Science & Reason: too curious?

Science & Reason: too curious? Would it be wise, or at least prudent, to put limits on how much we aspire to know? What would be the implications of your choice?

            In beginning this article I began by typing the “origins of life” into a Google search engine, and the result was over 13 million responses in about 20 seconds.  I believe this shows that there is still a great deal of people who are fascinated about the way human life began on this planet.  The theories I learned in this class range from divine origin, Darwinism, to alien encounters.

            In divine origin, it states that God created Earth out of nothing in seven days.  The Darwinism theory says that humans have evolved over time, and led to the sudden evolution of modern man with a transition from primitive to modern times missing.  The alien encounter is basically saying that humans evolved from some type of extraterrestrial encounter.

I had never given much thought about any of these until I was forced to do so, as a result of this assignment.  I knew that I was born in 1980, and never really thought much about where it all began.  I recall going to church and learning about the ways that Earth was created by God, hearing the stories of Adam and Eve, and being told that when we die we would be accepted into heaven if we welcomed God into our lives and obeyed Him.  In this type of an upbringing I never had a reason to question where I came from, or how humans evolved over time.

I believe that each person should be responsible for setting their own individual limitations on how much they want to know and research.  If someone wants to research the theories of evolution in an attempt to satisfy their curiosity, then that should be based on their beliefs.  I have never been fascinated by any of these theories, but find it interesting to learn about the possibilities of them all.

I personally was brought up with Christian values and beliefs, and have never given much thought about other theories of evolution.  I think a person could go too far in attempting to research these theories, and become so enveloped in them that they lose the purpose of their own life.  I am comfortable with the knowledge that I was born in the year 1980, and live my life from that point forward.  That is not to say that I don’t appreciate learning about the history of mankind, Earth, religion, and all the events that have led us to where we are today.  I think all of this factors in to determining who we are as a culture, and who we are as a nation of people.  I don’t have any way of knowing the amount of time that I will be granted life on this Earth, and strive to spend it living the best way that I know how.  I have dedicated my adult life to a career in public service and helping other people.  I am satisfied with the fact that I have contributed to maintain the “unwritten law” which has been a part of each theory in the evolution of life.

Divine Origin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_origin
Evolution (Darwinism) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwinism
Alien Encounter - http://www.alienencounters.com/

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" – Edmund Burke

Justin Cooksey

10.Comparative-Philosophy. What is love? Define it in the context of art/religion of an era in comparison to our modern world view.

Love throughout history has changed quite a bit from medieval era to our present day 21 century. Love in the prehistoric era is much different than the love of this day and age.  In the old age love is nothing more than partner readly availabe and willing to aid you in you daily life. For instance back in the nomadic period, women were meant to bare children and raise them while the men were out hunting. They weren't a lot of emotions involved in a relationship, feeling were mutual as they strive to live a day at a time.

And in classical Greece it was just as similar to the prehistoric times, but women where given bigger roles to take care of the house while the man of the house was away. She is to manage the slaves, also assign task and to assure their thorough completion while the man is out working to bring in the meal ticket. Just as the prehistoric days, deep emotions in a relationship wasn't at all common. Also there were arranged marriages which means, the couple don't even know each other till they are married, this tradition still exists among some cultures today.  Now fast forward to this era, love is a symbol of romance, unity and and family.

Today as compared to the old days, some people get married because they fall in-love with each other meaning they found a quality amongst themselves which they are both attracted to. Also instead of arranged marriages, people this day and age, arrange their wedding according to their schedule as they see fit. Christians today believe that man and woman should be joined together by a pastor who would unite them as husband and wife according to the "Holly Bible. 

Love is the fuel that our body needs each and every day to keep us going. It is easy to fall in love but to stay in love requires that special someone. Aristophanes states in Plato’s work, The Symposium, “that humans originally had four arms, four legs, and a single head made of two faces, but Zeus feared their power and split them all in half, condemning them to spend their lives searching for the other half to complete them.” Imagine another part of you somewhere in the distance crying out for you. Could it be the one who stands in front of thee, my soul mate?

      Words are unnecessary for the bond created between soul mates. It is a feeling which comes from deep within that is an unspoken truth. Love can sometimes be short and deceitful, but the instant and long-lasting love between soul mates is a forever love. The connection that exists between them is much deeper than that of the superficial normality. An example of that deeper connection is how soul mates have shared feelings which prevent one from disrespecting the other as well as minimizing arguments.
      Reaching one’s potential is enriching and is facilitated by having one’s soul mate around. Waking every morning with a support system that allows one to know anything and everything is possible, is what finding a soul mate is all about. The soul mate provides strength, courage and motivation. The sky is the limit, for that is the reason Zeus had to separate the soul because the unification is more powerful than one can endure. For example, two brains are better than one, and when they are both on the same wavelength, any progressing thought is empowered by the both of them.
      To conclude, not only will soul mates have a deep connection and understanding, but they will also empower each other. Deep within one’s heart, one will know. Where art thou soul mate? Does your soul mate stand before you?

-Cornelius Bransah

3. ART & CULTURE- The greatest architectural creation of ancitent civilization is....

            I can’t say that there is one great architectural creation of the ancient civilization. The fact is that there are several that I have learned about, and more that I am still mystified by. The fascination and mystery behind some the worlds greatest creations is what intrigues me. The beauty, skill, time, integrity, precision, and art are all present in these ancient artifacts and they create a window into the past. During my first deployment to the Persian Gulf I endured the excruciating heat, the drier than dry atmosphere, and intense sand storms.             

stepped pyramid

As a result I started learning about this ancient civilization, and appreciated it. Because, now I understand how difficult it would have been to try to build and construct the pyramids of Egypt. This means that some, if not all of the workers at some point would die before they would see the completed fruit of their labor. This completely blows my mind considering the dedication, and persistence of these people. I recognize that they were from two different time periods in which these pyramids were built. The old kingdom consisted of pyramid constructions such as; the stepped pyramid, the bent pyramid, the red pyramid, and the pyramids of Giza.

Temple of Amun illustration of what it would have looked like.

Inside Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel

The other ancient architectural designs in the new kingdom include, Temple of Amun, Temple of Luxor, and Abu Simbel. As time goes on you can see the differences in the two distinctive time periods. The later of the two includes not only elaborate construction, but also very detailed and large statues. This was very incredible for their time not only because of the challenges of the elements, but resources, time, people, and tools.

            As time progressed more great architectural feats werecreated such as, Greek monuments, theaters, and temples. The first one is the Parthenon. The location alone would challenge the strongest of men to develop a method of transporting the stone to the plateau; an almost inconceivable act. The concept that this was built around the God, Athena, shows how deeply they believed in their gods and how much they were willing to give for them.
  

the Colosseum

While we see this part of the world progressing it is also changing, which brings us to the next period in time. Rome; I can fully understand why the magnitude that some of these structures were built is unbelievable for that period of time. The ingenuity it took to build the Coliseum is amazing. Even more remarkable is that this structure, to this day is still standing.

Hegia Sophia

This brings us to Christian architecture. We see similar techniques in their buildings. We see the elaborate adornment on the inside walls and columns. Hegia Irene is a dome-like church with status and paintings inside. Another is the Hegia Sophia littered with paintings status and mosaics on the ceilings and walls.

Consequently, I can relate the features of one church or mosque to another. The Dome of the rock is one I did not quite understand the importance of until I was deployed to Kuwait. There I met several individuals who were Muslim and were more than happy to explain to me why this monument is such a commodity for two different religions and cultures. Another Islamic construction is the famous Taj Mahal. Please click on the link below to learn more about what is behind the Taj Mahal and why it is truly an architectural marvel.

            Ironically, as I am learning about these cultures and civilizations I have noticed that each one was the reason for it’s own destruction whether it was from political greed, or horrific battles that forced the others out of their country or state. In each one there was plague, war, destruction, or famine; but there was also culture, beauty, loyalty, and commitment, even if it was to a God or to an idea. I just hope that everyone can appreciate the time, commitment, dedication, skill, talent, and human sacrifice thru labor that went into these pieces of history that are still standing today. Whether or not we know the truth or if we have to rely on what is written about them, we can still appreciate what was sacrificed in order to build them. So in my opinion the greatest architectural creation of the ancient civilization is not the buildings themselves but the people who built them, their incredible, talent, skill, workmanship, ingenuity, and perseverance through those times are a great feat in itself. 

By: Jeaniel Image