This Hall is thought to have been a large throne room where the emperor held audiences and met in council with court luminaries. It is a vast rectangular hall with a large apse and was extravagantly decorated with precious marble and the seven niches on the back wall were adorned with statues of philosophers. Hadrian’s villa, built by the emperor (117-138 AD) as summer imperial retreat, is a vast open air museum of some the finest architecture of the Roman world and the Roman Empires largest and richest villa ever built. It is a UNSECO World Heritage Site. [www.stevensklifas.com]

Hadrian's Villa is a vast area of land with many pools, baths, fountains and classical Greek and Roman architecture set in what would have been a mixture of landscaped gardens, wilderness areas and cultivated farmlands. Due to Hadrian's travels, he also commissioned Egyptian style buildings and statues, even naming some of the buildings after Egyptian cities or temples.

The buildings are constructed in travertine, brick, lime, pozzolana, and tufa. The complex contains over 30 buildings, covering at least a square kilometre (250 acres, an area larger than the city of Pompeii), of which much is still unexcavated. Villas were typically sited on hilltops, but with its fountains, pools and gardens, Hadrian's villa required abundant sources of water, which was supplied by aqueducts feeding Rome, including the Aqua Anio Vetus, Aqua Anio Novus, Aqua Marcia, and Aqua Claudia. To avail themselves of those sources, the villa had to be located on land lower than the aqueduct.[Wikipedia]

Quote by Leonard L. Levinson

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This is a shot taken just minutes walk from my house... It's a new real estate being developed just behind the hill...

I saw the clouds and couldn't resist taking a shot!

Hope everyone's having a great weekend!!!

We spent quite some time, Tony & I, idly wandering around the graveyard of St Cuthberts on Princes St, Edinburgh with just our 'B' cameras for company, a little Nikon compact in my case, and we both grabbed several shots.

I find that there is of course tragedy yet also strange beauty in such places and never more so than here in this churchyard full of loss, love and even hope ... thats how I found it anyway!

It was intriguing to see that some of the older, much older, gravestones such as the one in shot had had flowers placed upon them.

Memento mori (Latin for 'remember that you [have to] die') is an artistic or symbolic trope acting as a reminder of the inevitability of death. The concept has its roots in the philosophers of classical antiquity and Christianity, and appeared in funerary art and architecture from the medieval period onwards. The most common motif is a skull, often accompanied by one or more bones as seen here.

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Mandrill

カエル先生

© Web-Betty: digital heart, analog soul

"The Philosopher" Met this guy along Market Street today. He told me, "The Pen is Mightier than The Pot…", as he posed with his pen and his unlit joint. I love this City!

Under the Sakura Trees.

At the Philosopher's Walk, Kyoto.

youtu.be/tl4VD8uvgec

John Locke (pronounced /lɒk/; 29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) was an English philosopher. Locke is considered the first of the British empiricists, but is equally important to social contract theory. His ideas had enormous influence on the development of epistemology and political philosophy, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers, classical republicans, and contributors to liberal theory. His writings influenced Voltaire and Rousseau, many Scottish Enlightenment thinkers, as well as the American revolutionaries. This influence is reflected in the American Declaration of Independence.[2]

Locke's theory of mind is often cited as the origin for modern conceptions of identity and "the self", figuring prominently in the later works of philosophers such as David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant. Locke was the first philosopher to define the self through a continuity of "consciousness". He also postulated that the mind was a "blank slate" or "tabula rasa"; that is, contrary to Cartesian or Christian philosophy, Locke maintained that people are born without innate ideas, and that knowledge is instead determined only by experience derived by sense perception.

Locke's father, who was also named John Locke, was a country lawyer and clerk to the Justices of the Peace in Chew Magna,[4] who had served as a captain of cavalry for the Parliamentarian forces during the early part of the English Civil War. His mother, Agnes Keene, was a tanner's daughter and reputed to be very beautiful. Both parents were Puritans. Locke was born on 29 August 1632, in a small thatched cottage by the church in Wrington, Somerset, about twelve miles from Bristol. He was baptized the same day. Soon after Locke's birth, the family moved to the market town of Pensford, about seven miles south of Bristol, where Locke grew up in a rural Tudor house in Belluton.

In 1647, Locke was sent to the prestigious Westminster School in London under the sponsorship of Alexander Popham, a member of Parliament and former commander of the younger Locke's father. After completing his studies there, he was admitted to Christ Church, Oxford. The dean of the college at the time was John Owen, vice-chancellor of the university. Although a capable student, Locke was irritated by the undergraduate curriculum of the time. He found the works of modern philosophers, such as René Descartes, more interesting than the classical material taught at the university. Through his friend Richard Lower, whom he knew from the Westminster School, Locke was introduced to medicine and the experimental philosophy being pursued at other universities and in the English Royal Society, of which he eventually became a member.

Locke was awarded a bachelor's degree in 1656 and a master's degree in 1658. He obtained a bachelor of medicine in 1674, having studied medicine extensively during his time at Oxford and worked with such noted scientists and thinkers as Robert Boyle, Thomas Willis, Robert Hooke and Richard Lower. In 1666, he met Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, who had come to Oxford seeking treatment for a liver infection. Cooper was impressed with Locke and persuaded him to become part of his retinue.

Locke had been looking for a career and in 1667 moved into Shaftesbury's home at Exeter House in London, to serve as Lord Ashley's personal physician. In London, Locke resumed his medical studies under the tutelage of Thomas Sydenham. Sydenham had a major effect on Locke's natural philosophical thinking – an effect that would become evident in the An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.

Locke's medical knowledge was put to the test when Shaftesbury's liver infection became life-threatening. Locke coordinated the advice of several physicians and was probably instrumental in persuading Shaftesbury to undergo an operation (then life-threatening itself) to remove the cyst. Shaftesbury survived and prospered, crediting Locke with saving his life.

It was in Shaftesbury's household, during 1671, that the meeting took place, described in the Epistle to the reader of the Essay, which was the genesis of what would later become the Essay. Two extant Drafts still survive from this period. It was also during this time that Locke served as Secretary of the Board of Trade and Plantations and Secretary to the Lords and Proprietors of the Carolinas, helping to shape his ideas on international trade and economics.

Shaftesbury, as a founder of the Whig movement, exerted great influence on Locke's political ideas. Locke became involved in politics when Shaftesbury became Lord Chancellor in 1672. Following Shaftesbury's fall from favour in 1675, Locke spent some time travelling across France. He returned to England in 1679 when Shaftesbury's political fortunes took a brief positive turn. Around this time, most likely at Shaftesbury's prompting, Locke composed the bulk of the Two Treatises of Government. Locke wrote the Treatises to defend the Glorious Revolution of 1688, but also to counter the absolutist political philosophy of Sir Robert Filmer and Thomas Hobbes. Though Locke was associated with the influential Whigs, his ideas about natural rights and government are today considered quite revolutionary for that period in English history.

However, Locke fled to the Netherlands, Holland, in 1683, under strong suspicion of involvement in the Rye House Plot (though there is little evidence to suggest that he was directly involved in the scheme). In the Netherlands Locke had time to return to his writing, spending a great deal of time re-working the Essay and composing the Letter on Toleration. Locke did not return home until after the Glorious Revolution. Locke accompanied William of Orange's wife back to England in 1688. The bulk of Locke's publishing took place after his arrival back in England – his aforementioned Essay Concerning Human Understanding, the Two Treatises of Civil Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration all appearing in quick succession upon his return from exile.

Locke's close friend Lady Masham invited him to join her at the Mashams' country house in Essex. Although his time there was marked by variable health from asthma attacks, he nevertheless became an intellectual hero of the Whigs. During this period he discussed matters with such figures as John Dryden and Isaac Newton.

He died in 28 October 1704, and is buried in the churchyard of the village of High Laver,[5] east of Harlow in Essex, where he had lived in the household of Sir Francis Masham since 1691. Locke never married nor had children.

Events that happened during Locke's lifetime include the English Restoration, the Great Plague of London and the Great Fire of London. He did not quite see the Act of Union of 1707, though the thrones of England and Scotland were held in personal union throughout his lifetime. Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy were in their infancy during Locke's time.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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In the history of civilization no other animal has sacrificed so much for the sake of curiosity. They should be our heroes. :)

Philosopher’s stone, in Western alchemy, an unknown substance, also called “the tincture” or “the powder,” sought by alchemists for its supposed ability to transform base metals into precious ones, especially gold and silver. Alchemists also believed that an elixir of life could be derived from it. Inasmuch as alchemy was concerned with the perfection of the human soul, the philosopher’s stone was thought to cure illnesses, prolong life, and bring about spiritual revitalization.

The philosopher’s stone, variously described, was sometimes said to be a common substance, found everywhere but unrecognized and unappreciated. The quest for the stone encouraged alchemists from the Middle Ages to the end of the 17th century to examine in their laboratories numerous substances and their interactions. The quest thereby provided a body of knowledge that ultimately led to the sciences of chemistry, metallurgy, and pharmacology.

The process by which it was hoped common metals such as iron, lead, tin, and copper could be turned into the more valuable metals involved heating the base material in a characteristic pear-shaped glass crucible (called the vase of Hermes or the philosopher’s egg). Colour changes were carefully watched—black indicating the death of the old material preparatory to its revitalization; white, the colour required for change into silver; and red, the highest stage, the colour required for change into gold.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "philosopher’s stone". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 May. 2024, www.britannica.com/topic/philosophers-stone. Accessed 19 May 2024.

This fellow – a mantis – visited our backyard for a couple of days before moving on. A very interesting guy :) See also [https://www.flickr.com/photos/111871926@N06/15329076699/]

Paris , Boulogne , restaurant scene .

2009 .

This pinhole photograph was taken with the Thingyfy pinhole lens and my Nikon D850. The bust of Plato is in my collection and in this composition it sits on the "Complete Works of Plato". The inspiration for this photograph (especially the colour scheme, light and shade) was William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877) and his wonderful early photographs of the, "Bust of Patroclus". www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/266044

The modern philosopher and mathematician, A.N. Whitehead once said that all the Western philosophical tradition is but a footnote to Plato (428-348 BC). There is a strong argument that Plato is the greatest genius in human history, since he was the FIRST to synthesize all the fundamental questions of life. From first principles he thought up questions that had not even been conceived before. As a Platonist myself, I can only concur with these views.

plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato/

We do well to remember that Plato was also a disciple of Socrates, the philosophical gadfly who was made to drink hemlock for his beliefs which challenged the status quo of his day. To these thinkers philosophy was not an academic exercise, but the very stuff of life and spirituality itself. It was a sacred calling. It was a disciplined path of commitment to discovering Truth.

This was a tricky one to edit, you'll have to squint to see shapes in the silhouette but I promise it is there. It's not all shadows, both physically and spiritually I guess.

It's crazy how many ties the Daisho-In Temple has with past emperors of Japan (namely Toba and Meiji, and even Prince Ninsuke) raising it's historical significance and religiously, it managed 12 sub-temples from Itsukushima which is a remarkable feat on paper.

To be honest, I don't know who this statue was made of, it doesn't help that there are over 500 statues on this lot so the websites didn't help much. The sun was shining bright with absolutely 0 clouds all day which made me think of a sunburst shot. The temples are too big and they were typically surrounded by trees so there were hardly any convenient spots to line up a shot. But the statues are smaller more distinct objects, very few of them actually being tall enough.

So as I said, I had to constantly readjust in editing to give even a small amount of light to the statue and any other illuminated items. Barely any saturation fixes needed to be made. On the other hand, there were naked trees that had yet to flower, so I didn't want that in focus either. Hopefully the shapes are still easily distinguishable. Again, squint if you can't see it, the sun is a powerful tool and obstacle.

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жж DSC_3535

Mocca is living now with Sprignhawk:

www.flickr.com/photos/springhawk

Blue Grosbeak does not sing,

but scolds his cousins --

thieving Grackles, Jays,

Cardinals and Finches --

as if to not waste time

foraging for bugs and grit,

but to help him

build a new empire. . .

equality for all birds. . .

made not with twigs

and leaves, but

with new ideas. . .

a new world order

of the air. . .

Stumbling Philosophers.

Des malheurs conscients rassemblant des principes éliminant des raisons des stimulations amusées des plaisirs contrôlés des éducateurs des eaux inversé les versets épiques lourds du discernement,

необоснованные взгляды соображения декламация сочувствующие несчастья преследуют сами гениальные советы, устанавливающие мудрости, обманывающие знания невежественными подражаниями,

απλές βαθμοί γενιά γνώσεις επαναστάσεις γιορτάζουμε δύσκολα άκρα πηδώντας αλήθειες εσωτερικές κατανοητές πηγές ταραγμένες κινήσεις λειτουργούν ακάθαρτους λόγους,

rhetorum praeceptis sermonem nimis curiosi modulantes grammaticae disciplinae dialecticae flexibus subtili definitione consignificant inventa puncta progredi rationem mensurati,

限られた期間置換された活動特定の力慣習的に反対側算術的な詳細不変の活動の知覚可能な性質霊的理解イエス・キリストが教えるのはすべての人を愛する.

Steve.D.Hammond.

Cat deeply thinking about the human dilemma

Processed with VSCO with b4 preset

EXPLORE - Highest Position: #18 on June 16 2009. Many Thanks.

Strobist info: SB-600 camera left. Shot CLS using the on board flash.

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone

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"Troll in the Dungeon! Troll in the Dungeon! Thought you ought to know" said professor Quirrel

Panic Movement at Hogwarts! Every Hogwarts home takes refuge in their dormitory.

However, Hermione is not aware of the news.

Harry and Ron try to find the girl because they made her cry.

Too late, the troll tries to attack Hermione in the girls' bathroom on the first floor.

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2nd Moc of the year in Harry Potter theme

I tried to create a dynamic in the scene with the characters.

Look Hermione, she is terrifyed and thought a her end. She is protecting herself as she can against the horrific Troll.

I put a face at Hermione which close their eyes, to express a feeling of imminent death. The expression of his body also betrays this resentment.

Harry and Ron are in the first year in Hogwarts and don't know how react. Harry has got his wizard wand in the aim of protecting Hermione. Ron is as petrifyed as Hermione and can't react.

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Feel free to react and put my creation in your favorites, if you liked.

© All rights reserved

The Philosophers by Daniel Arrhakis (2017)

With the music : Mark Petrie - Destiny Falls

youtu.be/jWJYf0yFiJE

An other version can be seen here:

www.flickr.com/photos/arrhakis/24269887938/in/photostream/

Work made with photos of a sculpture in the entrance hall of the Vila Viçosa Palace, Portugal.

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So sorry dear friends for some delay on comments and invites for groups, challenges, Flickr is very slow these last days ...

A wise old great blue heron.

Ricouerian

HDR