Gospel Parallels Essay Example for Free

Gospel Parallels Essay This is a research report of what I read and studied among the two paragraphs in Throckmorton’s Gospel Parallels: Paragraph 6, â€Å"The Baptism of Jesus,† and Paragraph 249, â€Å"The Crucifixion.† This report will note where the parallel Gospels differ and where they are similar. Additionally, you will find interpretations by me of the text critical notes and then I’ll decide which reading is the better one. The Beatitudes â€Å"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven† (Matthew 5:3). The Beatitudes are a group of sayings by Jesus that began with the words, â€Å"Blessed are,† and went on to identify who was blessed and why. It then finished with an exhortation. In this first case, the â€Å"poor in spirit† are those who are blessed because they will receive the kingdom of Heaven. The Beatitudes can only be found in Matthew and Luke, and while they have many similarities, there are also differences. These help us to discover things about the sources used, as well as the intention of the author. First of all, one must note that Mark was not used as a source, since the Beatitudes are not found in Mark, yet Matthew and Luke still have many exact or common phrases. The similarities point to a common source, which we will call â€Å"Q.† However, Matthew and Luke show many differences as well, meaning that they did not simply use source â€Å"Q.† Matthew and Luke each inserted some sort of oral or written tradition before writing their own text. Many of the blessings stated in the texts are parallel between the two gospels. They both talk about the poor as well as the kingdom of Heaven. They talk about those who are hungry and how they will be filled. They also talk about those who are hated on account of Jesus. Finally, they end with a command to rejoice, for those persecuted will have a great reward in Heaven since the same kind of persecution was done to the prophets. At the same time, however, Matthew and Luke clearly have different objectives or opinions regarding the text. In Matthew, the â€Å"poor† are the â€Å"poor in spirit,† while in Luke they are simply â€Å"poor.† Similarly, when talking about the hungry, Matthew is referring to those who are spiritually hungry while Luke talks about those who are physically hungry. Also, Matthews list of Beatitudes is much longer and includes talking about those who are merciful, pure in heart, the peacemaker, and those who are persecuted. Luke leaves these out entirely, probably because Luke was focusing more on the physical well-being of people. What is the reason for these differences? There seems to be an overarching theme that is carried out within both of these books. Matthew focuses on the divinity and suffering/rejection of Jesus. This then shows up within the Beatitudes as Matthew focuses on the spirituality rather than physicality of the believers (poor in spirit verses simply poor), in the same way that he focuses on the divinity rather than physicality of Jesus. In addition, Jesus is portrayed as one who is rejected, which is also a common theme as Matthew talks about the rejection of the believers and how they will be given the kingdom of Heaven. So, just as Jesus is rejected in Matthew, so will the believers be rejected. Furthermore, it can be seen that Matthew is talking to an audience that wants to incorporate all believers, not just Jews. Matthew very carefully points out that Jesus says, â€Å"Blessed are those,† â€Å"Blessed are they,† â€Å"Blessed are the,† which implies that Jesus is not talking to just those who were gathered at the time before Him (in contrast â€Å"Blessed are you†). Jesus means that anyone is blessed when they do these things. In Luke, the Beatitudes are focused more on those who are in need, a familiar theme throughout Luke. Here, Jesus is portrayed as one who is concerned for the poor, the marginalized, women, etc. Luke clearly points out in his Beatitudes that Jesus is concerned with those who are in need and gives them hope for the future, that they will be filled, receive the kingdom of Heaven, have reason to leap for joy, etc. This comes just two chapters after Jesus mission statement from Isaiah 61 as He proclaims that He has been anointed to preach good news to the poor. While Luke also wants to incorporate the gentiles into his audience, he does have Jesus saying, â€Å"Blessed are you,† while speaking to the Jewish crowd that had gathered around Him. This is no surprise since Luke wants to undertake a more concise and put-together account of Jesus ministry. It seems that he thinks it more likely that Jesus would have addressed his audience directly. It does, however, deviate in the last line as Jesus says â€Å"for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets† rather than â€Å"for that is what your ancestors. . .† This could perhaps be an argument for Lukes idea of the universality of the church. Both of these accounts provide glimpses into Jesus ministry and the heart or direction of the author, and though both contain varying accounts, it seems all the more credible since they were written to a certain audience at a certain time.

Sport Psychology: Mental training Essay -- essays research papers

Sports Psychology: A Relationship Between Mental Training and Sport Performance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  James Dodson (1995) quotes Dr. Richard Coop, and says that he refers to sports psychology as â€Å"just mere helping people to clear away the mental clutter that keeps them from achieving their best† (p. 1). Dodson admits that as a golfer he has tried to break eighty strokes in golf, but did not succeed until he got help from a well-known sports psychologist. Before meeting his mental coach, Dodson tried to improve his game by buying expensive equipment such as oversized irons, gizmos, and lucky charms, but none of these worked. Once he started working with Dr. Richard Coop, he began to liberate his mind from its usual patterns and after a period of mental exercising, Dodson finally broke 80. â€Å"Dr. Coop emphasizes that golf is very much a brain game. The mind is a tool like any other skill a player possesses. But it’s often the tool most of us neglect to develop† (Dodson, 1995). Once the mind is in peace, our performance progresses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rebecca Lewthwaite (1990) points out that an individual’s motivation has a strong impact on physical performance ... therefore, â€Å"the process of mental training is the result of the meaning that the individual derives from situations, which arise from personal factors such as goals and perceptions of competency† (p. 1). Usually the performance of an individual is due to their motivation. More often than not, people tend to train with their mind unconsciously by visualizing improvement in their performance or visualizing the achievement of a goal or goals. Some athletes put the physical work in, but they also forget to work their mind. Body and mind have to come together to form a whole. Once the role of the mind and the physical aspect of the body have been mastered the performance of the individual will improve (Changing Times, 1986).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some of the most interesting events and actions in sports are associated with the athletes’ will to engage in them. For example, Butt (1976) notes that, â€Å"Two people engaged in the same sports activity may behave in a similar fashion overtly, but each may react differently under the stress of winning or losing and may express different feelings when talking about his/her participation in sports† (p. 1). Such is the case of Keith Forman wh... ...2001, from Infotrac database. Dodson, J. (1995). The brain game. Golf Magazine, 37, (5), 20-23. Retrieved October 12, 2001, from Infotrac database. Galloway, J. (1998). Worryfree racing: seven tips to avoiding pre-race anxiety. Runner’s World, 33, (6), 42. Retrieved October 12, 2001, from Infotrac database. Hinkle, J. S. (1994). Integrating sport psychology and sports counseling: developmental programming, education, and research. Journal of Sports Behavior, 17, (1), 52-58. Retrieved October 12, 2001, from Infotrac database. LeUnes, A. D., & Nation, J. R. (1989). Introduction to sport psychology. Sport Psychology: an Introduction. Chicago: Nelson-Hall Publishers. Lewthwaite, R. (1990). Motivational considerations in physical activity involvement. Physical Therapy, 70, (12), 808-812. Retrieved from Infotrac database. Lynch, J. (1994). Think like a champion. Runner’s World, 29, (8), 50-56. Retrieved from Infotrac database. Lynch, J. (1996). Mind over miles. Runner’s World, 31, (6), 88-93. Retrieved from Infotrac database. Rosellini, L. (1987). In my mind I know I’m going to be a star. U.S. News & World Report, 102, (2), 58. Retrieved October 12, 2001, from Infotrac database.

Three Varieties of Knowledge- a Critque

Donald Davidson- Three Varieties of Knowledge Submitted By: Nathan Copeland- 500349268 Submitted to: Prof. Checkland PHL550 April 15, 2013 In Donald Davidsons Three Varieties of Knowledge, he sets out to more or less prove that â€Å"A community of minds is the basis of knowledge; it provides the measure of all things. † (Davidson, 218). This is done by first categorizing knowledge into three distinct categories. There is knowledge of ones own mind, knowledge of another’s mind, and knowledge of the shared physical world around us. He argues that no one could exist without the others.According to Davidson, knowledge of ones own mind differs from the other two types of knowledge in the sense that one knows the contents of their own mind without any study or evidence in most cases. On the other hand, the minds of others and the physical world may only be interpreted through the senses, at least initially. He also notes that certain aspects of our physical world can be inte rpreted almost instantaneously, our example being distinguishing colours, while many aspects of another’s mind contents are done through physical observation of actions and words, which we then reconcile with our own knowledge to make inferences.This makes the latter two types of knowledge open to a degree of uncertainty that is rarely experienced in matters of your own mind. He also acknowledges the asymmetry that is apparent between coming about knowledge of our own minds and knowledge of other minds. They are both minds, yet we come to understand our own in a very unique way. He criticizes the solution that the actions and behavior or others is sufficient for inferring certain mental states to others, but those same actions and behaviours carried out by our selves are irrelevant when we attempt to describe ourselves.An issue being- If both types of knowledge come about so differently, how can we believe that others mental states are comparable to our own. He sets out to pa int a picture that includes all three types of knowledge, and shows how they are related in hopes of solving these issues. Davidson claims that â€Å"what we could not do is get along without a way of expressing, and thus communicating, our thoughts about the natural world† (Davidson, pg. 208). He also proposes that in order for a creature to have a belief, they must also posses the idea of objective truths.He then draws on Wittgenstien to say that â€Å"the source of the concept of objective truth is interpersonal communication† (Davidson, pg. 209). This is based on the assumption that thought cannot exist without language. Davidson argues that without the distinction between objective truth and what one thinks to be the case, there is no thought at all, and since there cannot be objective truth without the confirmation on the correct use of words through communicating, there cannot be thought without communicating, in his example language.It is argued that in order f or communication to work, the speaker and interpreter must share an understanding of what is meant by what is being said. Davidson then uses an example of how one would go about learning a new language to illustrate how we come about having an understanding of the words we use. In this case, we assign words and sentences we know in our native tongue to the utterances and actions made by a foreign speaker. With trial and error we come to understand what is meant by these utterances and how they relate to ‘reality’.This process of connecting ones own thoughts with the thoughts of another through some aspect of the external world is regarded by Davidson as triangulation. â€Å"it takes two points of view to give a location to the cause of a thought, and thus define its content† (Davidson, pg. 213). He believes this to be the only way that one can know another’s mind or the external world, making the two mutually dependent. He points out that there is the limi tation of perception at play here, with no way to look in from outside the standard to see if its write, but we may consult a third and forth party and so on to lessen the chance of an error being made. Davidson, pg. 217) Davidson then goes on to say that â€Å"knowledge of the propositional contents of our own minds is not possible without the other forms of knowledge, since there is no propositional thought without communication† (Davidson, pg. 213). Furthermore, knowledge of others cannot be inferred unless we have knowledge of ourselves, as the process of coming to know another’s mind is done by matching evidence from others behaviour to our knowledge of our own, thus showing that knowledge of our own minds and others is also mutually dependent.He acknowledges that there are a great deal of possible ways that we could assign our native language to the language and behavior of another to come about an understanding. He relates this to the measurement of weight in th e sense that no matter what system you use for measurement; kilograms, pounds ounces, etc. , the invariable factor, in this case the actual weight of the object, is the fact of the matter, not the arbitrary units of measure. His point is that there will likely always be indeterminacy in our translations, but we will often get the general idea.He also believes that there are no strict laws that connect mental states with physical ones, stating that such laws can exist â€Å"only when concepts connected by the laws are based on criteria of the same sort† (Davidson, pg. 215). This all leads to the fact that we will never be able to agree on how sentences and thoughts should be structured to describe other sentences or thoughts, as the very process of discussing how we would do this is ultimately done with the very thoughts were discussing, leaving it perpetually open to interpretation.As such â€Å"A community of minds is the basis of knowledge; it is the measure of all things. It makes no sense to question the adequacy of this measure, or to seek a more ultimate standard. † (Davidson, pg. 218). Analysis I agree with the general idea of what Davidson is saying, with a few exceptions. I would agree that ‘advanced’ knowledge can only come about with the all three types of evidence, but I also believe that basic knowledge can be acquired by just a person and the observable world. Suppose I live in a world with no other living creatures.I have no formal language. If I walk across a bed of sharp rocks, my nervous system will say â€Å"ouch†, and it wont take long to figure out that sharp rocks hurt my feet. I am aware of this with no need to confirm with another. I am also in contention with the idea that â€Å"language is essential to thought† (Davidson, pg. 209). My dog ‘thinks’ its going for a walk every time I put my boots on. I suppose that may be considered language, or some may argue that my dogs actions hav e no thought, but it seems to me that to make such a claim demands more evidence.I also had an issue with the claim that â€Å"enough in the framework and fabric of our beliefs must be true to give content to the rest† (Davidson, pg. 214). Although I agree that ‘enough’ of our beliefs are true, I don’t see this as a necessary condition. What if everything we think is wrong, or we’re a brain in a vat. The claim is overly definitive for my liking. Going back to my ‘only creature’ idea, I find the statement â€Å"there is no propositional thought without communication† (Davidson, pg. 213). Perhaps on this lonely planet I have a rock, which I am in love with.I may possess the thought, as primitive as it may be, that I love this rock. We don’t communicate, but the thought remains. This may be argued as a feeling, not a thought, but I’m not sure I know the difference. Finally, I have another idea that is in opposition to Davidsons claims, although I’m not sure if I believe it myself. He seems to think there are three distinct categories of knowledge, with knowledge of ones self coming mostly from inside, and knowledge of the world and others minds coming indirectly.My idea is this; all of the thoughts, behaviors, desires etc. , of any living creature is merely a manifestation of very complex processes happening in our brains. Our brains are chemicals and axons and neurons and much more that we are not 100% about. I’m proposing that theoretically, if we can observe the brain all the way down to each and every atom, we could see how your brain looks for any given idea, memory, feeling, and document the physical state relating to each and every instance.The only difference between the three states is how we go about knowing them, and with this theory we could even come to know our own minds without having to think internally about how we feel, but by merely observing our brains. Tying thi s back to my ‘alone in the world’ scenario, if I had the capability to observe my own brains inner workings while feeling the mental manifestations of such neurological reactions, I could correlate the pictures with feelings the ame way we correlate others words with objects in the world. If I became well enough versed at this, I could then look at the brain of someone else whom I’ve never seen, and come to know their mind as well. This theory is in contradiction with Davidson’s statement that there are no strict laws that connect mental states to physical ones, but even he acknowledges that this topic â€Å"has understandably been found inconclusive by critics† (Davidson, pg. 216), myself included.

Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown - 1975 Words

Nathaniel Hawthorne, is the author of the short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† that was written in 1835 (Baym 370). Hawthorne was born in Salem Massachusetts on July 4th, 1804. Hawthorne’s ancestors were of the Puritan descent, and among the first settlers of Massachusetts (Baym 370). During his teen years, Hawthorne was reading stories by British novelists Henry Fielding, Tobias Smollet, and Sir Walter Scott. When he was sixteen he wrote his sister of wanting to become an author and relying of support upon his pen (Baym 370). Hawthorne went to college at Bowdoin and graduated in 1825. Hawthorne read colonial histories and documents extensively which would become important sources for his historical tales â€Å"My Kinsman, Major Molineaux† and â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† (Baym 370). The short story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† opens up in a house in Salem Village, where Goodman Brown and his wife Faith live. Goodman Brown needs to go on journey i nto the forest and must face challenges that will become more and more difficult. These challenges will change the way Goodman Brown views everything and everyone (Hawthorne 386-395). Article Analysis â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† contains an assortment of imagery and emphasis on religion. The article â€Å"Carnivalesque Freedom in Hawthorne s ‘Young Goodman Brown’ † talks about the short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† The article was published in 2007 in Explicator journal, and was written by author Selina S. Jamil. Selina wrote this article to show the imageryShow MoreRelatedNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1543 Words   |  7 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne s short story of Young Goodman Brown, the author uses symbolism and allegories in order to showcase the Puritan faith as well as man s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will break down the techniques that the author uses to critique the puritan society and to show the difference between how people appear to be in society and the true colors that they are hidden inside of them. There has been a lot of great authors in our time, but none more interesting thanRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1065 Words   |  5 PagesWhen it comes to the topic of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown, most of us will readily agree that duplicity is a major theme in the piece, or the idea of different versions of reality. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of whether Hawthorne is implying that man is inherently evil. Whereas some are convinced that Young Goodman Brown was good until tainted by the Devil, others maintain that he was evil from the beginning and was completely aware of the evil heRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown905 Words   |  4 PagesThough Nathaniel Hawthorne is an author of many great works, his short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† still stays relevant because it has themes and subjects that are relatable in today s world. In the story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Good man Brown leaves his wife Faith, to go into the woods near Salem to have a meeting with the devil. Appearance vs. reality is shown in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† through the plot, the character of Goody Cloyse, and the symbol of the maple staff. The characterRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1312 Words   |  6 PagesWithin Nathaniel Hawthorne s short story Young Goodman Brown (p.317), Young Goodman Brown travels through a dark and mysterious forest late at night. Ignoring the pleas of his pure wife Faith, he ventures deep into the woods with many dangers around him, only to emerge in the morning a changed man with bewildered views on his own Puritan life and the Puritan community around him. At the cause for this change in mindset, the dream of an old man symbolizing the devil appears, showing him the communityRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown Essay1274 Words   |  6 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† the devil says, â€Å"Evil is the nature of mankind† (â€Å"Young† 627). Since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and attempted to hide conceal their sin from God, humans have tried to hide their sin from others. Although ever yone sin is human nature, everyone has a different reaction to sin. While some acknowledge sin, others ignore it. In Hawthorne’s other short story, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† Father Hooper wears a black veil to represent the sin heRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown Essay1449 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is a short story that is filled with symbols and mystery. Nathaniel Hawthorne provides plenty forms of symbolism for readers to digest. Hawthorne displays strong faith as the greatest virtue for a man or woman, and when the faith is compromised, one can be filled with skepticism and uncertainty towards the rest of the world. The story begins as a conventional allegory, creating the expectation that the characters will be able to consistently display the abstractions they symbolizeRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1695 Words   |  7 Pagesstory, Young Goodman Brown, by Nathaniel Hawthorne is set in Puritan New England. Hawthorne uses symbolism, description, scenery, and Goodman’s journey to illustrate and symbolize the battle of good versus evil. In the first scene, we see how Young Goodman Brown leaves his wife, Faith, to start on his â€Å"evil† journey through the woods. Though Faith asks him to stay with her, he chooses to continue on even though he knows the evilness lies ahead. As the story continues, we see how Hawthorne uses FaithRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1492 Words   |  6 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story of Young Goodman Brown, the author uses symbolism and allegories in order to showcase the Puritan faith as well as man’s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will breakdown the techniques that the author uses to critique the puritan society, and to show the difference between how people appear to be in society and the true colors that they are hidden inside of them. There has been a lot of great authors in our time, but none more interesting than NathanielRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown2532 Words   |  11 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† demonstrates how Goodman Brown leaves his wife, Faith, to do an errand within the woods with a man that is believed to be the devil. During the time period in which this took place, the 1620’s, many of the people from the village were practicing Puritanism. Puritanism is an intense practice of religion retrieved from Protestants, only removing its Catholic influence. When Goodman Brown entered the woods to meet the devil, he soon turned intoRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown894 Words   |  4 Pagesread. In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†, I found several romanticism characteristics to be in this story. One being, the emphasis on feelings and emotions. Nathaniel Hawthorne writes, â€Å"The cry of grief, rage, and terror was yet piercing through the night, when the unhappy husband held his breath for a response.† The cry of anguish and pain are very applicable to the protagonist idea in this story. Brown also expresses feeling when he doesn t want to leave his wife Faith, but he feels that it s his role to