The Changing Meaning of Concepts Throughout History Essay Example for Free

The Changing Meaning of Concepts Throughout History Essay In this essay I will summarize how the philosophers Friedrich Nietzsche and Michel Foucault have recorded how the meanings of certain concepts have changed through history, paying close attention to the texts of Nietzsches Good and Evil, Good and Bad and Foucaults The Insane. I will also suggest what I believe are the philosophical lessons that they think we can draw from recognizing these changes. In the chapter from his book Madness Civilization,The Insane, Michel Foucault charts the changing conceptions of madness from the Renaissance through to the Neo-Classical Age. He notes how during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, though madness was sometimes treated as a personification of evil, it was something that was openly dealt with, the public outrage giving the perceived evil the powers of example and redemption. (Foucault, P. 66) The mad were neither a source of shame or taboo, madness was present everywhere and mingled with every experience by its images or its dangers. (Foucault, P. 66) However, during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Enlightenment, and the emergence of the man of reason drastically changed peoples attitudes towards the insane: adness was shown, but on the other side of bars; if present, it was at a distance, under the eyes of a reason that no longer felt any relation to it and that would not compromise itself by too close a resemblance. After the Enlightenment a new set of values became prevalent, where reason was now considered the defining characteristic of being human, and therefore it followed that to be unreasonable was to be essentially inhuman. Foucault notes that to the enlightened men of the time: the) animality that rages in madness disposesses man of what is specifically human in him; not in order to deliver him over to other powers, but simply to establish him at the zero degree of his own nature. With their new perspective on the world, the people of seventeenth and eighteenth century Europe now felt a shame in the presence of the inhuman that the Renaissance had never experienced (Foucault, P. 68), the mentally ill were not seen as possessed or evil or ill but as a shameful sideshow, barely more than animals, provoking the mocking laughter and the insulting pity (Foucault, P. 9) of the regular spectators who at the time would regularly pay a small fee into the asylums to gawk at them. (Foucault, P. 68) Foucault draws further attention to the inhumane treatment of the institutionalized mad during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Considered by their unreasonable behaviour to have fallen into bestiality, and that their animality, in fact, protected the lunatic from whatever might be fragile, precarious, or sickly in man (Foucault, P. 4), they were treated as such and he records: It was common knowledge until the end of the eighteenth century that the insane could support the miseries of existence indefinitely. There was no need to protect them; they had no need to be covered or warmed. (Foucault, P. 74) Not simply did men of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries seen madness as a fall into bestiality, the frenzied behaviour and irrationality of the madman was to them a shameful lapse into mans basest level. It was important for their self image to disassociate themselves from the mad. Foucault notes that: Madness had become a thing to look at: no longer a monster inside oneself, but an animal with strange mechanisms, a bestiality from which man had long since been suppressed. (Foucault, P. 70) He contrast this to the view of the Church, who slow to take on the burgeoning attitudes of the Enlightenment, still seen madness with a humanity absent from from the attitudes of the men of reason. He suggests the Church found in madness a difficult but essential lesson: the guilty innocence of the animal in man. Foucault seems to be trying to show in his essay, through the descriptions of the treatement of the mentally ill, that we can learn a lesson from the irony that these enlightened attitudes towards madness, held with such firm belief at the time, now, in a modern context would be seen as extremely inhumane and cruel. A lesson that we must be careful in believing the prevalent conceptions of our time are free from our own inherent biases. In his essay Good and Evil, Good and Bad, Nietzsche calls attention to the fact that our conceptions of good and bad have changed drastically over the centuries. He traces the genealogy of the word good back to its origin in the Classical Age and records how it was was originally conceived as something wholly different to how it is today: The origin of the opposites good and bad is to be found in the pathos of nobility and distance, representing the dominant temper of a higher, ruling class in relation to a lower dependent one. (Nietzsche, P. 160) Nietzsche states that the morality of the nobility of the Classical Age was more immediate, where the notions of good, and pure were synonymous simply with their own being noble as opposed to plebeian, with their own natural dominance and impulsivity. The word pure, for example, was devoid of its current religious connotations: The pure man was originally one who washed himself, who refused to eat certain foods entailing skin diseases, who did not sleep with the unwashed plebeian women, who held blood in abomination hardly more than that.

Punk music in the 70s and 90s Essay -- essays research papers

Punk music has gone through an evolution ever since the punk explosion in the late seventies. Although todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s punk music retains most of the ideology and sound that defines the punk genre, there are some distinct differences between Nineties and Seventies punk. Most of the punk bands to emerge and gain popularity in the nineties mostly hailed from California (Green Day, the Offspring, etc.). Punk vanguards from the seventies hailed from the East Coast and from Great Britain (the Ramones, the Clash, etc.). The Sex Pistolsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ "Liar" and Blink182à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s "Whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s My Age Again?" demonstrates how conditions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  social, political, and physical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬  are reflected in the nature of the music produced by these punk bands. The Sex Pistols emerged in the late seventies as one of the first politically charged punk bands, advocating anarchy in most of their tunes. The band embraced and produced songs that reflected the punk ideology: rebellion and nihilism. The Sex Pistols also reacted to the stark social conditions that infected Great Britain in the late seventies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" rising unemployment, a hard-line, conservative government, and a depressed post-industrial economy. With a hopeless future at the horizon, the restless youth in Britain had plenty of things to get angry about. The Sex Pistols embodied the eraà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s anger and restless ambition. Blink182 first gained popularity as a local band from San Diego. The Southern California environment was completely different from the harsh, cold urban environment of London. The environment from where Blink182 cultivated their style was sunny and suburban San Diego. The mid-nineties were economically good in the United States. The youths of Southern California did not face the same despair as the youths of Britain in the seventies. Moreover, Blink182 gained popularity by producing songs that reflected the "skater" and teen culture of Southern California. Their music is fun, carefree, rebellious, and filled with adolescent, bathroom humor. The harsh, dense noise that is the hallmark of every Sex Pistols song can be heard in "Liar." The distorted guitar is the centerpiece of most punk music. The guitarist, Steve Jones, plays with an incessant, down strumming of power chords, cre... ...rank phone calls / What the hell is caller ID? / My friends say I should act my age / Whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s my age again?" Sung in the mellow style of Hoppus, the aloofness and sarcasm are evident in the lyrics. The song rejects immaturity and advises that "No one should take themselves so seriously." The themes evoked in the song reflect the carefree and mellow attitude of Southern California while at the same time reflect the rebellious attitude of traditional punk. Moreover, the themes, along with the goofy sense of humor of the band, relate to the teen/pop culture that emphasizes music that is fun to listen to. The punk revival in the Nineties retains the energy and freshness of Seventies punk. But as previously evidenced, the creative forces and inspiration that produced this music influenced and affected the message and sound of the songs. "Liar" is a song derived from the angry punk scene of Great Britain and "Whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s My Age Again?" reflects the warm, mellow attitude of Southern California. The distinctions end there. Those looking for the raw sound and power of punk music can find it in both Nineties and Seventies punk.

Active involvement through the study circle Essay

Introduction The Study Circle is a dynamic process wherein the experience and participation of the participants makes up the educational method for this program. Since its beginnings, it has been identified as an emancipatory method of teaching wherein a democratic arena for learning is present especially for young adults. The idea underlying this is that learning could be acquired through sharing of participating members (Putu, 2006). History of Study Circle Aiming at transforming his country, a place wherein widespread poverty and a great gap between the poor and rich exist, Oscar Olsson arrived at America in 1893. Olson is searching for a form of education or method that would be beneficial to transforming his country into a place where justice and liberty work side by side with democracy in order for its people to educate or learn by themselves (Andrews, 1997). Olsson soon found out what he was looking for in America in an unlikely place, an adult education movement sponsored by the Chautauqua literary and scientific circle. From this adult education movement, Olsson was able to discover a form of education called Study Circle and is being referred today as the â€Å"education by the people, for the people and of the people† (Andrews, 1997). After learning or finding out about the Study Circle, Olsson came back to his country which is Sweden and here he began to write a series of report about the Study Circle and incorporated his own theories and ideas about the method. At this time, Oscar Olsson principles and views are influenced heavily by John Dewey and it is known that he has the same philosophical, theoretical and practical approach to education to Tao Xingzhi and Yan Yangchu, both considered as scholars who were also influenced by Dewey’s teaching and principles (Persson, 2006). Olsson’s ideals made way for the creation of Sweden Study Circle in 1902 in the Lund branch of the International Order of Good Templar. First of its kind, the Study Circle emphasize four key areas concerning the Study Circle (Persson, 2006). They are the following: 1) In order for everyone to join the Study Circle, the program must be cheap and in doing so, no one would be desist in joining or participating in the program because of economic reason. 2) The method must be simple that everyone won’t have a hard time participating in the discussion regardless of educational background or schooling. 3) Participants shall meet as equals and have equal possibilities to voice out their opinions about their studies regardless of their social status or background. 4) Lastly, the library and books will play an important role in the education of the participants (Persson, 2006). For Olsson, the Study Circle is a method of organizing studies which focuses on the idea that every participant should educate himself. Study Circle educates its participants by letting them choose their own literature and actively communicating with other participants using their own knowledge during groups discussion and meetings. In doing so, Study Circle was known as forum of democracy, in which participants were held responsible for the contents and the method (Persson, 2006). Olsson also incorporated in the Study Circle the joy of learning. He reasoned out that by spending time and energy on education, the brain will get a strong impression that knowledge is pleasure. Furthermore, Olsson agreed that continuous education and questioning could only be supplied by a stable atmosphere and spirit (Persson, 2006). Review of Related Literature Basic Principles Underlying Study Circles Derived from the ideas of Oscar Olsson, didactic principles that emphasize the role of members in a group were laid down to ensure that the Study Circle would function and work according to its purpose (Brattset, 1982). The principles describe the method as an active process, wherein knowledge will be realized into actions and social changes that could promote development. According to Kindstorm (2002), the method espouses the following principles: 1) Equality and democracy – The principles of democracy and equality allow the members to work hand in hand by allowing the exchange of views and information through dialogues and conversation. 2) Change and action – Being responsible for the education of their fellow members, education on Study Circle won’t just be concern on education but also the development of each member. 3) Study Materials – Books and Libraries will play the role of teachers, as they will be the source of new knowledge and information for the members. What subject to learn or book to read will be decided upon by the members. 4) Freedom and the objectives of Study Circle – Study Circle emphasize the idea that freedom comes with responsibility. The members will have to work in accordance with organization’s framework while carrying out their educational duties and work. 5) Experiences and Co-operation – their will be no competing inside Study Circle and every members walk side by side with each other in trying to educate not only themselves but also their fellow members. Their experience and knowledge before entering the program will bring in new ideas and concept. 6) Active participation and continuous planning – Determining the education level inside a Study Circle will depend on how active the members will be in the program. It is through participating that members will have the chance to voice out their opinion and individual knowledge in front of other members and from this, learning from other people begins. Study Circle is built upon the active participation of its members. Furthermore, individuals may learn best by setting up objectives and goals that will serve as their guide during the program. Although things might have changed because of the year gap, Olsson’s ideas set the standard for future Study Circles. Although other ideas came after the first Study Circle was created, the principles that Olsson established were able to ensure that Study Circles will work as he envisioned them (Kindstorm, 2002).

The End Of Remembering, And Paulo Freire - 844 Words

Do you consider yourself to have a great memory or do you consider yourself to have a bad memory? Can you remember more than four phone numbers and more than three immediate family members birthdays without using any technology? If you cannot answer those simple questions than maybe you should reconsider on working on your memorization side of your brain. Joshua Foer, the author of The End of Remembering, and Paulo Freire, author of The â€Å"Banking† Concept of Education, both write about how important memory is in the world today. In Foer’s passage he states that before paper, books, and modern technology people were expected to remember any piece of information that was given to them. Now people rely on anything that could record information so they would not have to remember it or worry about forgetting. He believes that technology is running our memory. However in Freire’s passage he states that memorizing decontextualizes and is unrelated to present conditi ons, but memory can concrete conditions of our daily lives. The importance of memory and its functions in the world today is that it lets a person find self-identity, prevents shallow base of knowledge, and sets values. Memory provides a sense of personal identity. Memories that were made from the past create the person that they have become today. It helps to ground judgments and with reasoning. As an illustration, one day a young girl was shopping at the mall with a group of friends and they deiced to steal a cuteShow MoreRelatedStory Nursing Theory1552 Words   |  7 Pagesself-in-relation. This is defined as â€Å"an active process of recognizing self as related with others in a developing story plot uncovered through intentional dialogue.† (Smith Liehr, 1999) Creating ease is the third concept. It is defined as â€Å"remembering disjointed story moments to experience flow in the midst of anchoring.† (Smith Liehr, 1999) These definitions are fairly simple and concise. Although self-in-relation is a new term coined by the theorists, like intentional dialogue and creatingRead MoreHow Education Can Be Taught Through The Education System1803 Words   |  8 Pageseducation and would have my classmates and I copy down notes from the board without much detail of what they were teaching. For this very reason, I did not like school. There is a quote by Paulo Freire which says, â€Å"The more completely she fills the receptacles, the better teacher she is.† To my understanding, Freire is trying to convey to the readers that the more the student allows himself to take in knowledge, the better student he will be, which perfectly describes my point of view. However, theRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesBRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Editor in Chief: Eric Svendsen Acquisitions Editor: Kim Norbuta Editorial Project Manager: Claudia Fernandes Director of Marketing: Patrice Lumumba Jones Marketing Manager: