...I’m not sure I completely understand the writings on Neoplatonism after reading them. What I took away from the reading was that a person’s soul must go through certain stages in order to purify itself until it is “God” like. Unless you can accomplish this, you can never actually know the One. I’m assuming the “One” is a reference to God. Once a person’s soul has gone through certain stages of goodness and virtue, only then can a person be united with the “One”. Not sure if anything I’m writing is even remotely correct to Neoplatonism, I can’t say with exact assurance what I’ve taken away from this reading, but I will give it a try. I’m not so sure I agree with this idea. What I believe is that we are all born in sin, that’s the very reason God sent is son Jesus Christ to Earth, so that he would die on the cross for our sins. There was no perfect person before Jesus and there has been no perfect person since. I know God, and am unified with God even though I to sin. In reference to our reading, meaning that my soul is not pure, doesn’t keep me from knowing God or God knowing me. I go to God with the good, the bad, the ugly, and regardless he is always there. Together we relish in the good, he comforts me during the bad, and forgives me through the ugly. No matter where life takes me, I always feel close to God and find comfort that he is always with me and the ones I...
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...While reading A Long Way Gone the readers are very much affected and aware of the life struggles that Ishmael had to face during and after his time as a child soldier because of our the author’s usage of various examples of evidence, examples and credibility that fills the book throughout ? Although the book, Ishmael Beah gives evidences and support to give credence to his autobiography as a child soldier. One example of evidences that Beah uses comes from using exact dates through the book to the readers a timeline of when events happened, such as “The first time that I was touched by war I was twelve. It was January of 1993” (Beah. Page 17) or “But everything began to change in the last weeks of January 1996. I was fifteen”(Beah. Page 154). Be being exact and giving precise as to when events had happened, it allows readers to gain a better understanding as when Ishmael experienced these events in his life. Another example that the author uses as evidences of the horrific events that happened to him include explicit details when reaccounting an events, such as “It was about 8:00 p.m., when people were performing the last prayer of the day,”(Beah. Page 60) or “I walked for two days straight without sleeping”(Beah. Page 66). Because the Beah can provide such details of said happenings in the book, readers can feel like the are getting an accurate retelling of what had happen to Ishael while living and fighting in his country’s civil war. We, as the readers know that we are getting...
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...In today’s society, texting is an incredibly significant part of life. People crave rapid responses and are eager to see messages immediately. It is rather difficult to imagine life without instant messaging. Texting is so prominent that individuals are risking lives by reading messages while driving. It is absolutely ridiculous and must be stopped. The time taken to write a simple message such as “OK” or “LOL” can cause severe injuries and death. A multitude of individuals believe that nothing will happen to them and that they are immune. Despite so, that is most definitely not the case. Life is precious and can be taken away in an instant. I urge everyone, especially my friends and family, to not text and drive . I beg everyone to listen carefully to my statements. Do not disregard this plead; it may save your life and others’ lives . I know that you may be rolling your eyes. However, even YOU can be a victim of an accident that resulted from texting and driving. When individuals text and drive, they are have greater chances of crashing. By texting and driving, people are tremendously impaired. To be a safe driver, people must pay attention to the road and be aware of upcoming dangers. Drivers are not conscious of traffic, pedestrians, signs, or changes when they are texting. When eyes are taken off the road, the driver has no control over the direction they are going in and are at risk. In the blink of an eye, an accident may suddenly occur. This may have happened because...
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...and to die, but how do you know that the soul is a soul that already existed? How do you know that the soul isn't obliterated when you die and that a new soul is born with a new body? In Phaedo Plato uses dialogue to explore all these ideas,which are formed through reasoning. All that he thinks is not told explicitly but discovered by questioning and use of the intellect. In the exact way that he describes, the question is not asked, what do you see, its always what do you think. The processes of thinking things through leads you to the arguments he presents for the immortality of the soul. Socrates never tells me what to think he only presents ideas and allows the conversation for my own thinking to develop. The process of reading this is in line with the way of life for a philosopher who is seeking truth. Even in his last moments, Socrates is taking time to discuss these ideas with his colleagues. If this is what he is doing before he dies, this is another way he shows me that this is the proper way to live. The body can’t exist without soul but the soul can exist without the soul. The body needs its opposite since it is mortal. But the soul being immortal does not need body to reach beyond itself. This is why Socrates views death in a positive light. He seeks lives in the soul which is done through understanding and the intellect and this is the life of a philosopher. opposites. In the generation of the idea of the opposites you need the idea of "after having been" for...
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...The Fault in Our Stars Is suffering necessary in our daily lives? Why do we have to suffer, why is it a part of our lives? These questions were always in the back of my mind while reading the novel The Fault in Our Stars. It is a tragic love story about two teenagers, who are both cancer recipients and their journey to falling in love. The two protagonists were constantly dealing with the theme of suffering. In the novel, the author John Green uses his protagonists Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters to develop the theme of ‘the necessity of suffering’ as he writes these characters to undergo the feelings of pain and suffering. John Green uses the character of Hazel Grace to explore the theme ‘the necessity of suffering’ by writing Augustus Waters’ faith as destined to die. I admire Hazel because she shows tremendous strength and was able to handle it. Throughout the course of the novel, Hazel was constantly worried about dying first and not getting close to Augustus. She did not want to get close to Augustus because she made a connection between herself and a grenade. She believed that when she dies, she’ll be a grenade - injuring innocent others around her. However in actuality, Augustus was the grenade as he passed away first. I think that Green did this because Hazel was constantly worried about being a grenade, she did not comprehend the necessity of suffering. It was necessary for Augustus to suffer because he was able to go to a better place. Also, Green also...
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...Ha, that’s my Margaret. Except let’s keep the creepy talk for our rehearsal shall we? Margaret looks confused. BRICE Gentlemen meet Margaret, Margaret, meet Jeff and Joey aka our audience for this evening. Brice grabs the TV remote and turns off the TV. Jeff and Joey are not pleased. JEFF Thank god I popped a xanex. JOEY And popcorn. JEFF Whatever it takes to relieve the pain. BRICE Jeff! Margaret notices Joeys Black eyes. MARGARET Oh my dear! Speaking of pain what happened to your eyes, Joey?? (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 2. JEFF I ordered sock’em boppers. JOEY I wouldn’t recommend facing Jeff in a match. Unless you don’t mind your eye balls sticking to the back of your skull. MARGARET I love the feel of sticky eye balls. Slight pause. BRICE Okay! Lets get started shall we? MARGARET Absolutely! Reading from scripts Brice and Margaret start acting out their roles. The sound of Brice and Margaret slowly turns muffled as the camera slowly zooms in on Jeff and Joeys painfully uninspired faces. Joey looks around and pretends to have a phone call. JOEY Hello? Oh Susie Cho! Oh my gosh I completely forgot to pick up my suit from your dry cleaners today, I feel so silly. JEFF Joey this is a fake call isn’t it? JOEY Jeff, of course not, this is real. JEFF This, is bullshit. JOEY Yes Susie I can come pick it up before you close. Oh you close in 10 minutes? Yes I will hurry. Thanks. Bye! JEFF You’re a dick. (CONTINUED)...
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... In the poem, the author takes me through several emotions as well as several images and in the end sadness, sympathy for the owner and then empathy for the actions of the dog before she died (Clugston, 2010). The author uses the reader/response technique so that we can see and feel all the emotions of having a loved one die, whether it is a pet or a human being. The author sets the tone in the first line when he says that the dog must have been kicked or hit by a car (Clugston, 2010). The tone is apprehensive in the beginning because the dog is not acting as rambunctious as a puppy normally would, when the author talks about “her shy malaise” (Clugston, 2010). The tone goes from apprehensive to worry when the owner finds the dog under the bed barely alive. Then when the dog dies in his arms, there is grief and sadness. The last emotion in the poem is sympathy for the dog because even when she was dying, she still tried to please her owner by dragging herself over to the paper because she had diarrhea. When reading this poem, the author uses image to show me how the dog was acting when he says, “We thought her shy malaise was a shot reaction” (Clugston, 2010). He also uses image when he says, “we found her twisted and limp but still alive” (Clugston, 2010). I can picture the puppy laying on the floor all twisted up with pain and not being able to do anything about it. I can also feel and see the grief on the woman’s face when he tells her the puppy has died...
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...Ma. Arlinda C. Reprado Prof. Reagan Gonzales BSA I-25 Sophie’s World JosteinGaarder was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1952. His father was a headmaster and hismother was a teacher who also wrote children’s books. Gaarder went to the University of Oslo, where he studied Scandinavian languages and theology. In 1974 he married and began to write. In 1981 Gaarder moved to Bergen and began to teach high school philosophy, a career that he continued for eleven years. Gaarder’s early writings were contributions to philosophy and theology textbooks and in 1986 he published his first book,The Diagnosis and Other Stories. He then wrote two books for children before publishingThe Solitaire Mystery, whichwon the 1990 Norwegian Literary Critics’Award and the Ministry of Cultural and Scientific Affairs’ Literary Prize. With the publication of Sophie’s World in 1991, Gaarder gained international fame.Sophie’s World spent three years as the best-selling bookin Norway. His first book to be translated into English,Sophie’s World was also the top selling book in Germany, France, and Great Britain. It has been published in forty-four languages and in 1995Sophie’s World was the best-selling book in the world. Gaarder is one of the best-known contemporary Scandinavian writers. Sophie’s World has spawned a movie, a musical, a board game, and a CD-ROM. Gaarder is well known for writing from children’s perspectives and most of his books are for a...
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...“Today I am here with Yanek Gruener. He is a prisoner taken from Krakow, at age 13 his family was taken away, and he was forced to learn to survive on his own.” “Tell me Yanek what was your first thought when the Natzis came to Krakow Ghetto?” “I was nervous. I didn’t know how to survive something like this, I was only twelve at the time, and I was so used to having everything we needed. Being completely honest, I didn’t think much would change around home, except going out for work details.” “This time is tough, how do you keep yourself going after the loss of your uncle Moshe and moving to your third concentration camp?” “I had ended up at a camp call Birkenau Concentration Camp. We were all crammed in a train for days. They SS officers, would torment us, and throw bread into the train to watch prisoners fight for it. I was so busy trying to keep my life, that I didn’t have time to pay attention to how miserable I was.”...
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...“Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom is a memoir about Morrie teaching Mitch different life lessons. The most important things that Morrie talks about it how love is rational, how culture affects us, and that if you know about death you will know how to live your life. Protagonist should be admired by people who read this book because it could teach people of all ages something that could relate to their lives every day. This book should also be included in curriculum because it is a book that people would enjoy reading, and would gain many good characteristics that are needed to live life. Protagonist should be admired of people who read this book because of the many themes it gives, such as the importance of life and how you have to use it. It does this by telling the readers how their lives should be spent, and some personalities that people must have to enjoy their life to the fullest. Additionally this book shows us how we have to not give up on something in life. We have to be devoted like Mitch was when he kept his word to Morrie that he will come and visit him every week on Tuesdays, so Morrie will give him knowledge and teach him on a different life issues. Furthermore you could also learn about the purpose of your life. Morries purpose in life was to teach people, which he continues doing until the day he dies. Mitch’s purpose in life was to have a major in journalism, and work as a journalist for a living. Thirdly this book talks a lot about love and companionship. Morrie...
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...are reading it. The way he writes make your mind to put ourselves on that exact position, making a really hard decision to save not only one life, but the life of others. After reading it, I believe that may be a possibility to make torture possible. The thing is that, it would be permissible on really extraordinary cases, which could happen, but are really extreme. And you would have to take it with pins to sort this kind of thing. There are circumstances, like the death of hundreds of people, and...
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...Moral Obligation In the "Crito" written by Plato, the argument of whether or not it is morally right to escape prison is in question. At the beginning of the dialogue, Crito offers Socrates an escape though Socrates has already made up his mind and quickly refuses this opportunity. For Socrates believes that though he may have been convicted for the wrong reasons, the laws are just. In this essay, I will examine both arguments given by Crito and Socrates. Crito does not start with very strong arguments to persuade Socrates. His first argument is that if he does not escape, he will not only lose a close friend, but people will be left to believe that instead of using his money to save Socrates, he selfishly did not help him. For this Crito would lose his reputation and be looked upon in bad light. His second argument is telling Socrates that he would be able to live happily somewhere outside of Athens. He makes it known that he has friends in places such as Thessaly, and that they would ensure his safety and wellbeing. Crito's final argument seems to be his strongest. He calls Socrates a coward and fool. "No man should bring children into the world who is unwilling to preserve to the end in their nurture and education" (PUT MARK). Here Crito is feeling as though Socrates is taking the easy way out in not escaping. Betraying not only his own life, but betraying his children's lives. Though all three of these arguments seem valid, none of them seem relevant to whether escaping...
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...It isn’t always words themselves, like with the connection between Hans and Liesel. They bonded on basically a lack of words, because they had an unspoken understanding that she did not want to talk about what happened to her before she lived with them. He also stayed with her to comfort her, even though they did not speak. They later connect when he shows her the beauty of words, as well as reading itself. For Liesel and Ilsa, the connection isn’t their words, but the words of the authors of the books that they both love. Liesel knows that Rosa loves her, despite the not so loving words she uses when she speaks to her, however it is...
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...in with Jenny in her childhood home, where she now runs a women’s refuge house, here the family goes through a period of recovery Garp writes a book, Duncan comes to terms with his disability, and Helen makes peace with Garp. The book Garp writes is about a woman who is raped and this causes a paranoia in her husband that leads to the demise of their family the novel is so graphic and controversial that Garp’s mother and his publisher John Wolf convince him to leave the country for a while. Both Garp and Helen agree for they fell as if they must set a new tone to...
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...involved in menkind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” Donne was trying to tell that everything has it end, that if something affects one it can affect them all because everyone like him is involved in menkind, and he realized that when he got ill. It is exactly how it happens with a tree, it starts from the seed, the stem, then comes the flowers that later produces fruits, and in the end one day it is fading. That is how it happens with humans beans, they get born, they grow up, produce and in the end they die just like the trees are fading. We live in fear every day in this world because we know that one day the clock will stop for us just like our heartbeats will stop beating anymore, and then I believe that all the fear we had felt will disappear forever. But it is also apparent that in this paragraph Donne could also mean that even that people die and are not anymore on this earth, they can still continue living in the life after death, things that are mentioned in all the holy books that were send from god. Donne was pointing out peoples mortality and he is trying to remind...
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