Determinisms Relation to Free

Determinisms Relation to Free Will Essay The stereotypical definition of determinism, to the layman, goes something like this: All events are predetermined so we have no free will. Actually, this is more or less the definition of hard determinism. Determinism, however, according to professor of philosophy Sandra LaFave, can co-exist with free will in the form of soft determinism, the philosophical theory that all events indeed have causes but that humans can still act voluntarily. Soft determinism provides a more widely-acceptable definition of determinism that agrees more with common usage of the words free will and cause. Hard determinism states that all events have causes and that we cannot be free as a result. Soft determinism, however, responds to this pessimistic conclusion by asserting that we can indeed have free will and still exist by the deterministic model in which all events have causes. Hard determinism correlates cause with force or compulsion and free with total control, whereas soft determinism correlates free with voluntary or not forced. Thus soft determinisms definitions of words more strongly agree with average, everyday usage. If I were forced to open my safe of personal savings at gunpoint, for example, soft determinism would suggest that I am not acting freely in this situation as I am being coerced by an external force to do something I otherwise wouldnt. If I were to open the safe voluntarily (no one is forcing me), then I am exerting my free will. This distinction may seem obvious, but its validity proves why we cant support hard determinism hard determinism would suggest that both actions are not done out of free will since both actions have causes. Therefore, our usage of the word free will cannot co-exist with hard determinism, but only soft determinism. In conclusion, determinism can co-exist with free will in an effective manner. I must admit, however, that soft determinisms validity rests on an agreement with what cause and free will, as defined above, mean. Still, hard determinism also relies on its own definitions of cause and free will, so this linguistic criticism does not undermine soft determinisms validity. Still, many more arguments regarding determinism and free will exist that are beyond the scope of my knowledge.

Victorian author Essay Example for Free

Victorian author Essay Victorian authors and painters give a good representation of what life must have been like for the people of that period. John Ritchie’s painting, â€Å"A Summer’s Day in Hyde Park†, for instance shows that, while people in the Victorian era might have been overly-dressed, they certainly were not without their fair share of amusement. In the bottom, right hand corner of the painting, a gentleman can be seen rowing a lady (perhaps his wife) and a young girl (perhaps his daughter), home in a boat. The entire family has come to the beach for an outing a site less often seen in modern days, where families (and especially elderly relatives) tend to be a bit sedentary. Meanwhile, in the background of the picture, A gentleman can be seen riding by in a carriage, tipping his hat to his neighbors as he passes. The writing of Victorian authors suggests that the fact that a man own’s a carriage means he has some wealth. In William Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, for instance, Becky Sharp comments that the â€Å"acquirement of that dignified deportment and carriage† is â€Å"requisite for every young lady of fashion. † (Thackaray, 2005, p. 1) In the left hand corner of the painting, an officer in a red coat can be seen resting wearily on the bench next to a lady who seems to be paying no attention to him at all. The lady next to her may be giving the officer some attention, but it is impossible to tell, because her face has no detail. It is merely a blotch of paint. Still, because her head is tilted upward, it seems reasonable to believe she might be speaking to the officer. Indeed, if there is any truth to how Victorian authors portray the importance of soldiers to young women, then the viewer can be fairly certain that she is attending to the officer. For in William Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, officers are some of the most ardent admirers of the main characters, Miss Sharp and Miss Amelia. Although there is much merriment depicted in Ritchie’s painting, there is something disturbing about the way he treats the subject of children. Many of them are in the painting, but only one seems to be looked after. Her grandparents, rather than her parents seem to be doing the watching. The reason for this can be seen in Victorian author Charlotte Bronte’s writing, which suggests that children in the Victorian era were sometimes looked upon as inferior to adults. In Jane Eyre, Bronte describes a situation in which Jane’s Aunt says to her the following: Jane, I dont like cavillers or questioners; besides, there is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in that manner. Be seated somewhere; and until you can speak pleasantly, remain silent. (Bronte, 2005, p. 1) It is no wonder, then, that Ritchie’s adults pay such little attention to their children. In conclusion, Victorian painters and authors show that the Victorian era was one of leisure for wealthy adults, but not, perhaps, the most nurturing environment for children. Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. 2005. Classic Reader. 19 July 2007. http://www. classicreader. com/read. php/bookid. 31/sec. 1/ Thackaray, William. Vanity Fair. 2005. Classic Reader. 19 July 2007. http://www. classicreader. com/read. php/bookid. 91/sec. 2/kw. acquirement+of+that+dignified/

Linebacker I and Linebacker II on the Outcome of the War

Linebacker I and Linebacker II on the Outcome of the War A paper submitted to the Faculty of the Naval War College in partial satisfaction of the requirements of the Department of Strategy and Policy based on the following assigned topic: Question #7: In light of how the Paris Peace Accords were reached in 1972-1973, what effect did Linebacker I and Linebacker II have on the outcome of the war? The contents of this paper reflect my own personal views and are not necessarily endorsed by the Naval War College or the Department of the Navy. Signature: _____________________ December 15, 2016 Seminar 20 Moderators: CDR John Sheehan Professor Michelle Getchell To quickly end the Vietnam War and withdraw American troops in an honorable fashion, the Nixon Administration engaged in a strategy of diplomacy and cocurrent military pressure. The focus of the diplomatic track was to negotiate a formal agreement between belligerents. This diplomatic track ultimately resulted in the accord known as the Paris Peace Accords. The military track endeavored to persuade the North to come to the negotiating table in by destroying its will to resist and war-making capabilities through a demonstration of Americas superior air power and unwavering commitment to a free and independent South Vietnam. The series of air raids conducted in support of this goal are known as LINEBACKER I and LINEBACKER II. Both LINEBACKER I and LINEBACKER II had an effect on the war, but both had different results. LINEBACKER I disproved the theory of victory for the North due to their misinterpretation of timing in switching from Phase II to Phase III of Maos strategy, and understa nding of the level of support President Nixon would have from key North Vietnam allies. LINEBACKER II was ultimately successful in bringing all belligerents to the negotiating table, the North by deteriorating the will to fight and further degrading North Vietnamese Warfighting capabilities, and the South due to the waning support of the new U.S. Congress for the war. In early 1972, the North began to shift military tactics from Phase II guerrilla warfare to a much more conventional Phase III form of according to Maos three phase strategy.1 This change is seen in the Easter Offensive that launched on March 30 which was brought about by the success the North enjoyed in Lam Son 719. Because of the Souths need for security and poor military execution, and communication, Operation Lam Son 719 collapsed when faced with resistance from the Northern commanders. The campaign was a disasterous for the South, demostrating their deficiencies and proving that the best units of the South could be defeated by the North.2 North Vietnam conducted the Easter Offensive to take the initiative and weaken Americas commitment to South Vietnam with a significant impact on negotiations producing more favorable terms for them at negotiations. The general feeling was that once troop reduction had reached a certain level the U.S. would have insignificant influence to affect the strategic situation.3 Prior to this the North Vietnamese were on Stage II of Maos three-stage plan for war. The decision to initiate the strategic counter-offensive in the Easter Offensive was premature. The South Vietnamese and U.S. still held a position of greater military power and changing phases at that point was counter to the Maos theories.4 In this second stage, enemy troop morale should continue to deteriorate, which it was in the case of the U.S. Due to American support. The position of North Vietnam in contrast to South Vietnam had not progressed far enough to give an advantage that would support Phase III, and international support should also have grown for the North Vietnamese. Due to the Easter Offensive and lack of willingness to negotiate on the part of the North Vietnamese the International support was not there. Having fulfilled only two of the three requirements to change phase, it was not the proper time, and the North Vietnamese hurt their war efforts. As a result of early North Vietnamese action, President Nixon announced the negotiations between North Vietnam and the United States taking place in Paris as well as the concessions the South Vietnamese and United States were willing to conceed to. Failure of these negotiations allowed the President to put the blame on North Vietnam for refusing to negotiate a peaceful end to the war. This address would do several things, first put diplomatic pressure on North Vietnam by announcing the negotiations in progress and placing North Vietnam in the position of the faithless party. Second, the speech demonstrated that America had exhausted all diplomatic options, which had already been initiated, and set the stage for military action if North Vietnam continued to insist on continuing inflexibility. Hanoi rejected the peace terms offered which gave Nixon the legitimacy he needed to turn to military pressure, the very thing that the North had discounted in their calculations.4 Another problem facing the North at this time is the increasing warmth of relations between the U.S. and the Norths patrons Russia and China. While China was using the U.S. to balance against Russia they were forced to realign forces and took support from North Vietnam. Concurrnetly, Russia was stepping up dà ©tente and viewed China as an enemy.5 This increasing cooperation with Northern allies isolated the North and presented an opportunity for a series of painful military strikes against the North Vietnamese that would decimate entire infantry units and nearly all of the Norths armored vehicles.5 With waning support from their key allies aquiring replacement equipment was difficult and outright victory in a conventional campaign was al but imposssible. President Nixon stated that the U.S. was going to continue fighting until the Communists agreed to negotiate a fair and honorable peace or until the South Vietnamese were able to defend themselves on their own whichever came first. 5 Immediately prior to the 1972 elections, peace talks between Hanoi, Saigon, and Washington began to deteriorate. As a result, President Nixon authorized a follow on air campaign against North Vietnam that would be called LINEBACKER II. The objective of LINEBACKER II differed from LINEBACKER I in that it was intended to destroy Hanois will to fight, and demonstrate Americas commitment to South Vietnams independence after the withdrawal of American troops. Many of the LINEBACKER I targets were attacked again during LINEBACKER II. However; LINEBACKER II had a purpose other than interdicting Northern forces. Military commanders wanted the bombers to cause distress to the civilian population in an effort to disuade them from committing to the fighting on the side of the North while avoinding civilian casualties. To degrade North Vietnamese will to fight, U.S. leadership wanted the people of Hanoi to hear the bombs.6 The ability of a nation to fight is military force and the will of the pe ople. In the case of North Vietnam the millitary force had been signifigantly reduced and that left the will of the people to force settlement. With congressional support waning, North Vietnam adjusted its actions to delay negotiations until after the newly elected Congress was sworn in, believing that support to continue the war in Vietnam would wane. Nixon thought the only way to break the Norths inflexibility and bring them back to the negotiating table was to raise the cost of their reluctance in negotiation. The President commented, We have now reached the point where only the strongest action would have any effect in convincing Hanoi that negotiating a fair settlement with us was a better option for them than continuing the war.7 The strongest show of force in this case was the use of the B-52 Stratofortress. This decision was the optimal choice for attacking the will of the populace. President Ninxon and his advisers desired to inflict maximum psychological impact on the North Vietnamese, supporting the South and reducing the cost to the U.S. in american lives.8 The B-52 could carry a massive conventional payload, was capable of carrying nuclear weapons which sent a message in itself, and had all-weather capabilities making it a perfect tool to deliver a psychological blow to the enemy. The B-52 could attack at altitudes of over 30,000 feet, rendering it impossible to be seen or heard by North Vietnamese troops on the ground allowing for attacks that happened without warning. The suddenness of the attacks along with their intensity had a telling effect. Recalling personal experience with LINEBACKER IIs bombing campaign one Viet Cong member said, The first four times I experienced a B-52 attack it seemed, as I strained to press myself into the bunker floor, that I had been caught in the Apocalypse. The terror was complete. One lost control of bodily functions as the mind screams incomprehensible orders to get out.9 During the LINEBACKER II operation, military leaders had authority to use air power to end the war effectively and the results were apparent. The Norths transportation network was decimated. Aircraft attacked and destroyed storage warehouses, electric power generating facilities cutting their capacity by three-quarters, and petroleum facilities reducing that capability by one-fourth.10 LINEBACKER II inflicted significant damage to North Vietnams war-making capability, but more importantly accomplished its primary purpose of unsettling the civilian population. As a result of LINEBACKER II, the belligerents came back to the bargaining table after eleven days of intensive bombing. The scale and success of the operation persuaded the North to accept terms that included some of Thieus newly added provisions. Congressional outcry over the scale of LINEBACKER II caused the South to realize that support for the war might be running out, making this an opportune time to accept peace and retai n as much as possible ensuring survival.11 Linebacker I was politically and practically a remarkable success. Asa result of the bombs dropped during the campaign, the Northhad a shift in thought. For the first time in the war the U.S. had used air power in a way that influenced the will of the North to continue the fight. The North had been convinced that the warwas becoming too costly for them. Some would argue that the North Vietnamese theory of victory was not disproven and they were not forced to go to the negotiating table. Their theory of victory was only put on hold by the actions of LINEBACKER and the U.S. was never in a position to win. The results LINEBACKER II did not force the North to the negotiating table but enabled them to transition back to Phase II, along with the withdrawl of U.S. forces and lack of support to the South ultimately enabled them to succeed in their bid to unite the Vietnamese people. The LINEBACKER I operation had left the Norths conventional forces decimated.10 The North had unsuccessfully tried persecuting the war by conventional means but U.S. air power had proven its worth and destroyed the majority of Northern troops and armored vehicles.11 Though costly to the North, the theory of victory through conventional means was not disproven, only delayed. To the conventional adversary this would have led to a cessation of hostilities due to lack of ability to continue the fight, but one of the strengths of the North was was in followingd the theories of Mao. These theories garnered the support from the local populace. The North Vietnamese forces understood that Vietnamese pesants had endured hundreds of years of oppression and rule.12 The Souths treatment of the pesants was similar to outside forces which had oppressed them with little attempt to understand them. In contrast the North Vietnamese forces dutifully followed Maos teachings, politely asking for supply a nd helping work for their repayment as well as proclaiming their belief in land reform, equality and governmental reform.13 The South by contrast was rife with corruption, inefficiency, and greed often setting themselves above the peasantry stealing supply and food. In this way the South Vietnamese were their own worst enemy. Their lack of support to the peasants drove them to the side of the North for protection against the unjust rule of the state. This led to not the hills menacing the villages, hills were the villages.13 The Cause of the North had become an ideal that the pesantry had bought in to and they had become the insurgents sho would continue to fight for their cause, overthrow of the local elites, good treatment and increased living standards enjoyed by the pesants through the efforts of the North. This dynamic created a situation in which it was difficult to tell who was the enemy and who was the villager. The U.S. was never in the position to win a lasting peace in this situation for several reasons. We lacked an understanding of the people and what they desired.14 Without the proper understanding of the desires of the people the U.S. could try to secure villages, give out aid and try to reinforce the government, but the government was a primary reason for the insurgency. More importantly, the U.S. was viewed as an unwanted foreign presence. Since the Vietnamese had fought against and suffered foreign opression for so long there was initial distrust and with our self imposed lack of cultur al awareness we would not be able to destroy the idea that was the root cause of the war. LINEBACKER II did not force the belligerents to the nogotiating table, it just provided the North with the opportunity to regroup revert to Phase II and wait for the U.S. to withdraw its forces leaving the North in a more advantageous position from which to rebuild for the next Phase III and the reunification of the Vietnamese people that they desired. The misinterpretation of their success in Lam Son 719 led the north to the Easter Offensive and as a result cost them a good deal of men and equipment. The only thing that they had left was the pesant population which it enjoyed great support from.14 Realizing their tenuous position the North signaled that it wished to resume peace negotiations and as a result the LINEBACKER II raids immediately ceased. In the absence of these continued the attacks the North would secure a political victory at the peace table by keeping Northern forces in the South.15 During this time they would be able to rebuild and strengthen their forces and would, in time, translate this into a full-scale military conquest of South Vietnam upon their transition back to Phase III. Not long after the end of Linebacker II, the U.S. withdrew its forces from the war in Southeast Asia and returned home. Two years later the North, knowing that it no longer faced any realistic threat of another Linebacker II, invaded South Vietnam across a broad front.16 The Communist forces of the North entered Saigon on April 30, 1975, and unified the two Vietnams under one government. A full application of airpower in a Linebacker could have achieved military victory, prevented the long and costly U.S. involvement and saved South Vietnam as a nation. While the North had went to the table to negotiate, it was to buy time and gain an advantageous position, not in good faith. 1 Sun Tzu. The Art of War. Translated by Samuel B. Griffith. Oxford: Oxford University Press, (1980), III 5. 2 Carl von Clausewitz. On War: Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. Princeton. Princeton University Press, (1976), 618. 3 Ibid., 186. 4 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016). 5 Paul M Kennedy. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. New York. Humanity Books, (1976), 242. 6 Ibid. 245 7 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016). 8 Paul M Kennedy. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. New York. Humanity Books, (1976), 245 . 9 Ibid. 248 10 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016).), 147. 1 Elliot A. Cohen and John Gooch. Military Misfortunes: The Anatomy of Failure in War.New York. Free Press, (1990), 134. 12 Ibid. 134. 3 Carl von Clausewitz. On War: Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. Princeton. Princeton University Press, (1976), 177. 4 Elliot A. Cohen and John Gooch. Military Misfortunes: The Anatomy of Failure in War.New York. Free Press, (1990), 136. 5 Admiral von Holtzendorf. German History in Documents and Images. Selected Readings. Naval War College, Newport, RI, (2016), 2.       6 Ibid. 3. 7 Ibid. 4.

Christopher Skase - The Sick Tycoon :: essays research papers

In the early 1980's a young confident man named Christopher Charles Skase became world famous by amassing a list of assets including a multi-million dollar company called Quintex, the channel 7 network, Mirage resorts and a number of extravagant houses across the world. Christopher Skase was born on the 18th of September 1948 in Melbourne, Australia. He grew up in a rich family going to Malvern and Caulfield Grammar Schools. He first started making money as a stockbroker and then as a finance journalist. In 1975 he bought a small Tasmanian based company called Quintex. Borrowing heavily the Company expanded into resort developments including 5 Mirage resorts and the media company, channel 7 network. Buoyed by his success Skase began to represent Australia's entrepreneurs of the 80's. Brash, extravagant and fearless. Who could forget his Christmas parties in Brisbane last decade? The Quintex group of companies collapsed in 1989. By 1991 Skase a seasoned overseas traveller failed to return to Australia. Bankrupt and aloof he stayed far from home and fought attempts to force him to return for trial on the charges brought by the Australian Securities Commission. Whilst a resident of Majorca Skase has developed his business ventures by creating an international company pursuing interests in resorts. It appears that this strategy has been adopted to carry favour with the Spanish Government in relation to investment attraction. Since 1994 in Spanish Courts he has fought extradition proceedings to Australia, claiming that a life threatening lung condition prevented him from travelling. This was challenged in the courts by witnesses to his lifestyle in Majorca where he and his wife Pixie are living together with step-daughter Amanda and her husband Tony Larkin. The Spanish had until recently upheld Skase's testimony. In May 1998, with Senator Amanda Vanstone leading the charge, the Australian Government cancelled Skase's passport. The Spanish courts moved quickly sending notice to Skase to leave Majorca by the 23rd July 1998 due to his lack of citizenship. Of course, there was and continues to be an appeal. Realising that he could be extradited to Australia since being stateless, Skase moved quickly to obtain a passport. In August, 1998 he became a citizen of Dominica and now has a valid Dominican passport.

The Dark Side of Nathaniel Hawthorne in The House of Seven Gables Essay

The Dark Side of Nathaniel Hawthorne in The House of Seven Gables In The House of the Seven Gables, Nathaniel Hawthorne exhibits the fate of a family due to a curse by analyzing the most â€Å"disagreeable† secrets of a man’s soul (Great Lives 1077). Hawthorne shows the decay of an aristocratic family due to the sins of the past. He uses allegory within his character’s personalities and emotions to expose â€Å"the truth of the human heart† (biography). Hawthorne’s chosen location for this novel reflects greatly on his life and specifically his childhood. Salem is the home of The House of the Seven Gables. Ironically this is the same town in which he was born in and lived in through adulthood. He was raised in this town, therefore he was very aware of the dark side of its past. He was a part of this past through his ancestors. One of which was a judge in the infamous Salem witch trials. At this trial Hawthorne’s uncle is cursed by a so-called witch with the words, â€Å"God will give you blood to drink† (Magill 2736). This curse is much similar to Matthew Maule’s curse on the Pyncheon family (Magill 2734). The solitude of his characters reflects his childhood as well. Growing up, his 2 mother kept herself away from people which led him to become a very solitary man for much of his life. As a young child Hawthorne was lamed. During these years he became well learned with the writings of Edmund Spenser, John Bunyan, and William Shakespear(CSLF 1570). From these men he has gained technique and style. Having lived in Salem most of his life, Hawthorne is extremely influenced by Puritanism. His writings greatly reflect this. Hawthorne deals much with the sins of a man being pasted down for generations. This is very much a Puritan belief. Puritans are a very superstitious type of person. Thus, this explains Hawthorne’s belief that a curse, such as Maule’s curse, can destroy a well-to-do family (Walker 1577). Hawthorne’s characters dealt with guilt forced on by their ancestor, much of which goes back as far as the Puritans. He commonly plays guilt against innocence within one character, Hepzibah Pyncheon. She feels strongly that she must maintain the lifestyle and tradition of her ancestor Colonel Pyncheon. He shows her many personalitie... .... â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† Encarta Encyclopedia. (1997) â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† The Critical Temper. Ed. Martin Tucker. Vol. 4. A Library of Literary Criticism. Frederick Ungar Publishing, 1979, 509-514. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† World Literature Criticism.† Ed. James P. Draper. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1992, 1592-1605. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† Novels and Novelists : A Guide to the World of Fiction. Ed. Martin Seymour-Smith. London : Shuckburgh Reynolds Ltd., 1980, 154-155. Wagenknecht, Edward. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† Cavalcade of the American Novel. New York : Henry Holt and Company, 1952, 90, 9, 20, 25, 38-57. Walker, Ronald G. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† Critical Survey of Long Fiction. Vol. 4. Englewood Cliffs : Salem Press, 1983, 1314-1328. Van Doren, Carl. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† The American Novel. Ed. Revised. Vol. 1789-1939. New York : The MacmillianCompany, 1966, 58-83 135-137, 210, 213, 215. â€Å"American Transcendentalism.† â€Å"PAL : Nathaniel Hawthorne.†

Essay Comparing the Concept of God in Beowulf and Other Anglo-Saxon Poems :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Concept of God in Beowulf and Other Anglo-Saxon Poems      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is the concept of God mentioned only in Beowulf or is it a common element in all Anglo-Saxon poetry? Is the concept of God described the same way as in Beowulf?    Beowulf presents a mixture of Christian and pagan elements Hrothgar is demonstrably a monotheist, bu this people were offering sacrifice to pagan gods when Grendel caused them to despair. Let’s try to clarify the concept of God in this poem. In the early lines of this classic we see what is meant by GOD and by GOODNESS, as embodied or exemplified by the king, in this case by King Scyld Scefing:    he grew under heaven,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   prospered in honors until every last one  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of the bordering nations beyond the whale-road  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   had to heed him, pay him tribute.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He was a good king! A son was born him,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   a glorious heir, young in the courtyards,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   whom God had sent to comfort his people,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -well had He seen the sinful distress  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   they suffered earlier, leaderless for long.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore the Life-lord, the Ruler of glory,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   granted earthly honor: Beow was famed (8ff)    So goodness in a king is the possession of such strength that other nations fear you. And God is the all-powerful One who grants this earthly honor that Scyld, Beow, Healfdene and Hrothgar shared in. So God the Author of strength is their concept of God as the poem opens. This idea continues:    Then Hrothgar was given  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   victory in battle (64).    Who was the giver? God, of course. From Heorot Hrothgar would:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   he would share out among young and old  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   all God had given him, except common land  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and the lives of men (71ff)    Heorot gave joy to the people with its scop narrating â€Å"how the Almighty had made the earth,† the â€Å"life He created, in each of the species,† â€Å"until a certain one began to do evil, an enemy from Hell,† a descendant of Cain. So God’s antithesis is in Grendel and his mother and their â€Å"home in the darkness.† Ater killing more than 60 Dane warriors, Grendel â€Å"grieved not at all for his wicked deeds – was too deep in sin;† many awful sins against mankind, the solitary fiend often committed;† â€Å"he knew not His love.

Akbar the Great Mughul Emperor

Akbar: The Great Mughal Akbar's Education and Education Akbar short for Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar also known as Akbar â€Å"The Great† was born on October 11, 1542 to the 2nd Moghul emperor â€Å"Humayun† and Hamida Banu Begam. His mother was a Persian Shi’ Muslim and â€Å"the daughter of a famous Persian scholar who served his youngest uncle, Hindal, as a civil servant† (Moujloum Khan, 172). His birth came at â€Å"an astrologically propitious hour. The unique pear l of the vice regency of God came forth in his glory,’ wrote Abu-l-Fazl, ‘and at his birth the first opening of his eyes on the visible world, rejoiced the hearts of the wise with a sweet smile’† (Andre Wink 7). It was a very auspicious time to be brought to this world and his everyone rejoiced, as it is a sign of wisdom to be born with the eyes open on the stars. In addition he was born at time when his father Humayun was struggling with maintaining his power and expanding his empire even prior to his birth.Humayun’s father Babar, the founder of the Mughal Empire, had left the empire’s administration unstable and unorganized therefore Humayun had to face many problems soon after his father’s death as the successor of the empire. First he had to take action against the aggression of his biggest rival Sher Shah, founder of the Suri dynasty, to regain his power. He was then forced to flee for from time to time to Persian and Sindh and that is where he met Akbar’s mother.In addition Humayun’s rebellious and treacherous brothers Mirza Kamranm, Askari and Hindul were plotting against him and contributed immensely in his defeat and banishing by the Afghans, therefore he took military action against them and as a result he subdued them and took back Lahore, Punjab, Delhi and Agra, and reclaimed his power. After years of attempting to get his kingdom back, Humayun finally was able to get back his rule but not for to o long. When Akbar was only 13 years old, his father died of an unfortunate accident in the palace while rushing to answer the call to prayer.The sudden turn of events changed Akbar’s life and he was suddenly thrust into an empire in jeopardy. * Akbar was born at an adverse political period, which prevented him from attaining a proper education. When he was just a year and three months he was separated from his parents. The royal couple fled to Hijaz to preform pilgrimage and to solicit support from the emperor of Persia in order to regain control of Hindustan leaving baby Akbar with his uncle Askari. He was then taken to Qandahar where his uncle’s wife, Sultan Begam, took him in and raised him for a short period.In 1944, about a year after being separated from his parents, Akbar’s father Humayun returned to Qandahar with Persian auxiliary troops and took control while Akbar was taken to Kabul where he was to be handed over to Khazanda Begam, a sister of the lat e emperor Babur. He was a very fortunate little boy as his caretaker was very fond of him and took him in as her own son. Soon after his father-captured Kabul, Akbar was reunited with his parents after being away from them for more than two years.This period of time is known to be â€Å"the beginning of the beating of the drum of victory and conquest of His majesty† (Wink 9). Since the beginning of his life, Akbar did not have a proper home as his family was on the run from one place to another and he was deprived of formal education. For this reason he remained unlettered and he â€Å"failed to gain proficiency in literacy† (Moujloum Khan, 172). At the age of none he was given governance of the village of Carkh and just a year later when his uncle Hindal died he was given charge of his servants and entourage.As one could see that Akbar was given great responsibility despite his young age, which prepared him for his reign after his fathers demise. It is said that this great responsibility was given to him so â€Å"that his greatness might be tested†¦ [and] that all might know his abilities, and also that he might have practice in the art of rule† (Wink, 10). When Akbar was twelve years old, his father succeeded in the re-conquest of Hindustan and ordered that the conquest be inscribed in Akbar’s name â€Å"indicating thereby that Akbar was nominally in command of the entire campaign† (Wink, 10).After the great occurrence of reclaiming Hindustan, Akbar was sent to Sirhind in the Panjab where he was given a tutor to educate about Indian manners and customs and â€Å"who brought the Indians after the unique age† (Wink, 10). By surrounding himself with other educated people Akbar did not only learn about the customs and manners of India but he also grasped and mastered an extensive variety of objects including philosophy, art, history, religion and poetry without great efforts.He proved himself to be an intelligent pe rson with a sharp intellect and a prodigious memory. He is described â€Å"as a man of excellent judgment and good memory who had attained a considerable erudition in many fields by listening to others, †¦[and] no one who did not know that he was illiterate would suppose him to be anything but very learned and erudite† (Wink, 14). Through constant communication In addition to his intellectual abilities, he was also well trained in all aspects of political military and civil affair.When his father established himself on the imperial throne in 1555, Akbar just like his forefathers was trained in archery, horse riding, wrestling and swordsmanship, which prepared him for the battlefield. As his grandfather at the age of twelve, the first Mughal emperor, and his father Humayun at the age of eleven, Akbar went to on his first military operation when he was only thirteen. He was instructed by his father to prepare a safe route from Kabul through the Punjab and â€Å"keep the r emaining Afghans at bay in the northern hills† (Wink, 11).Also while he was in Punjab, Akbar took the opportunity and acquired skills in artillery by the finest available Ottoman tutor, Rumi Khan. Akbar also attained skills in drawing with prominent Persian artists and in learning the Hindi language as well. When he was about fifteen or sixteen while in his 3rd year of kingship, he was started diving into Sufi mystical writings like that of Hafiz. He was put in an educative program that taught refinement of character, Qur’an, historical knowledge and poetry.Notwithstanding his illiteracy Akbar was well rounded, intelligent and most certainly a person with a sharp intellect and prodigious memory. He later son Jahangir writes about him in his memoirs saying: â€Å"My father always associated with the learned of India, and although he was illiterate, so much became clear to him through constant intercourse with the learned and the wise, and in his conversations with them, that no one knew him to be illiterate, and he was so acquainted with the niceties of prose and verse composition that this deficiency was not thought of† (Tuzuk, I, 33).Akbar's Military history * Humayun’s death meant many things to the Mughal empire and especially Akbar; he was to succeed his father and step to the throne as the emperor of a troubled land. Akbar came to power at a fairly young age and it seems that it did not stop him from making military judgments as a result of his extensive military and practical training when he was younger.At the start of his journey as a ruler, â€Å"he instigated military in order to regain the lost territories, and thereby restore political stability, social peace and security across the Mughal dominion† (Moujloum Khan, 173). He was operating under Bairan Khan, his civil servant and regent, who trained him in all aspects of governance to prepare him in succeeding his father as the ruler of the Mughal dynasty. By general agreement he was far too young to rule autonomously so on that account Bairan Kahn who also assisted his father Humayun when he was ruling operated over him.Under his supervision and stewardship, Akbar â€Å"took action against all remaining rebellious governors and sultans, before winning a decisive victory at Panipat in 1556, where he inflicted a c rushing defeat on Hemu, his most powerful Hindu rival, who at the time ruled both Delhi and Agra†(Moujloum Khan, 173). Despite the Hemu’s strength and history in battlefields, Akbar was not intimidated and marched fearlessly into the battlefield with his army and overpowered his adversaries’ forces.As Bairan khan’s influence grew, he started to take advantage of his role in making decisions without Akbar’s consent and became a liability as opposed to a benefit to the Mughal Empire. He was heavy-handed when it came to military tactics. Six years into his role an emperor under his authoritative guide an d mentor, Akbar had enough of him and dismissed him and sent him to Mecca to preform the sacred pilgrimage. Akbar was only eighteen when he became fully-fledged and responsible for the political and military affairs of his empire.His decision enabled him to think for himself and to make decisive actions in consolidating the empire. He was keen to expand the empire further onto the bordering countries and then battled with them in order to gain new territories. His intent in conquering other lands was not only to expand the empire but only to liberate the oppressed from tyranny. Abul-al-Fazl writes: â€Å"In conquering countries and cities his first thought is to inquire into and sympathize with the condition of the oppressed† (Wink, 21).In 1568 he marched with his military to the lands of Rajasthan in response to the Rajput’s threatens against the Mughal empire. Despite their resistance they were eventually defeated due to Akbar’s superior military force. After he succeeded in capturing Rajasthan, his next target was the state of Gujarat. It was an important commercial city in a prominent location with prosperous ports and coastal resorts. For this reason, Akbar took the stance in capturing it and sett off with his military forces as soon as he received the news of riots in the capital of Gujarat, Ahmedabad, in just over a week covering six hundred miles en route.He was effective in his planning and military strategies and captured the province without conflict and hence joined his empire with the Arabian Sea, which opened up a naval route to the rest of the world. To him expanding the empire did not just mean more land but also joining and uniting a people. After he annexed Gujarat, he went to the wealthy northern Indian in Bengal, Kabul, and the beautiful basin of Kashmir, Orissa, Sind and Baluchistan and captured them all in a matter of less than 20 years.His achievements in conquering lands are astonishing and how he managed to establi sh his authority in the Mughal Empire throughout Northern India is an astounding accomplishment that many rulers would not be able to triumph as he did. According to his son Jahangir Akbar â€Å"passed his days his nights in wakefulness and slept little in the day†¦He counted his wakefulness at night as so much added to his life. His courage and boldness were such that he could mount raging, rutting elephants, and subdue murderous elephants† (Moujloum Khan, 174).As a tactical and strategic leader, Akbar was well aware that without employing and developing an effective civil and political governmental system it would not be possible to unite and strengthen the territories. He was resolute to transform his empire especially because he did not want the history to repeat itself from when the Mughal Empire was disintegrated. He had to come up with a long-term plan and increase the growth of the financial treasury. He also knew that he could reform his empire without winning t he hearts and minds of his people-Muslims and Hindus alike.This meant promoting dialogue between the two prominent religions that is Islam and Hinduism in the subjects of religion and culture. * He â€Å"hoped to establish lasting political stability, social solidarity and cultural understanding and tolerance throughout Mughal India. In order to achieve this objective, Akbar reformed the existing Mughal political and administrative structure which depended heavily on the goodwill and support of the wealthy, independent feudal chiefs to function effectively†(Moujloum Khan, 174).To prevent economic corruption, political disarrangement and social dissatisfaction, Akbar assigned regional administrators who were fairly responsible and reliable for overseeing the affairs of their own provinces and frequently reported to him. He subsequently went out of his way and created ties with the influential Hindu groups. The Rajputs, who were one of the most influential Hindu groups shortly, joined the Mughal Empire’s political, military and civil services.This approach that Akbar took in forging alliances was very affective because it ensured that Muslims and Hindus work together in running the administration of the Mughal Empire. Both the Muslims and the Hindus came together to â€Å"consolidate Mughal political power and authority across India. Thus politically speaking, Akbar’s efforts to unite Muslims Hindus proved a success† (Moujloum Khan, 174). Akbar and Religion * In addition to uniting the Hindus and the Muslims together in the civil, political and civic realm, but Akbar was rather ineffective when he tried to harmonize Islam and Hinduism.Islam and Hinduism are two very different religions; Islam on one hand preaches the absolute oness of God while Hinduism the worship of multiple gods. Islam considers the association of god with other deities’ disbelief. The two religions are more completely opposed to one another than any other m ajor world religion. There is no doubt that Akbar’s intention to bring the two groups together is a praiseworthy and admirable intention but his approach to inter-faith discourse proved both heavy-handed and impulsive. Akbar was reacting to the constant conflicts and disagreements that have been occurring between the two groups.He and â€Å"his advisors began to explore ways in which they * could end these bitter conflicts by emphasizing the common elements between the two faiths, rather than focus on the differences; this eventually inspired them to create a religious synthesis by combining aspects of Islamic mysticism and Hindu philosophy. But, fat from uniting the two rival religious factions, this only served to make matters worse, because both orthodox Muslims and Hindus considered Akbar’s religious eclecticism very offensive† (Moujloum Khan, 175).Unfortunately both Hindus and Muslims alike labeled him as a heretic and a freethinker because of his views on religious tolerance. Despite these accusations, Akbar was a devout Muslim who prayed his five daily prayers and was very much afraid of displeasing god with the choices he made. His idea to join the religions was highly questionable hence it was contradictory to the Shariah. In the beginning of his reign, Akbar reformed many laws that were highly problematic from an Islamic point of view although it was done in respect of other religions.For example, the abolishment of non-shariah trade and market taxes and the taxes that were â€Å"imposed on certain Hindu pilgrimage, normally associated with fairs; †¦but he also forbade the questionable jizyah tax on dhimmi non-Muslims throughout his reign† †(Marshall G. S. Hodgson, 71). Because of the reforms he has made, it appears that it did not matter to Akbar whether the reforms he made were contradicting the shariah as long as they were acknowledging people from other faiths especially the Hindus.He also banned the slaught ering of animals on certain days of the year and in areas that are deemed sacred to the Hindus. He disallowed child marriages, which was a common practice among the Hindus and the Muslims and the Hindu forced practice of widows that burnt themselves alongside their husbands’ corpses unless it was voluntary by the widows. It was not an easy task for him to do because some people would not submit and let go of their traditions but he was very patient very patient with them.To support other faiths he contributed financially† to the building of temples of other faiths. In this way he put practice into a universalist orientation in religion itself, which formed an important component of the interconfessional cultural climate of the court†(Hodgson, 72). To further take the idea of having a universalist orientation Akbar organized, Akbar was very interested in religion, especially Islam therefore he organized â€Å"a house of worship† where Muslim scholars various points of view could gather to dispute and discuss their respective faiths and claims.In order to consolidate his power, Akbar introduced a series of reforms of religious beliefs. Besides his strong belief in the holy Qur’an, he also believed all the other faiths were true and that there is a way to bring unity of all the faiths. This became the basis of his new â€Å"religious synthesis, namely din-i-ilahi (or the Devine Religion†), which as expected, was vigorously opposed by both orthodox Muslims and Hindus†(Moujloum Khan, 175). It was a dedicated to a universalist outlook, moral purity and personal devotion.This was indeed a questionable and controversial religious matter because it was a deviation from Islamic dogma. Akbar was told by one of his devotees, Abul al-Fazl, that he was a spiritual leader and he was responsible of his people’s lives and the source of sorting out the common truth by uniting the world religions. This was a continuation of hi s past project when he established the â€Å"house of god† where people from different faiths could debate at his court, as it did not work out because the intolerant Jesuits who wanted to convert.Akbar was a devout Muslim and he always cared about pleasing god, it is said that he â€Å"would spend whole * Nights in religious discussion. ‘ And from a feeling of thankfulness for his past successes he would sit many a morning alone in prayer and meditation on a large flat stone of an old building which lay near the palace in a lonely spot, with his head over his chest, gathering the bliss of the early hours of dawn’†(Wink, 97). Although his new religion was meant to synthesize and consolidate the world’s religions into one it was predominately based on Islam.The main dogma of din-i-illahi is that the world is a creation of God and is a unified and single place, which manifests the unity and ones of God. In addition to the fundamental beliefs of the â €Å"Divine Religion†, Akbar derived from Zoroastrianism sun worship and the idea of kingship and from Jainism the care and respect of all living things. This is obviously contradictory to Islam and the Ulama were very disturbed and considered it as â€Å"outright heresy† (Unity of Religions). * Conclusion As a leader, Akbar was determined, tolerant, ruthless and dedicated to his empire. He not only expanded his empire but also established political stability, promoted economic prosperity and reformed the civic administration that his forefathers worked for but also built one of the most beautiful and breathtaking monuments ever built in the Islamic civilization. Although he was illiterate, he managed to hold stimulating political and religious intellectual discussions.He was also very fond of poetry especially Persian poetry. The Mughal Empire became one â€Å" of the most influential political and military powers of the time. And having once fallen out with his only surviving so, Salim (Emperor Jahangir), Akbar became reconciled with him just before his death; he died at the age of sixty-three†(Moujloum Khan, 175). He was buried in Sirkandra in a mausoleum that he had prepared for himself before his demise west of Agra, India. * * * Works CitedAkbar, the great Mughal: his new policy and his new religion. Delhi: Aakar Books, 2009. Print. Bedi, P. S.. The Mughal nobility under Akbar. Jalandhar: ABS * Publications :, 1985. Print. Khan, Muhammad Mojlum. Muslim 100: the lives, thoughts and achievements of the most influential Muslims in history. Leicestershire: Kube, 2008. Print. Lal, Muni. Akbar. New Delhi: Vikas, 1980. Print. Malleson, G. B.. Akbar and the rise of the Mughal empire,. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1890.Print. Srivastava, Ashirbadi Lal. Akbar the Great. Agra: Shiva Lal Agarwala, 1967. Print. * Akbar. Oxford: Oneworld, 2009. Print. * â€Å"THE LIGHT OF TRUTH For the Respect and Honour of Islam. † Unity of * Religions . N. p. , 2 Oct. 2004. Web. 20 May 2012. *