Other Languages, Societies, and Cultures Commons^™

Reaching For The Stars: A Constructivist Investigation Of Astrology As A Tool For Self-Discovery In A New Age Of Leadership, Cameron Martin

Dissertations

To fully understand leadership in today’s world, we need a radical reconceptualization of the developmental process required to lead. Changing paradigms demands new perspectives on leadership; these new paradigms suggest leaders must turn inward and develop knowledge of their inner selves to realize their full potential as leaders.

Astrology is an ancient way of knowing and making sense of the world and one’s place in it that provides benefits to many people in our modern world, despite fervent academic, religious, and scientific criticism. Astrology is more than a divination tool. It is an entire epistemology of self in relation to …

Placing God: Defining “Post-Christianity” For Contemporary Japanese Christians, Leryan Anthony Burrey

Master's Projects and Capstones

This work suggests that we consider a new, working definition of post-Christianity. This new paradigm is in response to Western Christian thought being too dominant a force that fails to take into enough account other global experiences— like those of Japanese Christians. These reflections are based on scholarly opinions claiming that Christianity is a “global culture,” and ultimately argues for more international inclusivity in Western Christian thought and institutions, especially regarding the Asia-Pacific. Moreover, this paper illuminates how iitoko dori allows Christian thought to peacefully coexist in Japan’s greater society. The research also explores specific Japanese cultural practices that make …

An Actor's Process In Bridging The Gap Between First-Generation And Multi-Generational African-American Identities., Mutiyat Ade-Salu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reflects my process assimilating into the role of Chelle in the production of Detroit '67 at the University of Louisville. Although there have been instances of actors crossing lines of gender, nationality, race, and even sexuality, to perform roles in contemporary theatre, discussion about generational differences is almost non-existent. Through historical research, first-hand interviews, and conventional acting methods, I explore the world of my role, searching for spirituality, authenticity, and identity. Additionally, I explain my use of The WAY Method ®, a process I began creating in 2014 to help actors be clear with who they are before …

The Notions Of The "Closet" And The "Secret" In Oscar Wilde's, The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Jessica Maria Oliveira

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will discuss the notions of the “closet” and “secret” within Oscar Wilde’s, The Picture of Dorian Gray, as well as offer a clear and precise definition of queer theory to assist in elucidating many of the concepts being discussed. Close reading techniques will be utilized to further uncover the metaphoric, symbolic, and otherwise figurative importance of certain aspects of The Picture of Dorian Gray and supporting texts. Through Judith Butler’s conceptualization of sex and gender, as well as Jacques Derrida’s interpretation of the “secret”, this paper will explicate the intricacies of Wilde’s work and unveil queered aspects …

Universe Of Things: A Human Presentation Of Food-For-Thought., Madeline Halpern

Bachelor of Fine Arts Senior Papers

I present this statement under three loose categories: People, Objects and their Environment. I consider People as human, Objects as art objects, domestic objects, and food, and Environment as the shared space of the former groups. Food directs this statement as I present each concept and creative process as a metaphorical dish. Material exploration carried me from a direct practice of reorienting acrylic paint and questioning object functionality through personified sculptures into theoretical thesis work in which I use interpersonal relations and the idea of consumption to translate tactile, gustatory and olfactory sensations into digital film. In this meal I …

Stasi Brainwashing In The Gdr 1957 - 1990, Jacob H. Solbrig, Jacob Hagen Solbrig

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the methods used by the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), more commonly known as the Stasi, or East German secret police, for extraction of information from citizens of the German Democratic Republic for the purpose of espionage and covert operations inside East Germany, as it pertains to the deliberate brainwashing of East German citizens. As one of the most efficient intelligence agencies to ever exist, the Stasi’s main purpose was to monitor the population, gather intelligence, and collect or turn informants. They used brainwashing techniques to control the people of the GDR, keeping the populace paralyzed with fear …

Humanity On The Verge Of Insanity: Maintaining Cultural Identity Against Oppressive Rule, Danica Katarina Skoric

Senior Theses

Ubuntu is a South African term in the Bantu language that translates to “human kindness.” This essay discusses the present-day impact of the South African philosophical concept of Ubuntu in light of the dehumanization, which Aboriginal Australians and Black South Africans faced, specifically during the period of 1960-1985. How has humanity been enslaved and degraded by assimilation and a cruel division of races, yet positively evolved and progressed due to the efforts of both female and male activists--in particular literary figure Oodgeroo Noonuccal and political leader Nelson Mandela? A lack of respect and tolerance as a result of colonialism has …

“If Apprehending Occurs, It Is Not The View” — Sakya Thinkers On The Madhyamaka View Of Freedom From Proliferations, Yaroslav Komarovski

Department of Classics and Religious Studies: Faculty Publications

The Sakya thinkers whose views were addressed in this paper are consistently in agreement regarding what freedom from proliferations is, how it is utilized in contemplative practice, and how it is located within the broader universe of non-tantric and tantric Buddhism. Freedom from proliferations is not an object, and transcends all categories of existence, nonexistence, etc. Consequently, it cannot be approached and described in the same way we understand and describe colors, tastes, ideas, etc. Yet, it is also not a nonexistent thing similar to rabbit horns and other types of falsely imagined phenomena. It can be realized, but only …

Kierkegaard On Truth, Caroline Moore

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Many philosophers believe in three types of truth and all of them are considered objective: correspondence, coherence and pragmatist. Objective knowledge “can designate a knowledge-claim having, roughly, the status of being fully supported or proven.”i If asked, philosophers often say that they believe in a mixture of two or more of the objective truths because each of the truths has points of weakness. While the objective truths cover much of what is considered to be valid truth, they all leave something out, subjective truth. Subjective truth is “a judgment or belief’ “that is compelling for some rational beings (subjects) but …

Interpreting, Stephanie Jo Kent

Doctoral Dissertations

What do community interpreting for the Deaf in western societies, conference interpreting for the European Parliament, and language brokering in international management have in common? Academic research and professional training have historically emphasized the linguistic and cognitive challenges of interpreting, neglecting or ignoring the social aspects that structure communication. All forms of interpreting are inherently social; they involve relationships among at least three people and two languages. The contexts explored here, American Sign Language/English interpreting and spoken language interpreting within the European Parliament, show that simultaneous interpreting involves attitudes, norms and values about intercultural communication that overemphasize information and discount …

Neuroscience And Hindu Aesthetics: A Critical Analysis Of V.S. Ramachandran’S “Science Of Art”, Logan R. Beitmen

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neuroaesthetics is the study of the brain’s response to artistic stimuli. The neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran contends that art is primarily “caricature” or “exaggeration.” Exaggerated forms hyperactivate neurons in viewers’ brains, which in turn produce specific, “universal” responses. Ramachandran identifies a precursor for his theory in the concept of rasa (literally “juice”) from classical Hindu aesthetics, which he associates with “exaggeration.” The canonical Sanskrit texts of Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra and Abhinavagupta’s Abhinavabharati, however, do not support Ramachandran’s conclusions. They present audiences as dynamic co-creators, not passive recipients. I believe we could more accurately model the neurology of Hindu aesthetic experiences …

A Heart-Based Sufi Mindfulness Spiritual Practice Employing Self-Journeying, Faruk Arslan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Spiritual Psychology is the study and practice of the art and science of the human evolution of consciousness. The heart occupies an important place in Sufism and is considered to contain the divine spark that leads to spiritual realization. Fethullah Gülen’s action-oriented Sufi methods described in his book series “The Emerald Hills of the Heart” provides the basis for a heart-based therapeutic intervention through self-journeying, which is the objective of this thesis. These self-purification and mindfulness-related transpersonal methods generate a form of treatment that is culturally sensitive. Through my reflections in this research, I transformed my personal experiences into …

The Buddhist Coleridge: Creating Space For The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Within Buddhist Romantic Studies, Katie Pacheco

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The popularization of academic spaces that combine Buddhist philosophy with the literature of the Romantic period – a discipline I refer to as Buddhist Romantic Studies – have exposed the lack of scholarly attention Samuel Taylor Coleridge and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner have received within such studies. Validating Coleridge’s right to exist within Buddhist Romantic spheres, my thesis argues that Coleridge was cognizant of Buddhism through historical and textual encounters. To create a space for The Rime within Buddhist Romantic Studies, my thesis provides an interpretation of the poem that centers on the concept of prajna, or wisdom, …

Beyond Dogma: The Role Of "Evolutionary" Science And The "Embodiment" Of Archetypal Energies, Carroy U. Ferguson

Carroy U "Cuf" Ferguson, Ph.D.

At individual and collective levels (locally, nationally, and globally), humanity is currently entertaining many challenges and opportunities for growth. In my view, these challenges and opportunities are connected to Energy shifts that are taking place on the planet, and the inability of some to move beyond dogma in relating to these Energy shifts. By its pre- and proscriptive nature, dogma fosters limiting beliefs that often interfere with how best to relate to these Energy shifts as vibrational beings in an evolving, vibrational world. Here, I want to briefly identify some of the limiting effects of dogma, and the role of …

Morphogrammatics Of Reflection, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

Turning back from the studies of morphogrammatics to some open questions of reflectional programming, the recountered problematics might be put into a different light and new methods of handling formal aspects of reflection and reflectionality shall be introduced. Albeit the use of light-metaphors, morphogrammatic reflection is not sketched along the paradigm of optical metaphors. Morphograms are presenting neither propositions nor perceptions able for mirroring (representation). Exercises in defining morphogrammatic retro-grade recursion and reflection schemata are continued from the paper “Sketches to Morphogrammatic Programming”.

Spiritually Integrative Archetypal Energies And Glimpes Into Soul Consciousness, Carroy U. Ferguson

Carroy U "Cuf" Ferguson, Ph.D.

In other writings I have described Archetypal Energies as Higher Vibrational Energies that have their own transcendent value, purpose, quality, and “voice” unique to the individual that operate deep within our psyches, at both individual and collective levels. We tend to experience them as “creative urges” to move us toward our Highest Good or Optimal Realities. I use easily recognized terms to evoke a common sense of these Archetypal Energies (e.g., Love, Acceptance, Inclusion, Harmony, Peace). Here, I want to discuss Spiritually Integrative Archetypal Energies and how they can assist us in gaining glimpses into the nature of our unique …

Memristics: Memristors, Again? – Part Ii, How To Transform Wired ‘Translations’ Between Crossbars Into Interactions?, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

The idea behind this patchwork of conceptual interventions is to show the possibility of a “buffer-free” modeling of the crossbar architecture for memristive systems on the base of a purely difference-theoretical approach. It is considered that on a nano-electronic level principles of interpretation appears as mechanisms of complementarity. The most basic conceptual approach to such a complementarity is introduced as an interchangeability of operators and operands of an operation. Therefore, the architecture of crossbars gets an interpretation as complementarity between crossbar functionality and “buffering” translation functionality. That is, the same matter functions as operator and at once, as operand – …

Memristics: Memristors, Again?, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

This collection gives first and short critical reflections on the concepts of memristics, memristors and memristive systems and the history of similar movements with an own focus on a possible interplay between memory and computing functions, at once, at the same place and time, to achieve a new kind of complementarity between computation and memory on a single chip without retarding buffering conditions.

Sketch Of A Typology Of Abstract Memristic Machines, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

A typology of memristic machines is sketched. This sketch gives an overview and orientation to the paper “Towards Abstract Memristic Machines”. It also intents to propose a concise systematization of the newly introduced terms and strategies to memristics and morphogrammatics. This sketch is introducing four types of sign-use for four types of machines of fundamentally different paradigms: 1. semiotic, 2. monomorphic, 3. polymorphic and 4. bisimilar abstract machines. Further definitions of abstract machines have to be based on those graphematic notational systems. A realization of such constructions of abstract machines, in contrast to existing abstract machines of the theory of …

Towards Abstract Memristic Machines, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

No abstract provided.

From Universe To Polyverses, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

Some thoughts about the power of speculation behind important discoveries in mathematics, physics and computer science. The exercise shows that there is no need for a compulsory ultimate unifying universe. It is speculated that just this paradigm of a single ultimate universe is unmasking itself today as the main obstacle for further development in Western science and technology.

Morphogrammatics For Dummies: The Domino Approach, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

Dominoes, morphograms, cellular automata, memristics. Topics: possible continuation, coalitions, cooperations, substitution, morphic bisimilarity.

Fear And Projection As Root Causes Of War, And The Archetypal Energies "Trust" And "Peace" As Antidotes, Carroy U. Ferguson

Carroy U "Cuf" Ferguson, Ph.D.

I want to use this opportunity to discuss a phenomenon that continues to plague the human experience. It is called the game of war. War is perhaps the deadliest game that humanity has created. The conflict itself represents what appears to be opposing views about the way things should be. Each side believes that it is right and that its actions are justified. Each side therefore seeks to impose its views on the other or to defend its views against the other. Each side fears the other as an enemy and each side projects its fears onto its perceived “enemy.”

The Logic Of Bailout Strategies, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

Some thoughts about/of the logic, blend, chiasm and diamond of bailout strategies. Eliciting aspects of the maxim: “Without insurrection, no resurrection".

Diamond Semiotic Short Studies, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

A collection of papers on semiotics, polycontexturality and diamond theory

Diamond Theory Collections. A Collection Of Papers And Fragments Towards Diamond Theory 2007-2009, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

No abstract provided.

Double Cross Playing Diamonds, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

Understanding interactivity in/between bigraphs and diamonds Grammatologically, the Western notational system is not offering space in itself to place sameness and otherness necessary to realize interaction/ality. Alphabetism is not prepared to challenge the dynamics of interaction directly. The Chinese writing system in its scriptural structuration, is able to place complex differences into itself, necessary for the development and design of formal systems and programming languages of interaction. The challenge of interactionality to Western thinking, modeling and design interactivity has to be confronted with the decline of the scientific power of alpha-numeric notational systems as media of living in a complex …

Short Studies 2008. Adventures In Diamond Strategies Of Change(S), Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

Modular Bolognese Paradoxes of postmodern education. A Tale of Fishes, Birds and Diamonds in Second-Order Epistemology Why it is useless to write about the mono-contexturality of alphabetism and digitalism Chez Maxime's Human rights in a polycontextural world Primary Thoughts to a Manifesto for Awareness Fashion Marketing Which Equality? How equal are equal human beings? Generalized Diamonds From monosemic to tectonic complementarity Diamond Disremption Diamond interpretation of the kenomic succession operation Diamond Web2.0? How social is social networking? Web Mobility Web computing between semiotic and kenomic spaces Double Cross Playing Diamonds Understanding interactivity in/between bigraphs and diamonds Morphogrammatics of Change A …

Actors, Objects, Contextures, Morphograms, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

Systematic and historic overview and critics of actor and object oriented programming.

From Dialogues To Polylogues, Rudolf Kaehr

Rudolf Kaehr

No abstract provided.