...NATURALISM INTRODUCTION Naturalism is considered as the oldest philosophy in the western world. Naturalism is a philosophical position adopted by the naturalists, whose approach to philosophy is purely from scientific point of view. Naturalists believe that nature alone represents the entire reality and is there beyond or behind other than nature. For naturalists, nature is everything and nothing exists superior than nature. So they separate nature from God and allot no space for supernaturalism and spiritualism. They also believe that all our activities are initiated by our instincts. Naturalism stresses the need to return to nature from artificiality. It is also concerned with natural self and believes that reality and nature are identical and beyond nature there is no reality .With the help of physical and chemical laws, naturalism explains the universe, the physical world, life and mind. This nature is governed by its own laws and man is regarded as the child of nature. It considers matter as superior to spirit and gives importance to scientific methods of observation and verification. MEANING OF NATURALISM The term naturalism, by its ordinary meaning, means ism laying emphasis nature in every field of education. Naturalism is a system which follows exclusion of whatever is spiritual, or indeed whatever is transcendental of experience from our philosophy of nature and man. Naturalism is a doctrine that separates nature from god, subordinates sprit to matter and setup...
Words: 5413 - Pages: 22
...NATURALISM _______________________________________________ Research Essay _______________________________________________ In partial fulfilment of the requirements in Introduction to Philosophy and Worldviews at Cornerstone Institute _______________________________________________ by Leeandri Smith 32156 28 April 2013 Contents Describing Naturalism according to Naugle, Stone and Danto 1 Introduction 2 History of Naturalism 2 Ancient Greeks 2 The Enlightenment 3 Modern World on Naturalism 3 Naturalism in the 20th Century 4 The start of Naturalism 4 The Basic philosophical questions 5 Effects on society due to the naturalistic worldview 8 Dangers of naturalism to society 9 Conclusion 10 Bibliography 11 Describing Naturalism according to Naugle, Stone and Danto. “Naturalism is an impression determined by the subjugation of the intellectual facts to the mechanical order of things” (Naugle 2002:96) “This is a set of beliefs and attitudes that focus on this world on the negative side it involves the assertion that there seems to be no ontologically distinct and superior realm (such as God, soul or heaven) to ground, explain, or give meaning to this world. On the positive side it affirms that extension should be focused on the events and processes of this world to provide what degree of explanation and meaning...
Words: 3214 - Pages: 13
...Naturalism by Garland Naturalism is a literary movement that encapsulates the struggles of the common population. Hamlin Garland presents an excellent example of Naturalist literature in his short story “Under the Lion’s Paw”, published in 1889. In this short story, many of Dr. Stephen doCarmo’s characteristics of Naturalism are visible. Dr. doCarmo describes three broad characteristics of Naturalism: individuals are subjected to larger uncontainable forces, political undertones are prevalent within the work, and the subject matter of the work appeals to the middle-class. “Under the Lion’s Paw” possesses all three of these characteristics and radiates naturalism. Dr. doCarmo’s first and most important characteristic of a naturalist work, as well as what he refers to as Naturalism’s central belief, is that “individual human beings are at the mercy of uncontrollable larger forces that originate both inside and outside them” (doCarmo). Mr. Haskins is subjected to a larger force in the environment, “He’s been eat up ’n’ drove out by grasshoppers” (Garland 755). This environmental catastrophe diminishes Mr. Haskins livelihood and leads to another uncontrollable force as described by doCarmo: “‘animal’ drives, such as the need for food, sex, shelter” (doCarmo). Garland also acknowledges these “animal” drives: “There is no despair so deep as the despair of a homeless man or woman. To roam the roads of the country or the streets of the city, to feel there is no rood of ground...
Words: 614 - Pages: 3
...Concept of Naturalism in “To Build a Fire” In literature, naturalism has some fundamental characteristics. The plot involves man against nature and the burden of survival requires either adaptation or destruction of the characters involved. In this style of writing, nature or the natural world is continuously pushing man to his limits. When man heeds the warning signs, he may conquer it. But, when he ignores these warnings, it will defeat him. Naturalism is a general understanding of reality and humanity’s place with reality. It mirrors the events of daily life and shows how humans have to be careful when dealing with the natural world. In naturalism, nature is always waiting for man to make a mistake. Jack London in “To Build a Fire” focuses on the idea that nature is indifferent to man. He shows how violent and uncaring nature is. This short story features an unnamed man and his dog venturing into the Alaskan wilderness in the middle of winter. “To Build a Fire” is a short story that illustrates the concept of naturalism and how the natural world, which is dangerous, will gain the upper hand and man will perish. In Jack London’s “To Build a Fire”, the narrator makes it clear that the “unnamed” man is in a dangerous situation with the elements. The man is facing weather seventy-five degrees below zero and he is not prepared to survive. Jack London writes that the cold, “did not lead him to meditate upon his frailty as a creature of temperature, and upon man’s frailty...
Words: 1244 - Pages: 5
...Western Theatre Greek Theatre Greek theatre initially began with religious festivals, with songs, chants, and dances that in time started the revolution of drama. Greek theatre helped develop and influence theatre and drama throughout the world particularly within western society and has helped create one of the greatest play writes in history William Shakespeare. Some important playwrights are Aeschylus, Euripides and Aristophes. Ancinet Greek Costumes The costumes in the ancient Greek theatre also have a symbolic significance in the way the production is understood. Since the hypocrits were all male, it was necessary to make them look female for female roles. "In order to have a female appearance, they were playing wearing the ‘prosterniad’ before the chest and the ‘progastrida’ before the belly. In order to look taller and more impressive they were wearing ‘cothornous’ (wooden shoes with tall heels)".The shoes that they wore had no left and right, but were the same for both sides. They also wore long robes with vertical stripes. The female masks had bigger mouths and eyes. The Chorus The chorus was one of the most important components of the play. It narrates and reflects on the action. Without them, the audience would have no background information, and the play would be more confusing. Originally the chorus had twelve members. Sophocles added three more to make it fifteen. The chorus entered from the two paradoi in three rows of five people. They formed little squares...
Words: 2599 - Pages: 11
...Naturalism in The Call of the Wild Jack London was born on January 12, 1876 to a working class family. He had to deal with a hard life from a very young age, but his constant struggling got him through most of the difficulties and by the age of 30, he was internationally famous for his books Call of the Wild (1903), The Sea Wolf (1904) and other successful literay works. Though he wrote passionately about the great questions of life and death and the struggle to survive with dignity and integrity, he also sought peace and quiet inspiration. He wished society to be reformed that he expressed through his writings. His stories of high adventure were based on his own experiences at sea, in the Yukon Territory, and in the fields and factories of California. Similar to a number of writers at that time, he died young, at the age of 40, impoverished (again), sick and suffering from alcoholism. To this day it is still unclear if he the cause of death was accidental morphine overdose or he commited suicide. He as well was a fairly controversial person, so that different authors look at him in various ways: ”The basic law of his thinking was logic. His literary style was the clear, obvious and unmistakable sentences of the beautiful English language. ’The Call of the Wild’ serves as the reference book of English stylistics on Sorbonne. He was the man of facts: not to be afraid of looking inside of the eyes of reality, a great view of life. But Jack London's inner debates did...
Words: 2444 - Pages: 10
...next. The text states that this drastic change didn’t just happen overnight, but it started during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Bush tends to answer this question in his book, entitled, “The Advancement.” L. Russ Bush, is a dean and a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The Advancement is an apologetic approach to the philosophy of naturalism. Bush used the term “advancement,” to explain the modern worldview based on a naturalistic philosophy. Bush felt that the term, “modern” is outdated and old fashioned because this term tends to provoke a mindset of staleness, rather than revolving and advancing. Bush organizes his book into eight chapters. In the book, Bush explains the ideas of postmodern evolutionary thought and offers a response from a Christian perspective. Bush’s main goal for writing this book was to expose the discrepancies of the modern naturalist philosophy, compared to the truths of Christianity. The first chapter, which is entitled “The Worldview of the Advancement,” which basically talks about the worldview that is most dominant in our day, comparing it with the elements of the older Christian worldview. The text states that the earlier view consists of a natural stability in both history and nature (pg 15). Also, progress or decline are the products of a person’s relationship or lack of a relationship with God, and neither is inevitable historically (pg 15). The second chapter, which is entitled, “The Rise of...
Words: 917 - Pages: 4
...The naturalism and realism movements of the 1900s were fast and furious, enveloping and influencing drama, art, literature, and even people themselves. They were big stepping stones in the development of imagery, theme, and symbolism within literature, producing changes that still linger in novels today. One author whose writings are a perfect example of the influences of naturalism is Edith Wharton. Her short stories, novels, and personal biographies were riddled with naturalistic traits. Wharton used symbolism in Ethan Frome to enhance the naturalistic themes of the novel. Naturalism was a strong movement in the 1900s which took the literary world by storm. Using the theory that nature is an unconquerable force, always acting against man, literature was filled with all variations of naturalistic motifs and symbols (Campbell Naturalism). Themes of predestination, astrological influence, and natural moralistic values were strong (Bellman 140). Scenery was often used to convey the mood of characters through their observational view of it (Moore). Naturalism says that humans are animals, so their connection with nature is deep and vital. Feelings and desires are distinctly linked to the animalistic traits of humans’ ancestors, proving that instinct is something set by nature within the body, and cannot be ignored. Common characteristics of a naturalistic novel are found in that the characters are always lower-class, the characters always live by passion and instinct, and that free...
Words: 1421 - Pages: 6
...WRITTEN REPORT Course: Literary Criticism Topic: Perspectives and Techniques in Literary Criticism Reporter: Ms. Zairan A. Tutin INTRODUCTION: Literary criticism is not an abstract, intellectual exercise; it is a natural human response to literature. If a friend informs you she is reading a book you have just finished, it would be odd indeed if you did not begin swapping opinions. It is inevitable that people will ponder, discuss, and analyze the works of art that interest them. The informal criticism of friends talking about literature tends to be casual, unorganized, and subjective. Since Aristotle, Plato and other prominent literary critics, philosophers, scholars, and writers have tried to create more precise and disciplined ways of discussing literature. This day, literary criticism provides some general guidelines to help us analyze, deconstruct, interpret and evaluate different literary works. Literary critics have borrowed concepts from other disciplines, like linguistics, psychology, and anthropology, to analyze imaginative literature more perceptively. Mass media critics, such as newspaper reviewers, usually spend their time evaluating works—telling us which books are worth reading, which movies not to bother seeing. We usually see literary criticism in a book review or critical essay; however, nowadays the Internet has made all forms of criticism readily available in everything from personal blogs to social media. In this discussion, we will take a look at...
Words: 1811 - Pages: 8
...Watching television for two hours straight is not something I partake in on a usual basis, but it was interesting to see the elements and principles of design used in the programs and commercials to attract the viewers. I decided to watch a sitcom program, “Seinfeld”, which is nearly the greatest television show in the history of television. During this television show I noticed a lot of use of mass and form and rhythm on the buildings and other things that were shown during the television show. The show takes place in the heart of New York City so during the show; you can see much of the architecture and art that surrounds the big apple. I also see lots of texture on some of the clothing that is depicted on the actors and actresses in the comedy show. Obviously it wasn’t just the program I was watching, I unfortunately had to sit through some pretty boring and irrelevant commercials, but it was intriguing to see all the use of the elements and principles of design in order to promote the product the company is advertising. During the commercials, I definitely found it to be more colorful and more usage of shape than the television program. In order to be able to successfully market the specific product or business in commercials, one needs to make the advertisement attractive, non-controversial, and informational. I believe that I also saw many commercials involving balance and proportion. In order for a commercial to be not all crazy and well done, it should have some balance...
Words: 1231 - Pages: 5
...University of Phoenix Material Terms and Definitions Worksheet Write brief descriptions for each of the following terms. If you use an outside source to define them, include an APA citation for the source. Scientific method “The way a scientist approaches a problem (by formulating a hypothesis and then testing it by means of an experiment)” (Raven, Berg, & Hassenzahl, 2010, p. G-13). This means that an individual uses a possible outcome to analyze and determine if the results are possible. Environmental science “The interdisciplinary study of how humanity interacts with other organisms and the nonliving physical environment” (Raven, Berg, & Hassenzahl, 2010, p. G-6). An analysis of the interconnections between living and nonliving species. Anthropocentrism “Focusing primarily or exclusively on human needs and interests” (Raven, Berg, & Hassenzahl, 2010, p. G-1). This means that an individual is self-centered, only worried about their needs or the needs of the humans. Biocentrism “Focusing on all life-forms as equally important” (Raven, Berg, & Hassenzahl, 2010, p. G-2). This means that an individual believes that all species are one, and that all live is valuable. Dualism “The state of being dual or consisting of two parts; division into two” (Dualism, 2012). This means that one was split into two equal parts. Ecocentrism “The view or belief that environmental concerns should take precedence over the needs and rights of human beings considered in isolation” (Ecocentrism...
Words: 1778 - Pages: 8
...The Advancement. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2003. APOL 500 LUO (fall 2013) Introduction to Apologetics Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Christopher R. Townsend (#2600628) September 16, 2013 CONTENTS Introduction 1 Summary 1 Critical Interaction 3 Conclusion 6 Bibliography 7 Introduction This is a critique of L. Russ Bush’s The Advancement. In order to properly ascertain the individual components as well as the overall success of Bush’s work, this article deploys the use of a general summary, followed by a section of critical interaction, and finally a conclusion. In the end, elements of Bush’s argument prove invaluable, while others miss their target. Summary Chapter 1 begins with an historical review of the modern worldview formation. This includes first the secular worldview, inspired by the focus on freedom inherent in the Enlightenment. Bush then begins to explore the details of the Christian alternative. This discussion reaches a climax as he notes the contrast of the new and old worldviews. “In the earlier view there is a natural stability in both history and in nature. Progress or decline are products of a person’s relationship or lack of relationship to God, and neither is inevitable historically (15).” Ultimately Bush concludes, “The older worldview is not true (just) because it’s old, and it too may...
Words: 1629 - Pages: 7
...Inside F. Scott Fitzgerald "Babylon Revisited" on man confronts types of innovation and naturalism. Innovation is a development dated from approximately 1900-1950. To put it plainly, innovation is about changes–changes in the public arena and changes in artistic frame. Innovator writing speaks to the change a conventional society encounters as it winds up noticeably present day, a change that might be difficult. In this era, Americans saw the overwhelming impacts of World War I, Black Friday and the resulting securities exchange crash, the Great Depression, and World War II, and many individuals were frustrated. Likewise, naturalism has a similar accentuation on nitty gritty, exact portrayals. In any case, it goes further, focusing on the deciding...
Words: 306 - Pages: 2
...Nicole Whaley Directions: Complete the “Eastern Pantheism” column in the table below by filling in the cells from information provided in the textbook. Table 1 |Assumption |Naturalism |Secular Humanism |Atheistic |Eastern |New Age |Christianity | | | | |Existentialism |Pantheism | | | |Naturalism | | | | | | | Personal Reflection Directions: Briefly summarize your personal reflection on the information that you have entered into Tables 1 and 2 in this assignment. After reading up on the Panthiest and what their views are, I come to the conclusion that these are people who respect the laws of science to a degree. They do acknowledge that there are some questions that science cannot answer. From what I have gather, I do not see where they give any credit to the afterlife except acknowledging that there is an afterlife but that each person creates their own depending upon the action and memories in which they leave behind accompanied by the recycling of our elements in nature. So basically everything is left up to the individual. This was a bit much for me to grasp or even try understanding. I am a Christian and stand firm in my belief in God and what awaits me in the afterlife. I know and trust in the bible when it tells...
Words: 320 - Pages: 2
...natural approach to staging rather than the artificial acting style that was being used. Actor-managers and pageant masters were in charge of the play before directors. Actor-managers had little concern for a production that was unified, unlike directors who believe the acting should be unified. 2. Gesamtkunstwerk literally means “total art work”. The union of all the theatrical elements to create a thematically unified stage work. Richard Wagner developed the term. It unified the theatrical work and set the tone and mood for the characters. 3. A) Weimer Classicism: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is related to this type of movement. He made rules for actors to follow on stage so the piece would be well-composed. All the actors had to read the text together rather than memorizing it on their own. B) Meiningen Players: Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, ran this company. He wanted his costumes and setting to be very accurate to history. Crowd scenes displayed each actor as an individual character, while at the same time working in unison with the other actors. C) Naturalism: Andre Antoine used naturalism in his productions. In La Terre he used real hay and live chickens in a farm scene. He also used natural lights from candles showing that a real barn is being presented. 4. A) Choosing the Text: This is the first job of the directors. They may want to address an important issue or present themes that the director wants to explore. A director may want a script that accommodates...
Words: 813 - Pages: 4
