Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Book Review - Essay Example Humanity is not only made with the capacity of free will, but also have a soul that brings humanity closer to attaining the perfection and intellectual design. This is not a new approach, but adds further scientific backing for the belief in God, but also introduces the notion of faith being driven by the science and genetics of mankind: â€Å"The power of myth lies beneath its literal interpretations, in the ability of its universal symbols and themes to connect us with the most essential parts of ourselves in ways that logic and reason alone cannot" This argument is that the reality of God is driven from human emotions and the biological make-up of the brain. However this does not mean that religion and God is in the mind of the believer; rather this view of religion is the extension of these subjective human emotions, i.e. they point to the reality of God in the individual’s mind but do not come from God. â€Å"Any idea might trigger a myth if it can unify logic and intuition, and lead to a state of left-brain / right-brain agreement. In this state of whole-brain harmony, neurological uncertainties are powerfully alleviated as existential opposites are reconciled and the problem of cause is resolved†. This scientific approach of Newberg gives a rational explanation of the long traditional of mystical thought, which has been scorned for its subjectivity. Rumi is an Islamic example of a mystic who supports the mystical union of the believer and God. This mystic approach was in response to the over rationalizing of mainstream Islamic thinker’s on the nature of God and enforcing rules on human’s (Rumi, 1996). Rumi’s approach is a personal approach to God and as Von Schlegell argues is â€Å"to correct the view of Sufism as "counter." [to legalistic] "culture." At the same time, as the work under review shows, efforts to de-mystify Sufism, and to portray it at work as but one among many social forces in Islamic history would be going too far in

20th Century Essay -- essays research papers

Music written since 1900 is called twentieth century music. There have been more types and styles of music written in the twentieth century then ever before. In the twentieth century, the only limit is the composer's imagination. This great variety of musical styles reflected the diversity of life during the early twentieth century. More people were free to choose where to live, how to earn a living, and how to spend their time. The car, airplane, telephone, phonograph, movies, and radio all made the world more accessible and expanded the range of experiences. Technological developments have also had an influence on the twentieth century music, especially electronic music. Like all people, musicians have been affected by the political, economic, and social problems of twentieth century. Hitler’s rise to power in Germany in 1933 had an especially dramatic impact on the lives and careers of musicians. Many composers left Europe for the United States. These refugees made huge contributions to musical culture. One of the most significant changes in components of music that formed twentieth century music is rhythm. The modern music is full of complex rhythms and time signatures. The major reason for the increase of rhythms in twentieth century music is the development of the ballet. The second component of twentieth century music is melody. This new music moves away from the traditional melodic line that previous musical styles had developed. Modern composers have also rejected...

Common Themes in Orwell, Lessing, Nehru and Chamberlain’s Texts Essay

The texts by Orwell, Lessing, Nehru and Chamberlain each present clear arguments about colonialism, arguments that are delivered powerfully by the various techniques employed by each author. Taken collectively, the texts show that colonialism causes poverty and backwardness in the colonized country or countries, and that it brings about various pressures on the colonizer. In all these texts, the era of colonialism is depicted as a period wherein it is the colonizer that is the subject, acting on the colonized – an object that resists understanding and has a mind of its own. Shooting an Elephant† by George Orwell. The argument put forward in this short story is clear. In the beginning of the story, he already knows that â€Å"imperialism was an evil thing. † In the course of the story, however, this realization becomes more precise: â€Å"[W]hen the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys†¦ For it is the condition of his rule that he shall spend his life in trying to impress the ‘natives,’ and so in every crisis he has got to do what the ‘natives’ expect of him. This argument is delivered quite consistently, culminating in Orwell’s act of actually shooting the elephant. The argument is delivered powerfully because the story is about an actual situation in which the argument is demonstrated in the concrete. â€Å"No Witchcraft for Sale† by Doris Lessing. The argument made by Lessing in this story is also clear. In the first parts, this argument was made: â€Å"No one can live in Africa†¦ ithout learning very soon that there is an ancient wisdom of leaf and soil and season – and, too, perhaps the most important of all, of the darker tracts of the human mind – which is the black man’s heritage. † In a succeeding paragraph, this argument was made: â€Å"[W]hile all of them knew t hat in the bush of Africa are waiting valuable drugs locked in bark, in simple-looking leaves, in roots, it was always impossible to ever get the truth about them from the natives themselves. The argument is made consistently. While Gideon did give some plant to the scientist, it is revealed in the end that â€Å"the truth† about the healing leaves was not communicated. The argument is delivered powerfully because we are shown a clear example of healing, and then we are shown a story of a Western scientist who failed to understand this healing. â€Å"The Noble Mansion of Free India† by Jawaharlal Nehru. The argument made in this speech is clear, consistently asserted throughout the speech. Nehru draws a portrait of a country that has suffered for such a long time, a country that has succeeded and got an opportunity to move out of that suffering, and a country that is eager to succeed in moving out of that suffering. He declares: â€Å"We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrow-stricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people. † The argument is delivered powerfully because the speech is quite consistent on the points it makes. I Believe in a British Empire† by Joseph Chamberlain. The argument made in this speech is also clear, supported by minor arguments made by the author. Chamberlain argues his case by eliminating other options, choosing what best suits the interest of â€Å"a British Empire† he believes in: â€Å"I believe in a British Empire, in an Empire which, though it should be its first duty to cultivate friendship with all the nations of the world, should yet, even if alone, be self-sustaining and self-sufficient, able to maintain itself against the competition of all its rivals. And I do not believe in in a Little England which shall be separated from all those to whom it would in the natural course look for support and affection, a little England which would then be dependent absolutely on the mercy of those who envy its present prosperity†¦ † The argument is delivered powerfully because the speech consistently argued from the interest of the British Empire at that time. Common Theme or Sentiment About Colonialism. The works show a common theme or sentiment about colonialism. One gets the sense, specially from Orwell and Chamberlain, that colonialism imposes certain demands on the colonizers – Orwell spells out that from the colonized, Chamberlain, that from the competitors as well. It is clear from all the works that the colonizer always thinks in terms of its own interests, while the colonized is either something foreign that resists understanding, or is eager to achieve its own independence from the colonizer. Colonialism is shown to be a period wherein it is the colonizer that acts and it is the colonized that is the receiver of that action. In all the works, we are exposed to the backwardness and poverty in which the colonized live. We are given the impression that colonialism dehumanizes both the colonized and the colonizer. These dynamics of colonialism, especially as it relates to literature, is clearly discussed in Edward W. Said’s important work, Orientalism. Commentary. I think that the themes or sentiments shared by the authors, except Chamberlain perhaps, point to arguments that are on the whole true about colonialism. There are particular features of each text that are worth highlighting: I think that Orwell, while critical of colonialism, reinforces the notion of â€Å"White man’s burden† — that the colonizer has a very important mission for the improvement of the colonized. Lessing shows how the colonizer, acting from an understanding different from that of the colonized, becomes a disrespectful, predatory presence in the life of the colonized. Nehru is too nice towards the colonize in his speech, enumerating the social effects of colonialism yet refusing to blame these on the colonizer. Chamberlain acts out from the particular interests and perspective of the colonizer. In making this paper, I realized how important it is to view things from the perspectives of various texts – more significantly, how important it is to have a general understanding (of colonialism, in this case) that locates the particular perspectives. From such a general understanding, one can make sense of the various perspectives, as well as get a general idea of how colonialism was actually experienced by those who lived through it. I appreciated the guide question, having brought out the common theme and sentiment in these texts.

What Makes Someone a Successful Entrepreneur - 1623 Words

Mind Your Own Business What makes someone a successful entrepreneur? It certainly helps to have strong technology skills or expertise in a key area, but these are not defining characteristics of entrepreneurship. Instead, the key qualities are traits such as creativity, the ability to keep going in the face of hardship, and the social skills needed to build great teams. If you want to start a business, it s essential to learn the specific skills that underpin these qualities. It s also important to develop entrepreneurial skills if you re in a job role where you re expected to develop a business, or take things forward more generally. It s very easy to get lost trying to rate ourselves against our†¦show more content†¦Optimism: Are you an optimistic thinker? Optimism is truly an asset, and it will help get you through the tough times that many entrepreneurs experience as they find a business model that works for them. Vision: Can you easily see where things can be improved? Can you quickly grasp t he big picture, and explain this to others? And can you create a compelling vision of the future, and then inspire other people to engage with that vision? Initiative: Do you have initiative, and instinctively start problem-solving or business improvement projects? Desire for Control: Do you enjoy being in charge and making decisions? Are you motivated to lead others? Drive and Persistence: Are you self-motivated and energetic? And are you prepared to work hard, for a very long time, to realize your goals? Risk Tolerance: Are you able to take risks, and make decisions when facts are uncertain? Resilience: Are you resilient, so that you can pick yourself up when things don t go as planned? And do you learn and grow from your mistakes and failures? Interpersonal Skills As a successful entrepreneur, you ll have to work closely with people - this is where it is critical to be able to build great relationships with your team, customers, suppliers, shareholders, investors, and more. Some people are more gifted in this area than others, but, fortunately, you can learn and improve these skills. The types of interpersonal skills you ll needShow MoreRelatedCharacteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs1015 Words   |  5 PagesCharacteristics of successful entrepreneurs An entrepreneur is someone with the capacity to lead a business to success and is willing to take the risks in order to accomplish their goals. (Dollonger, 2002). Starting a new business is an example of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are very important in order for any business to succeed, however, only some entrepreneurs will succeed in life. Here are some of the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs. 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Second, there was a talk on entrepreneurship by a guest speaker, Mr. Azmi Ahmad (the CEO of Skali.com) and later, an elevator speech by fellow students on various issues related to entrepreneurship. This collective information and some reading on entrepreneurship journals, books and articles have brought to the idea on writing this paper, towards certain perspective, on successful entrepreneurialRead MoreEntrepreneurship Is Not Only A Word Entrepreneur1349 Words   |  6 Pagesthirteenth-century, entreprendre, a French verb originated to mean â€Å"to do something† or â€Å"to undertake.† By the sixteenth century the word, entrepreneur formed. The word entrepreneur refers to someone who undertakes a business venture. An entrepreneur is someone that takes risks in developing, managing and organizing a business or enterprise. Every entrepreneur weighs the risks involved against the potential profit to be gaine d. When they think the gain outweighs the risk they take every opportunityRead MoreThe Is Worth A Tinkers Damn Is The History We Make Today1480 Words   |  6 Pagesis the history we make today.† Henry Ford made this statement somewhere along the line of his entrepreneurial adventures. Its great men like him that have truly shown us the success of the entrepreneur and sparked my interest. When writing this paper I had two specific goals. First to define what an entrepreneur is by defining what an entrepreneur is; in addition, outlining the types and common characteristics. Second is to allow you the reader to grasp an understanding of what attracts such a crowdRead More7 Things Confident Entrepreneurs Never Do1190 Words   |  5 Pagesself-proclaimed entrepreneur and marketer and VP of Marketing at When I Work, wrote an article for Entrepreneur.com titled â€Å"7 Things Confident Entrepreneurs Never Do.† While this article is not an exhaustive list of mistakes entrep reneurs can make, it gets the main point across—entrepreneurs need to be confident because self-confidence is key in the decision-making process (Schermerhorn). Patel says they need to be tenacious and determined and have faith in order to be successful, but he points outRead MoreA Brief Note On Guy Kawasaki : The Top 10 Mistakes Of Entrepreneurs945 Words   |  4 PagesAlfred Mercier once said, â€Å"What we learn with pleasure we never forget.† This quote reveals the importance of how learning something we like with pleasure would often teach us something rather than just feeding anything in our mind. Similarly, the video of â€Å"Guy Kawasaki: The Top 10 Mistakes of Entrepreneurs† was a great learning experience for me. Usually, watching a video about business can be boring since there are not fun and exciting videos that can be watched. Instead, after watching this videoRead MoreWhat Makes A Great Leader?1299 Words   |  6 Pagesthe early 1900s. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. Within the choices we make on an everyday basis, it is imperative to use what we know and have gained through social experiences to complete the possibilities of our â€Å"castle in the air†. For this will make and shape our own destiny, to the top of our zenith. Desire, time management, and caution are what make a great leader. An entrepreneur is someone who is innovative, well determined, and hardworking. Even if one may not have all they