"Of all the objects in the universe, the human brain is the most complex. There are as many neurons in the brain as there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy.", a quote from an issue of a Discover magazine article. But what comes from this complexion? The answer is thought. Consciousness has been quarreled between writers, scientists, priests, atheists and everyone in between. The priest says it is divine and cannot be explained, the atheist says no - it’s evolution. The writer romanticizes it, creating characters that contain the free will of the author but have more unrealistic complexion than any real human character. Scientists explain that we are in a state of awareness and that consciousness cannot be entirely explained as it is subjective and objectively, it cannot be measured. Human existence has transcended from being a simple organism living with survival instincts: hunting and gathering food for our kin, to working boring jobs to feed the family and to have just enough leisurely time to assure yourself not to jump off the nearest building to end it all. The question is - can an organism become complex enough to consciously choose what they believe is morally right with free will. Do we live for others or ourselves? Does consciousness actually exist and how do we prove it?
For many, memory is the proof of consciousness, as well as being proof of life. History, being observed as it’s definition, is ultimate proof that humans can think, are thinking, and will think,
To many, the unconscious is a section of our minds that is inconceivable and almost nonexistent. Like many things in life, what we cannot explain, we cannot accept. Sigmund Freud, mastermind of the field of psychology, began to theorize and explain the concept of the unconscious and its effects on our personal lives. Carl Gustav Jung was a young colleague of Sigmund Freud who made the “exploration of this “inner space” [the unconscious] his life’s work (Boeree 1). Jung was not only knowledgeable on the Freudian theory he was also knowledgeable in mythology, religion, philosophy and “traditions such as Gnosticism, Alchemy, Kabala, and similar traditions in Hinduism and Buddhism” (Boeree 1). Jung
Numerous factors determine when and why you feel tired, full of energy, and hungry. A person's state of consciousness and awareness varies throughout the day and depends on a person's activity, environment, and time clock.
Often in the general public of readers and audiences, the terms history and memory coalesce and seem to easily flow together when considering historical consciousness of the past, and yes, there is an intertwined relationship between the two. However, there are distinct differences between these two expressions. History can be described as “a reasoned reconstruction of the past rooted in research.” It can belong to anyone and can be known by anyone, whereas memory is usually passed down and owned by a certain community or group. Memory is also used differently – it can be framed to suit a person or community’s specific ideologies, it can give value, and there can be deeper meanings such as helping one cope with the weight of past in that
The Furies disregard Athena’s plea for understanding when reaching justice, instead, they reason that when crimes remain unpunished, all people will lose their fear of committing similar actions and will discontinue acting responsibly because there will be no consequences. Athena agrees with the Furies and asks the question, “What / man who fears nothing at all is ever righteous?” (Aeschylus 160). Athena then gives justification to the system of justice of the Furies and allows them to be part of the justice system in Athens: “Such / be your just terrors, and you may deserve and have / salvation for your citadel, / your land’s defence” (160). Aeschylus moves from a traditional justice system, the Furies, to the widely accepted justice system of
The central theme of the lectures and readings in this month is the relationship between memory and history. History and memory are similar in a way where they both create a concept of narrating the past and that one cannot exist without the other. Without visual arts, photographs, documentaries, writing, scriptures or physical sites we wouldn’t be able to narrate history. Without these things, memories of these moments will break away and will eventually vanish. Although we have discovered every location on earth and all types of individuals and cultures have crossed paths, to this day we still witness some of the greatest tragedies of our time in history. By creating memories of these historical events, it has created
3. Paulo Freire is interested in what he called "critical consciousness." Freire explains critical consciousness to be an educative concept that engages individuals in questioning their role in a situation. Such awareness is the foundation of historical and social change as people need to learn how to read the world around them and realize that the world experiences consequences of people's actions. This concept focuses on achieving a deep understanding of the world around us and how we must intervene with our reality to change it.
Courtier you are here, for a while you have lived without privileges and that has made you strong, you have been long veiled in subservience,this has been your jewel and instructor. belle you attended, mistress you lingered. Now times call for reliable clarity, long have you been veiled within the confines of your domains content with subservience. Observing the greats as they serve from the zeniths, walking among them as they rest and rule prodigiously. Run through the court yards of your mind, stir your feminine body and use the scepter of your spirituality. This is the age where you are to sit, and stand with the queens. Cease the light talks, the wardrobes of pastimes, recede your embroidery of idleness and erupt
How do your chosen texts represent altered states of consciousness (e.g. dreaming, drugged states, trances, madness)? What does the representation of these states explore that the representation of normative states does not?
I personally have never experienced an altered state of consciousness during a ritual, but I have been able to see friends and many other people entering into an altered state of consciousness. About two years ago, I was kindly invited to my friend’s Christian church, which I accepted. I recall it was a Sunday afternoon and all the people were dressed with their fine clothes, ready to exalt the lord. The whole service for that afternoon was approximately two hours. During those two hours, two specific moments I remember that I quickly figured that people were like in a trance and not acting themselves was when it was time to perform their rituals; singing and praying.
The most striking parts of the book for me were those that described the “spiritual aspects” of the helping process. I could easily identify with them because spirituality resonates very deeply in my heart. I agree completely with the books contention that our “spiritual nature” is ONENESS. Consciousness is the underlying basis of our lives as human beings. Our ability to know and experience the world of objects and our bodies is only possible when we are conscious. Nothing can exist without our sense of being present. Although unseen and action-less, consciousness underlies all aspects of our “individual” nature and our personality type. Indeed, it is consciousness that reflects through the body making our thoughts, feelings, emotions,
Significant increases in soft drink and popcorn sales are noted after directives to "Drink Coke" and "Eat Popcorn" were subliminally projected onto a movie screen over a six week period. The duration of the messages were so short that they were never consciously perceived. Despite admission of a hoax, the sales of popcorn rose 57.7% and the sales of Coca-Cola reportedly rose 18.1%. (Williamson, 1984)
The famous psychologist Carl Jung believed that the universe and all of its inhabitants are made up of a measureless web of thought called the collective unconscious, it’s suggests that the collective unconscious is rooted in the genetic code of every living thing. This collective unconscious is evident in an individual’s personality, which is comprised of five separate personalities blended together; these are called archetypes. In Jungian psychology, there are five different archetypes: the shadow, anima, animus, persona and the wise old man or mana-personality. Each influences a different aspect of one’s personality. These influences vary from one individual to another depending upon the dominance of each archetype. In the play
First associated with the modernist movement, stream of consciousness is a form of interior monologue which its goal is to represent a leading consciousness in a narrative novel, a typical fiction novel. This representation of consciousness includes perceptions or impressions, thoughts which are incited by outside world, and parts of random unattached thoughts. Stream of consciousness writing technique often lacks correct punctuation, favoring a looser and a more incomplete style. The invention of this term has generally been credited to the American psychologist William James, older brother of novelist Henry James. It was used originally by psychologists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century to describe the personal awareness of someone’s mental processes. In The Principles of Psychology, Chapter IX, The Stream of
Erich Fromm and Shirley Jackson have both written wonderful true-life affecting essays and should be awarded for them. I appreciate both stories and feel they both set tales to learn from and live by. As a combined theme for both I ‘ld say “human consciousness is more then a gift”. And read on to see what I mean.
Being a member of humanity is an experience that cannot be compared to anything else on this planet; we are the only species on this planet that has our unique combination of traits. Our culture, or “traditions and customs, transmitted through learning, that form and guide the beliefs and behavior of the people exposed to them,” (Kottak, 2015, p. 3) are so varied and wide that the same culture is not repeated exactly on a different part of the planet. Cultural anthropology is “the study of human society and culture, is the subfield that describes, analyzes, interprets, and explains social and cultural similarities and differences.” (Kottak, 2015, p. 7), and the main method of viewing, as well as appreciating, our cultural differences. Looking at humanity through the lens of cultural anthropology shows so many sides of the lives of others that it is hard to conceive.