Tabula rasa

pioneer of colonialism in retrospect. Moreover Cook was critical of European impact on locals: “what is still to our shame as civilised Christians…we introduce among [natives] wants and perhaps disease.” Cook subscribes to Rousseau’s theory of the Tabula rasa and the corrupt nature of Western civilisation. Thus, intentionally or not, Cook’s scientific exploration contributed to colonialism, a rational process that can be paradoxically enforced by religion. Analysing Kipling’s 1799 ‘White Man’s…

Explore the ways in which Shelley explores the transition of the monster between Chapters 11 and 17 In the beginning in Chapter 11, the monster is portrayed as an infant or a baby. “[He] knew and could distinguish nothing”, this demonstrates his lack of awareness for his surroundings mirroring the actions and mind-set of a new-born. They have no ability/are not alert of their capability to hear, see, speak and smell. As a result they are highlighted as vulnerable. At first the monster seems…

philosophical ideas that support social learning is behaviourism. Behaviourism, as an ideology, places pre-eminence on the potency of the acquisition of knowledge in shaping the human mind and behaviour. It believes that man mind from birth is like a tabula rasa (i.e. blank slate) upon which…

Personal Philosophy Jennifer Gosha Daniels Post University Personal Philosophy A personal philosophy is unique, tailored to each individual’s lifestyle, outlook on life, and belief system. It’s a person’s motto that they follow in life, such as love conquering all in the world. A personal philosophy can be simple like being kind to others, while another’s may be complicated. No two people’s philosophies will be the same, because no two look at the world surrounding them, in the…

With an increasing concentration of projects in urban environments, the landscapes encountered by practitioners are likely to be pre-empted, recycled spaces rather than an idealised tabula rasa. In Historical Ground (2014, 6), Greg Hunt explains that landscapes are not from one particular time but rather possess multiple layers of history from different periods and cultures. Hunt uses the metaphor of a palimpsest to explain the way layers…

In their book “Scenic Art for the Theatre: History, Tools and Techniques”, Susan Crabtree and Peter Beudert emphasized, “Don’t draw things; draw relationships. It’s so simple: just put every brush stroke in the right place.” The quotation basically summarizes the job of a scenic designer, who is responsible for bringing the world of the production onto the stage. The scenic designer (or set designer) is expected to fulfill five basic goals in order to design an overall concept for the play.…

Given the spiritual dilemma first highlighted in Europe as thinkers gradually discovered that their newfound embrace of faith in reason could not be easily reconciled with faith in organized religion, Friedrich Nietzsche’s post-Enlightenment philosophy should not have come as much of a surprise to any of his contemporaries. In his Parable of the Madman, he frankly portends the immutable result of a communal belief in a Christian God that has been permeated by rationalism and science: “God is…

In the twentieth century, theatrical representations of A Midsummer Nights Dream (The Dream) underwent a revolution. Leading the breakthrough was Peter Brook’s 1970 production, a challenge to traditional interpretations of Shakespeare’s work. Directors like Robert Lepage (1992) and Tim Supple (2006) followed Peter Brook’s success and explored their own interpretations of The Dream with famous and influential productions. Each of these directors accentuated the contrasts between the play’s…

Psychology has evolved greatly since its philosophical roots and was first founded by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879. Psychological experimentation originally began in 700 BC in Ancient Egypt, when Pstamik I who was fascinated with language ordered children into the wild to see how their language skills would develop as, in spite of this psychology had not yet emerged as a separate discipline. Years later, in the 17th century, Rene Descartes introduced the theory of Cartesian dualism, suggesting the…

education is reason, the ability to be able to think, apply logic and form judgement. One of the greatest philosophers for the understanding of reason is John Locke. Locke believed that our minds are like blank slates, which is what he meant by ‘tabula rasa’. It is the theory…