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Category Archives: 2018-19 v.3
The Epistemological Theories of Descartes, Hume, and Kant As Well as The Implications for the Existence of God
By Lora Xie, V Form
The Epistemological Theories of Descartes, Hume, and Kant As Well as The Implications for the Existence of God
Editor’s Note: This is the assignment from the Advanced Religion course–“In whatever way is most helpful to you (prose, outline, diagram, drawing), tell the story of Descartes’ Rationalism, Hume’s Skepticism, and the Kantian synthesis. You will share this in class and also hand it in. You will be graded both on the effectiveness of your method and on your evident understanding.
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Link to Slideshow:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-usiBKsrTmdWRX_Zzk1GDdzXFtaOc_NWRJnUj4Nqwd4/edit?ts=5bc653e0#slide=id.g43a807e277_0_746 (more…)
Delinquency: It Comes from Within (Rebel without a Cause Juxtaposed with Cycle of Outrage)
By Matt Walsh, VI Form
Delinquency: It Comes from Within (Rebel without a Cause Juxtaposed with Cycle of Outrage)
Although its production was fraught with promiscuity, Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without a Cause promotes a moralistic Cold War agenda. Protagonist Jim Stark, portrayed by James Dean, is a new kid in town with a history of delinquency. Because his parents struggle to exert authority over Jim and are quick to forgive him for his wrongdoing, Jim, albeit well-intentioned, finds himself associated with a group of delinquents. Included in the group is Judy, a sixteen-year-old girl whose misbehavior is driven by her father’s reluctance to reciprocate her love for him. Jim also develops a friendship with Plato, whose absent parents make him the most delinquent of the three protagonists. Rebel Without a Cause blames their misbehavior on their lack of emotional connection with their respective parents, and likewise, James Gilbert’s 1986 book A Cycle of Outrage suggests that many Americans viewed a stable domestic setting as the panacea for all forms of juvenile delinquency. Nonetheless, the film Rebel Without a Cause suggests that only emotional connections between children and parents can curb the epidemic of juvenile delinquency whereas A Cycle of Outrage suggests that the public viewed delinquency as an epidemic that originated outside of the family. (more…)
Cerberus: In Dramatic, Dark Lines for Studio Art
By Helen Huang, V Form
Cerberus: In Dramatic, Dark Lines for Studio Art
This pencil drawing is one of many pieces I am making for my concentration in Studio III. In my concentration, I am focusing on mythical creatures in the modern world. For this particular piece, I chose the idea of drawing the Greek mythological creature, Cerberus, but with a modern twist. I made the dog cute and fluffy and set him on a soft blanket with his toys near a fireplace. I wanted to make the whole composition seem cozy and welcoming, which is the opposite of what Cerberus in Greek mythology is like. The shadow of the dog, drawn with dramatic, harsh lines, is a reference to the true nature of Cerberus: scary and foreboding, which contrasts with the cuteness of the dog, drawn with soft, careful lines. I purposely chose this composition because I wanted to show that mythical creatures can evolve into what we want to see them as. Personally, I enjoy the idea of having a cute three-headed dog rather than a scary one, and therefore in my perspective, Cerberus looks like the dog in the piece. (more…)
The Islamic Art of the Calligraphic Manuscript By Muhammad Taqi (1695)
By Jenny Tang, V Form
The Islamic Art of the Calligraphic Manuscript By Muhammad Taqi (1695)
Most people, upon hearing art, think of visuals. They recall famous paintings and sculpture. Art, however, has many more facets. Islam, for instance, regards calligraphy and book-making
as the highest form of art. For this reason, a calligraphic manuscript was chosen for this assignment. The manuscript also presents visual elements worth studying. The piece is created by Muhammad Taqi in Persia of 1695 during the era of the Safavid Empire. It is stored in Carnegie Mellon University’s rare books collection. The manuscript has a floral painting cover, a first-page design, and calligraphy. It contains namaz (daily prayers) and verses for Ramadan (the Month of Fasting) written in Arabic[1]. Given its size of 13 by 9 by 1.3 cm, it was probably carried around for prayers. The calligraphic manuscript exemplifies Islamic art by using the elements of floral arabesque, geometry, and calligraphy. Analyzing the manuscript unveils Islamic art’s root in both religion and secular, global influences. (more…)
Two Worlds, One Mind (ABC’s LOST, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Huxley’s Island)
By Boyd Hall, VI Form
Two Worlds, One Mind (ABC’s LOST, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Huxley’s Island)
Jacob, the protector of the Island in LOST, brings me to his island because he believes that the island will force me to confront my flaw in order to survive. My idealistic thoughts hinder me from seeing the reality of situations. I romanticize my hopes for the future until those thoughts consume my mind. Like Ferdinand in The Tempest, who is so entranced when meeting Miranda that he fails to understand the responsibilities of marriage and living on an island forever, I overlook commitments in order to see the perfect aspects of my life. On the island, I learn that indulging myself in quixotic dreams restrict me from focusing on my current being because surviving without materialistic aid requires focus and attention to the present. (more…)
What Led to America’s Economic Prosperity After World War II?
By Samantha Wang, IV Form
What Led to America’s Economic Prosperity After World War II?
Editor’s Note: Samantha utilized funds from the Kean Fellowship in the spring of 2018 to finance videos, programs, and books for her independent research project.
Background Information
By the early 20th century, America had quietly become the world’s strongest industrialized country. But not for long. A huge crisis was brewing behind the exploding expansion of the U.S. economy: on October 24, 1929, a sudden storm swept across Wall Street, and an economic depression followed.[1]The United States, as the birthplace of the Great Depression, became a major disaster area. American industrial production shrank by a third from 1929 to 1932, the unemployment rate was horrendous, pessimism pervaded the whole society, and many people came to doubt the capitalist system.[2]In 1932, the Democratic Party candidate, Franklin Roosevelt, was elected President of the United States. Faced with a severe situation, President Roosevelt advocated for the repression of the domestic forces of Nazism and Communism and the execution of complete control over the national bourgeoisie through his New Deal policies. The American economy slowly got back on track afterward. (more…)
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