ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The best proof as to objective value of Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi’s operatic legacy can very well serve the fact that even today, it is practically impossible to attend these composers’ opera productions, without booking tickets for at least 1-2 years ahead of time. Apparently, the idea that both composers were nothing less of musical geniuses of an unmatched significance is not altogether deprived of rationale. In this paper, we will aim at substantiating the validity of this thesis, while specifying the particularities of Wagner and Verdi’s approaches to the art of opera and also explaining the metaphysical preconditions, which prompted both composers to explore their artistic creativeness in truly remarkable manner. Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi were contemporaries, born in the same year of 1813. They both have become a national pride of their countries – Germany and Italy, respectively, they both went down the history of music as opera reformers, and they both strived to utilize their operas as intellectual vehicles for promoting their philosophical and political ideas. At the same time, even the viewers that are being exposed to Wagner and Verdi’s opera performances for the first time instantly realize that there is a striking contrast between how both composers had approached their professional task. And the most obvious difference appears to be the fact that, while composing their masterpieces, Wagner and Verdi were concerned with consistently different subject matters. Whereas, Verdi tried to provide viewers with three-dimensional insight onto most of his operas’ characters, as something that in his view had a value in itself, Wagner strived for nothing less then instilling viewers with entirely new, romantic outlook onto objective reality, while encouraging viewers to adjust their own lives to the notion of existential idealism. In his article “Force of Destiny”, Tim Ashley points out at intrinsic difference between Verdi and Wagner as both: private individuals and composers: “He (Wagner) and Verdi are antithetical. Wagner tries to change the world by alternately destroying, refashioning and redeeming it in a nihilistic frenzy. Verdi celebrates existence by exploring life in all its variety with infinite compassion. Wagner is ultimately elitist, totalitarian. Verdi, by contrast, is music’s greatest democrat” (Ashley, 2001). Richard Wagner had never positioned himself as being solely a composer and the analysis of his biography leaves no doubt as to the fact that, besides having excelled in composing music, Wagner had also excelled in literary criticism, journalism and in variety of philosophical and political pursuits. He was a supreme scholar of ancient Greek philosophy and art – it is namely on the ground of their shared interest in exploring the particularities of this philosophy that Wag
Introduction Anyone growing up in America, and many who only dream of growing up there, seems to have an idea of a promised ‘American Dream’ that floats in virtual space like a tasty dessert one only achieves if they have performed well. Although each person has a different idea of exactly what form that dessert make take – a bowl of fruit and cream, a brownie covered in fudge, ice cream and apple pie – there is a shared concept of something enticingly sweet, highly desirable, reasonably attainable and intended just for them. A great deal of energy and attention is given to the concept of the American Dream, but while most people seem to have this concept of a tantalizing dessert drifting just outside of their reach, few have any clue as to just what that dessert might look like for them. Because the concept seems to be universally understood, very few people discuss the idea of the American Dream to any great extent, but without any form of real definition, it remains puzzling just how anyone might be able to determine when or if they have ever reached it. Like the dessert that is sweet, desirable and attainable, the American Dream has some common elements such as a house, leisure time and the natural result of average effort, yet each individual must realize that their idea of home and their concept of leisure might be vastly different from another person’s. Without actually defining what comprises the individual dream, it is impossible to discover it just as a lack of definition regarding what comprises an elephant might lead one to chase a rhinoceros instead as it is also a large grey creature with four legs. In his play, Death of a Salesman , playwright Arthur Miller presents the story of Willy Loman and his last ditch efforts to achieve the American Dream he envisions for himself and his family. This paper argues that Miller’s play illustrates the problem of fuzzy definition, discovers the actual elusiveness of the American Dream as a common treat and that the play itself argues for an adjustment of our concepts of this term in favor of something more personal. Fuzzy Definition Throughout Miller’s play, Willy continues to compare himself to a vague notion he has of the American Dream. The idea of the house being an integral part of the Dream is brought in almost immediately as Willy observes to his wife “Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it, and there’s nobody to live in it” (4). This statement reveals the emptiness Willy has found in the accomplishment of provi
The watchmaker`s analogy is one of the theories discussing the issue of existence of God. William Paley is the developer of this analogy, who gives a detailed explanation of the existence of God by means of watch. Paley claims that the design of making a watch could only be explained by the watchmaker. He meant that it was not possible for any common being to explain the complex nature of the watch. According to his theory, only the watch developer could explain its intricate nature. In trying to prove the existence of God, Paley has stated that ordinary human beings do not have explanation of how the universe was developed since its developer is a supreme being. With the complex nature of the universe and its organisms, Paley asserts that God is the designer of the universe and living organisms on earth. This paper tries to find out the weaknesses in the Paley`s analogy of the existence of God. Paley based his argument on the complex nature of the watch and magnified the reasoning in regards to the designing of the universe and its complex organisms. In his premises, he has posited that the world was created miraculously, and that it is not possible to explain how the things present on earth came into being just because we do not have the powers or the knowledge about it. Similar to the way an ordinary person would not be able to design a watch or repair it, it is not possible for us to explain how the world was created. In his argument, Paley ignores the fact that man is not the same as he was two thousand years ago. Based on the increased complexity of organisms, it is, therefore, illogical to conclude that God created the universe and organisms in a perfect and complex nature as Paley`s argument posits (Engel 23). Paley has claimed that nature is unfair at some point but pleasure is more abundant in our lives than pain. He has also stated that God is just and fair in his actions, and whatever happens in the universe is not by accident or meant to make people suffer, but rather happens in the will of God. Analysis of this argument brings into play several questions about God`s will and pain in human life. Pain and pleasure are all components in the human life, however, their occurrences tend to differ among human beings. Some people in the developed world are brought up in rich families, attend the best schools, and get highly paying jobs, which makes them live in grand style. In contrast, a child growing in a developing country will be born in a poor family. These children lack basic needs and most of them end up being casual workers. Their lives are often characterized by misery. As such, the question that arises: Is it the same God who created all people? If God is fair and just in his actions, could we consider him being fair to both individuals? If he is fair as Paley puts it, then Paley should come up with a better definition on justice and fairness of God in the context of pain and pleasure in the human life
Core business Airship Tours Ltd will be a picnic and tours company located in San Francisco. The company will be offering picnic and tour services to customers in America. There will be various services aimed at ensuring that customers get the best from company. For instance, the company will have airships tours around hilly places and over rain forests. This will enable their customers to enjoy sky rides and at the same time have chances to view various geographical terrains in America. Mission The mission of Airship Tours Ltd will be to provide world class services to customers by enabling them fly over America’s most beautiful cities. In addition, the company will be committed to ensuring that customers are treated with a high level of hospitality. Safety of customers will be given priority, and this will be achieved by ensuring that all airships are in excellent condition. Furthermore, the company will employ qualified pilots to operate their airships to guarantee customers of their safety. Target market This business will target tourists and young people who work in the busy San Francisco city. There will be services designed to meet different needs of customers in order to attract people from all social classes. For instance, the company may organize distinctive sky tours for the business class targeting young managers. After a thorough market research, it will be possible to come up with products that are ideal for various groups of customers. This will be aimed at ensuring that customer demands will always be met. Evaluation of the external market In the external market, the Airship Tours Ltd Company is required to adhere to rules and regulations set by the government. For example, there are business licenses that have to be acquired for the business to be allowed to operate legally in the city. In addition, the company will ensure that it identifies all its competitors and services they offer. This will enable the company to venture into the market with the right strategies that will help it face the competition. The company should also consider getting suppliers who have expertise in the field of supplying airship equipment. This is important as the company may require the same suppliers to maintain their airships. Marketing strategies Airship Tours Ltd will be situated in a strategic location to enhance accessibility. This is extremely valuable because customers will be able to access the company from the city without having to take cabs. Accessibility is particularly crucial for the company as suppliers can be called to maintain airships anytime since they have offices within the city. The company will offer all products at prices a
It is worth noting that the adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is old, familiar, and well known. Importantly, there are several analogs to this statement, each of them supporting the single thought that a person should not try to correct or improve something that is already functioning. Such historical personalities as Shakespeare, Voltaire, Giovanni, and others have supported similar ideas referring to the fact that in the effort to make something perfect, a person might ruin what was already good. The purpose of this paper is to provide arguments to justify the position supporting this adage. Argumentation It should be stressed that many people have discussed this adage and it has provoked vigorous debate regarding its real-life applicability. Various arguments have been provided either supporting or refuting this saying. Its common understanding has an implication that the attempt to refine or enhance something might be perilous and result in negative consequences (Van Eemeren & Grootendorst, 2016). In applying this scrap of wisdom to the example of business organizations and companies, it can be seen that when giving up good prospects in the name of pursuing the best, management is drawn into spending money and resources yet fails to achieve the intended outcome. Furthermore, it may be impossible to return to a well-established system or strategy that ensured generally positive results. Thus, an attempt to fix a system that already worked well can result in the loss of both the good and the best options. In this instance, there are two considerations: Despite an individual’s or organization’s best efforts, it is possible to fail to reach the best option, and added to that, there is always a chance of losing a good existing option. In addition, it is possible to provide arguments to support this statement by referring to economic theory. Many neoclassical models suggest that agents (for instance, people) have enough resources to make the best choice among different options (Wolff & Resnick, 2012). However, the search for the best option is a costly procedure; therefore, choosing a satisfactory (good/functioning) option is a rational decision. In other words, continuing the search for the best option leads to wasting resources, and worse, the agent (person) might be left with nothing—no resources and no options to choose from (Wolff & Resnick, 2012). Thus, the fact that an object is functioning implies that it is in satisfactory condition and does not require fixing; it also suggests the possibility that repairing the initially working object might finally lead to its malfunctioning or breaking. Conclusion Therefore, it can be concluded that this adage leaves room for debate and argumentation on both sides. Nevertheless, the existence of risk is undebatable. The concept of continuous improvement implies that all actions should be targeted at enhancing performance. At this point, it is crucial to determine whether the attempt to fix something that is already functioning is worth the risk. In the case where a company cons
In the lawless world of the ancients the need for a great leader was never in question. In a time when tribes and small nations regularly go to war there was a clamor for a warrior-king. And the ancients find stability in monarchy. In order to perpetuate power and of course security and stability, ancient kings regarded themselves as children of the divine and therefore secure the right to rule as long as they produce a male heir. In the Age of Enlightenment, the people – fed up with the abuse of authority – began to question the divine right of rulers to own land, together with all that it contains including people. But in recent times, terrorism, political and economic instability prompted many to revisit two great schools of thought championed by two of the greatest political thinkers in modern history – John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Locke believes that men are both equal and free and not fully subjected to a monarch while Hobbes believes in absolutism for the sake of peace, security, and progress. This paper will take a closer look at John Locke’s ideas as can be gleaned from the study of his major work the Two Treatises of Government. Of particular interest in this study is Locke’s view on what is natural law and natural rights. This will be compared to Hobbes conflicting view as understood from studying his masterpiece the Leviathan. Both theories will be applied using the leadership example of Frederick the Great and of course by using the same to understand the 21 st century’s political landscape. Hobbes Thomas Hobbes was born a few decades before John Locke and he was born into a European continent where nations are constantly at war. His particular experience with the English Civil War and its accompanying hardships led him to the conclusion that, “There must be some coercive power to compel men equally to the performance of their covenants, by the terror of some punishment, greater than the benefit they expect by the breach of their covenant.” 1 Sharon Lloyd clarified Hobbes’ point of view by explaining that, “Because virtually any government would be better than a civil war, people ought to submit themselves to an absolute political authority. Continued stability will require that they also refrain from the sorts of actions that might undermine such a regime… Hobbes aimed to demonstrate the reciprocal relationship between political obedience and peace.” 2 Hobbes believes in absolutism. Locke During the time of Locke, the Western world was undergoing a revolution of ideas. The intellectuals of his time steeled themselves to go against established ideas about the universe, human existence, and the material world they live in. Everyone was hyper critical of dogmas and will not accept information handed down from previous generations of policy makers and religious institutions. Everything must be tested and nothing was spared including the idea on how men must be g
Antonio Puleo is an intelligent artist and exceedingly successful in the spheres of painting. He formulates the paintings by assembling a variety of items like fabrics, bird’s images, acrylic, gold leaf and other objects then situating them together on paper. In his work, he cleverly manipulates and organizes symbols and forms to craft his world. The compositions he uses are intricate; however, a detailed scrutiny depicts them as harmony. He uses uncomplicated geometric figures when devising paintings. He further employs these shapes and other materials mentioned to cluster them in patterns that are appealing and conforming to each other. Puleo has painted many pieces of work and presented them either independently or alongside other artists such as Kim Abeles and others. He has exhibited in events such as ‘cherry and martin’ where his work was titled “First show” and “Santa Monicah Museum of art”, where he presented ‘Incognito’ (Frank). From his artwork, Antonio uses different small items and combines them to create a wide view, which viewers love. He brings symbols and images that were used in ancient times to present day features such as buildings. The elements of hope and patience in human development are implicit from his paintings’ perspective as illustrated by ‘light’ in his painting. His works depicts religion highlighted in the logic associated with religious dimensions used in past and modern times. This is especially through the exploitation of the bird symbols. Colors used in his artworks normally touch emotions. This is a subtle indication of the theme of romance (Pagel). Puleo’s work is depicting his creativity and systematic presentation of themes. He uses simple materials from which he comes up with exemplary articulations that are appealing. Sally Mann The documentary addresses real issues that Sally faces while trying to bring a harmony in her profession with her family. While a mother of three, and a photographer, she faces conflicting roles that both the two states need. Meanwhile, she has to know how to relate with the wider family, which she cannot omit in her context since they meet frequently. Her actions of taking nude photographs of her three children would not be acceptable in many cultures in the world. The postures of the children during the photography add strength to the morality theme, which is a major focus in the whole documentary. This is the reason why she has faced ardent criticism from many who have watched the documentary, especially from the religious sides and the government. The process of growing up and sexuality is one of the key issues in her production. She is concerned with beauty and the state of womanhood of her daughters, and this may be the reason for taking the photos. She is aware of the future effects of her moves on the children. Many would view this as child pornography and a threat to the children’s moral future. The act of publishing the photos worsens the matter. A thorough scrutiny into the documentary
Introduction Substance dependence and abuse are now the most frequent adjustment disorders not only in the general population but especially among young adults and adolescents. Some national drug policies assert reducing drug use, while the Australian drug policy supports the reduction of the harms of use (Beyers et. al., 2006). The Australian harm-reduction model may promote more tolerant attitudes in youth, their parents, and the community, and this will consequently increase substance abuse. In Australia, just as in many other countries substance abuse has been occupying the first place among all forms of psychiatric disorders for many years. Statistical analysis revealed that the most common substances abused by Australian adolescents are alcohol and tobacco, like general public, community, and parental attitudes are favorable towards this drug usage (Beyers et. al., 2006). This issue is particularly affecting adolescents, damaging their vulnerable health, lowering academic performance, destroying interpersonal relationships (Hodgins et. al., 2007). This highly prevailing drug abuse tendency has a striking impact on society. Just a few effects of this epidemic on society are decreased productivity, high expenses in the criminal justice system, high rate of unemployment among those who graduate from high school and continue with substance abuse. Most drug rehabilitation professionals are now arguing that the financial cost of this problem is nowhere near the dramatic consequences of the personal suffering of drug abusers and their families estimated in millions of individuals (Cherry, Dillon, & Rugh, 2002). Especially impressive are the results of drug abuse in adolescents who develop such disorders, as a socially concerned, talented, and the smart young individual becomes transformed into a different type of person, and this is very alarming. Substance abuse most of the time causes academic failure, and such conditions as depressive disorders and/or anxiety disorders are sometimes secondary to this issue and may eventually lead to hopelessness and social isolation (Burrow-Sanchez, 2006). It is not a rare occurrence that for some adolescents substance abuse turns out to be fatal. These fatalities usually occur due to accidents related to substance abuse, or overdoses of the drugs. It is essential to direct social resources, including scientific research at the problem of substance dependence and abuse, especially when this problem involves young adults in order to bring understanding and improve this issue. In modern society adolescent substance abuse is a problem of great magnitude. This implies that this phenomenon has for a long time been the focus of scientific studies (cf. Cox & Calamari, in press). However, surprisingly it appears that these problems have been evaluated scientifically just recently. Over the years problems of substance use were related to moral and legal issues, dealt with by religious and political authorities, and were left outside of the mental health field (cf