"How does the view of ethical cause and effect in history in Works and Days compare with the furies' view in The Eumenides?"
In both Works and days and The Eumenides, we see a clear view of ethical sanctions. Works and days gives instructions on how to live a good life and it also talks about the repercussions of living a morally wrong life. The same goes for The Eumenides, although it is more so showing the negative sanctions instead of telling you about the good ones.
One of the first similarities that I notice between these two pieces of literature is that they both have very distinct characteristics as far as revenge is concerned. In Works and Days it talks about how it's alright to seek out revenge if the person has wronged you. The same goes for The Eumenides. In The Eumenides, Orestes is being tried to see if he was in the right when he sought out revenge on his mother who killed Orestes' father. This is one of the distinct characteristics that I talked about a second ago. In this play we see that it was completely acceptable to commit murder in the name of revenge.
Another similarity that I see is how in Works and Days it talks about finding a good wife. It says that if you don't, then you will reap the consequences. We can see this played out in The Eumenides. In The Eumenides, Agamemnon's wife was Clytemnestra. She committed adultery and then killed her husband. In the view of Hesiod, the writer of Works and days, Clytemnestra would have been considered a bad wife.
The furies did not see Clytemnestra as a "bad" wife. They saw her as taking completely just revenge. This is one of the places where the course of ethical cause and effect in Works and Days varies with the view of the furies in The Eumenides.
We also see that both the furies' view and the view of ethical cause and effect in Works and Days agree with one another on the topic of "Honesty is the best policy". In Works and Days, Hesiod says to be honest. When asked to testify, the furies are honest about what Orestes did to his mother and Orestes is honest about why he killed her. The furies in this situation agree with Works and Days because of the presence of honesty.
Now I would like to compare the furies' view with the view of ethical cause and effect in Works and days on the subject of hard work. In Works and Days, Hesiod says that hard work pays off. We can see the furies' hard work paying off in The Eumenides when they became respected gods. No, Orestes wasn't found guilty, but they did receive fame and honor from the city of Athens.
As you can see, there are many similarities between these two works of art. I encourage you to take a look at them yourself and see if you are able to find any more similarities/non-similarities between them.
Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Friday, December 20, 2013
The Colosseum and Seneca
"According to Seneca, what is man's unique good? How should a good man conduct himself?"
Seneca's view of the unique good was quite peculiar actually. He said that the unique good was distinguishing between things that have reason and things that do not. For instance, he says that a child has not achieved the unique good because it cannot reason. He also says that the trees have not reached the unique good because they do not reason.
According to Seneca, in order for you to reach the unique good, you would have to be able to reason. Things like bugs, bushes, or statues cannot reason, so they would not posses the unique good in Seneca's opinion. In order to reach the unique good, you must be able to reason!
Our ability to reason through life's situations is what makes us able to attain the ultimate good. It's what makes us human. It's what makes us unique.
Seneca also thought that a good man should conduct himself in a virtuous manner, and that a good man should have an ethical attitude. He thought that a good man should not simply be living for the pleasures of this world.
I will close with the same phrase that he did in one of his letters.
"You will come to your own when you shall understand that those whom the world calls fortunate are really the most unfortunate of all."
"Read further about one of the works of art discussed in lesson 54, and in about 125 words discuss the additional details you find out."
For this section of my essay I decided that I would talk about the Colosseum. The Colosseum was finished in 80 AD, and was used for many different purposes. Some of these include gladiatorial battles, animal hunts, and even executions. The executions would be held in the form of a play where the condemned would play the hero and would be executed.
Modern estimates figure that about 50,000 people could be seated in the Colosseum.
The Colosseum now has millions of tourists every year coming to see it. That's no surprise considering how massive it's reputation is these days! It being mentioned in movies such as Gladiator, books, etc., is certainly the reason why.
The Colosseum certainly is a magnificent structure! Perhaps even more magnificent, is how it's history has not been forgotten throughout the many years since it's completion in 80 AD. It has sparked the imaginations of many with it's brilliant size, beauty, and the stories that go along with it. I hope that it will continue to be a source of inspiration throughout the coming years. It is something that simply cannot be forgotten.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Seneca's view of the unique good was quite peculiar actually. He said that the unique good was distinguishing between things that have reason and things that do not. For instance, he says that a child has not achieved the unique good because it cannot reason. He also says that the trees have not reached the unique good because they do not reason.
According to Seneca, in order for you to reach the unique good, you would have to be able to reason. Things like bugs, bushes, or statues cannot reason, so they would not posses the unique good in Seneca's opinion. In order to reach the unique good, you must be able to reason!
Our ability to reason through life's situations is what makes us able to attain the ultimate good. It's what makes us human. It's what makes us unique.
Seneca also thought that a good man should conduct himself in a virtuous manner, and that a good man should have an ethical attitude. He thought that a good man should not simply be living for the pleasures of this world.
I will close with the same phrase that he did in one of his letters.
"You will come to your own when you shall understand that those whom the world calls fortunate are really the most unfortunate of all."
"Read further about one of the works of art discussed in lesson 54, and in about 125 words discuss the additional details you find out."
For this section of my essay I decided that I would talk about the Colosseum. The Colosseum was finished in 80 AD, and was used for many different purposes. Some of these include gladiatorial battles, animal hunts, and even executions. The executions would be held in the form of a play where the condemned would play the hero and would be executed.
Modern estimates figure that about 50,000 people could be seated in the Colosseum.
The Colosseum now has millions of tourists every year coming to see it. That's no surprise considering how massive it's reputation is these days! It being mentioned in movies such as Gladiator, books, etc., is certainly the reason why.
The Colosseum certainly is a magnificent structure! Perhaps even more magnificent, is how it's history has not been forgotten throughout the many years since it's completion in 80 AD. It has sparked the imaginations of many with it's brilliant size, beauty, and the stories that go along with it. I hope that it will continue to be a source of inspiration throughout the coming years. It is something that simply cannot be forgotten.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Friday, December 13, 2013
The Autobiography of Augustus and the Life of Julius Caesar
"Discuss the autobiography of Augustus."
This week, one topic that I was asked to cover was this, "Discuss the autobiography of Augustus." I guess that I'll jump right in!
This autobiography is filled with the great acts that Augustus committed. Waging war, raising up an army, and building a temple were all things that he described himself doing. He also described himself becoming consul numerous times.
Although he was definitely a very important man, he seems a little self-righteous in his autobiography in my opinion. I for one wouldn't talk about myself in such a god-like manner if I were to write my autobiography. Then again, he wasn't me. It was also a different time and place. I mean, this is ancient Rome that we're talking about, and he certainly was no ordinary Roman citizen! He was Augustus! The man that rebuilt the Capital and theater in Pompey, formed colonies in Africa, Spain, Macedonia, and several other places, and he put out a civil-war! Don't forget that these are not the only accomplishments that he attained. He had several others, far more than most people will ever accomplish in their lifetimes.
If you would like to read his autobiography yourself, this link will take you to it. http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html
I highly encourage you to read it! Who knows, it might spark the historian in you!
"Use your reading and the video lesson to summarize important events in the life of Julius Caesar."
Welcome friend to the amazing land of history! You are about to embark on a journey that will last a lifetime and change your view on the world! Please take a step forward onto the history express and choose the train car that says "ANCIENT ROME". Enjoy your trip!
A short man with a bald head comes up to you. "May I take your ticket?" You check your pockets for a ticket but can't seem to find one. "I'm sorry, I don't think I have one. In fact, I don't even remember seeing a place to buy one." The man replies with, "That comes as no surprise to me. I take it that this is your first time on the train?" "Yes, you are correct." After you have said this, the man starts to chuckle. "My dear friend, you don't buy your ticket. You have your ticket with you every day." You look at the man with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?" "I mean that your ticket is anything that inspires you. It could be a painting, a movie, or even something that a child says. Anything and everything you do comes from the magic of inspiration. Now, what was your inspiration to board the train?" You think for a moment. "As I was walking home from work I saw a picture of Rome on the window of a travel agency. After that, this train just appeared." The short man pulls a piece of luggage out from under one of the seats and stands on it. He pulls out a small pad of paper and a gold pen from a compartment in the roof of the train. He then hands the objects to you. "Write down what your inspiration was on a piece of paper from this notebook." You write down the word "PICTURE", and hand it to the man. He punches a hole in the top-right corner of the paper, and hands it back to you. He looks at you with a twinkle in his eye and says this, "Don't lose it. Inspiration is the worst thing that a person can lose." You reply in a soft voice while looking at your ticket, "I won't." Once you look up again, the man is gone, leaving only you and the other passengers.
Out of the blue, the train whistle blows and you can feel the train cars moving. You look out of your window in sheer wonder. Right before your eyes the landscape is changing, towns and cities are appearing and disappearing in seconds. At one moment, you actually thought that you saw Abraham Lincoln walking down the street. You whisper to yourself, "This is impossible." The train continues in this manner for a couple of hours, and just as the train started, it stopped just as quickly.
You look out of your window and see a large city in the distance. Someone says, "It's beautiful isn't it?" Surprised, you look towards the person speaking to you. It turns out to be the short man that disappeared earlier. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to frighten you. I just came to give you some appropriate clothes. What you're wearing right now simply won't be accepted in Rome." You look at your jeans and t-shirt. "I suppose that you're right. Wait a second! Did you just say Rome?" The man grins. "Yes, that's what I said. There is a changing room at the end of this car." You turn your head to look at where the man is talking about. "I see it, thank you." You get up and walk to the changing room. You put on the clothes that the short man gave you, and put your old clothes in a basket in the corner of the room. You walk out of the changing room and go to the door that says "EXIT". A young lad opens the door for you. "Thanks." The child answers with, "No problem!" After you have stepped outside, the kid runs over to who you believe is his sister. In a flash, the train is gone.
You see a mule standing by a rock that is wearing it's riding equipment. There is a woman standing next to it. She calls your name. You ask her, "Me?" she replies with, "Yes you, I wouldn't call out your name if I wasn't talking to you." You look at her and say, "I suppose not, but why are you calling my name?" She looks at you with an annoyed expression. "To tell you to come get your mule. I need him back before you leave to go back home." Confused, you get onto the mule and decide to ride towards the city. Once you enter, you see a large crowd standing around a man. You dismount, and walk over to it. You ask the person standing next to you who the man in the middle of the crowd is. The person replies with, "Who is he? What do you mean who is he? That man is none other than Julius Caesar, the greatest military commander in all of Rome!" You think about it for a second as you remember back to high-school when you learned about Julius Caesar. You can't believe your eyes! You are looking at Julius Caesar in the flesh! A man who was previously no more than name to you, is now standing only a few feet away! You listen to him speak, and come to the conclusion that he is giving a speech for one of his military campaigns.
After he is done speaking, you decide to look around one of the market places. As you ride your mule, a snake slithers across the rode and startles the animal. The mule bucks you off and runs off down the street leaving you unconscious on the ground.
When you awake, you are lying in a tent and a man is wiping the wound on your head with a cool cloth. "Who are you?" The man shakes his head. "You must have a pretty good concussion not to know the answer to that question. I'm Julius, Julius Caesar." You start to feel dizzy again. "Now don't you pass out again! It took two hours for you to wake up this last time. Who knows how long it will take if it happens again." You gain the courage to speak to this amazing man and reply with, "Sorry, I was just surprised is all." Julius smiles and says, "I bet you were! Although I'm not generally into the spirit of helping complete strangers, I am not completely lacking in compassion."
This one day leads to a friendship that lasts for about four months. Through this friendship, you learn many things about each-other. He told you about his father that had ruled the province of Asia, and how his father had died very suddenly when Julius he was only sixteen. He also told you about how his family was said to be descended from the legendary prince, lulus. The prince was said to be the son of Aeneas, the son of the goddess Venus.
Although these stories where very fascinating to you, your interest lied mainly in his most well known stories. The ones taught in your own time. He told you how he had conquered Gaul, and how he had held offices as dictatorship, the tribunate, and how he had gone between the consulship and the Proconsulship. He told you about how he had been allied with the two men, Crassus and Pompey. He told you how he was appointed dictator for life, and how his daughter had been married to his ally, Pompey. He told you about how he had cried when Pompey had died. He even told you about his affair with Cleopatra!
The story that intrigued you the most however, was the story of how he became the leader of Rome. It happened when the Senate told Caesar to give up his military command and come back to Rome. Caesar made his refusal known by crossing the Rubicon with a legion, exiting his province, and illegally entering the territory of Rome fully armed. This act of defiance let to a Civil war where he came out as the head of Rome.
You stayed in Rome right up until your good friend, Julius Caesar, was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC. You, after his death, were in despair. You thought of how the members of the Senate, calling themselves Liberators had planned out the gruesome act that had brought upon your friend's death.
At this point, you couldn't help but feel a longing for home. Just as the train had appeared four months ago, it appeared again. You walked through the train's doors and never looked back.
Once again, the short bald man came and asked for your ticket. You wrote down the word "GRIEF" on a piece of paper and handed it to the man. He seemed to understand and left you alone. Soon, you were home. You put on your old clothes, stepped off of the train, and went back home. And then, you woke up. You look at your open window with the sun shining through it. You now know that what you experienced was only a dream. An amazing dream that would stick with you for the rest of your life.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
This week, one topic that I was asked to cover was this, "Discuss the autobiography of Augustus." I guess that I'll jump right in!
This autobiography is filled with the great acts that Augustus committed. Waging war, raising up an army, and building a temple were all things that he described himself doing. He also described himself becoming consul numerous times.
Although he was definitely a very important man, he seems a little self-righteous in his autobiography in my opinion. I for one wouldn't talk about myself in such a god-like manner if I were to write my autobiography. Then again, he wasn't me. It was also a different time and place. I mean, this is ancient Rome that we're talking about, and he certainly was no ordinary Roman citizen! He was Augustus! The man that rebuilt the Capital and theater in Pompey, formed colonies in Africa, Spain, Macedonia, and several other places, and he put out a civil-war! Don't forget that these are not the only accomplishments that he attained. He had several others, far more than most people will ever accomplish in their lifetimes.
If you would like to read his autobiography yourself, this link will take you to it. http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html
I highly encourage you to read it! Who knows, it might spark the historian in you!
"Use your reading and the video lesson to summarize important events in the life of Julius Caesar."
Welcome friend to the amazing land of history! You are about to embark on a journey that will last a lifetime and change your view on the world! Please take a step forward onto the history express and choose the train car that says "ANCIENT ROME". Enjoy your trip!
A short man with a bald head comes up to you. "May I take your ticket?" You check your pockets for a ticket but can't seem to find one. "I'm sorry, I don't think I have one. In fact, I don't even remember seeing a place to buy one." The man replies with, "That comes as no surprise to me. I take it that this is your first time on the train?" "Yes, you are correct." After you have said this, the man starts to chuckle. "My dear friend, you don't buy your ticket. You have your ticket with you every day." You look at the man with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?" "I mean that your ticket is anything that inspires you. It could be a painting, a movie, or even something that a child says. Anything and everything you do comes from the magic of inspiration. Now, what was your inspiration to board the train?" You think for a moment. "As I was walking home from work I saw a picture of Rome on the window of a travel agency. After that, this train just appeared." The short man pulls a piece of luggage out from under one of the seats and stands on it. He pulls out a small pad of paper and a gold pen from a compartment in the roof of the train. He then hands the objects to you. "Write down what your inspiration was on a piece of paper from this notebook." You write down the word "PICTURE", and hand it to the man. He punches a hole in the top-right corner of the paper, and hands it back to you. He looks at you with a twinkle in his eye and says this, "Don't lose it. Inspiration is the worst thing that a person can lose." You reply in a soft voice while looking at your ticket, "I won't." Once you look up again, the man is gone, leaving only you and the other passengers.
Out of the blue, the train whistle blows and you can feel the train cars moving. You look out of your window in sheer wonder. Right before your eyes the landscape is changing, towns and cities are appearing and disappearing in seconds. At one moment, you actually thought that you saw Abraham Lincoln walking down the street. You whisper to yourself, "This is impossible." The train continues in this manner for a couple of hours, and just as the train started, it stopped just as quickly.
You look out of your window and see a large city in the distance. Someone says, "It's beautiful isn't it?" Surprised, you look towards the person speaking to you. It turns out to be the short man that disappeared earlier. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to frighten you. I just came to give you some appropriate clothes. What you're wearing right now simply won't be accepted in Rome." You look at your jeans and t-shirt. "I suppose that you're right. Wait a second! Did you just say Rome?" The man grins. "Yes, that's what I said. There is a changing room at the end of this car." You turn your head to look at where the man is talking about. "I see it, thank you." You get up and walk to the changing room. You put on the clothes that the short man gave you, and put your old clothes in a basket in the corner of the room. You walk out of the changing room and go to the door that says "EXIT". A young lad opens the door for you. "Thanks." The child answers with, "No problem!" After you have stepped outside, the kid runs over to who you believe is his sister. In a flash, the train is gone.
You see a mule standing by a rock that is wearing it's riding equipment. There is a woman standing next to it. She calls your name. You ask her, "Me?" she replies with, "Yes you, I wouldn't call out your name if I wasn't talking to you." You look at her and say, "I suppose not, but why are you calling my name?" She looks at you with an annoyed expression. "To tell you to come get your mule. I need him back before you leave to go back home." Confused, you get onto the mule and decide to ride towards the city. Once you enter, you see a large crowd standing around a man. You dismount, and walk over to it. You ask the person standing next to you who the man in the middle of the crowd is. The person replies with, "Who is he? What do you mean who is he? That man is none other than Julius Caesar, the greatest military commander in all of Rome!" You think about it for a second as you remember back to high-school when you learned about Julius Caesar. You can't believe your eyes! You are looking at Julius Caesar in the flesh! A man who was previously no more than name to you, is now standing only a few feet away! You listen to him speak, and come to the conclusion that he is giving a speech for one of his military campaigns.
After he is done speaking, you decide to look around one of the market places. As you ride your mule, a snake slithers across the rode and startles the animal. The mule bucks you off and runs off down the street leaving you unconscious on the ground.
When you awake, you are lying in a tent and a man is wiping the wound on your head with a cool cloth. "Who are you?" The man shakes his head. "You must have a pretty good concussion not to know the answer to that question. I'm Julius, Julius Caesar." You start to feel dizzy again. "Now don't you pass out again! It took two hours for you to wake up this last time. Who knows how long it will take if it happens again." You gain the courage to speak to this amazing man and reply with, "Sorry, I was just surprised is all." Julius smiles and says, "I bet you were! Although I'm not generally into the spirit of helping complete strangers, I am not completely lacking in compassion."
This one day leads to a friendship that lasts for about four months. Through this friendship, you learn many things about each-other. He told you about his father that had ruled the province of Asia, and how his father had died very suddenly when Julius he was only sixteen. He also told you about how his family was said to be descended from the legendary prince, lulus. The prince was said to be the son of Aeneas, the son of the goddess Venus.
Although these stories where very fascinating to you, your interest lied mainly in his most well known stories. The ones taught in your own time. He told you how he had conquered Gaul, and how he had held offices as dictatorship, the tribunate, and how he had gone between the consulship and the Proconsulship. He told you about how he had been allied with the two men, Crassus and Pompey. He told you how he was appointed dictator for life, and how his daughter had been married to his ally, Pompey. He told you about how he had cried when Pompey had died. He even told you about his affair with Cleopatra!
The story that intrigued you the most however, was the story of how he became the leader of Rome. It happened when the Senate told Caesar to give up his military command and come back to Rome. Caesar made his refusal known by crossing the Rubicon with a legion, exiting his province, and illegally entering the territory of Rome fully armed. This act of defiance let to a Civil war where he came out as the head of Rome.
You stayed in Rome right up until your good friend, Julius Caesar, was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC. You, after his death, were in despair. You thought of how the members of the Senate, calling themselves Liberators had planned out the gruesome act that had brought upon your friend's death.
At this point, you couldn't help but feel a longing for home. Just as the train had appeared four months ago, it appeared again. You walked through the train's doors and never looked back.
Once again, the short bald man came and asked for your ticket. You wrote down the word "GRIEF" on a piece of paper and handed it to the man. He seemed to understand and left you alone. Soon, you were home. You put on your old clothes, stepped off of the train, and went back home. And then, you woke up. You look at your open window with the sun shining through it. You now know that what you experienced was only a dream. An amazing dream that would stick with you for the rest of your life.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
The "Kangaroo Question"
"Answer, in your own words, the "kangaroo question." Why do some species only live in one part of the world, even though there are other environments which could be suitable?"
The answers to this question are actually quite simple. They might stay in the place that they live because a behavioral pattern keeps them there. For instance, some animals might prefer to eat a certain kind of food that can only be found in a certain area.
Another reason is that they might not be able to thrive in any other environment. Yes, they might be able to live there, but they might not be able to thrive there. Thriving entails their offspring being able to survive in the environment, the animals being able to avoid particular parasites or predators, etc.
Another reason is that they might only be able to travel a very short distance in their lifetime. For example, some bugs might be able to do just fine in multiple places of the world, but these bugs can't get there. Unless the bug has some help from us humans of Earth, it won't live long enough to see the "land across the sea".
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
The answers to this question are actually quite simple. They might stay in the place that they live because a behavioral pattern keeps them there. For instance, some animals might prefer to eat a certain kind of food that can only be found in a certain area.
Another reason is that they might not be able to thrive in any other environment. Yes, they might be able to live there, but they might not be able to thrive there. Thriving entails their offspring being able to survive in the environment, the animals being able to avoid particular parasites or predators, etc.
Another reason is that they might only be able to travel a very short distance in their lifetime. For example, some bugs might be able to do just fine in multiple places of the world, but these bugs can't get there. Unless the bug has some help from us humans of Earth, it won't live long enough to see the "land across the sea".
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The Libation Bearers (Orestes)
"What would have been Orestes' proper course of action had he been living today? Why?"
In the Libation Bearers, we see a man named Orestes attempting to avenge his father's death by killing his mother and her lover. Orestes' mother, Clytemnestra, had killed his father to avenge the death of her daughter. Orestes' father, Agamemnon, had killed the girl in hope of appeasing the gods.
Well, if this was today, all these people would be in prison. The proper course of action would be to go to the court system. More likely, the court system would come to you if they knew of a murder that you were involved in. They would not just stand around like a Dodo bird and do nothing. (I mean no deceased Dodo birds offence by this statement.)
His course of action would have been to report the murder of his father, testify in court, and see his mother go to prison. Then, and only then, could he live a happy, regret-free, and worry-free life.
Today, the proper course of action would be to not go into "serial killer mode". If you did this, then you would be no better than the people/person that had committed the gruesome act that brought upon another's doom.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
In the Libation Bearers, we see a man named Orestes attempting to avenge his father's death by killing his mother and her lover. Orestes' mother, Clytemnestra, had killed his father to avenge the death of her daughter. Orestes' father, Agamemnon, had killed the girl in hope of appeasing the gods.
Well, if this was today, all these people would be in prison. The proper course of action would be to go to the court system. More likely, the court system would come to you if they knew of a murder that you were involved in. They would not just stand around like a Dodo bird and do nothing. (I mean no deceased Dodo birds offence by this statement.)
His course of action would have been to report the murder of his father, testify in court, and see his mother go to prison. Then, and only then, could he live a happy, regret-free, and worry-free life.
Today, the proper course of action would be to not go into "serial killer mode". If you did this, then you would be no better than the people/person that had committed the gruesome act that brought upon another's doom.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Aeschylus
"What was Aeschylus's view of the Trojan war?"
The way that Aeschylus describes the remains of Troy, and the Greek's victory was very interesting indeed!
First of all, we see that the war is said to have been started because a woman named Helen was captured. The war would last ten long years.
Once the men returned to their families, we are told that the women are angry because they know that their husbands have most-likely had affairs with the captured women of Troy.
I think that this shows that Aeschylus's view of the Trojan war was not a "blind view" so to speak. He noticed the negative qualities that resulted from them and made sure to note of them. I think that although I'm sure that he saw some good things as a result of the Trojan war, he also noticed the bad.
Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
The way that Aeschylus describes the remains of Troy, and the Greek's victory was very interesting indeed!
First of all, we see that the war is said to have been started because a woman named Helen was captured. The war would last ten long years.
Once the men returned to their families, we are told that the women are angry because they know that their husbands have most-likely had affairs with the captured women of Troy.
I think that this shows that Aeschylus's view of the Trojan war was not a "blind view" so to speak. He noticed the negative qualities that resulted from them and made sure to note of them. I think that although I'm sure that he saw some good things as a result of the Trojan war, he also noticed the bad.
Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Tiberius Gracchus and the Struggle of the Orders
"Why did Tiberius Gracchus attract so much suspicion from the Roman Senate?"
To some, Tiberius Gracchus was a visionary. To others, he was a poisonous spider that must be stomped on before it bites. Needles to say, the people who looked down at him with a negative reaction would in the end, cause some disastrous consequences.
He was a politician that did things that simply weren't done. This is why I believe that he received so much suspicion from the Roman Senate. For instance, he ran for re-election as tribune which was not customary. He also wanted to give back land to those who had fought by using tax revenues from one of the new kingdoms of Rome. This was also not a customary practice.
In the future, Tiberius is brutally killed over what we are told, was a misunderstanding.
Later on, his idea of land commission ends up having some success. This makes you wonder if perhaps the Roman Senate was more afraid of Tiberius' leaving of tradition, rather than his ideas.
"What specific changes occurred in Roman society as a result of the Struggle of the Orders?"
First of all, let me give you some background information on what exactly the Struggle of the Orders was.
The Struggle of the Orders was just that, a Struggle of the Orders. These two orders, the Plebeians and the Patricians, were in a dispute over weather or not the Plebeians should have as much freedom as the Patricians did.
In Roman society, if you were born a Plebeian, then you stayed a Plebeian no matter what. Likewise, if you were born a Patrician, then you stayed a Patrician. In this case, it did not matter how hard a Plebeian would try to gain as much freedom as a Patrician. It was all about what class you were born into.
After awhile, the Plebeians got sick and tired of being treated like second-class citizens, and rebelled. They did this by leaving. Since they greatly outnumbered the Patricians, this worked out rather well.
Gradually, they started coming back. Once they were back, they began to increase in freedom, but the Patricians did still have certain benefits that the Plebeians didn't.
The Plebeians were getting the freedom that they had hoped for. Intermarriage between the two classes was made legal, you couldn't be enslaved for debts you owed, and by 342 BC, one consul actually had to be a Plebeian!
These were some of the changes that occurred in Roman Society as a result of the Struggle of the Orders.
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay, and please let me know what you think!
To some, Tiberius Gracchus was a visionary. To others, he was a poisonous spider that must be stomped on before it bites. Needles to say, the people who looked down at him with a negative reaction would in the end, cause some disastrous consequences.
He was a politician that did things that simply weren't done. This is why I believe that he received so much suspicion from the Roman Senate. For instance, he ran for re-election as tribune which was not customary. He also wanted to give back land to those who had fought by using tax revenues from one of the new kingdoms of Rome. This was also not a customary practice.
In the future, Tiberius is brutally killed over what we are told, was a misunderstanding.
Later on, his idea of land commission ends up having some success. This makes you wonder if perhaps the Roman Senate was more afraid of Tiberius' leaving of tradition, rather than his ideas.
"What specific changes occurred in Roman society as a result of the Struggle of the Orders?"
First of all, let me give you some background information on what exactly the Struggle of the Orders was.
The Struggle of the Orders was just that, a Struggle of the Orders. These two orders, the Plebeians and the Patricians, were in a dispute over weather or not the Plebeians should have as much freedom as the Patricians did.
In Roman society, if you were born a Plebeian, then you stayed a Plebeian no matter what. Likewise, if you were born a Patrician, then you stayed a Patrician. In this case, it did not matter how hard a Plebeian would try to gain as much freedom as a Patrician. It was all about what class you were born into.
After awhile, the Plebeians got sick and tired of being treated like second-class citizens, and rebelled. They did this by leaving. Since they greatly outnumbered the Patricians, this worked out rather well.
Gradually, they started coming back. Once they were back, they began to increase in freedom, but the Patricians did still have certain benefits that the Plebeians didn't.
The Plebeians were getting the freedom that they had hoped for. Intermarriage between the two classes was made legal, you couldn't be enslaved for debts you owed, and by 342 BC, one consul actually had to be a Plebeian!
These were some of the changes that occurred in Roman Society as a result of the Struggle of the Orders.
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay, and please let me know what you think!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Epicureanism and Ancient Liberty
Ancient Liberty Compared to Today
As you can probably guess, the liberty of the ancient world (specifically Greece, which is what I will be focusing on today) was very different than today's world. For instance, the ancient's idea of freedom was more focused on the whole community, whereas we are focused on mainly the individual. The ancients seem to have thought more along the lines of, "If I can participate in politics, then I am free." Whereas, we think along the lines of, "If I can own a business, have a family, participate in whatever religion I see fit, go to and from where I live, etc., I have liberty."
Let's take Sparta for instance. In Sparta, people had very little freedom. Spartan boys were taken away from their homes and went through military training up until they reached the age of twenty. That's when they were entered into the citizen army and were finally allowed to marry. They were not allowed to live with their families until they reached the age of thirty. Once they were thirty years old, they could live with their families but they still had to eat at a public mess hall.
Now we get to the part where they participate somewhat in politics. Every Spartan male over the age of thirty was a part of an assembly of citizens.
In Athens, we do not see such a strict military district, but we do see Athens focusing mainly on the community as a whole rather than on the individual.
For instance, if there was a certain number of votes regarding to the banishment of a person from Athens, he would be banished. The person may have not even done anything! The people may have just seen him as a threat to their future.
Needless to say, we find many things lacking in the liberty of the ancients, but then again, I'm sure that they would find things lacking in our liberty. It's funny to me how every point in history finds it so easy to see the things wrong with the other point, but not of itself. I hope that we will not forget the things lacking in our liberty as I find it wrong to criticize other times in history without noting that we also face difficulties in our own time regarding our liberty.
Epicureanism
Epicureanism is based on the teachings of Epicurus. The "mystery religion" was founded about 307 BC, and taught that pleasure is the ultimate good. But not just being a pig about what you indulge in. Epicurus thought that a simple life and no pain was the greatest pleasure. They believe that to much of a good thing is a bad thing because it results in displeasure, but that you should not deprive yourself of pleasure.
Let's use drinking and eating as two examples. If you have only a little wine, you will have pleasure, but if you have a lot of wine, you don't feel good the next day. The same thing goes for eating to much. You shouldn't eat to much because that results in displeasure, but you should not deprive yourself of eating.
Epicurus believed that everything was made of atoms but we still have free will. This is a challenge to the atomists who believed that everything is just made of atoms bouncing around and that no one really has free will. They believed this because if everything is the result of atoms bouncing around, then our thoughts and actions are also just the result of this.
Epicureanism teaches that gods do not interfere in human matters. It also says that gods are made up of atoms.
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay, and please let me know what you think!
As you can probably guess, the liberty of the ancient world (specifically Greece, which is what I will be focusing on today) was very different than today's world. For instance, the ancient's idea of freedom was more focused on the whole community, whereas we are focused on mainly the individual. The ancients seem to have thought more along the lines of, "If I can participate in politics, then I am free." Whereas, we think along the lines of, "If I can own a business, have a family, participate in whatever religion I see fit, go to and from where I live, etc., I have liberty."
Let's take Sparta for instance. In Sparta, people had very little freedom. Spartan boys were taken away from their homes and went through military training up until they reached the age of twenty. That's when they were entered into the citizen army and were finally allowed to marry. They were not allowed to live with their families until they reached the age of thirty. Once they were thirty years old, they could live with their families but they still had to eat at a public mess hall.
Now we get to the part where they participate somewhat in politics. Every Spartan male over the age of thirty was a part of an assembly of citizens.
In Athens, we do not see such a strict military district, but we do see Athens focusing mainly on the community as a whole rather than on the individual.
For instance, if there was a certain number of votes regarding to the banishment of a person from Athens, he would be banished. The person may have not even done anything! The people may have just seen him as a threat to their future.
Needless to say, we find many things lacking in the liberty of the ancients, but then again, I'm sure that they would find things lacking in our liberty. It's funny to me how every point in history finds it so easy to see the things wrong with the other point, but not of itself. I hope that we will not forget the things lacking in our liberty as I find it wrong to criticize other times in history without noting that we also face difficulties in our own time regarding our liberty.
Epicureanism
Epicureanism is based on the teachings of Epicurus. The "mystery religion" was founded about 307 BC, and taught that pleasure is the ultimate good. But not just being a pig about what you indulge in. Epicurus thought that a simple life and no pain was the greatest pleasure. They believe that to much of a good thing is a bad thing because it results in displeasure, but that you should not deprive yourself of pleasure.
Let's use drinking and eating as two examples. If you have only a little wine, you will have pleasure, but if you have a lot of wine, you don't feel good the next day. The same thing goes for eating to much. You shouldn't eat to much because that results in displeasure, but you should not deprive yourself of eating.
Epicurus believed that everything was made of atoms but we still have free will. This is a challenge to the atomists who believed that everything is just made of atoms bouncing around and that no one really has free will. They believed this because if everything is the result of atoms bouncing around, then our thoughts and actions are also just the result of this.
Epicureanism teaches that gods do not interfere in human matters. It also says that gods are made up of atoms.
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay, and please let me know what you think!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Biotechnology and DNA
Biotechnology
Since Friedrich Miescher discovered DNA in 1869, and Watson and Cricks' discovery of the double-helix stucture in 1953, we have made many advances in the way that we use DNA. From using it to find criminals, the making of insulin, and finding a specific person in mass-war graves, DNA is becoming more and more useful!
It really does make you think about the possibility that science, using DNA, could actually turn some science fiction tales into a reality.
In this section of my essay I will be talking about my thoughts and questions pertaining to biotechnology.
Biotechnology has always been a part of our lives in one way or another. Cheese making, beer brewing, and antibiotics are all examples of things where biotechnology is used.
To make you a little more familiar with this extremely useful tool in life, I will give you the definition of biotechnology.
"1. the exploitation of biological processes for industrial and other purposes, esp. the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the production of antibiotics, hormones, etc."
For the moment I will talk a bit about it's role in food making.
In about 6000 BCE the Sumerians and Babylonians would use yeast in order to make beer, in 1300 CE the Aztecs discovered that the algae in lakes could be a potential food source, in 1852 cross-fertilization is discovered in corn, and in 2000 Australia created its first cloned cows.
Of course there were other discoveries but I am only going to list these ones right now.
If we have been using biotechnology for this long and it took so many years to discover cross-fertilization in corn of all things; how long will it take to make some of the far more advanced discoveries? That is one question that I ask myself when learning about biotechnology.
DNA
Am I the only one who has wondered if perhaps one day we will be able to bring the dinosaurs into existence again or create a real superhero? I guess that this is something that I have always been fascinated with. It probably sprouts from my love of science fiction. Star Trek, Spider Man, The Avengers, etc., are most likely the culprits.
Since Friedrich Miescher discovered DNA in 1869, and Watson and Cricks' discovery of the double-helix stucture in 1953, we have made many advances in the way that we use DNA. From using it to find criminals, the making of insulin, and finding a specific person in mass-war graves, DNA is becoming more and more useful!
It really does make you think about the possibility that science, using DNA, could actually turn some science fiction tales into a reality.
I wonder how far away these discoveries in DNA are? If they are ever made, I wonder how they will be used?
Perhaps they would be used purely for scientific purposes, but most likely they wouldn't be. Seriously, let's just think about this for a minute. If these discoveries were made, how would governments try to use them? They have created atomic bombs, machine guns, fighter jets, etc., using the discoveries that have been made in science. What would happen if real super heroes were created using DNA? What would happen if human cloning was made successful and legal? Would the government perhaps try and use these things to their advantage? Of course they would! They would be stupid not to.
The idea of these things happening is quite frightening to me, but then again, I don't think that we will have to worry about this for quite a long time. I mean, we cloned Dolly, (the first cloned sheep from an adult somatic cell) in only 1996.
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay, and please let me know what you think!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
"What Was Hesiod's View of the Mankind's Past and Future?" (Works and Days)
Well, Hesiod worshiped the gods of Olympus, so his view of the past and future revolves mainly around them.
When he talks about the past of mankind, it consists of five races of men.
1. gold: the first race
2. silver: the second race
3. bronze: the third race
4. the demi-gods: the fourth race
5. iron: the fifth race (our race)
The past races of men were all destroyed by Zeus, and according to Hesiod, our race will be destroyed in the future as well.
Another thing to keep in mind is that each one of these races are supposed to be worse than the one before them. Taking this into consideration, I believe that his view of Mankind's past was both good and bad, because although he notes the negative qualities in "Works and Days", he also states the good. And as far as the future goes, it can only be negative if each race gets worse than the other.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
When he talks about the past of mankind, it consists of five races of men.
1. gold: the first race
2. silver: the second race
3. bronze: the third race
4. the demi-gods: the fourth race
5. iron: the fifth race (our race)
The past races of men were all destroyed by Zeus, and according to Hesiod, our race will be destroyed in the future as well.
Another thing to keep in mind is that each one of these races are supposed to be worse than the one before them. Taking this into consideration, I believe that his view of Mankind's past was both good and bad, because although he notes the negative qualities in "Works and Days", he also states the good. And as far as the future goes, it can only be negative if each race gets worse than the other.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Theogony and Genesis 1
"What are the main differences between Genesis 1 and Theogony?"
The main differences between these two pieces of literature are very drastic indeed!
In Genesis we see that God creates things and they are good. In the Theogony we see a lot of chaos. Unlike the Bible, in the Theogony many things were created out of trickery or wrong doing.
Here is another main difference between the two. God is said to be all powerful but the Greek gods in the Theogony are not. The Greek gods rely on one another to do certain things, whereas God does not need anyone's help or permission in order to preform tasks.
Another one is that the gods are all born but God just always was. He had no beginning and no end but the Greek gods, although undying, did not always exist.
It is also worth stating the similarities between the Theogony and Genesis.
Both in the Bible and the Theogony, men were created before women.
Another similarity is that they both have a head honcho (God and Zeus).
We also see that they both have that which is supernatural (God in the Bible and the Greek gods in the Theogony).
We can see many similarities and differences between these two amazing pieces of written art! Thanks for reading!
The main differences between these two pieces of literature are very drastic indeed!
In Genesis we see that God creates things and they are good. In the Theogony we see a lot of chaos. Unlike the Bible, in the Theogony many things were created out of trickery or wrong doing.
Here is another main difference between the two. God is said to be all powerful but the Greek gods in the Theogony are not. The Greek gods rely on one another to do certain things, whereas God does not need anyone's help or permission in order to preform tasks.
Another one is that the gods are all born but God just always was. He had no beginning and no end but the Greek gods, although undying, did not always exist.
It is also worth stating the similarities between the Theogony and Genesis.
Both in the Bible and the Theogony, men were created before women.
Another similarity is that they both have a head honcho (God and Zeus).
We also see that they both have that which is supernatural (God in the Bible and the Greek gods in the Theogony).
We can see many similarities and differences between these two amazing pieces of written art! Thanks for reading!
Medea (Thoughts)
"What does the fate of Medea and those who mistreat her and oppress her say about it's own time?"
The play Medea is about a woman who has been left by her husband for a princess. Obviously, she is upset about this. (Wouldn't you be too?) She was in despair and she decided to commit a series of brutal murders in order to avenge the misfortune that her husband had brought upon her.
In her doing this, we can see very clearly the affects that the Peloponessian War had caused. (the play and the war were about the same time)
This work of Greek drama has a mix of grief, anger, and love all wrapped up into one. This being the case, I can see the same thing in war.
War is typically brought on by grief (and or) anger just as the murders that Medea committed were brought on by these.
In war we also see love. Men leaving their friends and families can be tragic. It tears the people affected apart. It can be the making or unmaking of a person, and in Medea's case, it was her unmaking.
It was tragic, just as the time of the Peloponessian War was tragic. These are the things that I see reflected in the play Medea.
"Can we learn anything from Medea about the Greek's attitude towards foreigners and women?"
Yes, I believe that we can. In Medea we see both a mix of those that don't care what your gender is or about where you come from, and then again, we see those who do. (Sounds a bit like society today don't you think?)
We see some, (her husband, Jason for example) that can be sexist. He seems to see Medea as no more than a play thing. Something that he can leave and not reap the consequences of doing so. And then we see others such as the king. He seems less opposed to the opposite gender than did Jason. We see this when his daughter is killed by Medea. He is heart-broken by the loss of his dear daughter. In this seen, we can tell that he really did care for his daughter. It certainly didn't seem like he thought of her as no more than a play thing.
Now I will do my best to answer the question concerning the view of foreigners.
Medea was a foreigner and it appears that although she was respected by some, she was also mistreated by others. (Again, I am using Jason as an example). He left her for a woman of his own city. Not that of another which Medea was. And then again, we see the man who agreed to offer Medea safety in his land if she could get there. It doesn't seem like he was very opposed to foreigners.
Yes, I think that there where certain wide-held views of women and foreigners, but also that there were some who didn't have those views. I believe that just like with anything in the world, it was a mixed lot.
Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
The play Medea is about a woman who has been left by her husband for a princess. Obviously, she is upset about this. (Wouldn't you be too?) She was in despair and she decided to commit a series of brutal murders in order to avenge the misfortune that her husband had brought upon her.
In her doing this, we can see very clearly the affects that the Peloponessian War had caused. (the play and the war were about the same time)
This work of Greek drama has a mix of grief, anger, and love all wrapped up into one. This being the case, I can see the same thing in war.
War is typically brought on by grief (and or) anger just as the murders that Medea committed were brought on by these.
In war we also see love. Men leaving their friends and families can be tragic. It tears the people affected apart. It can be the making or unmaking of a person, and in Medea's case, it was her unmaking.
It was tragic, just as the time of the Peloponessian War was tragic. These are the things that I see reflected in the play Medea.
"Can we learn anything from Medea about the Greek's attitude towards foreigners and women?"
Yes, I believe that we can. In Medea we see both a mix of those that don't care what your gender is or about where you come from, and then again, we see those who do. (Sounds a bit like society today don't you think?)
We see some, (her husband, Jason for example) that can be sexist. He seems to see Medea as no more than a play thing. Something that he can leave and not reap the consequences of doing so. And then we see others such as the king. He seems less opposed to the opposite gender than did Jason. We see this when his daughter is killed by Medea. He is heart-broken by the loss of his dear daughter. In this seen, we can tell that he really did care for his daughter. It certainly didn't seem like he thought of her as no more than a play thing.
Now I will do my best to answer the question concerning the view of foreigners.
Medea was a foreigner and it appears that although she was respected by some, she was also mistreated by others. (Again, I am using Jason as an example). He left her for a woman of his own city. Not that of another which Medea was. And then again, we see the man who agreed to offer Medea safety in his land if she could get there. It doesn't seem like he was very opposed to foreigners.
Yes, I think that there where certain wide-held views of women and foreigners, but also that there were some who didn't have those views. I believe that just like with anything in the world, it was a mixed lot.
Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Friday, November 1, 2013
The Peloponnesian War and Pericles' Funeral Oration
"What points is Pericles trying to make about Athens in his Funeral Oration?"
Pericles was trying to get across how wonderful Athens was, praise the people, and honor the dead at the same time.
He talked about all the advantages that Athenian citizens had, he tried to motivate the living during a time of war, and as stated earlier, honor the dead.
He wanted to help the people to keep going by telling them about what they had to live up to (The dead soldiers). He also tried to give them a reason(s)to keep fighting by telling them about all that they had to lose. He told them about all of the amazing advantages that Athens had to offer like its freedom in government and ordinary life.
These were the points that Pericles was trying to make in his Funeral Oration.
"Why was the Peloponnesian War fought? What was its long-term significance?"
The Peloponnesian War was fought for these reasons.
1. Athens appeared to be using the Delian League's ship-building funds to help beautify itself instead of to build ships for the protection of those in the Delian League.
2. Sparta was afraid that Athens was becoming too powerful.
Here is the war's long-term significance.
1. Athens would lose its dominance of the other members of the Delian League.
2. Sparta would take control of things.
3. In the end, this war between the Greeks would ultimately weaken them and spell out some serious consequences.
Well, That's all for this week. I hope that you have enjoyed this essay on "The Peloponnesian War and Pericles' Funeral Oration". See you next Friday, and please let me know what you think!
Pericles was trying to get across how wonderful Athens was, praise the people, and honor the dead at the same time.
He talked about all the advantages that Athenian citizens had, he tried to motivate the living during a time of war, and as stated earlier, honor the dead.
He wanted to help the people to keep going by telling them about what they had to live up to (The dead soldiers). He also tried to give them a reason(s)to keep fighting by telling them about all that they had to lose. He told them about all of the amazing advantages that Athens had to offer like its freedom in government and ordinary life.
These were the points that Pericles was trying to make in his Funeral Oration.
"Why was the Peloponnesian War fought? What was its long-term significance?"
The Peloponnesian War was fought for these reasons.
1. Athens appeared to be using the Delian League's ship-building funds to help beautify itself instead of to build ships for the protection of those in the Delian League.
2. Sparta was afraid that Athens was becoming too powerful.
Here is the war's long-term significance.
1. Athens would lose its dominance of the other members of the Delian League.
2. Sparta would take control of things.
3. In the end, this war between the Greeks would ultimately weaken them and spell out some serious consequences.
Well, That's all for this week. I hope that you have enjoyed this essay on "The Peloponnesian War and Pericles' Funeral Oration". See you next Friday, and please let me know what you think!
Ethics and the Development of History
"What is the view of the biblical materials on the role of ethics in the development of history?"
In the development of history, biblical materials have influenced ethics by a very large degree. We see this when we give money to the poor and needy, help build homes for those who don't have any, etc.
There are lots of people out there who don't believe in God and yet, they do their best to help those in need. Why? The answer is simple. In every society, people have believed in some form of morality that was handed down from one generation to the next. For many, what was handed down to them was biblical ethics. For instance, it is illegal to commit murder. Where else do we find this law? We find it in Exodus chapter 20, verse 13. "Thou shalt not kill." What is another law that we have in the world today? Let's look at Exodus chapter 20, verse 15. "Thou shalt not steale." These are two very well known laws in today's world, as well as the world of the past.
Although some might not agree with everything in the Bible, you have to admit that biblical materials did play a huge part in ethics, and the history of the world in general.
Thank you very much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
In the development of history, biblical materials have influenced ethics by a very large degree. We see this when we give money to the poor and needy, help build homes for those who don't have any, etc.
There are lots of people out there who don't believe in God and yet, they do their best to help those in need. Why? The answer is simple. In every society, people have believed in some form of morality that was handed down from one generation to the next. For many, what was handed down to them was biblical ethics. For instance, it is illegal to commit murder. Where else do we find this law? We find it in Exodus chapter 20, verse 13. "Thou shalt not kill." What is another law that we have in the world today? Let's look at Exodus chapter 20, verse 15. "Thou shalt not steale." These are two very well known laws in today's world, as well as the world of the past.
Although some might not agree with everything in the Bible, you have to admit that biblical materials did play a huge part in ethics, and the history of the world in general.
Thank you very much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Colorblindness
Why are men more likely than women to be colorblind?
First of all, I would like to tell you a bit about what colorblindness is. It is usually a sex-linked trait that makes it so that some people can't see certain colors. (Rarely, for us humans of Earth, no colors at all!)
Now I will give the answer to why men are more likely than women to be colorblind.
Well, colorblindness is carried by the X chromosome and not the Y chromosome. Women have two X chromosomes (XX) whereas men only have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). This means that a woman can be a carrier and not actually get colorblindness because the other X chromosome can "mask" the colorblindness from the other X chromosome. Since men have one X and one Y chromosome, they don't have another X chromosome to "mask" the colorblindness.
In order for a woman to inherit colorblindness she would have to get it from both of the two parents. For a man, he would only need to inherit it from one parent.
These are the interesting reasons why men are more likely than women to be colorblind.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, and please let me know what you think!
First of all, I would like to tell you a bit about what colorblindness is. It is usually a sex-linked trait that makes it so that some people can't see certain colors. (Rarely, for us humans of Earth, no colors at all!)
Now I will give the answer to why men are more likely than women to be colorblind.
Well, colorblindness is carried by the X chromosome and not the Y chromosome. Women have two X chromosomes (XX) whereas men only have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY). This means that a woman can be a carrier and not actually get colorblindness because the other X chromosome can "mask" the colorblindness from the other X chromosome. Since men have one X and one Y chromosome, they don't have another X chromosome to "mask" the colorblindness.
In order for a woman to inherit colorblindness she would have to get it from both of the two parents. For a man, he would only need to inherit it from one parent.
These are the interesting reasons why men are more likely than women to be colorblind.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this, and please let me know what you think!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Proverbs 1-7: Sanctions and Ethics
"Discuss the relationship between ethics and sanctions in Proverbs 1-7."
Today we will be focusing on the ethics and sanctions in Proverbs 1-7.
One of the first ethical sanctions in Proverbs is in chapter 1 verses 8-9
"My sonne, heare the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
Today we will be focusing on the ethics and sanctions in Proverbs 1-7.
One of the first ethical sanctions in Proverbs is in chapter 1 verses 8-9
"My sonne, heare the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
Here is a positive sanction. He will have an "ornament" of grace and "chaines" around his neck. (This doesn't mean chains in a bad sense. In those times, people of wealth would sometimes wear chains around their necks.) It is saying that listening to the parents is an ethical thing to do. It will bring about good sanctions.
Here are some more verses that use ethical sanctions. Chapter 6: verses 9-11.
These sanctions are negative. These verses say that if we are lazy and do not work, we will descend into poverty. Poverty is obviously a negative sanction.
Ethics and sanctions go hand in hand. We have no need for sanctions if the sanction is not ethical.
Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Aristotle and Sparta
"Why was Aristotle a significant figure?"
Well...This is a tricky subject. I mean, what makes anyone a significant person in history? The person was born, raised, the person had a brain, a heart, and I'm sure that they had a favorite food, but obviously these facts aren't what makes a person significant. Considering all of the people in the world it's a strange wonder how anyone makes it to the top.
Alright,so let's just try and figure out what the significant figures all have in common. They all have that strange, magical, mystifying, and very rare ability to pull people in to what they are saying. There could be the person who is the key to every question that the human race have ever asked living on this planet right now and we wouldn't even know who that person was if he had no means of telling us. If he didn't have the talent or resources to tell us, then how would he? Well, he wouldn't because he couldn't. That's it then, we have found the reason that Aristotle was significant! No no no, remove that ridiculous idea from your mind! We still have quite a ways to go in figuring out why this man was significant. What is another thing that all significant people have in common? That's right, all significant people have a message that they think is important to the world that they would like to share. Do we have the answer yet? No, I'm afraid not. We know that he had some way of drawing attention to himself and that he had a message to give, but what was that message and why was it important? Then and only then, will we know what was so significant about Aristotle.
(Caution! You are now entering into a different time in history! You may experience the feeling that only comes from the sheer perfection of learning about the past.)
"Excuse me, but you seem to be a little lost. Is there anything that I can help you with?" The stranger looks at you calmly and sincerely. "Yes, indeed you can. I am looking for Aristotle the philosopher. Do you know where I can find him?" "Surely, I believe that he is with young Alexander right about now." You give the stranger a nod of gratitude and hurry down the road till you find the place where the future Alexander the Great and the philosopher Aristotle were studying. "Excuse me sirs, but I am in need of both your assistance. You see, I need to know what makes Aristotle here a significant figure! I have searched high and low but I cannot seem to find the answer. I thought that if I spoke to you directly, then I might understand it more clearly." Aristotle and young Alexander look at you in amazement. "I do not know what makes you think that you can just barge into the lesson I am teaching, but because you seem so genuinely confused, you are welcome to sit in and listen to what I have to say for the time being. You thank the man for allowing you this great honor and sit quietly while him and Alexander go through that day's lesson.
Through sitting here, you learn many things about this person that you have only read and heard about through your life. You learn that he thought that we should not simply ignore the world in which we live, but rather, we should study it. You hear him talk about his findings in science as well as his moral beliefs. You come to see that he is a very logical person and it is no wonder to you now why he was so significant in history.
When the lesson is finished, you thank the two and go back to your world. When you arrive you quickly write down your findings on why this man was so significant. Here is what you wrote. "Aristotle was a man with a mind of his own. He did not just accept the findings of others to be true. He wanted to know for himself. This was what made him a philosopher. He was not simply a philosopher though, he was a philosopher who wanted to know many things. He thought about science, politics, logic, etc. He made us use our minds. His ideas intrigued us, He made us think logically through questions that we have asked ourselves, and he tried his very best to leave us with some idea of our world. He was "the philosopher." This is why he was and still is, a significant figure.
"What was Spartan society like?"
Spartan society was a very strange place to say the least. Once Sparta had conquered Messenia, they enslaved the conquered people. It turned out that the slaves or helots as they called them, ended up greatly outnumbering Sparta. Because they were afraid of a helot revolt, they decided to turn Sparta into a military state.
They took the Spartan boys at age 7 and forced them to commit horrible acts, eat only a small amount of food, took away their shoes, and they only gave them one cloak. The boys would be in the military training for 13 years. Once they reached the age of twenty, the boys would join into the citizen army and be allowed to marry.
The girls were not taken from home but did have to participate in sports such as running. This was so that they would be fit bearers of children.
Finally, after all of that time away from home, at age 30, the Spartan men could go back to their families! Even though they were allowed to live at home, they still had to eat at a public mess hall.
Now I will tell you about the government of Sparta. Sparta had two kings, a council of elders, an executive board of five ephors, and an assembly of citizens which consisted of every Spartan male who was over the age of 30.
Well, now you know a little bit about Sparta. Shout it from the roof tops, tell it to all of your friends, send out Sparta information packets in the mail! (Please don't actually do that.)
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay, and please let me know what you think!
(Caution! You are now entering into a different time in history! You may experience the feeling that only comes from the sheer perfection of learning about the past.)
"Excuse me, but you seem to be a little lost. Is there anything that I can help you with?" The stranger looks at you calmly and sincerely. "Yes, indeed you can. I am looking for Aristotle the philosopher. Do you know where I can find him?" "Surely, I believe that he is with young Alexander right about now." You give the stranger a nod of gratitude and hurry down the road till you find the place where the future Alexander the Great and the philosopher Aristotle were studying. "Excuse me sirs, but I am in need of both your assistance. You see, I need to know what makes Aristotle here a significant figure! I have searched high and low but I cannot seem to find the answer. I thought that if I spoke to you directly, then I might understand it more clearly." Aristotle and young Alexander look at you in amazement. "I do not know what makes you think that you can just barge into the lesson I am teaching, but because you seem so genuinely confused, you are welcome to sit in and listen to what I have to say for the time being. You thank the man for allowing you this great honor and sit quietly while him and Alexander go through that day's lesson.
Through sitting here, you learn many things about this person that you have only read and heard about through your life. You learn that he thought that we should not simply ignore the world in which we live, but rather, we should study it. You hear him talk about his findings in science as well as his moral beliefs. You come to see that he is a very logical person and it is no wonder to you now why he was so significant in history.
When the lesson is finished, you thank the two and go back to your world. When you arrive you quickly write down your findings on why this man was so significant. Here is what you wrote. "Aristotle was a man with a mind of his own. He did not just accept the findings of others to be true. He wanted to know for himself. This was what made him a philosopher. He was not simply a philosopher though, he was a philosopher who wanted to know many things. He thought about science, politics, logic, etc. He made us use our minds. His ideas intrigued us, He made us think logically through questions that we have asked ourselves, and he tried his very best to leave us with some idea of our world. He was "the philosopher." This is why he was and still is, a significant figure.
"What was Spartan society like?"
Spartan society was a very strange place to say the least. Once Sparta had conquered Messenia, they enslaved the conquered people. It turned out that the slaves or helots as they called them, ended up greatly outnumbering Sparta. Because they were afraid of a helot revolt, they decided to turn Sparta into a military state.
They took the Spartan boys at age 7 and forced them to commit horrible acts, eat only a small amount of food, took away their shoes, and they only gave them one cloak. The boys would be in the military training for 13 years. Once they reached the age of twenty, the boys would join into the citizen army and be allowed to marry.
The girls were not taken from home but did have to participate in sports such as running. This was so that they would be fit bearers of children.
Finally, after all of that time away from home, at age 30, the Spartan men could go back to their families! Even though they were allowed to live at home, they still had to eat at a public mess hall.
Now I will tell you about the government of Sparta. Sparta had two kings, a council of elders, an executive board of five ephors, and an assembly of citizens which consisted of every Spartan male who was over the age of 30.
Well, now you know a little bit about Sparta. Shout it from the roof tops, tell it to all of your friends, send out Sparta information packets in the mail! (Please don't actually do that.)
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay, and please let me know what you think!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Epinephrine (Adrenaline)
Imagine this, You are riding your horse at a cater through a beautiful meadow in the early morning. The crisp cool air, the mist, and the sounds of birds singing makes this perfect. You slow your horse down to a walk and decide to just take in all of the world's beauty. All of a sudden, you see a large furry animal in the distance. You figure that it is just your neighbors dog and keep going. Your horse seems uneasy as if the dog had the intention of hurting it. You think to yourself, "That's strange, my horse has never been afraid of a dog before." As you near the dog your heart nearly stops. You now realize that what you are staring at is not even close to a dog, it's a Black Bear! You want to tell your horse to gallop, but you're scared that even the slightest move might make the bear attack. Too late! The bear is coming at you and your horse! Your horse breaks into such a gallop that not even race horses can move that fast. (Then again, race horses don't have a hungry beast chasing them.) The bear couldn't keep up and very soon, you lose him.
What was the point to my story? I am trying to give you an example of an adrenaline powered response. Adrenaline is a hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands. It makes our blood flow quicken, it allows us to breath in more oxygen, and increases carbohydrate metabolism.
Our body knows when to use this hormone because of long-distance cell signaling. Long-distance cell signaling is a way that cells communicate from (you guessed it!) a long distance.
Alright, but what is the point of adrenaline? The point of adrenaline is to trigger that "fight or flight" response. Without adrenaline, whenever we were face to face with a lion, tiger, whoolly mammoth, cannibal, etc., we would not know weather to fly like a little bird or to sit happily like a tree frog that has found a lovely tree. (Tree frogs like trees in case you didn't know.)
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay and please let me know what you think!
What was the point to my story? I am trying to give you an example of an adrenaline powered response. Adrenaline is a hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands. It makes our blood flow quicken, it allows us to breath in more oxygen, and increases carbohydrate metabolism.
Our body knows when to use this hormone because of long-distance cell signaling. Long-distance cell signaling is a way that cells communicate from (you guessed it!) a long distance.
Alright, but what is the point of adrenaline? The point of adrenaline is to trigger that "fight or flight" response. Without adrenaline, whenever we were face to face with a lion, tiger, whoolly mammoth, cannibal, etc., we would not know weather to fly like a little bird or to sit happily like a tree frog that has found a lovely tree. (Tree frogs like trees in case you didn't know.)
I hope that you have enjoyed this essay and please let me know what you think!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Western Civilization Essay: Week 4
"1. What was the disagreement Socrates had with the Sophists?"
Socrates disagreed with the Sophists concerning right and wrong. The Sophists believed that what is right for you may be wrong for me and what is wrong for you may be right for me. They thought that there was no truth and that there was no firm idea of what was right and what was wrong. Socrates on the other hand, believed that the Sophists were harming the people with their beliefs and that the Sophists would raise the children of Athens to be corrupt. This was the disagreement between Socrates and the Sophists.
"2. What was Plato's point in his allegory of the cave?"
In Plato's allegory of the cave he talks about men chained in a way that they can only stare at a wall. Puppeteers behind them cast shadows on the wall and these images are the only things they see. They may see a shadow and call it a cup but they are only seeing shadows. They do not know what the true things are. To them these are real. Now we see a man escape from his chains. He ventures out into the real world and gains knowledge and sees that what the people in the cave see are only shadows and if they want to find the real things they must go out of the cave and find them.
Now that I have given you some background, here is Plato's point in the allegory of the cave. Plato was trying to get across that unless we "leave the cave" so to speak, we will never find the truth. We cannot learn the truth by sitting in chains and looking at shadows. We must go out and discover "what casts the shadows."
Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Socrates disagreed with the Sophists concerning right and wrong. The Sophists believed that what is right for you may be wrong for me and what is wrong for you may be right for me. They thought that there was no truth and that there was no firm idea of what was right and what was wrong. Socrates on the other hand, believed that the Sophists were harming the people with their beliefs and that the Sophists would raise the children of Athens to be corrupt. This was the disagreement between Socrates and the Sophists.
"2. What was Plato's point in his allegory of the cave?"
In Plato's allegory of the cave he talks about men chained in a way that they can only stare at a wall. Puppeteers behind them cast shadows on the wall and these images are the only things they see. They may see a shadow and call it a cup but they are only seeing shadows. They do not know what the true things are. To them these are real. Now we see a man escape from his chains. He ventures out into the real world and gains knowledge and sees that what the people in the cave see are only shadows and if they want to find the real things they must go out of the cave and find them.
Now that I have given you some background, here is Plato's point in the allegory of the cave. Plato was trying to get across that unless we "leave the cave" so to speak, we will never find the truth. We cannot learn the truth by sitting in chains and looking at shadows. We must go out and discover "what casts the shadows."
Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
"Discuss some of the reasons offered in the Psalms for long-term optimism."
As we read through the Psalms we find David and others in many different situations. The people in Psalms find themselves in quite a "pickle" very frequently but they never deserted God. Why? Because they knew that as long as they followed God's instructions, that he would protect them from their enemies and occasionally, themselves. In return for their "anti-desertion" God never deserted them. He would sometimes leave for a certain portion of time, but he would NEVER desert those who truly loved him. The people in Psalms were sad at times but knew that God would prevail over the wicked and this is the reason for their long-term optimism. Without this optimism, the people in Psalms would be "dead in the water" so to speak. They would only be focusing on the bad and in the end, the bad circumstances would have taken over.
Just like those people in the Psalms, we need long-term optimism in order to prevail over the hard, even dangerous situations in our own lives. Weather it be in politics, sickness, or our own little problems in every day life, stay optimistic! The Psalms teach us that if we don't, then we will eventually be taken over by our grief and sorrow. Don't let those ridiculous things weigh you down! Get up, brush off the dust, and remember just like those in the Psalms, you will prevail!
Just like those people in the Psalms, we need long-term optimism in order to prevail over the hard, even dangerous situations in our own lives. Weather it be in politics, sickness, or our own little problems in every day life, stay optimistic! The Psalms teach us that if we don't, then we will eventually be taken over by our grief and sorrow. Don't let those ridiculous things weigh you down! Get up, brush off the dust, and remember just like those in the Psalms, you will prevail!
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
"How important is the concept of historical sanctions in the Psalms?" Here is my answer.
I believe that the importance of sanctions in Psalms was very significant. I believe this because of the reasons that I will list in this essay.
God uses sanctions to protect the just from the wicked. Without these sanctions, the world would continue to become horrid and corrupt. The world needed these sanctions just as you would need to punish a child for doing wrong. God uses these sanctions not because he wants to harm people, but rather, so that they can learn from their mistakes and do good in the future.
These sanctions would not be important if they were not a part of the Bible, but they are. Anything and everything in the Bible is important, otherwise, the Bible would have never been written.
The historical value was not only important then, but it is also important now. It is important now, because those sanctions can help us to not take a path of wickedness, but rather, a path of peace, goodness, love, and kindness. This is the historical significance that the sanctions in Psalms hold. This is the message that we are supposed to receive from not only Psalms, but in fact, the entire Bible. The sanctions in Psalms are not to frighten and discourage the readers of Psalms (Of course, I'm sure that it frightened those living at that time.), they were to teach us.
Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
The Odyssey (Cyclopes)
In The Odyssey we read about a people known as the Cyclopes. The Cyclopes are not human. They are described in a way that makes you think of them as giants, which have a mind that can understand, reason, etc. They appear to be very cruel and horrid.
For a part of this report I will share my opinion on weather or not they have a civilization. I believe that the Cyclopes do have a civilization, but not as we know it. Although they do not gather together, live in a village, sell merchandise, etc. They do appear to get along together. Their species does not seem to have broken into factions, but rather, they seem to have adapted to living in the same area. These are the reasons why I believe that the Cyclopes do have a civilization.
Now I would like to talk about Odysseus and the Cyclops named, Polyphemus. In the Odyssey we are are told of a man named, Odysseus. Odysseus was traveling back home after fighting in the Trojan war for ten years. He and his men encounter many dangers during their journey back home and one of those dangers is their encounter with the Cyclops, Polyphemus.
Odysseus and his men go to the cave of Polyphemus to see is he is a friend or foe. He turns out to be a foe and everyday he eats two of Odysseus's men. Odysseus comes up with a plan of escape and they poke out the giant's eye. Next, they hide underneath of the Cyclops' sheep and escape to their ship. Once they reach their ship, Odysseus tells the giant his real name, Ulysses. The monster is terribly angry and tries to kill them again. Luckily, he does not succeed and they get away.
Thank you very much for reading, and don't forget to tell me what you think!
For a part of this report I will share my opinion on weather or not they have a civilization. I believe that the Cyclopes do have a civilization, but not as we know it. Although they do not gather together, live in a village, sell merchandise, etc. They do appear to get along together. Their species does not seem to have broken into factions, but rather, they seem to have adapted to living in the same area. These are the reasons why I believe that the Cyclopes do have a civilization.
Now I would like to talk about Odysseus and the Cyclops named, Polyphemus. In the Odyssey we are are told of a man named, Odysseus. Odysseus was traveling back home after fighting in the Trojan war for ten years. He and his men encounter many dangers during their journey back home and one of those dangers is their encounter with the Cyclops, Polyphemus.
Odysseus and his men go to the cave of Polyphemus to see is he is a friend or foe. He turns out to be a foe and everyday he eats two of Odysseus's men. Odysseus comes up with a plan of escape and they poke out the giant's eye. Next, they hide underneath of the Cyclops' sheep and escape to their ship. Once they reach their ship, Odysseus tells the giant his real name, Ulysses. The monster is terribly angry and tries to kill them again. Luckily, he does not succeed and they get away.
Thank you very much for reading, and don't forget to tell me what you think!
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Biology Essay 1
As you probably know, the earth gets a huge amount of energy from the sun. We are not able to get all of it though. What does reach the earth's surface is obtained by organisms called producers. Producers are able to use this energy to help them make their food.
Now we come to consumers. Consumers are creatures that need to consume the producers to get energy because they are not able to make their own food.
Now we come to consumers. Consumers are creatures that need to consume the producers to get energy because they are not able to make their own food.
Here is an important little bit of information. When one creature eats another one, it does not get the same amount of energy that the other had. It gains about ten percent of the energy. Many animals starve for this reason. When the energy is diminishing, it eventually runs out, and the animals are not able to use it. If there is a change in primary producers or consumers, then bye bye animals that used to feed on them. This is an example of how delicate our lives are. One simple change, and our world can be turned upside down.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cite for this report: Lesson One |
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Ethics in the Story of Noah and the Flood
In the story of Noah and the Flood we see that man had become wicked. God was sad that he had created man, and made an ethical decision based on man's wickedness, to destroy mankind. There was one man who was good in the eyes of the Lord. His name was Noah. God spared him and his family, as well as some animals.
We see that God sent the flood because of man's wickedness. This was an ethical decision. Without ethics, there would be no point in sending the flood. If he had no basis for destroying the earth, it would make no sense to do so.
After the flood, God sent a rainbow as a sign that he would never again destroy the earth in a flood. This was also an ethical decision. He had a reason for making this covenant and thus, makes this an ethical decision.
Later we come to Noah and Ham. Noah had become drunk and lay in his tent. Ham goes into the tent and sees that his father is naked. He goes and tells his brothers and they go in and cover their father. When Noah awakens from being drunk, he punishes Ham. This was a case of family ethics. Ham had disrespected his father and so, Noah made an ethical decision to punish his son.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
We see that God sent the flood because of man's wickedness. This was an ethical decision. Without ethics, there would be no point in sending the flood. If he had no basis for destroying the earth, it would make no sense to do so.
After the flood, God sent a rainbow as a sign that he would never again destroy the earth in a flood. This was also an ethical decision. He had a reason for making this covenant and thus, makes this an ethical decision.
Later we come to Noah and Ham. Noah had become drunk and lay in his tent. Ham goes into the tent and sees that his father is naked. He goes and tells his brothers and they go in and cover their father. When Noah awakens from being drunk, he punishes Ham. This was a case of family ethics. Ham had disrespected his father and so, Noah made an ethical decision to punish his son.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think!
The History of Minoan Crete and the Mycenaeans
We did not really learn about the existence of Minoan Crete until about 1899 when the city of Knossos was excavated. Other cities were found around the island of Crete as well.
They were a civilization with lovely pottery, palaces, and frescoes. Their art seems to focus on daily life. As for the palaces, they are thought to have originally been religious centers and later used for royalty.
The Minoans are thought to have been a peaceful people focusing in trade instead of war. But it does appear that they took part in human sacrifice.
They had a "palace economy" where the people would manufacture the goods and the government would decide where everything went.
We are not familiar with their literature because their language is written in a text called "Linear A" which we cannot decipher.
They are thought to eventually be invaded by the Mycenaeans of mainland Greece.
We will now talk about Mycenaean Greece. It was thought that Greek history began in 800 BC but that theory was proved wrong by a man named, Heinrich Schliemann who lived from 1822-1890. He loved the Homeric epics and decided to go to Turkey to find the city of Troy. He does find Troy and excavates it. He found evidence of destruction and he wondered if that could possibly be evidence of a Trojan war. It was not enough however, and we still are not sure if their ever was a Trojan war.
The Mycenaeans appear to have had independent cities and each one was probably ruled by one king. The Mycenaeans seem to have been a warlike people quite unlike the Minoans of Crete. The Mycenaeans did however absorb some of the Minoan culture which can be seen in their craftsmanship.
The Mycenaeans used a form of writing called "Linear B" which we have deciphered and have learned that it is an early form of Greek.
We think that a lot of Greek religion originated in Mycenaean times.
We will now come to the demise of Mycenaean Greece. Here are some theories on what happened to Mycenaean Greece. Some believe that there was internal conflict. Others think that environmental factors were involved. There are also other theories but I will not mention all of them.
Now we will move on to the Mycenaean Dark Age, (1100-800 BC) where we find next to nothing concerning outside trade, literacy, or anything else. There is however, some controversy on if their ever was a "Dark Age". This minority is convinced that we have the dating systems wrong and that we are adding time that was never there.
Thank you so much for reading "The History of Minoan Crete and the Mycenaeans" and please let me know what you think!
They were a civilization with lovely pottery, palaces, and frescoes. Their art seems to focus on daily life. As for the palaces, they are thought to have originally been religious centers and later used for royalty.
The Minoans are thought to have been a peaceful people focusing in trade instead of war. But it does appear that they took part in human sacrifice.
They had a "palace economy" where the people would manufacture the goods and the government would decide where everything went.
We are not familiar with their literature because their language is written in a text called "Linear A" which we cannot decipher.
They are thought to eventually be invaded by the Mycenaeans of mainland Greece.
We will now talk about Mycenaean Greece. It was thought that Greek history began in 800 BC but that theory was proved wrong by a man named, Heinrich Schliemann who lived from 1822-1890. He loved the Homeric epics and decided to go to Turkey to find the city of Troy. He does find Troy and excavates it. He found evidence of destruction and he wondered if that could possibly be evidence of a Trojan war. It was not enough however, and we still are not sure if their ever was a Trojan war.
The Mycenaeans appear to have had independent cities and each one was probably ruled by one king. The Mycenaeans seem to have been a warlike people quite unlike the Minoans of Crete. The Mycenaeans did however absorb some of the Minoan culture which can be seen in their craftsmanship.
The Mycenaeans used a form of writing called "Linear B" which we have deciphered and have learned that it is an early form of Greek.
We think that a lot of Greek religion originated in Mycenaean times.
We will now come to the demise of Mycenaean Greece. Here are some theories on what happened to Mycenaean Greece. Some believe that there was internal conflict. Others think that environmental factors were involved. There are also other theories but I will not mention all of them.
Now we will move on to the Mycenaean Dark Age, (1100-800 BC) where we find next to nothing concerning outside trade, literacy, or anything else. There is however, some controversy on if their ever was a "Dark Age". This minority is convinced that we have the dating systems wrong and that we are adding time that was never there.
Thank you so much for reading "The History of Minoan Crete and the Mycenaeans" and please let me know what you think!
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