Monday, December 23, 2019

Ancient Egypt From Belief Systems to a Civilization

Culture is the basis of any society present on our earth today and therefore of any ancient civilization we have historically come to know. Culture may simply be defined as a â€Å"way of life† but in essence, that can be disembodied into a collection of belief systems based on religion, economy, politics, family, and so on. As with construction companies, schools, or government systems, all people who choose to follow a specific philosophy of life must function as one undivided group- a society. A prime example of vast belief systems coming together as one culture could be found around 4000 years ago, during the times of the Ancient Egyptians. As historian Paul Johnson said, â€Å"In the Egypt of antiquity, State, religion and culture formed an†¦show more content†¦Everyday, under the Pharaoh’s procedure, rituals and religious festivals would be held to honor the gods in the idea of maintaining the divine order of daily life. The Egyptian’s strong beli ef in the afterlife and final judgement of the soul led them to consider every action they carried out during their human life on earth. The goal of every non-noble Egyptian was to become an akh- a spirit that is prepared for a life after death. In order to achieve this prepared stage, one must not only build a sturdy tomb and store up treasure, but must also live a truthful and moral life so when their heart is weighed at judgement, it will be balanced. An Egyptian could additionally devote his life to reciting a complicated system of prayers, spells, and other incantations to guarantee a successful trial. The god of the underworld, Osiris, was said to be the most favored god because he used to be a human king, who experienced death, and therefore made sure his followers had an eternal life. Likewise, when a deceased passed judgment, he or she became one with Osiris and was then mummified under the guidance of Anubis. Mummies led to another major staple of Egyptian society: pyramid s. The Egyptians were one of the oldest advanced civilizations and part of this is because their architectural mastery. Around 2,650 BC Imhotep built the first ever Step Pyramid for King Djoser, which has become the oldest large stone building in the world, not only influencing other culturesShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Ancient Egypt1181 Words   |  5 PagesThe first ever civilization in Africa was in Egypt along the river Nile. This civilization later spread to the other parts of Africa. The emergence of civilization in Africa provided a framework for most of developments in African history. There were different setups cultural and political aspects when civilization was emerging. The Egyptian civilization was the earliest and it was one of the catalysts in the development of civilization in other parts of Africa. The civilization began around 3000Read MoreMesopotamia, Egypt and China Essay871 Words   |  4 PagesThe civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and China were all different but were also developed similar ways of doing things. The political, economic and intellectual outlooks of these ancient peoples say a lot about their ways of life. The religious views of Egypt and Mesopotamia were rather different. II. Politics The political thinking of these ancient civilizations definitely had their differences and also their similarities. A. Mesopotamia Mesopotamia was divided into city-statesRead MoreThe Most Influential Innovators Of The Ancient World Essay1510 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Euphrates, running from the north to the south flowing into the Persian Sea. Sandy river valleys covered most of the south and mountain ranges dotted the north. This land was also known as the Fertile Crescent. Mesopotamia is one of the first major of civilization along with others that sprung up along major rivers around the world at approximately the same time. Mesopotamia was home to the Sumerians, who became known as one of the most influential innovators of the ancient world. A couple thousandRead MoreSimilarities Between Ancient Egypt And Mesopotamia951 Words   |  4 Pagesto form groups with others who share a mutual understanding and dependency. From small isolated nomads to groups to communities it’s understandable that with time societies would form and later become civilizations. Two of the earliest considered civilizations in human history are Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. However, because of the different geography, exposure to outside invasion, influence, and beliefs, Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia came to not only contrast in political and social structuresRead MoreCompare and Contrast Ancient India and Egypt Combined Politics and Religion628 Words   |  3 PagesCompare and Contrast ancient India and Egypt combined politics and religion Through history, religion has shaped civilizations in several aspects. In ancient Indian and Egyptian civilizations it was very strong shaping force in political structures, but both the religious beliefs and the resulting political system were different, just like pharaohs were different from rajas. The way Egyptians and Indians blended religion with politics bears certain similarities. First of all, the central role ofRead MoreMesopotamia and Egypt Essay before 600 BC911 Words   |  4 PagesMesopotamia and Egypt Ancient civilizations across history have shown unique and incredible feats of mankind. Arguably, two of the most prominent ancient civilizations in the Middle East and even the world are the Mesopotamians (Beginning 5,000 B.C.) and Egyptians (Beginning 3,150 B.C). Even though these two civilizations peaked about 2,000 years apart, they share numerous similarities contributing to their success, and also show even more differences that distinguish how each had a unique cultureRead MoreThe Impact of the Egyptian and the Hebrew Civilizations on Humanity1459 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Throughout history, great civilizations have existed in various parts of the world. The cultural, economic, political, and/or intellectual achievements of these civilizations contributed to the advancement of humankind. Civilization is a term that has various meanings. Most popularly and in this context it can be referred to as an advanced state of human society, in HYPERLINK http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/which which  a high level of HYPERLINK http://dictionary.referenceRead MoreEgyptian Lifestyle, Civilization, Religious Beliefs, Authority, Language, And Overall Information About The Pyramids1336 Words   |  6 PagesIn Cairo, Egypt, one of man s oldest engineered and constructed monuments still remains standing to this day. As one of the wonders of the world these ancient pyramids served as the foundation for the people during this civilization. The Great Pyramid of Giza is also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Cheops, or Khufu s Pyramid. This pyramid alone is the oldest and the tallest of the three standing on the Giza Necropolis. It stands 15 1/2 miles outside the city of Cairo, Egypt. It is believedRead MoreReligion, Culture And Politics Of Ancient Egypt Civilizations Essay879 Words   |  4 Pagesabout the divergence of religion, culture and politics of ancient society. There were many great civilizations that sprang up and progressed through the ages. One of this civilization was the ancient Egyptian. The Egyptian civilizations settled on the bank of Nile river which influenced the settlers to advance in the social aspect of their lives. In ancient Egypt, ecology played in important role in the development of their religious beliefs, culture, and politics that still influence current societiesRead More Exploring The Four Ancient Civilizations- Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Israel1009 Words   |  5 PagesBefore the beginning of history, people from across the land gradually developed numerous cultures, each unique in some ways while the same time having features in common. Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Israel are all important to the history of the world because of religious, social, political and economic development. In the first civilization, both Mesopotamia and Egypt relied on a hunter-gatherer economic system, during that time, every country in the world strived on it. Mesopotamia

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Scholasticism in Religious Architecture Free Essays

Matt Pearson Professor Ansell Humanities 201 5 August 2013 Scholasticism in Religious Architecture â€Å"Sacred architecture is not, a ‘free’ art, developed from ‘feelings’ and ‘sentiment’, but it is an art strictly tied by and developed from the laws of geometry† (Schneider). This is a governing principle behind the architecture and stained-glass images in Chartres Cathedral: the building wasn’t Just built without a plan or the art didn’t Just happen, it is a systematic creation using geometry (Crossly 232). Scholasticism is the main contributor to the use of geometry to organize how the Cathedral was built. We will write a custom essay sample on Scholasticism in Religious Architecture or any similar topic only for you Order Now Briefly described, scholasticism is taking events, concepts, or miracles, that we can’t understand, and organizing a structured argument to provide an explanation. In the Chartres Cathedral, the architecture and art not only display sacred religious events and scenes from the Bible, but also secular events, such as everyday chores like farming or cleaning. There is clearly a union trying to be made here between things of this earthly world – science, philosophy, reason – and things that go beyond the earthly world – faith, theology, revelation. This is where scholasticism is found, cause it organizes events and understanding to find God in the secular and sacred. In Chartres Cathedral, the building as a whole is meant to take us from the corruption of this world and into the presence of God, which embodies light. There is great detail in each stained-glass window, specifically in the exactness of the geometry and also in the Biblical stories they portray, which again point us to God, and also show how scholasticism has helped shape the organized design behind many things in the Cathedral. Scholasticism is a â€Å"term used to designate both a method and a system. It is applied to theology as well as to philosophy’ (Turner). Historically, it came from early Christian institutions. They would have someone as the head of the school that would act as the philosopher or theologian to help carry out the method of dialectical teaching to the students. This is done in an attempt to put understanding and reason to mysteries like science and faith or reason and revelation, and how these conflicting pairs can exist together. Not only can these opposites exist, but they â€Å"must harmonize† together to form greater understanding (Turner). SST. Thomas Aquinas was one of the greatest Scholastics of his time. He was monumental in bridging the gap between theology and philosophy by his reasoning that â€Å"God is the author of all truth, and it is impossible to think that He would teach in the natural order anything that contradicts what He teaches in the supernatural order† (Turner). A structure, as grand as the Chartres Cathedral, introduces an interesting paradox for religious and secular views, because the architects â€Å"however much directed towards the glory of God, still turned man’s eyes elsewhere and diverted elsewhere he wealth he could have put to better purpose† (Affair 55). This meaner that the architects were trying to turn people’s hearts and minds to God, but, in an attempt to do so, they were expending vast amounts of resources on secular architecture. They wanted to build a place that would mentally take you from this world and into God’s world. This concept is easily seen as people enter the doors of the Cathedral and see all the light that is coming in through the stained-glass windows at all times of the day. These windows truly illuminate the building and allow the participants to feel God or light. The Cathedral also was a place for people to make their religious pilgrimages and would aid them in their search for God. Many of the stained-glass windows show events of Chrism’s ministry, but for the sake of exploring scholasticism and its relation to Chartres Cathedral, we are going to focus on Just two windows: The Tree of Jesse and the Rose Window. The Tree of Jesse shows â€Å"Chrism’s royal genealogy [rising] up from Jesse, who lies at the bottom of the window, to Christ, who sits enthroned at the summit† (Preach 42). The window is a column of squares made up of smaller rectangles. In each square is figure and a continuation of the tree stemming from Jesses frame, which represents the continued line from Jesse to Christ and how Christ is born an heir to the king because of the unbroken chain. At Chrism’s feet sits Mary, and around both of them are seven doves, which represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, â€Å"the gift of wisdom†¦ The gift of understanding†¦ The gift of counsel†¦ The gift of fortitude†¦ The gift of knowledge†¦ The gift of fear of the Lord†¦ The gift of Reverence† (Aquinas). Having Christ, Mary, and the doves all together at the top also represents something else, the double personality of Christ, human through His lineage, divine through His union with the Holy Spirit† (Preach 44). The miracle of Chrism’s birth can’t be explained through science, because of Mary and the Immaculate Conception, but some understanding is given to Chrism’s lineage through the structure of the window. It shows Christ is connected to being a King through Mary, or God, and through Jesse, who was an earthly king. The organized structure shows the use of scholasticism, because of its push for organization to explain miraculous events. A main contributor to scholasticism is SST. Thomas Aquinas and his text Sum Theological. One argument he presented was â€Å"The Life of God† and â€Å"Whether all things in God are life? † (Aquinas). He takes all the objections he can find to the question he has asked. He will then make a â€Å"response† or an explanation to every objection to explain the initial question being asked. This is a very structured procedure, but it is seen in â€Å"The Tree of Jesse† window, because it addresses the concern, is Christ really God and is He an earthly and heavenly king. It then takes each objection and finds a response: Christ is an earthly king because of his genealogical connection to Jesse, ND Christ is a heavenly king, because of his miraculous or immaculate conception by the Holy Ghost, through his virgin mother, Mary. The Rose Window is actually in two places in Chartres Cathedral on the south and north walls. The Rose on the south transept has Christ at the center, surrounded by apostles. Below the Rose Window are five â€Å"lancet† windows, which have, from left to right, Isaiah, Daniel, Virgin Mary holding Christ as an infant, Ezekiel, Jeremiah (Affair 90). This is to surround Mary with the â€Å"four great prophets† (Preach 89). On their shoulders sit the â€Å"Evangelists,† Matthew, Mark, John, and Luke, which symbolizes their role in proclaiming Chrism’s birth and divinity. The Rose itself symbolized beauty and perfection, which represents Mary as a fair virgin and also Christ as the only perfect human. The Rose symbolism is only strengthened by the presence of these stained glass windows that surround the rose. To give an example, in one of the medallion windows that surround the center of the rose, â€Å"Mary, is exalted as Queen of Heaven†¦ He is seated on a throne and holds a scepter† (Preach 93). The Rose on the north transept has SST. Anne holding Mary at the center. This is a unique image, because now it isn’t Christ who is the infant, but it is Mary and she is â€Å"in the arms of her mother Anne, the person who establishes the genealogical link with the Old Testament† (Preach 93 ). This shows us the importance of Mary in all of Christianity. Below the Rose are five more â€Å"lancet† windows, like on the south side, except these stained-glass windows have different images, which are, from left to right, Milkweed, David, SST. Anne holding Mary as an infant, Solomon, and Aaron (Affair 91). Anne is â€Å"surrounded by the most famous of the ancient kings† which show how important Anne is and the oracle that came from her (Preach 93). All of this detail and organization in both Rose Windows shows scholastic thought, because, as mentioned before, Chrism’s birth and conception is an unexplainable miracle, but guiding our train of thought with these images helps to explain the miracle. There is one more detail in the Rose that really cements scholasticism in the Cathedral, it is the process to create the Rose. First, a process is carried out to find twelve evenly spaced spaces around a circle. Second, a star with twelve points is drawn in the middle, every line being exactly the name length. At the base of each point, close to the center, twelve equal circles are made. Another star with twelve points is then drawn inside the bigger star, once again each line being the same length. A circle is made around the inner star and in the center of this circle is where Christ is placed in one window and Anne and Mary are placed in the other window. The precision that is used reflects the scholastic procedure Thomas Aquinas uses. Great care and concern are taken to create the desired result and to give an explanation too miracle. Thomas Aquinas used this teeth in writing to explain the miracle of God and the Rose Windows use this method in imagery and biblical symbolism to explain the miracle of Christ and Mary. Thus, we can see that Chartres Cathedral has Biblical symbolism in the stained-glass windows and scholasticism is used within these windows as the organization. Chartres Cathedral is built in great geometric precision to take people’s thoughts from this world into God’s world (Crossly 233). Through the geometric precision, scholasticism is very present. Scholasticism is found in the Stem of Jesse by the organizational structure used to present the explanation of Chrism’s divine birth. This is a miracle that can’t simply be explained, but the Stem of Jesse window systematically takes us from Jesse to Mary and then to Christ to explain the miracle. Scholasticism is also found in the Rose Windows in the precise geometric construction and also in the images that are shown. The conception of Christ is a miracle, but the different images show how it can be explained. In all of these Biblical events and miracles, scholasticism creates an organized way to understanding them. Works Cited Aquinas, Thomas. Sum Theological. Kevin Knight, 2008. New Advent. Web. 6 August 2013. Crossly, Paul. Rhetoric Beyond Words. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. How to cite Scholasticism in Religious Architecture, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

English gcse media Essay Example For Students

English gcse media Essay English GCSE Media Coursework1. How does advertising reinforce gender stereotypes?Today in the late 1990’s we can not escape advertising it bombards us from all types of media and every aspect of our lives. It is a multibillion-pound industry that stereotypes genders and tells us what we could become if we use certain products. Men being portrayed as cool, tough, athletic and stylish reinforce the gender stereotypes. One advert I have studied which reinforces the male stereotype is an advertisement for ‘Old Spice, White Water’. The advertisement shows a businessman in a kyak kyacking down a white water rapid. This is stereotyping the male businessman by showing him as an adventurous and carefree person who wears ‘Old Spice, White Water’. So this campaign is obviously aimed at businessmen who see them selves as adventurous and care free. Another advertisement I have chosen to study that reinforces the male stereotype is an advertisement for an eau de toilette by ‘Givenchy’. This advertisement reinforces the male stereotype by showing a man in a space suit in outer space looking up beyond infinity. So as space men are looked upon as top class people who have achieved many peoples ambition to look down on the world this what he is portrayed as in the advertisement. The tw o advertisements reinforce gender stereotypes by showing the men as successful, and fearless. One is a business man kyaking and the other is an astronaut. For males this is how advertisements reinforce gender stereotypes. ‘Givenchy’ stereotypes Women as elegant, perfect and classy as in an advertisement for a perfume called ’Organza’. The same stereotypical role is also taken up in most other advertisements aimed at women. The woman in the advertisement for ‘Organza’ is pictured next to an enlarged picture of the bottle for the perfume. Both look similar with the curves of the body being translated into the shape of the bottle. Also the pleats in the dress are mimicked too. The background in the design is smooth and gentle showing and increasing the elegance of the woman. So this still and gentle setting is how advertisers stereotype females in advertisements. As advertising advances though advertisers are using reverse stereotyping to attract attention to their advertisement out of many. One advertisement I have studied that imposes this reverse stereotyping is an advertisement for a larger with a young woman in a snooker club leaning against a snooker table. The whole photo is in shades of brown and in white is a quotation â€Å"I used to dream of a white wedding, what a nightmare.† This is aimed at the young woman who does not see her self as the white wedding kind of girl. This advertisement is typical of one for a male and would work just as well if it was a male and aimed at males in the advertisement. To conclude how advertisers stereotype males and females in advertisements advertisements aimed at males are usually active with the subject doing an activity that is stylish and fearless. Where as advertisements stereotyping females have the subject still and motionless with no action making them seem elegant and stylish. 2.How far do you think advertisements reflect society as it really is?In today’s modern world advertisements reflect society in a materialistic way. They only show the god conditions and perfect lifestyle that people want to believe is their society I like or will become. A good example of how advertisements show a materialistic world is the models that star in them. They are usually tall, thin, and with visible curves when they are female and muscular, young and ‘cool’ when they are male. .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e , .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .postImageUrl , .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e , .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e:hover , .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e:visited , .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e:active { border:0!important; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e:active , .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua3c77fa2e8caa66d67ecd8f7f8d7078e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Hanna Vs. Joe Contrasting Roles In Agelsin America EssayIn an advert for a female perfume by â€Å"Givenchy† a woman is shown who holds the materialistic characteristics. This is not how it really is in society. Not every woman has prominent curves, is slim and tall. This shows how advertisements do not fairly reflect society. The same is true for an advert from a weekday newspaper advertising â€Å"DFS†. A male with similar qualities to above is sitting on a sofa reading a paper. Again this shows a materialistic world which is not a true reflection of society. Both of