thinking and way of life, modernisation becomes apparent.This is symbolic of the fact that industrialisation is representative of higher social status an d economic growth, business and essentially a means of production which is affiliated with the bourgeoisie. This view is further enhanced by Tess’s ignorance of modern life and her reference to the specific section of Londoners ‘noble men and noble woman’ who are at the heart of industry. This again suggests hat modernisation is another form of referring class distinctions within society and particularly the Victorian era. This may suggest that Hardy’s somewhat negative views on industrialisation may be for these implications on society. However it can also be noted that Industry (metaphorically used through the train) is used to connect these two opposing ways of life, therefore is a positive impact on society and this enforces the symbiotic view which was previously made.In conclusion it is clear that Hardy intricately portrays and depicts the implications of industrialisation in various ways. This shows that his balanced and complex is representative of multiple people within both modern urban areas and the rural countryside. Also these balanced views may be that despite the fact that industry had not fully developed in the Victorian era, they were still showing both negative and positive implications of the world and one of which are inevitable,

10 Career Lessons You Need to Learn Before its Too Late

10 Career Lessons You Need to Learn Before its Too Late We’re all told to put our noses to the grindstone and keep them there. But too often, we just keep following the path in front of us and working hard and, before we know it, years have flown by and we aren’t where we wanted to end up. Here are the 10 best career lessons everyone should take to heart earlier in their lives and careers, before it’s too late to take the good advice.1. Life is shortBad bosses, unsatisfying jobs, soulless companies, demeaning positions, toxic coworkers. All of these things are easy to overlook in service of â€Å"keeping your head down,† but the truth is life is just too short. Instead of spending your time putting up with all that nonsense and convincing yourself it’s worth it, why not put your energy into finding a better situation while you still have the option.2. Networking mattersYou may hate networking events, but they are going to be invaluable to you one day. The most successful people have the widest and broade st social networks. So get in amongst it around the water cooler, attend the mixer, mingle. Make connections. Your success may depend on the people you get to know.3. Choose health over  wealthWork life balance can be incredibly difficult to achieve. And sometimes it just seems easier to tunnel deeper into work, constantly driving yourself towards success. Don’t let yourself be one of them or you’ll end up burning out- or developing serious health problems from stress. Take care of yourself. Stay healthy and you’ll end up being more successful.4. Get offscreenAt the end of your life, the best and most memorable moments will not be ones you spent staring at a screen. Put the phone down. Walk away from the monitor. Go live your life and make some real memories and change in the world.5. Keep learningThey day you decide you have nothing left to learn is the day you become truly ignorant. Old dogs can learn new tricks. In fact, you should seek them out. Constantly stretch yourself to learn new skills and information. Don’t get left behind.6. DiversifyWhile you’re learning new things, make a point of expanding your comfort zone and your wheelhouse of skills. The more you can do, the more successful you will be. And the more versatile with dealing with life and career challenges. Make sure you’re not just good at only one thing.7. Stick togetherYou may think you can get farther faster if you just go it alone, but the truth is you’ll get farther by working as a team and building something bigger than yourself. Also, teamwork is more and more important in the current economy. Learn to share and multiply success.8. Worry does not equal achievementYou cannot worry your way to success. If you’re anxious, the antidote is simple: action. Hustle your way out of the stress spiral. Push through the fear to find the proactive things that you can do to make a difference in the state of your career (or the world).9. Failu re is productiveThink of every failure not as an end, but as an opportunity for a new beginning. Start a new journey with each failure and you’ll be guaranteed to get more out of life.10. It’s a journey, not a destinationHappiness is not just something you arrive at, magically, after doing what you think you’re supposed to do. Make mindful choices and decide you’re going to be happy with where you are and what you’re working towards, regardless of how far in the future those rewards may be. Approach everything with an attitude of positivity and happiness, and you will find success.

JB HI FI Analysis Essays

JB HI FI Analysis Essays JB HI FI Analysis Essay JB HI FI Analysis Essay B HI-If is a well-known and successful cooperation that majors in house hold appliances, technological goods and the stock shares, the JOB HI-If Cooperation was established in 1974 by Mr.. John Barbour B), trading from a single store in East Killer, Victoria. Since then JOB HI-If was sold independently in 1983 from there on the business grew. In 1999 another nine stores were opened nationwide. Shortly thereafter In July 2000 JOB Hi-If was purchased yet again by private equity bankers and senior managements in the opinion of expanding the current growth. In October 2003, JOB HI-If was floated on the Australian Stock Exchange. By July 2004, JOB purchased the Queensland Clive Anthony chain of stores which specialist in consumer electronics, white goods, cooking appliances and air-conditioning systems this advance forward gave the JOB HI-If cooperation the reputation they have today. JOB stores offer the worlds leading brands of Hi-If, Speakers, Televisions, DVDs, Vics, Cameras, Car Sound, Home Theatre, Computers and Portable Audio and continue to stock an exclusive range of specialist Hi-If products. JOB Hi-If also offers the largest range of video games, recorded music, DVD music and DVD movies with ever 50,000 CDC and most major studio DVD releases, all at cheap prices! Customers are able to buy online from their huge range of CDC, DVDs, and games This report will look at the accounting period of 2011/2010 and compare them with previous years of 2009/2008. We will also be looking at the same accounting period for the Harvey Norman group and compare the results with JOB HI-Fl. The Board responsibilities include the corporate governance of the Company, overseeing the business and affairs of the Company, communicating with the Companys shareholders and the immunity, evaluating the performance of executives, ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place so that Company is conducted in an honest, open and ethical manner and the establishment of a formal and transparent procedure for the selection, appointment and review of Board directors. The Chief Executive Officer, who is accountable to the Board, is responsible for managing, directing and promoting the profitable operation and development of JOB Hi-If.

Problem and solution Essays

Problem and solution Essays Problem and solution Essay Problem and solution Essay Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Problem and solution Problem The education in USA is not up to the required standards. This is mainly experienced in elementary and high schools. These two levels are experiencing constraints in facilities and focusing on education seemed to be wrong. Almost all schools complain of too many children in one classroom. There are inadequate books and other basic facilities for learning. The private schools are also affected by this problem, but the government schools are worse than private ones. The teachers receive poor salaries and this demoralizes them from doing their work satisfactorily. Teaching students is a noble task, especially students in basic level. Teachers should be compensated adequately for them to be motivated in their work. Parents are complaining that teachers are not focused on the right purpose. They argue that teachers are confusing preparing students for the next level, with overworking them. For instance, students in high school should be prepared academically and socially to join higher learning. Instead, some teachers are giving them many assignments, which will not necessarily help them. Teachers need to be moderate on teaching and giving assignments to students. Teachers should focus more on quality teaching than quantity. Too much work for students does not necessarily mean they understand everything they do. Some teachers are not keen on how they assign work to the students. Some methods of assigning work to students are ineffective, but some teachers have not identified that. Solution The government needs to allocate more funds for education in basic levels. The funds should be used to improve the learning of environment for students. Enough books should be bought for all students. More classrooms should be built to accommodate the extra students in the present classrooms. All the classrooms should have the required facilities like desks for the students. The funds should also be used to remunerate teachers as required. Most teachers are receiving salaries below their grades. They deserve good remuneration according to their grade. The ministry of education needs to prepare programs, which will offer guidance to teachers on how to offer quality education to students. They may also be required to revise the education system if it is necessary. Observations have been made, and some conclusions state the education system does not cover all students need to learn. Parents need to support teachers in helping students to do excellently in their academic work. Some parents tend to be too busy to follow-up their children. Some just think it is the teacher’s duty to ensure students perform excellently. Students have a responsibility of cooperating with both teachers and parents. They need to address any issues inhibiting them from performing well in their studies. Students face many challenges, and they have a duty of seeking help, in case teachers and parents do not seem to realize their problems. They should assess on how the teachers are handling them as well as the rest of the learning environment. Students should know they are the beneficial of education and should suggest all possible ways of improving it. The most appropriate solution for this education problem is government intervention of increasing funds. It will be easy to solve financial problems, which are deteriorating the quality of education. Part of the extra funds could be used to fund the program for coaching educators on quality teaching modes. It would also be possible to revise the education system. Students need to follow an updated system, which is applicable in the current era. Education is a fundamental in development and growth. Therefore, the government needs to act swiftly.

Barack Obama Impact on the American Society Essay

Barack Obama Impact on the American Society - Essay Example As such, the â€Å"Nigrescence Model,† a model for the acquisition of Black identity created by William E. Cross Jr., does not quite fit his life, and in some ways his life shows that the Nigrescence model is something of an over-simplification. While he does identifiably go through every stage of the Nigrescence model, Barack Obama demonstrates that this model is also an incredible over-simplification of African American life. Barack Obama’s experience of racial identity though his early life mirrors aspects of Cross’s Nigrescence model relatively closely. He clearly experienced stage one, the â€Å"Pre-experience† stage, wherein a person is not quite aware of the existence or importance of racial identity. He discusses how when he was a child, he â€Å"barely registered† the fact that his â€Å"father looked nothing like the people around [him] – that he was as black as pitch† (Obama, 10). At this very early stage of his childhood he was barely cognizant of skin color, much less race as a social construct and what the difference between his mother’s skin â€Å"white as milk† and his father’s â€Å"black as pitch† skin could mean (10). This clearly represents the first stage of Nigresence as described by Cross’s model. ... ant to take on identifying features of ‘blackness.’ He said that his white friends â€Å"treated us [Obama and a black friend named Ray] any differently from how they treated each other† (82). In this passage Obama clearly shows both that he is aware of his race and that he understands it is supposed to have identifying features. Following that, however, things get more complicated. In the third stage of Nigresence a person is supposed to take on the identifying elements of his or her race, and Obama did show that he did this to some degree. He talks about enacting a â€Å"bad-assed nigger pose† around his white friends, but also thinks that maybe he should â€Å"give it a rest† because his friends seemed to treat him no differently because of his race (82). Barack, as a bi-racial person, was trying to acquire and enact two different sets of racial identities, two â€Å"worlds that each possessed their own language and customs and greetings† b ut that he hoped would â€Å"eventually cohere† (82). So even though Obama did enact elements of the third stage, even though he was consciously aware of the performative aspects of them, he also was in the fourth stage simultaneously. In the fourth stage someone is supposed to break out of their individual group and start noticing characteristics of other groups, and start to take on the ones that suit one’s personality. Obama never had the luxury of purely immersing himself in one group, because he was always â€Å"suspect† to both white and black friends; he would sometimes feel too white for black people and too black for white people. He clearly spent a long time struggling with his own race and identity, but more often with what perceptions of his race and identity meant to others. By the close of Dreams from my Father,