Master Harrold and the Boys Essay Example for Free

Master Harrold and the Boys Essay Christy Weyer Group:24 Exercise 4:Master Harold and the boys Master Harold †¦and the Boys is a play that takes place inside the St. Georges Park Tea Room on a wet and windy Port Elizabeth afternoon in 1950. There is no customers in the restaurant the place is quiet with only the two native waiters known as Willie and Sam in the restaurant. After a while Hally also known as â€Å"Master Harold† enters the tea room arriving from school wet from the rain outside. The play continuously stays focus on the three main characters known as Sam Willie and Master Harrold, they briefly mention Hilda Samuels and Hally’s mother in the play through the play one can compare and contrast these two females from what we hear about them according to the third person, the way they are treated, spoken to and their actions towards the other characters in the play. Hilda Samuels is known in the play as Willie’s dance partner. We come across the fact that she is also the mother of which she says is Willie’s child but he disagrees strongly â€Å"And how do I know is my baby? (Master Harrold and the boys 5). Hilda never comes to practice when Willie is waiting on her â€Å"Three nights now she doesn’t come practise†(Master Harrold and the boys 5)and in contrast to her Hally’s mother always shows up when her husband who is in hospital needs her †Because she’s at his bedside in hospital helping him pull through a bad turn†( Master Harrold and the boys 11). Willie abuses Hilda often he beats her when she does things wrong like not getting her steps right when they practice ballroom dancing which is very often. † You hit her too much† (Master Harrold nd the boys 6) or when she does things he does not like. Whereas Hally’s Mother she is the one who gives the orders†Be firm with him. You’re the boss†( Master Harrold and the boys 26)and she will not let anybody walk over her, but Hally stongly feels that his father has a way of over powering his mother. †Because I’m frightened you’ll give in to him†(Master Harrold and the boys 26). Willie has great respect for Hally’s mother we see that because he refers to her as madam†I ask Madam for my leave now and we practise every day†( Master Harrold nd the boys 29) but he has no respect for Hilda he calls her a bitch and a whore and ugly disrespectful names †Fu ckin’ whore†( Master Harrold and the boys 5) â€Å"Hilda Samuels is a bitch! †( Master Harrold and the boys 5) Both Hilda Samuels and Hally’s mother has a child. We can see from this play from this play that Hally’s Mother is the Madam or as they prefer she is the boss, she makes the rules and gives the orders and Hilda she is a unreliable person she never shows up when it is expected from her and she does not stick to Willie’s side like she should. Hilda is not like Hally’s mother who has respect for her husband even though he is crippled, she rather causes problems for Willie â€Å"And now she’s also making trouble for me with the baby again. Reports me to Child Wellfed, that I’m not giving her money†( Master Harrold and the boys 5) Hally’s mother can also be described as a woman of power she owns the tea room and gives Willie and Sam their orders†she said I must clean the floors†( Master Harrold and the boys 9). Hilda can be described as poor and unstable because she relies on Willie for money to take care of their child and Harry’s mother as rich and stable we can see this because Hilda goes to the extent of giving Willie over to the welfare for not supporting his child. Hally’s mother in contrast can run her business on her own with her husband in the hospital and her son in school she takes control in her tea room. Bibliography Fugard,Athol. Master Harold And the boys,South Africa:Oxford University Press,1993

Rockin Beats Essay Example for Free

Rockin Beats Essay Rockin Beats is a music store which has two branches located in the United Arab Emirates. One branch is located in Sharjah and the other in Dubai. The Rockin Beats store in Dubai offers: * Latest titles in pop, rock and dance * The expanding collection offers over 1000 CDs including live versions * CDs are digitally re-mastered for the best sound * Reasonable prices and special offers Rockin Beats has a total staff of 19 who are constantly working to provide the best service. The staff of 19 consists of 6 shop assistants, 1 sales manger, 3 sales staff, 1 accountant and 1 assistant accountant, 1 sound engineer, 1 purchasing manager, 3 cashiers, 1 storekeeper, 1 secretary and the chairman Mr Jason Smith. Current System In order to investigate the problem with the current system there had to be some research done, which involved interviewing the chairman, Mr Smith and the customers. Mr Smith, aged 42 has lot of experience in the trade and is constantly trying to make the store more profitable. His main concern seems to be the inefficiency of the system as its a manual system. In order to increase the efficiency, the current system will have to be automated. At present, shop assistants are concentrating more on there manual work rather than giving time for customers. An automated system will create friendly customer service and increase the efficiency there by making Rockin Beats a more profitable organisation. In the current system, when a CD arrives to the store the name of the CD, album name and price are noted down on a sheet and placed in alphabetical order in a filing cabinet, which is placed in the store. When a customer buys a CD, an invoice with the price and album ID, handwritten by the cashier is given to the customer. After the cashier has about ten invoices, the invoices are sent through a shop assistant to the accounts department which takes about 10 minutes. An accountant searches for the sales file in the filing cabinet and writes down the sold CDs and places the file back in the sales cabinet. The invoices are then passed on to the store keeper who ticks off the CDs sold on the stock control file and then removes the CDs from the filing cabinet in the store. Copies of the invoices are stored in another filing cabinet in alphabetical order of the album name. The store keeper has to constantly refer to the stock control file in order to check that the CDs are available. When the stocks become low the store keeper calls Mega Star (the local music distributor) and places an order. If the a customer wants a particular CD and asks a shop assistant to check whether its available, he or she will have to refer to the filing cabinet to check if the CD wanted is available. Communications between the two branches are made using the telephone, fax or post. By the end of each month the sales and cost are calculated manually using a calculator. These calculations are then checked by another accountant to make sure that the figures are correct. In order to check the effectiveness of this system the customers were interviewed in order to obtain their opinions. Fifty questionnaires with six questions on the important factors of the music store were randomly given out to the customers entering the store. The results from this questionnaire are shown below: For Question 1 What do you think of our service provided? Excellent Good Need Improvements The pie chart above shows that 74% of the people thought that the store needed improvements. From question 2 on the questionnaire, What improvements would you like to see?, the customers wanted the staff to be quick in searching for CDs, wanted a service where the CDs not available could be ordered and more shop assistants to offer help. Question 3, What do you think about the time taken at the cashier? Good Needs to be faster Question 4 What do you think about the location of the store? Easily accessible Difficult to access Question 5 was If you chose difficult to access, where would your preferred location be? For this question Dubai was the preferred location to the customers as 44 customers (88%) thought that the store was easily accessible. The last question was about the parking facility, What do you think about the parking at the store? Good Need more spaces The bar chart above shows that 46 customers (92%) think that the parking facilities are good. So this factor will not have to be considered as the customers are pleased with it. The results from the questionnaire show that a greater number of people want the check out process to be quicker. This means that the new system should contain a faster check out process, faster search facilities and the service of ordering music. The location of the store and parking facilities are fine according to the customers. The current system seems to contain a great deal of problems, which are: * Prone to errors as there are lot of human involvements * Information is stored in filing cabinets, making queries difficult * Processes are very time consuming and inefficient * Calculations have to be double-checked * Difficult to keep back up copies * Filing cabinets can get unorganised leading to errors and wastage of time Data Flow of the current system The hardware in the current system is a calculator, a typewriter and filing cabinets. These are very old and inefficient types of hardware used for processing and storing information. This system needs to be computerised in order to make it efficient and organised. A database can be used to create a system which is easy to understand, which means the staff wouldnt require much training, a basic knowledge in computers would be enough. Carrying out tasks on the data stored in the database would be easier and quicker. The system could also be made more secure by adding a password. Back up copies of the data can be stored in case the system crashes. Computerising the system will also mean that communications between the two branches and Mega Star (the local music distributor) will be much faster due to the use of the Internet. Methods such as E-mail, internet telephony and video-conferencing can be used to communicate. There are a few disadvantages in computerising the system as follows: * The initial cost of setting up the system will be high * Use of the internet will make the system insecure as hackers can get into areas with sensitive data * Danger of virus spreading throughout the whole organisation. * Elimination of certain jobs. The advantages of computerising the system are far greater than the disadvantages, which means that a certain tasks will have to be performed on the system, which are: 1. Enter all data in filing cabinets into the database. E.g. Album name, artist, genre, year, etc. 2. Create a query to find a particular CD. 3. Create forms for tables so that data can be entered easily. 4. Create an invoice so that the cashiers only have to enter certain information such as album ID, album name, artist/band and price. 5. Create a form for customer comments. E.g. if a customer wants a particular CD, he or she can place an order through this form. 6. Making the system simple and user friendly so that a person with a moderate knowledge of IT can use it. The program which I will use to create the database and perform the tasks is Microsoft Access. This database will be created for users with moderate skills. The users should be able to carry out queries, add entries and making sure that the system is up-to-date. The shop assistants should check the customer comments daily in order to get the required CDs in time for the customers. When the requested CDs have arrived, the entries for those CDs in the customer comments must be deleted and new entries should be made in the tables. The storekeeper must check the invoices daily to make sure that stocks are available. When using Microsoft Access the computers must have certain features to run the program efficiently. These are the hardware specifications: * Pentium III, 700 MHz terminals (each with 128 MB RAM) * Flat screen monitors for use with the store by shop assistants and cashiers. * Normal Monitors for use in departments. * Main server (with 100 GB) networks all the terminals so that they can access the database. * Keyboards * Mouse * 3.5 floppy drives * CD-ROM drives * Printers used for printing receipts and used by other departments such as the accounts department for keeping hardcopies of information. * Modems used for connecting to the internet to get information on CDs. The software requirements are: * MS Access 2002 * Windows XP Performance Criteria In order to maintain the efficiency and standard of Rockin Beats, certain procedures have to be followed when performing tasks: * All documents of the company must contain the letterhead, address, telephone number and date. * Password must be alphanumeric. This reduces the chances of being hacked. * The password must be changed every month to reduce the risk of hacking. * The customer comments form must be checked everyday in order to get the music wanted by the customer as soon as possible. * The anti-virus software must be up dated every two months to reduce the risk of new viruses entering. * When downloading information or software from the internet the 2 stand alone computers must be used. If a virus enters only the computer being used will be damaged, not the entire network. * The system must be backed up every month, in case of a system failure and information is lost. * Database must be updated as soon as new CDs arrive. * On the table Other Information on CDs, in the field Year the validation rule must be changed in the month of December of each year. E.g. the current validation rule is that data entered must be Between 1960 And 2002. In December this year it should be changed to Between 1960 And 2003.

Analysis of Traditions Concerning Mosaic Authorship

Analysis of Traditions Concerning Mosaic Authorship Introduction The Christian Holy Bible is not one book, but a library of sixty six books recorded over many centuries. Within its pages are literary genres that include Law, History, Wisdom, Poetry, Gospel, Epistles, Prophecy, and Apocalyptic Literature. The Bible can be likened to other literature in that it is made up of many types or kinds of language, however it can distinguish itself from other books known to man, in that it claims to be a written revelation of mans creator.[1] The Bible as used in Christianity is made up of the Old and New Testaments, these are combined and intended to compliment each other and form the canon of the Christian church. It is the first five books of the Bible and their authorship that will be of concern to this thesis. The first five books of the Bible include Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. These volumes narrate the story of Israel from the creation of the world through the period of the flood and the patriarchs, to the Exodus from Egypt, wanderings in the desert, and the giving of the law at Sinai. The books conclude with Moses farewell to the people of Israel.[2] McDowell and Stewart (1980) assert that, Christianity believes and teaches that the Bible alone is the revealed word of God, it is an anthology composed of His words and deeds; and as a result views itself as Gods word'[3]. McDowell emphasises that evidence for this claim can be found within the Bible itself, he quotes directly from scriptures such as; 2 Peter 1:21[4] and uses clauses like, And God spoke to Moses, as suggested evidence to back up the Bibles claim.[5] The first five books are known by several pseudonyms, some more common than others and often dependent on the religion one follows. Expressions includ e; the Pentateuch, the Five Books of Moses, the Torah and the Book of the Lawfor the purpose of this thesis the scriptures will be referred to as The Pentateuch. The contents of the Pentateuch can be seen as a partly historical, legal and narrative portrayal; the five books cover the history of the chosen people from chronicles concerning the creation of the world to the death of Moses and also enlighten us with the civil and religious legislation of the Israelites during the life of their great lawgiver.[6] This literary account is also a storya story that conveys the history of Israel. Pfeiffer (1957) describes the Old Testament as, the meagre surviving portion of the literature of the Israelites.[7] Therefore the authorship of these works, the time and manner of their origin and historicity are of great importance; the belief of Mosaic authorship or lack of it can affect the building blocks on which religion itself is structured. The books are not just of fundamental importance to one religion but have recognition in othersChristians put their faith in both the Old and New Testaments; whilst Judaism holds the first five books of the Old Te stament as the most important division of their Hebrew canon.[8] Although Islam believes the Quran is Gods last word to the world; it considers the Old and New testaments to also be divinely inspired.[9] The aim, therefore of this dissertation is to provide a critical analysis of traditions that surround Mosaic authorship. It will discuss the debate from its infancy and will pass through, albeit briefly, three centuries, culminating in its relevance and status in the modern world. This work is not an attempt to prove or indeed disprove Mosaic authorship, it is however an endeavour to take a glimpse into the dispute whilst attempting to understand its relevance in an historical, biblical and theological context. This work does not intend to uncover or discover new knowledge per se, but intends to discuss contemporary contributions and hypothesis. Sources to be used and accessed will include primary and secondary sources such as the Bible, journal articles and a myriad of published works scholarly, religious and secular in nature. A historical survey will include a review of relevant literature, some of which is dated, but still relevant in placing the debate in an historical setting. Much of the literature and indeed the hypotheses surrounding Mosaic authorship tend to remain in scholarly and academic distribution, it is within these circles that the primary interest has remained. As we shall see, scriptural translations have been proven to be less than exact and it is this that provides the background for the continuing debate. A breakthrough in authorship identity was put forward in the eighteenth century and came to be known as the Documentary Hypothesis. This hypothesis was and is however, simply a theory of evolution not of man, but of mans recorded dealings with God.[10] Chapter 1 Mosaic Authorship called into question Historical Survey History recognizes that there were a few problems with the traditional view of Moses as author. Walton and Hill (2000) explain that although the early church fathers challenged the integrity and antiquity of the Mosaic Pentateuch their methods were deemed as pre-critical. Furthermore they observe that, it was not until much later, that the Age of Reason spurned an era of critical study of the Bible and allowing traditional understanding of the Old and New Testaments to be questioned'[11] Challenges to Mosaic authorship were often explained as interpretation or the introduction of additional narrative details that did not appear in the text. Other explanations included the fact that Moses was Gods prophet and so was in receipt of His divine word.[12] However as biblical expertise grew so did the challenges and new answers to old questions began to emerge. As early as the eleventh century, allusions and suggestions were being tentatively voiced.[13] Abraham Ibn Ezra, a twelfth century Spanish rabbi held the belief that the language used in several passages of the Pentateuch reflected another time and place than that of Moses, views that he was unwilling to say outright. In references to his own views of the passages he wrote, If you understand, then you will recognise the truthAnd he who understands will keep silent.'[14] In the following centurys scholars such as Bonfils, Tostatus, Bishop of Avila, Andreas Van Maes and Thomas Hobbes put forward their own evaluations that questioned the authorship of the Pentateuch. Their findings ranged from citing a few sentences, to Thomas Hobbes declaration that the majority of the Pentateuch could not have been penned by Moses.[15] In the seventeenth century, Deuteronomy, which reports the death of Moses, and also describes Moses as the most humble man who ever lived'[16] was critically assessed b y Benedict Spinoza, who concluded that, It is clearer than the sun at noon that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses, but by someone who lived long after Moses.[17] Many of these scholars had attempts made on their lives, their works were placed on the Catholic index of Prohibited books or burned; others were arrested and forced to recant their views. The history of this dispute therefore shows that many renowned writers, philosophers and historians succumbed to the enticing plethora of hypothesis concerning Mosaic authorship. Josephus, the Jewish historian, states, He (Moses) also set down in writing the form of their Government, and those lawsthe laws he ordained were such as God suggested to him.[18] When looking more closely at the sacred books of the Jews he further declares: And of them five belong to Moses, which contain his laws and the origins of mankind till his death[19] These words echo down from centuries past, representing the view and opinion of Jewish Scholars in attributing the Pentateuch to Moses. Further along in time, Luthers translations of each of the five books of the Pentateuch are entitled a book of Moses thus showing an acceptance of this belief in the historic Christian Church.[20] Opposing Josephus view and in contrast to Luther, the nineteenth century German critic Hartmann denied Mosaic authorship on the grounds that it was quite literally impossible because writing had not yet been invented. MacDonald (1995), disagrees and asserts that, Archaeological discoveries of the past 100 years have proven once and for all that the art of writing was known not only during Moses day, but also long before Moses came on the scene.'[21] These facts do not help prove or disprove Mosaic authorship, however it does provide us with a time frame within which the debate became anthropomorphized. An historic timeline in this debate is important in that it can be used as a reference point to work forwards or backwards from, particularly as disputes over the chronological timeline concerning events from the Pentateuch remain relevant today. Genesis as the foundation of Israel As the first book of the Pentateuch, Genesis purpose is to tell how and why God came to choose Abrahams family and make a covenant with them. A covenant that is significant in that it is the foundation of Israelite theology and identity.[22] Genesis also introduces us to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the three patriarchs of the people of Israel. The patriarchal stories depicted in Genesis are important in that they, lent expression to the fundamental importance of the family for all other forms of society in the period when the tribes were developing into a people and state.'[23] However, controversy surrounds them, many Biblical scholars and archaeologists debate about whether or not the Patriarchs actually lived. Placing the Patriarchs on an Old Testament timeline depends closely on ones dating (if any) of the Exodus event.[24] Hendel (2001) believes that every kind of religious literature in the Hebrew Bible celebrates the Exodus as a foundational event; it is seen as the main historical warrant for the religious bond between Yahweh and Israel[25] [26] W. F. Albright was confident that the Exodus was an historical event and assigned a date of ca. 1297 BCE.[27] In comparison the renowned source critic Julius Wellhausen asserted that the Pentateuch conveys no historicity for the Patriarchs but merely reflects patriarchal stories retold in later age. In contrast, Claus Westermann asserts that, Storytelling is the predecessor of all history. [28] He explains further: Storytellers recounted what took place, what they observed, in order to share it with others. The original purpose of the stories was to allow new generations to share in the experiences and knowledge of their ancestors.[29] Many biblical scholars and theologians would agree that Mosaic authorship is relevant, however for others it is seen to be irrelevant and convey a Does it really matter? attitude. Yet there are references made within the Bible itself that attribute the authorship of the Pentateuch to Moses. These are often drawn upon in defence of Mosaic authorshipthere are about two dozen verses in the Hebrew Scriptures and one dozen in the Christian Scriptures which state or strongly imply that Moses was the author. [30] Old and New Testament Scriptures The Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch is intrinsically connected to the question of Moses as the author or intermediary of Old Testament legislation.[31] A Mosaic link between the Old and New Testaments can be found within the texts themselves. New Testament writers use references and quotes from the Old Testament just as Moses within the Old Testament prophesises of what was to comethus enabling an affiliation of the Old with the New, creating a volume that merges into one complete tome. The books of the Bible can be likened to any group of books that share the same subject; they express a similarity in their subject roots and yet provide a contrast that is inherited from their author. As one writes in the contemporary world ideas and words need to have references to back them up, evidence and proof that others perhaps have considered your own words. The same could therefore be said of the New Testament writers, following the same pattern allow the different expressions of writer s to be expressed. The burden of proof If the authorship of the Pentateuch were ever to be unequivocally disproved the consequences could be devastating for the religions involved, DeHaan (1982) explains, Prove that Moses did not write the books of the Pentateuch and you prove that Jesus was totally mistaken and not the infallible Son of God he claimed to be. Upon your faith in Moses as the writer of the five books attributed to him rests also your faith in Jesus as the Son of God. You cannot believe in Jesus Christ without believing what Moses wrote.[32] DeHaans view is made clear by this simple paradigm, however, closer inspection of the words and their implied significance opens up a chasm of queries and insinuations that require further investigation. When considering this statement one finds that the overarching subliminal message that appears within the text is the necessity of proof. Fundamentally this is a statement about the assumed relationship between Moses as author of the five books, and Jesus who within the New Testament attributes the Law to Moses. These words resound as a modern day echo of Jesus words as described by New Testament Gospel writer John, For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? [33] Moreover, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus makes the following statement; Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfil. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.[34] These words, ascribed to Jesus, show that Jesus himself acknowledges Moses as the author of the Pentateuch. Furthermore He is sending out a strong message by stating that, in not believing what Moses wrote about Him, we will not believe anything He has to say either. What then is the bearing of the words spoken by Jesus upon the question of the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch? In the New Testament Jesus references to Moses are ampleMoses commands, Moses said, Moses wroteare all used within its context by the authors of the Gospels. Stevens (1889), an early Old Testament authorship writer, suggests that Jesus speaks of the Pentateuch using popular designations of the time and was not in fact confirming authorship.[35] Chapter 2 Enlightenment and the influence of Source criticism It was not too long ago that Jews and Christians held the universal view that Moses alone wrote the Pentateuch. A delve into the history of the debate shows that although numerous attempts were made to credit or discredit its composition and authorship, Mosaic authorship and its credibility remained stagnant for many years. The authorship debate first became apparent in the aftermath of what is known as the period of enlightenment. The Enlightenment is held to be the source of critical ideas and provided the cultural shift necessary for the emergence of a new confidence in the power of human reason.[36] Immanuel Kant (1784) in his essay What is Enlightenment? simply describes it as freedom to use ones own intelligence.[37] Clarke (1997) describes Kants view of Enlightenment as the point at which a human being recognizes his or her autonomy.[38] Whereas Ames (1925) depicts religion for Kant as being something a man lived and did not merely think about.'[39] Many scientists and religionists alike would gladly accept such a simplification of their problems, [40] nevertheless the Enlightenment period was marked by increasing empiricism, scientific rigor, and reductionism along with increasing questioning of religious orthodoxy.[41] Questions regarding Pentateuchal authorship had led to rumblings and critica l analysis by past Biblical Scholars, however it was French physician Jean Astruc who initiated modern literary or source analysis of the Old Testament.[42] According to Pfeiffer (1957) when the Pentateuch was canonized in 400 BCE, it was firmly believed that Moses was its author.[43] He explains further that Biblical investigations and critical analysis passed through different stages; here he cites Astruc (1753), Geddes (1798) and De Wette (1806) as principle theorists. [44] The Enlightenment thus created a significant shift that resulted in the historical-critical method which suggested that we should accept as true only that which can be empirically proven.[45] As a result by the 19th century, traditional views on Mosaic authorship had ceased to be entertained by mainstream scholars and by the closing decades of the 19th century, a theory by Julius Wellhausen became a theoretical forerunner, with the majority of critics coming to view his theory with accord. Julius Wellhausen In 1895 Julius Wellhausen gave an explanation of Pentateuchal origin, his hypothesis became known as the documentary or JEDP hypothesis.[46] This hypothesis explains that the Pentateuch was compiled from four original source documents—designated as J, E, D, and P. These four documents supposedly were written at different times by different authors, and eventually were compiled into the Pentateuch by a redactor (editor). The J is characterized by its authors use of the divine name Yahweh. Elohim is the divine name that identifies the E or Elohist document. The D, or Deuteronomist, document contained most of the book of Deuteronomy. The last section to be written was the P, or Priestly, document, which would have contained most of the priestly laws. We are told these documents were then redacted (edited) into one work about 300 years later in 200 B.C.[47] Wellhausens timing was perfect, the public were open to new theories as religiosity began to be questioned; textual criticism was able to find ground from which its roots could take hold and grow. Goshen-Gottstein explains, the rise of textual criticism depended on preconditions and on certain attitudes and dispositions, beyond the basic linguistic capabilities.[48] Wellhausen attained his results by a faithful application of the uses of evidence; he assembled relevant facts and built a reasoned construction upon them, this became the characteristic of the subsequent critical movement.[49] Oswald T. Allis (1943) explains Wellhausens method further, The slightest variations in diction, style, viewpoint or subject matter were seized upon as indicative of difference in author, date, and source. The miraculous element is viewed with suspicion and regarded either as evidence of the late date and unreliability of a narrative, or as proof that it represents a primitive and unscientific account of phenomena in which a modern writer would see only the operation of natural processes.[50] The analysis of the written word became paramount in defining Mosaic authorship as well as adding to the longevity of the debate. Hill and Walton (2000) affirm, the multiplicity and complexity of these literary forms that have been directly responsible for the ongoing debate over the composition of the Pentateuch.'[51] Furthermore they argue that the literature of the Pentateuch is considered to be a collection of rich and literary genres that enhance both the artistic nature and key theological themes that unify it.[52] This new modern world saw the naissance of an innovative period of science and technology; this opened the door for a myriad of explanations to be proposed concerning Mosaic authorship. McDowell suggests that the very origin of modern science rests upon the truth of the scripture he goes further to explain that there is a God that created and designed an ordered universe this prompted men like Newton to search for certain scientific laws to explain this order.[53] It can be said then that science and the scriptures do not cancel each other out; they simply look at the world from different perspectives, but are not finally contradictory.[54] Merrill Unger expresses concern about rejecting Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch in favour of the Documentary theory he suggests that conservative scholarship should realise anew the essential unsoundness of critical hypothesis and cease trying to reconcile its potent unbelief with the tenets of historic evangelical Christianity and conservative Judaism'[55] William Henry Green (1895) disagrees with this hypothesis and claims that the books of the bible have nothing to fear from investigations into its genuineness and credibility he goes on to suggest that thorough searching can only result in establishing more firmly the truth of the claims, which the Bible makes for itself, The bible stands upon a rock from which it can never be dislodged. [56] Hill (2000) explains that the source analysis approach, which gained prominence during the nineteenth century, not only affected the way scholars viewed the Pentateuch as a literary composition, but also had far reaching implications for the historicity of the patriarchal narratives. Furthermore he states that, Julius Wellhausen, the most influential of the source critics asserted that the Pentateuch conveys no historicity for the patriarchs, but merely reflects patriarchal stories retold in a later age.'[57] Towards the contemporary world: a look at archaeology Scholarship can sometimes become stagnant, however in the case of Pentateuchal studies the debate between different points of view continues to ebb and flow. As yet, no new consensus has emerged about the composition of the Pentateuch.[58] Publications over the past one hundred years show that many other theories or indeed modifications of theories have arisen. The Wellhausen theory itself has come under much criticism and though it still has its proponents, it is no longer a universal agreement of authority in critical scholarship. The subject then remains an enigma and is no closer to a solution now, than it was when first queried. Yet the debate does continue to thrive, aided because, with the passage of time the earth unleashes its hidden treasures and technological inventions are created that allow us to peel back the centuries and glimpse into the past. Fresh discoveries it seems wield new evidence that scholars pounce upon to argue their case. One area in contemporary society that has emerged in favour of biblical accuracy is the field of archaeology. Archaeology is defined by Muncaster (2000) as the systematic study of things that cultures have left behind.'[59] W. F. Albright the great archaeologist concludes that the past 100 years has seen archaeology verify some of the history contained in the bible, he states: There can be no doubt that archaeology has confirmed the substantial historicity of Old Testament tradition. [60] Finkelstein and Silberman (2002) attest that, Archaeology has helped us to reconstruct the history behind the bible.'[61] More recent publications aim to verify the historicity of the Old Testament using archaeological evidence, Muncaster (2000) suggests that the accuracy of the Old Testament is vital to the Bibles message and that archaeology provides one means of confirming the historical accuracy.[62] To confirm or prove the historical accuracy of the Bible one needs to consider the implications of proof. Does proof relate to disproving the facts of the Bible and the account held within it, does this mean that the words spoken by Jesus in the New Testament and the history of the Israelite nation is condemned to hearsay? Archaeology offers some answers, but is it concrete? Gnuse (1994) expresses the opinion that, Who or what Moses was ultimately is irrelevant; for he stands as a symbol of process. The traditional figure of Moses symbolizes the initiation of the religious journey.[63] McDowell stresses a cautionary note in relation to archaeology, as he says, all too often the phrase Archaeology proves the Bible arises, in answer to this he uses the word prove to stress the interpreters usage that could cause incorrect assumptions, Archaeology cannot prove the Bible, if by that you mean prove it to be inspired and revealed by God. If by prove, one means, Showing some biblical event or passage to be historical. Then it would be a correct usage. [64] The world within which we now live is far removed from the world of Wellhausen and even further removed from the era of scribes and patriarchs. In a time where archaeology has uncovered scripts that peel back time and allow modern technology to wield its powerthere is still no right or wrong answer that appears as a forerunner. Using science and technology as an aid, scholars, theologians and archaeologist are still embroiled in a quest to answer the questions that revolve around Bible authorship. Scrolls retrieved from the caves in Qumran are being drawn on by scholars to provide scriptural evidence and possible explanations of Mosaic authorship. Cook (1994) explains that the Old Testament prophets, Foresaw a golden age for Israel when her various trials, punishments, exiles and tribulations were over'[65] This Golden Age includes the arrival of a messiah one who would reign by peace and blessings of every kind.[66] Verification of these prophecies can be established and linked to M oses; in Deuteronomy Moses speaks of a coming prophet like himself[67]. Further, Isaiah describes the one who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good tidings, who proclaims salvation.'[68] Qumran, harbour of the Dead Sea Scrolls, held within cave four a scroll that refers to Moses as Gods anointed, Strugnell cited in Cook (1994); Cursed is the man who does not arise and observe and do according to all the commandments of the Lord in the mouth of Moses His Anointed One, and to walk after the Lord, the God of our fathers, who commands us from Mount Sinai.[69] Could this then be seen as Proof that Moses was a prophet, an anointed one who prophesized the coming of another like him? A prophet who was himself to foretell all that was to come[70] If so then is this proof that Moses also wrote the Pentateuch? One could argue that if Moses words are proven to be reliable through the fulfilled prophecies within the Bible and the archaeological findings that appear to corroborate them. McDowells admonitory note on archaeological evidence re-surfaces in Bartlett (2002), when he states that, There are still major problems between the relationship of the archaeological findings to the fact and contents of the scrolls. However, he also professes a hope that, subsequent research will throw light on them.'[71] Scholarly differences of opinion are clearly visible as is the interpretation of related scripture. Bernstein (1997) in reviewing Lawrence Schiffmans work, Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls points out that the narrative and legal Pentateuchal texts found in the caves, show the array of exegetical methods ready for the Qumran interpreter.'[72] There is no doubt, declares Bernstein, That any reviewer will find one or another chapter of the book deficient from some specific perspective; this will always be the case when a broad synthesis of the Dead Sea Scrolls is written by virtually any scholar, for no one is equally competent in all the complex fields of Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship. What Schiffman has done is to contextualize these texts for interpretation, and that is more important than his particular interpretation of any specific issue. [73] It is this difference in interpretation that allows the debate to continue to thrive. A contemporary scholar in biblical studies, Richard Elliot Friedman equates Mosaic authorship to, a detective story spread across the centuries with investigators uncovering clues to the Bibles origins one by one [74] Furthermore, he states that, There is hardly a biblical scholar in the world who would claim that the Five Books of Moses were written by Moses or by any one person.'[75] And yet Moses is arguably a leading figure in both religion and history, his words are the foundation of faith for over half the earths population.[76] Phillips (2003) clarifies that the three great monotheistic religions of the world have derived from the revealed holy laws of the ancient Israelites. He concurs that Moses God became not only the God of Judaism but of Christianity and Islam.'[77] For the authors of scripture then, history is a theological tool by which God reveals Himself. Archaeology can authenticat e history but it cannot authenticate theology, and from the biblical perspective, history devoid of theology is meaningless.[78] Prophecy The Jewish nation believes that history and prophecy are inextricably intertwined,[79] history was recorded by more than one culture and was therefore documented, however for Israel, prophecy was assurance that the writings were from God.[80] [81] Prophecies detailed in the Old covenant are said to be longer-term prophecies those fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament and ultimately classed as inspiration from God.[82] McGrath (2007) describes the majority position within Christian theology has, in one hand emphasized the continuity between the two testaments, while on the other noting the distinction between them.'[83] One of the strongest arguments used by adherents to Mosaic authorship, stems from the predictions it makes within its pages about the future. These events are what give Biblical scholars reason to continue their pursuit of Mosaic verification. Of these prophecies one in particular is used to corroborate Mosaic authorship: the advent of an anointed one who was to ar rive in the future. Often when one reads about the Mosaic Pentateuch one can find statements that refer to the infallibility of scripture, in particular with regards to Jesus Christ. Livingston (2004) claims that Christ knew the scriptures thoroughly, even to words and tenses[84] and that Jesus also believed, every word of scripture, the historicity of the Old Testament and that it was spoken by God Himself, thereby affirming that Moses wrote the Pentateuch, even thought the pen was held by men.'[85] Furthermore, Livingston states that, if we are to believe that his life was guided by prophecy, then he was subject to a life that was written for him, does this limit the choices he had to make or was he just Gods tool, there to fulfil Gods plan? However Jesus obeyed Gods word and His authority. He came to do Gods will and in doing so fulfilled Old Testament He fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about Himself.[86] LangMarch (1995) explains that Jesus places a great amount of emphasis on the fulfilment of s cripture; this he maintains confirms its veracity.[87] However this point is one that cannot be overlooked for if Biblical Scholars find the scriptures to be in error then the obvious conclusion would be that Jesus too was in error and could not have been the infallible son of God. Chapter Three Current views and hypothesis Throughout the history of this debate scholars have battled in order to propose their own interpretation of scripture. These battles are still relevant and consume the minds of contemporary scholars. Time, it seems has not diminished the pursuit of truth, contemporary scholars are just as committed in their attempts to solve the authorship problem as their past contemporaries. In the past four decades there have been numerous publications concerning Pentateuchal authorship and views are still divided. P.N. Benware (1993) states that, Moses was the human author of Genesis and the other books of the Pentateuch he adds, These five books of the law were written by Moses alone, with the exception of Deuteronomy 34, which records the death of Moses The Pentateuch, therefore, is an inspired, inerrant, authoritative document written by the man Moses. [88] The authors of the New C

Francis Petrarch: Leader of the Humanistic Movement and Father of the R

Francis Petrarch: Leader of the Humanistic Movement and Father of the Renaissance Before the civic spirit and individuality evident and necessary to the Renaissance came to fruition, there had to have been something to trigger a change in the mentality of the medieval civilization. The medieval manorialism fostered illiteracy and ignorance and a very narrow view of the outside world, people did not question their place, the church, or the need to prepare for the after life. The "awakening" of the Renaissance came after the dawn of a new Roman Empire way of thinking.. Humanism is the intellectual, literary and scientific movement of the 14th to the 16th centuries without which the Renaissance would never have evolved. Humanism is a rediscovery and reevaluation (analysis) of classical civilization and the application of the aspects of this civilization to intellectual and social culture in the current time. It is a blend of concern for the history and actions of human beings, mainly the ancient Greeks and Romans, such as, Cicero, Ceaser, and Augustine, with the belief that man was at the center of the universe. Contrary to Christian teachings, humanist believe that man is subject and creator of his own destiny, governed by ideals of beauty, grace, and harmony and the glorification of individual freedom. These ideas provide the vehicle, in which the transition from medieval thinking of vassalage (servitude) and the afterlife to a return to the principles of the Pax Romana occurred. Christian humanism came to mean individualism and the value of life in the present. Italy, and specifically Florence, is said to have been the birthplace of humanistic thinking and the Renaissance for a variety of reasons. Geography, more ... .... Petrarch and His World. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1963. Donadoni, Eugenio. A History of Italian Literature, Volume 1. New York: New York University Press, 1969. Hollway-Calthrop, Henry. Petrarch: His Life and Times. New York: Putnam's, 1907. Lawall, Sarah, ed. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Seventh Edition, Volume 1. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1998. Musa, Mark, ed. Selections from the Canzoniere & Other Works by Francesco Petrarch. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Robinson, James Harvey, ed. Petrarch: The First Modern Scholar and Man of Letters New York: G.P. Putnam, 1898. Symonds, John Addison. "Beginning and Progress of the Renaissance" History of the World, 01-01-92 (obtained online). Wilkins, Ernest Hatch. A History of Italian Literature. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1974.

Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin Essay -- Uncle Toms Cabin

Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin Harriet Beecher Stowe was born on June 14, 1811. Her father was Lyman Beecher, pastor of the Congregational Church in Harriet’s hometown of Litchfield, Connecticut. Harriet’s brother was Henry Ward Beecher who became pastor of Brooklyn’s Plymouth Church. The religious background of Harriet’s family and of New England taught Harriet several traits typical of a New Englander: theological insight, piety, and a desire to improve humanity (Columbia Electronic Library; â€Å"Biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe†). Harriet studied and assisted as a teacher at the Western Female Institute, a school in Hartford, Connecticut, that her sister Catherine had founded. Harriet moved with her father to Cincinnati, Ohio, as a result of her father’s religious appointment. Harriet’s career as a teacher ended when she married widower Calvin Stowe. Across the river from Cincinnati was Kentucky, where Calvin Stowe’s home was located. Kentucky was a slave state, and Harriet was able to experience firsthand the horrors of slavery. Also, Harriet’s new home with Stowe was a â€Å"station† along the â€Å"underground railroad†, and Harriet had even more experience and interaction with the slaves. Harriet had always been creative as a child, and she loved to write. Her anger toward slavery in addition with encouragement from her sister-in-law to â€Å"use her skills to aid the cause of abolition† (Wells) inspired Harriet to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Well s; University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee). Harriet began to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin as a serial, or an episodic story. These episodes were published in the National Era, a national newspaper in which Harriet had previously published several abolitionist serials. Harr... .../nj.essortment.com/biographyharrie_rthp.htm>. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. â€Å"Stowe, Harriet Beecher†. Date of Last Revision Unknown. 6 Jan 2002. . Mark, Mary. â€Å"Harriet Beecher Stowe†. Date of Last Revision Unknown. 5 Jan 2002. . Thornton, Tracey. â€Å"Between Rhetoric of Abolition and Feminism: Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin†. 1998. 8 Jan 2002. . University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. â€Å"The Classic Text: Harriet Beecher Stowe†. 19 Nov 2001. 5 Jan 2002. . Wells, Kim. â€Å"Harriet Beecher Stowe†. 28 Aug 1999. 6 Jan 2002. .

Dark count or Dark Current is one of the most important CCD specifications, :: Computer Science

Dark count or Dark Current is one of the most important CCD specifications, along with resolution, quantum efficiency and noise figure. Dark count or Dark Current is one of the most important CCD specifications, along with resolution, quantum efficiency and noise figure. Dark current causes an output to occur without the previous introduction of an input. This is caused by the thermal generation and then diffusion of charge. This Dark Current is generated at different locations in the CCD, but the cause of this charge generation is basically the same in all locations. This is because all cases are to do with irregularities in the fundamental crystal structure of the silicon present in CCDs. Examples of these irregularities include metal impurities such as gold, copper or iron, and crystal defects such as dislocations and stacking faults, all of which are known to be thermal generation sites of charge carriers in silicon. THE BEST EXAMPLE OF WHERE THIS DARK Current can be located is at the Silicon Oxide to silicon interface of the MOS capacitor (which is the main building block of a CCD) . This is due to the fact that this is where the largest irregularity in the silicon crystal structure occurs. However, it can also be located in the in the bulk of the silicon both inside and outside the depletion layer, which is defined by the CCD potential wells. To give an example of the amount of Dark Current, which is induced A Kodak KAF-0400 and KAF-1600 sensor is specified to have a Dark Current of 50 electrons being induced per second at 25 degrees c. Taking a one-minute exposure at this temperature would generate 3000 electrons of thermally induced charge, which is calculated by 60secs times 50 electrons. In theory the average Dark Current value can be subtracted from the output value to provide the signal due to photoelectrons. However in reality there are fluctuations in the Dark Current called Dark noise, and this cannot be accounted for in the same way. Noise occurs in different forms such as shot noise and trapping noise which both appear in the CCD channel. It also occurs at the input and output stages as KTC noise, but my main focus shall be on shot noise as it is closely associated with Dark Current. We know that the generation of Dark Current is a totally random process, due to the fact that the generation sites are randomly distributed and perhaps more importantly, the Dark Current generation process is random as a function of time. The number of electrons generated and then collected in a charge packet travelling through the

Nathaniel Bacon Essay

One historian has remarked that Bacon’s Rebellion was â€Å"a rebellion with abundant causes but without a cause.† Do you agree? What were the causes of Bacon’s Rebellion? Did Nathaniel Bacon have a cause? Did William Berkeley? In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon marched into Jamestown, Virginia alongside 600 men ready to fight, demanding a military commission. After threatening William Berkeley, the Governor of Virginia and Nathaniel’s own cousin, Bacon was given a military commission. â€Å"In the following months, Bacon’s men waged brutal war against the Indians, turned their guns on Berkeley’s government, forced it to flee Jamestown, and burned the colony’s capital to the ground† (Hollitz, 19). I do not agree with this historian because some of Bacon’s causes for rebellion were important enough to the people living in Virginia to want changes. Taxes began to rise on tobacco, salaries of the government officials began to increase, and no servants were selected to the council after 1640. In 1675 colonists ordered Governor Berkeley to return with an army after killings by the Indians alongside the Fall Line (The line marking the waterfalls of nearly parallel rivers). In March of 1676 the representatives announced war on â€Å"all such Indians who †¦ shall be discovered to have committed murders †¦ and depredation† (Hollitz, 23). Trading with Indians was also now illegal which placed even more economic stress on those traders that needed Indian products to survive. Nathaniel Bacon had a cause for the rebellion after one of his supervisors was killed in a Susquehanna attack. Berkeley’s main reason for being against Bacon’s Rebellion was because he worked out an arrangement in 1644 to avoid conflicts with the Native Americans. In exchange for a large piece of land, he agreed to keep settlers from pushing farther into their lands. After Bacon’s death on October 26, 1676 his rebellion began to decease and everything was eventually restored back to order.