Semester two!!

The first lecture back this semester, and I had the instant impression that I would fully enjoy this topic. This semester we are looking over the book 'A Vindication of the rights of woman' slightly daunting when first looked at, however the read is not as bad as i thought.

Mary Wollstonecraft: Mary had a difficult early life and upbringing; she had a drunken violent father who had numerous affairs. She constantly tried to protect her mother from her father's behaviour. However Mary was critical of her mother for not being more forceful; do something about the situation. She was forced to work as a governess for a family in Ireland, here she was deeply unhappy. She was obsessed with education and with her first publication she expressed her thoughts on education of daughters.

Argued that education given to woman was superficial and was obsessed with appearance. She argued that education can give you power to do what you want, she was a believer in rationality and reasoning. After returning to London she set up her own school and became a rational dissenter. Mary had a fascination with Rousseau, finding him inspirational and aggravating. ‘Mary’ a direct response to Rousseau ‘Emile’: she stated how she liked his ideas of equality however she was critical of him. ‘Woman is made especially for man’ this statement she rejected.

In her book ‘A vindication of the rights of woman’ her central themes is of a diagnosis of the current state. She was writing for middle class woman, woman have accepted a role they have been given. Mary idea was that men and woman should just be human beings; not isolated genders and equality. She tries to limit the areas in life where men are men and woman are woman.

After she died Goodwin wrote a bibliography of her on everything about her, it was scandalous and therefore gained a bad reputation up until after the suffragettes.

The Snow is falling on my small town!!

My home town of Fleet, was reported today on the BBC news as having the most snowfall in Hampshire, victory I say for our small town. However the conditions have left many people stranded and stuck in their homes. Of course this is not minded by all the school children who have receive the day off, and are playing outside till they are too cold to move. I love watching the snow fall, from the inside of the house, but this large amount of snow fall is now becoming a nascence for myself and others. I am worried about my own travel arrangements for this weekend, when traveling to work. I have no clue if the trains will be running by Friday, therefore no train, I get no money from work. As a skint student that is not a good combination. The snow is beautiful but not without its consequences. Hundreds of drivers where left stranded on the M3 last night as the snow fell. Several airports have been closed, meaning thousands of flights cancelled. Other main worries are the supplies for the gritters, with supplies running out quickly a lot of main roads are not being gritted therefore making it harder for the public. With freezing conditions and snow fall till late tonight, it is apparent that many people may be snowed in for a few days yet.

Aristotle

Aristotle- (384- 322 BCE)
I thought it would be worth while looking into the background of Aristotle, as he has had such a major impact or influence on all other philosopher, also for myself so that I can gain a better understanding of Aristotle. Each philosopher is a challenge to get, as I have not studied philosophy before a lot of research is helpful. Aristotle is a huge known figure in greek philosophy, his work contributed to mathematics, physics, biology, ethics, politics etc. He was a student of plato, and Plato was a student of Socrates. Aristotle rejected Plato's theory of form, which according to plato things such as beauty are abstract however Aristole argued that the forms are instrinsic to an object and cannot exist seperately.
Aristole created the earliest point of formal logic. For previous philosphers and including Plato never really understood the logical implications, Aristole said that 'on the subject of reasoning' he 'had nothing else on an earlier date to speak of'.

Jonathan Swift: A modest proposal

Jonathan swift's 'Modest proposal' was published 50 yeard before the wealth of nations.
The 'Modest proposal' was a piece wrote in protest to the harsh treatment of the caltholic peasants in ireland by the English that controlled the land. At the time Ireland was in exteme poverty and poorly conditions. Swift was talented and clever at satire and brilliant at using sarcasm and irony in his work. Therefore Swift managed to gain attention for his work and allow people to see things that were happening, which many may not have known. His use of a paradox with links to the title, allows him to gain the attention of the audience he wants. It is seen that the proposal is not at all modest. Swift suggest shocking suggestions in how to deal with the poverty problem, by the breeding and eating of children. However the way in which Swift uses witty and and subtle language it creates a feeling of being able to agree with his argument. I enjoyed reading swifts 'Modest proposal' it is provabal one of the readings which I have most enjoyed and will remember, without knowing anything about Swift before and looking at the proposal. I found that when i read it i was shocked by the suggestions that he gave, though the way in which is was written gave me the sense that he was serious. However learning about the way in which he writes, and satire, I had a much better understanding. Fully enjoyed his witty work.

Newton

Newtons achievements: Law of Gravity, the three laws of motion and created Calculus and optics. These were discovered in two years he had off from university, however when he returned to university he didn't talk about them for twenty years. His book 'Principia' was a mathmatical demonstration of the copernican hypothesis proposed by Kepler, who defined the idea. Newton convinced people that the world was ordered and knowable and that we can understand it. Cartesian threw critcism and didn't like the idea of 'magic' and the thought of gravity sounded 'Magic' for catesian Newton didn't explain but Newton believed the universe was created by God and he created it in a perfect way. Newton was just discovering the laws. He could demonstrate them and show they worked. He also believed that the universe demonstrated freedom.

http://www.maths.tcd.ie/pub/HistMath/People/Newton/Principia/Bk1Sect1/

The Romantic period

There was much debate on when the romantic period started, however there were many important characters which helped identify this new era. William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge, where reconised famously for the publication of 'Lyrical Ballads' in 1798. This was considered as the begining of the English Romantic Movement in literature. William Wordsworth born 1770, he had major influnce of nature. As a boy he had much interest in the divine power of nature, and as he became older he expressed a more sensitive conection with nature, different to any poet before him. In 1975 Wordsworth and his sister moved to Dorchester a country with pure beauty compared to there home which had be destroyed and distorted. Then two years later they moved with Coleridge where they began and published 'Lyrical Ballads'. Samuel- Taylor Coleridge born 1772 he is most well known for the poem 'The Rime of The Ancient Mariner' the poem was influenced by the voyage by James Cook. It has such strong words and links to nature, and the relationship between man and nature.
http://poetry.eserver.org/ancient-mariner.html

Another character most known for the development of The Romantic movement was Mary Shelley (http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/mshelley.htm) , the author of 'Frankestein'. Mary Shelley work, uses the ideas of the romantics, engaging with nature and seeing the world through different eyes, using own experiences and feelings through the work of literature.

Rousseau and Romanticism

Rousseau was born 1712 in Janeva, he was on the breadline and a traveller. He wrote a book on how people should be educated. He was passionate not particularly rational. Rousseau was founder of romanticism, He explained through state, before society we are born free. society came with law and distorted way of life. For example like a statue through time it becomes rotten or damaged. Society was evil and wanted to return back to a free state. This free state was before government. Hobbs put man kind at the centre of control. Locke believed we are rational and have a brain and therefore discover natural rights and this comes with us.

French revolution: Rousseau was very influential. Contradicted Hobbs and Locke and said that they got it wrong. He explained that we have to go back past everything, there was influence by the Greeks and the 'Socrates' we are part of society, society owns us. It is possible for society to own land, though according to Locke owning property is wrong. Society is the problem because it gave us self-esteem we consider ourselves as we are seen. Progress of civilization is responsible for all our miseries. we worry about what people think of us. Society is bad for us though he knows we can't go back. Main problem was to find someone to protect (like Hobbs) 'As free as before' we can have society that gives us protection like Hobbs and property and goods like Locke. However Rousseau wants us to be free and have rights. Only obeying yourself.

The General Will:
- when we obey its laws we do, he wants to say, no more than obey ourselves.
- for it to be driven by appetite alone is slavery and obedience to the laws one has prescribed for oneself is freedom
- Contrast with liberal, public and private sphere
- Rousseau believes there is no conflict, Danger there is new kind of dictatorship the tyranny of law and if anyone refuses to obey the general will be 'Forced to be free'. Freedom exist only in service, our freedom starts were law begins. Only be free if you follow the laws and if you don't will force you.

French revolution: Rousseau died before but his ideas were influential. Declaration of the rights of man. Men are born and remain free in equal rights. the principle of all sovereignty resolves essentially in the nation. Law is the expression of the general will. Every citizen has a right to participate personally or through his representation in its foundation. Civil religion- Rousseau believed God created everything but went away. The idea of a supreme being, trying to take power away from catholic church.