The Enlightenment period in the development of culture

Enlightenment or age of reason refers to the cultural movement associated with the intellectual growth in the eighteenth century. This movement occurred in American colonies and Europe. The main goal of this age was to encourage reforms in the society by embracing the concept of reasoning and acquisition of knowledge through science. This period promoted science and intellectual growth, at the same time, fanaticism and abuses were motivated by the church, as well as the government representatives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Enlightenment period in the development of culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Enlightenment period also contributed to the development of art. Philosophers emphasized on learning art besides augmenting the use of music among the middle class. Different forms of art were under development and spanned across among the middle class in such areas of specialization as philosophy, fine art and literature. Another significant concept of enlightenment was the confidence in fostering analytical enquiry to promote happiness and progress. Sprouting about 1650 to 1700, the movement was ignited by philosophers such as John Locke, Pierre Bayle, Baruch Spinonza, Isaac Newton and Voltaire among others. Descartes (1596 -1650) was a renowned French philosopher. He joined Jesuit College at the age of 25. The works of Aristotle and his philosophies motivated him to join college; however, at that time, he became interested in logic and classics. He also acquired mathematic skills through studying books written by Clavius. Mathematics became his favorite subject and played a critical role in shaping his way of thinking. It is no surprise that mathematics laid a basis for his later works. After spending much of his time in Paris, Descartes began travelling around Europe, spending much of his time in Holland, Hungary and Bohemia. Some of his most influential works include; Me ditations on the First Philosophy, Principia Philosophiae, The Principles of Human Knowledge and Of the visible world and the Earth. In one of the discourses, Descarte’s begins with a friendly tone when describing his education. He makes it clear that he was totally discontented with the brilliant but traditional education he has gained. He explains it with the fact that education did not provide solutions which he yearned for the truth. Descartes says â€Å"to be infatuated of a vigorous mind is not enough; the essence is to aptly apply it.. the greatest mind†¦ are open likewise to big aberrations..† This quotation indicates that Descartes has experienced a critical immersion in the gained knowledge and accepted methods of understanding nature, philosophy, and literature; however, he yearns for something greater than this, perhaps what represents an assurance of conviction.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get yo ur first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Perhaps, Descartes viewed that traditional disciplines encompassed or confined a person’s mind limiting him his/her own initiative, hence; this constrains the level of thinking and innovation. I support his idea. Besides, because of limits or boundaries always associated with education, such as rigorous curriculum and moderation, Descartes views that this inhibits a person’s creativity. Also, Descartes rejects normal modes of thinking in regard to truth. He illustrates â€Å"Every person is endowed with his/her own knowledge†¦. That there might be †¦.. reformers ahead† By this statement, Descartes embraces a cynical viewpoint on everything he perceives with his senses besides what he has learned. In doing this, Descartes views that the essence of learning is being creative and constructing or coming up with something which is more vigorous and based on one’s ability to think and reason. Thus, I con cur with him. Every person should use his/her creativity to embrace a new revolution. What I find more compelling about Descartes is written in Part IV of his discourse. Descartes challenges his own interpretation. Although he believes that the three things are not prone to create doubt, they complement one another; he does not believe that something has to be there to warrant doubting. This assertion intrigues me. In his discourse, Descartes illustrates a correlation of reconstructing a house from a solid base. He extends this analogy to the idea of needing a temporary residence whereas his own house is being reconstructed. This assertion by Descartes is ambiguous owing to the fact that he is experimenting with ‘radical doubt†. This essay on The Enlightenment period in the development of culture was written and submitted by user Travis Golden to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Katharine Burr Blodgett Invents Non-Reflective Glass

Katharine Burr Blodgett Invents Non-Reflective Glass Katherine Burr Blodgett (1898-1979) was a woman of many firsts. She was the first female scientist hired by General Electric’s Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York (1917) as well as the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Physics from Cambridge University (1926). She was the first woman to receive the Photographic Society of America Award, and the American Chemical Society honored her with the Francis P. Garvin Medal. Her most notable discovery was in how to produce non-reflective glass. Early Life of Katharine Burr Blodgett Blodgetts father was a patent lawyer and head of the patent department at General Electric. He was killed by a burglar a few months before she was born but left enough savings that the family was financially secure. After living in Paris, the family returned to New York where Blodgett attended private schools and Bryn Mawr College, excelling at mathematics and physics. She got her masters degree from the University of Chicago in 1918 with a thesis on the chemical structure of gas masks, determining that carbon would absorb most poisonous gasses. She then went to work for the General Electric Research Lab with  Nobel Prize winner  Dr. Irving Langmuir. She completed her Ph.D. at Cambridge University in 1926. Research at General  Electric Blodgett’s research on monomolecular coatings with  Langmuir led her to a revolutionary discovery. She discovered a way to apply the coatings layer by layer to glass and metal. These thin films naturally reduce glare on reflective surfaces. When layered to a certain thickness, they completely cancel out the reflection from the surface underneath. This resulted in the world’s first 100 percent transparent or invisible glass Katherine Blodgett’s patented film and process (1938) has been used for many purposes including limiting distortion in eyeglasses, microscopes, telescopes, camera, and projector lenses.   Katherine Blodgett received U.S patent #2,220,660 on March 16, 1938, for the Film Structure and Method of Preparation or invisible, nonreflective glass. Katherine Blodgett also invented a special color gauge for measuring the thickness of these films of glass, since 35,000 layers of the film only added up to the thickness of a sheet of paper. Blodgett also made a breakthrough in developing smoke screens during World War II. Her process allowed less oil to be used as it was vaporized into molecular particles. In addition, she developed methods for deicing airplane wings. She published dozens of scientific papers over the course of her long career. Blodgett retired from General Electric in 1963.  She did not marry and lived with Gertrude Brown for many years. She acted in the Schenectady Civic Players and lived on Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains.  She died at home in 1979. Her awards include the Progress Medal from the Photographic Society of America, Garvan Medal of the American Chemical Society, American Physical Society Fellow, and Boston First Assembly of American Women of Achievement honored scientist. In 2007 she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Patents Granted to Katharine Burr Blodgett U.S. Patent 2,220,860: 1940: Film Structure and Method of PreparationU.S. Patent 2,220,861: 1940: Reduction of Surface ReflectionU.S. Patent 2,220,862: 1940: Low-Reflectance GlassU.S. Patent 2,493,745: 1950: Electrical Indicator of Mechanical ExpansionU.S. Patent 2,587,282: 1952: Step Gauge for Measuring Thickness of Thin FilmsU.S. Patent 2,589,983: 1952: Electrical Indicator of Mechanical ExpansionU.S. Patent 2,597,562: 1952: Electrically Conducting LayerU.S. Patent 2,636,832: 1953: Method of Forming Semiconducting Layers on Glass and Article Formed Thereby

Feedback Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Feedback - Essay Example Target marketing is a good opportunity for the company, which will allow in effective execution of plans and comprehension of the customer needs. As such, the return on investment through target marketing is high because the company will have an opportunity to comprehend the nature of business activities and achieve success. Differentiation is a strategy, which will aid the company in achieving success. Such is because the market of Australia is different in terms of economics, politics and cultural activities. Hence, differentiation will facilitate in ensuring that the company has different brands, which receive appraisal from the target markets. Nevertheless, Starbucks may not achieve success if it does not engage in extensive marketing of its brands in the competitive market environment. This is where the company needs to seek subsidiary sellers or intermediary sellers to ensure that its brands reach the market and achieve the best appraisal from customers. These innovative ways w ill create room for the achievement of success for the

The Peloponnesian War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Peloponnesian War - Essay Example Eventually these two city-states became two power centers of Greece and indulged into a battle of supremacy against each other. This war between Athens and Sparta was known as the Peloponnesian war. The importance of the present study lies in the fact that as one of the ancient modern civilizations; studying the history of Greece has always been a privilege. Furthermore the Peloponnesian war was one of the very first kinds of civil war that led to massive alterations in nature of politics in Greece. The Peloponnesian war eventually led to the alteration of leadership of Greece, replacing Athens with Sparta as the most powerful Greek city-state. The background of the Peloponnesian war was a culmination of events that hovered around jealousy, insecurity and hunger for power. During the Greco-Persian war Athens and Sparta fought side by side. In the initial stages of the war role of Sparta was much more prominent (480 BC to 479 BC) than that of Athens and Sparta became the leader of the Hellenic League. (Fine, 332) Sparta was mainly a land-based power depending on its infantry for military success. (Thucydides, Hammond and Rhodes; IX) It was never that powerful in terms of naval power. While powerful Spartan infantry was more than sufficient to lead the Hellenic League against Persians on land and to drive them away from Greek soil, it was impossible for them to maintain the success in Persian territories of Asia and Aegean. A naval leadership soon became inevitable for such campaign against Persia in Asia and Aegean and in such circumstances Athens that was primarily a naval power came in the forefront (478 BC). This event m arked the initiation of rise of Athens as the prime Greek city-state ahead of Sparta. Again according to some scholars the Hellenic League at this point was subdivided in two parts. The Naval wing of Hellenic League became Delian League and it was headed by Athens. The land wing of Hellenic League went under Sparta and became known

Technical Writting Essay Example for Free

Technical Writting Essay Company Introduction Texans r Us is in search of a Microsoft trainer to train the staff in Microsoft Office Programs. This Request for Proposal (RFP) will layout the company background and scope of work and will describe the project. If your agency would like to be considered for this project submits a written proposal that concentrates on the points of this RFP no later than Feb 18, 2013. The goal of this project is to fully train the staff of Texans r Us in Microsoft Office Programs. Upon completion of the training each staff member will be proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Project Introduction The goal of the project is to have the entire staff of Texans r Us trained in Microsoft Office programs. Texans r Us consist of four to five employees per location with five locations. The timeframe for this project is as follows: * October 18: Distribute RFP to various agencies * October 22: Deadline for agencies to submit proposals. * October 25: Texans r Us will be available for agency inquiry. * November 8: Contact agencies that will be considered as well as agencies that will not be considered * November 15 – 19: Agencies will be presented to team members * November 22: Contact agency chosen and draw up contract. *November 29: Start date for new agency and meeting with team members. The budget for 2013 training will be prearranged by Texans r Us when agency is elected. The range for the budget is $20,000 $30,000. Administrative information The desired qualifications for the selected agency: * Microsoft Certified Professionals. * Client references. * Excellent writing and verbal skills. The required format for submitting proposals are to include a title page, letter of transmittal, executive summary table of contents and list of visuals. There should also be an introduction and a clear and concise plan for executing the project All proposals submitted will become the sole property of Texans r Us and will not be shared with second or third party clients. If there are any further questions please contact Eli Mata at 555-555-5555.

The Roots of Our Digital World Essay -- Technology Essays

The Roots of Our Digital World Today's world revolves around the storing, organization, and communication of information. While the world today may seem new and unique, this digital world arose out of a combination of many smaller steps that varied from innovations like a new discovery in science or a new philosophical outlook. In their writings Lev Manovich, a professor of New Media at San Diego University, and Dr. Simon Cook, an Economics professor at Duke University, have developed of a history of what lead to the development of the visual world. Manovich claims that the digital revolution came in a three-step process. The first took place in the time period between 1870 and 1920. Manovich believes that during this time period, called the late Victorian, a change occurred in the cultural attitude toward vision. This change was seen in the development of various forms of visual reasoning by scholars like Galton, Venn, and Einstein. The next step occurred after World War II. The world had seen large advances in t echnology and industry. Because of this change, the worker began to do less physical labor and a shift in focus from developing physical efficiency to mental efficiency occurred. The last step has occurred in the modern times. Here the shift focused on the development and dominance of the computer (Cook 2). Cook agrees with Manovich's three- step theory, but feels that Manovich has left out a few important aspects of this visual history. The basic structure of Manovich's claim seems correct, but aspects of the development of late-Victorian visual representations were neglected or incorrectly viewed as unimportant. Cook believes that the more emphasis should be placed on the influence of mathematics in Galton and ... ... Reasoning and a Modern History of Vision. Online Text. http://www.duke.edu/~sjc68/academic/montreal.doc. 8 March 2002. Dodgson, Charles (aka. Lewis Carroll), The Game of Logic. Online Text. 1886. http://www.lib.duke.edu/pdf/ll1513.pdf. 8 March 2002. Ferrell. Keith "Graphical user interface." World Book Online Americas Edition. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/722716. 8 March 2002. -- "Internet." World Book Online Americas Edition. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/279620. 8 March 2002. Perini, Lynda. "Fax machine." World Book Online Americas Edition. http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wbol/wbPage/na/ar/co/192830. 8 March 2002. Venn, John, On the Diagrammatic and Mechanical Representation of Propositions and Reasonings, 1880. Online Text. http://www.lib.duke.edu/pdf/ll1512.pdf. 8 March 2002.

Langston Hughes: Historical Perspective Essay

The two poems that I chose to write about are â€Å"The Negro Mother† and â€Å"Mother to Son† by Langston Hughes. Both of these poems are about a mother speaking to her children and speaking of the hard times that she has been through in the past. If we read these poems it’s very much telling us about history and the things that black people had to endure back in the days. Many people can view it as her speaking to her children or to her son directly but I see it as her speaking to the black children of society. The Negro Mother is a poem where a mother is speaking to her children about her struggles and reminding them of her ancestors and their days as a slave â€Å"I am the one who labored as a slave, beaten and mistreated for the work that I gave† (Hughes, 2012, Line 11). At the beginning of the poem she begins to tell of the horrible things and how bad things were but then starts to tell her children a type of hope and telling them â€Å"Stand like free men supporting my trust. Believe in the right, let none push you back. † (Hughes, 2012, Line 36). In the poem Mother to Son, we have the similar theme where the mother speaks of her struggles in life. She describes her life as stairs and says that her â€Å"life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. † (Hughes, 2012, Line 2) Just like on the first poem she continues to encourage her son and telling him never to give up. â€Å"don’t you fall now- for I’se still goin’ honey. I’se still climbin’† (Hughes, 2012, Line 17). What I thought she meant here is don’t give up because after all that I have been through, I am still going.