...centuries to become so modern in every aspect including education and personal leisure. It is breath taking to see how modernized out computer technology is today as opposed to the limited computer technology that was available in history. The changes that have occurred over history to today will be discussed and focused upon in this essay. The Mechanical Era: Early Computing Devices The Abacus The abacus was the first machine to be used computational science. It is considered to be the first computer. This machine was inspired by one of Charles Babbage’s designs. The abacus could process 15 digit numbers and calculate fourth-order differences. In 1885 the machine won gold medal at an exhibition in Paris and also helped calculate the orbit of mars! The abacus is still in use today. Imagine that a computing device from centuries ago still being used to this day! Charles Babbage Charles Babbage was an English mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer ("Charles Babbage", 2012). Babbage is known to have invented the first programmable computer. As stated earlier his design inspired the abacus and other complex designs. He won the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society for inventing an engine for calculating mathematical and astronomical tables. Babbage was also Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge. The Mechanical Era: The First Information Explosion The Arithmometer The arithmometer was invented in 1820 by Thomas de Colmar and could perform...
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...men who helped contribute fundamentalist idealisms in their time. His case study analyzed the involvements of Thomas Arnold, Charles Kingsley, Thomas Hughes, Charles Studd, Bud Schaeffer and Gil Dodds. Each of these men had different interpretations of muscular Christianity based off of their backgrounds. Mathisen compared each interpretation and created a timeline of contributions to the rise of modern day religious sport culture. Past to Present: The Influence of “Muscular Christianity” Muscular Christianity is a religious connection of Christianity to physical well-being. Many organizations today are influenced by this modern day form of Christianity. The YMCA an organization we are all familiar with is a prime example of combining religious values with healthy living. The YMCA’s mission incorporates values such as honesty, responsibility, and caring. They focus on youth development and physical health. Youth ministries are included in their programs for youth. The YMCA is an organization founded from the past contributions of the individuals Mathisen listed in his article. The organizations like this one have such positive effects on our youth. They provide safe and fun learning environments for academics and religous purposes. The purpose of Mathisen’s article was to explain how Gil Dodds was the most influential individual in the creation of the modern day sports...
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...article from the New York Times titled “Learning from Legos.” “Learning from Legos” was written by Thomas de Monchaux, and published on March 16, 2014. This article not only touched on a part of my childhood that is very dear to me, Legos, but it also raised several interesting points about the little interlocking plastic toys. By reading this article, I found that the author was skilled at description as well as supporting his opinion with facts that made sense. However, he padded his editorial with several paragraphs that not only cluttered his article, but also managed to take the focus away from the argument. Before going over someone’s work and critiquing, either to praise it or condemn it, it helps to have an idea on what the article was about. Thomas de Monchax starts the article with a little glimpse into his childhood. Thomas tells us that as a child, Thomas’ father enacted a strict no toy policy. However, this policy has one exception, Legos. Thomas goes on to give us a little background on the Danish-made construction toys, stating that interestingly the global sales revenue has nearly tripled between 2007 and 2012 despite the recession. More important than the sales statistics of Legos is Thomas de Monchax’s observation that the principal of Legos resonates deeply with the current maker culture. This observation is the backbone of the entire article. To back that idea up, Thomas gives us two interesting facts, first that Google’s first server rack was made of Lego-like...
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...Published in 1516, Sir Thomas More’s Utopia drew attention to many of the issues contemporary European society faced at that time. While Utopia is considered a socio-political satire, there is little humor to be found in the problems of their day. Thomas More drew attention to the unfair socio-economic system, the egocentric kings and distrust in technology. Sadly, five hundred years later, the modern world still faces these same issues. Turn CNN on any time of the day and you will hear a multitude of examples. Currently, the United States faces an unfair socio-economic system that gives privilege and opportunity to wealthy citizens, while repressing minorities and the poor. The issues wealthy citizens face are represented fully and addressed...
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...In the harbor of Manhattan stands a woman who represents our nation's ideals and welcomes foreigners to a free country. However, long before the Statue of Liberty was erected, the groundwork for the US government was being set by the enlightenment thinkers. The ideas influenced people in the 13 colonies to push for independence and start a revolution for freedom. John Locke, Montesquieu, and thomas Paine were just three of these influential men that had ideas, such as separation of power, natural rights and independence, that are used in our nation's modern government. John Locke is credited with the ideas of natural rights, separation of church and state and many more. In his essay concerning human understanding he stated that, “Government...
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...Comparing Thomas Hobbes and John Locke’s views concerning what life is like in a state of nature, we can see that the two-theorist’s share opposite views in making an assumption of what the state of nature is like. Thomas Hobbes’ views include pessimistic views of nature and how its effects can influence man to selfishly consider what he would need to do to secure his safety while John Locke presents a natural concept that assumes there is a universal thought of good that man is aware of. Attempting to justify the role of government or justice by understanding the state of nature can be somewhat accurate and can be considered for such purposes, but may fail to answer some aspects of society overall and leave other things unanswered. In regards...
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...countries but are more modern than the USA. How can that be? I think social classes are stupid. So what if you make more money than me. I think there are three key elements to social classes that are a parallel with Thomas Greys Elegy Written in a Country Graveyard, wealth, position, and power. Wealth, Thomas Grey said “But knowledge to their eyes her ample page, Rich with the spoils of time did ne’er unroll; Chill Penury repressed their noble rage, And froze the genial current of the soul.” (Elegy line 49-52) When we hear the term wealth our minds go straight to money. Thomas Grey’s term wealth is talking about education and knowledge. Will being...
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...photography and pictures that Thomas managed to acquire was all but unprecedented for its time, and served as a perfect way to further establish his authority over the Orient. Overall, the presentation had 240 lantern slides, 30 film segments, and aerial photographs of locations that people had never been able to see before (Hodson, "Lowell Thomas" 51). The presentation was just over two hours long, but Thomas’s script was over 60 pages in length (Hodson, Lawrence of Arabia 32). The amount of information and the length of his presentation served, in a sense, to make his statements seem more and more true—and it grabbed the attention of the audience, to the point where many people began to see the presentation more than once (Hodson, "Lowell Thomas" 51)....
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...Collected Poems by RS Thomas and The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy and with wider reference to Wit Margaret Edson explore if the modern world destroy emotions, passions and irrationality creating a selfish, unresponsive and rational society? By: Imogen Teale The age we live in is the age of 'the machine,' where technological achievements are unimaginable, 'the age of space travel, the internet, genetic engineering,'(An Introduction to Marx's Theory of Alienation) this is The Age of Enlightenment. No longer are we seen as individuals in society, we are not urged to liberate human imagination and creativity to unleash,' the true, the good and the beautiful,'(Toward a Genealogy of Individualism By Daniel Shanahan) potential of individuals encouraged by the era of Romanticism. Living in the age where despite our power to control the natural world our society is dominated by insecurities, lives characterised by feelings of isolation, loneliness and the need for escapism,'insecurity has seeped in to the fabric of our lives.' (Insecure Times: Living with Insecurity in Modern Society, Author unknown, edited by Michael Hill, John Vail, Jane Wheelock) Exploring the ideas and themes portrayed in RS Thomas' Collected Poems, Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilych and supported evidence from Wit by Margaret Edson each author uses a main character as a symbol for the death of the natural world and the destruction of modernity. The more densely populated cities become the more suppressed individual...
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...Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born January 21st, 1824 in very rural Clarksburg, Virginia; a place where education was less needed and the farm life was most common. Due to family complications, Jackson moved to his uncle’s farm at “Jackson’s Mill” where for seven years he tended to sheep, drove teams of oxen and harvested grains of wheat and corn. Education wasn’t easily obtained in isolated Clarksburg, so Jackson attended school as best as he could, as most of his education was self-taught. In 1842 Thomas Jacksons enrolled to the Army academy West Point, New York. Struggling with academic requirements, he barely passed acceptance to the academy and for that was ranked as the lowest ranked cadet (academically) in his class. But this didn’t stop...
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...Paper : Thomas Hobbes Thomas hobbes was the first to be classified to study political sciences, he believed that it takes a central authority figure (absolutism) to maintain systematic order within the country. I personally think that while absolutism type of governance such as monarchies and dictatorships had a lot more positive aspects back in the time when hobbes was writing due to the sheer fact that lack of technology made controlling threats very difficult. I found it interesting that he met with a lot of resistance back then as people do now whenever they believe that absolutism is restrictive on them, but a lot of the systems in politics today have a bit of absolutism in them, especially the new Affordable Care Act system of healthcare, put government hands into every aspect of the health care, giving them an absolute control in the end on how it is operated through regulations from the Department of Health and Human Services, the director of whom has absolute control over the health care system through issuance of regulations, much in the same way that the EPA has control over a lot of businesses that during operation omit any type of classified dangerous chemical or gas, which is about 65% of United States businesses. The difference in my opinion is that nowadays through the internet media, ability to have choice and your dollar speak for you in who you choose to visit, I do not believe that these type of systems are required like they were back in Thomas Hobbes...
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...person who invents a particular process or device is considered an inventor. An invention’s impact on humanity is what separates it’s inventor from others. Of the many inventions by Nikola Tesla (July 10, 1856 - January 7, 1943), it is commonly accepted that his invention of Alternating Current (AC) and the AC Generator changed the way humans live indefinitely. With such a great impact to humanity it is surprising that the average person does not recognize his name or what he did. Over the next few paragraphs the research will discuss Nikola Tesla’s career which includes the invention of alternating current, his ongoing quarrel with Thomas Edison, and his controversial recognition. According to the myth, Nikola Tesla was born at midnight on July 10, 1856 during an electrical storm (Ancient, 2010) in an expiring Empire of Austro-Hungary, modern day Croatia. Milutin Tesla, his father of Serbian origin, was an Orthodox Priest. Nikola wanted to study engineering in a renowned Austrian Polytechnic School but was constantly oppressed by his father who wanted him to also join priesthood. After Nikola contracted Cholera, his father promised him that if he survived he would allow him to pursue his dreams of becoming an engineer (Tesla, 2004). Duka Mandic, Nikola’s mother and also of Serbian origin, was a hard working woman of many talents. She was also an inventor whom made tools and devices for her weaving, carpentry, and other handiwork (Glenn, J, 1994). She was descended from...
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...Christians in the world has been high as compared to that of other religions. Christianity has been led by laws given in the Bible and by what is believed to be morally upright (Frend, 1984, 20). It is for this reason that Christianity is contradictory when compared to modernity. This is because; while Christianity believes that there is a supernatural force leading humans, modernity mostly believes in a secular world led by humankind only with no other supernatural force (Asad, 2003, 15). Modernity mainly believes in what it sees and in the current living style only. It is for this reason that modernity is greatly affected by factors such as fashion trends, money, and status. On the other hand, Christianity believes that there is something more to staying alive and surviving in the world (Asad, 2003, 18). Therefore, clearly it appears modernity may be a threat to Christianity (Augustine, Pusey & William, 2000, 32). However, despite these threats caused by modernity, it has been found that it is actually Christianity that has fuelled modernity into place. Through a large number of factors, Christianity has significantly nurtured modernity and caused it to develop in the society. Although modernity has brought about poor moral values that were not there in the traditional world, most of these traits mainly arise from Christianity in a broad sense. In addition, the way in which Christian beliefs are changing with time, they may give rise to modernity (Augustine, Pusey & William...
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...Theme of death in the poetry of Dylan Thomas W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot. All I know about death Can be said in one breath: It‘s tall and it‘s short And it shouldn‘t ought. (Dylan Thomas, 1937, Lycett 169) Death has been and always will be an interesting and compelling topic among poets and authors alike. Death sheds a mysterious vale over life and is often avoided or dreaded within people causing diversity among the reactions of modern poetry and thought. Mortality can be treated as a crisis, a destination, with significance or without, as well as (sadly) by some as a goal. Death provides a wide spectrum of ideas that can be expanded upon with dignity or as a magnanimous ideal. The poets that I have read and pondered deliver an array of insight on the topic; from its grotesqueness to its humbleness. They approach or meditate upon death with disgust as well as with nonchalance. Overall I think that although the poets each dissect and interpret our inevitable encounter in variation they all would agree in its mystery and finality. Death is a prevalent theme in the poetry of W.B. Yeats, T. S. Eliot and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. Each of them has examined death from varied angles. One’s perception doesn’t resemble with others. Eliot views death as a...
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...According to Thomas Hobbes in his book Leviathan, “The question who is the better man, has no place in the condition of meer Nature;…”(Hobbes XV.211). Hobbes established in his book that all men are equal in Nature; this is the ninth law and very important part of his political philosophy. Hobbes also reveals that his philosophy is significantly different than the writings of Aristotle. He challenges Aristotle’s views of the inequality of men, the good, and evil that controls man’s life. Hobbes would find that day’s society would view his ideal of the “ultimate government” as being liberal and not a complete representation of the United States’ ruling system. First of all, Thomas Hobbes’ ninth law of nature states that all men are created...
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