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London. My City. Born here, will die here. I simultaneously love and loathe this city. Love it because it's glorious, magical, and regularly takes my breath away. Loathe is because it's dangerous, expensive, and the quality of life can be low.
In recent years, my quality of life has been high. Champagne Fridays and Champagne lunches, regular dining out, bi-monthly excursions to galleries and concerts. But now I have hit rock bottom. It's nothing to do with the credit crunch, although it eerily corresponds to the timing of the economic crisis. Actually it's because I gave up a full time job in IT, voluntarily, so that I could take photographs. And this Christmas eve, ten doors down from me, a man was shot dead as he was unloading his Christmas shopping.
This photo is a reason I love and loathe my city. It shows the magic and the romance of London, but I had to break rules to take it. That's because you are not allowed tripods in public spaces. The fallacies of health and safety, the compensation culture, and our government's fear of terrorism curtail our everyday freedoms and our right to enjoy the world we have ourselves created. And all the while, crime - the real problem - continues as normal, unnoticed by those it doesn't touch.
Technically this doesn't class as a real rant as I've not directed my frustrations at any one party. But thank you Flickr for listening.
36x36 in.
Oil, oil-based paint marker, spray paint on gallery canvas
To purchase original please contact ajeffries101958@yahoo.com
Prints, etc. are available at www.redbubble.com/people/atj1958
Thanks for taking the time to look at my work.
The nature versus nurture debate concerns the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities ("nature," i.e. nativism, or innatism) versus personal experiences ("nurture," i.e. empiricism or behaviorism) in determining or causing individual differences in physical and behavioral traits.
"Nature versus nurture" in its modern sense was coined by the English Victorian polymath Francis Galton in discussion of the influence of heredity and environment on social advancement, although the terms had been contrasted previously, for example by Shakespeare (The Tempest). Galton was influenced by the book On the Origin of Species written by his cousin, Charles Darwin. The concept embodied in the phrase has been criticized for its binary simplification of two tightly interwoven parameters, as for example an environment of wealth, education and social privilege are often historically passed to genetic offspring.
The view that humans acquire all or almost all their behavioral traits from "nurture" is known as tabula rasa ("blank slate"). This question was once considered to be an appropriate division of developmental influences, but since both types of factors are known to play such interacting roles in development, many modern psychologists consider the question naive—representing an outdated state of knowledge. Psychologist Donald Hebb is said to have once answered a journalist's question of "which, nature or nurture, contributes more to personality?" by asking in response, "Which contributes more to the area of a rectangle, its length or its width?" That is, the idea that either nature or nurture explains a creature's behavior is a sort of single cause fallacy.
In the social and political sciences, the nature versus nurture debate may be contrasted with the structure versus agency debate (i.e. socialization versus individual autonomy). For a discussion of nature versus nurture in language and other human universals, see also psychological nativism.
Personality is a frequently cited example of a heritable trait that has been studied in twins and adoptions. Identical twins reared apart are far more similar in personality than randomly selected pairs of people. Likewise, identical twins are more similar than fraternal twins. Also, biological siblings are more similar in personality than adoptive siblings. Each observation suggests that personality is heritable to a certain extent. However, these same study designs allow for the examination of environment as well as genes. Adoption studies also directly measure the strength of shared family effects. Adopted siblings share only family environment. Unexpectedly, some adoption studies indicate that by adulthood the personalities of adopted siblings are no more similar than random pairs of strangers. This would mean that shared family effects on personality are zero by adulthood. As is the case with personality, non-shared environmental effects are often found to out-weigh shared environmental effects. That is, environmental effects that are typically thought to be life-shaping (such as family life) may have less of an impact than non-shared effects, which are harder to identify. One possible source of non-shared effects is the environment of pre-natal development. Random variations in the genetic program of development may be a substantial source of non-shared environment. These results suggest that "nurture" may not be the predominant factor in "environment."
Below is a copy of an actual debate between myself (as Truth in science) and some militant atheists.
Is atheism exposed as bankrupt? Read the debate below, and judge for yourself .....
This debate took place in response to an image ridiculing Christians posted by militant atheist (Silly Deity) on his photostream. Anyone looking at his photostream can see it wholly consists of images insulting and ridiculing religion and religious people.
It commenced with a comment by another militant atheist (Badpenny) supporting the image posted by Silly Deity ...
The image posted by Silly Deity with the original debate can be seen here:
www.flickr.com/photos/131599163@N05/18212093014
I have copied it all in this post to give it more public exposure, and also in case the original is deleted.
THE DEBATE FOLLOWS:
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Bad penny begins the debate by commenting on an image ridiculing Christians. It insinuates that Christians have no sensible argument, and that the only argument they have is to threaten people with Hell.
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
I reckon that neatly sums it up :)
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Truth in science 2y
Wrong! Theists do have a VERY reasonable argument based on logic, natural law and fundamental scientific principles. Unlike atheists, who have no such logical argument,
Atheism revealed as false - why God MUST exist.
www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/18927764022
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Sorru #TruthinScience but you've pedalling that same old bollocks for ages now in the hope that the gullible or those with no understanding will buy your sciencey sounding shite as truth
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Truth in science 2y
~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!)
You obviously have no understanding.
Apparently, you have swallowed the ludicrous fable that the universe created itself from nothing, without any cause and for no reason - and you think that is 'science'.
If you disagree with my logical argument (based on natural law and scientific principles) let's see your point by point logical and scientific argument for your non-contingent, autonomous, self-creating, adequate, natural, first cause?
Or is it just the usual bluff, bluster and hot air that I get all the time from atheists? Who are very good at dishing out ridicule and abuse to anyone who refuses to swallow their naturalist ideology, but very poor at logically or scientifically justifying it.
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
So basically there has to be a beginning,a prime mover,an initial cause for,well,everything so therefore it follows from the point of view of logic that this first cause is god.
Is that a fair summation of your proof and scientific evidene ???
How do you know this initial cause was god.
Perhaps there was a some event outside of our universe that set our universe into existence.Something non intelligent or sentient that pushed the plunger that ignited the big bang.
I am unable to determine in any realistic way what it was that started the ball rolling in exactly the same way you are unable to.
All you have done here is taken a logical argument and applied it to something that you know fine no one can verify or refute.
Your logical and scientific evidence is mere speculation in the same way all theories of what occured before the big bang are specualtion.Without being able to look back before the beginning to see if there is a cause or anything at all it's all just interesting notions.
If you are touting logic as the proof of your viewpoint then the same logic dictates that something came before god so what was that then ????
Presently cause and effect are deemed to be a universal rule,you're own explanation as I've understood it so far demands this particular order and progression of events but back beyond the big bang,the singularity the laws of physics appear to breakdown so can you definitively show that the time and the law of cause and effect alone remains in tact.
Of course,unless you're privvy to some special knowledge that no one else has ever know or knows today then in all truth you are stumbling around in the dark like everyone else .No ????
Also,you are doing the usual if not this then that juggle that people use all the time.
If there has to be an initial cause then that cause has to be god.
As I've said,yes cause and effect are the fundamental to our universe but until we can say that there is nothing outside or before our universe OR that there is then all bets are off.The laws that dictate here may hold no sway outside our universe and maybe they do but at this point in time we have no way of saying either way.
Obviously you are convinced you can so I'd love to hear how you think you are able beyond applying logic puzzles to that which we can neither see,measure or even state with confidence exists,existed or even possible
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Of course,you do realise logic is just a tool help you think objectively.It's not truth itself just like mathematics is just a language to describe reality not reality itself.
Putting something into a logical argument is just away to apply logic to something,it doesn't make that thing true or suddenly real....you do understand that don't you ???
I could make a logical argument to say that I could become the president of the US but that doesn't mean I will be.
Applying logic to anything at all you can imagine has no effect whatsoever on the real,physical world.
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Truth in science 2y
~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!)
You wrote:
"So basically there has to be a beginning,a prime mover,an initial cause for,well,everything so therefore it follows from the point of view of logic that this first cause is god.
Is that a fair summation of your proof and scientific evidene ???
How do you know this initial cause was god.
Perhaps there was a some event outside of our universe that set our universe into existence.Something non intelligent or sentient that pushed the plunger that ignited the big bang."
The first cause cannot be a natural first cause, that is obvious because all natural events are contingent. There is no such thing as a non-contingent natural entity or event. Science is about looking for causes for every natural thing or occurrence. Every natural effect has to have a cause, and the effect cannot be greater than its cause/s. That is the fundamental principle behind ALL scientific enquiry. If you don't accept that principle you cannot practice science. A first cause has to be uncaused, or it wouldn't be first. If it is the very first cause in a chain of causes and effects it not only has to be uncaused it also has to be adequate to produce everything that follows it. Nothing that follows the first cause can be superior to that which ultimately caused it. So, the first cause has to be capable of creating every property and quality that exists in the universe. Which, of course, includes life, intelligence, information, consciousness etc.
If you think there can be such a thing as an uncaused, natural, first cause which is capable of creating all those attributes, please tell us what it is?
You wrote:
"The laws that dictate here may hold no sway outside our universe and maybe they do but at this point in time we have no way of saying either way"
Laws of nature are based on the properties of natural things, they describe those properties. contingency is a basic property of all natural things. That law is fundamental, it cannot be different elsewhere. If matter/energy was once some sort of non-contingent, autonomous being, why would it change its nature to an inferior one where it is subject to the limitations of causality? To claim that matter/energy is, or once was, an autonomous, non-contingent entity is to imbue it with the attributes of God. It is simply replacing the supernatural, first cause - God, with a natural deity.
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Again you are making sweeping assumptions about the conditions previous to our universe and stating as fact that what's a natural law within the universe is both fundamental and natural outwith it or before it.
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Until you can categorically state what was before the big bang,that the universe is all there is where nothing exist beyond it.Until you can state what conditions prevailed before our universe began you cannot with certaintity make definitive claims what the first cause consist of because you cannot difinitively state what was natural and fundamental before the start of our universe.You cannot even do more than claim that the big bang was a result of a first cause.How do you know the there aren't entirely different laws that prevail in the time and/or space before/beyond our present universe.
There could be an infinite number of universe that all have different laws prevailing within them.
Until you fully know the nature of our universe,whether it's all there is,the first and only one to exist you cannot say with certainty that laws the govern how ours work our the same laws outwith and therefore all statements pertaining to the conditons before our universe are equally uncertain.
How exactly does the quantum world relate to your ever regressing complexity of causes as much of what is observed there does necessarily conform strictly to your natural laws of cause and effect.
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Fundamentally what you are doing is the ultimate example of the god of the gaps.Everything that has happened since the big bang is natural therefore what came before cannot be natural or contingent because that is the natural law ever since.You cannot and don't know what came before so it has to be god because the big bang was the first event.The first event that created the conditions we exist in so.........
Yes it was the beginning of our universe but perhaps there's a continous cycle where the universe begins,has it's life cycle before collapsing in on itself down to an infinite point where it begins all over again so on and so on.
Until it is possible to observe back beyond/before the big bang which it seems likely is impossible you cannot apply the laws that govern here.
You would have to know for sure these fundamental laws were created in the event that created the universe or that they existed before,beyond and outwith the universe all together .Again you cannot make such categorical statements while knowing nothing of what was before it.How can you even be sure time existed before the big bang.
Without time,without entropy and the conservation of energy there may be no order the governs cause and effect.There may even be a god or there may not be,with no knowledge what came before the beginning of our universe you cannot be certain what laws are a product of the universe and what are laws outwith it.
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Truth in science 2y
~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!)
So you want to indulge in fantasy and still claim it is science.
If you want to evade the Law of Causality, and other natural laws that destroy your naturalist argument, you step outside of science.
Nevertheless, you still pretend to be working within a scientific framework by proposing causes which are actually non-causes.
You seem to think you can glibly dismiss natural laws as irrelevant to the argument, when they are absolutely crucial to any ‘scientific’ argument.
There is NO god of the gaps.
The so-called gaps are created by your own, unscientific fantasies.
The universe was CAUSED - there are no gaps, there is only the question – was the CAUSE natural or supernatural?
If you claim it was ‘natural’ but at the same time you want to claim that natural laws did not apply, you are simply contradicting yourself. You are effectively claiming supernatural abilities for a natural cause, which cannot possibly have supernatural abilities. In other words, you are endowing nature with godlike abilities and attributes, which science tells us nature certainly does not possess.
The god of the gaps argument is stupid. We can only deal in known facts, not a never ending, stream of what if’s or maybes, conjured up by fertile imaginations working overtime.
And all your - ‘what if’s?’ can be easily debunked.
For example - a cyclical universe, is similar to applying the scientifically, discredited idea of perpetual motion on a grand scale to the universe. Firstly, matter/energy is contingent, it always is, and always has been, contingent. It is not, and cannot be, autonomously, self-existent.
Secondly, the universe is running down from a peak of initial, energy potential at its creation. It cannot rewind itself any more than a clock can – there is no such thing as a free lunch, to suggest otherwise is fantastical nonsense, not credible science or logic.
‘What if’s’ or maybes are not logical arguments, they are just a way of evading definitive conclusions which are uncomfortable.
That is the whole basis of the god of the gaps argument, they are just fantasy gaps which can never be filled by anything, because as one gap is filled another can be immediately invented.
Anyone can attempt to destroy any logical conclusions by creating their own ‘gaps’ with endless, bizarre - what if’s and maybes?
Well how about this - What if I don’t actually exist? ‘What if’ you think you are having this discussion with a person, but really, I am just a clever, robotic, word generator in cyberspace? It would mean you are wasting your time, because I can just generate answers and ‘what if’s’ until the cows come home – and ‘what if’ the cows don’t ever come home? – It means all your arguments are just gaps in my – endless stream of - what if’s? And if you manage to fill one gap and answer one of my - what if’s?, I can just keep creating more and more, so your argument is, and always will be, useless. It is just an argument of never-ending gaps.
As for time – time is a physical thing, which theists knew long before Einstein confirmed it.
Theists have always known that where physical things exist, time MUST exist. Put simply, time is the chronology of physical events.
Matter/energy cannot exist in a timeless state. Only non-physical entities can be timeless.
2 + 2 = 4 is both statistical information and a true fact. Information and truth are both non-physical entities which (unlike physical entities) can exist independently of time. They are, in effect, eternal. Time does not in any way affect them. Only the tangible expression of information and truth in physical media can be eroded by time, but not the essence of their existence.
Truth and information exist whether they are made tangible in physical form or not.
If any physical thing or cause existed before the alleged Big Bang, it had to be subject to time.
Which, means - that which existed in a timeless state before the creation event of a physical universe (the first cause) had to be a non-physical entity. There is no other option.
Your claim that we can have no knowledge of anything before the material universe or the alleged Big Bang is completely spurious. Logic and science are tools that help us to make predictions and sensible and reasonable assessments and conclusions. They help us to know what is possible and likely - and especially, in this instance, to know what is IMPOSSIBLE. We do KNOW that a self-created, autonomous, NATURAL, first cause is IMPOSSIBLE. There are no ifs and buts about it, that is what science, logic, reason and common sense tells us.
And that is enough to debunk the atheist belief in an all-powerful, self-creative, non-contingent, Mother Nature.
To dispute that is not only irrational, it is the hallmark of a dogmatic, illogical and unscientific ideology.
As for quantum effects, they may appear random and uncaused, but they are most definitely not. Even if their direct cause is difficult to determine, they are part of a CAUSED physical universe.
So, the idea that anything within a CAUSED universe can be causeless is ridiculous.
As for a direct cause of quantum effects, it can be compared to the randomness of a particular number coming up from throwing a dice. It may appear random and without a direct cause, but it isn’t. Because if we knew all the complicated and variable factors involved – such as the exact orientation of the dice as it leaves the hand, the velocity of the throw and the amount of spin etc. we could predict the number in advance. So just because, in some instances, causes are too incredibly complex to accurately predict the end result, doesn’t mean there are ever no causes.
You wrote:
"There could be an infinite number of universe that all have different laws prevailing within them."
No there couldn't.
The 'Multiverse' idea is as nonsensical as it sounds, and has been soundly debunked.
www.flickr.com/photos/truth-in-science/15897203833
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Silly Deity 2y
Since the bizarrely named "Truth in science" is so fond of repeating the fallacy that his drivel is based on "the principles of science" let's look at the principles of science shall we?
There are five basic components to the scientific method:
1) From observations of the natural world, determine the nature of the phenomenon that is interesting to you (i.e. ask a question or identify a problem).
2) Develop one or more hypotheses, or educated guesses, to explain this phenomenon. The hypotheses should be predictive - given a set of circumstances, the hypothesis should predict an outcome.
3) Devise experiments to test the hypotheses. ( All valid scientific hypotheses must be testable.)
4) Analyze the experimental results and determine to what degree do the results fit the predictions of the hypothesis.
5) Further modify and repeat the experiments.
"Truth in science" fails to get beyond step 2.
He is also repeatedly pedalling the notions so succinctly described earlier as "bollocks" otherwise termed logical fallacies.
This is the use of poor, or invalid, reasoning for the construction of an argument. Some fallacies are committed intentionally to manipulate or persuade by deception, while others are committed unintentionally due to carelessness or ignorance.
So.........."Truth in science" fails the Principles of Science test and also uses logical fallacies as a means to deceive.
Yep!! Bollocks just about sums it up!
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Ah no way my latest reply written last night has gone astray.
It was very much along the lines of your response Silly Diety although I'd hasten to admit not as eloquently put.
Basically,if you live by the sword then you will die by the sword.Or more aptly if TruthinScience is going to continously invoke science to frame his argument in a manner that appears both authoritative and beyond argument then he has to remain within the bounds of science.
As I think I said in an earlier reply science,much like critical thinking,logic and reason,is not a particular set of complex or technological subjects but a tool and a framework for the study and advancement of knowledge that is based on observation,analysis,hypothesis,prediction,experimentation to tthe predictions,divising similarly or more liable explanations...i.e falsification and then ongoing refining ofyour hypothesis even if it is fully accepted and becomes a scientific theory.....as Newton's work on gravity gave way to Einstein centuries later.There are NO sacred cows in science as Newton would attest if he were alive today and the day may come when Einstein is proven to have got relativity completely upside down if the evidence is stong enough to prove it.
Now why doesn't TruthinScience's claims bear any resemblence to science ???
Quite simply he is making definitive statements that he knows and can prove what happened before our universe began.
His arguments about causality and contingent and natural causes sound very compelling at first glance,science certainly does seem to confirm cause and effect and certainly seems at first to support time as a river that only flows one way but the point is that these natural laws as he puts it,these fundamental laws that govern our universe have as he suggests been observed to apply across the entire universe from the moment of the big bang forwards until this second.
But we CANNOT look further back in time than the big bang,our science and laws of physics can alliw us to model and imply what happened millionths of a second after the big band but note AFTER not before.
We have no way of observing back before the big bang and can only see as far as light has travelled since then giving us a horizon beyond which we can not see and therefore cannot make observations of,about,from either.
Therefore the science cannot say anything at all about either what occured,what was there,the potential cause,whethee time and space existwd in any sense we could understand or even if such fundamental laws like causality applied.If everything started with the big bang i.e time and space,then seeing as causality (cause and effect) are contingent on time then is there any reason at all to imagine causality meant anything pre big bang ???
The real answer is,the scientific answer absolutely,is there is simply no way of knowing,there may never be a way of see back before the big bang so the probability is we may never know though every time such statements have been made,that some knowledge is beyond science it's eventually been discovered and understood by science but.......
TruthinScience is clearly taking laws of physics that are well established and seemingly understood amd applying them to an area that isn't.That is a sound logical and reasoned approach but to apply them to something that is so far beyond our knowledge we don't even know if it can ever be observed or how that could happen is completely unscientific......it's what's known as psuedoscience.If it had any true grounding in logic or reason it may be a form of philosophy but it's too ad hock and cobbled together to be that.
At the very best and most generous his claims could be said to amount to an hypothosis but when they are based on a fog of reason like they are that's being too kind.
I know what it is he objects too so strongly and that's other hypothoses by real scientist about possible causes or ways that the universe could have come about without the necessity for a FIRST SUPERNATURAL INTENTION CONTINGENT CAUSE i.e god.Personally,the only one I've really read and have an understanding of is Laurence Kraus and his 'A Universe from Nothing' which I highly recommend anyone to read.
The one thing to note though is as he takes great pains to stress throughout the book it's a hypothosis that COULD explain how a universe can be created from seemingly nothing (although it would appear nothing is the operative word as empty space devoid of matter of any kind still has mass and energy).What TrurhinScience and many,many other theists fail to grasp os he's offering an expanation that remains within the bounds of science yet he freely admits that doesn't mean it's what happened,that there is no way of knowing what happened for all the reasons I've stated.
Shit,who knows there may be something extremely bizarre behind it all like some big,old bearded man who waved his hand and 7 days later
.......lol
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Silly Deity 2y
~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!)
As Bertrand Russell so eloquently stated:
“If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.”
The reliance on logic alone to "prove" something fails because logic is not empiricism (which is fundamental to science). It fails to provide EVIDENCE..........something sorely lacking in "Truth in science's" rants. His presumption that a real or perceived relationship between things means that one is the cause of the other is simply an example of false cause. To make such presumptions with no evidence means that his argument falls flat on its face.
So he fails on the scientific principles (miserably) and he fails on logic too.
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Truth in science 2y
Silly Deity
Nice try, but I am afraid it is another gigantic fail. You have simply hoisted yourself on your own petard.
None of the proposed, fantasy, natural, origin scenarios invented by atheists in order to get around natural laws and scientific principles are testable - none are observable - none are subject to experiment and - none are repeatable.
So NONE of them have got anything whatsoever to do with genuine science.
For example, tell us how a ‘singularity’ or a ‘multiverse’ can be tested, observed, or demonstrated by repeated experiment?
The Law of Cause and Effect and other natural laws which atheists glibly dismiss, and which definitively rule out a natural, first cause - ARE testable - ARE observable and - ARE subject to repeatable experiment.
We can only deal in FACTS, not atheist myths and fantasy.
The existence and veracity of the law of cause and effect and other natural laws IS A FACT.
The idea that natural laws and the basic principle of the scientific method didn’t apply to the origin of the universe or of matter/energy is NOT a fact, it is no better and no more credible than a fairy story or Bertrand Russell’s, flying teapot.
I don’t claim that a supernatural first cause can be proven by science, it can’t, because it is outside the remit of science, which can only deal with natural events and entities.
But the atheist idea of a natural, first cause can also never be proven by science.
However, science CAN DISPROVE a natural, first cause of the universe - and that is exactly what it does.
Science tells us that a natural first cause is impossible. Science can only look for adequate causes, that is the fundamental principle and raison d’etre of the scientific method.
Science cannot look for non-causes – or for inadequate causes – or for non-contingency – or for natural things self-creating themselves from nothing.
Therefore, the claim that atheist naturalism has anything to do with science is completely bogus.
In fact, atheism is anti-science - because it seeks to contradict the verdict of the scientific method and natural law.
If we apply the scientific method to the origin of the universe/matter - science tells us that it had to have an adequate cause, but atheists say no! We can't accept that, science must be wrong, we propose that the universe was causeless.
If that is what atheists want to believe, then fair enough, but they should stop calling it 'science', it is anti-science.
As for Mr Krauss and - his universe from the ‘nothing’ that isn’t really nothing, but ‘something’ - space/time, you would need to be extremely gullible to fall for that load of nonsense.
It is just another desperate, atheist attempt to get around the Law of Cause and Effect.
Presumably he thinks that if he can fool people into believing that something, which is an integral part of the material realm is – no different from nothing (i.e. no thing). Then he can avoid having to explain what caused it?
Nothing (that which doesn’t exist) obviously doesn’t need a cause. However, Mr Krauss’ nothing is a bogus ‘nothing’ … so, unfortunately for him, it certainly does require an adequate cause, just like everything else in the material realm. So the whole exercise is spurious and devious nonsense. One thing is certain, it is not science, it is just fantasy.
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Silly Deity 2y
Truth in science
Getting a bit desparate eh?
Can't refute the issue that you don't understand the science or scientific principles?
Can't deny that you use logical fallacies?
So you pepper your response with a few more of the latter, ignoring the self-same scientific principles you claim to espouse, while introducing the odd red-herring and conflating theories of the origin of the universe with atheism.
A bit of a messy really.
Desparate too.
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Truth in PsuedoScience I honestly cannot be bothered trying to refute your nonsense anymore I'm losing interest and the will to continue by going over and over it ad infinitum .....of course you,like all theists will claim it as your victory but you don't get it,you refuse to contemplate anyrhing that doesn't fit you particular beliefs and you won't be remotely swayed from your abslotue certainty despite the fact you're making a fool.of your self by firmly clinging to the label scientific....even a high school kid just starting out in basic science could see the gaping fallacy at the heart of your bullshit but you blythely ignore it making you dishonest or you just don't see it making you not exactly the sharpest tool.
Either way m8 I have to respect the law of free speech (the most important and fundamental of laws lol) which afterall allows you to talk whatever pigs swill you like and be judged by it.
Can I just add with science observations,results,evidence are what determines the theory the outcome if you like.You DON'T start with a confirmed conviction and shape the evidence to fit it.
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Truth in science 2y
~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!)
Is that the best either of you can do?
In other words, like every other atheist I have encountered, you don't have a credible answer or response.
Of course, you bluff it out and pretend that you have refuted my argument.
But I have shown that it is science and logic that you are trying to refute, not me. And that is why you are doomed to failure.
Atheists masquerade as the champions of science but, all the while, they hate the verdict that science has for their cherished ideology.
The only arguments they ever present to justify belief in their religion of naturalism are based on fantasies which seek to undermine natural laws and basic scientific principles. Such as; a universe self-creating from some sort of bogus 'nothing' or a magical, so-called singularity where no laws apply. They are clearly nothing to do with genuine science, they are just devices to fool people into thinking atheist naturalism is credible.
Atheist naturalism is a completely blind faith, one that has no support from natural law, logic or science.
You obviously can't answer the question I posed: tell us how a ‘singularity’ or a ‘multiverse’ can be tested, observed, or demonstrated by repeated experiment?
I will leave people reading through my arguments and your responses to judge who has won the argument - but they can be sure of one thing that I have demonstrated, that the point presented in the image is completely erroneous. It is not theists, who don't have a reasonable rebuttal of any arguments, but atheists.
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Silly Deity 2y
~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!)
Bob
He's the one making the claims here...........no one else. He can't provide evidence to support those claims so resorts to flim-flam.
As I said earlier................just a bit desparate.
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Come on PsuedoScience now you are throwing out scientific method as if you were applying it all along.
A multiverse ???
Have you not read my main arguement over umpteen replys now I have stated that we are unable to observe back before thw big bang and the 'birth' of our universe.That means no observations of god with a match,a multiverse,a continueing cycle of big bangs or any other hypothesis rational or batshit crazy you can possibly suggest.
Do you not get this fundamental basic fact,i cannot prove,observe or test or take a fucking stroll in a multiverse.I thought that point was self evident any more than you can prove,observe or state what came before either.The point is neither of us can say anymore than the other but science which you claim is your master can at best just hypothosise it cannot state fact,prove,observe,test anything pre big bang either so your claims being proven by science are as disingenuos as any claim I decided to state as fact.
Do you not understand that yet.No obsevations,no way to test or experiment,predict etc,etc means science has nothing definitive to say about it as yet nor can it prove what happened.......do you not get this genuinely straight forward premise.
As for singularitys.......observe the centre of almost any galaxy you wish to study.You'll find a super massive black hole or all the predicted effects of one.Isn't a black hole a singularity then ????
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
I know Silly Deity that he's the one making spurious claims but seriously beginning to piss me off.....not because of his pure unshackelled belief that he's cracked it and won't listen but because people may actually believe he's based his claims in sound science
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) (deleted) 2y
Oh yes and Psuedo you do realise that simply 'defeating' the multiverse or singularity idea in your own mind doesn't mean your claims are true.
I cannot prove of make statements of fact about the origin of the universe but that doesn't mean that you in that case must be right.It's not either or.
Your whole premise of calling something bogus or demanding that everyone else's suggestions must withstand scientific rigour you don't apply to your claim is basically a straw man.As if the best argument against your beliefs is the multiverse hypothesis so if you can show it cannot be proven therefore you win.No it doesn't work that way.
How have you made observations of your first cause god then,how did you measure,quantify his existence and that he was responsible for putting it all into action.Experiments and test ???
Come on,just banging on about natural laws and causality does nothing whatsoever to observe,analyse,test,experiment on god.
Come on,you're the real,true scientist here......explain how first before you can expect anyone to take you seriously
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Truth in science 2y
~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!)
You wrote:
"Do you not get this fundamental basic fact,i cannot prove,observe or test or take a fucking stroll in a multiverse.I thought that point was self evident any more than you can prove,observe or state what came before either.The point is neither of us can say anymore than the other but science which you claim is your master can at best just hypothosise it cannot state fact,prove,observe,test anything pre big bang either so your claims being proven by science are as disingenuos as any claim I decided to state as fact."
So why do atheists continuously present such unscientific nonsense as a 'multiverse', or the universe from nothing without a cause, as 'science'? It doesn't even make logical or common sense, let alone scientific sense.
It is all sheer, magical fantasy.
If you are going to frame a scientific hypothesis, then you should do so according to the facts we know - and within the framework of natural laws and the principle of causality which lies behind the scientific method.
You should not just dream up any old, imaginative nonsense, which tramples on natural laws and the basic principle of science, and then present it as the latest, greatest, scientific explanation of how the universe originated and/or a so-called 'Theory of Everything' which effectively makes a supernatural, first cause redundant. When, in fact, it is a Theory of absolutely Nothing,
it doesn't even deserve to be called a theory.
And then why have the barefaced cheek to accuse anyone who challenges atheist, naturalist fantasies or questions the scientific credibility of abandoning natural laws and scientific principles with such airy fairy, mythological fables, as indulging in pseudoscience and advocating a "god of the gaps?"
The ONLY motivation atheists have for dismissing and opposing natural laws and scientific principles, concerning origins, is an ideological one. It is nothing whatsoever to do with science or logic. It is ONLY to do with trying to preserve their religious devotion to naturalism. So, stop pretending it is science.
Atheism has nothing to do with science. The fact that atheists deliberately abandon natural laws and scientific principles in ALL of their proposed origin scenarios, just because they are inconvenient to their naturalist ideology, actually makes atheism - anti-science.
Put simply - I respect natural laws and the fundamental principle of the scientific method. And I present a logical argument for the origin of everything, simply on that basis.
Whereas - you reject and hate natural laws and the fundamental principle of the scientific method as far as they relate to origins.
And you live in the vain and contradictory hope that somehow, someday, someone will present a 'scientific' argument for the origin of everything which can ignore or refute natural laws and basic scientific principles. In the meantime, you are quite willing to consider any hair-brained unscientific idea or fantasy that supports your naturalistic beliefs, regardless of whether they violate natural laws, in preference to any logical argument that respects them.
And you refer to my logical argument based on natural laws and scientific principles as the 'god of the gaps'. The 'gaps' are only created by your fantastical belief and wishful thinking that natural laws will someday be shown not to apply.
So who is indulging in pseudoscience? I think the answer to that is obvious.
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Silly Deity 2y
Truth in science
So......................................back to familiar territory yet again with strawman arguments and ad hominem atttacks.
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~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!) did NOT present the multiverse as a cause. If you actually bothered to read his response you would have realised that he was saying nothing of the sort.
You plainly DON'T respect the scientific method otherwise you would present evidence to support your claims. You consistently fail to do that.
Your rant simply confirms the caricature in my image. Talk about life imitating art!
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Aimless Alliterations PRO 2y
"Life imitating art!" He, he. Love it!!!!
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Truth in science 2y
Silly Deity
If you had actually bothered to read my comment properly you would know that I didn't accuse him of presenting the multiverse as a ‘cause'.
I asked: "So why do atheists continuously present such unscientific nonsense as a 'multiverse', or the universe from nothing without a cause, as 'science'?"
In fact, the only reason that atheists invent such bizarre, origin scenarios as; a multiverse - or a universe from nothing, is to avoid having to explain a cause.
They think they can hoodwink the public into believing they are credible explanations of how everything could come into existence from nothing, without needing an adequate cause.
The scientific fact that every natural occurrence and entity requires an adequate cause is absolutely fatal to atheist, naturalist beliefs. So, atheists are compelled to waste their lives trying to devise origin scenarios which they think can fool people into believing that everything CAN come from nothing without a cause. Unfortunately for them, every sensible person, who is not indoctrinated with atheist pseudoscience, knows it CAN'T.
The amazing thing is, that you and the other 2 stooges, on here actually fall for such nonsense and think it is credible science.
Atheists even have the cheek to rip off theist arguments to try to silence any opposition. Such as the theist argument that ("to ask what caused God? is an invalid question, because the first cause - by virtue of being first - could have no preceding cause"). Atheists cynically apply a similar concept (in disguise) to their naturalistic fantasies - i.e. "to ask what caused the universe to arise from nothing? is an invalid question. It is like asking what is north of the North Pole?" Which of course anyone with any sense knows it isn't. To ask - what caused any and every natural occurrence or entity? Is not only a valid question, it is also an essential question. A question which true science demands we ask.
The only way atheist, naturalist beliefs can be true, is if natural laws and the basic principle behind the scientific method are not true and valid.
So, there is a straight choice between supporting atheism - OR supporting science and natural law. You can't do both...
Which do you choose?
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Silly Deity 2y
Truth in science
Let me translate what you've just stated:
I've repeatedly dodged providing evidence to support the initial claim that I made.
Instead I've quoted one of the individuals who questioned the validity of my claim and then turned that into a straw man argument by distorting his question to give the impression I was refuting his argument, while actually refuting an argument which was not advanced by him in the first place.
I know that this was pointed out to me but I flatly deny that I've done this and will now repeat that self-same straw man (incorporating sweeping generalisations).
Now having tried to wriggle out of that I'll make some bizarre and inaccurate statements about science and throw in some ad hominem attacks for good measure as that's something I like to do.
I'll round it off with a false dichotomy which results in me once more dodging the fact that I've no evidence to support my original claim and tries to hide that I'm talking absolute bullshit.
Yes. Life imitating art it most certainly is. I posted that image little realising how accurate it was but true to form "Truth in pseudoscience" you have repeatedly confirmed its accuracy.
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Truth in science 2y
~~badBADpenny~~ (read profile !!)
You have produced no logical or scientific justification for atheism. Whereas I have presented a logical argument based on natural law and scientific principles for theism which should satisfy any reasonable person. Furthermore, I have presented a logical argument as to why atheist naturalism is unscientific nonsense. I don’t expect you, or any other died-in-the-wool atheist to accept it, because atheism is an insidious and deceptive cult, which attempts to indoctrinate the public through relentless hype and propaganda.
Here is some good news for any theists reading this. All atheist arguments are easily demolished. Not because I, or any other theist, is exceptionally clever, but because atheism is based on lies and deceit. Once people realise that, it becomes obvious that there will be major flaws in EVERY atheist argument. It is then a simple matter, for anyone interested in truth, to expose them.
Atheism is claimed to be the scientific viewpoint and supporter of science. That is the great deception of the modern age.
What is the truth?
Science is based on looking for adequate causes of EVERY natural happening or entity AND on making predictions and assessments about the natural world, based on the validity of natural laws.
Atheism is based on ignoring the fact that EVERY natural happening or entity requires an adequate cause, not just ignoring it, but even actively opposing it. Atheism is about looking for, and hoping to find, non-causes and inadequate causes.
Atheism is also against the scientific method, of making assessments and predictions based on the validity of natural laws, and in favour of rejecting and challenging the validity of natural laws.
Your argument that we just don’t know whether causality or any other natural laws existed before the start of the universe, is not a valid argument for atheism. Even if it was a sensible argument, the very best that could be said of it, is that it is an argument for agnosticism. Not knowing (agnosticism) is a neutral position, it is not an argument for or against theism or for or against atheism. If you claim to be in the ‘don’t know’ camp and are a genuine agnostic, you have to sit firmly on the fence - you have no right to ridicule and lambast theists who believe that causality and natural laws are universally valid and by the same token you cannot ridicule atheism. You are clearly not a genuine agnostic, because you come down firmly on the side of atheism made evident by the fact that you support ‘silly deities’ posts and photostream which attacks theism. That is not a ‘don’t know’ (agnostic) position.
The argument for atheism cannot be simply based on ‘not knowing’ whether the law of cause and effect and other natural laws existed prior to the universe. Atheism depends on a definite rejection of causality and natural laws at the beginning of the material realm.
And that argument also reveals atheists as gross hypocrites.
When Stephen Hawking declared to the world: “Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing” atheists applauded and crowed about ‘science’ making God redundant. How come they didn’t criticise him for claiming he knew the law of gravity pre-existed the universe? Apparently, Hawking KNEW the law of gravity existed, but decided that the law of cause and effect and other natural laws didn’t exist. What happened to the: “we just don’t know what laws existed before the universe or Big Bang” argument on that occasion? Unbelievable hypocrisy! Which effectively demolishes the bogus atheist argument that “we don’t know what laws existed”. What atheists actually mean to say is that: “we know that laws which support our argument did exist, but we don’t know that laws which destroy our argument existed”.
As I said before:
The only way atheist, naturalist beliefs can be true, is if natural laws and the basic principle behind the scientific method are not true and valid.
So there is a straight choice between supporting atheism - OR supporting the universal validity of science and natural law. You can't do both...
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Silly Deity 2y
Truth in science
I'll make this very simple "Truth in pseudoscience"
You made a claim.
The scientific method requires that you provide evidence for your claim. That is a fundamental scientific principle.
Logical argument is not evidence. Particularly when such arguments are logical fallacies. For example I could state the following:
1. Some men are doctors.
2. Some doctors are women.
3. Therefore, some men are women.
Logically that is correct, however it is patently wrong. In order to prove it true I would have to provide evidence. That is the problem with your arguments. Arguments are not evidence. You may think they are logical but they fail because they are logical fallacies and because you provide no EVIDENCE to support your claim.
Everything else you've stated (the straw man arguments, the reversal of burden of proof, the ad hominem attacks, the quoting the phrase "natural laws" ad nauseum) is merely you dodging for the umpteenth time the fact that you have no evidence to support your claim.
I'll repeat, the scientific method requires that you provide evidence for your claim. That is a fundamental scientific principle.
EVIDENCE
EVIDENCE
SHOW US THE EVIDENCE
Your failure to grasp this and the nature of your responses simply reinforces the satire contained in the original image.
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Truth in science 2y
Silly Deity
Your comments are as pathetic as your original image.
Your ridiculous image, which you seem to be so proud of, is a straw man portrayal of a Christian, which bears no relationship whatsoever to any Christian I know, or know of. It is nothing more than a crude and offensive stereotype which exists only in the imagination of atheist ideologues and zealots. I have shown it to be entirely false. I have shown that theism is based on eminently reasonable arguments and that it is atheism that is unreasonable nonsense with NO credible, logical or scientific argument Furthermore I have not mentioned, nor have I needed to mention, anyone being condemned to hell.
As for your stupid example of a logical argument, it bears no comparison to my logical argument.
Science uses natural laws to predict and assess the answers to questions, that is all science can do. It cannot make predictions or assessments based on the idea that natural laws are not valid. My logical argument is the ONLY possible assessment based on the validity of natural laws and the basic principle of the scientific method. if you think that is wrong, once again, I challenge you to give a logical or scientific argument against it?
My evidence is that natural laws can be observed, and tested by repeated experiment and have been shown to be valid in all known circumstances - AND that scientific research cannot even be carried out without an acknowledgement that we can expect every natural occurrence to have an adequate cause. I cite the known and tested universality of natural laws and scientific principles as my evidence.
My evidence is the fact that science and natural law supports my logical argument for a supernatural, first cause and definitively rejects the notion of a natural, first cause. It couldn't be clearer than that.
My argument is based on things we know, ALL atheist arguments are based on fantasy - what ifs, maybes, what we don't know and are never likely to know.
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Aimless Alliterations PRO 2y
So your evidence is...........just a repeat of you saying you're right and everyone else is wrong? You don't seem to get what the scientific method requires of those who make claims.
A central theme of science and scientific method is that all evidence must be empirical, or at least empirically based, that is, it should depend on evidence or results that can be observed by our senses. Scientific statements are subject to and derived from our experience or observations and empirical data is based on both observations and experiment results.
Not one of your statements refers to empirical evidence of a supernatural being.
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Silly Deity 2y
Aimless Alliterations
Thanks for that. It saves me the trouble of having to explain the concept of evidence yet again to our scientifically-challenged "friend".
"Truth in pseudoscience" The example of flawed logic I provided you with was just that - an example. You appear to have some difficulty understanding that trying to prove an argument through the use of logic is always going to fail if you use flawed logic. Your repeated use logical fallacies simply illustrates this.
Your constant ad hominem attacks when you are accused of such behavour are further examples of logical fallacies. So my comments are far from pathetic......they are an uncannily accurate reflection of the satire contained in the original image.
If you can't see that, then that's your problem and I think we can safely say this debate is at an end.
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Aimless Alliterations PRO 2y
Yes. For someone who claims to use science to supposedly support his claims there appears to be some pretty fundamental gaps in "Truth in pseudoscience's" knowledge of science and scientific principles.
Something that's reflected in all of his bizarre claims.
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Mark 2y
@"Truth in science" and pretty much everyone too..
1. Your wish thinking does not work as advertised. (unlikely headline: prayer meeting ends world hunger)
2. Your convoluted blathering is only a neon sign to the above.
3. As a person raised on the secular ideals of the U.S. I can not support any leader who is not answerable to the rest of us, so "worship" is totally out of the question.
(even the "inalienable rights" line proves the plastic nature of a simple deist assumption of a god's nature, let alone one who takes more license)
4. I'm disappointed that anyone gives you the time of day, as your kind need not be eliminated but simply left to wither away.
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The debate ended with the comment by atheist 'Mark' above.
I didn't think there was any point in continuing, as the arguments were already becoming repetitive.
I think I am justified in concluding that this debate (as many others) demonstrated that the atheist belief in naturalism - and the belief that there was no adequate, infinite, first cause of everything temporal - is bankrupt. It is bankrupt because it relies completely on natural laws not being universally valid. Atheist HAVE TO dismiss natural laws, because they are fatal to their ideology of naturalism. To dismiss natural laws is not scientific, we depend on the reliability of natural laws to make scientific predictions. We cannot practice science without trusting in natural laws. So, atheism, in seeking to debunk natural laws, is exposed as ANTI-SCIENCE.
The image posted by Silly Deity with the original debate can be seen here:
Zheng Muen is a co-worker at a Chinese Christian church in the United States. He has believed in the Lord for many years, and has worked for the Lord with unwavering enthusiasm. One day, his aunt witnessed to him that the Lord Jesus has returned and expressed the truth, and that He is performing the judgment and cleansing work of the last days. Hearing this news, Zheng Muen was very excited. Through reading Almighty God's words and watching the movies and videos of The Church of Almighty God, Zheng Muen confirmed from his heart that the words of Almighty God are the truth, and that Almighty God is quite possibly the second coming of Lord Jesus. Therefore, he and several brothers and sisters began investigating God's work of the last days. Unexpectedly, when Pastor Ma of his church learned this, he tried to disrupt and hinder Zheng Muen over and over. In order to make Zheng Muen give up examining the true way, Pastor Ma let him watch videos that the Chinese Communist government used to discredit and condemn Eastern Lightning. Zheng Muen was puzzled and couldn't understand why religious pastors and elders condemn Almighty God when it's clear that Almighty God's words are the truth and the voice of God, and why they not only do not seek and investigate the true way themselves but block other believers from accepting it. Why is this? … Afraid of being deceived and taking the wrong path, and at the same time afraid of missing the opportunity to be raptured at the Lord's return, Zheng Muen felt conflicted and confused. Just at that time, Pastor Ma sent him some negative propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party and the religious world. After reading it, Zheng Muen became doubtful. He believed the pastor's words and gave up investigating the true way. Later on, the witnesses of The Church of Almighty God fellowshiped about the truth with him, which allowed Zheng Muen to understand that the fundamental principle of investigating the true way is to see whether it has the truth and whether what is expressed is the voice of God. Only the appearance and work of Christ can express many truths, because no corrupt humans can express the truth. This is a manifold fact. If one does not pay attention to hearing the voice of God and only rely on their imagination to wait for the Lord Jesus to descend on a cloud, they will never be able to welcome God's appearance. Zheng Muen finally understood the mystery of the wise virgins hearing the voice of God that the Lord Jesus spoke of. He no longer believed the lies and fallacies of the Chinese Communist government and the religious world, and broke away from the control and bondage of the religious pastor. Zheng Muen deeply felt that it's not simple to investigate the true way, and that if one cannot discern things and does not seek the truth, they will never hear the voice of God or be brought before God's throne, and they will only die ensnared in Satan's net, which will fulfill these words in the Bible: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos 4:6), and "Fools die for want of wisdom" (Pro 10:21).
This is a cropped version of one of my favorite art pieces by a young, local artist here in the Daytona area named Beth Garrin. Her ideas are out of the box and original, but her style is still traditional enough to suit me! This one has been hanging off and on at Sweet Marlay's a coffee shop on Beach St. in downtown Daytona. Some of her other works are there for sale, as well, and believe me, if I had the money, I'd be buying them all! She exhibits genius.
Now, my soliloquy is quite lengthy today, so read on if you care to, or not, but I have something I'd like to get off my chest. This is important to me, but if not to you, I understand. Still friends!
The reason I chose to post this today, and not work on something of my own origins, considering the Eve and apple surrealism, is because lately I've been reading some things that trouble me. One of my contacts recently posted something about how Christianity came about, which is something I have been hearing all over the place in the last couple of years, but is not the truth. I find it annoying to say the least, to have my faith belittled as a fairy tale, and while everyone is entitled to their own opinions, the concept of Christians being some kind of idiots because they believe something that can't be explained completely by science is infuriating.
Yes, there are Christians who come across smug and arrogant, yet they know nothing of the world, or science, or other religions. There are those who stick their fingers in their ears and go, "lalalalalalala", refusing to acknowledge proof that shows the way they have things figured is inaccurate. However, I find this is exactly what I see out in the secular world! Science says, "if you can't prove it with your senses or measure it with a machine, it's not real." Faith says, "I will believe without seeing." Nowhere in MY bible does it say that we are not to accept truth when it is presented, even if it contradicts our perception of it! This is why I find the endless arguing over how old the world really is, or whether there was a worldwide flood, ludicrous. Jesus said He was the truth. He didn't say to fear the truth. He didn't say that if the truth contradicts what our finite minds can comprehend based on what we've learned to date, either about God OR science, that we are to say it isn't so. This is about taking a firm stand, but being flexible enough that if you find yourself challenged in your perception of things, to be humble enough to bend rather than break, or rethink how you've been interpreting things! I believe that goes for science as well as faith.
I am no theologian, and I'm not a scientist. I do study this stuff a little, though. Here's a little of my background. As a young child, I was one of those who could remember events when I was an infant. My mother corroborated the account I gave of my memory. I also have photo evidence for other memories before the age of 1. By 2, I was already asking questions about God, space, time, and the things I couldn't see. My poor mom was unprepared for such a little pain in the neck! Always more interested in creative things and that world I couldn't see than the tangible and explainable, I pursued music and art, and writing, and became good at them. (Never good enough to please myself, but okay!)
At sixteen, having wanted to study opera all my life, I skipped twelfth grade to study voice at Stetson University. I was top 7% in English and top 4% in math, based on PSAT scores. I never did get my SAT scores, as I took the test with 105 degree fever, and didn't want to know, thinking I must've scored low. Well, it was high enough to get me into college a year early, and that's all I cared about! I'd made a decision in Sr. High that while I could pursue academics and with 142 I.Q, was smart enough to be a bit of an intellectual, I really had no interest in the snobbery and attitudes that went along with that life, and chose to cultivate relationships with people, and my talents instead. In a sense, I "dumbed down"! As an adult, I have to look back and groan a bit over this, because those decisions cost me dearly in the financial world, but one thing I can say is that I am one of those really lucky people who has had many "best" friends, and I value that a lot more than how brilliant I can make the world think I am! Besides, if you're smart, generally people figure it out eventually. :-) I'm only telling you these things because I want you to know that I am not stupid, or completely uninformed, bigoted, nor do I consider my thought to be so high as to never make a mistake. I've made plenty, and there's a lot I'm not well versed in, but the thing that galls me is that people who have NO knowledge of the things of God- how Christians REALLY think or feel, or any concept other than what they can see in front of their noses, can make assumptions and accusations, presenting their "facts" as the absolute truth, and demeaning those who choose to trust God, even though they don't know all the answers.
If you need surgery, and your doctor doesn't tell you every single thing he's going to do, or how he's going to do it, or exactly how long it will take, will you cancel the surgery even if it's life-threatening to do so? No. People are willing to trust other people. It seems silly to me to trust fallible people rather than an omnipotent God, but hey, that's just me! How do you know I exist? You've never met me, never seen me face to face, and you don't know anything about me except what I choose to divulge. Do I exist? You THINK so, but can you prove it? Do you believe it? If not, you're pretty dumb to go on communicating with me, unless of course the concept of faith isn't so foreign to you after all! Likewise, there's enough proof of the existence of God and Christ for me to believe and have a relationship with Him. That is, after all, what Christianity is, not a religion, but a relationship. Jesus ROSE from the dead. He interacts with us. We only know in part now, but one day it will be face to face. There is evidence, but everything isn't presented in its entrirety. It is much like communicating with internet friends! We believe they exist, but we have not yet been with them in the flesh.
The most recent comments were ones I've heard before, but probably weren't presented as absolute truth so much as they were today. I was rather surprised. I don't mean to offend the person who posted them, but I'll not sit back and be made to look a fool with half truths, either! The gist of the message was that the Catholic Church was the first church, although it wasn't stated, it was implied, which is a fallacy. My contact went on to say that the virgin birth, sacrifice for sin, and the Christ child, son of God was all taken out of the lore of other, previous civilizations, and was a calculated move by the Catholic Church to gain control of the ignorant. (Also implied.) While some of this is partially true, it's far from the accurate account of the beginning of Christianity!
While the Catholic church did begin to forge a religion out of traditions of men, i.e. the belief that Mary was without sin, which is unbiblical, (it was not the flesh of man that needed a Savior, but the spirits which were eternal. Flesh bears the results of sin, but isn't the origin of it.) the concept of priests remaining celibate and unmarried, which is also unbiblical, and imposing rites and rituals, which plunged Christendom into something similar to what the Jews had done before, which placed them under the same law that could never save them, and only condemn them, authentic Christianity did not originate out of someone's desire to replace false gods with something monotheistic! Another misconception many have, thanks to Catholic propaganda, is that the Catholic Church was the first, and original church. It was not, and did not begin to come on the scene until at least 100 years after the resurrection. The apostles knew that heresy would begin to try to distort what they taught, based on what Jesus taught them for the three years they were with them, and began to preach against false doctrine almost immediately. Now, before you get mad at me and say I'm calling all Catholics heretics and dissing the Catholic Church, let me state that I am aware that Catholics do worship Christ, (albeit in conjunction with Mary, which is also unscriptural,) and I'm aware that there is no perfect church or denomination on the planet, and that heresy has wormed its way into most every corner of Christianity in one way or another. (Don't get me started on that one! I know you'd like to get back to looking at photos SOME time in the foreseeable future!)
If you read the bible, going back thousands of years before Christ, prophecies were already in place telling what God was going to do. The surprise was how He did it. The Jews expected a great king, who would overthrow their captors in the natural,. but God's intent was not based on saving their flesh, but on saving their souls from the sin that enslaved them. The virgin birth is not so preposterous now that we can virtually do the same thing in a test tube, and since the child was not Joseph's but God's, Joseph's DNA was not used to create him. DNA, however WAS necessary so that Jesus could be born as a human, therefore being both fully God in nature and Spirit, but encased in the flesh of man, so that when He sacrificed Himself for the sins of mankind, He would suffer in man's place.
What I find interesting is that science can back up much of what Christianity has held fast to for centuries, because we now know things that were just taken on faith back then. We understand DNA now, and where the bible states that the life of a man is in his blood, we can now see that the codes for a particular life are so vast and intelligent, that we haven't been able to figure it all out yet! The odds of this being random are impossible. Even the direction the double helix rotates is convincing evidence for a Creator, since if life originated here with no intelligent forethought, the rotation would be random, as well. All life's DNA has the same pattern of rotation, and that could only happen if life originated with intelligent design.
As for taking the biblical stories literally, this is where study comes in. There are many verses which are designed to guide people in morality, and which are more of an example than an actual event, as with the parables Jesus used to teach people. The creation story can also be one of these cases, because if you view it in a literal 7 day period, it doesn't make sense based on what we know of geological records. Still, if you take the entirety of scripture into consideration, and realize it states that with God one day is as a thousand years, it becomes clear that time, as we know it, was developed for man to govern himself by because he was finite, so we're most likely talking eras, not days! In that light, the bible begins to fall into place, and make sense. Noah's flood is another example. There are many records of floods in the middle east, recorded by other civilizations than the Hebrews. It is obvious something catastrophic happened, but there isn't evidence of it globally. This is probably another case of a literal translation, because the people of that day's world was very small, and what they knew of the couple of hundred miles around them was generally considered to be like the whole world to them. Indeed, their world would have been rocked by a catastrophic flood! Did that flood cover the Americas, too? We don't know, but it doesn't appear so. Does that mean all scripture is invalid or a lie? No. It means that people are afraid not to have very rigid interpretations, for fear that they will step into some kind of heresy!
Jesus said the truth would set us free. Now, the problem with how WE perceive that statement is that we, like Pontius Pilate are always trying to redefine truth to suit our ideas at the moment! Once again, the necessity to KNOW scripture to understand it presents itself. He also said, "I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me." Let me take this a step further. The bible says that in the beginning, the Word (capitalized) was with God, and the Word WAS God. It said that the Word came into the world to bring light into darkness, but the world didn't understand it. It is talking about Jesus, who is the Word (entire summary of all the truths of scripture, in all its fulness,) and who was made man and dwelt among us, but we didn't recognize him BECAUSE OF OUR PRECONCEIVED STUPID NOTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS- NOT because it wasn't evident to those who were truly open to God! Nothing has changed. We still don't want to look at someone who says, "You're wrong, and you're going to be punished if you don't turn around and accept that you can't save yourself, or even live perfectly without outside help!" Like a willful two year old, we want to mess things up for ourselves! That's freedom of choice, for ya'!
We each have a responsibility to ourselves to choose how we believe, and how we live. We have a responsibility to our fellow man to live the best we can, and cause the least harm. My contact is a good person, at least by societal standards, and stated what was believed probably in order to educate people about something that was a perceived lie. Well, I'm doing the same thing. Whose perception is right or wrong will be known in the end, but if I'm the one who is right, I stand to fare a lot better than my contact, because rejecting Christ is the one sure path to destruction, according to scripture. If I'm wrong, then I will cease to exist, or be recycled, or whatever other "truth" would dictate my end. Simply believing that it isn't so, however, won't be enough if I'm right. You couldn't tell a cop that you didn't believe you should have to stop at a red light because you don't believe in red lights. He'd write you a really hefty fine! If you run the light enough, and get into an accident and kill someone, and you say, "I don't believe in red lights. They are boundaries I don't like, so I ran it. I can't help it if that other person drove into my car!" The judge will throw the book at you, and you'll be punished for vehicular homicide! Telling God what amounts to the same thing won't get you anywhere, either.
Anyway, it's not the belief in judgment that I wanted to bring out, but rather, the knowledge of the love of a Being so much higher in His ways than we can comprehend that to reduce Him to a fable is a sad, and tragic thing. It is an insult to God, and to His people, and is one of the few things I WON'T tolerate on here! I love you, my friends, but I love God more. Ask any born again Christian (the term is redundant, I know, but seems to help us differentiate ourselves from others) why they believe as they do, and most will tell you it's because God became a personal reality to them, not just a concept. In our daily lives, we all take a lot of things on faith, whether we realize it or not. You order a bed from my company and believe it will come to your home on the day they say it will. You pay your electric deposit and believe you will have electricity when you move into your home. You call a plumber to fix your overflowing toilet and believe he'll come to your rescue. That, my friends, is faith. It is the evidence of things not seen. It is believing that there's a human on a keyboard typing all these paragraphs you're wading through, and that they didn't appear through magic! Faith has substance; it's not just gullible wishing. Christians experience their God daily, because they let Him in. The bible says that He stands at the door and knocks, and if we'll open the door, He will come in and fellowship with us, and give us eternal life. There is an experience involved, and a relationship being established. It isn't one-sided. It isn't fabricated, and it's not imagined. It's real, and so is God.
A left of field look at the extermination of aboriginal or indigenous woman. The genocide of their genetics, their culture, and its extended application to the extermination of the woman of the west, and their genocide. A look into the meta data of a Canadian genocide in progress, and its reflection on the USA, and the west. Looking at statistically applied genocide again, using an analysis of meta data, and gross numbers, with a good dose of just join the dots, thrown in for good measure.
Number for number, the extermination of woman is the most effective way to galvanise genocide, within a group or population. Either via VD (venereal disease), social engineering, or otherwise… The murder of female blood lines, via sterilization using germ warfare and social engineering, is and has been extraordinarily effective. The effectiveness relies on three major points, one, a woman getting VD that terminates her ability to have children, the second is that since an in-utero baby and or non-conceived foetus is classified as not human yet, there can be no charge of murder, and the third point is, that a woman who chooses a childless existence after indoctrination are seen to be exerting her own free will, in a process of self-determination.
How would I know, or have a right to comment? At one stage I was approached to work in the Biosecurity facility in Victoria, Australia, an offer I declined. Why head hunt me? I had been doing theorisation at university on the logic patterns for treatments and curing of HIV, as a 19-year-old, it must have resonated with someone, for them to send someone to the university to see me. So, no, I am not some uneducated crack pot conspiracy theorist, and I hate to shatter some people’s little world or bubble, but people work at this type of horrid work both in defence and offence all the time. The other reason I am commenting is, I went behind, what some would call enemy lines, into the Arts humanities and observed firsthand, racist, and sexist indoctrination, of people just outside of their childhood. No, it should not have been seen as enemy lines or so I thought, as I am a feminist. But the level of misandry for white males was quite profound, and ironically misogynist behaviour conducted by females was quite shocking. Additionally, I feel at liberty to write, as I have studied and written about genocide at university.
So let’s get into it. Why murder or sterilize aboriginal or indigenous woman? One of the things I looked at was that men can impregnate hundreds in a lifetime, but a woman’s uterus is only so capable, it is in fact highly limited. I observed through finger printing or meta data and extrapolation that some abhorrent groups males and or females, are doing maths on how many women do they need to kill of aboriginal decent, before they get rid of all those that can be considered aboriginal. Why would someone or a group do something so horrible? This scenario will greatly aid foreign interests in the taking of countries like Australia and the Americas, in the future.
We are going to have a little look at a field of study that for some is unfortunately very large, and for some is a horrifically very creative field of endeavour, so my considerations and observations will be limited in scope, to keep this writing manageable.
My considerations of indigenous genocide raised many questions such as. Does giving up your land coincide or correlate with a reduction in a woman’s chance of genocide or an increase? And if so in either case why? If a woman will give up her uterus to outsiders, does she suffer a lower rate of genocide, or is it more? The techno YouTube hit by The Halluci Nation “Burn your village to the ground” help make me ponder similar questions, here is a link to the YouTube video www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNi__fnadTM&list=WL&index=82 It can be argued between warriors and wise men about the process of colonisation, its effect, and the motives for that colonization other than, the at times, murderous acquisition of land. But when it comes to the act of murderous colonisation, its effectiveness is amplified to an accelerated final solution of sorts. When you exterminate a woman’s genetics with the eradication of their unborn babies or foetuses before they are even conceived, it leaves no legal recourse. Murdering woman, and sterilizing them are potent weapons, when performing the act of genocide. When woman are used as breeding vessels, for foreign genetics, or sterilized via VD (venereal disease), or sterilized with anti-feminist dogma masquerading as feminist mantras, the result is a loss of land and resources. Before I go further, I will go on the record, that I have no issues with mixed race relationships, as I have been in a few. I have always found them enlightening, and culturally enriching, and it is my sincere hope that those relationships were mutually beneficial.
The relatively recent insertion into humanity and the debate about the purity of races goes back to a period most of us but not all of us wish had not happened, the second world war. And unusually it was a conundrum for those that argued it, and what would be the future outcomes in the west, if it had of been achieved globally. It presented a legal consideration that I have identified, and its possible application for many indigenous, and their extended families. In one respect it is not a complex one and is unusually of benefit to all nations who have an indigenous culture and or peoples. Provided an indigenous cultures and peoples still exist, it can be argued that under international law the west has a failsafe or caveat for future attempts of colonization via foreign powers. ie. if someone comes to our countries with colonialist intent trying to divide the tribes as it where, and says we, as in those considered nonindigenous have no write to be here, and that we, whoever we are, or may be have stolen the land, we politely ask our indigenous relatives, some of which need to be overtly aboriginal, to tell them to go away. They then say these are my blood relatives and this is not your land to comment on. For the new world order colonist, it is a slap in the face, and they are left eating their own words. It is a polite conversation, one that should end the colonialist’s verbal pursuit in its tracks, and it can only go further, if that foreign power, turns to violence, or a forced acquisition of the land through murder and or subjugation. It is simple legally, but a big ask emotionally, and politically, for all the family’s involved. As members of our families have murdered, other members of our families, and stolen land from them. It is like a doom’s day sentence of language, to get out of hell, one that relies on forgiveness, but not forgetting our at times horrific past. This approach helps failsafe against future forced or coerced loss of land. It was a principle based on a piece of mathematics an Australian soldier did on the synchronisation of fireflies’ flashes, and was popularised by the movie six degrees of separation. I just applied it to our families in OZ and the US when it came to the connections between blood relatives that are aboriginal or indigenous, and the rest of us, instead of social connections as was depicted in the original piece of math.
Although the theft of land and unhonored treaties is without question a horrific tragedy, and for some it is a Rorschach ink blot and not a legal contract, it presents us as in those in the west of all descriptions and spiritualties a means of great opportunity to stifle New World Order colonialist colonization of our shared family land. Regardless of race, if no one tries to politically capitalise on the process of the recognition of our family as a nation, and go outside of genuine good will, it is an utterly profound, legal, and social statement. Essentially it aids countries in the west like Australia and the US. Nations essentially made up of family, a family that includes aboriginal natives and or the indigenous. Like it or not. This legal consideration led me to consider if I could see this benefit as an individual, maybe, think tanks full of psychopaths brighter than me, who are hell bent on the acquisition of our land could too. And thus, we, or at least me, can see a motive for modern day colonialist destabilization of the west, along race, and spirituality lines, one that ends in a process of genocide. This scenario has been publicly debated and raised in a myriad of fashions, on a myriad of platforms, so my interpretation is just and extension of that open discourse. The dark part to the consideration is as far as I can statistically observe, though meta data, is it has resulted in current day murder or genocide, of aboriginal people, and their mixed-race relatives, who are bridges between the different races or family groups of people.
The extermination of woman and that process’s ability to kill nations is unquestionable. The question is not are they trying to kill off huge sections of the West’s population, as that is both a measurable and an observable given, the question is, is it non-discriminatory population control, or is it just straight-out genocide of targeted groups in the west? Meta data leads me to believe it is a statistical driven or targeted genocide. But who started it, and who perpetrates it now. Was this a process of neo feminism or woman’s science, to exterminate the uteruses, ovaries, and fallopian tubes of childbearing persons, or as they were historically called woman? Had they, whoever they are, othered people, until a state sanctioned and funded enterprise was created? Producing a sociological statistically driven apparatus to perpetrate genocide. There is no more effective way to terminate a culture than kill off its woman or sterilize them on mass, especially when their numbers are low to begin with. Why sterilize and neuter the woman? Because I presume, they have found out that murdering children is not well looked upon! You don’t have to kill the babies and children if they are not conceived. Sexually transmitted disease, and progressive ideology, have done an amazing job at exterminating female blood lines in the west, a highly ironic event for some feminists to learn, but not for this one to observe. How did I come up with this hypothesis, I extrapolated from Margret Sanger’s work. Margret Sangers work would and has enable mass baby elimination. Later others would extend on her eugenics train of thought in the west, and it would become adult murder as people went down the slippery slope of euthanasia, to the outright murder of healthy adults, via public health care, or a state sponsored system. From her work, she would go onto produce a statistically targeting medical industrial complex apparatus, that would extinguish or kill millions of unborn or not yet conceived foetuses, or as they were historically called babies. Her work was aided with the use of group speak and group think. In what could only be described as a state funded and sanctioned genocidal murder machine. Her ability and desire to exterminate the existence of black foetuses, historically called babies by some, is legendary on the net, and a little look into her motives should leave the hairs on every black, or mixed-race woman, on the planet standing on end. With her revealing in a letter, that and to quote, “We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population..." in a Letter to Dr. Clarence J. Gamble, December 10, 1939, p. 2
How prophetic it was that at 4:48 in the YouTube techno hit, “Burn your village to the ground” by The Halluci Nation, a man says, and to quote, “…they have to kill us, they have to kill us, because they can’t break our spirit…” that man was John Trudell. Here is a link to that YouTube music video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNi__fnadTM (Please note, there are graphic depictions of genocide, or mass murder shown, and it can be argued that those images should be viewed by adults only, or at least by a mature audience under supervision, and with wise adult guidance). When I first heard him say this, I was genuinely shocked, but on consideration, and with a little look at what happened to the indigenous around the world… I believe he had full, and firsthand knowledge, of the situation at hand. Looking at what Margeret Sanger had planned for black Americans, I can only concur with Trudell. And after a few months of letting it sink in, I had concluded my contemplation on what he had said, and, although still being shocked or confronted by his words, what he said I concluded in his short sentence, was utterly, and profoundly, true.
I like to do extrapolations both mathematical, and all manner of types of correlation and causations within my capabilities, because they generate subsequent considerations of interest in me. To trigger a few people, I do my own research. When I come across things that interest me, and I become inquisitive about things I deem as important, I look further. I had a look at what Mr Trudell said and its application and or implications to other groups of Americans, Black and White. It seemed almost like a dogma being applied currently on many fronts for all Americans, regardless of race, due to their resilience and adaptability. It had been tried before openly, and in wide open public view on the indigenous Americans and the black Americans. Whoever they are, seems to have just kept on going, finding new methods, and new groups, to apply genocide to, for the process to continue. That process is measurable, and identifiable genocide.
Part of the webster definition of what is an American, is and to quote “...a native or inhabitant of North America or South America…”. For me at least the key word is native, and the question it raises in me, is when and who does this apply to, or where does it start and end? Is it all Americans? I have written about writing from a distance about America in isolation here in Australia, and how sometimes it is beneficial. I can write in hindsight, unincumbered by the pressure to respond instantly to events, and it is especially advantages when contemplating the differences and similarities between Australia and the US. I concur and extend on John Trudell, the American, and or, its native or American spirit cannot be exterminated, someone is going to have to kill the owners of it, if they want to overthrow America. So, they, whoever they are, are giving it a good shot. Mr Trudell nailed it. Whoever is perpetrating genocide in the west and killing off Americans or “…we the people… “is doing it, because their spirit cannot be quashed. It should be noted that they are not discriminating on race now, when it comes to who they kill, as they are now killing blacks, whites, and natives, in what appears to be a demographically selective process. Boy have they been busy and gotten to work.
Previously the killing of the west could not be accomplished externally, so lest all thank the American military industrial complex for that. It could only be destroyed from within, but that is not the case anymore. How do they exterminate the people of the Americas, North and South. Via their own hands and words. The elephant in the room is, who could now move Americans against Americans and who are they? It is not a question of if it is happening, it is a question of who is doing it, and how are they manipulating the people, as in “…we the people…”, to be complicit, in such a diabolical series of events. A series of events, that have ended, and end, in Americans murdering other Americans. And where on further observation in the west, westerners now murder each other, for their own perceived safety and good?
Is Germ warfare being used on our own people? It is a horrible question, but I am going to ask it anyway. And I am going to have a look at the water shed moment of the 60s sexual revolution. The 60s saw the spread of enough VD to kill millions of US and western children or babies before they were born regardless of race. Yes, I just approached the where does life begin paradigm, or the conundrum, and found genocide. Ironically it is not murder under the now common definitions of group think, and group speak. Genocide has been rebranded as sexual liberation and not statistical sterilization, ending, and or, enabling genocide. Doubly ironic, is it effected the intellectuals mostly, in the summer of love. Latter it would spread through their use of drugs and the indoctrination of their children into an orgy of mass fornication. The whole process was aided by drugs that promoted hyper sexualization of the liberal left. From there it was a domino effect to the greater number, but less educated, and more religious, lower socioeconomic groups, essentially encompassing “…we the people…” Raising the question, who needs smallpox infested blankets to murder the Americans regardless of their race, when you can get them to hump themselves into a disease riddled oblivion? Martin Niemöller is utterly quotable in this instance, and a read of his most prophetic statement or poem can be a source of inspiration and insight for many, in my belief. It leaves you asking the question who are they, or who were they? It was a question posed by this very wise man, and interestingly he never directly says who they are.
This is his poem.
First, they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
Looking at the American indigenous. First, they came for the warriors regardless of colour creed or denomination, taking their guns. They then came for the religious or spiritual people and tried to exterminate those religious or spiritual people. They tried in vain to destroy their beliefs and teachings. Then they went after the woman and children. When that wasn’t aloud, they then got the woman and children to go after themselves, in an act of induced insanity. Like Martin Niemöller, I cannot identify the instigators, but I can see their effect. To insert some black humour, and in general I was never a fan of the show, this seen in the Simpsons, can be viewed www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFCgz959ARY. Just imagine, visualize, think, or insert different groups of Americans into the Simpsons family’s seats. Kind of like the Milgram experiment, on satirical steroids. Here is a wiki link to a description of the Milgram experiment en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_ It was an experiment where people were duped into believing they were doing good when they were not. The university system may not have looked at this paper in a long while or forgotten it. But I have not forgotten the principle once it was introduced to me. Ironically the universities may have felt immune or above the results of the experiment. But they have become the perpetrators, or vector, for the very thing they said they were there to stop, ie. harm.
We can list, or go through massacre, after massacre, of people during the colonization of the Americas, but I will not. Instead, I will take a closer look at a small number of murdered people. At university in a subject dedicated to the topic of genocide, I looked at and wept, at the mass murder of my family, by other members of my family. The part that made me weep was the consideration of mathematics and physics related to the event, and the consideration that every life is of immeasurable and unquantifiable value. The consideration was done via the extended theorisation and analysis of a small number. I wept off and on for days at what I saw, as I came to grips with what had happened to my family, but despite that I will take another look here too.
By looking at what appears to be a small number of women and children that were wounded, but then died of their injuries. These woman and children were seen as subhuman, but were not, they were very human. Just what happened to them was inhuman. Those people are the 47 woman and children that died of their wounds during the massacre at Wounded Knee. Consideration of these woman and children produces some shocking and chilling considerations in maths, as to how many people their families would have produced today. I will qualify my statement before going on, by saying when I use the words small number, that it is in no way a reflection of the cost, suffering, and misery their slaughter would have caused. And I hope to show that that, relatively small number when amplified over time produces a horrific number, that no human should feel emotionally immune or isolated from. When considering this number, I looked at Shindler. Shindler was a German industrialist, here is a link to the wiki page, for the movie that immortalised him in the west, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schindler%27s_List Shindler had saved about 1200 jews from the German gas chambers of world war two, and today their descendants are in the order of 7000. With exponential population growth this number, and all things not considered, this relatively small number, should become a larger number over time with more babies. That number will or should increase exponentially to a point. And the mathematics of the dead and their progeny when time is considered infinite becomes a very large number. It is a flawed, and highly simplistic isolated theoretical look, at the growth of a population of people. But the consideration of large numbers can help a person, get a grasp of the potential magnitude, of an event, or events. A small number of humans in this case can become a large number over time.
Despite these acts of genocide being a war crime, that is commemorated for all to see, people have recently in the west committed two things on mass. One, the error in thought that it would not happen again, let alone in the west. And two, the error in hubris that it could not happen to them, and or, that they would be the perpetrators of that genocide. But it has happened on both counts with modern techniques. How did it happen so fast? The west has now become tribal under university or higher education teaching, and or the dogma, spread by the influence, of the pseudo intellectual left. The group taught on mass not to other, now others everyone they can. They the left, left us all wide open for a blindside of colonial techniques to be used on us, and thus they let it spread to the greater community, or “…we the people…” What causes it was selective outrage on genocide and selective outrage on sex-based abuses. It was compounded by the ignorance of not being able to see, that foreign actors would profit or capitalize from that selective outrage. As it turned out by pitting citizen against citizen, apparently, “…we the people of the west where not people…” “…with unalienable rights...” we were not “…one nation…” of “…indivisible…” people, we were not people “…with liberty and justice for all…”.” We the people” of western nations turned out instead to be a rabble. But I can only hope it is at least hopefully, for a transient period.
Part of the old tried and true processes of colonialism is othering. Essentially 101 of colonialism. To enable othering, first you find the tribes that had a history of conflict between each other. The example of wounded knee comes back into play in the discussion of othering. As not to be left out are serval relevant sociological points on othering can be found in the above incident at Wounded Knee. One is that people can be conditioned to consider some groups of people to be of so little value that you can murder them on mass, the other is that these people can be conditioned to kill woman and children in cold blood, then take their photos so as to celebrate the incident, as if what they had did was something wonderful. The MO, or modus operandi, of othering a person or group to murder was and is to stoke that fire, or conflict, between groups or tribes, give them weapons to fight each other, but not enough power to be independent. The result is thus, get the tribes to murder each other, while you sit by and profit from that murder. Essentially the first rule of colonial conquest as taught in class 101 of colonialism at university. Furthermore, get them to divulge secrets about the other tribes, so that those secrets, could be capitalized on, when it came to their subjugation, or murder. This type of selective outrage or outright genocidal hypocrisy generated by othering was very observable in the me to movement when it comes to their hypocrisy in the treatment of indigenous woman and the treatment of Judaeo Christian children or woman. Later it spread or come from the UN or United Nations. They othered what could essentially be described as white men in an indiscriminate, blatant contradiction empowered by absolute contempt for due process, a fundamental of the law. Harvey Weinstein sexualized female adults with psychological manipulation and went to jail for it, but the left or the me to movement seem to be silent when it comes to sexualization of children, and the manipulation of those children into performing sex acts by the pseudo intellectual left, for their social profit. In an almost parallel of Weinstein, they the left substituted adult woman for children and they did it on mass. It appears some females and children are worth more than others, and we are not all created equal before the law, or to be precise, at least under the new leftist pseudo morality.
They the leftists then applied themselves against the nations that they should have been there to protect, the ones that had subsidised or funded their educations, or indoctrination. Colonialism continues in different forms, through divide and conquer, and the lies used to achieve it are aided by psychological manipulation. Mark Twain wrote and to quote "The glory which is built upon a lie soon becomes a most unpleasant incumbrance. ... How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and how hard it is to undo that work again!" according to my copilot.
Another case I found of great interest was the disappearance of, or the outright murder, or worse of 174 Canadian indigenous women, who have just vanished into thin air. It got some air play but didn’t seem to draw much worldwide scrutiny and even less critical thought from the international white left and right, especially when compared to other more recent but smaller white atheist tragedies, like the misgendering of children. All they the left seemed to do, was politized the horror story for media exploitation, while doing nothing, not to mention not report their potential proactive role in the process, that caused those women to be vanished into thin air. It did not end there as running parallel to these disappearances was the political move by the Canadian left to reintroduced and rebirth past atrocities from Canadian history. How did they do it? They did it with the aid of the modern-day arts humanity’s faculty. Somehow, despite all the waffling talk, and the best efforts of everyone, they managed to reconstruct the effects and processes of Canadian residential schools.
Like in Macbeth, the bloody hands cannot be washed clean, and it just seems to keep on cascading further out of control, and deeper into madness. We have an expression here in Australia and it is called a shit stain, in this case the abuse of woman and children is an utter shit stain on humanity that will and would not go away. Canada should not feel alone as here in the land of OZ, non-Christian atheists have used the public school system as indoctrination centres, or daytime social re-education camps for children. Just like the residential schools where the objective was to take the Indian out of the Indian, or to commit cultural genocide. The new school curriculum was designed here in Australia and the west to strip the Christians of the last vestiges of their religion or spirituality. It ended the same way as it did when the aboriginal protectorate board here in Australia took mixed race children from their parents and stripped them of any chance of their traditional teachings. People ended up hiding their children in bushes, so they were not taken away from their parents and or families. Or in the modern-day iteration of a repeat of history, they the persecuted would try to home school their children to protect and hide them from cultural and spiritual genocide.
The old Australian aboriginal protectorate board was responsible for the sexual farming out of some female children to some white Australians as domestic servants. And ironically the new age new world order atheists, would sexualize children and indoctrinate them on mass, in a process of state sanctioned and legally enforced grooming. A sexualization of children, that what would unfortunately leave the Australian numbers of raped indigenous girls used for sexual gratification in the homes that were meant to protect them to shame. Moving back to Canada, Despite or possibly outright because of it, it seems like residential schools were used as a smoke screen for the left, as they practiced and reintroduce the process of state sanctioned child obduction, and cultural genocide for selected white and black Canadians. Part of that process was to try to reengineer Canadian’s children on the biochemical level, manipulate their psychology and or disfigure them with scalpels. It was and is a process that leaves the promises of not repeating the residential school’s horrific results, to an utter shameless lie. The state turned into Jack the ripper, and Dr Frankenstein in the space of less than one generation, with social sciences that had taken generations to build and apply. While the public or “…we the people…” became the mob chasing all of the above, with torches into the night. It was all achieved, as the leaders of democratic countries, and a republic, did not obey the wills of their people, or the new age plebians, as some would have you believe they are. Fundamental human rights of children, and woman, to be protected from harm’s way, where “Gone with the Wind”, in a pollical battle for a populist win at the ballot box.
The left in its zealot like zeal to do good, or at least that is what they are saying they are consciously doing “…pathed a way to hell, with good intentions….” (to quote a Portuguese proverb) for millions of families. With what have been called good intentions, members of the government and the supposed higher educated or intellectual classes once again used the schools to do it. No Catholics required it seems this time. In fact, in total irony of the media propagated and promoted big government narrative, Catholics where and are being arrested for trying to stop the travesty. So, if it cannot be blamed on the Catholics this time, what or who is the common denominator? And what is the common objective for those adding and abetting the genocide. The common objective was as far as I can see is unaccountable murder, and the desire for unaccountable control. And to achieve that power grab it was aided and abetted via university or peer approved definitions of words. It enabled them to butcher little kids with blades, and sterilizing many with puberty blockers, under state encourage and enforced programs, created by the leftist state. They enforced it by legal orders. But what was the motive? Do they even know? How does this relate to a discussion on the genocide of woman? Well, if you can’t sterilize or murder the mother, you may as well sterilize her kids under state sanction and legal order, it appears?
Via university definitions of language, the atrocities didn’t end there. In a populist echo chamber the pseudointellectual left at universities worked out not just how to redefine a baby as an embryo up to full term, but they also worked out how to sell it with propaganda, in a fallacy of logic. This sale of a utopian existence for woman that encapsulated a childless, partnerless, future for millions, was like selling KFC shares to chickens in battery pens, (to verbally adapt one of the funniest Facebook memes I have ever seen). Whoever did it deserve a Nobel prize in advertising. Or at least a person of the year picture on the front of Time magazine. With VD being left untreated and or uncured in many cases, woman where both sterilized and neutered in a process that could be easily described as nothing other than genocide with no one to be held accountable, but the woman themselves. Some on the right blamed the women’s lax morals but they were wrong. It had been promoted and indoctrinated by the groups that withheld treatment or cure to those women. Although baby murder may be permitted on a word technicality, as far as I know genocide of blood lines and cultures are not. And to be noted the technicality that enabled the execution of both events via a few degrees of separation was the use of group think and group speak.
Canada produces a gold mine of inquiry, into the processes of state sanctioned genocide, and it is a very interesting case study when looking at the legislation for the euthanasia of the poor, or the people that had been selectively made poor by them, the leftist Canadian government. Who would question the ability of the left after that, to not offer euthanasia for women suffering depression for their childless, partnerless, existences. All the while they the pseudo intellectual left and their allies of diverse descriptions, perpetrated cultural genocide on Christianity and Christians. Where did or do they perpetrate it? The process occurs globally or all over the world, but it gets very little mainstream media air play. Not ironically, the leftists don’t block streets for months in unison with Christians, to protest mass murder, that is almost unmentionable outside of Christian chat pages. Chat pages now deemed as Christian nationalist hot beds of anti-democratic gatherings. Gatherings said to be against the state, by some in the pseudo leftist media, and weaponised law enforcement agencies.
I have a shirt that says “…if the government says you don’t need a gun, you need a gun!!!”. It had an American Indian man on it. I presume it was in reference to the slaughter of disarmed Aboriginal Americans murdered in cold blood by government forces, on their own land, once they had been disarmed. For me it is a very pro-American constitution or bill of rights statement. The shirt is a few sizes too big as I ordered an American size from here in Oz, so it looks like a skirt on me. I never wear it much if at all because of that. Despite that, I think it is very profound. Now it seems that if the government and pseudo left wing media, say, you should not have a media outlet, I would argue, to paraphrase my shirt, you need a media outlet. And you need them both for the same reason, your protection. Not so ironically both things are covered for in the American bill of rights. They were deemed so important that they the founding non birthing people, or as they were historically known the founding fathers, put them number one and two.
It appears that aboriginal Canadians and Christians now have something in common, and it is their attempted genocide. Attempted genocide of both of their blood lines and of their cultures. With someone or something instigating that process and sitting outside of the murderous anarchy. The left falls silent when it comes to the cultural and actual genetic genocide of Christians on a global scale. Why? Isn’t all life worth saving? Or is it that only the left, and the lefts supposed allies are worthy of life, and a self-determined existence, determined by the left. Apparently, all life is not worth saving, and we don’t all have “…unalienable rights…”
The numbers show the slow but sure death or stagnation of western populations, and a rapid genocide of its culture. But they are not alone, it had been perpetrated on the natives first, now it is applied to all north Americans, and to varying degrees most countries in the West. Where is the outcry from other feminists against the sterilization of millions of women and girls liberated of their sexual constraints? Where is the outcry for woman and girls of all races, denominations, and demographics in the west by the left? Why are these deaths of unborn children or babies not seen to be of the same value as colonized Americans or the murdered indigenous, by the left? Or hideously not ironic, in this inquiry, it can be asked, are they all considered on the same subhuman level by some? After having their woman murdered, their children stolen, sexualized, groomed, raped, and sterilized what will be the response of” …we the people...”???
They the left don’t seem to like, or use guns very much, as they I presume, know they are outnumbered on that front, well for the moment at least. Like any good army in that situation, they have chosen to out flank their opponents. Their opponents the constitutionalists, and their pesky second amendment, where outflanked by the left abusing the first amendment on mass. Not satisfied there, and enamoured by a blitzkrieg of success, they tried, or are trying it appears to reword, rewrite, or destroy the whole document, that has protected their families for several centuries. That document is the American constitution. The pseudo intellectual left has been involved at every point. They have think tanks, think tanks where they weaponize their own words, then ironically call others words violence. It is like a gorilla action, or pincer movement on the first amendment. Words that are used to attack it, the constitution, are part of language constructs, produced for the logic gating of people. They the left are involved in inciting violence with words, (as words are not violence per say), then said they were using them to create peace… They produced language constructs that logic gated people into doing things that are not in their favour. The right where duped or out flanked when they argued words where not violence, forgetting to add, that they can incite violence. They the intellectual left, logic gated millions of women into childlessness, and neutered them to boot, with the statistical outcomes via their use of language, at universities. Language recited verbatim by the reporters who did not report, and a mainstream media, that did not apply critical thought to what they were saying. Like cattle they were led to the slaughter for following the lefts new age new world order mantras.
It leaves the question as to who is prompting these people of the left to press the electric shocker until the person or peoples they are meant to be helping die? Or to be more literal and not use an analogy, based on the Milgram experiment, who prompts these people to commit genocide, on mass, for the perceived greater good? Who gets these people to commit Hara-kiri before the idol of the left. And why cannot they see what they are doing? Like good Zero pilots in a kamikaze act for the empire, the left sacrifice millions of woman’s breeding power, for a shadow emperor that is nowhere to be seen. There cannot be to many degrees of separation between the instigators and the perpetrators. So, who are they? Why is the death or nonexistence of so many babies, or children, caused by the neutering and or murder of their mothers, not up for constant public debate and scrutiny. Maybe because the left will not be critical of itself, as it can do no wrong. These considerations are not far right-wing propaganda, they are the very thing that the left use as mantras for their group speak and group think, but don’t do. Where is their commitment to a universal stance against genocide, that isn’t a selective biased application, or literally a front to commit the very act itself? Many white North Americans may have forgotten something, that something, is they are part of nations, and those nations help make up the people of the Americas.
How does the current or past genocide help any American? And as a feminist I must ask openly are American and the wests females under attack regardless of race? Are they weeding out the intellectuals first, with VD and old age childlessness, as their ovaries shrivel up? These are rhetorical questions. And it must be noted that I once said that the only people who can bring down an American president are the American people, and I latter extrapolated that the same could be said for its society. And to leave with yet another set of questions as always. Who, or what, stokes these tragedies to occur, and or, who is profiting from these current day colonialist like internal conflicts in the West?
Richter's work is the 20 meter high stained glass window in the South Transept, Domfestner made to replace the original which was destroyed during WWII. Richter's design is based on his 1970's abstract work titled "4096 Farben (4096 Colors)" which features, squares of colors rendered from the color palette of a printing ink manufacturer. Despite Richter's historical experimentation with the language and property of painting, the contemporary translation of 4096 Farben is not significant because it conveys the deconstruction of a paint, rather it speaks of a contemporary deconstruction of image and, given the location, the deconstruction of iconography.
Buchloch reads the significance of Domfestner from a material standpoint as he ponders the symbolism of colored glass through centuries of art as both a multi-cultural spiritual signifier and material of mysticism positioned against the opacity of paint, the chosen material of the Enlightenment.
I have to wonder why Buchloch is compelled to rummage through several centuries of western development before he attaches a signifier to Domfestner when the 11,263 squares of glass have more immediate references to viewers in 2007. In context with the other 35 stain glass windows featuring narrative figuration, Richter's colored squares don't read as an attack on the fallacy of abstract expressionism, as Richter once imagined.
They read as pixels. A deconstruction not of abstract painting but of coherent representation all together. Domfestner posits that in todays electronic information and media saturated environment once all of the myth, narrative and figuration is stripped from Catholic imagery what remains is a primal experience. Just as mythic icons serving as communication devices were surpassed by printing press technology and literacy, literacy is quickly fading with the emergence of electronic information. We have arrived at reduced unit of communication, the pixel; the most distilled manifestation of a visual image. Ones and zeros forming finite blocks of 256 colors.
This visual reductionism when placed in a house of worship, can be considered encouragingly universal: regardless of the iconography of any religion, the fundamental basis of imagery is the same. Apparently, this reductionism can also be perceived as a challenge to Catholic authority. Cardinal Meisner, archbishop of Köln refused to attend the window's inauguration ceremony. He articulated his objection with an official statement that " it could have well been placed in a mosque or a synagogue."
Beyond the implications of iconographic universality, Domfenster introduces something more polemic into the insular authority of the church, the reference of technology and her constant companion science.
In his review, Buchloh questions how we are to regard Richter's window. Is it site specific: in which case, where do we draw the perimeter demarcating his work from the arcane orchestrations and accouterments of the Catholic worship that occurs below? If so, then Domfenster raises some very large questions about the future of contemporary patronage and institution . Or are we to consider only the 11,263 handmade colored glass squares and regard the majesty of the DOM as simply an alternative venue for Richter?
Making for unlikely bedfellows, the Museum Ludwig, Köln 's contemporary art museum that directly neighbors the cathedral was exhibiting 4900 Farben, a 22' x 22' version of Domfenster executed in paint and a series of poorly printed digital sketches of the window. While the audience and dialogue surrounding these two manifestations of Richter's theme are divergent, they converge, so appropriately and significantly, in the capitalistic space of the tourist gift shop. In the modern sparseness of the Ludwig's book store,and the dampness of the makeshift ticket window to the Dom spire, pilgrims of both sorts can purchase a commemorative poster of Domfestner.
Q : What is the truth? What is Bible knowledge and doctrine?
Bible Verses for Reference:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, … full of grace and truth” (Jhn 1:1, 14).
“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (Jhn 14:6).
“Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth” (Jhn 17:17).
“He answered and said to them, Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. However, in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do. And he said to them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. … Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you” (Mak 7:6-9, 13).
Relevant Words of God:
God is the truth, the way, and the life.
from “The Appearance of God Has Brought a New Age” in The Word Appears in the Flesh
The truth put into human language is man’s aphorism; humanity will never experience it fully, and humanity should live in reliance on it. A piece of truth can let all of humanity survive for thousands of years, and truth is the life of God Himself, representing His own disposition, representing His own substance, representing everything within Him.
from “Do You Know What Truth Really Is?” in Records of Christ’s Talks
No matter what stage you have arrived at in your experience, you are inseparable from God’s word or the truth, and what you understand of God’s disposition and what you know of what God has and is are all expressed in God’s words; they are inextricably linked with the truth. God’s disposition and what He has and is themselves are the truth; the truth is an authentic manifestation of God’s disposition and what He has and is. It makes what God has and is concrete and expressly states it; it tells you more straightforwardly what God likes, what He doesn’t like, what He wants you to do and what He does not permit you to do, what people He despises and what people He delights in. Behind the truths that God expresses people can see His pleasure, anger, sorrow, and happiness, as well as His essence—this is the revealing of His disposition.
from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh
My words are the truth, the way, and the life.
from “You Ought to Consider Your Deeds” in The Word Appears in the Flesh
The truth is the most real of life’s aphorisms, and the highest of such aphorisms among all mankind. Because it is the requirement that God makes of man, and is the work personally done by God, thus it is called life’s aphorism. It is not an aphorism summed up from something, nor is it a famous quote from a great figure; instead, it is the utterance to mankind from the Master of the heavens and earth and all things, and not some words summed up by man, but the inherent life of God. And so it is called the highest of all life’s aphorisms.
from “Only Those Who Know God and His Work Can Satisfy God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh
Everything that God does is truth and life. The truth for mankind is something that they cannot lack in their lives, that they can never do without; you could also say that it’s the greatest thing. Although you can’t look at it or touch it, its importance to you cannot be ignored; it is the only thing that can bring peace to your heart.
from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh
This truth is the life disposition of normal humanity, which is to say, that which was required of man when God created him in the beginning, namely, all of normal humanity (including human sense, insight, wisdom, and the basic knowledge of being man).
from “Only Those Who Know God and His Work Can Satisfy God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh
What is the truth? … (It’s people’s principles of conduct in their lives.) Mm, it’s their principles of practice in their lives, the foundation of their lives. What do you rely on in your life? What do you feel in your heart? What is your direction, your goal in the things you do? If you have the reality of the truth, then that reality of the truth is your goal, your direction, and your principle for living.
from “Only by Often Maintaining an Attitude of Seeking and Obedience Can One Enter Into
the Reality of the Truth” in Records of Christ’s Talks
Christ of the last days brings life, and brings the enduring and everlasting way of truth. This truth is the path through which man shall gain life, and the only path by which man shall know God and be approved by God.
from “Only Christ of the Last Days Can Give Man the Way of Eternal Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh
Some people work and preach sermons and, although on the surface it looks as though they are fellowshiping about God’s word, all they are saying is the literal meaning of God’s word, with the essence of the word left totally unspoken. Their sermons are like teaching from a language textbook, arranged item by item, aspect by aspect, and when they are done everyone sings their praises, saying: “Oh, this preacher is so practical. They preached so well and in such detail.” After they are done preaching, they tell others to put together what has been preached and to hand it out to everybody. By doing this, they deceive others and all that they preach are fallacies. On the surface, it looks as though they are preaching only God’s word and that their words conform to the truth. But if you discern more carefully, you will see that all they say are the words of doctrine and are just false reasoning. Their words also contain some imaginings, conceptions and there are some words that delineate God. Does not preaching in this way interrupt God’s work? It is a way of serving that defies God.
from “Only by Seeking the Truth Can You Obtain Changes in Your Disposition” in Records of Christ’s Talks
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fucking love this edit. Kris ollies back 180's super fucking high too. View On White
Something or nothing?
There are only two alternatives, something or nothing. Existence or non-existence?
Existence is a fact!
We know something exists (the physical universe),
but why?
Two questions arise …why is there something rather than nothing?
And where did that something come from?
Obviously, something cannot arise from nothing, no sane person would entertain such an impossible concept. However, an incredible fantasy that the universe created itself from nothing, is being proposed by some, high profile atheists, and presented to the public as though it is science. A sort of ‘theory of everything’ that purports to eliminate a creator. For example, the campaigning, militant atheist Lawrence Krauss has written a book which claims the universe can come from nothing, ‘A Universe from Nothing’. Anyone who is silly enough to spend money on a book which makes such a wild, impossible claim, soon realises that Krauss’s ‘nothing’ is not nothing at all, but an exercise in ‘smoke and mirrors’. His ‘nothing’ involves the pre-existence of certain, natural laws and quantum effects.
A well, publicised example of the universe allegedly being able to arise from nothing was one presented by Professor Stephen Hawking, and summed up in a single sentence:
“Because there is a law, such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing”
It is not intelligent, sensible or scientific to believe that everything created itself from nothing.
In a state of infinite and eternal nothingness, nothing exists and nothing happens - EVER.
Nothing means absolutely ‘nothing’. Nothing tangible and no physical laws, no information, not even abstract things, like mathematics. If nothing exists there can be no numbers or anything based on numbers.
Furthermore, you don’t need to be a genius, or a scientist, to understand that something CANNOT create itself.
Put simply, it is self-evident that - to create itself, a thing would have to pre-exist its own creation to carry out the act of creating itself. In which case, it already exists.
And, if anything at all exists, i.e. in this example ‘gravity’, it cannot be called 'nothing'.
Furthermore, ‘gravity’ cannot be a creative agent, it is merely an inherent property of matter – it is obvious that a property of something cannot create that which it is a property of. And also, How can something pre-exist that which it is a property of? Thus, we are obliged to conclude that nonsense remains nonsense, even when presented by highly regarded scientists.
“Fallacies remain fallacies, even when they become fashionable.” GK Chesterton.
Such nonsensical propositions are vain attempts to undermine the well, established, law of cause and effect, which is fatal to atheist ideology.
Incredibly, Hawking's so-called replacement for God completely ignores this law of cause and effect, which applies to ALL temporal (natural) entities, without exception.
Therefore, Stephen Hawking's natural, 'theory of everything' which he summed up in a single sentence can, similarly, be debunked in a single sentence:
Because there is a law of cause and effect, the universe can't and won't create itself from nothing.
Religion?
Once we admit the obvious fact that the universe cannot arise of its own accord from nothing (nothing will remain nothing forever), the only alternative is that ‘something’ has always existed – an infinite ‘something’. For anything to happen, such as the origin of the universe, the infinite something, cannot just exist in a state of eternal, passive inactivity, it must be capable of positive activity.
If we examine the characteristics, powers, qualities and attributes which exist now, we must conclude that the ‘something’, that has always existed, must have amazing (godlike) powers to be able to produce all the wonderful qualities we see in the universe, including: information, natural laws, life, intelligence, consciousness, etc.
This means we need to believe in some sort of ‘godlike entity’. The only remaining question is - which god?
Is the godlike entity a creator, or simply nature or natural forces as atheists claim? Seeking an answer to that question is the essential role of religion, which essentially utilises logic and reason, rather than just relying on blind faith.
Why God MUST exist ...
There are only two states of being (existence) – temporal and infinite. That. which has a beginning, is ‘temporal’. That which has no beginning is ‘infinite’.
Everything that exists must be one or the other.
The temporal (unlike the infinite) is not autonomous or non-contingent, it essentially relies on something else for its beginning (its cause) and its continued existence.
The universe and all natural things are temporal. Hence, they ALL require a cause or causes.
They could NOT exist without a cause to bring them into being. This is a FACT accepted by science, and enshrined in the Law of Cause and Effect.
The Law of Cause and Effect tells us that every, natural effect requires a cause. And that - an effect cannot be greater than its cause/s.
This is a fundamental principle, essential to the scientific method.
“All natural science is based on the hypothesis of the complete causal connection of all events” Dr Albert Einstein. The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, Hebrew University and Princeton University Press p.183
No temporal effect can be greater than (superior to) the sum-total of its cause or causes
It is obvious that - something cannot give what it doesn’t possess.
A temporal entity can be a subsidiary cause of another temporal entity, but cannot be the initial (first) cause of the entire, temporal realm - which includes ALL natural effects and entities.
Consider this simple chain of causes and effects:
A causes B
B causes C
C causes D
D causes E
‘A, B, C & D’ are all causes and may all look similar, but they are not, there is an enormous and crucial difference between them. Causes B, C & D are fundamentally different from cause A.
Why?
Because A is the very first cause and thus had no previous cause. It exists without a cause. It doesn’t rely on anything else for its existence, it is completely independent of causes - while B, C & D would not exist without A. They are entirely dependent on A.
Causes; B, C & D are also effects, whereas A is not an effect, only a cause.
So, we can say that the first cause ‘A’ is both self-existent and necessary. It is necessary because the rest of the chain of causes and effects could not exist without it.
We also must say that the subsequent causes and effects B, C, D and E are all contingent. That is; they are not self-existent, they all depend entirely on other causes to exist. We can also say that A is eternally self-existent, i.e. it has always existed, it had no beginning.
Why?
Because if A came into being at some point, there must have been something other than itself that brought it into being … which would mean A was not the first cause (A could not create A) … the something that brought A into being would be the first cause. In which case, A would be contingent and no different from B, C, D & E. We can also say that A is adequate to produce all the properties of B, C, D & E.
Why?
Well, in the case of E, we can see that it relies entirely on D for its existence. E can in no way be superior to D, because D had to contain within itself everything necessary to produce E.
The same applies to D, it cannot be superior to C. Furthermore, neither E or D can be superior to C, because both rely on C for their existence, and C had to contain everything necessary to produce D & E.
Likewise, with B, which is wholly responsible for the existence of C, D & E.
As they all depend on A for their existence and all their properties, abilities and potentials, none can be superior to A, whether singly or combined. A had to contain everything necessary to produce B, C, D & E including all their properties, abilities and potentials.
Thus, we deduce that; nothing in the universe can be superior in any way to the very first cause of the universe, because the whole universe, and all material things that exist, depend entirely on the abilities and properties of the first cause to produce them.
Conclusion …
A first cause must be uncaused, must have always existed, and cannot be in any way inferior to all subsequent causes and effects. In other words, the first cause of the universe must be eternally, self-existent and omnipotent (greater than everything that exists). No natural entity can have those attributes, that is why a Supernatural, Creator God MUST exist.
Entropy
The initial (first) cause of the temporal realm had to be something non-temporal (uncaused), i.e. something infinite.
The word ‘temporal’ is derived from tempus, Latin for time. - All temporal things are subject to time - and, as well as having a beginning in time, natural things can also expect to naturally degenerate, with the passage of time, towards a decline in function, order and existence. The material universe is slowly in decline and dying.
The natural realm is not just temporal, but also temporary (finite). Science acknowledges this with the Second Law of Thermodynamics (law of entropy).
As all natural things are temporal, we know that the initial (first), infinite cause of everything temporal cannot be a natural agent or entity.
The infinite, first cause of everything natural can also be regarded as ‘supernatural’, in the sense that it is not subject to natural laws that are intrinsic only to natural things, which it caused.
This fact is verified by science, in the First Law of Thermodynamics, which tells us that there is no ‘natural’ means by which matter/energy can be created.
However, as the first cause existed before the natural realm (which is subject to natural laws, without exception), the issue of the first cause being exempt from natural laws (supernatural) is not something extraordinary or magical. It is the original and normal default state of the infinite.
If the material universe was infinite, entropy wouldn’t exist. Entropy is a characteristic only of natural entities.
The infinite cannot be subject to entropy, it does not deteriorate, it remains the same forever.
Entropy can apply only to temporal, natural entities.
Therefore, we know that the material universe, as a temporal entity, had to have a beginning and, being subject to entropy, will have an end.
That which existed before the universe, as an original cause of everything material, had to be infinite, because you cannot have an infinite chain of temporal (material) events. The temporal can only exist if it is sustained by the infinite.
As all natural entities are temporal, the (infinite) first cause could not possibly be a natural entity.
So, the Second Law of Thermodynamics supports and confirms the only logical conclusion we can reach from the Law of Cause and Effect, that a natural, first cause is impossible, according to science.
This is fatal to the atheist ideology of naturalism because it means there is no alternative to an infinite, supernatural, first cause (a Creator God).
The Bible explains that the universe was created perfect, without the effects of entropy such as decay, corruption and degeneration. It was the sin of humankind that corrupted the physical creation, resulting in physical death and universal entropy ...
Scripture: Romans 8:18–25
"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."
Can there be multiple infinite, first causes? It is evident that there can be only one ‘infinite’ entity. If, for example, there are two infinite entities, neither could have its own, unique properties.
Why?
Because, unless they possessed identical properties, neither would be infinite. However, if they both possessed the very same properties, there would be no distinction between them, they would be identical and thus a single entity.
To put it another way …
God, as an infinite being, can only be a single entity, if He was not, and there was another infinite being, the properties which were pertinent to the other infinite being would be a limitation on His infinite character, and vice versa. So, neither entity would be infinite.
Creation - an act of will?
For an infinite cause to produce a temporal effect, such as the universe, an active character and an act of will must be involved. If the first cause was just a blind, mechanistic, natural thing, the universe would just be a continuation of the infinite nature of the first cause, not temporal (subject to time). For example, if the nature of water in infinite time was to be frozen, it would continue its frozen nature infinitely. There must be an active agent involved.
Time applies to the temporal, not the infinite. The infinite is omnipresent, it always was, it always is, and it always will be. It is the “Alpha and the Omega” as the Bible explains.
Jesus claimed to be omnipresent, when referred to Himself as “I am”. He was revealing that His spirit was the infinite, Divine spirit (the infinite, first cause of everything temporal).
Therefore, what we know about the characteristics of this supernatural entity, are as follows:
The single, supernatural entity:
1. Has always existed, has no cause, and is not subject to time. (is infinite, eternally self-existent, autonomous and non-contingent).
2. Is the first, original and deliberate cause of everything temporal (including the universe and every natural entity and effect).
3. Cannot be, in any way, inferior to any temporal or natural thing that exists.
In simple terms, this means that the single, infinite, supernatural, first cause of everything that exists in the temporal realm, has the capability of creating everything that exists, and cannot be inferior in any powers and attributes to anything that exists. This is the entity we recognise as the creator God.
The Bible tells us that we were made in the image of this God. This is logical because it is obvious, we cannot be superior to this God (an effect cannot be greater than its cause).
So, all our qualities and attributes must be possessed by the God in whose image we were made.
All our attributes come from the creator, or supernatural, first cause.
Remember, the logic that something cannot give what it doesn’t possess.
We have life. Thus, our creator must be alive.
We are intelligent. Thus, our creator must be intelligent.
We are conscious. Thus, our creator must be conscious.
We can love. Thus, our creator must love.
We understand justice. Thus, our creator must be just, etc. etc.
Therefore, we can logically discern the character and attributes of the creator from what is seen in His creation.
This FACT - that an effect cannot be greater than its cause/s, is recognised as a basic principle of science, and is it crucial to understanding the nature and attributes of the first cause.
It means nothing in the universe that exists, resulting from the action of the first cause, can be in anyway superior to the first cause. We must conclude that, at least, some attributes of the first cause can be seen in the universe.
Atheists frequently ask how can we possibly know what God is like?
The Bible (which is inspired by God) tells us many things about the character of God, but regardless of scripture, the universe itself gives us evidence of God’s nature.
For example: can the properties of human beings, in any way, be superior to the first cause?
To suggest they are, would be to violate the scientific principle that an effect cannot be greater than its cause.
All the powers, properties, qualities and attributes we observe in the universe, including all human qualities, must be also evident in the first cause.
If there is life in the universe, the first cause must have life.
If there is intelligence in the universe the first cause must have intelligence.
The same applies to consciousness, skill, design, purpose, justice, love, beauty, forgiveness, mercy etc.
Therefore, we must conclude that the eternally, self-existent, non-natural (supernatural), first cause, has life, is conscious, has intelligence and created the temporal as an act of will.
We know, from the law of cause and effect, that the first cause cannot possibly be any of the natural processes frequently proposed by atheists, such as: the so-called, big bang explosion, singularity or quantum mechanics.
They are all temporal, moreover, it is obvious that none of them are adequate to produce the effect. They are all grossly inferior to the result.
To sum up:
Using impeccable logic and reason, supported by our understanding of established, natural, physical laws (which apply to everything of a natural, temporal nature) acknowledged by science, humans have been able to discover the existence of a single, infinite, supernatural, living, intelligent, loving and just creator God.
God discovered, not invented!
Contrary to the narrative perpetuated by atheists, a personal, creator God is not a “human invention”, and He is certainly not a backward substitute for reason or science, but rather, He is an enlightened, human discovery, based on unimpeachable logic, reason, rationality, natural laws and scientific understanding.
The real character of atheism unmasked.
Is belief in God just superstitious, backward thinking, suitable only for the uneducated or scientific illiterates, as atheists would have us believe?
Stephen Hawking is widely acknowledged as the best brain in modern atheism, his natural explanation for the origin of the universe "Because there is a law, such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing" was claimed by some, to have made belief in a creator God redundant. This is an atheistic, natural, creation story, summed up in a single sentence.
When we realise what atheists actually believe, it doesn’t take a genius to understand that it is atheism, not monotheism, which is a throwback to an unenlightened period in human history. It is a throwback to a time when Mother Nature or other natural or material, temporal entities were regarded by some as having autonomous, godlike, creative powers –
“the universe can and will create itself from nothing”
The discredited concept of worshipping nature itself (naturalism) or various material things (Sun, Moon, idols etc.) as some sort of autonomous, non-contingent, creative, or self-creative agents, used to be called paganism. Now it has been re-invented as 21st century atheism ...
The truth about modern atheism is it is just pagan naturalist beliefs repackaged.
“It is absurd for the Evolutionist to complain that it is unthinkable for an admittedly unthinkable God to make everything out of nothing, and then pretend that it is more thinkable that nothing should turn itself into everything.” - G.K. Chesterton.
God’s power.
Everything that exists is dependent on the original and ultimate cause (God) for its origin, continued existence and operation.
This means God affords everything all the power it needs to function. Everything operates only with God’s power. We couldn’t even lift a little finger, if the power to do so was not permitted by God.
What caused God?
Ever since the 18th century, atheist philosophers such as David Hume, Bertrand Russell etc. have attempted to debunk the logical evidence for a creator God, as the infinite, first cause and creator of the universe.
The basic premise of their argument is that a long chain of causes and effects, going back in time, did not necessarily require a beginning (no first cause, but rather an infinite regress). And that, if every effect requires an adequate cause (as the Law of Cause and Effect states), then God (a first cause) could no more exist without a cause, than anything else.
This latter point is summed up in the what many atheists regard as the killer question:
“What caused God then?”
This question wasn’t sensible in the 18th century, and is not sensible today, but incredibly, many atheists still think it is a good argument against the Law of Cause and Effect and continue to use it.
As explained previously, the Law of Cause and Effect applies to all temporal entities.
Temporal entities have a beginning, and therefore need a cause. They are all contingent and dependent on a cause or causes for their beginning and existence, without exception.
It is obvious to any sensible person that the very first cause, because it is FIRST, had nothing preceding it.
First means 'first', it doesn’t mean second or third. If we could go back far enough with a chain of causes and effects, however long the chain, at some stage we must reach an ultimate beginning, i.e. the cause which is first, having no previous cause. This first cause must have always existed with no beginning. It is essentially self-existent from an infinite past and for an infinite future. It must be completely autonomous and non-contingent, not relying on any cause or anything else for its existence. Not temporal, but infinite.
So, the answer to the question is that - God was not caused, only temporal entities (such as ALL natural things) essentially require a cause.
God is the eternally, self-existent, ultimate, non-contingent, supernatural, first. infinite cause of everything temporal.
As explained earlier, the first cause could not be a natural entity, it had to be supernatural, as ALL natural entities are temporal and contingent (they all require causes).
Is the atheist, infinite regress argument sensible?
This is the argument against the need for a first cause of the universe. The proposition is that; a long chain of natural causes and effects, going back in time, did not necessarily require a beginning (an infinite regress). This proposition is nonsensical.
Why?
It is self-evident that you cannot have a chain of temporal effects going backwards in time, forever. It is the inherent nature of all temporal things to have a beginning. Likewise, for a long chain of temporal causes and effects, there must be a beginning at some point in time. Contingent things do not become non-contingent, simply by being in a long chain.
Temporal + temporal can never equal infinite.
Moreover, the Second Law of Thermodynamics tells us that everything physical is subject to entropy.
Therefore, it is an absurd notion that there could be a long chain of temporal elements in which, although every individual link in the chain requires a beginning, the complete chain does not. And, although every individual link in the chain is subject to the law of entropy, the chain as a whole is not, and is miraculously unaffected by the effects of entropy, throughout an infinite past, which would have caused its demise.
What about the idea that infinite regress is acceptable in maths?
Maths is a type of information - and information, like truth, is not purely physical.
It can require physical media to make it tangible, but while the physical media is always subject to entropy, information is not. 1+1 = 2 will always be true, it is unaffected by time, or even whether there are any humans left to do mathematical calculations.
Jesus said; Heaven and Earth may pass away, but my words will go on forever. Jesus is pointing out that truth and information are unaffected by entropy.
For example: historical truths, such as the fact that Henry VIII had six wives, will always be true. Time cannot erode or change that truth. Even if all human records of this truth were destroyed, it would never cease to be true.
As the Christian, apologist Peter Keeft has made clear, maths is entirely dependent on a positive integer, i.e. the number one. Without this positive integer, no maths is possible. 2 is 2 ones, 3 is 3 ones, etc.
The concept of the number one also exists as a characteristic of the one, infinite, first cause. - God is one. - God embodies that positive integer (number one/first cause), essential for the operation of maths. Without the number one, there could be no number two or three, etc. etc. There could be no positive numbers, no negative numbers and no fractions.
The fact that an infinite ‘first’ cause exists, means that number one is bound to exist. In a state of eternal and infinite nothingness, there would be no information and no numbers and nothing would be ‘first’. So, like everything else, maths is made possible only by the existence of the one, infinite, first cause (God).
The Law of Cause and Effect
Dominant Principle of Classical Physics
Chance Events? Nothing happens by chance! Classical Science, which dominated studies
of the physical universe before the Twentieth Century, generally held an opinion that
there are no events that happen by chance. For many centuries, it seemed obvious that
all things were caused by something physical or mental. This idea was expressed by
Hippocrates of Cos (c. 460-377 B.C.): “Every natural event has a natural cause.” [1, p.
12].
History of the Concept of Cause and Effect. The concept of order maintained by the law
of cause and effect is a scientific principle with a history traceable through Hebrew,
Babylonian, Greek, and modern civilizations.
Hebrew Concept of Causality. Certain Hebrews acknowledged the role of causality in the
universe before the Babylonians and Greeks. These Hebrews denied chance and its offspring
chaos:
That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity;
I, the LORD, do all these things.…
Shall the clay say to him who forms it, “What are you making?”
Or shall your handiwork say, “He has no hands”?…
FOUNDATIONS OF SCIENCE
The Law of Cause and Effect. Dominant Principle of Classical Physics. David L. Bergman and Glen C. Collins
www.thewarfareismental.net/b/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/b...
"The Big Bang's Failed Predictions and Failures to Predict: (Updated Aug 3, 2017.) As documented below, trust in the big bang's predictive ability has been misplaced when compared to the actual astronomical observations that were made, in large part, in hopes of affirming the theory."
Dualism in cosmology is the moral, or spiritual belief that two fundamental concepts exist, which often oppose each other. It is an umbrella term that covers a diversity of views from various religions, including both traditional religions and scriptural religions.
Moral dualism is the belief of the great complement of, or conflict between, the benevolent and the malevolent. It simply implies that there are two moral opposites at work, independent of any interpretation of what might be "moral" and independent of how these may be represented. Moral opposites might, for example, exist in a worldview which has one god, more than one god, or none. By contrast, duotheism, bitheism or ditheism implies (at least) two gods. While bitheism implies harmony, ditheism implies rivalry and opposition, such as between good and evil, or light and dark, or summer and winter. For example, a ditheistic system could be one in which one god is a creator, and the other a destroyer. In theology, dualism can also refer to the relationship between the deity and creation or the deity and the universe (see theistic dualism). This form of dualism is a belief shared in certain traditions of Christianity and Hinduism.[1] Alternatively, in ontological dualism, the world is divided into two overarching categories. The opposition and combination of the universe's two basic principles of yin and yang is a large part of Chinese philosophy, and is an important feature of Taoism. It is also discussed in Confucianism.
Many myths and creation motifs with dualistic cosmologies have been described in ethnographic and anthropological literature. These motifs conceive the world as being created, organized, or influenced by two demiurges, culture heroes, or other mythological beings, who either compete with each other or have a complementary function in creating, arranging or influencing the world. There is a huge diversity of such cosmologies. In some cases, such as among the Chukchi, the beings collaborate rather than competing, and contribute to the creation in a coequal way. In many other instances the two beings are not of the same importance or power (sometimes, one of them is even characterized as gullible). Sometimes they can be contrasted as good versus evil.[2] They may be often believed to be twins or at least brothers.[3][4] Dualistic motifs in mythologies can be observed in all inhabited continents. Zolotaryov concludes that they cannot be explained by diffusion or borrowing, but are rather of convergent origin: they are related to a dualistic organization of society (moieties); in some cultures, this social organization may have ceased to exist, but mythology preserves the memory in more and more disguised ways.[5]
Moral dualism[edit]
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Moral dualism is the belief of the great complement or conflict between the benevolent and the malevolent. Like ditheism/bitheism (see below), moral dualism does not imply the absence of monist or monotheistic principles. Moral dualism simply implies that there are two moral opposites at work, independent of any interpretation of what might be "moral" and—unlike ditheism/bitheism—independent of how these may be represented.
For example, Mazdaism (Mazdean Zoroastrianism) is both dualistic and monotheistic (but not monist by definition) since in that philosophy God—the Creator—is purely good, and the antithesis—which is also uncreated–is an absolute one. Zurvanism (Zurvanite Zoroastrianism), Manichaeism, and Mandaeism are representative of dualistic and monist philosophies since each has a supreme and transcendental First Principle from which the two equal-but-opposite entities then emanate. This is also true for the lesser-known Christian gnostic religions, such as Bogomils, Catharism, and so on. More complex forms of monist dualism also exist, for instance in Hermeticism, where Nous "thought"—that is described to have created man—brings forth both good and evil, dependent on interpretation, whether it receives prompting from the God or from the Demon. Duality with pluralism is considered a logical fallacy.
History[edit]
Moral dualism began as a theological belief. Dualism was first seen implicitly in Egyptian religious beliefs by the contrast of the gods Set (disorder, death) and Osiris (order, life).[6] The first explicit conception of dualism came from the Ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism around the mid-fifth century BC. Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion that believes that Ahura Mazda is the eternal creator of all good things. Any violations of Ahura Mazda's order arise from druj, which is everything uncreated. From this comes a significant choice for humans to make. Either they fully participate in human life for Ahura Mazda or they do not and give druj power. Personal dualism is even more distinct in the beliefs of later religions.
The religious dualism of Christianity between good and evil is not a perfect dualism as God (good) will inevitably destroy Satan (evil). Early Christian dualism is largely based on Platonic Dualism (See: Neoplatonism and Christianity). There is also a personal dualism in Christianity with a soul-body distinction based on the idea of an immaterial Christian soul.[7]
Duotheism, bitheism, ditheism[edit]
When used with regards to multiple gods, dualism may refer to duotheism, bitheism, or ditheism. Although ditheism/bitheism imply moral dualism, they are not equivalent: ditheism/bitheism implies (at least) two gods, while moral dualism does not necessarily imply theism (theos = god) at all.
Both bitheism and ditheism imply a belief in two equally powerful gods with complementary or antonymous properties; however, while bitheism implies harmony, ditheism implies rivalry and opposition, such as between good and evil, bright and dark, or summer and winter. For example, a ditheistic system would be one in which one god is creative, the other is destructive (cf. theodicy). In the original conception of Zoroastrianism, for example, Ahura Mazda was the spirit of ultimate good, while Ahriman (Angra Mainyu) was the spirit of ultimate evil.
In a bitheistic system, by contrast, where the two deities are not in conflict or opposition, one could be male and the other female (cf. duotheism[clarification needed]). One well-known example of a bitheistic or duotheistic theology based on gender polarity is found in the neopagan religion of Wicca. In Wicca, dualism is represented in the belief of a god and a goddess as a dual partnership in ruling the universe. This is centered on the worship of a divine couple, the Moon Goddess and the Horned God, who are regarded as lovers. However, there is also a ditheistic theme within traditional Wicca, as the Horned God has dual aspects of bright and dark - relating to day/night, summer/winter - expressed as the Oak King and the Holly King, who in Wiccan myth and ritual are said to engage in battle twice a year for the hand of the Goddess, resulting in the changing seasons. (Within Wicca, bright and dark do not correspond to notions of "good" and "evil" but are aspects of the natural world, much like yin and yang in Taoism.)
Radical and mitigated dualism[edit]
Radical Dualism – or absolute Dualism which posits two co-equal divine forces.[8] Manichaeism conceives of two previously coexistent realms of light and darkness which become embroiled in conflict, owing to the chaotic actions of the latter. Subsequently, certain elements of the light became entrapped within darkness; the purpose of material creation is to enact the slow process of extraction of these individual elements, at the end of which the kingdom of light will prevail over darkness. Manicheanism likely inherits this dualistic mythology from Zoroastrianism, in which the eternal spirit Ahura Mazda is opposed by his antithesis, Angra Mainyu; the two are engaged in a cosmic struggle, the conclusion of which will likewise see Ahura Mazda triumphant. 'The Hymn of the Pearl' included the belief that the material world corresponds to some sort of malevolent intoxication brought about by the powers of darkness to keep elements of the light trapped inside it in a state of drunken distraction.
Mitigated Dualism – is where one of the two principles is in some way inferior to the other. Such classical Gnostic movements as the Sethians conceived of the material world as being created by a lesser divinity than the true God that was the object of their devotion. The spiritual world is conceived of as being radically different from the material world, co-extensive with the true God, and the true home of certain enlightened members of humanity; thus, these systems were expressive of a feeling of acute alienation within the world, and their resultant aim was to allow the soul to escape the constraints presented by the physical realm.[8]
However, bitheistic and ditheistic principles are not always so easily contrastable, for instance in a system where one god is the representative of summer and drought and the other of winter and rain/fertility (cf. the mythology of Persephone). Marcionism, an early Christian sect, held that the Old and New Testaments were the work of two opposing gods: both were First Principles, but of different religions.[9]
Theistic dualism[edit]
In theology, dualism can refer to the relationship between God and creation or God and the universe. This form of dualism is a belief shared in certain traditions of Christianity and Hinduism.[10][1]
In Christianity[edit]
The Cathars being expelled from Carcassonne in 1209. The Cathars were denounced as heretics by the Roman Catholic Church for their dualist beliefs.
The dualism between God and Creation has existed as a central belief in multiple historical sects and traditions of Christianity, including Marcionism, Catharism, Paulicianism, and other forms of Gnostic Christianity. Christian dualism refers to the belief that God and creation are distinct, but interrelated through an indivisible bond.[1] However, Gnosticism is a diverse, syncretistic religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in a belief in a distinction between a supreme, transcendent God and a blind, evil demiurge responsible for creating the material universe, thereby trapping the divine spark within matter.[11]
In sects like the Cathars and the Paulicians, this is a dualism between the material world, created by an evil god, and a moral god. Historians divide Christian dualism into absolute dualism, which held that the good and evil gods were equally powerful, and mitigated dualism, which held that material evil was subordinate to the spiritual good.[12] The belief, by Christian theologians who adhere to a libertarian or compatibilist view of free will, that free will separates humankind from God has also been characterized as a form of dualism.[1] The theologian Leroy Stephens Rouner compares the dualism of Christianity with the dualism that exists in Zoroastrianism and the Samkhya tradition of Hinduism. The theological use of the word dualism dates back to 1700, in a book that describes the dualism between good and evil.[1]
The tolerance of dualism ranges widely among the different Christian traditions. As a monotheistic religion, the conflict between dualism and monism has existed in Christianity since its inception.[13] The 1912 Catholic Encyclopedia describes that, in the Catholic Church, "the dualistic hypothesis of an eternal world existing side by side with God was of course rejected" by the thirteenth century, but mind–body dualism was not.[14] The problem of evil is difficult to reconcile with absolute monism, and has prompted some Christian sects to veer towards dualism. Gnostic forms of Christianity were more dualistic, and some Gnostic traditions posited that the Devil was separate from God as an independent deity.[13] The Christian dualists of the Byzantine Empire, the Paulicians, were seen as Manichean heretics by Byzantine theologians. This tradition of Christian dualism, founded by Constantine-Silvanus, argued that the universe was created through evil and separate from a moral God.[15]
The Cathars, a Christian sect in southern France, believed that there was a dualism between two gods, one representing good and the other representing evil. Whether or not the Cathari possessed direct historical influence from ancient Gnosticism is a matter of dispute, as the basic conceptions of Gnostic cosmology are to be found in Cathar beliefs (most distinctly in their notion of a lesser creator god), though unlike the second century Gnostics, they did not apparently place any special relevance upon knowledge (gnosis) as an effective salvific force. In any case, the Roman Catholic Church denounced the Cathars as heretics, and sought to crush the movement in the 13th century. The Albigensian Crusade was initiated by Pope Innocent III in 1208 to remove the Cathars from Languedoc in France, where they were known as Albigesians. The Inquisition, which began in 1233 under Pope Gregory IX, also targeted the Cathars.[16]
In Hinduism[edit]
The Dvaita Vedanta school of Indian philosophy espouses a dualism between God and the universe by theorizing the existence of two separate realities. The first and the more important reality is that of Shiva or Shakti or Vishnu or Brahman. Shiva or Shakti or Vishnu is the supreme Self, God, the absolute truth of the universe, the independent reality. The second reality is that of dependent but equally real universe that exists with its own separate essence. Everything that is composed of the second reality, such as individual soul (Jiva), matter, etc. exist with their own separate reality. The distinguishing factor of this philosophy as opposed to Advaita Vedanta (monistic conclusion of Vedas) is that God takes on a personal role and is seen as a real eternal entity that governs and controls the universe.[17][better source needed] Because the existence of individuals is grounded in the divine, they are depicted as reflections, images or even shadows of the divine, but never in any way identical with the divine. Salvation therefore is described as the realization that all finite reality is essentially dependent on the Supreme.[18]
Ontological dualism[edit]
The yin and yang symbolizes the duality in nature and all things in the Taoist religion.
Alternatively, dualism can mean the tendency of humans to perceive and understand the world as being divided into two overarching categories. In this sense, it is dualistic when one perceives a tree as a thing separate from everything surrounding it. This form of ontological dualism exists in Taoism and Confucianism, beliefs that divide the universe into the complementary oppositions of yin and yang.[19] In traditions such as classical Hinduism (Samkhya, Yoga, Vaisheshika and the later Vedanta schools, which accepted the theory of Gunas), Zen Buddhism or Islamic Sufism, a key to enlightenment is "transcending" this sort of dualistic thinking, without merely substituting dualism with monism or pluralism.
In Chinese philosophy[edit]
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The opposition and combination of the universe's two basic principles of yin and yang is a large part of Chinese philosophy, and is an important feature of Taoism, both as a philosophy and as a religion, although the concept developed much earlier. Some argue that yin and yang were originally an earth and sky god, respectively.[20] As one of the oldest principles in Chinese philosophy, yin and yang are also discussed in Confucianism, but to a lesser extent.
Some of the common associations with yang and yin, respectively, are: male and female, light and dark, active and passive, motion and stillness. Some scholars believe that the two ideas may have originally referred to two opposite sides of a mountain, facing towards and away from the sun.[20] The yin and yang symbol in actuality has very little to do with Western dualism; instead it represents the philosophy of balance, where two opposites co-exist in harmony and are able to transmute into each other. In the yin-yang symbol there is a dot of yin in yang and a dot of yang in yin. In Taoism, this symbolizes the inter-connectedness of the opposite forces as different aspects of Tao, the First Principle. Contrast is needed to create a distinguishable reality, without which we would experience nothingness. Therefore, the independent principles of yin and yang are actually dependent on one another for each other's distinguishable existence.
The complementary dualistic concept seen in yin and yang represent the reciprocal interaction throughout nature, related to a feedback loop, where opposing forces do not exchange in opposition but instead exchange reciprocally to promote stabilization similar to homeostasis. An underlying principle in Taoism states that within every independent entity lies a part of its opposite. Within sickness lies health and vice versa. This is because all opposites are manifestations of the single Tao, and are therefore not independent from one another, but rather a variation of the same unifying force throughout all of nature.
In traditional religions[edit]
Samoyed peoples[edit]
In a Nenets myth, Num and Nga collaborate and compete with each other, creating land,[21] there are also other myths about competing-collaborating demiurges.[22]
Comparative studies of Kets and neighboring peoples[edit]
Among others, also dualistic myths were investigated in researches which tried to compare the mythologies of Siberian peoples and settle the problem of their origins. Vyacheslav Ivanov and Vladimir Toporov compared the mythology of Ket people with those of speakers of Uralic languages, assuming in the studies, that there are modelling semiotic systems in the compared mythologies; and they have also made typological comparisons.[23][24] Among others, from possibly Uralic mythological analogies, those of Ob-Ugric peoples[25] and Samoyedic peoples[26] are mentioned. Some other discussed analogies (similar folklore motifs, and purely typological considerations, certain binary pairs in symbolics) may be related to dualistic organization of society—some of such dualistic features can be found at these compared peoples.[27] It must be admitted that, for Kets, neither dualistic organization of society[28] nor cosmological dualism[29] has been researched thoroughly: if such features existed at all, they have either weakened or remained largely undiscovered;[28] although there are some reports on division into two exogamous patrilinear moieties,[30] folklore on conflicts of mythological figures, and also on cooperation of two beings in creating the land:[29] the diving of the water fowl.[31] If we include dualistic cosmologies meant in broad sense, not restricted to certain concrete motifs, then we find that they are much more widespread, they exist not only among some Siberian peoples, but there are examples in each inhabited continent.[32]
Chukchi[edit]
A Chukchi myth and its variations report the creation of the world; in some variations, it is achieved by the collaboration of several beings (birds, collaborating in a coequal way; or the creator and the raven, collaborating in a coequal way; or the creator alone, using the birds only as assistants).[33][34]
Fuegians[edit]
See also: Fuegians § Spiritual culture
All three Fuegian tribes had dualistic myths about culture heros.[35] The Yámana have dualistic myths about the two [joalox] brothers. They act as culture heroes, and sometimes stand in an antagonistic relation with each other, introducing opposite laws. Their figures can be compared to the Kwanyip-brothers of the Selk'nam.[36] In general, the presence of dualistic myths in two compared cultures does not imply relatedness or diffusion necessarily.[32]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dualistic_cosmology
In spirituality, nondualism, also called non-duality, means "not two" or "one undivided without a second".[1][2] Nondualism primarily refers to a mature state of consciousness, in which the dichotomy of I-other is "transcended", and awareness is described as "centerless" and "without dichotomies". Although this state of consciousness may seem to appear spontaneous,[note 1] it usually follows prolonged preparation through ascetic or meditative/contemplative practice, which may include ethical injunctions. While the term "nondualism" is derived from Advaita Vedanta, descriptions of nondual consciousness can be found within Hinduism (Turiya, sahaja), Buddhism (emptiness, pariniṣpanna, nature of mind, rigpa), Islam (Wahdat al Wujud, Fanaa, and Haqiqah) and western Christian and neo-Platonic traditions (henosis, mystical union).
The Asian ideas of nondualism developed in the Vedic and post-Vedic Upanishadic philosophies around 800 BCE,[3] as well as in the Buddhist traditions.[4] The oldest traces of nondualism in Indian thought are found in the earlier Hindu Upanishads such as Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, as well as other pre-Buddhist Upanishads such as the Chandogya Upanishad, which emphasizes the unity of individual soul called Atman and the Supreme called Brahman. In Hinduism, nondualism has more commonly become associated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Adi Shankara.[5]
In the Buddhist tradition non-duality is associated with the teachings of emptiness (śūnyatā) and the two truths doctrine, particularly the Madhyamaka teaching of the non-duality of absolute and relative truth,[6][7] and the Yogachara notion of "mind/thought only" (citta-matra) or "representation-only" (vijñaptimātra).[5] These teachings, coupled with the doctrine of Buddha-nature have been influential concepts in the subsequent development of Mahayana Buddhism, not only in India, but also in East Asian and Tibetan Buddhism, most notably in Chán (Zen) and Vajrayana.
Western Neo-Platonism is an essential element of both Christian contemplation and mysticism, and of Western esotericism and modern spirituality, especially Unitarianism, Transcendentalism, Universalism and Perennialism.Etymology[edit]
When referring to nondualism, Hinduism generally uses the Sanskrit term Advaita, while Buddhism uses Advaya (Tibetan: gNis-med, Chinese: pu-erh, Japanese: fu-ni).[8]
"Advaita" (अद्वैत) is from Sanskrit roots a, not; dvaita, dual, and is usually translated as "nondualism", "nonduality" and "nondual". The term "nondualism" and the term "advaita" from which it originates are polyvalent terms. The English word's origin is the Latin duo meaning "two" prefixed with "non-" meaning "not".
"Advaya" (अद्वय) is also a Sanskrit word that means "identity, unique, not two, without a second," and typically refers to the two truths doctrine of Mahayana Buddhism, especially Madhyamaka.
One of the earliest uses of the word Advaita is found in verse 4.3.32 of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (~800 BCE), and in verses 7 and 12 of the Mandukya Upanishad (variously dated to have been composed between 500 BCE to 200 CE).[9] The term appears in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in the section with a discourse of the oneness of Atman (individual soul) and Brahman (universal consciousness), as follows:[10]
An ocean is that one seer, without any duality [Advaita]; this is the Brahma-world, O King. Thus did Yajnavalkya teach him. This is his highest goal, this is his highest success, this is his highest world, this is his highest bliss. All other creatures live on a small portion of that bliss.
— Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.3.32, [11][12][13]
The English term "nondual" was also informed by early translations of the Upanishads in Western languages other than English from 1775. These terms have entered the English language from literal English renderings of "advaita" subsequent to the first wave of English translations of the Upanishads. These translations commenced with the work of Müller (1823–1900), in the monumental Sacred Books of the East (1879).
Max Müller rendered "advaita" as "Monism", as have many recent scholars.[14][15][16] However, some scholars state that "advaita" is not really monism.[17]
Definitions[edit]
See also: Monism, Mind-body dualism, Dualistic cosmology, and Pluralism (philosophy)
Nondualism is a fuzzy concept, for which many definitions can be found.[note 2]
According to Espín and Nickoloff, "nondualism" is the thought in some Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist schools, which, generally speaking:
... teaches that the multiplicity of the universe is reducible to one essential reality."[18]
However, since there are similar ideas and terms in a wide variety of spiritualities and religions, ancient and modern, no single definition for the English word "nonduality" can suffice, and perhaps it is best to speak of various "nondualities" or theories of nonduality.[19]
David Loy, who sees non-duality between subject and object as a common thread in Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Advaita Vedanta,[20][note 3] distinguishes "Five Flavors Of Nonduality":[web 1]
The negation of dualistic thinking in pairs of opposites. The Yin-Yang symbol of Taoism symbolises the transcendence of this dualistic way of thinking.[web 1]
Monism, the nonplurality of the world. Although the phenomenal world appears as a plurality of "things", in reality they are "of a single cloth".[web 1]
Advaita, the nondifference of subject and object, or nonduality between subject and object.[web 1]
Advaya, the identity of phenomena and the Absolute, the "nonduality of duality and nonduality",[web 1] c.q. the nonduality of relative and ultimate truth as found in Madhyamaka Buddhism and the two truths doctrine.
Mysticism, a mystical unity between God and man.[web 1]
The idea of nondualism is typically contrasted with dualism, with dualism defined as the view that the universe and the nature of existence consists of two realities, such as the God and the world, or as God and Devil, or as mind and matter, and so on.[23][24]
Ideas of nonduality are also taught in some western religions and philosophies, and it has gained attraction and popularity in modern western spirituality and New Age-thinking.[25]
Different theories and concepts which can be linked to nonduality are taught in a wide variety of religious traditions. These include:
Hinduism:
In the Upanishads, which teach a doctrine that has been interpreted in a nondualistic way, mainly tat tvam asi.[26]
The Advaita Vedanta of Shankara[27][26] which teaches that a single pure consciousness is the only reality, and that the world is unreal (Maya).
Non-dual forms of Hindu Tantra[28] including Kashmira Shaivism[29][28] and the goddess centered Shaktism. Their view is similar to Advaita, but they teach that the world is not unreal, but it is the real manifestation of consciousness.[30]
Forms of Hindu Modernism which mainly teach Advaita and modern Indian saints like Ramana Maharshi and Swami Vivekananda.
Buddhism:
"Shūnyavāda (emptiness view) or the Mādhyamaka school",[31][32] which holds that there is a non-dual relationship (that is, there is no true separation) between conventional truth and ultimate truth, as well as between samsara and nirvana.
"Vijnānavāda (consciousness view) or the Yogācāra school",[31][33] which holds that there is no ultimate perceptual and conceptual division between a subject and its objects, or a cognizer and that which is cognized. It also argues against mind-body dualism, holding that there is only consciousness.
Tathagatagarbha-thought,[33] which holds that all beings have the potential to become Buddhas.
Vajrayana-buddhism,[34] including Tibetan Buddhist traditions of Dzogchen[35] and Mahamudra.[36]
East Asian Buddhist traditions like Zen[37] and Huayan, particularly their concept of interpenetration.
Sikhism,[38] which usually teaches a duality between God and humans, but was given a nondual interpretation by Bhai Vir Singh.
Taoism,[39] which teaches the idea of a single subtle universal force or cosmic creative power called Tao (literally "way").
Subud[25]
Abrahamic traditions:
Christian mystics who promote a "nondual experience", such as Meister Eckhart and Julian of Norwich. The focus of this Christian nondualism is on bringing the worshiper closer to God and realizing a "oneness" with the Divine.[40]
Sufism[39]
Jewish Kabbalah
Western traditions:
Neo-platonism [41] which teaches there is a single source of all reality, The One.
Western philosophers like Hegel, Spinoza and Schopenhauer.[41] They defended different forms of philosophical monism or Idealism.
Transcendentalism, which was influenced by German Idealism and Indian religions.
Theosophy
New age
Hinduism[edit]
"Advaita" refers to nondualism, non-distinction between realities, the oneness of Atman (individual self) and Brahman (the single universal existence), as in Vedanta, Shaktism and Shaivism.[42] Although the term is best known from the Advaita Vedanta school of Adi Shankara, "advaita" is used in treatises by numerous medieval era Indian scholars, as well as modern schools and teachers.[note 4]
The Hindu concept of Advaita refers to the idea that all of the universe is one essential reality, and that all facets and aspects of the universe is ultimately an expression or appearance of that one reality.[42] According to Dasgupta and Mohanta, non-dualism developed in various strands of Indian thought, both Vedic and Buddhist, from the Upanishadic period onward.[4] The oldest traces of nondualism in Indian thought may be found in the Chandogya Upanishad, which pre-dates the earliest Buddhism. Pre-sectarian Buddhism may also have been responding to the teachings of the Chandogya Upanishad, rejecting some of its Atman-Brahman related metaphysics.[43][note 5]
Advaita appears in different shades in various schools of Hinduism such as in Advaita Vedanta, Vishishtadvaita Vedanta (Vaishnavism), Suddhadvaita Vedanta (Vaishnavism), non-dual Shaivism and Shaktism.[42][46][47] In the Advaita Vedanta of Adi Shankara, advaita implies that all of reality is one with Brahman,[42] that the Atman (soul, self) and Brahman (ultimate unchanging reality) are one.[48][49] The advaita ideas of some Hindu traditions contrasts with the schools that defend dualism or Dvaita, such as that of Madhvacharya who stated that the experienced reality and God are two (dual) and distinct.[50][51]
Vedanta[edit]
Main article: Vedanta
Several schools of Vedanta teach a form of nondualism. The best-known is Advaita Vedanta, but other nondual Vedanta schools also have a significant influence and following, such as Vishishtadvaita Vedanta and Shuddhadvaita,[42] both of which are bhedabheda.
Advaita Vedanta[edit]
Main article: Advaita Vedanta
Swans are important figures in Advaita
The nonduality of the Advaita Vedanta is of the identity of Brahman and the Atman.[52] Advaita has become a broad current in Indian culture and religions, influencing subsequent traditions like Kashmir Shaivism.
The oldest surviving manuscript on Advaita Vedanta is by Gauḍapāda (6th century CE),[5] who has traditionally been regarded as the teacher of Govinda bhagavatpāda and the grandteacher of Adi Shankara. Advaita is best known from the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Adi Shankara (788-820 CE), who states that Brahman, the single unified eternal truth, is pure Being, Consciousness and Bliss (Sat-cit-ananda).[53]
Advaita, states Murti, is the knowledge of Brahman and self-consciousness (Vijnana) without differences.[54] The goal of Vedanta is to know the "truly real" and thus become one with it.[55] According to Advaita Vedanta, Brahman is the highest Reality,[56][57][58] The universe, according to Advaita philosophy, does not simply come from Brahman, it is Brahman. Brahman is the single binding unity behind the diversity in all that exists in the universe.[57] Brahman is also that which is the cause of all changes.[57][59][60] Brahman is the "creative principle which lies realized in the whole world".[61]
The nondualism of Advaita, relies on the Hindu concept of Ātman which is a Sanskrit word that means "real self" of the individual,[62][63] "essence",[web 3] and soul.[62][64] Ātman is the first principle,[65] the true self of an individual beyond identification with phenomena, the essence of an individual. Atman is the Universal Principle, one eternal undifferentiated self-luminous consciousness, asserts Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism.[66][67]
Advaita Vedanta philosophy considers Atman as self-existent awareness, limitless, non-dual and same as Brahman.[68] Advaita school asserts that there is "soul, self" within each living entity which is fully identical with Brahman.[69][70] This identity holds that there is One Soul that connects and exists in all living beings, regardless of their shapes or forms, there is no distinction, no superior, no inferior, no separate devotee soul (Atman), no separate God soul (Brahman).[69] The Oneness unifies all beings, there is the divine in every being, and all existence is a single Reality, state the Advaita Vedantins.[71] The nondualism concept of Advaita Vedanta asserts that each soul is non-different from the infinite Brahman.[72]
Advaita Vedanta – Three levels of reality[edit]
Advaita Vedanta adopts sublation as the criterion to postulate three levels of ontological reality:[73][74]
Pāramārthika (paramartha, absolute), the Reality that is metaphysically true and ontologically accurate. It is the state of experiencing that "which is absolutely real and into which both other reality levels can be resolved". This experience can't be sublated (exceeded) by any other experience.[73][74]
Vyāvahārika (vyavahara), or samvriti-saya,[75] consisting of the empirical or pragmatic reality. It is ever-changing over time, thus empirically true at a given time and context but not metaphysically true. It is "our world of experience, the phenomenal world that we handle every day when we are awake". It is the level in which both jiva (living creatures or individual souls) and Iswara are true; here, the material world is also true.[74]
Prāthibhāsika (pratibhasika, apparent reality, unreality), "reality based on imagination alone". It is the level of experience in which the mind constructs its own reality. A well-known example is the perception of a rope in the dark as being a snake.[74]
Similarities and differences with Buddhism[edit]
Scholars state that Advaita Vedanta was influenced by Mahayana Buddhism, given the common terminology and methodology and some common doctrines.[76][77] Eliot Deutsch and Rohit Dalvi state:
In any event a close relationship between the Mahayana schools and Vedanta did exist, with the latter borrowing some of the dialectical techniques, if not the specific doctrines, of the former.[78]
Advaita Vedanta is related to Buddhist philosophy, which promotes ideas like the two truths doctrine and the doctrine that there is only consciousness (vijñapti-mātra). It is possible that the Advaita philosopher Gaudapada was influenced by Buddhist ideas.[5] Shankara harmonised Gaudapada's ideas with the Upanishadic texts, and developed a very influential school of orthodox Hinduism.[79][80]
The Buddhist term vijñapti-mātra is often used interchangeably with the term citta-mātra, but they have different meanings. The standard translation of both terms is "consciousness-only" or "mind-only." Advaita Vedanta has been called "idealistic monism" by scholars, but some disagree with this label.[81][82] Another concept found in both Madhyamaka Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta is Ajativada ("ajāta"), which Gaudapada adopted from Nagarjuna's philosophy.[83][84][note 6] Gaudapada "wove [both doctrines] into a philosophy of the Mandukaya Upanisad, which was further developed by Shankara.[86][note 7]
Michael Comans states there is a fundamental difference between Buddhist thought and that of Gaudapada, in that Buddhism has as its philosophical basis the doctrine of Dependent Origination according to which "everything is without an essential nature (nissvabhava), and everything is empty of essential nature (svabhava-sunya)", while Gaudapada does not rely on this principle at all. Gaudapada's Ajativada is an outcome of reasoning applied to an unchanging nondual reality according to which "there exists a Reality (sat) that is unborn (aja)" that has essential nature (svabhava), and this is the "eternal, fearless, undecaying Self (Atman) and Brahman".[88] Thus, Gaudapada differs from Buddhist scholars such as Nagarjuna, states Comans, by accepting the premises and relying on the fundamental teaching of the Upanishads.[88] Among other things, Vedanta school of Hinduism holds the premise, "Atman exists, as self evident truth", a concept it uses in its theory of nondualism. Buddhism, in contrast, holds the premise, "Atman does not exist (or, An-atman) as self evident".[89][90][91]
Mahadevan suggests that Gaudapada adopted Buddhist terminology and adapted its doctrines to his Vedantic goals, much like early Buddhism adopted Upanishadic terminology and adapted its doctrines to Buddhist goals; both used pre-existing concepts and ideas to convey new meanings.[92] Dasgupta and Mohanta note that Buddhism and Shankara's Advaita Vedanta are not opposing systems, but "different phases of development of the same non-dualistic metaphysics from the Upanishadic period to the time of Sankara."[4]
Vishishtadvaita Vedanta[edit]
Ramanuja, founder of Vishishtadvaita Vedanta, taught 'qualified nondualism' doctrine.
See also: Bhedabheda
Vishishtadvaita Vedanta is another main school of Vedanta and teaches the nonduality of the qualified whole, in which Brahman alone exists, but is characterized by multiplicity. It can be described as "qualified monism," or "qualified non-dualism," or "attributive monism."
According to this school, the world is real, yet underlying all the differences is an all-embracing unity, of which all "things" are an "attribute." Ramanuja, the main proponent of Vishishtadvaita philosophy contends that the Prasthana Traya ("The three courses") – namely the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutras – are to be interpreted in a way that shows this unity in diversity, for any other way would violate their consistency.
Vedanta Desika defines Vishishtadvaita using the statement: Asesha Chit-Achit Prakaaram Brahmaikameva Tatvam – "Brahman, as qualified by the sentient and insentient modes (or attributes), is the only reality."
Neo-Vedanta[edit]
Main articles: Neo-Vedanta, Swami Vivekananda, and Ramakrishna Mission
Neo-Vedanta, also called "neo-Hinduism"[93] is a modern interpretation of Hinduism which developed in response to western colonialism and orientalism, and aims to present Hinduism as a "homogenized ideal of Hinduism"[94] with Advaita Vedanta as its central doctrine.[95]
Neo-Vedanta, as represented by Vivekananda and Radhakrishnan, is indebted to Advaita vedanta, but also reflects Advaya-philosophy. A main influence on neo-Advaita was Ramakrishna, himself a bhakta and tantrika, and the guru of Vivekananda. According to Michael Taft, Ramakrishna reconciled the dualism of formlessness and form.[96] Ramakrishna regarded the Supreme Being to be both Personal and Impersonal, active and inactive:
When I think of the Supreme Being as inactive – neither creating nor preserving nor destroying – I call Him Brahman or Purusha, the Impersonal God. When I think of Him as active – creating, preserving and destroying – I call Him Sakti or Maya or Prakriti, the Personal God. But the distinction between them does not mean a difference. The Personal and Impersonal are the same thing, like milk and its whiteness, the diamond and its lustre, the snake and its wriggling motion. It is impossible to conceive of the one without the other. The Divine Mother and Brahman are one.[97]
Radhakrishnan acknowledged the reality and diversity of the world of experience, which he saw as grounded in and supported by the absolute or Brahman.[web 4][note 8] According to Anil Sooklal, Vivekananda's neo-Advaita "reconciles Dvaita or dualism and Advaita or non-dualism":[99]
The Neo-Vedanta is also Advaitic inasmuch as it holds that Brahman, the Ultimate Reality, is one without a second, ekamevadvitiyam. But as distinguished from the traditional Advaita of Sankara, it is a synthetic Vedanta which reconciles Dvaita or dualism and Advaita or non-dualism and also other theories of reality. In this sense it may also be called concrete monism in so far as it holds that Brahman is both qualified, saguna, and qualityless, nirguna.[99]
Radhakrishnan also reinterpreted Shankara's notion of maya. According to Radhakrishnan, maya is not a strict absolute idealism, but "a subjective misperception of the world as ultimately real."[web 4] According to Sarma, standing in the tradition of Nisargadatta Maharaj, Advaitavāda means "spiritual non-dualism or absolutism",[100] in which opposites are manifestations of the Absolute, which itself is immanent and transcendent:[101]
All opposites like being and non-being, life and death, good and evil, light and darkness, gods and men, soul and nature are viewed as manifestations of the Absolute which is immanent in the universe and yet transcends it.[102]
Kashmir Shaivism[edit]
Main articles: Shaivism and Kashmir Shaivism
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Advaita is also a central concept in various schools of Shaivism, such as Kashmir Shaivism[42] and Shiva Advaita.
Kashmir Shaivism is a school of Śaivism, described by Abhinavagupta[note 9] as "paradvaita", meaning "the supreme and absolute non-dualism".[web 5] It is categorized by various scholars as monistic[103] idealism (absolute idealism, theistic monism,[104] realistic idealism,[105] transcendental physicalism or concrete monism[105]).
Kashmir Saivism is based on a strong monistic interpretation of the Bhairava Tantras and its subcategory the Kaula Tantras, which were tantras written by the Kapalikas.[106] There was additionally a revelation of the Siva Sutras to Vasugupta.[106] Kashmir Saivism claimed to supersede the dualistic Shaiva Siddhanta.[107] Somananda, the first theologian of monistic Saivism, was the teacher of Utpaladeva, who was the grand-teacher of Abhinavagupta, who in turn was the teacher of Ksemaraja.[106][108]
The philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism can be seen in contrast to Shankara's Advaita.[109] Advaita Vedanta holds that Brahman is inactive (niṣkriya) and the phenomenal world is an illusion (māyā). In Kashmir Shavisim, all things are a manifestation of the Universal Consciousness, Chit or Brahman.[110][111] Kashmir Shavisim sees the phenomenal world (Śakti) as real: it exists, and has its being in Consciousness (Chit).[112]
Kashmir Shaivism was influenced by, and took over doctrines from, several orthodox and heterodox Indian religious and philosophical traditions.[113] These include Vedanta, Samkhya, Patanjali Yoga and Nyayas, and various Buddhist schools, including Yogacara and Madhyamika,[113] but also Tantra and the Nath-tradition.[114]
Contemporary vernacular Advaita[edit]
Advaita is also part of other Indian traditions, which are less strongly, or not all, organised in monastic and institutional organisations. Although often called "Advaita Vedanta," these traditions have their origins in vernacular movements and "householder" traditions, and have close ties to the Nath, Nayanars and Sant Mat traditions.
Ramana Maharshi[edit]
Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) explained his insight using Shaiva Siddhanta, Advaita Vedanta and Yoga teachings.
Main article: Ramana Maharshi
Ramana Maharshi (30 December 1879 – 14 April 1950) is widely acknowledged as one of the outstanding Indian gurus of modern times.[115] Ramana's teachings are often interpreted as Advaita Vedanta, though Ramana Maharshi never "received diksha (initiation) from any recognised authority".[web 6] Ramana himself did not call his insights advaita:
D. Does Sri Bhagavan advocate advaita?
M. Dvaita and advaita are relative terms. They are based on the sense of duality. The Self is as it is. There is neither dvaita nor advaita. "I Am that I Am."[note 10] Simple Being is the Self.[117]
Neo-Advaita[edit]
Main article: Neo-Advaita
Neo-Advaita is a New Religious Movement based on a modern, western interpretation of Advaita Vedanta, especially the teachings of Ramana Maharshi.[118] According to Arthur Versluis, neo-Advaita is part of a larger religious current which he calls immediatism,[119][web 9] "the assertion of immediate spiritual illumination without much if any preparatory practice within a particular religious tradition."[web 9] Neo-Advaita is criticized for this immediatism and its lack of preparatory practices.[120][note 11][122][note 12] Notable neo-advaita teachers are H. W. L. Poonja[123][118] and his students Gangaji,[124] Andrew Cohen,[note 13], and Eckhart Tolle.[118]
According to a modern western spiritual teacher of nonduality, Jeff Foster, nonduality is:
the essential oneness (wholeness, completeness, unity) of life, a wholeness which exists here and now, prior to any apparent separation [...] despite the compelling appearance of separation and diversity there is only one universal essence, one reality. Oneness is all there is – and we are included.[126]
Natha Sampradaya and Inchegeri Sampradaya[edit]
Main articles: Nath, Sahaja, and Inchegeri Sampradaya
The Natha Sampradaya, with Nath yogis such as Gorakhnath, introduced Sahaja, the concept of a spontaneous spirituality. Sahaja means "spontaneous, natural, simple, or easy".[web 13] According to Ken Wilber, this state reflects nonduality.[127]
Buddhism[edit]
There are different Buddhist views which resonate with the concepts and experiences of non-duality or "not two" (advaya). The Buddha does not use the term advaya in the earliest Buddhist texts, but it does appear in some of the Mahayana sutras, such as the Vimalakīrti.[128] While the Buddha taught unified states of mental focus (samadhi) and meditative absorption (dhyana) which were commonly taught in Upanishadic thought, he also rejected the metaphysical doctrines of the Upanishads, particularly ideas which are often associated with Hindu nonduality, such as the doctrine that "this cosmos is the self" and "everything is a Oneness" (cf. SN 12.48 and MN 22).[129][130] Because of this, Buddhist views of nonduality are particularly different than Hindu conceptions, which tend towards idealistic monism.
In Indian Buddhism[edit]
The layman Vimalakīrti Debates Manjusri, Dunhuang Mogao Caves
According to Kameshwar Nath Mishra, one connotation of advaya in Indic Sanskrit Buddhist texts is that it refers to the middle way between two opposite extremes (such as eternalism and annihilationism), and thus it is "not two".[131]
One of these Sanskrit Mahayana sutras, the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra contains a chapter on the "Dharma gate of non-duality" (advaya dharma dvara pravesa) which is said to be entered once one understands how numerous pairs of opposite extremes are to be rejected as forms of grasping. These extremes which must be avoided in order to understand ultimate reality are described by various characters in the text, and include: Birth and extinction, 'I' and 'Mine', Perception and non-perception, defilement and purity, good and not-good, created and uncreated, worldly and unworldly, samsara and nirvana, enlightenment and ignorance, form and emptiness and so on.[132] The final character to attempt to describe ultimate reality is the bodhisattva Manjushri, who states:
It is in all beings wordless, speechless, shows no signs, is not possible of cognizance, and is above all questioning and answering.[133]
Vimalakīrti responds to this statement by maintaining completely silent, therefore expressing that the nature of ultimate reality is ineffable (anabhilāpyatva) and inconceivable (acintyatā), beyond verbal designation (prapañca) or thought constructs (vikalpa).[133] The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, a text associated with Yogācāra Buddhism, also uses the term "advaya" extensively.[134]
In the Mahayana Buddhist philosophy of Madhyamaka, the two truths or ways of understanding reality, are said to be advaya (not two). As explained by the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna, there is a non-dual relationship, that is, there is no absolute separation, between conventional and ultimate truth, as well as between samsara and nirvana.[135][136] The concept of nonduality is also important in the other major Indian Mahayana tradition, the Yogacara school, where it is seen as the absence of duality between the perceiving subject (or "grasper") and the object (or "grasped"). It is also seen as an explanation of emptiness and as an explanation of the content of the awakened mind which sees through the illusion of subject-object duality. However, it is important to note that in this conception of non-dualism, there are still a multiplicity of individual mind streams (citta santana) and thus Yogacara does not teach an idealistic monism.[137]
These basic ideas have continued to influence Mahayana Buddhist doctrinal interpretations of Buddhist traditions such as Dzogchen, Mahamudra, Zen, Huayan and Tiantai as well as concepts such as Buddha-nature, luminous mind, Indra's net, rigpa and shentong.
Madhyamaka[edit]
Main articles: Madhyamika, Shunyata, and Two truths doctrine
Nagarjuna (right), Aryadeva (middle) and the Tenth Karmapa (left).
Madhyamaka, also known as Śūnyavāda (the emptiness teaching), refers primarily to a Mahāyāna Buddhist school of philosophy [138] founded by Nāgārjuna. In Madhyamaka, Advaya refers to the fact that the two truths are not separate or different.,[139] as well as the non-dual relationship of saṃsāra (the round of rebirth and suffering) and nirvāṇa (cessation of suffering, liberation).[42] According to Murti, in Madhyamaka, "Advaya" is an epistemological theory, unlike the metaphysical view of Hindu Advaita.[54] Madhyamaka advaya is closely related to the classical Buddhist understanding that all things are impermanent (anicca) and devoid of "self" (anatta) or "essenceless" (niḥsvabhāvavā),[140][141][142] and that this emptiness does not constitute an "absolute" reality in itself.[note 14].
In Madhyamaka, the two "truths" (satya) refer to conventional (saṃvṛti) and ultimate (paramārtha) truth.[143] The ultimate truth is "emptiness", or non-existence of inherently existing "things",[144] and the "emptiness of emptiness": emptiness does not in itself constitute an absolute reality. Conventionally, "things" exist, but ultimately, they are "empty" of any existence on their own, as described in Nagarjuna's magnum opus, the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MMK):
The Buddha's teaching of the Dharma is based on two truths: a truth of worldly convention and an ultimate truth. Those who do not understand the distinction drawn between these two truths do not understand the Buddha's profound truth. Without a foundation in the conventional truth the significance of the ultimate cannot be taught. Without understanding the significance of the ultimate, liberation is not achieved.[note 15]
As Jay Garfield notes, for Nagarjuna, to understand the two truths as totally different from each other is to reify and confuse the purpose of this doctrine, since it would either destroy conventional realities such as the Buddha's teachings and the empirical reality of the world (making Madhyamaka a form of nihilism) or deny the dependent origination of phenomena (by positing eternal essences). Thus the non-dual doctrine of the middle way lies beyond these two extremes.[146]
"Emptiness" is a consequence of pratītyasamutpāda (dependent arising),[147] the teaching that no dharma ("thing", "phenomena") has an existence of its own, but always comes into existence in dependence on other dharmas. According to Madhyamaka all phenomena are empty of "substance" or "essence" (Sanskrit: svabhāva) because they are dependently co-arisen. Likewise it is because they are dependently co-arisen that they have no intrinsic, independent reality of their own. Madhyamaka also rejects the existence of absolute realities or beings such as Brahman or Self.[148] In the highest sense, "ultimate reality" is not an ontological Absolute reality that lies beneath an unreal world, nor is it the non-duality of a personal self (atman) and an absolute Self (cf. Purusha). Instead, it is the knowledge which is based on a deconstruction of such reifications and Conceptual proliferations.[149] It also means that there is no "transcendental ground," and that "ultimate reality" has no existence of its own, but is the negation of such a transcendental reality, and the impossibility of any statement on such an ultimately existing transcendental reality: it is no more than a fabrication of the mind.[web 14][note 16] Susan Kahn further explains:
Ultimate truth does not point to a transcendent reality, but to the transcendence of deception. It is critical to emphasize that the ultimate truth of emptiness is a negational truth. In looking for inherently existent phenomena it is revealed that it cannot be found. This absence is not findable because it is not an entity, just as a room without an elephant in it does not contain an elephantless substance. Even conventionally, elephantlessness does not exist. Ultimate truth or emptiness does not point to an essence or nature, however subtle, that everything is made of.[web 15]
However, according to Nagarjuna, even the very schema of ultimate and conventional, samsara and nirvana, is not a final reality, and he thus famously deconstructs even these teachings as being empty and not different from each other in the MMK where he writes:[41]
The limit (koti) of nirvāṇa is that of saṃsāra
The subtlest difference is not found between the two.
According to Nancy McCagney, what this refers to is that the two truths depend on each other; without emptiness, conventional reality cannot work, and vice versa. It does not mean that samsara and nirvana are the same, or that they are one single thing, as in Advaita Vedanta, but rather that they are both empty, open, without limits, and merely exist for the conventional purpose of teaching the Buddha Dharma.[41] Referring to this verse, Jay Garfield writes that:
to distinguish between samsara and nirvana would be to suppose that each had a nature and that they were different natures. But each is empty, and so there can be no inherent difference. Moreover, since nirvana is by definition the cessation of delusion and of grasping and, hence, of the reification of self and other and of confusing imputed phenomena for inherently real phenomena, it is by definition the recognition of the ultimate nature of things. But if, as Nagarjuna argued in Chapter XXIV, this is simply to see conventional things as empty, not to see some separate emptiness behind them, then nirvana must be ontologically grounded in the conventional. To be in samsara is to see things as they appear to deluded consciousness and to interact with them accordingly. To be in nirvana, then, is to see those things as they are - as merely empty, dependent, impermanent, and nonsubstantial, not to be somewhere else, seeing something else.[150]
It is important to note however that the actual Sanskrit term "advaya" does not appear in the MMK, and only appears in one single work by Nagarjuna, the Bodhicittavivarana.[151]
The later Madhyamikas, states Yuichi Kajiyama, developed the Advaya definition as a means to Nirvikalpa-Samadhi by suggesting that "things arise neither from their own selves nor from other things, and that when subject and object are unreal, the mind, being not different, cannot be true either; thereby one must abandon attachment to cognition of nonduality as well, and understand the lack of intrinsic nature of everything". Thus, the Buddhist nondualism or Advaya concept became a means to realizing absolute emptiness.[152]
Yogācāra tradition[edit]
Asaṅga (fl. 4th century C.E.), a Mahayana scholar who wrote numerous works which discuss the Yogacara view and practice.
Main article: Yogacara
In the Mahayana tradition of Yogācāra (Skt; "yoga practice"), adyava (Tibetan: gnyis med) refers to overcoming the conceptual and perceptual dichotomies of cognizer and cognized, or subject and object.[42][153][154][155] The concept of adyava in Yogācāra is an epistemological stance on the nature of experience and knowledge, as well as a phenomenological exposition of yogic cognitive transformation. Early Buddhism schools such as Sarvastivada and Sautrāntika, that thrived through the early centuries of the common era, postulated a dualism (dvaya) between the mental activity of grasping (grāhaka, "cognition", "subjectivity") and that which is grasped (grāhya, "cognitum", intentional object).[156][152][156][157] Yogacara postulates that this dualistic relationship is a false illusion or superimposition (samaropa).[152]
Yogācāra also taught the doctrine which held that only mental cognitions really exist (vijñapti-mātra),[158][note 17] instead of the mind-body dualism of other Indian Buddhist schools.[152][156][158] This is another sense in which reality can be said to be non-dual, because it is "consciousness-only".[159] There are several interpretations of this main theory, which has been widely translated as representation-only, ideation-only, impressions-only and perception-only.[160][158][161][162] Some scholars see it as a kind of subjective or epistemic Idealism (similar to Kant's theory) while others argue that it is closer to a kind of phenomenology or representationalism. According to Mark Siderits the main idea of this doctrine is that we are only ever aware of mental images or impressions which manifest themselves as external objects, but "there is actually no such thing outside the mind."[163] For Alex Wayman, this doctrine means that "the mind has only a report or representation of what the sense organ had sensed."[161] Jay Garfield and Paul Williams both see the doctrine as a kind of Idealism in which only mentality exists.[164][165]
However, it is important to note that even the idealistic interpretation of Yogācāra is not an absolute monistic idealism like Advaita Vedanta or Hegelianism, since in Yogācāra, even consciousness "enjoys no transcendent status" and is just a conventional reality.[166] Indeed, according to Jonathan Gold, for Yogācāra, the ultimate truth is not consciousness, but an ineffable and inconceivable "thusness" or "thatness" (tathatā).[153] Also, Yogācāra affirms the existence of individual mindstreams, and thus Kochumuttom also calls it a realistic pluralism.[82]
The Yogācārins defined three basic modes by which we perceive our world. These are referred to in Yogācāra as the three natures (trisvabhāva) of experience. They are:[167][168]
Parikalpita (literally, "fully conceptualized"): "imaginary nature", wherein things are incorrectly comprehended based on conceptual and linguistic construction, attachment and the subject object duality. It is thus equivalent to samsara.
Paratantra (literally, "other dependent"): "dependent nature", by which the dependently originated nature of things, their causal relatedness or flow of conditionality. It is the basis which gets erroneously conceptualized,
Pariniṣpanna (literally, "fully accomplished"): "absolute nature", through which one comprehends things as they are in themselves, that is, empty of subject-object and thus is a type of non-dual cognition. This experience of "thatness" (tathatā) is uninfluenced by any conceptualization at all.
To move from the duality of the Parikalpita to the non-dual consciousness of the Pariniṣpanna, Yogācāra teaches that there must be a transformation of consciousness, which is called the "revolution of the basis" (āśraya-parāvṛtti). According to Dan Lusthaus, this transformation which characterizes awakening is a "radical psycho-cognitive change" and a removal of false "interpretive projections" on reality (such as ideas of a self, external objects, etc).[169]
The Mahāyānasūtrālamkāra, a Yogācāra text, also associates this transformation with the concept of non-abiding nirvana and the non-duality of samsara and nirvana. Regarding this state of Buddhahood, it states:
Its operation is nondual (advaya vrtti) because of its abiding neither in samsara nor in nirvana (samsaranirvana-apratisthitatvat), through its being both conditioned and unconditioned (samskrta-asamskrtatvena).[170]
This refers to the Yogācāra teaching that even though a Buddha has entered nirvana, they do no "abide" in some quiescent state separate from the world but continue to give rise to extensive activity on behalf of others.[170] This is also called the non-duality between the compounded (samskrta, referring to samsaric existence) and the uncompounded (asamskrta, referring to nirvana). It is also described as a "not turning back" from both samsara and nirvana.[171]
For the later thinker Dignaga, non-dual knowledge or advayajñāna is also a synonym for prajñaparamita (transcendent wisdom) which liberates one from samsara.[172]
Other Indian traditions[edit]
Buddha nature or tathagata-garbha (literally "Buddha womb") is that which allows sentient beings to become Buddhas.[173] Various Mahayana texts such as the Tathāgatagarbha sūtras focus on this idea and over time it became a very influential doctrine in Indian Buddhism, as well in East Asian and Tibetan Buddhism. The Buddha nature teachings may be regarded as a form of nondualism. According to Sally B King, all beings are said to be or possess tathagata-garbha, which is nondual Thusness or Dharmakaya. This reality, states King, transcends the "duality of self and not-self", the "duality of form and emptiness" and the "two poles of being and non being".[174]
There various interpretations and views on Buddha nature and the concept became very influential in India, China and Tibet, where it also became a source of much debate. In later Indian Yogācāra, a new sub-school developed which adopted the doctrine of tathagata-garbha into the Yogācāra system.[166] The influence of this hybrid school can be seen in texts like the Lankavatara Sutra and the Ratnagotravibhaga. This synthesis of Yogācāra tathagata-garbha became very influential in later Buddhist traditions, such as Indian Vajrayana, Chinese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.[175][166] Yet another development in late Indian Buddhism was the synthesis of Madhymaka and Yogacara philosophies into a single system, by figures such as Śāntarakṣita (8th century). Buddhist Tantra, also known as Vajrayana, Mantrayana or Esoteric Buddhism, drew upon all these previous Indian Buddhist ideas and nondual philosophies to develop innovative new traditions of Buddhist practice and new religious texts called the Buddhist tantras (from the 6th century onwards).[176] Tantric Buddhism was influential in China and is the main form of Buddhism in the Himalayan regions, especially Tibetan Buddhism.
Here, in Paradise City, the genetic fallacy has been taken to a new level. Art can now be labelled harmful, racist, genocidal -- not because of what it says, but because of who says it.
Finally added the rest of the details: basketball lines, skin, shadows, highlights, shoes, white surrounding the figure.
For those who follow these sorts of things, you'll know that the title for this piece is a fallacy. That is, Kevin Durant was NOT the 1st Overall Draft pick for 2007. He was the 2nd - Greg Oden was 1st. Big shout out goes to my brother-in-law Von Corrona for coming up with this concept. Over the holidays, when I was thinking about what to do for the show, I asked Von his thoughts on what aspect of the Trail Blazers I could depict. After giving it some thought, he smiled a bit and said (paraphrased here, of course), "I don't know how people will feel about it, but you could do something about that whole Oden/Durant thing." I had to ask, because I wasn't familiar with this 'thing' and then I remembered: when we first moved to Portland in 2007, there was a BIG commotion about Greg Oden coming to Portland. ODEN this, ODEN that - Oden was EVERYWHERE. All the press and fans were talking about Oden, to the point where it was like he was the Chosen One. Of course, he got injured. Again. And again. He's become a big BUST for the Trail Blazers, and this has spurned many to speculate "What If?" What if they had chosen Kevin Durant over Oden that year? Kevin Durant, who became the Rookie of the Year for 2007, who's gone on to win the MVP for the NBA, among several other awards, playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder (which was originally the Seattle Supersonics). So, yeah. I thought that that would be a good angle to go with for my piece for Boomshakalaka. Thanks, Von!
The phenomenon of overeating at a Chinese buffet is often driven by a psychological concept known as the "sunk cost fallacy" combined with competitive pricing. When you pay a fixed entry price (e.g. $20), your brain instinctively wants to "win" the transaction by consuming more than $20 worth of food. This economic pressure overrides your body's natural hunger signals, treating the meal as a challenge rather than a form of nourishment. You aren't just eating until you are full; you are eating until you feel you have extracted sufficient value from the restaurant, leading to a disconnect between your stomach’s capacity and your mind’s ambition.
Biologically, you are also falling victim to "sensory-specific satiety." If you were eating a large bowl of only fried rice, you would get bored of the flavor and stop eating relatively quickly. However, a buffet offers dozens of distinct flavor profiles - salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and umami. When your palate becomes "bored" or satiated by the General Tso’s chicken, the brain perceives the shrimp lo mein or the crab rangoons as an entirely new food source, effectively resetting your appetite. This allows you to consume significantly more total calories than you would if the meal consisted of just one or two dishes.
The immediate consequence of this binge is often a physical state known colloquially as the "food coma," or post-prandial somnolence. Chinese buffet food in Westernized settings is typically calorically dense and heavy in refined carbohydrates (rice, noodles, breading). Consuming a massive amount of these carbs causes a rapid spike in blood glucose, followed by a surge of insulin to manage it. This eventually leads to a blood sugar crash that leaves you feeling lethargic and foggy. Furthermore, the sheer volume of food diverts a significant amount of your body's energy and blood flow toward the digestive system, leaving the rest of you feeling tired and sluggish.
A more specific health issue related to this cuisine is sodium retention. Many buffet-style Chinese dishes rely heavily on sauces rich in soy sauce, MSG (monosodium glutamate), and salt to maintain flavor over time on a steam table. A single meal can easily exceed the recommended daily sodium limit for an adult. This excess sodium causes your body to hold onto water to dilute the salt, leading to significant bloating, puffiness, and excessive thirst (often called the "sodium hangover") for hours or even days after the meal. For individuals with high blood pressure, this sudden sodium spike can place dangerous stress on the cardiovascular system.
In the long term, frequent indulgence in this style of eating contributes to metabolic strain and weight gain. The combination of deep-fried proteins, sugary glazes (like those found on orange chicken), and simple carbohydrates creates a "hyper-palatable" meal that is easy to overconsume but poor in satiating fiber and micronutrients. Regularly subjecting your body to this cycle of extreme caloric surplus and insulin spiking increases the risk of developing insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. Ultimately, the "value" gained from the all-you-can-eat price is negated by the toll the excess sugar, bad fats, and sodium take on your metabolic health.
Test print for a new tintype/ambrotype series I am working on. Mixture of both digital negatives as well as traditional film negatives and printing.
Did very little in the morning and (wisely) decided against going to see Port Vale (They lost 4-1 at home). Got a notification from Currys that my Boxing day sale monitor had arrived, so went to pick that up and did a bit of food shopping on the way back. Watched "Elizabethtown" for the umpteenth time and set up the new monitor - and that was about it for the day. Outside was pretty gloomy - pathetic fallacy for the season's mood.
The gulls cried in sterile circles as the galleon bucked the dark, and the sea tore at its wooden spine. The storm was a chorus of knives wind, rain, and the mien of old sailors who spoke in weathered riddles. Lantern light smeared across the deck, and every wave seemed to carry a memory of a map that did not exist.
Then the world changed, not with a smash but a sigh. The horizon unstitched itself into pale, quiet edges, and the sea, suddenly, did not want to be sea at all. The masts bent toward a sky that felt unfamiliar, a gentleness that pressed like a distant touch on the back of the neck.
The ship drifted into a pale calm that smelled of old bread and rainless air. There were no reefs of fear, no roaring tempests, only the soft, insistently ordinary rhythm of a world choosing to exist without storms. The mates stepped out onto a planked floor that looked like wood, but sounded and breathed differently, other seas, other seconds when the air itself trembled with possibility.
The galleon anchored in a harbor that felt both far away and precisely near, as if it had always been here, waiting for someone to notice. The crew spoke in hushed tones about the storm they had survived, but the storm had no appetite to define them anymore it had become a choice, a rumor, a fallacy that drifted away with the tide.
In this other Earth, the storm was a memory of a memory, a question that never needed answering. They learned to walk along streets that breathed like lungs, to listen to rain that refused to fall the weather here did not argue with itself it simply chose to be. And so the galleon sat in its harbor, translated into a quieter, impossible certainty, that there are worlds where storms do not need to exist to teach us what it means to endure the weather of becoming.
⁛ from a diary that never existed
© 2025 Lorrie Agapi – All rights reserved.
My heart, my words. Please respect them.
Every poem, every story, and every thought I share is a part of my soul. To take them without permission is to take a piece of me
a piece that will always remind you these words are mine and can never be yours.
Even if you alter them, it is still my soul that lingers,
whispering to you: You are incapable of creating your own,
and that is why you copy what belongs to others.
Today's Issues:
One of the toughest issues in the Philippine political scene is reproductive health options. Being in a generally catholic country, the catholic church intervenes, and is a big factor, with such kinds of morality issues.
But unfortunately, we are still classified as a 3rd world country, thus, poverty and cost of living are issues that should be addressed as well.
FAVE ME means, favor me. I want the bill passed, if you're catholic (like I am) you have a choice, but choices are not protections. The best protection is loyalty.
Now, if you practice extra-marital affairs, you may be protected now by using rubber, but you wont be protected from hell.
more of the issue here:
strobist:
150W @ 1/16
vivitar 285 @1/2 with red gel pointed to background
you guys think I should tag this as unsafe?
Test print for a new tintype/ambrotype series I am working on. Mixture of both digital negatives as well as traditional film negatives and printing.
To put an end to the fallacy of the infinite, I'm going to open the door of the decision.
[ handmade collage ]
There is a lady I know who lives in Paris since a long time.
She is always trying to seduce anyone who comes nearby, she is not doing much, just trying to unbutton her dress and she is doing this since a very long time.
When I met her I was too young to understand but I could already feel her heart beating when I was visiting the palace where she stays.
Recently I decided to spend some time with her and I was talking to her while she was playing with shadows in which she kept wrapping herself, maybe she wanted to hide a little thinking that I would dislike the embrace of time on her body.
She forgot that she is ageless, people even think that she is the concept of beauty as she stands for ever in the greek sculpture room of the Hellenistic period which is in Le Louvre museum in Paris.
I have been using colours in order to emphase the naturalism and movement and to provide a fallacy of equivocation.
© All photographs are copyrighted and all rights reserved.
Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.
Zheng Muen is a co-worker at a Chinese Christian church in the United States. He has believed in the Lord for many years, and has worked for the Lord with unwavering enthusiasm. One day, his aunt witnessed to him that the Lord Jesus has returned and expressed the truth, and that He is performing the judgment and cleansing work of the last days. Hearing this news, Zheng Muen was very excited. Through reading Almighty God's words and watching the movies and videos of The Church of Almighty God, Zheng Muen confirmed from his heart that the words of Almighty God are the truth, and that Almighty God is quite possibly the second coming of Lord Jesus. Therefore, he and several brothers and sisters began investigating God's work of the last days. Unexpectedly, when Pastor Ma of his church learned this, he tried to disrupt and hinder Zheng Muen over and over. In order to make Zheng Muen give up examining the true way, Pastor Ma let him watch videos that the Chinese Communist government used to discredit and condemn Eastern Lightning. Zheng Muen was puzzled and couldn't understand why religious pastors and elders condemn Almighty God when it's clear that Almighty God's words are the truth and the voice of God, and why they not only do not seek and investigate the true way themselves but block other believers from accepting it. Why is this? … Afraid of being deceived and taking the wrong path, and at the same time afraid of missing the opportunity to be raptured at the Lord's return, Zheng Muen felt conflicted and confused. Just at that time, Pastor Ma sent him some negative propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party and the religious world. After reading it, Zheng Muen became doubtful. He believed the pastor's words and gave up investigating the true way. Later on, the witnesses of The Church of Almighty God fellowshiped about the truth with him, which allowed Zheng Muen to understand that the fundamental principle of investigating the true way is to see whether it has the truth and whether what is expressed is the voice of God. Only the appearance and work of Christ can express many truths, because no corrupt humans can express the truth. This is a manifold fact. If one does not pay attention to hearing the voice of God and only rely on their imagination to wait for the Lord Jesus to descend on a cloud, they will never be able to welcome God's appearance. Zheng Muen finally understood the mystery of the wise virgins hearing the voice of God that the Lord Jesus spoke of. He no longer believed the lies and fallacies of the Chinese Communist government and the religious world, and broke away from the control and bondage of the religious pastor. Zheng Muen deeply felt that it's not simple to investigate the true way, and that if one cannot discern things and does not seek the truth, they will never hear the voice of God or be brought before God's throne, and they will only die ensnared in Satan's net, which will fulfill these words in the Bible: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos 4:6), and "Fools die for want of wisdom" (Pro 10:21).
Stagecoach East Midlands Volvo B7TL/EL Vyking FX54AOC (16913) seen as it loads in the market town of Caistor whilst operating the 10:40 Lincoln-Grimsby 53.
Shortly after taking this photograph I was confused by a passer-by with someone waiting to photograph an imaginary cycle race. 'Have none of them turned up?', he asked, with a degree of sympathy which did not immediately betray the fallacy of his fabrication. Suffice to say that was probably the most interesting event which took place in Caistor this morning, threatened only by the quizzical stares of the youth sat adjacent to the window in the hairdressers behind the memorial.
Again from wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathetic_fallacy
"The fruitful field, Laughs with abundance" - William Cowper
Two thousand years ago, the Lord Jesus prophesied, "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him" (Matthew 25:6). "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). For these two thousand years, believers in the Lord have been watching and waiting for the Lord to knock at their door. But how will the Lord knock at our door when He comes again? … In the last days, some people testify that the Lord Jesus has already returned, and He is the incarnated Almighty God, who is doing the judgment work in the last days. This message sends shock waves through the religious world.
… The heroine of this film, Yang Aiguang has believed in the Lord for decades, and she has been working and preaching for the Lord enthusiastically and waiting to welcome the return of Him. One day, some people knocked at her door and told Yang Aiguang and her husband a news that the Lord Jesus has returned, and read the words of Almighty God to them. The couple were deeply moved by the words of Almighty God. However, because of being deceived and bound by the fallacies of the pastor and elder, Yang Aiguang drove the preachers of The Church of Almighty God out and slammed the door shut on them. Later on, the preachers came many times to knock at her door, read to her the words of Almighty God and bear witness to the work of Almighty God in the last days. During that period, the pastor disrupted and blocked her time after time, and she had been hesitating. But through listening to the words of Almighty God, Yang Aiguang understood the truth and had the ability to discern the rumors and fallacies of the pastor and elder. She finally saw the way the Lord knocks at people's door when He returns and how to welcome His second coming. … After the dense fog cleared off, Yang Aiguang heard the voice of God and recognized the fact that Almighty God is indeed the returned Lord Jesus.
A dichotomy /daɪˈkɒtəmi/ is a partition of a whole (or a set) into two parts (subsets). In other words, this couple of parts must be
jointly exhaustive: everything must belong to one part or the other, and
mutually exclusive: nothing can belong simultaneously to both parts.
If there is a concept A, and it is split into parts B and not-B, then the parts form a dichotomy: they are mutually exclusive, since no part of B is contained in not-B and vice versa, and they are jointly exhaustive, since they cover all of A, and together again give A.
Such a partition is also frequently called a bipartition.
The two parts thus formed are complements. In logic, the partitions are opposites if there exists a proposition such that it holds over one and not the other.
Treating continuous variables or multicategorical variables as binary variables is called dichotomization. The discretization error inherent in dichotomization is temporarily ignored for modeling purposes.
Contents
1Etymology
2Usage and examples
3See also
4References
Etymology
The term dichotomy is from the Greek language Greek: διχοτομία dichotomía "dividing in two" from δίχα dícha "in two, asunder" and τομή tomḗ "a cutting, incision".
Usage and examples
In set theory, a dichotomous relation R is such that either aRb, bRa, but not both.[1]
A false dichotomy is an informal fallacy consisting of a supposed dichotomy which fails one or both of the conditions: it is not jointly exhaustive and/or not mutually exclusive. In its most common form, two entities are presented as if they are exhaustive, when in fact other alternatives are possible. In some cases, they may be presented as if they are mutually exclusive although there is a broad middle ground [2](see also undistributed middle).
One type of dichotomy is dichotomous classification – classifying objects by recursively splitting them into two groups. As Lewis Carroll explains, "After dividing a Class, by the Process of Dichotomy, into two smaller Classes, we may sub-divide each of these into two still smaller Classes; and this Process may be repeated over and over again, the number of Classes being doubled at each repetition. For example, we may divide “books” into “old” and “new” (i.e. “not-old”): we may then sub-divide each of these into “English” and “foreign” (i.e. “not-English”), thus getting four Classes."[3]
In statistics, dichotomous data may only exist at first two levels of measurement, namely at the nominal level of measurement (such as "British" vs "American" when measuring nationality) and at the ordinal level of measurement (such as "tall" vs "short", when measuring height). A variable measured dichotomously is called a dummy variable.
In computer science, more specifically in programming-language engineering, dichotomies are fundamental dualities in a language's design. For instance, C++ has a dichotomy in its memory model (heap versus stack), whereas Java has a dichotomy in its type system (references versus primitive data types).
In astronomy dichotomy is when the Moon or an inferior planet is exactly half-lit as viewed from Earth. For the Moon, this occurs slightly before one quarter Moon orbit and slightly after the third quarter of the Moon's orbit at 89.85° and 270.15°, respectively. Dichotomy occurs when the Sun-Moon-Earth angle is 90°. (This is not to be confused with Quadrature_(astronomy) which is when the Sun-Earth-Moon/superior planet angle is 90°.)
Bile beans were a laxative tonic marketed in the late 19th century. They were purported to contain extracts from a mystery vegetable source (aloe) discovered by a fictitious chemist called Charles Forde. It was claimed to cure, amongst many other things, the sadly much forgotten ailment of 'biliousness'.
This iconic ghost wall sign in York has recently been given a facelift and a new coat of paint.
The Bile Beans product was a precursor of much of today's 'lifestyle medicine'.
Styles are the accident and by no means the essence of art; the free man is not trying to express himself, but that which was to be expressed. Our conception of art as essentially the expression of a personality, our whole view of genius, our impertinent curiosities about the artist’s private life, all these things are the products of a perverted individualism and prevent our understanding of the nature of medieval and oriental art.
The modern mania for attribution is the expression of Renaissance conceit and nineteenth century humanism; it has nothing to do with the nature of medieval art, and becomes a pathetic fallacy when applied to it.
In all respects the traditional artist devotes himself to the good of the work to be done. The operation is a rite, the celebrant neither intentionally nor even consciously expressing himself.
It is by no accident of time, but in accordance with a governing concept of the meaning of life, that works of traditional art, whether Christian, Oriental or folk art, are hardly ever signed: the artist is anonymous, or if a name has survived, we know little or nothing of the man. This is true as much for literary as for plastic artifacts. In traditional arts it is never Who said? but only What was said? that concerns us: for “all that is true, by whomsoever it has been said, has its origin in the Spirit.”
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Ananda K. Coomaraswamy: The Christian and Oriental, or True, Philosophy of Art
What is beautiful? Does everything have to be traditionally pretty? Can I be beautiful despite my physical imperfections and all of my intangible fallacies?
Efke 25, F/16, 10 seconds
Rodinal 1:100
Only counting books I read (or soon-ish will have read) in their entirety…
Below are starting dates, titles, authors, and some quotes / comments that I could think of. :p Hopefully I have not typo-ed up the quotes too badly.
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15-Jan-2022: 1. Kompendium i klinisk kemi by Ulrika Falkenö, Anna Hillström, Bernt Jones, Inger Lilliehöök, Emma Strage, Bodil Ström Holst, & Harold Tvedten
Almost-a-book on clinical chemistry. Directed at vet students, but my vet nursing class also got copies in 2017. I never got around to reading it until now. :p Promptly LOST my copy at a train station :'( BUT it turned out that my nice boss had it as a PDF! :D
25-Jan-2022: 2. Little brother by Cory Doctorow
Fave! And a re-read.
12-Mar-2022: 3. The alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A re-read.
14-Apr-2022: 4. The language instinct: How the mind creates language by Steven Pinker
"Thinking of language as an instinct inverts the popular wisdom, especially as it has been passed down in the canon of the humanities and social sciences. Language is no more a cultural invention than is upright posture. It is not a manifestation of a general capacity to use symbols: a three-year-old, as we shall see, is a grammatical genius, but is quite incompetent at the visual arts, religious iconography, traffic signs, and the other staples of the semiotics curriculum. Though language is a magnificent ability unique to Homo sapiens among living species, it does not call for sequestering the study of humans from the domain of biology, for a magnificent ability unique to a particular living species is far from unique in the animal kingdom. Some kinds of bats home in on flying insects using Doppler sonar. Some kinds of migratory birds navigate thousands of miles by calibrating the positions of the constellations against the time of day and year. In nature’s talent show we are simply a species of primate with our own act, a knack for communicating information about who did what to whom by modulating the sounds we make when we exhale."
Quotes "the following pseudo-German notice that used to be posted in many university computing centers in the English-speaking world:
'ACHTUNG! ALLES LOOKENSPEEPERS!
Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen and poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepen das cottenpickenen hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.'"
"Another team is trying to teach a computer the basics of human common sense, which they estimate to comprise about ten million facts."
"Let me begin with the ability to learn, and by convincing you that there is something to explain. Many social scientists believe that learning is some pinnacle of evolution that humans have scaled from the lowlands of instinct, so that our ability to learn can be explained by our exalted braininess. But biology says otherwise. Learning is found in organisms as simple as bacteria, and, as James and Chomsky pointed out, human intelligence may depend on our having more innate instincts, not fewer. Learning is an option, like camouflage or horns, that nature gives organisms as needed – when some aspect of the organism's environmental niche is so unpredictable that anticipation of its contingencies cannot be wired in. For example, birds that nest on small cliff ledges do not learn to recognize their offspring. They do not need to, for any blob of the right size and shape in their nest is sure to be one. Birds that nest in large colonies, in contrast, are in danger of feeding some neighbor's offspring that sneaks in, and they have evolved a mechanism that allows them to learn the particular nuances of their own babies.
Even when a trait starts off as a product of learning, it does not have to remain so. Evolutionary theory, supported by computer simulations, has shown that when an environment is stable, there is a selective pressure for learned abilities to become increasingly innate. That is because if an ability is innate, it can be deployed earlier in the lifespan of the creature, and there is less of a chance that an unlucky creature will miss out on the experiences that would have been necessary to teach it."
"What an irony it is that the supposed attempt to bring Homo sapiens down a few notches in the natural order has taken the form of us humans hectoring another species into emulating our instinctive form of communication, or some artificial form we have invented, as if that were the measure of biological worth. The chimpanzees' resistance is no shame on them; a human would surely do no better if trained to hoot and shriek like a chimp, a symmetrical project that makes about as much scientific sense. In fact, the idea that some species needs our intervention before its members can display a useful skill, like some bird that could not fly until given a human education, is far from humble!"
"Until the recent invention of the Heimlich maneuver, choking on food was the sixth leading cause of accidental death in the United States, claiming six thousand victims a year. The positioning of the larynx deep in the throat, and the tongue far enough low and back to articulate a range of vowels, also compromised breathing and chewing. Presumably the communicative benefits outweighed the physiological costs."
Contains a list of "human universals" compiled by anthropologist Donald E. Brown. As the list is a 2-page wall of text, I'll just link to the quote here. :)
9-Jul-2022: 5. Vägen till Jerusalem by Jan Guillou
Fave! And a re-read. Book 1 in a trilogy about a knight in the 1100's. The trilogy (which is available in English) has feminism and Arabian horses and shit. :) And there is just something about historical novels, man. :q Now I really want to read another novel series by Guillou, 10 books about the 1900's. :D
15-Jul-2022: 6. The call of the wild by Jack London
My fave novel! And a re-read.
18-Jul-2022: 7. A Shropshire lad by A.E. Housman
Collection of poems that Richard Dawkins kept going on about, so I checked them out. Here's my fave from the collection:
"Along the field as we came by
A year ago, my love and I,
The aspen over stile and stone
Was talking to itself alone.
'Oh who are these that kiss and pass?
A country lover and his lass;
Two lovers looking to be wed;
And time shall put them both to bed,
But she shall lie with earth above,
And he beside another love.'
And sure enough beneath the tree
There walks another love with me,
And overhead the aspen heaves
Its rainy-sounding silver leaves;
And I spell nothing in their stir,
But now perhaps they speak to her,
And plain for her to understand
They talk about a time at hand
When I shall sleep with clover clad,
And she beside another lad."
20-Jul-2022: 8. Books do furnish a life: Reading and writing science by Richard Dawkins
Fave! A compilation of book reviews and the like by the Dawk, my fave writer.
"And the point has often been made to me that if you call somebody an idiot you're not going to change his mind, and that's possibly true, but you may change the minds of a thousand people listening in and so I'm less inhibited about calling him an idiot."
"It is possible to take a robust view of extinction, even mass extinction. We can tough-mindedly point out that extinction is the norm for species throughout geological history. Even our own swath of chainsaw and concrete devastation is only the latest in a long series of cleanouts from which life has always bounced back. What are we and our domination of the world but another natural process, no worse than many before? The catastrophe that ended the dinosaurs had a consequence that might lead us to take a positively cheerful attitude towards it: us. From a more dispassionate point of view, every mass extinction opens up yawning gaps in the market, and the headlong rush to fill them is what, time after time, has enriched the diversity of our planet.
Even the most devastating of mass extinctions can be defended as the necessary purging that makes rebirth possible. No doubt it is fascinating to wonder whether rats or starlings might provide the ancestral stock for a new radiation of giant predators, in the event that the whole order Carnivora was wiped out. But none of us would ever know, for we do not live on the evolutionary timescale. It is an aesthetic argument, an argument of feeling, not reason, and I confess that my own feelings recoil. I find my aesthetics incapable of quite such a long view.
The dinosaurs are gone. I mourn them and I mourn the giant ammonites, and before them the mammal-like reptiles and the club moss and tree fern forests of the coal measures, and before them the trilobites and eurypterids: but they are beyond recall. What we have now is a new set of communities, our own contemporary buildup of mutually compatible mammals and birds, flowering plants and pollinating insects. They are not better than the communities that preceded them. But they are here, we have the privilege of studying them, they took agonizing ages to build up, and if we destroy them we shall not see them replaced. Not in our lifetime, not in five million years. If we destroy the ecosystems of which we are a part, we condemn not just our own generation, but all the generations of descendants that we could realistically hope to succeed us, to a world of devastation and impoverishment."
"I was invited by the world's largest computer company to organize and supervise a whole day's game of strategy among their executives, the purpose of which was to bond them together in amicable cooperation. They were divided into three teams, the reds, the blues and the greens, and the game was a variant on the prisoner's dilemma game which is the central topic of Axelrod's book. Unfortunately, the cooperative bonding which was the company's goal failed to materialize – spectacularly. As Robert Axelrod could have predicted, the fact that the game was known to be coming to an end at exactly 4 p.m. precipitated a massive defection by the reds against the blues, immediately before the appointed hour. The bad feeling generated by this sudden break with the previous day-long goodwill was palpable at the post-mortem session that I conducted, and the executives had to have counselling before they could be persuaded to work together again."
Aaaaaaand… In passing, he mentions an evolutionary biologist called Malte Andersson. This… happened… to… be… the… name… of… my… thesis… examiner… in… 2008. :O Erm. Andersson is a supercommon name; Malte isn't. :B Basically, we can assume that the Dawk mentioned someone who read my craptastic little biology thesis "Breeding requirements of neotropical birds at Universeum science centre, Göteborg"!!!!!!!!!!!11111!!!1 In the same sentence as the great Steven Pinker and 19 other names. He referred to them as "distinguished". Sooooo… THE DAWK THINKS MY THESIS EXAMINER IS DISTINGUISHED! MAYBE THAT MAKES ME APPROXIMATELY 0.00000000001% DISTINGUISHED! THANKS I CAN DIE NOW ^_^
PS. IN OTHER NEWS, THE DAWK GAVE A LECTURE AT THE GOTHENBURG SCIENCE FESTIVAL ON 3-MAY-2022 AND I WAS THERE AND HE SIGNED MY COPY OF "UNWEAVING THE RAINBOW" AND I TOLD HIM HE IS MY FAVE WRITER! :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Will upload the pics soon-ish.
14-Aug-2022: 9. Tempelriddaren by Jan Guillou
Fave! And a re-read. Book 2 in a trilogy about a knight in the 1100's.
10-Sep-2022: 10. Rationality: What it is, why it seems scarce, why it matters by Steven Pinker
Both this book and "The language instinct" where OTTFMDA (Often Too Technical For My Dumb Ass), but had many bits my little brain could enjoy as well.
"A major theme of this book is that none of us, thinking alone, is rational enough to consistently come to sound conclusions: rationality emerges from a community of reasoners who spot each other's fallacies."
"And ultimately even relativists who deny the possibility of objective truth and insist that all claims are merely the narrative of a culture lack the courage of their convictions. The cultural anthropologists or literary scholars who avow that the truths of science are merely the narratives of one culture will still have their child's infection treated with antibiotics prescribed by a physician rather than a healing song performed by a shaman. And though relativism is often adorned with a moral halo, the moral convictions of relativists depend on a commitment to objective truth. Was slavery a myth? Was the Holocaust just one of many possible narratives? Is climate change a social construction? Or are the suffering and danger that define these events really real – claims that we know are true because of logic and evidence and objective scholarship? Now relativists stop being so relative."
He quotes Spinoza: "Those who are governed by reason desire nothing for themselves which they do not also desire for the rest of humankind." (Though I, of course, corrected "humankind" to "sentient beings" - and btw, there should be a catchier word for the latter.) And he quotes Kant's Categorical Imperative: "Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law." :) Good, eh?
"The press is an availability machine. It serves up anecdotes which feed our impression of what's common in a way that is guaranteed to mislead. Since news is what happens, not what doesn't happen, the denominator in the fraction corresponding to the true probability of an event – all the opportunities for the event to occur, including those in which it doesn't – is invisible, leaving us in the dark about how prevalent something really is.
The distortions, moreover, are not haphazard, but misdirect us toward the morbid. Things that happen suddenly are usually bad – a war, a shooting, a famine, a financial collapse – but good things may consist of nothing happening, like a boring country at peace or a forgettable region that is healthy and well fed. And when progress takes place, it isn't built in a day; it creeps up a few percentage points a year, transforming the world by stealth. As the economist Max Roser points out, news sites could have run the headline 137,000 PEOPLE ESCAPED EXTREME POVERTY YESTERDAY every day for the past twenty-five years."
"Trump told around thirty thousand lies during his term…"
"So much of our reasoning seems tailored to winning arguments that some cognitive scientists, like Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber, believe it is the adaptive function of reasoning. We evolved not as intuitive scientists but as intuitive lawyers. While people often try to get away with lame arguments for their own positions, they are quick to spot fallacies in other people's arguments."
"My greatest surprise in making sense of moral progress is how many times in history the first domino was a reasoned argument." :O
8-Nov-2022: 11. Riket vid vägens slut by Jan Guillou
Fave! Book 3 in a trilogy about a knight in the 1100's. I… read about half of "Riket" in 2000! Then was interrupted for some reason (maybe a library deadline) and never got around to finishing it until now. :B
2-Dec-2022: 12. Arvet efter Arn by Jan Guillou
Fave! A 4th book in Guillou's "trilogy". The hero from the first 3 was fictitious. This one is about his grandson, who existed, and kind of invented Sweden.
"Mest angelägna var männen, föga överraskande, att finna en rik änka. Svårare att begripa var vad de sade sig kunna erbjuda i gengäld för denna rikedom de ämnade inhösta. Om detta som verkade svårfattligt för åtminstone de två Ceciliorna berättade Ingrid Ylva lustigt och i ogudaktigt tal att männen för det första var förvissade om att ingen kvinna kunde leva utan manlig lem och för det andra lika förvissade om att inga små söner kunde fostras utan man i huset."
"Ingrid Ylva kväljdes något av att se människor med gott lynne syssla med denna vedervärdiga djurföda. Ingen människa åt svamp utom fordom när det varit flera års missväxt och svälten härjade i landet. Så mycket visste dock de flesta att svamp var ett osäkert sätt att rädda livhanken även för den mest utsvultne. I värsta fall kunde det leda till döden och i bästa fall klarade man sig med några dagars feber och rännskita."
3-Dec-2022: 13. The return of the native by Thomas Hardy
An audiobook, read by… Alan Rickman, who had THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VOICE IN THE WORLD! D': I actually listened to maybe half of it in… 2007. o_O Usually after my nightly paper round, so I kept falling asleep in the middle of chapters and… Meh… Of course I always meant to finish it, though. :D And of course I now listened from the beginning. Haven't finished it yet. I only listen to it at home where I can properly hear and fully concentrate on THE VOICE. :q
24-Dec-2022: 14. Galileo's daughter: A drama of science, faith and love by Dava Sobel
I had never heard of it until it was recommended by Neil deGrasse Tyson's "Startalk" podcast. :) (A 2009 ep that I listened to in 2022…)
"In 1604, five years prior to Galileo's development of the telescope, the world beheld a never-before-seen star in the heavens. It was called 'nova' for its newness. It flared up near the constellation Sagittarius in October and stayed so prominent through November that Galileo had time to deliver three public lectures about the newcomer before it faded from bright view. The nova challenged the law of immutability in the heavens, a cherished tenet of the Aristotelian world order. Earthly matter, according to ancient Greek philosophy, contained four base elements – earth, water, air, fire – that underwent constant change, while the heavens, as Aristotle described them, consisted entirely of a fifth element – the quintessence, or aether – that remained incorruptible. It was thus impossible for a new star suddenly to materialise. The nova, the Aristotelians argued, must inhabit the sublunar sphere between the Earth and the Moon, where change was permissible. But Galileo could see by comparing his nightly observation with those of other stargazers in distant lands that the new star lay far out, beyond the Moon, beyond the planets, among the domain of the old stars. /…/ Having thus impugned the immutability of the heavens, Galileo further attacked the Aristotelian philosophers by turning the telescope on their territory in 1609. His telescopic discoveries transformed the nature of the Copernican question from an intellectual engagement into a debate that might be decided on the basis of evidence. The roughness of the Moon, for example, showed that some of the features of Earth repeated themselves in the heavens. The motions of the Medicean stars [some of Jupiter's moons] demonstrated that satellites could orbit bodies other than the Earth. The phases of Venus argued that at least one planet must travel around the Sun. And the dark spots discovered on the Sun sullied the perfection of yet another heavenly sphere. /…/ Galileo rued the stubbornness of philosophers who clung to Aristotle's views despite the new perspective provided by the telescope. He swore that if Aristotle himself were brought back to life and shown the sights now seen, the great philosopher would quickly alter his opinion, as he had always honored the evidence of his senses."
31-Dec-2022: 15. Den fräcka kråkan by Ulf Nilsson & Eva Eriksson
Fave! And a re-read, as it's a kiddy book that I used to have read to me in the 80's and that I vaguely remembered. IT'S FUCKING SAD :'(
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Vegan FAQ! :)
The Web Site the Meat Industry Doesn't Want You to See.
Please watch Earthlings.
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You can reach me at yoze83 [AT] yahoo.com
Model: Lily Mcnally
Hair: Fran Lightbound
Styling: Clark James
the fallacy of consumption as a social constuction
strobist info:
550ex in silver bounce umbrella to camera right
430ex in white shoot through behind model to camera left
yongnuo st-e2 triggers
In the 1989 movie 'Field of Dreams' starring Kevin Costner there's a moment near the start when a ghost/voice from beyond whispers to him 'build it and he will come' and so he decides, in that moment, to build a baseball field there. When I started this picture I had nothing better in mind than illustrating a fanciful image of a girl who was also a bridge. For what reason, I'm not entirely sure but I felt compelled to put it down all the same. Once completed I thought of adding the spectre's immortal line. Here is the result.
As an aside, I thought the quote came from famous American businessman/entertainer/scam artist PT Barnum but the internet has made me realise this was something of a fallacy. Damn you internet and your pernicious lies! Another perfectly cromulent chance to embiggen my knowledge ruined.
Cheers
id-iom
Title: If you build it...
Materials: Screen print, stencil, spraypaint & paint pen
Size: A3
Please email if interested
Protected by Full Copyright: Please do not use this image without my written permission in any way, doing so is a violation of federal law.
If you steal this photo, rest assured, you won't be pleased with the price you WILL pay for it, where copyright infringement can result in penalties of up to $150,000 per infringement (17 U.S.C. 504) and where criminal penalties include up to 10 years in prison. Maximum penalties will be sought for any copyright infringement of my work
__________________
This photo was recently STOLEN and used for commercial and for profit purposes this person is SO Busted!!
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Thank you Don for your help with this photo!
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When I photographed this house, now a few years ago, I stood in the middle of the road to get this angle. As I was photographing an uneasy feeling came over me that someone was watching me. I dashed to my car where my husband was waiting for me. When I jumped in the car I told him that I felt like someone was watching me from inside the house and I wanted to leave in case the owners called the police. I had no idea that it might be the original owner that was watching me. lol Could it be that Joel T. Case, the architect that built this house and lived in it for some time decided to stay? ;-)
Note:
No shadow at all was added to the tower window. The shadow is present exactly as it is here in the original photo. I have added an enlarged crop of the tower window below for your review.
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Following is a history of Castle Largo, other grand homes on Federal Hill, as well as the owners of many of these homes that were entrepreneurs, inventors, philanthropists and indeed the builders of city of Bristol!!!
~~~Note: Scroll down to the comments to view photos of some of the homes that are located on Federal Hill and discussed in the following history~~~~
As stated, the architect of this home was Joel T. Case. He was likely the most prolific architect of the Federal Hill region of Bristol Connecticut of the time and certainly built many of the architectural (sp) jewels that adorn Federal Hill. Castle Largo is the most unique and interesting home that was built by Joel T. Case where he lived for a brief time. Bristol was known nationwide and likely worldwide as one of the largest clock manufacturing towns of this time. Many of the most prestigious of industrialists and entrepreneurs lived in genius architectural homes on Federal Hill. To name a few, the Walter Ingraham house, which can be found on my stream, was the home of the founder of the largest clock manufacturing company previously mentioned. The Dewitt Page mansion is also on Federal Hill. Moreover, employees of these entrepreneurs of the time were compensated so well for their work, that one of the grand homes on Federal Hill was owned by a bookkeeper of one of the manufacturing businesses. (To think, during this era, one could be a mere office worker that kept books, with no need for an accounting degree to handle the finances of these large businesses, and quite successfully indeed in order to afford a grand Victorian home in Bristol's exclusive neighborhood of the wealthy!!!!)
Dewitt Page was the second President of New Departure, that was mostly known for manufacturing G.M. Motors parts. However, another Bristol genius and entrepreneur, Rockwell was the founder of New Departure when he patented the ball bearing. Dewitt Page and Rockwell were rivals that always attempted to outdo each other. Rockwell donated many acres of land to what became Rockwell park in Bristol, along with a substantial amount of money to maintain it. Page in turn, donated a substantial portion of Federal Hill which in turn became Page Park. The two parks are beautiful treasures of Bristol that remain today. However, as it goes corrupt politicians have not only allowed the parks to fall into disrepair, far worse the former Mayor of Bristol used the Rockwell Park lagoon to use as fill for rubbish that was the result of a so called beautification project in Bristol. Ironically, Dewitt Page during his time saved the city of Bristol from bankruptcy by loaning the city of Bristol a substantial amount of money with the condition that the city appoint professional financial managers to secure the city's financial stability. As I recall, the entrepreneurs of this time also paid for Bristol Hospital, Bristol High School (also located on Federal Hill) many bridges and roads in the town, to name many community functions and necessities that these men fulfilled for the town of Bristol. An interesting fact is that Rockwell was removed from New Departure, as the President and Founder of his company by his brother-in-law Dewitt when Rockwell wanted to use capital from the company to finance his invention of the Yellow cab in NYC. Dewitt staunchly opposed this business venture and was successful in having Rockwell removed from the company.
Thus, it is my firm belief that it is a complete fallacy and we are flat out brainwashed to believe that we need government to fill these needs. It is sad that as a rule people in general, have little knowledge of history, even of their own towns, and in turn a very short memory of the fact that not so long ago, most of all that government steals taxpayers money for with a claim that it is essential for public needs like schools and roads were functions that entrepreneurs fulfilled in their communities... before government imposed huge government regulations and taxation on businesses????? ha ha But of course, it is self-serving for politicians to have control of this money that they did not earn to squander and waste, as well as give them great power where I feel most of them have ego issues to such a degree that many likely could be classified as Psychologically disturbed. Though, somehow American's don't question any of this, and they keep voting for the same failures time and time again.
I diverted of course... A few other entrepreneurs and mansions that remain on Federal Hill are Chimney Crest, and a neighboring grand mansion, one formerly owned by Wallace Barnes and the other by one of one of his brothers. Likewise, Wallace Barnes started with a very small manufacturing business and went on to become one of the largest spring manufacturers in the country. I actually worked for a time at Wallace Barnes as a teen. The seat belt was invented at Wallace Barnes in Bristol. I made gun parts for the Mossberg gun which was responsible for discharging the bullet and the contract was for the military; (as I was always told my quality of the part had to be PERFECT since if the bullet did not discharge a man's life would be lost in the military.) I made a part that was a release for a parachute, Ford cams that were an essential part for car brakes. parts for Phillips light bulbs and the list goes on and on. For much of the time I worked there I worked in a department called Aircraft that made parts for the military that were top secret.
Thus, the few great men that were inventors and manufacturers that I have mentioned who acquired great wealth during this era in history lived in the communities they prospered from and in turn donated essential needs to the community and the public at large in such a grand way. However, politicians have worked very aggressively to change America's great culture of opportunity with endless benefits to our lives, whey they have even gone so far as to almost obsessively publicly spew their propaganda that American's don't even want to do manufacturing jobs in this country~where men like Rockwell, Page, Dewitt, Ingraham, and of course Joel T. Case that built many of their homes many others who accomplished far more than any politician would even care too, must be rolling in their graves.
Of course, Joel T. Case that built many of their homes must be included in this list where by the way, I have found no record that Case was an educated architect, and surely did not hold any government licenses to build homes. On the contrary, through my research, some sources have stated that Case did not begin his career as an architect. He simply had a talent and genius for building homes. Today, government would completely shut down Case from doing business and likely throw him in jail if he continued to build the homes that he did without following extensive government mandates, no need to list of course the requirement for licenses, permits, inspections etc where today it would simply never be possible for the homes that Case built to come into existence.
Zheng Yi is a Christian. When he heard about the CCP government's brutal persecution of Eastern Lightning and the arrest of Christians during his work in the United States, he pondered, "The CCP is an atheist party, a satanic regime that resists God most. Under the frenzied persecution and suppression by the CCP, Eastern Lightning has still become increasingly prosperous. It most likely is the true way." So he examined Eastern Lightning on the website of The Church of Almighty God. He discovered that Almighty God's word is the truth and the voice of God. He determined that Almighty God is the return of the Lord Jesus. So he readily accepted the work of Almighty God in the last days. Four years later, Zheng Yi returned to China and passed on the work of Almighty God in the last days to his sister, Zheng Rui, a news reporter.
Zheng Yi's father, Zheng Weiguo, is the minister of the United Front Work Department in a city of China. When he learned that his children had believed in Almighty God, he strongly opposed it and repeatedly used the rumors and fallacies of the CCP government to stop them from believing in God. On many occasions, Zheng Yi and his sister debated with their father. This spiritual war of the family ultimately ended with the truth triumphing over fallacy and the fact over rumor! Fearful of the CCP's evil power and determined to keep his official position and livelihood, Zheng Weiguo stubbornly took side with the CCP and compelled his children to give up their belief in Almighty God but to no avail. He finally expelled them from their home …
Zheng Yi and his sister resolutely chose to leave their family and follow Christ to preach and witness God's appearance and work in the last days.
The content of this video has been translated entirely by professional translators. However, due to linguistic differences etc., a small number of inaccuracies are inevitable. If you discover any such inaccuracies, please refer to the original Chinese version, and feel free to get in touch to let us know.
Erotic Musicians
Limestone
Ptolemaic Period, 305-30 B.C.
58.34, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Contemporary writers sometimes deny the existence of sexual images in ancient Egyptian art, insisting that erotica offended Egyptian religious sensibilities. The objects here demonstrate the fallacy of those dams Nonetheless, what may appear to us as pure obscenity was not necessarily seen as such by the Egyptians. Humour was surely intended by some sexually laden images. and other meanings were sometimes present as well. The large group composition here, for example, has significant religious connotations such as fertility and re-generation, and a famous graffito near the funerary temple of Hatshepsut in Thebes that shows the woman pharaoh copulating with one of her officials is both satirical and political as well as scatological. Beginning in 18th Dynasty, sex and music were intimately connected in Egyptian art, no doubt because they were both associated with the goddess Hathor. Female musicians and dancers were often shown naked or wearing transparent garments. Occasionally they were depicted as being ravished by sexually frenzied men. In the Late and Ptolemaic Periods, small compositions with musical themes and sexual imagery became popular. All these works feature a man wit an enormous phallus, sometimes with a harp on top. Sometimes, as in this case, a woman harpist faces him.
Of particular interest in this statuette is the inscribed rectangular item, possibly a papyrus on top of the man's phallus. The non-hierohlyphic writing is enigmatic, perhaps representing musical notation.
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The Brooklyn Museum, sitting at the border of Prospect Heights and Crown Heights near Prospect Park, is the second largest art museum in New York City. Opened in 1897 under the leadership of Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences president John B. Woodward, the 560,000-square foot, Beaux-Arts building houses a permanent collection including more than one-and-a-half million objects, from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to contemporary art.
The Brooklyn Museum was designated a landmark by the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1966.
National Historic Register #770009
Something or nothing?
There are only two alternatives, something or nothing. Existence or non-existence?
Existence is a fact!
We know something exists (the physical universe),
but why?
Two questions arise …why is there something rather than nothing?
And where did everything that exists come from? Obviously, something cannot arise from nothing, no sane person would entertain such an impossible prospect. However, an incredible fantasy that the universe actually created itself from nothing, has been proposed by some, high profile atheists, and presented to the public as though it is science. A sort of ‘theory of everything’ that purports to eliminate a creator.
“Because there is a law, such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing”
Professor Stephen Hawking.
It is not intelligent, sensible or scientific to believe that everything created itself from absolutely nothing.
In a state of infinite and eternal nothingness, nothing exists and nothing happens - EVER.
Nothing means ‘nothing’. Nothing tangible, no physical laws, no information, not even abstract things, like mathematics. If nothing exists there can be no numbers or anything based on numbers.
Furthermore, you don’t need to be a genius, or a scientist, to understand that something CANNOT create itself.
Put simply, it is self-evident that - to create itself, something would have to pre-exist its own creation to carry out the act of creating. And, if it already exists, it doesn’t need to create itself.
And, if anything at all already exists, i.e. in this case ‘gravity’, (which is simply an inherent property of matter), it cannot be called 'nothing'.
Moreover, ‘gravity’ cannot be a creative agent, it is merely an inherent property of matter – it is obvious that a property of something cannot create that which it is a property of. Thus, we are obliged to conclude that nonsense remains nonsense, even when presented by high profile scientists.
“Fallacies remain fallacies, even when they become fashionable.” GK Chesterton.
Such incredible, nonsensical propositions are just vain attempts to undermine the well, established, law of cause and effect, which is fatal to atheist ideology.
Religion?
Once we admit the obvious fact that the universe cannot arise of its own accord from nothing (nothing will remain nothing forever), the only alternative is that ‘something’ has always existed – an infinite ‘something’. For anything to happen, such as the origin of the universe, the infinite something, cannot just exist in a state of eternal, passive inactivity, it must be capable of positive activity.
If we examine the characteristics, powers, qualities and attributes which exist now, we must conclude that the ‘something’, that has always existed, must have amazing (godlike) powers to be able to produce all the wonderful qualities we see in the universe, including: information, natural laws, life, intelligence, consciousness, etc.
This means we need to believe in some sort of ‘godlike entity’. The only remaining question is - which god? Is it a creator or simply nature or natural forces? Seeking an answer to that question is the essential role of religion, which is based on reason, rather than blind faith.
Why God MUST exist ...
There are only two states of being (existence) – temporal and infinite. That. which has a beginning, is ‘temporal’. That which has no beginning is ‘infinite’.
Everything that exists must be one or the other.
The temporal (unlike the infinite) is not autonomous or non-contingent, it, essentially, relies on something else for its beginning (its cause) and its continued existence.
The universe and all natural things are temporal. Hence, they ALL require a cause or causes.
They could NOT exist without a cause to bring them into being. This is a FACT accepted by science, and enshrined in the Law of Cause and Effect.
The Law of Cause and Effect tells us that every, natural effect requires a cause. And that - an effect cannot be greater than its cause/s.
This is a fundamental principle, essential to the scientific method.
No temporal effect can be greater than (superior to) the sum-total of its cause or causes
It is obvious that - something cannot give what it doesn’t possess.
A temporal entity can be a subsidiary cause of another temporal entity, but cannot be the initial (first) cause of the entire, temporal realm - which includes ALL natural effects and entities.
Entropy
The initial (first) cause of the temporal realm had to be something non-temporal (uncaused), i.e. something infinite.
The word ‘temporal’ is derived from tempus, Latin for time. - All temporal things are subject to time - and, as well as having a beginning in time, natural things can also expect to naturally degenerate, with the passage of time, towards a decline in function, order and existence. The material universe is slowly in decline and dying.
The natural realm is not just temporal, but also temporary (finite). Science acknowledges this with the Second Law of Thermodynamics (law of entropy).
As all natural things are temporal, we know that the initial (first), infinite cause of everything temporal cannot be a natural agent or entity.
The infinite, first cause of everything natural can also be regarded as ‘supernatural’, in the sense that it is not subject to natural laws that are intrinsic only to natural things, which it caused.
This fact is verified by science, in the First Law of Thermodynamics, which tells us that there is no ‘natural’ means by which matter/energy can be created.
However, as the first cause existed before the natural realm (which is subject to natural laws, without exception), the issue of the first cause being exempt from natural laws (supernatural) is not something extraordinary or magical. It is the original and normal default state of that infinite something which caused/created the natural realm.
If the material universe was infinite, we wouldn’t have entropy. Entropy is a characteristic only of natural entities.
The infinite cannot be subject to entropy, it does not deteriorate, it remains the same forever.
Entropy can apply only to temporal, natural entities.
Therefore, we know that the material universe, as a temporal entity, had to have a beginning and will have an end.
That which existed before the universe, as an original cause of everything material, had to be infinite, because you cannot have an infinite chain of temporal (material) events. The temporal can only exist if it is sustained by the infinite.
As all natural entities are temporal, the (infinite) first cause could not possibly be a natural entity.
So, the Second Law of Thermodynamics supports and confirms the only logical conclusion we can reach from the Law of Cause and Effect, that a natural, first cause is impossible, according to science.
This is fatal to the atheist ideology of naturalism because it means there is no alternative to an infinite, supernatural, first cause (a Creator God).
Can there be multiple infinite, first causes (polytheism)?
It is evident that there can be only one ‘infinite’ entity. If, for example, there are two infinite entities, neither could have its own, unique properties.
Why?
Because, unless they possessed identical properties, neither would be infinite. However, if they both possessed the very same properties, there would be no distinction between them, they would be identical and thus a single entity.
To put it another way …
God, as an infinite being, can only be a single entity, if He was not, and there was another infinite being, the properties which were pertinent to the other infinite being would be a limitation on His infinite character, and vice versa. So, neither entity would be infinite.
Creation - an act of will?
For an infinite cause to produce a temporal effect, such as the universe, an active character and an act of will must be involved. If the first cause was just a blind, mechanistic, natural thing, the universe would just be a continuation of the infinite nature of the first cause, not temporal (subject to time). For example, if the nature of water in infinite time was to be frozen, it would continue its frozen nature infinitely. There must be an active agent involved.
Time applies to the temporal, not the infinite. The infinite is omnipresent, it always was, it always is, and it always will be. It is the “Alpha and the Omega” as the Bible explains.
Jesus referred to Himself as “I am” which means He was claiming to be the infinite creator.
Therefore, what we know about the characteristics of this supernatural entity, are as follows:
The single, supernatural entity:
1. Has always existed, has no cause, and is not subject to time. (is infinite, eternally self-existent, autonomous and non-contingent).
2. Is the first, original and deliberate cause of everything temporal (including the universe and every natural entity and effect).
3. Cannot be, in any way, inferior to any temporal or natural thing that exists.
In simple terms, this means that the single, infinite, supernatural, first cause of everything that exists in the temporal realm, has the capability of creating everything that exists, and cannot be inferior in any powers and attributes to anything that exists. This is the entity we recognise as the creator God.
The Bible tells us that we were made in the image of this God. This is logical because it is obvious, we cannot be superior to this God (an effect cannot be greater than its cause).
So, all our qualities and attributes must be possessed by the God in whose image we were made.
All our attributes come from the creator, or supernatural, first cause.
Remember, the logic that something cannot give what it doesn’t possess.
We have life. Thus, our creator must be alive.
We are intelligent. Thus, our creator must be intelligent.
We are conscious. Thus, our creator must be conscious.
We can love. Thus, our creator must love.
We understand justice. Thus, our creator must be just, etc. etc.
Therefore, we can logically discern the character and attributes of the creator from what is seen in His creation.
This FACT - that an effect cannot be greater than its cause/s, is recognised as a basic principle of science, and is it crucial to understanding the nature and attributes of the first cause.
It means nothing in the universe that exists, resulting from the action of the first cause, can be in anyway superior to the first cause. We must conclude that, at least, some attributes of the first cause can be seen in the universe.
Atheists frequently ask how can we possibly know what God is like?
The Bible (which is inspired by God) tells us many things about the character of God, but regardless of scripture, the universe itself gives us evidence of God’s nature.
For example: can the properties of human beings, in any way, be superior to the first cause?
To suggest they are, would be to violate the scientific principle that an effect cannot be greater than its cause.
All the powers, properties, qualities and attributes we observe in the universe, including all human qualities, must be also evident in the first cause.
If there is life in the universe, the first cause must have life.
If there is intelligence in the universe the first cause must have intelligence.
The same applies to consciousness, skill, design, purpose, justice, love, beauty, forgiveness, mercy etc.
Therefore, we must conclude that the eternally, self-existent, non-natural (supernatural), first cause, has life, is conscious, has intelligence and created the temporal as an act of will.
We know, from the law of cause and effect, that the first cause cannot possibly be any of the natural processes frequently proposed by atheists, such as: the so-called, big bang explosion, singularity or quantum mechanics.
They are all temporal, moreover, it is obvious that none of them are adequate to produce the effect. They are all grossly inferior to the result.
To sum up:
Using impeccable logic and reason, supported by our understanding of established, natural, physical laws (which apply to everything of a natural, temporal nature) acknowledged by science, humans have been able to discover the existence of a single, infinite, supernatural, living, intelligent, loving and just creator God.
God discovered, not invented!
Contrary to the narrative perpetuated by atheists, a personal, creator God is not a “human invention”, and He is certainly not a backward substitute for reason or science, but rather, He is an enlightened, human discovery, based on unimpeachable logic, reason, rationality, natural laws and scientific understanding.
The real character of atheism.
Is belief in God just superstitious, backward thinking, suitable only for the uneducated or scientific illiterates, as atheists would have us believe?
The widely acknowledged, best brain in modern atheism proposed the following (quoted earlier), which it was claimed by some, made belief in God redundant:
"Because there is a law, such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing"
This is the essence of Professor Stephen Hawking's so-called, 'theory of everything' summed up in a single sentence.
It doesn’t take a genius to understand it is atheism, not monotheism, which is a throwback to a former unenlightened period in human history. A period when Mother Nature or other natural or material, temporal entities were regarded as having autonomous, godlike, creative powers.
The discredited concept of worshipping nature itself (naturalism) or various material things (Sun, Moon, idols etc.) as some sort of autonomous, non-contingent, creative, or self-creative agents, used to be called paganism. Now it has been re-invented as 21st century, atheism...
"The universe can and will create itself from nothing"- Professor Stephen Hawking.
“It is absurd for the Evolutionist to complain that it is unthinkable for an admittedly unthinkable God to make everything out of nothing, and then pretend that it is more thinkable that nothing should turn itself into everything.” - G.K. Chesterton.
God’s power.
Everything that exists is dependent on the original and ultimate cause (God) for its origin, continued existence and operation.
This means God affords everything all the power it needs to function. Everything operates only with God’s power. We couldn’t even lift a little finger, if the power to do so was not permitted by God.
What caused God?
Ever since the 18th century, atheist philosophers such as David Hume and Bertrand Russell have attempted to debunk the logical evidence for a creator God, as the infinite, first cause and creator of the universe.
The basic premise of their argument is that a long chain of causes and effects, going back in time, did not necessarily require a beginning (no first cause, but rather an infinite regress), and that, if every effect requires an adequate cause (as the Law of Cause and Effect states), then God (a first cause) could no more exist without a cause, than anything else.
This latter point is summed up in the what many atheists deem to be the killer question:
“What caused God then?”
This question wasn’t sensible in the 18th century, and is not sensible today, but incredibly, atheists still think it is a valid argument and continue to use it on a regular basis.
As explained previously, the Law of Cause and Effect applies to all temporal entities.
Temporal entities have a beginning, and therefore need a cause. They are all contingent or dependent on a cause or causes without exception.
It is obvious to any sensible person that the first cause, because it is FIRST, had nothing preceding it.
First means first, it doesn’t mean second or third. If we could go back far enough with a chain of causes and effects, however long the chain, at some stage we must reach an ultimate beginning, i.e. the cause which is first, having no previous cause. This first cause must have always existed, it is essentially self-existent from an infinite past - and for an infinite future. It must be completely autonomous and non-contingent, not relying on any cause or anything else for its existence. Not temporal, but infinite.
So, the answer to the question is that - God was not caused.
He is the eternally, self-existent, ultimate, non-contingent, supernatural, first. infinite cause of everything temporal.
As explained earlier, the first cause could not be a natural entity, it had to be supernatural, as all natural entities are temporal and contingent (they all require causes).
What about the infinite regress argument?
This is an atheist argument against the need for a first cause. Their proposition is that; a long chain of causes and effects, going back in time, did not necessarily require a beginning. This proposition is nonsensical.
Why?
It is evident that you cannot have a chain of temporal effects going backwards in time, forever. It is the inherent nature of all temporal things to have a beginning. Likewise, for a long chain of temporal causes and effects, there must be a beginning at some point in time. Contingent things do not become non-contingent, simply by being in a long chain.
Temporal + temporal can never equal infinite.
In addition, the Second Law of Thermodynamics tells us that everything physical is subject to entropy.
It is an absurd notion that there could be an indefinitely, long chain (with no beginning) in which, although every link in the chain is subject to entropy, the complete chain is not, having been able to exist for an infinite past. Incredibly, what these atheists propose is that; a chain consisting entirely of temporal elements, all of which individually require a beginning and depend on causes, and are subject to entropy, as a whole, can be infinitely long, with no beginning. And by some miracle would be unaffected by law of entropy (throughout an infinite past) which would have caused its demise.
What about the fact that infinite regress is acceptable in maths?
Maths is a type of information - and information, like truth, is not purely physical.
It can require physical media to make it tangible, but while the physical media is always subject to entropy, information is not. 1+1 = 2 will always be true, it is unaffected by time, or even whether there are any humans left to do mathematical calculations.
Jesus said; Heaven and Earth may pass away, but my words will go on forever. Jesus is pointing out that truth and information are unaffected by entropy.
For example: historical truths, such as the fact that Henry VIII had six wives, will always be true. Time cannot erode or change that truth. Even if all human records of this truth were destroyed, it would never cease to be true.
As the Christian, apologist Peter Keeft has made clear, maths is entirely dependent on a positive integer, i.e. the number one. Without this positive integer, no maths is possible.
The concept of number 1 also exists as a characteristic of the one, infinite, first cause. - God is one. - God embodies that positive integer (number one/first cause), essential for the operation of maths. Without the number one, there could be no number two or three, etc. etc. There could be no positive numbers, no negative numbers and no fractions.
The fact that an infinite ‘first’ cause exists, means that number one is bound to exist. In a state of eternal and infinite nothingness, there would be no information and no numbers and nothing would be ‘first’. So, like everything else, maths is made possible only by the existence of the one, infinite, first cause (God).
As Peter Keeft puts it ...
“it is often asked why there can’t be infinite regress, with no first being. Infinite regress is perfectly acceptable in mathematics: negative numbers go on to infinity just as positive numbers do. So why can’t time be like the number series, with no highest number either negatively (no first in the past) or positively (no last in the future)? The answer is that real beings are not like numbers: they need causes, for the chain of real beings moves in one direction only, from past to future, and the future is caused by the past. Positive numbers are not caused by negative numbers. There is, in fact, a parallel in the number series for a first cause: the number one. If there were no first positive integer, no unit one, there could be no subsequent addition of units. Two is two ones, three is three ones, and soon. If there were no first, there could be no second or third.”
Consider this simple chain of causes and effects:
A causes B
B causes C
C causes D
D causes E
‘A, B, C & D’ are all causes and may all look similar, but they are not, there is an enormous and crucial difference between them.
Causes B, C & D are fundamentally different from cause A.
Why? Because A is the very first cause and thus had no previous cause. It exists without a cause. It doesn’t rely on anything else for its existence, it is completely independent of causes - while B, C & D would not exist without A. They are entirely dependent on A.
Causes; B, C & D are also effects, whereas A is not an effect, only a cause.
So, we can say that the first cause ‘A’ is both self-existent and necessary. It is necessary because the rest of the chain of causes and effects could not exist without it.
We also must say that the subsequent causes and effects B, C, D and E are all contingent. That is; they are not self-existent, they all depend entirely on other causes to exist. We can also say that A is eternally self-existent, i.e. it has always existed, it had no beginning.
Why? Because if A came into being at some point, there must have been something other than itself that brought it into being … which would mean A was not the first cause (A could not create A) … the something that brought A into being would be the first cause. In which case, A would be contingent and no different from B, C, D & E. We can also say that A is adequate to produce all the properties of B, C, D & E.
Why? Well, in the case of E, we can see that it relies entirely on D for its existence. E can in no way be superior to D, because D had to contain within itself everything necessary to produce E.
The same applies to D, it cannot be superior to C. Furthermore, neither E or D can be superior to C, because both rely on C for their existence, and C had to contain everything necessary to produce D & E.
Likewise, with B, which is wholly responsible for the existence of C, D & E.
As they all depend on A for their existence and all their properties, abilities and potentials, none can be superior to A, whether singly or combined. A had to contain everything necessary to produce B, C, D & E including all their properties, abilities and potentials.
Thus, we deduce that; nothing in the universe can be superior in any way to the very first cause of the universe, because the whole universe, and all material things that exist, depend entirely on the abilities and properties of the first cause to produce them.
Conclusion …
A first cause must be uncaused, must have always existed, and cannot be in any way inferior to all subsequent causes and effects. In other words, the first cause of the universe must be eternally, self-existent and omnipotent (greater than everything that exists). No natural entity can have those attributes, that is why a Supernatural, Creator God MUST exist.
_____________________________________________
FOUNDATIONS OF SCIENCE
The Law of Cause and Effect. Dominant Principle of Classical Physics. David L. Bergman and Glen C. Collins
www.thewarfareismental.net/b/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/b...
"The Big Bang's Failed Predictions and Failures to Predict: (Updated Aug 3, 2017.) As documented below, trust in the big bang's predictive ability has been misplaced when compared to the actual astronomical observations that were made, in large part, in hopes of affirming the theory."
Prof. John Pollini working STUDENTS AT OSTIA ANTICA. Pollini in my opinion is the number 1 authority on Julio Claudian Portrait study. I have had much correspondence with Prof. Pollini and he is passionate about Roman Art. Here is his curriculum Vitae:
Education
B.A. Classics, University of Washington, 1/1968
M.A. Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, UC Berkeley, 1/1973
Ph.D. Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, UC Berkeley, 1/1978
Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History
Professor, Department of Art History (Adjunct Professor for Department of Classics and Department of History), University of Southern California, 1991-
Dean of the School of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, 1993-1996
Chairman of the Department of Art History, University of Southern California, 1990-1993
Associate Professor, Department of Art History and Department of Classics (adjunct appointment), University of Southern California, 1987-1991
Assistant Professor, Department of Classics, Johns Hopkins University, 1980-1987
Curator, Johns Hopkins University Archaeological Museum, 1980-1987
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Classics, Johns Hopkins University, 1979-1980
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Classics, Case Western Reserve University, 1978-1979
Description of Research
Summary Statement of Research Interests
Professor Pollini's research is concerned with methodologies of classical art and archaeology, ancient history, classical philology, epigraphy and numismatics. His other scholarly research interests include ancient religion, mythology, narratology, rhetoric and propaganda. Over the years Professor Pollini has excavated at the Greco-Roman site of Aphrodisias, Turkey, and the Etruscan site of Ghiaccio Forte, Italy, and participated in the underwater survey of the port of Tarquinia (Gravisca), Italy. Trained in the methodologies of classical art & archaeology, ancient history, classical philology, epigraphy, and numismatics, Professor Pollini is committed to interdisciplinary teaching and research. Professor Pollini has lectured widely both in the United States and abroad. He has published numerous articles and authored several books.
Research Specialties
Classical Art and Archaeology
Honors and Awards
Elected Life Member, German Archaeological Association, 2000-
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship, awarded for second time, 2006-2007
Guggenheim Fellowship, deferred until 2007-2008, 2006-2007
Whitehead Professor at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Honorific Appointment), 9/1/2006-6/1/2007
Departmental Nominee for University Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching 2002, 2002-2005
Mellon Foundation Award for Excellence in Mentoring, 2004-2005
Departmental Nominee for University Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching 1998, 1998-2001
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, awarded for second time, 1995-1996
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship, 1987-1988
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, 1983-1984
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1978-1979
Fulbright Award, Fellowship to Italy, 1975-1976
CURRICULUM VITAE
JOHN POLLINI
Department of Art History
Von Kleinsmid Center 351 University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0047
Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology, Department of Art History
Joint Professor, Department of History
Adjunct Professor, Department of Classics
President, Classical Archaeological Association of Southern California (CAASC)
DEGREES
Ph. D. Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, University of California at
Berkeley (1978) (interdisciplinary program involving the Departments of Art History,
Classics, and History; major field: Etruscan and Roman Art and Archaeology; minor
fields: Greek Art and Archaeology and Roman History; Ph.D. equivalency exams in
ancient Greek and Latin) [Diss.: Studies in Augustan “Historical” Reliefs]
M.A. Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, University of California at
Berkeley (l973) [MA Thesis: Two Marble Portrait Statues of Pugilists from Carian
Aphrodisias: Iconography and Third Century A.D. Sculptural Traditions in the Roman
East]
B.A. magna cum laude, Classics, University of Washington (1968)
POSTDOCTORAL ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Dean of the School of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, with administrative,
budgetary, and fund-raising responsibilities (1993-1996)
Chairman of the Department of Art History, University of Southern California
(1990-1993)
Full Professor, University of Southern California, Department of Art History
(1991-present), with joint appointment in the Department of History and adjunct
appointment in the Department of Classics
Associate Professor, University of Southern California, Department of Art History, with
adjunct appointment in the Department of Classics (1987-1991)
Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Classics (1980-1987) and
Curator of the Johns Hopkins University Archaeological Museum (1980-1987)
Visiting Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Classics
(1979-1980)
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, Case Western Reserve University, Department of Classics
(1978-1979)
INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS,
AWARDS, HONORS
William E. Metcalf Lectureship (2008)
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (2006-2007, deferred to
2007-2008)
Whitehead Professor of Archaeology, American School of Classical Studies at
Athens (2006-2007)
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship (2006-2007)
Kress Foundation Travel Grant (Summer 2006)
Mellon Foundation Award for Excellence in Mentoring (2005)
Taggart Foundation Grant: Campus Martius Virtual Reality Project (2005)
Distinguished Lecturer, Biblical Archaeological Society and Center for Classical
Archaeology, University of Oklahoma, Norman (2005): Series of three lectures on
Roman and Christian Religion, Art, and Ideology
Kress Foundation Travel Grant (2003)
Senior Humboldt Research Prize (nominated) to Berlin, Germany, for 2000-2001
Elected Member (for life) of the German Archaeological Institute (Berlin) (2000)
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for Independent Study and
Research (1995-1996)
Kress Foundation Travel Grant (Summer 1988)
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship (1987-1988)
Kress Foundation Travel Grant (1987)
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for Independent Study and
Research (1983-1984)
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship, Case Western Reserve University (1978-1979)
Mabelle McLeod Lewis Memorial Fund Fellowship to Italy (1975-1976)
Fulbright Fellowship, Università di Roma, Rome, Italy (1975-1976)
UNIVERSITY FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS, AWARDS, HONORS
Departmental Nominee for University Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching
(2002-2005)
College Faculty Research Development Award (consecutive years: 2000-2007)
University of Southern California Grant for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching
(with Lynn Swartz Dodd and Nicholas Cipolla) for a virtual reality project “Imaging
Antiquity: Creating Context through Virtual Reconstructions, Digital Resources, and
Traditional Media” (2003-2004)
Grant for the “College Initiative for the Study of Political Violence” (2002)
University of Southern California Grant for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching
(with Bruce Zuckermann and Lynn Swartz Dodd) to develop a new interdisciplinary and
interdepartmental course entitled “Accessing Antiquity: Actual Objects in Virtual Space”
(2000-2001)
University of Southern California Senior Nominee for National Endowment for the
Humanities Summer Stipend for Faculty Research (1998-1999)
Departmental Nominee for University Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching
(1998-2001)
College Awards and Grants for Research Excellence (consecutive years: 1997-2000)
Hewlett Foundation Award and Grant for General Education Course Development
(1997-1998)
Faculty Research and Innovation Fund Grant, University of Southern California (1988)
University of California Traveling Fellowship (1976-1977)
Dean’s Fellowship, U.C. Berkeley (1973-1975)
Phi Beta Kappa (1968), University of Washington
ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION
Field trips sponsored by the American Academy in Rome, German Archaeological
Institute, and Comune di Roma (1975-1978)
Research in Rome, Italy for dissertation (1975-1978), as well as further study of Greek
and Roman art and architecture in Italy and elsewhere in Europe during this period
Supervised study of Greek and Roman sculpture at the J. Paul Getty Museum, with
J. Frel (1973-1975)
Course in Greek art and archaeology at the Universität München, Munich, Germany
with E. Homann-Wedeking (1971)
Study of the German language at the Goethe Institute, Grafing (Munich), Germany (1971)
Course work in Roman, Etruscan, and Italic art and architecture, Università di Roma,
with G. Becatti, M. Pallottino, F. Castagnoli, and M. Squarciapino (1970-1971)
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD WORK
Underwater survey of port of Tarquinia (Gravisca), Italy (1977): Consultant
Excavation of Etruscan site of Ghiaccio Forte, Italy (1973)
Excavation of Greco-Roman site of Aphrodisias, Turkey (1970-1972)
Excavation of Spanish/Indian Mission, Guavave, Arizona (1965-1966)
LANGUAGES
Ancient: Latin and Greek
Modern: German, Italian, French, modern Greek, some Turkish
BOOKS
PUBLISHED:
I) The Portraiture of Gaius and Lucius Caesar (Fordham University Press, New York
1987) (with a book subvention from the National Endowment for the Humanities).
II) Roman Portraiture: Images of Character and Virtue, with graduate student
participation (Fisher Gallery, Los Angeles 1990).
III) Gallo-Roman Bronzes and the Process of Romanization:The Cobannus Hoard
(Monumenta Graeca et Romana IX) (Brill, Leiden 2002).
IV) The de Nion Head: A Masterpiece of Archaic Greek Sculpture (Philipp von
Zabern, Mainz 2003).
V) Terra Marique: Studies in Art History and Marine Archaeology in Honor of Anna
Marguerite McCann on the Receipt of the Gold Medal of the Archaeological Institute
of America (editor, designer, and contributor of introduction, publication list, and
one of 19 essays) (Oxbow Publications, Oxford 2005).
SUBMITTED:
VI) From Republic to Empire: Rhetoric, Religion, and Power in the Visual Culture of
Ancient Rome (University of Oklahoma Press), comprising eight chapters:
CHAPTER I: The Leader and the Divine: Diverse Modes of Representation in Roman Numismatics
CHAPTER II: The Cult Image of Julius Caesar: Conflicts in Religious Theology and Ideology in
Augustus’ Representational Program
CHAPTER III: From Warrior to Statesman in Augustan Art and Ideology: Augustus and the Image of
Alexander
CHAPTER IV: The Ideology of “Peace through Victory” and the Ara Pacis: Visual Rhetoric and the
Creation of a Dynastic Narrative [revised and updated essay originally published in
German]
CHAPTER V: The Acanthus of the Ara Pacis as an Apolline and Dionysiac Symbol of
Anamorphosis, Anakyklosis and Numen Mixtum [revised and updated publication].
CHAPTER VI: Divine Providence in Early Imperial Ideology: The Smaller Cancelleria Relief and
the Ara Providentiae Augustae
CHAPTER VII: The “Insanity” of Caligula or the “Insanity” of the Jews? Differences in Perception
and Religious Beliefs
CHAPTER VIII: “Star Power” in Imperial Rome: Astral Theology, Castorian Imagery, and the Dual
Heirs in the Transmission of the Leadership of the State
IN PROGRESS:
VII) Christian Destruction and Desecration of Images of Classical Antiquity: A Study
in Religious Intolerance in the Ancient World
VIII) Dynastic Narratives in Augustan Art and Thought: The Rhetoric and Poetry of
Visual Imagery [with DVD Virtual Reality Program of the Monuments]
IX) The Image of Augustus: Art, Ideology, and the Rhetoric of Leadership
X) Social, Sexual, and Religious Intercourse: Sacrificial Ministrants and Sex-Slaves
in Roman Art -- 3rd Century B.C. - 4th Century A.D.
ARTICLES
PUBLISHED:
1) “A Flavian Relief Portrait in the J. Paul Getty Museum,” in Getty Museum Journal
5 (1977) 63-66.
2) “Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and the Ravenna Relief,” in Römische Mitteilungen
88 (1981) 117-40.
3) “A Pre-Principate Portrait of Gaius (Caligula)?” in Journal of the Walters Art
Gallery 40 (1982) 1-12.
4) “Damnatio Memoriae in Stone: Two Portraits of Nero Recut to Vespasian in
American Museums,” in American Journal of Archaeology 88 (1984) 547-55.
5) “The Meaning and Date of the Reverse Type of Gaius Caesar on Horseback,” in
American Numismatic Society Museum Notes 30 (1985) 113-17.
6) “Response to E. Judge’s ‘On Judging the Merits of Augustus,’” in Center for
Hermeneutical Studies: Colloquy 49 (1985) 44-46.
7) “Ahenobarbi, Appuleii and Some Others on the Ara Pacis,” in American Journal of
Archaeology 90 (1986) 453-60.
8) “The Findspot of the Statue of Augustus from Prima Porta,” in Bullettino della
Commissione Archeologica Comunale di Roma 92 (1987/88) 103-108.
9) “Two Acrolithic or Pseudo-Acrolithic Sculptures of the Mature Classical Period in
the Archaeological Museum of the Johns Hopkins University,” in Classical Marble:
Geochemistry,Technology, Trade (NATO ASI Series E vol. 153), edd. N. Herz and
M. Waelkens (Dordrecht 1988) 207-17.
10) “Man or God: Divine Assimilation and Imitation in the Late Republic and Early
Principate,” in Between Republic and Empire: Interpretations of Augustus and His
Principate, edd. K.A. Raaflaub and M. Toher (Berkeley 1990) 333-63.
11) “The Marble Type of the Augustus from Prima Porta: An Isotopic Analysis,” in
Journal of Roman Archaeology 5 (1992) 203-208.
12) “The Tazza Farnese: Principe Augusto ‘Redeunt Saturnia Regna’!” in American
Journal of Archaeology 96 (1992) 249-55, 283-300.
13) “The Cartoceto Bronzes: Portraits of a Roman Aristocratic Family of the Late First
Century B.C.,” in American Journal of Archaeology 97 (1993) 423-46.
14) “The Gemma Augustea: Ideology, Rhetorical Imagery, and the Construction of a
Dynastic Narrative,” in Narrative and Event in Ancient Art, ed. P. Holliday
(Cambridge 1993) 258-98.
15) “The Acanthus of the Ara Pacis as an Apolline and Dionysiac Symbol of
Anamorphosis, Anakyklosis and Numen Mixtum,” in Von der Bauforschung zur
Denkmalpflege, Festschrift für Alois Machatschek (Vienna 1993) 181-217.
16) “The ‘Trojan Column’ at USC: Reality or Myth?” in Trojan Family (May, 1994)
30-31.
17) “The Augustus from Prima Porta and the Transformation of the Polykleitan Heroic
Ideal,” in Polykleitos, the Doryphoros, and Tradition, ed. W. Moon (Madison 1995)
262-82.
18) “The ‘Dart Aphrodite’: A New Replica of the ‘Arles Aphrodite Type,’ the Cult Image
of Venus Victrix in Pompey’s Theater at Rome, and Venusian Ideology and Politics
in the Late Republic - Early Principate,” in Latomus 55 (1997) 757-85.
19) “Parian Lychnites and the Prima Porta Statue: New Scientific Tests and the Symbolic
Value of the Marble” (with N. Herz, K. Polikreti, and Y. Maniatis), in Journal of
Roman Archaeology 11 (1998) 275-84.
20) “The Warren Cup: Homoerotic Love and Symposial Rhetoric in Silver,” in The Art
Bulletin 81 (1999) 21-52.
21) “Ein mit Inschriften versehener Legionärshelm von der pannonisch-dakischen Grenze
des römischen Reiches: Besitzverhältnisse an Waffen in der römischen Armee,” in
M. Junkelmann, Römische Helme VIII Sammlung Axel Guttmann, ed. H. Born
(Mainz 2000) 169-88.
22) “The Marble Type of the Statue of Augustus from Prima Porta: Facts and Fallacies,
Lithic Power and Ideology, and Color Symbolism in Roman Art,” in Paria Lithos:
Parian Quarries, Marble and Workshops of Sculpture (Proceedings of the First
International Conference on the Archaeology of Paros and the Cyclades, Paros, 2-5
October 1997), edd. D.U. Schilardi and D. Katsonopoulou (Athens 2000) 237-52.
23) “The Riace Bronzes: New Observations,” in Acten des 14. Internationalen
Kongresses für Antike Bronzen, Kölner Jahrbuch 33 (2000) 37-56.
24) “Two Bronze Portrait Busts of Slave-Boys from a Shrine of Cobannus in Roman
Gaul,” in Studia Varia II: Occasional Papers on Antiquities of The J. Paul Getty
Museum 10 (2001) 115-52.
25) “A New Portrait of Octavian/Augustus Caesar,” in Roman Sculpture in the
Art Museum, Princeton University (Princeton 2001) 6-11.
26) “Two Gallo-Roman Bronze Portraits of Sacrificial Ministrants in the J. Paul Getty
Museum,” in From the Parts to the Whole 2: Acta of the 13th International Bronze
Congress, Cambridge, Massachusetts, May 28 - June 1, 1996, edd. C.C.
Mattusch, A. Brauer, and S.E. Knudsen (Portsmouth, Rhode Island 2002) 89-91.
27) “‘Frieden-durch-Sieg’ Ideologie und die Ara Pacis Augustae: Bildrhetorik und
die Schöpfung einer dynastischen Erzählweise,” in Krieg und Sieg: Narrative
Wanddarstellungen von Altägypten bis ins Mittelalter (Internationales
Kolloquium 23. - 30. Juli 1997 im Schloss Heindorf, Langenlois; Österreichischen
Akademie der Wissenschaften XXIV), edd. M. Bietak und M. Schwarz (Vienna
2002) 137-59.
28) “A New Portrait of Octavia and the Iconography of Octavia Minor and Julia Maior,”
Römische Mitteilungen 109 (2002) 11-42.
29) “Slave-Boys for Sexual and Religious Service: Images of Pleasure and Devotion,” in
Flavian Rome: Culture, Image, Text, edd. A.J. Boyle and W.J. Dominik (Leiden
2003) 149-66.
30) “The Caelian Hill Sacrificial Minister: A Marble Head of an Imperial Slave-Boy from
the Antiquarium Comunale on the Caelian Hill in Rome,” in Römische Mitteilungen
111 (2004) 1-28.
31) “A New Head of Augustus from Herculaneum: A Marble Survivor of a Pyroclastic
Surge,” in Römische Mitteilungen 111 (2004) 283-98.
32) “The Armstrong and Nuffler Heads and the Portraiture of Julius Caesar, Livia, and
Antonia Minor in Terra Marique: Studies in Honor of Anna Marguerite McCann
on the Receipt of the Gold Medal of the Archaeological Institute of America, ed.
J. Pollini (Oxbow Publications, Oxford 2005) 89-122.
33) “A New Marble Portrait of Tiberius: Portrait Typology and Ideology,” in Antike Kunst
48 (2005) 57-72.
34) “A North African Portrait of Caracalla from the Mellerio Collection and the
Iconography of Caracalla and Geta,” in Revue Archéologique (2005) 55-77.
35) “A Bronze Gorgon Handle Ornament of the Ripe Archaic Greek Period,” in Annuario
della Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene e delle Missioni Italiani in Oriente 83
(2005) 235-47.
36) “Ritualizing Death in Republican Rome: Memory, Religion, Class Struggle, and the
Wax Ancestral Mask Tradition’s Origin and Influence on Veristic Portraiture” in
Performing Death: Social Analyses of Funerary Ritual in the Ancient Near East
and Mediterranean (Oriental Institute Seminars 3, University of
Chicago), ed. N. Laneri (Chicago 2007) 237-85.
37) “A New Bronze Portrait Bust of Augustus,” in Latomus 66 (2007) 270-73.
FORTHCOMING:
38) “Gods and Emperors in the East: Images of Power and the Power of Intolerance,”
in the proceedings of an international conference on “‘Sculptural Environment’ of the
Roman Near East: Reflections on Culture, Ideology, and Power” (University of
Michigan), in Interdisciplinary Studies in Ancient Culture and Religion,
edd. E.A. Friedland, S.C. Herbert, and Y.Z. Eliav (Peeters Publ.: Leuven).
39) “A New Portrait Bust of Tiberius in the Collection of Michael Bianco,” in Bulletin
Antieke Beschaving 83 (2008) 133-38.
40) “The Desecration and Mutilation of the Parthenon Frieze by Christians and Others,” in
Athenische Mitteilungen 122 (2007).
41) “Problematics of Making Ambiguity Explicit in Virtual Reconstructions:
A Case Study of the Mausoleum of Augustus,” for the proceedings of an international
conference, “Computer Technology and the Arts: Theory and Practice,” sponsored by
the British Academy and the University of London.
42) “A Winged Goat Table Leg Support from the House of Numerius Popidius Priscus at
Pompeii,” in Pompei, Regio VII, Insula 2, pars occidentalis. Indagini, Studi,
Materiali (la Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei), ed. L. Pedroni.
43) “Augustus: Portraits of Augustus,” in Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and
Rome (2008).
44) “A New Bronze Lar and the Role of the Lares in the Domestic and Civic Religion of the Romans,” in Latomus (2008).
IN PROGRESS:
45) “The ‘Colville Athena’ Head and Its Typology.”
46) “Idealplastik and Idealtheorie: Paradeigmatic Systems, Homosexual Desire, and the
Rhetoric of Identity in Polykleitos’ Doryphoros and Diadoumenos.”
REVIEW ARTICLES
PUBLISHED:
D. Boschung, Die Bildnisse des Augustus (Das römische Herrscherbild I.2) (Berlin 1993),
in Art Bulletin 81 (1999) 723-35.
E. Varner, Mutilation and Transformation: Damnatio Memoriae and Roman Imperial
Portraiture (Monumenta Graeca et Romana 10) (Leiden 2004), in Art Bulletin 88
(2006) 591-98.
BOOK REVIEWS
PUBLISHED:
M. Torelli, Typology and Structure of Roman Historical Reliefs, in American Journal of
Archaeology 87 (1983) 572-73.
J. Ganzert, Das Kenotaph für Gaius Caesar in Limyra, in American Journal of
Archaeology 90 (1986) 134-36.
R. Brilliant, Visual Narratives. Storytelling in Etruscan and Roman Art in American
Journal of Philology 107 (1986) 523-27.
PUBLISHED IN CHOICE:
E. Bartman, Portraits of Livia: Imaging the Imperial Woman in Augustan Rome, in
vol. 37 (1999) 126.
B.S. Ridgway, Prayers in Stone: Greek Architectural Sculpture (Ca. 600 - 100 B.C.),
in vol. 37 (2000) 1095.
W.E. Mierse, Temples and Towns in Roman Iberia: The Social and Architectural
Dynamics of Sanctuary Designs from the Third Century B.C. to the Third Century A.D.
in vol. 37 (2000) 1458.
V. Karageorgis, Ancient Art from Cyprus: The Cesnola Collection in The Metropolitan
Museum of Art (New York 2000)in vol. 38 (2000) 1953.
Z. Hawass, Valley of the Golden Mummies (New York 2000) in vol. 38 (2001)
4036.
M.W. Jones, Principles of Roman Architecture (New Haven 2000) in vol. 38 (2001)
5409.
F. Salmon, Building on Ruins: The Rediscovery of Rome and English Architecture
(Ashgate 2000) in vol. 39 (2001) 106.
J. Boardman, The History of Greek Vases: Potters, Painters and Pictures (New York
2001) in vol. 39 (2002) 3755.
Roman Sculpture in the Art Museum, Princeton University, ed. J. M. Padgett (Princeton
2001) in vol. 39 (2002) 6218.
G. Hedreen, Capturing Troy: The Narrative Function of Landscape in Archaic and Early
Classical Greek Art (Ann Arbor, 2001) in vol. 40 (2002) 73.
A. J. Clark, M. Elston, and M.L. Hart, Understanding Greek Vases: A Guide to Terms,
Styles, and Techniques (Los Angeles 2002) in vol. 40 (2003) 3185.
S. Woodford, Images of Myths in Classical Antiquity (Cambridge 2003) in vol. 41
(2003) 89.
J. Aruz with R. Wallenfels (edd.), Art of the First Cities: The Third Millennium B.C. from
the Mediterranean to the Indus (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) (New
Haven 2003) in vol. 41 (2004) 2584.
G. Curtis, Disarmed: The Story of the Venus de Milo (New York 2003) in vol. 41 (2004)
5083.
Games for the Gods: The Greek Athlete and the Olympic Spirit, edd. J.J. Herrmann and C.
Kondoleon (Boston Museum of Fine Arts) in vol. 42 (2004) 646.
E.W. Leach, The Social Life of Painting in Ancient Rome and on the Bay of Naples
(Cambridge 2004) in vol. 42 (2004) 1215-16.
D. Mazzoleni, Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House (Los Angeles 2004) in vol. 42
(2005) 1809.
S. Fine, Art and Judaism in the Greco-Roman World: Toward a New Jewish Archaeology
(Cambridge 2005) in vol. 43 (2006) 1586-87.
C.H. Hallett, The Roman Nude: Heroic Portrait Statuary 200 B.C. -- A.D. 300 (Oxford
2005) in vol. 44 (2006).
Constantine the Great: York’s Roman Emperor, edd. E. Hartley, J. Hawkes, M. Henig, and
F. Mee (York 2006) in vol. 44 (2006).
M.D. Stansbury-O’Donnell, Vase Painting, Gender, and Social Identity in Archaic Athens
(Cambridge 2006) in vol. 44 (2006).
PRINCIPAL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS (Hard Copy and Online):
Greek Art and Archaeology: Course Manual (113 pages, 23 plates) and online version of
this Course Manual with digitized images
Roman Art and Archaeology: Course Manual (158 pages, 58 plates) and online version
of this Course Manual with digitized images
Digging into the Past: Material Culture and the Civilizations of the Ancient
Mediterranean: Course Manual (43 pages)
Proseminar Guide to General and Specific Works on Greek and Roman Art and
Archaeology and Related Disciplines (50 pages) and online version
Website for AHIS 425, “Introduction to Interdisciplinary Research and Methodology
in Classical Art and Archaeology and Related Disciplines” with links to other important
websites in the fields of Art, Archaeology, Classics, and Ancient History
Website for AHIS 201g: “Digging into the Past: Material Culture and the
Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean” (with digitized images)
PAPERS GIVEN AT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL
CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA
On Judging the Merits of Augustus: Center for Hermeneutical Studies: Colloquy,
Berkeley (April, 1985)
Investigating Hellenistic Sculpture: Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts,
National Gallery of Art (October, 1986)
Augustus: Monuments, Arts, and Religion: Brown University (March, 1987)
Aspects of Ancient Religion: University of California at Berkeley (April, 1987)
Marble and Ancient Greece and Rome: International conference sponsored by
NATO at Il Ciocco (Tuscany), Italy (May, 1988)
Polykleitos, the Doryphoros and Its Influence: University of Wisconsin, Madison
(October, 1989)
UCLA-USC Seminar in Roman Studies: UCLA, Los Angeles (December, 1992)
XIIIth International Bronze Congress: Harvard University (May 28 - June 1, 1996)
UCLA-USC Seminar in Roman Studies: Roman Representations: Subjectivity, Power
and Space: USC, Los Angeles (March, 1997)
International Symposium at Cuma (Naples): Flavian Poets, Artists, Architects and
Engineers in the Campi Flegrei (July, 1997)
International Symposium at the University of Vienna: Interdisziplinäres Kolloquium
Historische Architekturreliefs vom Alten Ägypten bis zum Mittelalter (July, 1997)
First International Conference on the Archaeology of Paros and the Cyclades: Paros,
Greece (October, 1997)
Getty Research Institute Colloquium: Work in Progress (November, 1997)
Annual Meetings of the Art Historians of Southern California at California State
University, Northridge, California (November, 1998)
XIV. Internationaler Kongress für Antike Bronzen: Werkstattkreise, Figuren und Geräte
(Sponsored by Das Römisch-Germanisches Museum der Stadt Köln und das
Archäologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln [September 1999]): Besides giving paper,
chaired the session “Bronzestatuen und -statuetten: Fundkomplexen, Fundgruppen,
Einzelstücke, und Typen”
First International Symposium on Roman Imperial Ideology: Politics, Art, and
Numismatics at the Villa Vergiliana, Cuma (Naples) -- keynote speaker and chaired
session on “Ideology, Historiography, and the Imperial Family” (May, 2000)
International Symposium at Emory University, Atlanta: Tyranny and Transformation
(October, 2000)
Annual Meeting of the Art Historians of Southern California at the Getty Center,
Los Angeles, California (November, 2000)
Getty Research Institute Colloquium: Work in Progress (December, 2000)
Second International Symposium on Roman Imperial Ideology: Politics, Art, and
Numismatics at the Villa Vergiliana, Cuma (Naples) -- chaired session on “The Image of
the Princeps and the Ruler Cult” (May, 2001)
UCLA-USC Seminar in Roman Studies: UCLA, Los Angeles (April, 2002)
Third International Symposium on Roman Imperial Ideology: Politics, Art, and
Numismatics at the Villa Vergiliana, Cuma (Naples) -- chaired session on “Roman History
and Ideology” (May, 2002)
Symposium on the Age of Augustus at UCLA -- (Feb., 2003)
Fourth International Symposium on Roman Imperial Ideology: Politics, Art, and
Numismatics at the Villa Vergiliana, Cuma (Naples) -- keynote speaker and
chaired session (May, 2003)
International Archaeological Congress, Harvard University (Aug. 2003): Besides giving a
paper, chaired session on “Ancient Society”
VIIth International ASMOSIA Conference, Thasos, Greece (Sept. 2003)
International Conference in the Arts and the Humanities, Honolulu, Hawaii (Jan. 2004)
Symposium on Roman Sculpture, Minneapolis Museum of Art (organized by Richard
Brilliant) (April, 2004)
International Symposium on Interaction of Indigenous and Foreign Cults in Italy at Cuma
(Naples) (May, 2004): Besides giving a paper, chaired session
International Conference at University of Michigan: “‘Sculptural Environment’ of the
Roman Near East: Reflections on Culture, Ideology, and Power (November 2004)
International Conference at Stanford University: “Seeing the Past” (February 2005)
International Conference at the University of London: “Computer Technology and the Arts:
Theory and Practice” (November 2005)
International Conference at the University of Chicago: “Performing Death: Social Analyses
of Funerary Ritual in the Mediterranean” (February 2006)
VIIIth International ASMOSIA Conference, Aix-en-Provence, France (June 2006)
Symposium “Art of Warfare”: Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University (January
2007)
PAPERS PRESENTED AT ANNUAL CONVENTIONS OF THE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE
COLLEGE ART ASSOCIATION
Boston (AIA, December, 1979)
New Orleans (AIA, December, 1980)
San Francisco (AIA, December, 1981)
Philadelphia (AIA, December, 1982)
Cincinnati (AIA, December, 1983)
Toronto (AIA, December, 1984)
Washington, D.C. (AIA, December, 1985) -- invited paper, “The Promulgation of the
Image of the Leader in Roman Art,” in a special AIA plenary session on Politics and
Art
San Antonio (AIA, December, 1986) -- invited paper, “Time, Narrativity, and Dynastic
Constructs in Augustan Art and Thought,” at a joint AIA-APA session on topics
illustrating connections between Roman art and philology
Houston (CAA, February, 1988) -- invited paper, “The Gemma Augustea and the
Construction of a Dynastic Narrative,” for a CAA session on Narrative and Event in
Greek and Roman Art
Atlanta (AIA, December, 1994) -- discussant for a joint AIA-APA session on “Rethinking
Nero’s Legacy: New Perspectives on Neronian Art, Literature, and History”
New York (AIA, December, 1996) -- special poster session: “The Marble Type of the
Statue of Augustus from Prima Porta: New Scientific Tests” (prepared in collaboration
with Norman Herz, Director of Programs, Center for Archaeological Sciences, University
of Georgia)
Chicago (AIA, December, 1997)
Washington, D.C. (AIA, December, 1998) -- invited paper, “A Portrait of a Sex-Slave
‘Stud’ (?) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York,” for a special colloquium in
honor of Anna Marguerite McCann on the receipt of the “Gold Medal” of the
Archaeological Institute of America
San Francisco (AIA, January, 2004) -- joint paper with N.Cipolla and L. Swartz Dodd
OTHER ACADEMIC AND PUBLIC LECTURES/TALKS
American Academy, Rome, Italy (March, 1976)
Cleveland Society AIA, Cleveland, Ohio (April, 1979)
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. (September, 1980)
Institute of Fine Arts, New York, N.Y. (October, 1980)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y. (January, 1983)
New York Society AIA, New York, N.Y. (January, 1983)
Baltimore Society AIA, Baltimore, Md. (February, 1983)
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (March, 1987)
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Ca. (March, 1987)
Columbia University, New York, N.Y. (April, 1987)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, UCLA, Ca. (November 1989)
Tulane University, New Orleans, La. (February, 1990)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, USC, Ca. (February 1990)
Los Angeles Society AIA, Los Angeles, Ca. (March, 1990)
Fisher Gallery and School of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, Los Angeles,
Ca. (March, 1990)
Institute of Fine Arts, New York, N.Y. (April, 1990)
American Academy, Rome, Italy (May, 1990)
University of Vienna and Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria (June, 1990)
San Diego Society AIA, San Diego, Ca. (September, 1990)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, Getty Museum, Malibu, Ca.
(November, 1990).
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. (December, 1990)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, Gamble House, Pasadena, Ca.
(March 1991)
Henry T. Rowell Lecturer: Baltimore Society AIA, Baltimore, Md. (November, 1991)
Villanova University, Villanova, Pa. (November, 1991)
Royal-Athena Galleries, Los Angeles, Ca. (October, 1992)
Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts (CASVA), National Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C. (November, 1992)
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C. (November, 1992)
Duke University, Durham, N.C. (November, 1992)
University of California, Los Angeles: UCLA/USC Seminar in Roman Studies, Los
Angeles, Ca. (December, 1992)
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Ca. (January, 1993)
J. Paul Getty Museum and Center for the History of Art and the Humanities, Malibu,
Ca. (February, 1993)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, UCLA, Ca. (March 1993)
California State University, Long Beach, Ca. (March, 1993)
Stanford University, Palo Alto, Ca. (April, 1993)
University of California, Berkeley, Ca. (April, 1993)
California State University, Northridge, Ca. (April, 1993)
University of Arizona, Tucson, Az. (April, 1993)
American Academy, Rome, Italy (June, 1994)
Getty Center for the History of Art and the Humanities (Director’s Series) (Dec., 1994)
University of California, Irvine (May, 1997)
American Academy, Rome, Italy (July, 1997)
American School of Classical Studies, Athens (October, 1997)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles (March, 1998)
British School at Rome (June, 1998)
University of California, Berkeley (November, 1998)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, University of California,
Santa Barbara (March, 1999)
Work in Progress: Getty Research Institute, Brentwood, California (December, 2000)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, Getty Research Institute,
Brentwood, Ca. (April, 2001)
American Academy, Rome, Italy (May, 2001)
Loyola Marymount, Los Angeles (March, 2002)
Southern California Institute of Architecture (February, 2003)
Columbia University, New York (April, 2003)
University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (May, 2003)
University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands (May, 2003)
American School of Classical Studies, Athens (September, 2003)
University of Oklahoma, Norman (March, 2005)
Cambridge University, Cambridge, England (November, 2005)
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greece (March, 2007)
University of Athens, Greece (May, 2007)
Los Angeles Society of the AIA, Los Angeles (December, 2007)
College of William and Mary (January, 2008)
Duke University, Durham (February, 2008)
Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA (March, 2008)
University of Nebraska, Lincoln (April, 2008)
AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS as Whitehead Professor of Archaeology (2006-2007)
Participated in all Fall trips of the School to various parts of Greece, giving
presentations on each of the trips.
Participated in the School’s Spring trip to Central Anatolia, giving several presentations.
Offered a seminar in the Winter Quarter: “Christian Destruction and Desecration of
Images and Shrines of Classical Antiquity.”
MISCELLANEOUS TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS
Lectures and talks on site regarding the architecture and topography of Rome, Ostia,
and Hadrian’s Villa for members of the Technische Universität für Architektur und
Denkmalpflege, Vienna, Austria; the Summer School of the American Academy in
Rome; St. Olaf College’s Junior Year Abroad Program; and M.A. students of
architecture in a joint summer program of the University of Southern California and the
University of Illinois; and the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome.
Talks on various aspects of Classical art and archaeology at meetings of the
Archaeological Society of the Mid-Atlantic States (1980-1987)
Gallery talks on the ancient collections of the Archaeological Museum of the Johns
Hopkins University (in capacity as curator) and of the Walters Art Gallery (1979-1987)
Gallery talks on the ancient collections of the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles
County Museum of Art (1987-present)
Talk for USC graduate students in the Dept. of Classics at the Ara Pacis and Mausoleum of
Augustus in Rome (May 26, 2006), organized by Prof. Claudia Moatti, Dept. of Classics
SPECIAL TALKS AND LECTURES AT USC
Seminar for Professor Claudia Moatti, Department of Classics: “Problems in Ancient Art”
(March, 2005)
Seminar for Dr. Daniela Bleichmar, Department of Art History: Rediscovering the
Classical Past: The Relationship of Art History, Archaeology, and Visual Culture (March,
2005)
University of Southern California’s 125th Celebration: For Symposium on “Trojan
Legends” presented paper: “USC's Trojan Column: An Ancient and Modern Myth”
(October, 2005)
MEDIA INTERVIEWS AND CONSULTATION
New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, The
History Channel, Arts and Entertainment Channel, KPCC Radio Los Angeles, NBC, Fox
Featured piece on my innovative work on the marble type of the statue of Augustus from
Prima Porta: A. Elders, “Tracing the Stones of Classical Brilliance,” in Hermes -- Greece
Today 35 (1999) 20-24.
ORGANIZER AND LEADER OF TOURS OF MUSEUMS AND SITES
Turkey (for Board of Councilors and donors of the School of Fine Arts, USC, 1995; for
university students and the general public, 1998)
Greece (Attica and the Peloponnese) (for university students and the general public, 1999)
Central Italy (for university students and the general public, 2000, 2002, 2003)
PARTICIPATION IN OTHER COLLOQUIA AND SYMPOSIA
Roman Sculpture and Architecture: German Archaeological Institute, Rome
(January, 1978)
Roman Architecture: Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery
of Art (January, 1981)
The Age of Augustus. The Rise of Imperial Ideology: Brown University (April, 1982)
Pictorial Narratives in Antiquity and the Middle Ages: The Johns Hopkins University and
the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art (March, 1984)
Villa Gardens of the Roman Empire: Dumbarton Oaks (May, 1984)
Retaining the Original -- Multiple Originals, Copies, and Reproductions: Center for
Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art (March, 1985)
Investigating Hellenistic Sculpture: Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts,
National Gallery of Art (October, 1986)
Marble -- Art Historical and Sculptural Perspectives on Ancient Sculpture: J. Paul Getty
Museum (April, 1988)
International Conference on Roman Archaeology and Latin Epigraphy: University of
Rome and the French School of Rome (May, 1988)
Roman Portraits in Context: Emory University (January, 1989)
Small Bronze Sculpture from the Ancient World: J. Paul Getty Museum (March, 1989)
Alexandria and Alexandrianism: J. Paul Getty Museum (April, 1993)
International Symposium: “Rome Reborn” Visual Reality Program at UCLA (December,
1996)
History of Restoration of Ancient Stone Sculptures, J. Paul Getty Museum (October, 2001)
Re-Restoring Ancient Stone Sculpture, J. Paul Getty Museum (March, 2003)
Marble Conference on Thasos, Liman, Thasos (Sept. 2003)
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Editorial Assistant (1968-1969) and Associate Editor (1969-1970), AGON: Journal of
Classical Studies
Editorial Board, American Journal of Philology (January, 1982-January, 1987)
Delegate from Baltimore Society AIA to National Convention (1984-1986)
Vice-President, Baltimore Society of the AIA (1985-1987)
Co-Director, Exhibition on Roman Portraiture, Fisher Gallery (1989)
Co-Founder (with Dr. Diana Buitron) of the Classical Archaeological Society of the Mid-
Atlantic States (1978-87)
Founder and President of the Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California
(1987-present)
Member of the Ancient Art Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1987-
present)
Oversaw the publication and helped edit the newsletter “ARTFACTS” of the
School of Fine Arts (1993-1996) during my tenure as Dean of the School of Fine Arts
USC Representative to Advisory Council of the American Academy in Rome
(1993-present)
Comitato di Collaborazione Culturale to the Consul General of Italy at Los Angeles
(1995-1998)
Advisory Committee for the Virtual Reality Project for Ancient Rome (“Rome Reborn”)
(1996-1998)
Delegate from Los Angeles Society AIA to National Convention (Chicago, Dec., 1997)
Reviewer for the Getty Grant Program (1999)
Reviewer for the MacArthur Foundation Grant (2000, 2003)
Planning Committee for a Four-Year International Conference on “Roman Imperial
Ideology” at the Villa Vergiliana at Cuma (Naples), organized by J. Rufus Fears (2000-
2003)
Consultant for the Forum of Augustus Project: Sovrintendenza Archeologica Comunale,
Direzione al Foro di Augusto (2004-present)
Editor of the newsletter “Musings” for the Department of Art History, USC (2005)
Planning Committee for the Internation Bronze Congress in Athens, Greece (2006-2007)
Chaired two sessions -- “Roman Sculpture” and “Augustan Art” -- at the Annual Meeting
of the Archaeological Institute of America (San Diego 2007)
UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES AND OTHER SERVICE
Faculty Senate (1988-1991)
Advisory Committee to the Dean of the School of Fine Arts (1990-1991, 1992-1993)
Chairman, Personnel Committee of the School of Fine Arts (1988-1990)
Library Liaison Officer for Art and Architecture Library (1987-present)
Search Committee for Reference Librarian of the Art and Architecture Library
(1989-1990 and 2000)
University Library Committee (1989-1990, 1998-2001)
Recruitment Committee for the School of Fine Arts (1989-1995)
Space Allocation Committee, School of Fine Arts (1989-1990)
University Research Committee (1990-1991)
Promotion Committee, School of Fine Arts (1990-1995)
University Ad Hoc Committee on Revenue Center Management (1990-1995)
Committee for University Development, School of Fine Arts (1993-1995)
Development Task Force, the School of Fine Arts (1993-1995)
Consultative Committee to the Provost (Spring 1993-1995)
University Galleries Advisory Committee (1993-1995)
University Committee on Transnational and Multicultural Affairs (1993-1995)
Provost’s Council at USC (formerly Council of Deans) (1993-1995)
USC Representative to the Advisory Council of the American Academy in Rome
(1993-present)
Founder and Member of the Board of Councilors for the School of Fine Arts (1994-1995)
Consortium Council of Deans for Development at USC (1995)
Tenure and Promotion Committee, Department of Art History (1995-to present)
Recruitment Committee for Department of Art History in the College of
Letters, Arts, and Sciences (1996-2005)
Program Proposer for the Establishment of an Interdepartmental and Interdisciplinary
Ancient Mediterranean Studies Program (1997-1999)
Chinese Search Committee, Department of Art History (1998-1999)
Japanese Search Committee, Department of Art History (1998-1999)
Professor-In-Charge, USC-Getty Lecture Series, Seminar, and Faculty Dinner (honoring
Salvatore Settis) (1998-1999)
Curriculum Committee (Co-Chair) (1998-1999)
Chair, Committee for Selection of Departmental Chair (1999-2000)
Chair, Merit Review Committee (1999-2000)
Committee for the Establishment of an Undergraduate Major in Archaeology
(2002-present)
Greek Art Search Committee, Department of Art History and Classics (2001-2004)
Faculty Search Committee, Department of Art History: Senior Hiring Initiative (2003-
present)
Junior Faculty Review Committee, Department of Art History (2003)
USC’s Arts and Humanities Committee (2003-2004)
Chair of Oversight Committee for the Interdisciplinary Archaeology Major (Spring 2006)
MEMBERSHIPS IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATIONAL:
Archaeological Institute of America
College Art Association
American Philological Association
Association of Ancient Historians
Vergilian Society
INTERNATIONAL:
Deutsches Archäologisches Institut
Associazione Internazionale di Archeologia Classica
Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity (AMOSIA)
Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies
If you are interested in Julio Claudian Iconography and portrait study you may enjoy these two links:
Julio Claudian Iconographic Association- Joe Geranio- Administrator at groups.yahoo.com/group/julioclaudian/
The Portraiture of Caligula- Joe Geranio- Administrator- at
portraitsofcaligula.com/
Both are non-profit sites and for educational use only.
Prof. John Pollini working with STUDENTS AT OSTIA
John Pollini in my opinion is the number 1 authority on Julio Claudian Portrait study. I have had much correspondence with Prof. Pollini and he is passionate about Roman Art. Here is his curriculum Vitae:
Education
B.A. Classics, University of Washington, 1/1968
M.A. Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, UC Berkeley, 1/1973
Ph.D. Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, UC Berkeley, 1/1978
Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History
Professor, Department of Art History (Adjunct Professor for Department of Classics and Department of History), University of Southern California, 1991-
Dean of the School of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, 1993-1996
Chairman of the Department of Art History, University of Southern California, 1990-1993
Associate Professor, Department of Art History and Department of Classics (adjunct appointment), University of Southern California, 1987-1991
Assistant Professor, Department of Classics, Johns Hopkins University, 1980-1987
Curator, Johns Hopkins University Archaeological Museum, 1980-1987
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Classics, Johns Hopkins University, 1979-1980
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Classics, Case Western Reserve University, 1978-1979
Description of Research
Summary Statement of Research Interests
Professor Pollini's research is concerned with methodologies of classical art and archaeology, ancient history, classical philology, epigraphy and numismatics. His other scholarly research interests include ancient religion, mythology, narratology, rhetoric and propaganda. Over the years Professor Pollini has excavated at the Greco-Roman site of Aphrodisias, Turkey, and the Etruscan site of Ghiaccio Forte, Italy, and participated in the underwater survey of the port of Tarquinia (Gravisca), Italy. Trained in the methodologies of classical art & archaeology, ancient history, classical philology, epigraphy, and numismatics, Professor Pollini is committed to interdisciplinary teaching and research. Professor Pollini has lectured widely both in the United States and abroad. He has published numerous articles and authored several books.
Research Specialties
Classical Art and Archaeology
Honors and Awards
Elected Life Member, German Archaeological Association, 2000-
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship, awarded for second time, 2006-2007
Guggenheim Fellowship, deferred until 2007-2008, 2006-2007
Whitehead Professor at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (Honorific Appointment), 9/1/2006-6/1/2007
Departmental Nominee for University Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching 2002, 2002-2005
Mellon Foundation Award for Excellence in Mentoring, 2004-2005
Departmental Nominee for University Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching 1998, 1998-2001
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, awarded for second time, 1995-1996
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship, 1987-1988
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, 1983-1984
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1978-1979
Fulbright Award, Fellowship to Italy, 1975-1976
CURRICULUM VITAE
JOHN POLLINI
Department of Art History
Von Kleinsmid Center 351 University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0047
Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology, Department of Art History
Joint Professor, Department of History
Adjunct Professor, Department of Classics
President, Classical Archaeological Association of Southern California (CAASC)
DEGREES
Ph. D. Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, University of California at
Berkeley (1978) (interdisciplinary program involving the Departments of Art History,
Classics, and History; major field: Etruscan and Roman Art and Archaeology; minor
fields: Greek Art and Archaeology and Roman History; Ph.D. equivalency exams in
ancient Greek and Latin) [Diss.: Studies in Augustan “Historical” Reliefs]
M.A. Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology, University of California at
Berkeley (l973) [MA Thesis: Two Marble Portrait Statues of Pugilists from Carian
Aphrodisias: Iconography and Third Century A.D. Sculptural Traditions in the Roman
East]
B.A. magna cum laude, Classics, University of Washington (1968)
POSTDOCTORAL ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Dean of the School of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, with administrative,
budgetary, and fund-raising responsibilities (1993-1996)
Chairman of the Department of Art History, University of Southern California
(1990-1993)
Full Professor, University of Southern California, Department of Art History
(1991-present), with joint appointment in the Department of History and adjunct
appointment in the Department of Classics
Associate Professor, University of Southern California, Department of Art History, with
adjunct appointment in the Department of Classics (1987-1991)
Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Classics (1980-1987) and
Curator of the Johns Hopkins University Archaeological Museum (1980-1987)
Visiting Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Classics
(1979-1980)
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, Case Western Reserve University, Department of Classics
(1978-1979)
INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS,
AWARDS, HONORS
William E. Metcalf Lectureship (2008)
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship (2006-2007, deferred to
2007-2008)
Whitehead Professor of Archaeology, American School of Classical Studies at
Athens (2006-2007)
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship (2006-2007)
Kress Foundation Travel Grant (Summer 2006)
Mellon Foundation Award for Excellence in Mentoring (2005)
Taggart Foundation Grant: Campus Martius Virtual Reality Project (2005)
Distinguished Lecturer, Biblical Archaeological Society and Center for Classical
Archaeology, University of Oklahoma, Norman (2005): Series of three lectures on
Roman and Christian Religion, Art, and Ideology
Kress Foundation Travel Grant (2003)
Senior Humboldt Research Prize (nominated) to Berlin, Germany, for 2000-2001
Elected Member (for life) of the German Archaeological Institute (Berlin) (2000)
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for Independent Study and
Research (1995-1996)
Kress Foundation Travel Grant (Summer 1988)
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship (1987-1988)
Kress Foundation Travel Grant (1987)
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for Independent Study and
Research (1983-1984)
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship, Case Western Reserve University (1978-1979)
Mabelle McLeod Lewis Memorial Fund Fellowship to Italy (1975-1976)
Fulbright Fellowship, Università di Roma, Rome, Italy (1975-1976)
UNIVERSITY FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS, AWARDS, HONORS
Departmental Nominee for University Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching
(2002-2005)
College Faculty Research Development Award (consecutive years: 2000-2007)
University of Southern California Grant for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching
(with Lynn Swartz Dodd and Nicholas Cipolla) for a virtual reality project “Imaging
Antiquity: Creating Context through Virtual Reconstructions, Digital Resources, and
Traditional Media” (2003-2004)
Grant for the “College Initiative for the Study of Political Violence” (2002)
University of Southern California Grant for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching
(with Bruce Zuckermann and Lynn Swartz Dodd) to develop a new interdisciplinary and
interdepartmental course entitled “Accessing Antiquity: Actual Objects in Virtual Space”
(2000-2001)
University of Southern California Senior Nominee for National Endowment for the
Humanities Summer Stipend for Faculty Research (1998-1999)
Departmental Nominee for University Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching
(1998-2001)
College Awards and Grants for Research Excellence (consecutive years: 1997-2000)
Hewlett Foundation Award and Grant for General Education Course Development
(1997-1998)
Faculty Research and Innovation Fund Grant, University of Southern California (1988)
University of California Traveling Fellowship (1976-1977)
Dean’s Fellowship, U.C. Berkeley (1973-1975)
Phi Beta Kappa (1968), University of Washington
ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION
Field trips sponsored by the American Academy in Rome, German Archaeological
Institute, and Comune di Roma (1975-1978)
Research in Rome, Italy for dissertation (1975-1978), as well as further study of Greek
and Roman art and architecture in Italy and elsewhere in Europe during this period
Supervised study of Greek and Roman sculpture at the J. Paul Getty Museum, with
J. Frel (1973-1975)
Course in Greek art and archaeology at the Universität München, Munich, Germany
with E. Homann-Wedeking (1971)
Study of the German language at the Goethe Institute, Grafing (Munich), Germany (1971)
Course work in Roman, Etruscan, and Italic art and architecture, Università di Roma,
with G. Becatti, M. Pallottino, F. Castagnoli, and M. Squarciapino (1970-1971)
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD WORK
Underwater survey of port of Tarquinia (Gravisca), Italy (1977): Consultant
Excavation of Etruscan site of Ghiaccio Forte, Italy (1973)
Excavation of Greco-Roman site of Aphrodisias, Turkey (1970-1972)
Excavation of Spanish/Indian Mission, Guavave, Arizona (1965-1966)
LANGUAGES
Ancient: Latin and Greek
Modern: German, Italian, French, modern Greek, some Turkish
BOOKS
PUBLISHED:
I) The Portraiture of Gaius and Lucius Caesar (Fordham University Press, New York
1987) (with a book subvention from the National Endowment for the Humanities).
II) Roman Portraiture: Images of Character and Virtue, with graduate student
participation (Fisher Gallery, Los Angeles 1990).
III) Gallo-Roman Bronzes and the Process of Romanization:The Cobannus Hoard
(Monumenta Graeca et Romana IX) (Brill, Leiden 2002).
IV) The de Nion Head: A Masterpiece of Archaic Greek Sculpture (Philipp von
Zabern, Mainz 2003).
V) Terra Marique: Studies in Art History and Marine Archaeology in Honor of Anna
Marguerite McCann on the Receipt of the Gold Medal of the Archaeological Institute
of America (editor, designer, and contributor of introduction, publication list, and
one of 19 essays) (Oxbow Publications, Oxford 2005).
SUBMITTED:
VI) From Republic to Empire: Rhetoric, Religion, and Power in the Visual Culture of
Ancient Rome (University of Oklahoma Press), comprising eight chapters:
CHAPTER I: The Leader and the Divine: Diverse Modes of Representation in Roman Numismatics
CHAPTER II: The Cult Image of Julius Caesar: Conflicts in Religious Theology and Ideology in
Augustus’ Representational Program
CHAPTER III: From Warrior to Statesman in Augustan Art and Ideology: Augustus and the Image of
Alexander
CHAPTER IV: The Ideology of “Peace through Victory” and the Ara Pacis: Visual Rhetoric and the
Creation of a Dynastic Narrative [revised and updated essay originally published in
German]
CHAPTER V: The Acanthus of the Ara Pacis as an Apolline and Dionysiac Symbol of
Anamorphosis, Anakyklosis and Numen Mixtum [revised and updated publication].
CHAPTER VI: Divine Providence in Early Imperial Ideology: The Smaller Cancelleria Relief and
the Ara Providentiae Augustae
CHAPTER VII: The “Insanity” of Caligula or the “Insanity” of the Jews? Differences in Perception
and Religious Beliefs
CHAPTER VIII: “Star Power” in Imperial Rome: Astral Theology, Castorian Imagery, and the Dual
Heirs in the Transmission of the Leadership of the State
IN PROGRESS:
VII) Christian Destruction and Desecration of Images of Classical Antiquity: A Study
in Religious Intolerance in the Ancient World
VIII) Dynastic Narratives in Augustan Art and Thought: The Rhetoric and Poetry of
Visual Imagery [with DVD Virtual Reality Program of the Monuments]
IX) The Image of Augustus: Art, Ideology, and the Rhetoric of Leadership
X) Social, Sexual, and Religious Intercourse: Sacrificial Ministrants and Sex-Slaves
in Roman Art -- 3rd Century B.C. - 4th Century A.D.
ARTICLES
PUBLISHED:
1) “A Flavian Relief Portrait in the J. Paul Getty Museum,” in Getty Museum Journal
5 (1977) 63-66.
2) “Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and the Ravenna Relief,” in Römische Mitteilungen
88 (1981) 117-40.
3) “A Pre-Principate Portrait of Gaius (Caligula)?” in Journal of the Walters Art
Gallery 40 (1982) 1-12.
4) “Damnatio Memoriae in Stone: Two Portraits of Nero Recut to Vespasian in
American Museums,” in American Journal of Archaeology 88 (1984) 547-55.
5) “The Meaning and Date of the Reverse Type of Gaius Caesar on Horseback,” in
American Numismatic Society Museum Notes 30 (1985) 113-17.
6) “Response to E. Judge’s ‘On Judging the Merits of Augustus,’” in Center for
Hermeneutical Studies: Colloquy 49 (1985) 44-46.
7) “Ahenobarbi, Appuleii and Some Others on the Ara Pacis,” in American Journal of
Archaeology 90 (1986) 453-60.
8) “The Findspot of the Statue of Augustus from Prima Porta,” in Bullettino della
Commissione Archeologica Comunale di Roma 92 (1987/88) 103-108.
9) “Two Acrolithic or Pseudo-Acrolithic Sculptures of the Mature Classical Period in
the Archaeological Museum of the Johns Hopkins University,” in Classical Marble:
Geochemistry,Technology, Trade (NATO ASI Series E vol. 153), edd. N. Herz and
M. Waelkens (Dordrecht 1988) 207-17.
10) “Man or God: Divine Assimilation and Imitation in the Late Republic and Early
Principate,” in Between Republic and Empire: Interpretations of Augustus and His
Principate, edd. K.A. Raaflaub and M. Toher (Berkeley 1990) 333-63.
11) “The Marble Type of the Augustus from Prima Porta: An Isotopic Analysis,” in
Journal of Roman Archaeology 5 (1992) 203-208.
12) “The Tazza Farnese: Principe Augusto ‘Redeunt Saturnia Regna’!” in American
Journal of Archaeology 96 (1992) 249-55, 283-300.
13) “The Cartoceto Bronzes: Portraits of a Roman Aristocratic Family of the Late First
Century B.C.,” in American Journal of Archaeology 97 (1993) 423-46.
14) “The Gemma Augustea: Ideology, Rhetorical Imagery, and the Construction of a
Dynastic Narrative,” in Narrative and Event in Ancient Art, ed. P. Holliday
(Cambridge 1993) 258-98.
15) “The Acanthus of the Ara Pacis as an Apolline and Dionysiac Symbol of
Anamorphosis, Anakyklosis and Numen Mixtum,” in Von der Bauforschung zur
Denkmalpflege, Festschrift für Alois Machatschek (Vienna 1993) 181-217.
16) “The ‘Trojan Column’ at USC: Reality or Myth?” in Trojan Family (May, 1994)
30-31.
17) “The Augustus from Prima Porta and the Transformation of the Polykleitan Heroic
Ideal,” in Polykleitos, the Doryphoros, and Tradition, ed. W. Moon (Madison 1995)
262-82.
18) “The ‘Dart Aphrodite’: A New Replica of the ‘Arles Aphrodite Type,’ the Cult Image
of Venus Victrix in Pompey’s Theater at Rome, and Venusian Ideology and Politics
in the Late Republic - Early Principate,” in Latomus 55 (1997) 757-85.
19) “Parian Lychnites and the Prima Porta Statue: New Scientific Tests and the Symbolic
Value of the Marble” (with N. Herz, K. Polikreti, and Y. Maniatis), in Journal of
Roman Archaeology 11 (1998) 275-84.
20) “The Warren Cup: Homoerotic Love and Symposial Rhetoric in Silver,” in The Art
Bulletin 81 (1999) 21-52.
21) “Ein mit Inschriften versehener Legionärshelm von der pannonisch-dakischen Grenze
des römischen Reiches: Besitzverhältnisse an Waffen in der römischen Armee,” in
M. Junkelmann, Römische Helme VIII Sammlung Axel Guttmann, ed. H. Born
(Mainz 2000) 169-88.
22) “The Marble Type of the Statue of Augustus from Prima Porta: Facts and Fallacies,
Lithic Power and Ideology, and Color Symbolism in Roman Art,” in Paria Lithos:
Parian Quarries, Marble and Workshops of Sculpture (Proceedings of the First
International Conference on the Archaeology of Paros and the Cyclades, Paros, 2-5
October 1997), edd. D.U. Schilardi and D. Katsonopoulou (Athens 2000) 237-52.
23) “The Riace Bronzes: New Observations,” in Acten des 14. Internationalen
Kongresses für Antike Bronzen, Kölner Jahrbuch 33 (2000) 37-56.
24) “Two Bronze Portrait Busts of Slave-Boys from a Shrine of Cobannus in Roman
Gaul,” in Studia Varia II: Occasional Papers on Antiquities of The J. Paul Getty
Museum 10 (2001) 115-52.
25) “A New Portrait of Octavian/Augustus Caesar,” in Roman Sculpture in the
Art Museum, Princeton University (Princeton 2001) 6-11.
26) “Two Gallo-Roman Bronze Portraits of Sacrificial Ministrants in the J. Paul Getty
Museum,” in From the Parts to the Whole 2: Acta of the 13th International Bronze
Congress, Cambridge, Massachusetts, May 28 - June 1, 1996, edd. C.C.
Mattusch, A. Brauer, and S.E. Knudsen (Portsmouth, Rhode Island 2002) 89-91.
27) “‘Frieden-durch-Sieg’ Ideologie und die Ara Pacis Augustae: Bildrhetorik und
die Schöpfung einer dynastischen Erzählweise,” in Krieg und Sieg: Narrative
Wanddarstellungen von Altägypten bis ins Mittelalter (Internationales
Kolloquium 23. - 30. Juli 1997 im Schloss Heindorf, Langenlois; Österreichischen
Akademie der Wissenschaften XXIV), edd. M. Bietak und M. Schwarz (Vienna
2002) 137-59.
28) “A New Portrait of Octavia and the Iconography of Octavia Minor and Julia Maior,”
Römische Mitteilungen 109 (2002) 11-42.
29) “Slave-Boys for Sexual and Religious Service: Images of Pleasure and Devotion,” in
Flavian Rome: Culture, Image, Text, edd. A.J. Boyle and W.J. Dominik (Leiden
2003) 149-66.
30) “The Caelian Hill Sacrificial Minister: A Marble Head of an Imperial Slave-Boy from
the Antiquarium Comunale on the Caelian Hill in Rome,” in Römische Mitteilungen
111 (2004) 1-28.
31) “A New Head of Augustus from Herculaneum: A Marble Survivor of a Pyroclastic
Surge,” in Römische Mitteilungen 111 (2004) 283-98.
32) “The Armstrong and Nuffler Heads and the Portraiture of Julius Caesar, Livia, and
Antonia Minor in Terra Marique: Studies in Honor of Anna Marguerite McCann
on the Receipt of the Gold Medal of the Archaeological Institute of America, ed.
J. Pollini (Oxbow Publications, Oxford 2005) 89-122.
33) “A New Marble Portrait of Tiberius: Portrait Typology and Ideology,” in Antike Kunst
48 (2005) 57-72.
34) “A North African Portrait of Caracalla from the Mellerio Collection and the
Iconography of Caracalla and Geta,” in Revue Archéologique (2005) 55-77.
35) “A Bronze Gorgon Handle Ornament of the Ripe Archaic Greek Period,” in Annuario
della Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene e delle Missioni Italiani in Oriente 83
(2005) 235-47.
36) “Ritualizing Death in Republican Rome: Memory, Religion, Class Struggle, and the
Wax Ancestral Mask Tradition’s Origin and Influence on Veristic Portraiture” in
Performing Death: Social Analyses of Funerary Ritual in the Ancient Near East
and Mediterranean (Oriental Institute Seminars 3, University of
Chicago), ed. N. Laneri (Chicago 2007) 237-85.
37) “A New Bronze Portrait Bust of Augustus,” in Latomus 66 (2007) 270-73.
FORTHCOMING:
38) “Gods and Emperors in the East: Images of Power and the Power of Intolerance,”
in the proceedings of an international conference on “‘Sculptural Environment’ of the
Roman Near East: Reflections on Culture, Ideology, and Power” (University of
Michigan), in Interdisciplinary Studies in Ancient Culture and Religion,
edd. E.A. Friedland, S.C. Herbert, and Y.Z. Eliav (Peeters Publ.: Leuven).
39) “A New Portrait Bust of Tiberius in the Collection of Michael Bianco,” in Bulletin
Antieke Beschaving 83 (2008) 133-38.
40) “The Desecration and Mutilation of the Parthenon Frieze by Christians and Others,” in
Athenische Mitteilungen 122 (2007).
41) “Problematics of Making Ambiguity Explicit in Virtual Reconstructions:
A Case Study of the Mausoleum of Augustus,” for the proceedings of an international
conference, “Computer Technology and the Arts: Theory and Practice,” sponsored by
the British Academy and the University of London.
42) “A Winged Goat Table Leg Support from the House of Numerius Popidius Priscus at
Pompeii,” in Pompei, Regio VII, Insula 2, pars occidentalis. Indagini, Studi,
Materiali (la Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei), ed. L. Pedroni.
43) “Augustus: Portraits of Augustus,” in Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and
Rome (2008).
44) “A New Bronze Lar and the Role of the Lares in the Domestic and Civic Religion of the Romans,” in Latomus (2008).
IN PROGRESS:
45) “The ‘Colville Athena’ Head and Its Typology.”
46) “Idealplastik and Idealtheorie: Paradeigmatic Systems, Homosexual Desire, and the
Rhetoric of Identity in Polykleitos’ Doryphoros and Diadoumenos.”
REVIEW ARTICLES
PUBLISHED:
D. Boschung, Die Bildnisse des Augustus (Das römische Herrscherbild I.2) (Berlin 1993),
in Art Bulletin 81 (1999) 723-35.
E. Varner, Mutilation and Transformation: Damnatio Memoriae and Roman Imperial
Portraiture (Monumenta Graeca et Romana 10) (Leiden 2004), in Art Bulletin 88
(2006) 591-98.
BOOK REVIEWS
PUBLISHED:
M. Torelli, Typology and Structure of Roman Historical Reliefs, in American Journal of
Archaeology 87 (1983) 572-73.
J. Ganzert, Das Kenotaph für Gaius Caesar in Limyra, in American Journal of
Archaeology 90 (1986) 134-36.
R. Brilliant, Visual Narratives. Storytelling in Etruscan and Roman Art in American
Journal of Philology 107 (1986) 523-27.
PUBLISHED IN CHOICE:
E. Bartman, Portraits of Livia: Imaging the Imperial Woman in Augustan Rome, in
vol. 37 (1999) 126.
B.S. Ridgway, Prayers in Stone: Greek Architectural Sculpture (Ca. 600 - 100 B.C.),
in vol. 37 (2000) 1095.
W.E. Mierse, Temples and Towns in Roman Iberia: The Social and Architectural
Dynamics of Sanctuary Designs from the Third Century B.C. to the Third Century A.D.
in vol. 37 (2000) 1458.
V. Karageorgis, Ancient Art from Cyprus: The Cesnola Collection in The Metropolitan
Museum of Art (New York 2000)in vol. 38 (2000) 1953.
Z. Hawass, Valley of the Golden Mummies (New York 2000) in vol. 38 (2001)
4036.
M.W. Jones, Principles of Roman Architecture (New Haven 2000) in vol. 38 (2001)
5409.
F. Salmon, Building on Ruins: The Rediscovery of Rome and English Architecture
(Ashgate 2000) in vol. 39 (2001) 106.
J. Boardman, The History of Greek Vases: Potters, Painters and Pictures (New York
2001) in vol. 39 (2002) 3755.
Roman Sculpture in the Art Museum, Princeton University, ed. J. M. Padgett (Princeton
2001) in vol. 39 (2002) 6218.
G. Hedreen, Capturing Troy: The Narrative Function of Landscape in Archaic and Early
Classical Greek Art (Ann Arbor, 2001) in vol. 40 (2002) 73.
A. J. Clark, M. Elston, and M.L. Hart, Understanding Greek Vases: A Guide to Terms,
Styles, and Techniques (Los Angeles 2002) in vol. 40 (2003) 3185.
S. Woodford, Images of Myths in Classical Antiquity (Cambridge 2003) in vol. 41
(2003) 89.
J. Aruz with R. Wallenfels (edd.), Art of the First Cities: The Third Millennium B.C. from
the Mediterranean to the Indus (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) (New
Haven 2003) in vol. 41 (2004) 2584.
G. Curtis, Disarmed: The Story of the Venus de Milo (New York 2003) in vol. 41 (2004)
5083.
Games for the Gods: The Greek Athlete and the Olympic Spirit, edd. J.J. Herrmann and C.
Kondoleon (Boston Museum of Fine Arts) in vol. 42 (2004) 646.
E.W. Leach, The Social Life of Painting in Ancient Rome and on the Bay of Naples
(Cambridge 2004) in vol. 42 (2004) 1215-16.
D. Mazzoleni, Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House (Los Angeles 2004) in vol. 42
(2005) 1809.
S. Fine, Art and Judaism in the Greco-Roman World: Toward a New Jewish Archaeology
(Cambridge 2005) in vol. 43 (2006) 1586-87.
C.H. Hallett, The Roman Nude: Heroic Portrait Statuary 200 B.C. -- A.D. 300 (Oxford
2005) in vol. 44 (2006).
Constantine the Great: York’s Roman Emperor, edd. E. Hartley, J. Hawkes, M. Henig, and
F. Mee (York 2006) in vol. 44 (2006).
M.D. Stansbury-O’Donnell, Vase Painting, Gender, and Social Identity in Archaic Athens
(Cambridge 2006) in vol. 44 (2006).
PRINCIPAL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS (Hard Copy and Online):
Greek Art and Archaeology: Course Manual (113 pages, 23 plates) and online version of
this Course Manual with digitized images
Roman Art and Archaeology: Course Manual (158 pages, 58 plates) and online version
of this Course Manual with digitized images
Digging into the Past: Material Culture and the Civilizations of the Ancient
Mediterranean: Course Manual (43 pages)
Proseminar Guide to General and Specific Works on Greek and Roman Art and
Archaeology and Related Disciplines (50 pages) and online version
Website for AHIS 425, “Introduction to Interdisciplinary Research and Methodology
in Classical Art and Archaeology and Related Disciplines” with links to other important
websites in the fields of Art, Archaeology, Classics, and Ancient History
Website for AHIS 201g: “Digging into the Past: Material Culture and the
Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean” (with digitized images)
PAPERS GIVEN AT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL
CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA
On Judging the Merits of Augustus: Center for Hermeneutical Studies: Colloquy,
Berkeley (April, 1985)
Investigating Hellenistic Sculpture: Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts,
National Gallery of Art (October, 1986)
Augustus: Monuments, Arts, and Religion: Brown University (March, 1987)
Aspects of Ancient Religion: University of California at Berkeley (April, 1987)
Marble and Ancient Greece and Rome: International conference sponsored by
NATO at Il Ciocco (Tuscany), Italy (May, 1988)
Polykleitos, the Doryphoros and Its Influence: University of Wisconsin, Madison
(October, 1989)
UCLA-USC Seminar in Roman Studies: UCLA, Los Angeles (December, 1992)
XIIIth International Bronze Congress: Harvard University (May 28 - June 1, 1996)
UCLA-USC Seminar in Roman Studies: Roman Representations: Subjectivity, Power
and Space: USC, Los Angeles (March, 1997)
International Symposium at Cuma (Naples): Flavian Poets, Artists, Architects and
Engineers in the Campi Flegrei (July, 1997)
International Symposium at the University of Vienna: Interdisziplinäres Kolloquium
Historische Architekturreliefs vom Alten Ägypten bis zum Mittelalter (July, 1997)
First International Conference on the Archaeology of Paros and the Cyclades: Paros,
Greece (October, 1997)
Getty Research Institute Colloquium: Work in Progress (November, 1997)
Annual Meetings of the Art Historians of Southern California at California State
University, Northridge, California (November, 1998)
XIV. Internationaler Kongress für Antike Bronzen: Werkstattkreise, Figuren und Geräte
(Sponsored by Das Römisch-Germanisches Museum der Stadt Köln und das
Archäologisches Institut der Universität zu Köln [September 1999]): Besides giving paper,
chaired the session “Bronzestatuen und -statuetten: Fundkomplexen, Fundgruppen,
Einzelstücke, und Typen”
First International Symposium on Roman Imperial Ideology: Politics, Art, and
Numismatics at the Villa Vergiliana, Cuma (Naples) -- keynote speaker and chaired
session on “Ideology, Historiography, and the Imperial Family” (May, 2000)
International Symposium at Emory University, Atlanta: Tyranny and Transformation
(October, 2000)
Annual Meeting of the Art Historians of Southern California at the Getty Center,
Los Angeles, California (November, 2000)
Getty Research Institute Colloquium: Work in Progress (December, 2000)
Second International Symposium on Roman Imperial Ideology: Politics, Art, and
Numismatics at the Villa Vergiliana, Cuma (Naples) -- chaired session on “The Image of
the Princeps and the Ruler Cult” (May, 2001)
UCLA-USC Seminar in Roman Studies: UCLA, Los Angeles (April, 2002)
Third International Symposium on Roman Imperial Ideology: Politics, Art, and
Numismatics at the Villa Vergiliana, Cuma (Naples) -- chaired session on “Roman History
and Ideology” (May, 2002)
Symposium on the Age of Augustus at UCLA -- (Feb., 2003)
Fourth International Symposium on Roman Imperial Ideology: Politics, Art, and
Numismatics at the Villa Vergiliana, Cuma (Naples) -- keynote speaker and
chaired session (May, 2003)
International Archaeological Congress, Harvard University (Aug. 2003): Besides giving a
paper, chaired session on “Ancient Society”
VIIth International ASMOSIA Conference, Thasos, Greece (Sept. 2003)
International Conference in the Arts and the Humanities, Honolulu, Hawaii (Jan. 2004)
Symposium on Roman Sculpture, Minneapolis Museum of Art (organized by Richard
Brilliant) (April, 2004)
International Symposium on Interaction of Indigenous and Foreign Cults in Italy at Cuma
(Naples) (May, 2004): Besides giving a paper, chaired session
International Conference at University of Michigan: “‘Sculptural Environment’ of the
Roman Near East: Reflections on Culture, Ideology, and Power (November 2004)
International Conference at Stanford University: “Seeing the Past” (February 2005)
International Conference at the University of London: “Computer Technology and the Arts:
Theory and Practice” (November 2005)
International Conference at the University of Chicago: “Performing Death: Social Analyses
of Funerary Ritual in the Mediterranean” (February 2006)
VIIIth International ASMOSIA Conference, Aix-en-Provence, France (June 2006)
Symposium “Art of Warfare”: Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University (January
2007)
PAPERS PRESENTED AT ANNUAL CONVENTIONS OF THE
ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE
COLLEGE ART ASSOCIATION
Boston (AIA, December, 1979)
New Orleans (AIA, December, 1980)
San Francisco (AIA, December, 1981)
Philadelphia (AIA, December, 1982)
Cincinnati (AIA, December, 1983)
Toronto (AIA, December, 1984)
Washington, D.C. (AIA, December, 1985) -- invited paper, “The Promulgation of the
Image of the Leader in Roman Art,” in a special AIA plenary session on Politics and
Art
San Antonio (AIA, December, 1986) -- invited paper, “Time, Narrativity, and Dynastic
Constructs in Augustan Art and Thought,” at a joint AIA-APA session on topics
illustrating connections between Roman art and philology
Houston (CAA, February, 1988) -- invited paper, “The Gemma Augustea and the
Construction of a Dynastic Narrative,” for a CAA session on Narrative and Event in
Greek and Roman Art
Atlanta (AIA, December, 1994) -- discussant for a joint AIA-APA session on “Rethinking
Nero’s Legacy: New Perspectives on Neronian Art, Literature, and History”
New York (AIA, December, 1996) -- special poster session: “The Marble Type of the
Statue of Augustus from Prima Porta: New Scientific Tests” (prepared in collaboration
with Norman Herz, Director of Programs, Center for Archaeological Sciences, University
of Georgia)
Chicago (AIA, December, 1997)
Washington, D.C. (AIA, December, 1998) -- invited paper, “A Portrait of a Sex-Slave
‘Stud’ (?) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York,” for a special colloquium in
honor of Anna Marguerite McCann on the receipt of the “Gold Medal” of the
Archaeological Institute of America
San Francisco (AIA, January, 2004) -- joint paper with N.Cipolla and L. Swartz Dodd
OTHER ACADEMIC AND PUBLIC LECTURES/TALKS
American Academy, Rome, Italy (March, 1976)
Cleveland Society AIA, Cleveland, Ohio (April, 1979)
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. (September, 1980)
Institute of Fine Arts, New York, N.Y. (October, 1980)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y. (January, 1983)
New York Society AIA, New York, N.Y. (January, 1983)
Baltimore Society AIA, Baltimore, Md. (February, 1983)
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (March, 1987)
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Ca. (March, 1987)
Columbia University, New York, N.Y. (April, 1987)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, UCLA, Ca. (November 1989)
Tulane University, New Orleans, La. (February, 1990)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, USC, Ca. (February 1990)
Los Angeles Society AIA, Los Angeles, Ca. (March, 1990)
Fisher Gallery and School of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, Los Angeles,
Ca. (March, 1990)
Institute of Fine Arts, New York, N.Y. (April, 1990)
American Academy, Rome, Italy (May, 1990)
University of Vienna and Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria (June, 1990)
San Diego Society AIA, San Diego, Ca. (September, 1990)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, Getty Museum, Malibu, Ca.
(November, 1990).
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. (December, 1990)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, Gamble House, Pasadena, Ca.
(March 1991)
Henry T. Rowell Lecturer: Baltimore Society AIA, Baltimore, Md. (November, 1991)
Villanova University, Villanova, Pa. (November, 1991)
Royal-Athena Galleries, Los Angeles, Ca. (October, 1992)
Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts (CASVA), National Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C. (November, 1992)
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C. (November, 1992)
Duke University, Durham, N.C. (November, 1992)
University of California, Los Angeles: UCLA/USC Seminar in Roman Studies, Los
Angeles, Ca. (December, 1992)
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Ca. (January, 1993)
J. Paul Getty Museum and Center for the History of Art and the Humanities, Malibu,
Ca. (February, 1993)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, UCLA, Ca. (March 1993)
California State University, Long Beach, Ca. (March, 1993)
Stanford University, Palo Alto, Ca. (April, 1993)
University of California, Berkeley, Ca. (April, 1993)
California State University, Northridge, Ca. (April, 1993)
University of Arizona, Tucson, Az. (April, 1993)
American Academy, Rome, Italy (June, 1994)
Getty Center for the History of Art and the Humanities (Director’s Series) (Dec., 1994)
University of California, Irvine (May, 1997)
American Academy, Rome, Italy (July, 1997)
American School of Classical Studies, Athens (October, 1997)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles (March, 1998)
British School at Rome (June, 1998)
University of California, Berkeley (November, 1998)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, University of California,
Santa Barbara (March, 1999)
Work in Progress: Getty Research Institute, Brentwood, California (December, 2000)
Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California, Getty Research Institute,
Brentwood, Ca. (April, 2001)
American Academy, Rome, Italy (May, 2001)
Loyola Marymount, Los Angeles (March, 2002)
Southern California Institute of Architecture (February, 2003)
Columbia University, New York (April, 2003)
University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (May, 2003)
University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands (May, 2003)
American School of Classical Studies, Athens (September, 2003)
University of Oklahoma, Norman (March, 2005)
Cambridge University, Cambridge, England (November, 2005)
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Greece (March, 2007)
University of Athens, Greece (May, 2007)
Los Angeles Society of the AIA, Los Angeles (December, 2007)
College of William and Mary (January, 2008)
Duke University, Durham (February, 2008)
Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA (March, 2008)
University of Nebraska, Lincoln (April, 2008)
AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS as Whitehead Professor of Archaeology (2006-2007)
Participated in all Fall trips of the School to various parts of Greece, giving
presentations on each of the trips.
Participated in the School’s Spring trip to Central Anatolia, giving several presentations.
Offered a seminar in the Winter Quarter: “Christian Destruction and Desecration of
Images and Shrines of Classical Antiquity.”
MISCELLANEOUS TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS
Lectures and talks on site regarding the architecture and topography of Rome, Ostia,
and Hadrian’s Villa for members of the Technische Universität für Architektur und
Denkmalpflege, Vienna, Austria; the Summer School of the American Academy in
Rome; St. Olaf College’s Junior Year Abroad Program; and M.A. students of
architecture in a joint summer program of the University of Southern California and the
University of Illinois; and the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome.
Talks on various aspects of Classical art and archaeology at meetings of the
Archaeological Society of the Mid-Atlantic States (1980-1987)
Gallery talks on the ancient collections of the Archaeological Museum of the Johns
Hopkins University (in capacity as curator) and of the Walters Art Gallery (1979-1987)
Gallery talks on the ancient collections of the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles
County Museum of Art (1987-present)
Talk for USC graduate students in the Dept. of Classics at the Ara Pacis and Mausoleum of
Augustus in Rome (May 26, 2006), organized by Prof. Claudia Moatti, Dept. of Classics
SPECIAL TALKS AND LECTURES AT USC
Seminar for Professor Claudia Moatti, Department of Classics: “Problems in Ancient Art”
(March, 2005)
Seminar for Dr. Daniela Bleichmar, Department of Art History: Rediscovering the
Classical Past: The Relationship of Art History, Archaeology, and Visual Culture (March,
2005)
University of Southern California’s 125th Celebration: For Symposium on “Trojan
Legends” presented paper: “USC's Trojan Column: An Ancient and Modern Myth”
(October, 2005)
MEDIA INTERVIEWS AND CONSULTATION
New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, The
History Channel, Arts and Entertainment Channel, KPCC Radio Los Angeles, NBC, Fox
Featured piece on my innovative work on the marble type of the statue of Augustus from
Prima Porta: A. Elders, “Tracing the Stones of Classical Brilliance,” in Hermes -- Greece
Today 35 (1999) 20-24.
ORGANIZER AND LEADER OF TOURS OF MUSEUMS AND SITES
Turkey (for Board of Councilors and donors of the School of Fine Arts, USC, 1995; for
university students and the general public, 1998)
Greece (Attica and the Peloponnese) (for university students and the general public, 1999)
Central Italy (for university students and the general public, 2000, 2002, 2003)
PARTICIPATION IN OTHER COLLOQUIA AND SYMPOSIA
Roman Sculpture and Architecture: German Archaeological Institute, Rome
(January, 1978)
Roman Architecture: Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery
of Art (January, 1981)
The Age of Augustus. The Rise of Imperial Ideology: Brown University (April, 1982)
Pictorial Narratives in Antiquity and the Middle Ages: The Johns Hopkins University and
the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art (March, 1984)
Villa Gardens of the Roman Empire: Dumbarton Oaks (May, 1984)
Retaining the Original -- Multiple Originals, Copies, and Reproductions: Center for
Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art (March, 1985)
Investigating Hellenistic Sculpture: Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts,
National Gallery of Art (October, 1986)
Marble -- Art Historical and Sculptural Perspectives on Ancient Sculpture: J. Paul Getty
Museum (April, 1988)
International Conference on Roman Archaeology and Latin Epigraphy: University of
Rome and the French School of Rome (May, 1988)
Roman Portraits in Context: Emory University (January, 1989)
Small Bronze Sculpture from the Ancient World: J. Paul Getty Museum (March, 1989)
Alexandria and Alexandrianism: J. Paul Getty Museum (April, 1993)
International Symposium: “Rome Reborn” Visual Reality Program at UCLA (December,
1996)
History of Restoration of Ancient Stone Sculptures, J. Paul Getty Museum (October, 2001)
Re-Restoring Ancient Stone Sculpture, J. Paul Getty Museum (March, 2003)
Marble Conference on Thasos, Liman, Thasos (Sept. 2003)
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Editorial Assistant (1968-1969) and Associate Editor (1969-1970), AGON: Journal of
Classical Studies
Editorial Board, American Journal of Philology (January, 1982-January, 1987)
Delegate from Baltimore Society AIA to National Convention (1984-1986)
Vice-President, Baltimore Society of the AIA (1985-1987)
Co-Director, Exhibition on Roman Portraiture, Fisher Gallery (1989)
Co-Founder (with Dr. Diana Buitron) of the Classical Archaeological Society of the Mid-
Atlantic States (1978-87)
Founder and President of the Classical Archaeological Society of Southern California
(1987-present)
Member of the Ancient Art Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1987-
present)
Oversaw the publication and helped edit the newsletter “ARTFACTS” of the
School of Fine Arts (1993-1996) during my tenure as Dean of the School of Fine Arts
USC Representative to Advisory Council of the American Academy in Rome
(1993-present)
Comitato di Collaborazione Culturale to the Consul General of Italy at Los Angeles
(1995-1998)
Advisory Committee for the Virtual Reality Project for Ancient Rome (“Rome Reborn”)
(1996-1998)
Delegate from Los Angeles Society AIA to National Convention (Chicago, Dec., 1997)
Reviewer for the Getty Grant Program (1999)
Reviewer for the MacArthur Foundation Grant (2000, 2003)
Planning Committee for a Four-Year International Conference on “Roman Imperial
Ideology” at the Villa Vergiliana at Cuma (Naples), organized by J. Rufus Fears (2000-
2003)
Consultant for the Forum of Augustus Project: Sovrintendenza Archeologica Comunale,
Direzione al Foro di Augusto (2004-present)
Editor of the newsletter “Musings” for the Department of Art History, USC (2005)
Planning Committee for the Internation Bronze Congress in Athens, Greece (2006-2007)
Chaired two sessions -- “Roman Sculpture” and “Augustan Art” -- at the Annual Meeting
of the Archaeological Institute of America (San Diego 2007)
UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES AND OTHER SERVICE
Faculty Senate (1988-1991)
Advisory Committee to the Dean of the School of Fine Arts (1990-1991, 1992-1993)
Chairman, Personnel Committee of the School of Fine Arts (1988-1990)
Library Liaison Officer for Art and Architecture Library (1987-present)
Search Committee for Reference Librarian of the Art and Architecture Library
(1989-1990 and 2000)
University Library Committee (1989-1990, 1998-2001)
Recruitment Committee for the School of Fine Arts (1989-1995)
Space Allocation Committee, School of Fine Arts (1989-1990)
University Research Committee (1990-1991)
Promotion Committee, School of Fine Arts (1990-1995)
University Ad Hoc Committee on Revenue Center Management (1990-1995)
Committee for University Development, School of Fine Arts (1993-1995)
Development Task Force, the School of Fine Arts (1993-1995)
Consultative Committee to the Provost (Spring 1993-1995)
University Galleries Advisory Committee (1993-1995)
University Committee on Transnational and Multicultural Affairs (1993-1995)
Provost’s Council at USC (formerly Council of Deans) (1993-1995)
USC Representative to the Advisory Council of the American Academy in Rome
(1993-present)
Founder and Member of the Board of Councilors for the School of Fine Arts (1994-1995)
Consortium Council of Deans for Development at USC (1995)
Tenure and Promotion Committee, Department of Art History (1995-to present)
Recruitment Committee for Department of Art History in the College of
Letters, Arts, and Sciences (1996-2005)
Program Proposer for the Establishment of an Interdepartmental and Interdisciplinary
Ancient Mediterranean Studies Program (1997-1999)
Chinese Search Committee, Department of Art History (1998-1999)
Japanese Search Committee, Department of Art History (1998-1999)
Professor-In-Charge, USC-Getty Lecture Series, Seminar, and Faculty Dinner (honoring
Salvatore Settis) (1998-1999)
Curriculum Committee (Co-Chair) (1998-1999)
Chair, Committee for Selection of Departmental Chair (1999-2000)
Chair, Merit Review Committee (1999-2000)
Committee for the Establishment of an Undergraduate Major in Archaeology
(2002-present)
Greek Art Search Committee, Department of Art History and Classics (2001-2004)
Faculty Search Committee, Department of Art History: Senior Hiring Initiative (2003-
present)
Junior Faculty Review Committee, Department of Art History (2003)
USC’s Arts and Humanities Committee (2003-2004)
Chair of Oversight Committee for the Interdisciplinary Archaeology Major (Spring 2006)
MEMBERSHIPS IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NATIONAL:
Archaeological Institute of America
College Art Association
American Philological Association
Association of Ancient Historians
Vergilian Society
INTERNATIONAL:
Deutsches Archäologisches Institut
Associazione Internazionale di Archeologia Classica
Association for the Study of Marble and Other Stones in Antiquity (AMOSIA)
Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies
If you are interested in Julio Claudian Iconography and portrait study you may enjoy these two links:
Julio Claudian Iconographic Association- Joe Geranio- Administrator at groups.yahoo.com/group/julioclaudian/
The Portraiture of Caligula- Joe Geranio- Administrator- at
portraitsofcaligula.com/
Both are non-profit sites and for educational use only.
What Is True Faith in God? | christian family movie "Red Re-Education at Home" | God Is My Lord
Zheng Yi is a Christian. When he heard about the CCP government's brutal persecution of Eastern Lightning and the arrest of Christians during his work in the United States, he pondered, "The CCP is an atheist party, a satanic regime that resists God most. Under the frenzied persecution and suppression by the CCP, Eastern Lightning has still become increasingly prosperous. It most likely is the true way." So he examined Eastern Lightning on the website of The Church of Almighty God . He discovered that Almighty God's word is the truthand the voice of God. He determined that Almighty God is the return of the Lord Jesus. So he readily accepted the work of Almighty God in the last days. Four years later, Zheng Yi returned to China and passed on the work of Almighty God in the last days to his sister, Zheng Rui, a news reporter.
Zheng Yi's father, Zheng Weiguo, is the minister of the United Front Work Department in a city of China. When he learned that his children had believed in Almighty God, he strongly opposed it and repeatedly used the rumors and fallacies of the CCP government to stop them from believing in God. On many occasions, Zheng Yi and his sister debated with their father. This spiritual war of the family ultimately ended with the truth triumphing over fallacy and the fact over rumor! Fearful of the CCP's evil power and determined to keep his official position and livelihood, Zheng Weiguo stubbornly took side with the CCP and compelled his children to give up their belief in Almighty God but to no avail. He finally expelled them from their home …
Zheng Yi and his sister resolutely chose to leave their family and follow Christ to preach and witness God's appearance and work in the last days.
The content of this video has been translated entirely by professional translators. However, due to linguistic differences etc., a small number of inaccuracies are inevitable. If you discover any such inaccuracies, please refer to the original Chinese version, and feel free to get in touch to let us know.
New Year a lucky strike.
Guile’s Dovers Gentlemen’s Club
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Story below.
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A favoured Hunting Patch
One can take a knight, a pawn or a rook, even a king, but a queen, that needs capturing, are you game lass …?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am Welsh-born, a female, a jewel thief by nature, A cat burglar by trade, and an open opportunist for satisfying those cravings through any devices.
From a very young age, I have always been aware of the deep delicious feeling of desires coming bubbling up from deep within, sweeping tingling cravings and sexually charged desires to secretly acquire things, shiny things, from the well-dressed females who temptingly wore them.
The Guile’s Gentlemen’s Club New Year's Eve Ball
This area has always been lucky for me every New Year's Evening.
A private males-only club whose doors are open to Females only during the three formal balls they host per year. One of them is a New Year's Eve Dance.
They are all ultra-formal events traditionally attended to by many of society’s wealthiest families, some even holding actual titles of the realm.
So this “patch” was ultra ripe for the pickings and plucking. But since I made this my annual New Year's Eve event, I severely limited my takings and planned on one, sometimes two, expensively jeweled trinkets per year to not raise suspicions to a point where future preventative action is taken.
And with the valuable jewelry these dames wore, one well-chosen piece could easily cover my expenses for several months, and often did.
Also, I’m bragging a bit now, but I’ve always scored at least once every year I’ve attended. This being the only function to which I can make that claim.
I always arrived late, with the night as black as the fur of my pet cat Lucipurr. The twin lights that were at the entrance were a pair of green globes, shining like Lucipurr’s eyes in the night.
A late arrival meant the well-dressed guests inside would have been drinking heavily for some hours, increasing thrice my advantages for a successful lift from an unwary lady.
And I am not just talking about a drinking lady’s expensive jewelry alone. For there sometimes would be the young, below drinking age, lassies under their charge.
Unusually well-dressed young‘uns whose inebriated parents were no longer keeping a close eye on them.
Bored and antsy, paying little or no attention to the valuable jewels they were unaccustomed to wearing.
And it was surprising the value of the pieces they were allowed to be wearing out. But I guess if you are paying an arm and a leg to have them custom-fitted into an evening gown, then splurging on the jewelry is to be expected.
These usually older teenage nestlings were quite susceptible to the fawning attentions given them by a nice older lady, allowing their silken-clad persons to be touched and stroked over by fingers that moved ever closer to their shiny, easily pickable, baubles.
One of which would often be found later to have mysteriously vanished.
So, in a nutshell, this avenue was this pickpocket's dream patch.
^^^^^^^^
Today the organizers hold to strict age rules for the guests. No one younger than 18 years of age may be in attendance.
But at the time when I began hunting in that patch, there were no such restrictions, and some of the over-tripped female attendees were as young as 16 and even down to 14.
Which was rather a darling treat to see little ones so young dolled up in gowns, temptingly wearing pearls and rhinestones and the ilk. (many were also to be found wearing real pieces lent from their mum’s or gram mum’s collection-which is what I was always on the lookout for at the time). Talk about your candy-wearing babes in the woods scenarios.
^^^^^^^^
The dance floor at this venue is a whopping 2000 square meters, making it a very seductive patch for me to work over.
There is a second floor on one side that holds several lounge and powder rooms. A mezzanine extends in front of those rooms hovering above the bar area. On the opposite side, there is a similar mezzanine that fronts the private men’s quarters, during the dance this is roped off to nonmembers.
There is a grand stairway on both ends, leading from the dance floor. Off the mezzanine over the bar, on the opposite end, is a narrow set of stairs leading to the outside, (nearly) enclosed gardens.
^^^^^^^^
The gardens were I had my best bit of luck over the years.
The Hedged Gardens impressively encompass almost 2 Hectares. Only accessible from the back of the venue. It is surrounded by 3.5 m tall hedges surrounded by a 3 m tall iron fence.
The fence had a secret spot, totally covered by hedges, where one could wriggle in and out.
There is a brick patio that was laid in between the venue and the gardens. On the garden side in one corner a reconverted single-person privy for when there is an overflow inside the powder rooms. Next to it, by the gardens wrought iron gates, there is a small two-tier pond with a waterfall, for decorative koi fish
This was a good place to have a smoke and a good think while alone. Usually, after I had gone and thoroughly reconnoitered the ballroom for the first time after arriving to gather my thoughts and plot my next move(s).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A lucky strike.
This evening there was no need to reconnoiter for very long after I had arrived I spotted a likely mark right off.
She was a beauty, fetchingly encased in a long flowing one off shoulder gown of icy blue satin. If I was a male my eyes would have been popping out over the way the gown lay over her well-endowed figure. And yes, the males were noticing her!
Most women would have been rather envious of the attraction she was receiving. As for me, the only real attraction was the blazing diamond broach alluringly pinned to her gown’s single shoulder.
I had been discreetly observing her for most of the evening. Even allowed myself to dance with a handsomely attired bloke to get a closer look at her broach and how it was attached to her lovely gown.
The more I studied it, the more I desired to have it.
After leaving the touchy bloke, and relieving him of his Rolex watch, I went to the bar and waited. Soon I saw her heading upstairs and she went inside the powder room.
I slowly finished my drink and meandered upstairs myself. I went inside and found that I had timed it perfectly. My mark was applying lipstick in front of one of the many mirrors that lined the main room. Keeping an eye on my prey I circled the crowded room in and out of groups of well dressed chatty ladies and then back out the door.
I waited on the mezzanine and looked over the crowd below. Each time I heard the door open I gave a side glance to see who it was. The third time was my charm as I saw a whisp of ice blue.
I turned and followed. As she reached the stairs I moved past, bumping alongside her as she hovered one step below me.
My mark was now off balance, I caught her, pulling her back from the stairs as she glared at my petulance behavior.
We faced each other and she with a better-than-thou look, accepted my apologies.
I meanwhile had placed a hand on her deliciously gowned shoulder, feeling her flinch underneath the scintillating fabric as I did. I used that to my advantage as I moved my fingers to where her jeweled broach was set.
I easily undid the broach from the shoulder of her gown without the nervous twit’s notice and cupped the jewel in my palm as she dismissed me while turning and making her way downstairs without a look back at me.
I went back along the opposite way of the mezzanine and reaching the back stairs went down and out into the outside patio.
Seeing that the area appeared deserted I went to a dark corner and admired my glitzy trophy. Too eager to wait until I had left the venue to do so. Which I’ll admit to that being a fallacy of mine.
I finally pocketed it and reached in for my gold cigarette case, planning on a relaxing smoke before calling it a night.
I had let several satisfying puffs out when I froze. … buggers, someone was inside the small outdoor privy. I put out the cig and moved further back into the shadows.
A young girl, oozing wealth and privilege, just then emerged.
She was indeed a rather fetching lass, with long silky red hair, probably an innocently sweet sixteen years old of age.
With a figure that was as frisky and sweet as her age.
Also sweet was her sumptuous attire that, along with her makeup, made her look far older and more sophisticated than she was.
She wore a long sleeved coloured cowl necked blouse of touchable shiny sleek purple silk that tightly outlined her plump perking breasts.
Over which she displayed a stunning black unfastened jacket of thicke satin. Elegantly adorned with silver rhinestone trimmings and buttons.
I took a fancy to that jacket which unfortunately for me( fortunate for her) was a full size smaller than what I could be wearing.
Spilling out from beneath the satin jacket was a slippery slick thin silk black ankle-length skirt. Falling down with a sensuous whisking flutter from a rhinestone belted svelte waist to just above her black satin pumps trimmed with purple rhinestones.
And the icing on the cake appeared in the form of the “ice” she was flaunting.
It was a splendid few seconds of heart-pounding euphoria that I experienced while eyeing this unwary chick's flashy jewels…
The sparklers I was eyeing up consisted of a pair of swinging long seven-strand earrings, along with sparkling rings worn loosely on three slender fingers. Finally, there was a brooch in the shape of a musical score bass clef sparkling from her jacket’s shoulder.
Then within less than a minute, I sadly realized, that in seemingly stark contrast to her expensive attire, the rich chick's jewelry was nothing to write home about. It was all rhinestones, except one of her 3 rings. But the real emerald stone set in there was too small to be worth my while, and risking exposure. So her mama had not allowed her out this evening wearing the good stuff. Pity.
But with unabashed feelings, I still watched her smashing profile, fine breasts delectably poking out as she moved to the koi pond and bent over, staring into its murky depths.
She was completely unaware of being watched and drooled over.
I will admit to thoroughly enjoying the exquisitely tantalizing show her beautiful attire was presenting.
She knelt down and reached the waterfall. Her silky skirt nicely outlined her tight buttocks with a fine appealing shine.
I found myself coming up with a good excuse to bump into her just for a good feel.
Just as I began to move, from the long cuffed satin sleeve of her jacket, from along her wrist, fell a bracelet into the light. I watched as it erupted into a frenzied storm of color that only real diamonds can ever achieve.
I gulped as this unexpected treasure revealed itself with surprising flamboyance. Properly chuffed that indeed, she was wearing valuable jewels after all.
My heart was agin racing, the game was again afoot. ( sorry Sherlock)
That brilliant bracelet had four links that satisfyingly surrounded her wrist, all filled with blazing diamonds of matched size.
My fingers tingled as chills rocketed up along my spine. This expensive diamond bracelet, worn by a girl this gullibly young, presented a perfectly easy textbook target.
Looked like I would be having my feel for other reasons.
I approached her, saying with my best cockney, a cherry “A’llo.”
She heard my steps and gave me a sideways look before standing up with a curious smile.
Then, as she stood up, the bracelet again disappeared, playing hide and seek on me.
While I talked with her, I needed to try to get her in a position that would move it back down in the open.
As she faced me, the rich darling was on alert, holding her arms together just at her waistline. Satin sleeves completely covering her wrists.
“Maybe this one wasn’t so gullible?”
We introduced ourselves and with gushing praises I told her how adorable she looked this evening, trying to break the ice and gain her confidences.
As I did I allowed my fingers to slip along her chillingly soft jacket, tickling her side.
She reacts with a nervous giggle. Her arms never leave position as I catch her looking towards the exit.
I pulled my hand away and needed to try a different tactic before I scared her off.
I made my eyes go wide as an idea came into my head.
“Spider!” I say suddenly, looking up at her head.
She jumped at that with a squeal, placing her hand to her mouth, rings glittering. Her other arm swung down at her side going behind her back. But before it did I got a glimpse of her diamond bracelet falling out from beneath her expensive jacket’s rhinestone buttoned sleeve.
I moved in up against her. simultaneously performing three planned maneuvers.
I reached one hand to her head flicking off the imaginary spider from her silky hair, while my other hand reached down and clasped her wrist before it was completely hidden behind her back. Then my knee rubbed up inside her skirt, caressing along her crotch as I pressed up against her trembling figure.
The practiced fingers of the hand reaching behind felt her exposed bracelet and nimbly covered it before it escaped by slipping back down her sleeve.
I felt the clasp and effortlessly opened it with one swift gesture.
“There now, got it!” I said as I stepped back.
My fingers slipped off her pricey bracelet and I placed that hand behind my back as she brushed her hair back in place while smiling at me with mixed emotions of thankfulness and the guilty pleasure my knee had been giving her as a distraction to my intended purpose.
With a pretty flutter of her made-up eyes she told me “Thank you.”
I was watching her, my eyes soaking in every detail of her pretty attire and how deliciously it made her pretty figure look.
I was running the fingers of my free hand through my own hair as I did, while I told her that I hated spiders, nasty things that they were.
We both then went into an awkward silence as I will admit my mind was trying to convince me that her sparkly earrings were not paste after all and would be a good idea to lift them from her ears.
She knew I was studying her, and not knowing why made her again uncomfortable. So she quickly told me she must be going.
I let her take leave, having had no time to come up with a ploy that would have netted me the faux sparklers hanging from her ears anyways.
I watched her swish away, her attire richly shimmering along her figure. The rhinestones on the back waistline of her satin jacket which I coveted, sparkled with inviting intensity.
I lit another cigarette and went for a needful brisk walk around the gardens before going back inside.
When I headed back I went upstairs to watch from the mezzanine for any danger signals.
It all seemed peaceful enough.
I spy the lass in blue who is talking with a group of ladies, pretty in their party frocks and jewels.
Of the 16 year old there was no sign.
I went downstairs to the bar for a nightcap.
While there I heard a comment being made to the female bartender that a broach had fallen off from its wearer.
I calmly finish, then slowly leave as I light up a cigarette. I was not overly concerned.
The broach was believed lost by accident.
The Rolex watch, once missed, would not raise a concern as to how. The Lothario I lifted it from was too conceited and vain to worry about it, his centre of being was on wealthy married women, which is from where the Rolex came.
And the diamond bracelet?
Well, its loss would be marked down to the carelessness of a girl too young to be trusted to wear such things.
But she had been exceptionally well dressed, and a treat to touch as my tingling fingers had worked her over while acquiring her diamonds.
Maybe I should still hang around and have had a go for her rhinestone earrings also, I mean solely as practice?
No, I scolded myself, leave it and go home.
But I could not unthink that thought, so I kept a hopeful eye out for her as I made my way to the exit.
While waiting for my wrap at the hat check I let my mind's eye see my victim as she walked past me wearing that simply gorgeous satin jacket, and her black silk skirt poured out wickedly from underneath.
Of course, in my mind, those earrings she wore were real and grossly valuable.
Then I remembered a ruse I had learned about where a lady wearing expensive earrings all evening at a party had been approached by a lady who had pretended to know her and in the process of hugging her had pulled at the earrings she wore enough so that her ears were pricked by the fasteners.
The lady left her after apologizing. But the damage was done. The diamond earring-wearing lady who had been hugged by the stranger, became aware of how the long earrings were pulling and prickling at her earlobes, and finally removed them and placed them inside a pocket.
Later she discovered they had somehow disappeared from that pocket.
Now that had been a two-person team working that trick. But it could quite easily be done by one.
And I could have set that up as I was whisking that imaginary spider from her silky red locks.
I could just visualize, as I licked my lips, that pretty satin jacket and how gloriously it would feel to cope with another feel of it as my fingers dipped inside one of its pockets to lift out expensively sparkling earrings.
But of course, I never did actually run into her again as my daydreams were interrupted while I was given my wrap.
And of course, her earrings were nothing more than pretty paste, worth very little.
So I left to continue with building
up upon those personal fantasies on my way back home.
Starting, as I drove off in my sports coupe, by imagining a young redhead ( my dress size) wandering alone in the gardens.
^^^^^^^^^^
In my mind, I deliciously imaged I was back in the gardens when I spotted a solitary figure.
She was walking down a garden path. Smirking over her Auntie worries that she shouldn’t go out alone all dressed up like she was tonight.
Black satin jacket trimmed with rhinestones over a purple silk blouse with a long black silk skirt pouring down sweeping to her toes.
Her diamonds were all valuably real. Wearing them as clips in her hair, flickering down from her ears, on her fingers, hanging from her throat, wrapped around her gloveless wrists, and lastly in a long broach pinned to her satin jacket.
She was wandering out about the gardens by herself with reckless abandon. Not concerned in the least about the jewels she was flaunting. the poor girl really hadn't a clue as to why that was even an issue for her to be out alone dressed as she was.
No one would care if she was spotted, though in her deepest feelings, she was hoping a dashing handsome lad would.
^^^^^^^^^
I ended the daydream in my bed, the diamonds I had lifted in real life (broach and bracelet) laid out shimmering on my bed stand.
As I looked them over, I stroked and played with my neglected pet pussy, making the devil purr while envisioning a red-haired lass sitting with a certain amount of vulnerability on a garden bench, jewels glimmering like an out-of-control fire.
Suddenly a dark figure slips out of the woods and approaches her.
Before she fully understands what is happening, she finds her jacket dripped off, her hands quickly bound behind her with a rhinestone belt. Her breasts, bulged out beneath a slick purple silk blouse, heaving with trembling gasps.
Her eyes were wide with horror as a female thief, now wearing the poor lass’s black shiny satin jacket, was probing her richly attired bound figure, searching with gusto all of her whimpering victim's nooks, crannies, and crevices, while locating and pulling off her remaining jewellery and stuffing them inside the shiny jacket’s pockets.
The figure then walks off with an easy unhurried gate, as her hapless victim helplessly watches. Now with a clear understanding of why she shouldn’t have wandered off alone dressed and adorned as she had been.
With those images swirling, my pussy purring, I finally fell into a deep euphoric slumber.
Fini
Go to the Book with image in the Internet Archive
Title: United States Naval Medical Bulletin Vol. 9, Nos. 1-4, 1915
Creator: U.S. Navy. Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
Publisher:
Sponsor:
Contributor:
Date: 1915
Language: eng
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Table of Contents</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Number 1</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PREFACE v</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">SPECIAL ARTICLES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Shock, anoci-association and anesthesia.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. A. M. Fauntleroy 1</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The proposed personnel, organization, and equipment of a hospital ship</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. E. M. Blackwell and Chief Pharm. O. G. Ruge 28</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The application of Wassermann's reaction to the SOLUTION OF THE</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">ETIOLOGY OF TROPICAL ULCERATIONS.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. C. S. Butler 51</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Some theories as to the origin of Jackson's veil.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. J. M. Lynch, M. R. C 62</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A RESUME OF ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS CONCERNED IN YELLOW FEVER.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. C. B. Camerer 65</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Some observations on the examination of recruits.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. J. J. S. McMullin 70</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Experience of a surgeon during the occupation of Vera Cruz.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. G. T. Vaughan, M. R. C 75</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Experiences with marine expeditionary force in Mexico.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. R. M. Little, M. R. C 76</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Treatment of chronic posterior urethritis.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Medical Inspector G. T. Smith 80</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A NEW METHOD OF EXAMINING STOOLS FOR EGGS.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. C. M. Fauntleroy, Public Health Service, and Passed
Asst. Surg. R. Hayden 81</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">An account of the yellow fever which prevailed on board the United
States Ship Jamestown in 1866-67 at Panama. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. W. M. Kerr 82</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">UNITED STATES NAVAL MEDICAL SCHOOL LABORATORIES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Additions to the pathological collection 111</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Additions to the helmintholoqical collection 111</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">SUGGESTED DEVICES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A card index of specific cases.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. R. B. Henry 113</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The otoscope as an anterior urethroscope.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. W. G. Steadman, jr <span> </span>114</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">CLINICAL NOTES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Advance report concerning heliotherapy and ionic medication as employed
at Las Animas, Colo.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. C. J. Holeman 119</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Compound comminuted fracture of skull.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. T. W. Raison 120</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A case of reamputation of the leg.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. R. Spear 122</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Tenoplasty for contracture of hamstring tendons.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. R. R. Richardson 123</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Neosalvarsan and mercury in unilateral luetic palsy of abducens.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. S. Walker, M. R. C 124</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">EDITORIAL COMMENT: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Southern Medical Association 127</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The William A. Herndon Scholarships, University of Virginia 127</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PROGRESS IN MEDICAL SCIENCES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">General medicine. —-The diagnosis and treatment of cholecystitis. The duration
of infection in scarlet fevor. By L. W. Johnson. Diphtheria mortality with and
without the use of antitoxin. By W. E. Eaton.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Observations on the Wassermann reaction. By R. Sheehan 129</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Mental and nervous diseases. —The role of hypnotics in mental disease
with indications for their selection and employment. Hereditary ataxia. Psychic
disturbances of dengue. By R. Sheehan 133</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Surgery.— Medical arrangements of the British Expeditionary Force. The
home hospitals and the war. The wounded in the war; some surgical lessons. By
L. W. Johnson. The significance of the Jackson veil.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The fate of transplanted bone and the regenerative power of its various
constituents. A plea for the immediate operation of fractures. By A. M.
Fauntleroy and E. II. H. Old 140</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Hygiene and sanitation. —Study of a swimming pool with a return purification
system. The period of incubation of diphtheria cultures. Subsistence on board
battleships. The chemical disinfection of water.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Sterilization of water supplies for troops on active service. The
Lettsomian lectures on dysentery. Antimosquito work at Panama. By C. N. Fiske
and R. C. Ransdell 147</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Tropical medicine. —Malaria and the transmission of diseases. Prevention
of malaria in the troops of our Indian empire. Researches in sprue. By E. R.
Stitt 152</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Pathology, bacteriology, and animal parasitology. —Is pellagra due to
an intestinal parasite? By C. N. Fiske. Laboratory studies on tetanus. The
cultivation of the tubercle bacillus. The bacteriology of pyorrhea alveolaris.
Experimental production of purpura in animals. By A. B. Clifford and G. F.
Clark 156</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Chemistry and pharmacy.—On the influence of atmosphere, temperature, and
humidity on animal metabolism. The influence of moisture in the air on
metabolism in the body. Biochemical studies of expired air in relation to
ventilation. The absorption of protein and fat after resection of one-half of
the small intestine. By E. W. Brown and O. G. Ruge. . . 158</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Eye, ear, nose, and throat. —Relation of arterial hypertension to subconjunctival
hemorrhage. Ocular manifestations of arteriosclerosis and their diagnostic and
prognostic significance. Salvarsan treatment and optic neuritis. Eye in
locomotor ataxia. The direct method of the intralaryngeal operation.
Inflammation of the accessary sinuses. Normal horse serum in hemorrhage from
nose and throat operations. Tonsillectomy, its indications and choice of
operation. The correction of nasal deformities by mechanical replacement and
the transplantation of bone. By E. J. Grow and G. B. Trible 162</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">REPORTS:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Points of interest about the Mexican constitutionalist wounded at
Mazatlan.— By Surg. P. S. Rossiter 167</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Sanitary report of marine brigade. —By Surg. D. N. Carpenter 173</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Report of work at the field hospital of the marine brigade, Vera Cruz,
Mexico. —By Surg. D. N. Carpenter 177</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Number 2</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PREFACE vii</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">SPECIAL ARTICLES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The operative treatment of chronic intestinal stasis.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. W. S. Bainbridge, M. R. 0 179</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Symposium on intelligence tests.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Service use of intelligence tests.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. R. Sheehan 194</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The value of the mental test and its relation to the service.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. G. E. Thomas 200</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Mental defectives at Naval Disciplinary Barracks, Port Royal, S. C.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. H. E. Jenkins 211</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Review and possibilities of mental tests in the examination of applicants
for enlistment.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Acting Asst. Surg. A. R. Schier 222</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Observations on deep diving.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. G. R. W. French 227</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Tuberculosis.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. E. Thompson 253</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Observations on seven cases of cerebrospinal fever.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. D. C. Cather 259</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The posterior urethra and bladder in a hundred cases of chronic gonorrhea.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. A. L. Clifton 265</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">UNITED STATES NAVAL MEDICAL SCHOOL LABORATORIES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Additions to the pathological collection 271</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Additions to the helminthological collection 271</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">SUGGESTED DEVICES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Apparatus for securing traction of lower extremities.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. H. A. Dunn 278</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">CLINICAL NOTES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Leukopenia of a marked degree in a fatal case of pneumonia.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Medical Director E. R. Stitt 275</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">GASTRIC CHANGES FOLLOWING GASTROENTEROSTOMY.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surgs. H. F. Hull and O. J. Mink 275</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">TWO CASES OF MALARIA TREATED WITH SALVARSAN.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. E. U. Reed 278</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PSEUDOLEUKEMIC ANEMIA OF INFANCY OCCURRING IN TWINS.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. S. Walker, M. R. C 280,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">EDITORIAL COMMENT:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">George Perley Bradley, medical director, United States Navy. . . 283</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A new quarterly naval medical journal 285</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The Harrison law 285</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PROGRESS IN MEDICAL SCIENCES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">General medicine. —Differentiation of the diseases included under chronic
arthritis. By L. W. Johnson. The war and typhoid fever. By G. F. Clark. Use of
the Schick test in the suppression of a diphtheria outbreak. By R. Sheehan. The
present status of the treatment of advanced cardiac decompensation. The
influence of diet upon necrosis caused by hepatic and renal poisons. Syphilitic
nephritis. Is emetin sufficient to bring about a radical cure in amebiasis? A case of a
large aneurism of the arch of the aorta with use of bronchoscopy. By E. Thompson
and E. L. Woods 287</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Mental and nervous diseases.—The importance of the bony sinuses accessory
to the nose in the explanation of pains in the head, face, and neck. Spinal
decompression in meningomyelitis. Fleeting attacks of manic depressive
psychosis. Epilepsy and cerebral tumor. The ductless glands and mental disease.
Acute paraplegia. By R. Sheehan 295</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Surgery. —The Freiburg method of Dammerschlaf or twilight sleep. By W.
G. Steadman. Observations on the seminal vesicles. By H. W. Cole. Rubber
gloves; a technique of mending. A note upon the wounds of the present campaign.
By L. W. Johnson. The silence of renal tuberculosis. Acute hemorrhagic
pancreatitis. Preservation of the iliohypogastric nerve in operation for cure
of inguinal hernia. Aperiosteal amputation through the femur. A modified
incision for approaching the gall bladder. The occurrence of acute
emphysematous gangrene (malignant edema) in wounds received in the war. Note on
the wounds observed during three weeks' fighting in Flanders. The naval action
off Helgoland. By A. M. Fauntleroy and E. H. H. Old 299</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Hygiene and sanitation. —Massachusetts Association of Boards of Health;
report of question meeting. The disinfecting properties of gaslight on air of
room. Sewage disinfection for vessels and railway coaches. The prophylaxis of
malaria with special reference to the military service. By C. N. Fiske and R.
C. Ransdell 313</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Tropical medicine. —Benzol in bilharzia. By E. L. Woods. Kala-azar and
allied infections. Observations on the eggs of ascaris lumbricoides. By E. R.
Stitt 319</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Pathology, bacteriology, and animal parasitology. —The occurrence of
certain structures in the erythrocytes of guinea pigs and their relationship to
the so-called parasite of yellow fever. Observations on myeloid sarcoma with an
analysis of fifty cases. By G. F. Clark. A new and rapid method for the
isolation and cultivation of tubercle bacilli directly from the sputum and
feces. Appendicitis treated with</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">anticolon bacillus serum and vaccine. The retention of iron in the organs
in hemolytic anemia. By C. S. Butler and A. B. Clifford 321</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Chemistry and pharmacy. —The analysis of emulsions. Notes on the estimation
of morphin and Lloyd's reagent. By P. J. Waldner. Merck's annual report of
recent advances in pharmaceutical chemistry and</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">therapeutics. By E. W. Brown and O. G. Ruge 326</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Eye, ear, nose, and throat. —The tonsils as a habitat of oral
entamebas. By O N. Fiske. Enucleation of the eye under local anasthesia. On a
modification of Siegrist's method of local anesthesia in enucleation of</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">the eyeball. The use of pituitary extract as a coagulant in the surgery
of the nose and throat. Value of roentgenography in diagnosis of diseases of
the larynx and trachea. The difficulties and dangers of exploratory puncture of
the antrum of Highmore. By E. J. Grow and G. B.Trible 331</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">REPORTS: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Extracts from annual sanitary reports. —Notes on marine recruiting. By
F. H. Brooks. Notes on recruiting. By J. B. Bostick. Economy in use of hospital
supplies. By A. R. Wentworth. Venereal prophylaxis. Examination of civil
employees. By C. N. Fiske. Industrial notes from Boston yard. By N. J.
Blackwood. Notes on tropical hygiene. By A. Stuart. Battleship ventilation. Use
of barracks during . overhaul period. By T. W. Richards. Sanitary notes from
the U. S. S. Ozark. Malarial prophylaxis. By R. W. McDowell. Sanitary notes from
the U. S. S. Virginia. By G. L. Angeny 335</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The Schick Test and the use of diphtheria antitoxin.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. J. J. A. McMullin 362</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Number 3</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PREFACE vii</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">SPECIAL ARTICLES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The normal heart in the Navy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. G. F. Freeman 363</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Surgical diagnosis and technic involving the appendix.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. A. M. Fauntleroy 381</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Functional testing of the ear.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. G. B. Trible 400</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A few points in diagnosis of gastric and duodenal ulcer by means of the
X-ray.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. A. L. Clifton 410</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The damage of syphilis to the Navy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. G. F. Cottle 414</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Recent conceptions of bronchial asthma.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. M. H. Sirard, M. R. C 419</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">UNITED STATES NAVAL MEDICAL SCHOOL LABORATORIES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Additions to the pathological collection 423</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Additions to the helmintholooical collection 423</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">SUGGESTED DEVICES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A venereal head.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. G. F. Cottle 425</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A NEW MESSING SYSTEM FOR NAVAL HOSPITALS.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Hosp. Steward F. E. Simmons 426</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Messing arrangements in the U. S. Naval Hospital, Philadelphia.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. H. A. Dunn and Chief Pharm. P. J. Waldner 428</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Castor oil. An aseptic dressing on the field of battle.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. A. E. Gallant, M.R.C 430</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">CLINICAL NOTES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A case of fracture-dislocation of spine. Laminectomy.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. R. E. Ledbetter and Asst. Surg. H. Priest 433</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A CASE OF ANEURYSM OF THE LEFT POSTERIOR INFERIOR CEREBELLAR ARTERY.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. E. L. Woods 434</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A CASE OF MALIGNANT ENDOCARDITIS. By Passed Asst. Surg. M E. Higgins
436</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A POSSIBLE NEW X-RAY SIGN OF TUBERCULOSIS.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. E. Thompson and Hosp. Steward H. L. Gall 436</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A CASE OF PURPURA HEMORRHAGICA (?) WITH MARKED LEUKOPENIA. By Passed
Asst. Surg. W. L. Mann, jr 438 </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Report of twenty-eight cases of pyorrhea alveolaris treated with emetin
hydrochlorid.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. A. H. Allen 440</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Intravenous injection of neosalvarsan in concentrated solution.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. C. B. Camerer 441</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">TRANSLATIONS: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Catheterization of the ejaculatory canals.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. R. A. Bachmann 443</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Hospital ships.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Pharm. S. Wierzbicki 452</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">First-aid stations and transportation of the wounded in naval battle.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Med. Inspect. S. G. Evans 454</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PROGRESS IN MEDICAL SCIENCES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">General medicine. —The value of typhoid vaccines in the treatment of typhoid
fever. By L. W. Johnson. The intravenous and intramuscular administration of
diphtheria antitoxin. The noninfective causes of so-called rheumatism. Not very
well known causes of hematuria. Prodromal symptoms of gallstones. Observations
on renal functions in acute experimental unilateral nephritis. By E. Thompson
and E. L.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Woods 469</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Mental and nervous diseases. —A critical study of Lange'a gold reaction
in cerebrospinal fluid. Post-operative nervous and mental disturbances. The
significance of the unconscious in psychopathology. By R. Sheehan 475</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Surgery. —The role of gastroenterostomy in the treatment of ulcers. Ether-oil
colonic anesthesia. By H. W. Smith. Ununited fractures treated by long-axial
drilling of the fractured bone-ends. By E. Thompson. War surgery. The
osteogenic power of periosteum; with a note on bone transplantation. The
technic of cholecystectomy. The German use of asphyxiating gases. Transfusion
by the syringe method. The North Sea action of January 24. The best method of
treating wounds sustained in action, especially during the early period after
their infliction. By A. M. Fauntleroy and E. H. H. Old 479</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Hygiene and sanitation. —The possibility of conveying typhoid fever by
clothing, contaminated food, and soiled fingers. The microbic content of indoor
and outdoor air. By E. W. Brown. Some results of the</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">first year's work of the New York State Commission on Ventilation. By
C. N. Eiske and E. W. Brown. Tincture of iodin and the prevention of venereal
disease. Ability of colon bacilli to survive pasteurization.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The specific gravity of the human body. Lead poisoning in the manufacture
of storage batteries. By C. N. Fiskc and R. C. Ransdell 495</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Tropical medicine.—Pathology of verruga peruviana. The importance of
tertiary yaws. By C. S. Butler. The treatment of ancylostomiasis. By A. B.
Clifford. Studies in malaria. New theories and investigations</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">concerning pellagra. Immediate relapse in tertian malaria after energetic
salvarsan treatment. By E. R. Stitt 502</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Pathology, bacteriology, and animal parasitology. —A study of the endamebas
of man in the Panama Canal Zone. Lipoids in immunity. The mechanism of antibody
action. The diagnosis and treatment of</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">parenchymatous syphilis. The bacteriology of appendicitis and its production
by intravenous injection of streptococci and colon bacilli. By G. F. Clark. On
the filterability and biology of spirochetes. A differential study of
coccidiodal granuloma and blastomycosis. Notes on the diagnosis of Asiatic
cholera at autopsy. The morphology of the adults of the filarise found in the
Philippine Islands. By C. S. Butler and A. B. Clifford 508</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Chemistry and pharmacy.—Coloring of bichlorid of mercury solutions. By
L. Zembsch. An experimental study of lavage in acute carbolic acid poisoning.
By A. B. Clifford. Notes on a new alkaloid found in</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">nux vomica. Preliminary note on a new pharmacodynamic assay method. By
P. J. Waldnar. Estimation of urea. Estimation of urea and indirectly of
allantoin in urine by means of urease. Urea; its distribution in and
elimination from the body. Results of the hypochlorite disinfection of water
supplies. A further study of the chemical composition and nutritive value of
fish subjected to prolonged period of cold storage. By E. W. Brown and O. G.
Ruge 515</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Eye, ear, nose, and throat. —Treatment of trachoma with carbonic acid snow.
Samoan conjunctivitis Is there a natural or acquired immunity to trachoma?
Clinical and anatomical study of a case of isolated</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">reflex immobility of the pupil, paralysis, tabes, and cerebrospinal syphilis
being excluded. Protection against injury of the hearing.Chronic local
infection of the nose, throat, and ear as a cause of general infection. The
sympathetic syndrome (undescribed) of sphenopalatine or nasal ganglion
neurosis. Shell explosions and the special senses. By E. J. Grow and G. B.
Trible 521</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">REPORTS:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Extracts from annual sanitary reports. —A review of the treatment and
results at the U. S. Naval Sanatorium for Tuberculosis at Las Animas, Colo. By
G. H. Barber. Battleship ventilation. ( Permanent detail of stretchermen. By J.
S. Taylor. Genito-urinary disease at Chelsea. <span> </span>By G. B. Wilson. Malarial prophylaxis. By H.
L. Smith. Sanitary notes from the U. S. S. Washington. By H. A. May. Sanitary
notes</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">from the U. S. S. Michigan. By J. A. Murphy. Sanitary notes from the U.
S. S. Palos. By D. C. Post. Camp sanitation. By R. I. Longabaugh 527</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Lymphatic leukemia complicated by priapism. By Passed Asst. Surg. J. J.
A. McMullin 542</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The seventy-first annual meeting of the American Medico-Psychological
Association. By Passed Asst. Surg. R. Sheehan 544</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Number 4</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PREFACE vii</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">SPECIAL ARTICLES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Observations upon the epidemiology of an outbreak of measles at the
Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Va.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. C. E. Riggs 647</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The present status of the Hospital Corps. By Passed Asst. Surg. W. E.
Eaton , 556</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">The use of hospital ships in time of war.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. R J. Straeten 565</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Venereal disease aboard ship.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. G. F. Cottle 571</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Some dangers in passing the ureteral catheter to the kidney.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. B. C. Willis, M. R. C 577</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Shanghai and Yangtze River hospitals.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. R. H. Laning 679</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Some medical aspects of the upper Yangtze River country.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. D. C. Post 620</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Some medical conditions in China.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. R. G. Davis 630</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">UNITED STATES NAVAL MEDICAL SCHOOL LABORATORIES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Additions to the pathological collection 635</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Additions to the helminthological collection 635</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">SUGGESTED DEVICES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">An ambulance motor boat for hospital ships.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. E. M. Blackwell 637</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">CLINICAL NOTES:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Unusual type of typhus on U. S. S. Monocacy. Report of case. By Asst.
Surg. W. B. Hetfield 641 </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Injury by dynamite explosion. By Passed Asst. Surgs. G. C. Thomas and
L. W. Johnson 643</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A case of hemorrhagic pancreatitis.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surgs. G. C. Thomas and L. W. Johnson 644</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Salvarsan in the treatment of schistosomiasis. Report of case.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Asst. Surg. D. C. Post '645</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">An usually severe case of urticaria.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Passed Asst. Surg. W. E. Eaton 650 </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Early reinfection with syphilis.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By Surg. T. W. Richards 651</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">A fatal cask of cecal ulceration with extensive complications.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Bv Passed Asst. Surg. W. L. Mann, jr 653</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">EDITORIAL COMMENT:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Scarcity and cost of medical supplies due to disturbance of European
markets 655</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Bind your Bulletins 655</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">PROGRESS IN MEDICAL SCIENCES: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">General medicine. —The recent epidemic of smallpox in New South Wales.
By L. W. Johnson. The causes of indigestion. A study of 1,000 cases. By E. H.
H. Old. Certain physical signs referable to the diaphragm and their importance
to diagnosis. An epidemic of influenza in the Island of St. Kilda. Pollen
therapy in hay fever. Studies in bronchial glands. Mode of action and use of
emetin in endamebiasis. The treatment of eczema with special reference to the
use of vaccine and the part played by bacteria in its etiology. Report of 50
cases. Study of diseases of stomach and duodenum by X-ray. Cure and recurrence of
syphilis. By E. Thompson and E. L. Woods 667</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Mental and nervous diseases.—Differential diagnosis of general paresis.
What is paranoia? The cerebrospinal fluid in diagnosis and treatment. Raynaud's
syndrome. Raynaud's disease. What tests in childhood are best calculated to
throw light upon the capacities of mental defectives for future work. The
Binet-Simon method and the intelligence of adult prisoners. By R. Sheehan 669</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Surgery.— Medical narrative of the arrangements of the first division
at the Battle of the Aisne. The medical aspects of modern warfare, with special
reference to the use of hospital ships. By T. W. <span> </span>Richards. Injuries to the bowel from shell and
bullet wounds. By L. W. Johnson. Account of six specimens of great bowel
removed by operation; observations on motor mechanism of colon. Symptomless
renal hematuria arising<span> </span>from tumors,
aneurysms in the renal pelvis, and early tuberculosis. The treatment of
urethral stricture by excision. Some observations on bone transplantation.
Blood transfusion by the citrate method. Disinfection of the hands and
abdominal skin before operation. Partial regeneration of bone. By H. W.Smith.
Epididymotomy for acute epididymitis as an out-patient procedure. By W. E.
Eaton. Occlusion of the pylorus. Prevalent fallacies concerning subacromial
bursitis. Its pathogenoesis</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">and rational operative treatment. Autogenous bone grafts versus Lane's
plates. A new procedure for the cure of chronic synovitis. Report on the
wounded in the action between the Sydney and the Emden.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">By E. H. H. Old 672</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Hygiene and sanitation. —Paint poisoning. By T. W. Richards. Sterilization
of water by chlorin. The prevalence of occupational factors in disease and
suggestions for their elimination. Bismuth-paste</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">poisoning —report of a fatal case. The making of a milk commission. Present
practice relating to city waste collection and disposal. A statistical study of
personal association as a factor in the etiology of pellagra. The influence of
age of the grandparent at the birth of the parent on the number of the children
born and their sex. By C. N. Fiske and R. O. Ransdell 694</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Pathology, bacteriology, and animal parasitology. —Simple and efficient
contrast stain for B. diphtheriae. By C. N. Fiske. The heart muscle in
pneumonia. The sterilization of vaccines and the influence of the various
methods employed on their antigenic properties. The Wassermann and luetin
reactions in leprosy. By C. S. Butler and A. B. Clifford 700</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Eye, ear, nose, and throat. —Relation of general arteriosclerosis to certain
ocular conditions. Eyestrain and ocular discomfort from faulty illumination. Hemorrhage
from the nose and throat. Diagnosis and conservative treatment of inflammation
of the accessory sinuses of the nose. Primary carcinoma of the tonsils. Nasal
polypi. By E. J. Grow and G. B. Trible 703</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">REPORTS. —Topographical extracts from annual sanitary reports: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Yangtze River ports. By Passed Asst. Surg. C. L. Beeching 707</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Cape Haitien, Haiti. By Asst. Surg. C. P. Lynch 710</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Santo Domingo and Haiti. By Passed Asst. Surg. E. A. Vickery 714</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Vera Cruz, Santo Domingo, and Haiti. By Surg. R. W. Plummer 715</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Santo Domingo. By Asst. Surg. J. B. Helm 716</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Bluefields, Nicaragua. By Asst. Surg. C. P. Lynch 719</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">Alaskan ports. By Surg. W. S. Pugh, jr 723</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;">INDEX 727</p>
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