Renaissance Essay Example for Free

Renaissance Essay We mark Italian societys rebirth from the medieval period with the changes that occurred during the Italian Renaissance. Civilization was changing and what we consider the modern world was about to begin. The renaissance activity that happened in Europe outside of Italy is called the Northern European Renaissance. Italys humanist ideas and values moved out of Italy and throughout Europe, which spurred on the Northern European Renaissance. The Renaissance period began in the early 14th Century and lasted until the late 16th Century. Renaissance† comes from the French word that means â€Å"rebirth. † This time period is named and studied because of its unique art, literature, and music. It is also known as societys modern age. The Renaissance was a period of great cultural and technological changes which swept Europe from the end of the 13th century. It was integral in developing Europe was subjected to different changes there were two primary renaissance which were most notable. They were the Italian and the Northern renaissance. Both of the renaissance had a profound impact on Europe. But they also had some typical differences among them and each was unique in its own way. Early in the 14th Century, Italian scholars started to study the ancient cultures that preceded them, like those of Greece and the Roman Empire. This scholarly interest would lead to the Italian Renaissance. Italy and Europe was ready for change after the harrowing destruction of the Black Plague in the Middle Ages. Florence, Italy, was the home of the start of the Renaissance. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, culture, politics, and the arts had only been in decline. Petrarch advocated learning about Italys Latin and Roman history. The Pope and the royalty liked this idea, so other scholars begun to study in the same vein. These scholars valued the accomplishments of the Romans, but they wanted to improve on their society instead of blindly trying to recreate the same thing. These scholars wrote books that would stimulate Italians thinking and give them a new purpose. Italy was divided into distinct city-states, which gave them a more modern, and regional, cultural outlook. The city-states thrived, banking increased, and trade became more important. As Italian society became wealthier, they could strengthen their culture and their ideologies became entrenched. Wealthy people had the means to patronize and fund artists. Scientific development spurred Humanism as well as some of historys most important artists. Architecture evolved beyond the Gothic. The Renaissance period is considered the intellectual birth of modern society. Most thinkers were concerned with humanity and how to become a good and honorable person. The European, but not Italian, renaissance period is called the Northern European Renaissance. Similar growth in society and culture happened in Northern Europe as occurred in Italy during this time. This architecture did not change munch in the beginning, and did not stray far from the Gothic style that preceded it. Humanist changes resembling those in Italy also happened in the culture of Northern Europe. The Italian Renaissance focused its questions on humanity and mans ability to grow and develop. The Northern European Renaissance, though, focused on the secular reform of society and government. As Italian society changed as a result of their Renaissance, the people of Northern Europe became uneasy with Rome and the Popes control of their church. They thought that Italian powers had slipped away from traditional, strict, Christian belief and dogma. They began to strive to reform the church. The Italian Renaissance and the Northern European Renaissance did not happen in exactly the same ways. Italy grew and prospered with their city-state governance, while an aristocracy still controlled Northern Europe. Wealthy Italians patronized the arts, while in Northern Europe the arts were funded by the rulers and the church. Renaissance period art was bright and realistic, and the art of the Northern European Renaissance also followed this Italian style. Artists in Italy tended to work on paintings, sculpture, and architecture. In Northern Europe, artists created furniture, tapestries, and manuscripts. Europes wealthy had a lot of homes; they needed a lot of furniture and decorations. Literature in both regions was concerned with humans and humanity. Italians explored the idea that man was rational and decided rationally how to be a good person. Literature in Northern Europe was more concerned with the Catholic Churchs humanity and how to reform the church. Both areas wanted to reform the church – Northern Europe was more concerned with religion. Art in the Italian Renaissance was paid for by wealthy people. This art was concerned with nature. This art used a contrast between dark and light, 3D perspective, and human images. Northern European art used similar methods as Italian artists, but they were more concerned with depicting religion. Italian art used scenes from religion, mythology, the natural world, and eroticism. Northern European artists made portraits, scenes from the Bible, and tapestries. Aristocrats and the church owned most of the artwork. Below and to the left is a tapestry woven during the Northern European Renaissance called The Wedding Dance. This tapestry was made by the artist Peter Brueghel from the Netherlands. Not many pieces focused on the lives of everyday people as this one did – most were religious in nature instead. The work below and to-the-right is emblematic of the Italian Renaissance. It was pained by Giorgio Vasari.

Shifting Efficiency Essay -- essays research papers

Shifting Efficiency One of the most important and life-altering inventions in history is the creation of the automobile. The first model was built with a manual transmission, meaning the operator of the vehicle was responsible for manually changing gears to increase speed. This method of acceleration, while efficient, required the complete attention of the operator, and it sometimes took away the enjoyment of driving. This led to the invention of the automatic transmission, a method by which the operator of the vehicle no longer had to switch gears, as this was done automatically. Since the development of the automatic transmission, there has always been conflict about which method of acceleration is more efficient. Driving a vehicle with an automatic transmission allows for multitasking such as talking on a cell phone or eating a meal while driving. This, however, is not always a safe way to drive, especially in traffic when frequent stopping and going is necessary. This method of driving, though dangerous to many if it is not undertaken carefully, seems to be popular to most people who enjoy the freedom of multitasking. Driving a vehicle with a manual transmission makes it almost impossible for the operator to talk on a cell phone or do other tasks because the use of both hands is required to direct the vehicle and shift gears at the same time. To some people, this is a much safer method of driving, because it requires the driver to focus more, which reduces the risk of a...

Explain the contribution of Teresa of Avila to mysticism Essay

Transfer-Encoding: chunked i »? Explain the contribution of Teresa of Avila to mysticism (35) Mysticism is an aspect of religious experience that is little understood. This term has been used to describe experiences that reveal spiritual recognition of truths beyond normal understanding, from the mildly ecstatic to the occult. It has been said that there are certain features which accompany such experiences which enable their recognition, such as a sense of freedom from the limitations of time, space and the human ego. Believers may also experience a sense of â€Å"oneness† or unity with God, accompanied with bliss and serenity. Mysticism is seen as the closest a human being can ever come to actually meeting God in this life. Mystical experiences can also be classified into two areas: extrovertive, where one experiences unity in the world through the physical senses and introvertive, where the person loses their identity as a separate individual and slowly merges into the divine unity. A key introvertive mystic is Teresa of Avila. In examining her contribution to religious experience, a good place to start is considering her background. Teresa’s background may be key to understanding her enigmatic personality and experiences. She was a woman from a wealthy background and had a turbulent start in life. When she was seven her mother died, and when she was fourteen she ran away to seek martyrdom. She had an alleged love affair with her cousin that tarnished her reputation and effectively made her unmarriable. This, coupled with her obsession with books of chivalry, may have corrupted her view of what love really is. Her father decided to send her into an Augustinian convent where she was very unhappy. This sense of rejection played a major part in her later religious experience. It was while she was in the convent that her religious experiences began. In 1554 she had a deeper conversion when she saw a statue of Jesus after he had been whipped. She was deeply moved and wrote, â€Å"I felt so keenly aware of how poorly I had thanked him for those wounds that, it seems to me, my heart broke. I threw myself down before him with the greatest outpouring of heart. † After this experience she progressed into a life of intense prayer and the Catholic practice of mortification, so much so that he motto became, â€Å"Lord, either let me suffer or let me die. † She was also deeply influenced by the Confessions of Augustine and other theological books – although she did not have access to the Bible. Perhaps the single most influential experience she had was when she ‘came back from the dead’ after suffering from what is thought to have been malaria. This increased her notoriety. Moving on, Teresa was encouraged to write about her experiences and her books continue to influence mysticism today. Her two main writings are Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle. Way of Perfection is considered her spiritual autobiography. Here she emphasises the importance of praying mentally as well as vocally. In sixteenth century Spain the common people were encouraged to restrict themselves to vain repetitions of learned-off prayers, Teresa rejected this in favour of a more personal relationship with God. Her superbly inspiring classic on the practice of prayer is as fresh and meaningful today as it was when she first wrote it. The Way of Perfection is a practical guide to prayer setting forth the Saint’s counsels and directives for the attainment of spiritual perfection. Through the entire work there runs the author’s desire to teach a deep and lasting love of prayer beginning with a treatment of the three essentials of the prayer-filled life — fraternal love, detachment from created things, and true humility. St. Teresa’s counsels on these are not only the fruit of lofty mental speculation, but of mature practical experience. In The Interior Castle she compares the soul to a castle with seven rooms, with the Trinitarian God residing in the inner room. Growth in prayer enables the believer to reach a deeper intimacy with God, symbolised by a progressive journey through the rooms of the castle. She also describes the resistance that the Devil places in various rooms, to keep believers from union with God. Throughout, she provides encouragements and advice for spiritual development. Teresa’s writings lack Biblical references due to the Spanish Inquisition restricting access to the scriptures, and this grieved her. William James identified four characteristics of religious experience: ineffability; noetic quality; transiency and passivity. All of these care clearly apparent with Teresa’s experiences. Starting with ineffability, this is when one experiences a feeling that cannot be described to anyone else. She wrote that, â€Å"the soul is fully awake as regards God, but wholly asleep as regards the things of this world. † Secondly, noetic quality is when the mystic experience gives insight into truths unobtainable by the intellect alone. This is also apparent in Theresa’s experiences: â€Å"when I return to myself, it is wholly impossible for me to doubt that I have been in God, and God in me. † Thirdly, transiency. The religious experience does not last for long, usually half an hour or so. Though they are remembered, they are imperfectly recalled, but recognised if they reoccur – the recipient usually feels a profound sense of the importance of the experience. Associated with Teresa’s raptures are always visions. Her most famous vision involved her seeing a small angel with a beautiful face holding â€Å"a long golden spear† tipped with a â€Å"little fire† which he thrust into her heart. Finally, there is passivity, when the mystic feels as if they have been taken over by a superior power. In Teresa’s case, her visions were sometimes accompanied by levitation or strange screams. It could be this aspect that led many to believe she was possessed by the devil. In terms of impact, Teresa of Avila had a profound influence on religious experience. She the first female saint of the Roman Catholic Church – the saint of headache sufferers, rather oddly. She was somewhat of a reformer, emphasising a personal relationship with God above rigid sacramentalism. In 1562 she established the strict Carmelite order in various areas of Spain and her writings continue to be studied by believers today.

The Duality Of Religion And Science Essay - 1822 Words

The Duality of Religion and Science Science is the process which discovers knowledge, knowledge in turn is power, and power is said to bring about corruption. Therefore, through the transitive property, that implies that science will only lead to corruption. Not necessarily a corruption of one’s actions; for instance, science won’t make a politician accept a bribe. However, some would argue that science will lead to a degradation of morals. For example, contemporary science may lead to a woman viewing her unborn baby as naught but a ball of cells, similar to a tumor, which can be removed from her body with no moral dilemma. The converse to this is the impediment of science due to humanity clinging to its archaic values. This can be shown by the opposition to stem cell research and genetically modified embryos in the name of morals and the inviolability of life. The stark contrast between following morals and advancing science creates a juxtaposition that often manifests itself as a debate between religion and science. Certain members of both the scientific and religious communities blindly adhere to their own opinions and ideals. This butting of heads helps no one. As a result, a middle road must be found, one in which neither progress nor morality are ignored. The polarity between these two forces is encapsulated by the differences that Bertolt Brecht draws in his play Galileo between Galileo and the clergymen. This play, when contrasted with the reality of Galileo’sShow MoreRelatedEssay on Reconciliation between Science and Religion865 Words   |  4 Pagespersonal philosophy of science still believes that science and religion go together (Quote #1 to 3). Human beings obtain wisdom and abilities from religion to understand the phenomena through science application to investigate the phenomena. While religion can cultivate a human beings’ sense of morality and humanity, it can also guide scientists when they conduct research that runs the risk of going beyond humane standards. However, after a semester, different views of religion are included in the currentRead MoreThe, Science And Imagination, By Wendel Berry Essay1640 Words   |  7 PagesEthical Eights The advancement in technology and science has triggered a new way of thinking among many people. What seems challenging is drawing the limits of this advancement in terms of what is ideal and imperative for humanity. Science seems to provide concrete evidence for its discoveries. However, the increased reliance on scientific discoveries and technology is diminishing the human morals. All these are amidst the emergence of dualities such as religious fundamentalism and scientific fundamentalismRead MoreThe Mortality Rate Of Humans1575 Words   |  7 Pageshumans is 100 percent. Perhaps some essential part of people survive death and lives forever beyond the grave. The truth can come from two choices- speculation or revelation. Many people believe in the afterlife because the various religions they practice. Several religions teach that life after death does exist. Religious belief, however, does not entirely account for all the people who believe. Though, in a modern world, scientific principles, and American popular culture strongly influence a personRead MoreTheme Of Dualism In Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde972 Words   |  4 Pagesand assumes the character of Hyde. Through these changes, Stevenson portrays the duality of human nature and moral standard, and as Henry Jekyll claims, â€Å"all human beings†¦ are commingled out of good and evil† (Stevenson). During the Victorian era (1837-1901), many authors based their writing on things such as science and religion. As clearly shown in this work, Stevenson attempts to express the theme of the duality of man by using a scientific style; he used the vile psychic conflict between DrRead MoreEssay on Mexican American Studies1086 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscuss the worldviews and value systems of Indigenous peoples prior to European contact/invasion? How did these worldviews impact all aspects of life (science, agriculture, language, spirituality, etc.) for indigenous peoples? The worldviews and value system of the indigenous people was highly based on religion and community centrism(Cruz 2012). Religion influenced the Indigenous peoples entire lives, particularly their daily activities, sacrifices, geographic location and their calendars. CommunityRead MoreThe Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot1629 Words   |  7 Pagesinfluential breakthroughs in the biomedical sciences because these cells have played a major role in some of the largest breakthroughs in since they were first cultured in the 1950s. In addition to an examination of the science behind HeLa cells, Skloot also provides a look at the lives of Henrietta Lacks’s descendants. One characteristic that all members of the family share is a dedication to religion and spirituality. This juxtaposition between science and religion presents the body and its constituentRead MoreThe Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot1609 Words   |  7 Pagesmost influential disco veries in the biomedical sciences. The use of HeLa cells has played a role in some of the largest scientific breakthroughs since George Gey discovered how well they can grow in culture. On the other hand, Skloot’s work also provides a look at the lives of Henrietta Lacks’ descendants. One characteristic that everyone in this family shares is a dedication to religion and spirituality. This juxtaposition between science and religion presents the body and its constituent cellsRead MoreWhy Does One Take A Nap?1619 Words   |  7 Pagesto give the work of literature a greater, deeper sense of meaning and purpose. Daniel Gerhard Brown, commonly known as Dan Brown, shows us the inherent duality of the world from his unique perspective, one that has been shaped by his upbringing. In the book, Angels and Demons, Brown shows how mutually exclusive the two worlds of science and religion are, but also how that can be reconciled to serve a common purpose. Growing up in a family with parents from two almost opposite backgrounds, a mathematicianRead MoreScientific Progression in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and the Film, Blade Runner1184 Words   |  5 Pagesself-destructive side of human reality and human soul. It is written in the Romantic era where society greatly valued scientific and technological advancement. Throughout the novel, Shelley expresses her concerns of extreme danger when man transgresses science and all ethical values are disregarded. The implications of debatable experimentation and thriving ambition could evoke on humanity are explored in the novel. Likewise, â€Å"Blade Runnerâ⠂¬ , a sci-fi film directed by Ridley Scott in 1982 is a futuristicRead MoreScience And Its Effect On Society Essay1816 Words   |  8 PagesScience is the process which discovers knowledge, knowledge in turn is power, and power is said to bring about corruption. Therefore, through the transitive property, that implies that science will only lead to corruption. Not necessarily a corruption of one’s actions; for instance, science won’t make a politician accept a bribe. However, some would argue that science will lead to a degradation of morals. For example, contemporary science may lead to a woman viewing her unborn baby as naught but

Biography of Horace Greeley

The legendary editor Horace Greeley was one of the most influential Americans of the 1800s. He founded and edited the New York Tribune, a  substantial and very popular newspaper of the period. Greeleys opinions, and his daily decisions on what constituted news impacted American life for decades. He was not an ardent abolitionist, yet he was opposed to slavery, and he was involved in the founding of the Republican Party in the 1850s. When Abraham Lincoln came to New York City in early 1860 and essentially began his run for the presidency with his address at Cooper Union, Greeley was in the audience. He became a supporter of Lincoln, and at times, especially in the early years of the Civil War, something of a Lincoln antagonist. Greeley eventually ran as a major candidate for president in 1872, in an ill-fated campaign which left him in very poor health. He died soon after losing the 1872 election. He wrote countless editorials and several books, and is perhaps best known for a famous quote he probably did not originate: â€Å"Go west, young man.† A Printer in His Youth Horace Greeley was born on February 3, 1811, in Amherst, New Hampshire. He received irregular schooling, typical of the time, and became an apprentice at a newspaper in Vermont as a teenager. Mastering the skills of a printer, he worked briefly in Pennsylvania and then moved to New York at the age of 20. He found a job as a newspaper compositor, and within two years he and a friend opened their own print shop. In 1834, with another partner, Greeley founded a magazine, the New Yorker,  a journal devoted to literature, the arts and sciences. The New York Tribune For seven years he edited his magazine, which was generally unprofitable. During this period he also worked for the emerging Whig Party. Greeley wrote leaflets, and at times edited a newspaper, the Daily Whig. Encouraged by some prominent Whig politicians, Greeley founded the New York Tribune in 1841, when he was 30. For the next three decades, Greeley would edit the newspaper, which came to have a profound influence on the national debate. The dominant political issue of the day, of course, was slavery, which Greeley adamantly and vocally opposed. A Prominent Voice in American Life Greeley was personally offended by the sensationalist newspapers of the period and worked to make the New York Tribune a  credible newspaper for the masses. He sought out good writers and is said to be the first newspaper editor to provide bylines for writers. And Greeley’s own editorials and commentaries drew enormous attention. Though Greeley’s political background was with the fairly conservative Whig Party, he advanced opinions which deviated from Whig orthodoxy. He supported womens rights and labor and opposed monopolies. He hired early feminist  Margaret Fuller to write for the Tribune, making her the first female newspaper columnist in New York City. Greeley Shaped Public Opinion in the 1850s In the 1850s Greeley published editorials denouncing slavery, and eventually supported full abolition. Greeley wrote denunciations of the Fugitive Slave Act, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott Decision. A weekly edition of the Tribune  was shipped westward, and it was very popular in rural parts of the country. Its believed that Greeleys hardening opposition to slavery helped shape public opinion in the decade leading up to the Civil War. Greeley became one of the founders of the Republican Party and was present as a delegate at its organizing convention in 1856. Greeleys Role in Lincolns Election At the 1860 Republican Party convention, Greeley was denied a seat in the New York delegation because of feuds with local officials. He somehow arranged to be seated as a delegate from Oregon and sought to block the nomination of New York’s William Seward, a former friend. Greeley supported the candidacy of Edward Bates, who had been a prominent member of the Whig Party. But the tempestuous editor eventually put his influence behind Abraham Lincoln. Greeley Challenged  Lincoln Over Slavery During the Civil War Greeley’s attitudes were controversial. He originally believed the southern states should be allowed to secede, but he eventually came to support the war fully. In August 1862 he published an editorial titled â€Å"The Prayer of Twenty Millions† that called for the emancipation of the slaves. The title of the famed editorial was typical of Greeleys presumptuous nature, as it indicated that the entire population of the northern states shared his beliefs. Lincoln Responded  Publicly to Greeley Lincoln wrote a response, which was printed on the front page of the New York Times on August 25, 1862. It contained an oft-quoted passage: â€Å"If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.† By that time, Lincoln had decided to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. But he would wait until he could claim military victory after the Battle of Antietam in September before proceeding Controversy at the End of the Civil War Horrified by the human cost of the Civil War, Greeley advocated peace negotiations, and in 1864, with Lincoln’s approval, he traveled to Canada to meet with Confederate emissaries. The potential thus existed for peace talks, but nothing came of Greeleys efforts. After the war Greeley offended a number of readers by advocating amnesty for Confederates, even going so far as to pay for a bail bond for Jefferson Davis. Troubled Later Life When Ulysses S. Grant was elected president in 1868 Greeley was a supporter. But he became disillusioned, feeling Grant was too close to New York political boss Roscoe Conkling. Greeley wanted to run against Grant, but the Democratic Party was not interested in having him as a candidate. His ideas helped to form the new Liberal Republican Party, and he was the party’s candidate for president in 1872. The 1872 campaign was particularly dirty, and Greeley was viciously criticized and mocked. He lost the election to Grant, and it took a terrible toll on him. He was committed to a mental institution, where he died on November 29, 1872. Greeley is best remembered today for a quote from an 1851 editorial in the New York Tribune: Go west, young man. It has been said that Greeley thus inspired many thousands to set out for the frontier. The most likely story behind the famous quote is that Greeley had reprinted, in the New York Tribune, an editorial by John B.L. Soule which contained the line, Go west, young man, go west. Greeley never claimed to have coined the original phrase, though he later expanded upon it by writing an editorial with the phrase, Go west young man, and grow up with the country. And over time the original quote was usually attributed to Greeley.

The Tragedy Of World War II By Siegfried Sassoon - 1130 Words

throughout History, a major tragedy caused the world to become chaotic, which lead to millions of brave individuals to lose their life. This horrific tragedy, World War 1 (the Great War), was the beginning of a long terrible journey. Many strong and mighty men volunteered to join the War with the persuasion of being â€Å"Hero’s†. These men did not realize the terror they would face when walking into this journey. Many soldiers were faced with seeing their fellow soldiers cold-blood drip from their aching bodies, their loving eyes becoming raged with anger by the conditions of their sleeping arrangements, and their hopes of ever returning home or being a â€Å"normal† human-being was wiped clean. This was the beginning of a major change in the lives of all individuals throughout the world. Before the War, many soldierss mindsets was that this war would turn them into â€Å"hero’s† and â€Å"men†. A poet, Siegfried Sassoon, wrote the famous poem ‘They’, explained, â€Å"The Bishop (authority) tells us: ‘when the boys come back/ they will not be the same† (1-2). These lines symbolizes how many or all soldiers were encouraged to join the War because they will come out a better individual, and everyone will look up to them. Many of these fellow soldiers entered the war singing, but suddenly realized the words given by an authority figure was all wrong, which led them to trust no one. So, before the war men were chosen to fight and given the encouragement of becoming a hero, then the view of the war

A 43

A 43-year-old man from Boston was having a steamy cyber affair with who he thought to be a 23-year-old woman Essay A 43-year-old man from Boston was having a steamy cyber affair with who he thought to be a 23-year-old woman. He later found out the she, to his dismay, was an 80-year-old man living in a Miami nursing home. Things like this happen everyday, people mask their sex and age to avoid or attract attention on the Internet. This is only one of the reasons why the government wants to censor the Internet. They claim they want to protect the children by limiting the amount of reality they are allowed to view. But in order to do this they would need to censor the entire Internet, from everyone. This is why censorship on the Internet would be a violation of the first amendment. Censorship itself is not what most people are concerned about. Instead, how far will it go? How far is too far? When will it stop? Can the Internet ever be censored? These questions need to be answered before we can even think about censoring. In order to fully understand censorship you have to know what the Internet is. The Internet is an open interconnection of networks that enables computers to connect directly through phone lines. It allows people from around the world to communicate with the touch of a button. Its size is unimaginable, its content is uncountable. In early 1995 more than 50,000 networks and 5 million computers were connected via the Internet, with a computer growth rate of about 9 percent per month Rutkowski, Encarta. Is the Internet to large to be censored? Remember in the 1940s people said radio was uncensorable. What is censorship anyway? Censorship is the official restriction of expression thought to be harmful. Censorship restricts the flow of ideas, depriving people of information they need to maintain an open society Steffens, 11. Censorship itself is by no means a new idea. It has existed since the beginning of mankind, Playboy magazine in the 1950s, radio in the 1930s, book burning in the 1940s, steamy celluloid reels in the 1920s, and erotic pages coming off the Gutenberg press in the 1350s. People fear new technology, I believe this is the reason that people want to censor the Internet. Change is a frightening thing, but without it the human race would cease to exist. Taking over our world, computers can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. At this time there is more information on the Internet than there is in any library and it is only a matter of years before books themselves will become obsolete. By censoring the Internet the government will only be holding us back. Germany, China, Singapore, and several other countries have taken action and began to censor the Internet. The United States is not far behind. On February 8th, 1996, President Clinton signed the Communications Decency Act, which limits freedom of expression on the Internet. With this act, the very same materials which are legally available today in book stores and libraries could be illegal if posted on World Wide Web sites or Usenet newsgroups. Not only would it have made it a crime to write provocative e-mail to your lover, it would also be a crime for your Internet provider. Censorship is never for those who have experienced it. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever Nadine Gordimer, Microsoft Office. What business does the government have telling people what they can and cant see anyway? If the childs parents are so concerned about what they are going to see on the Internet, there is software available that screens the Internet for just that computer. It isnt very expensive, in fact, you can even download some software from the Internet. Yet, this software is no substitute for good judgment. If you have time on your hands, if your comfortable with computing, and you have an unflagging curiosity about sex in other words, if youre a teenager you may think youve suddenly landed in pornography heaven Gleick, 26. Loki EssayHow much good How much joy? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Henry Miller, U. S. author Microsoft Office The media has over hyped sex on the Netà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the situation is nowhere near as bad as people are lead to believe. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Zarniwoop, 19 Bournemouth, England E-mail Censorship is very good, because I do not believe that their should exist a total freedom, a place where there is no law and maniacs are allowed to abuse their rights its like rotten moralsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ exist no law to censor the indecent materials, its like allow crime to happen without anyone having the power to stop it. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ UFO, 18 South Africa E-mail When truth is no longer free, freedom is no longer real: the truths of the police are the truths of today. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Jacques Prevert, French poet Microsoft Office We should have the right of free speech and we have the right to do whatever, we pay the bills, we shouldnt be told what to say. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ MJ, 15 Peoria, Illinois E-mail I feel that without censorship we would be an over-run society of belligerent animals. It is too bad people do not see beyond the benefit of it all. We should always have some form of censorship. I wouldnt like my children to be exposed to some of the lingo, or acts I see and hear everyday. There should be places where it isnt restricted, like adult places, where there are not a lot of children. But as for schools, restaurants, and public buildings, censor away! à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Vera, 16 Bowling Green, Ohio E-mail Censors tend to do what only psychotics do: they confuse reality with illusion. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ David Cronenberg, Canadian filmmaker Microsoft Office Personally, I think that censorship should be the parents responsibility, not the web servers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Shroom, 14 Barkansted, Connecticut E-mail Im the mother of an 11 year old daughter. Bet you think you know what Im going to say dont you. It might just surprise you. For the most part I am against censorship of literature, TV, movie, and the net. What is obscene, offensive or distasteful for one person isnt always the same for another. I believe it is up to the individual to decide what should and what shouldnt be censored. Parents should be the ones to determine what their underage children can and cant read, watch or hear. We owe it to our children to provide them with a balanced view of the world. By allowing someone else to make the decision on what my daughter sees in my opinion severely limits her education in all areas of life. It is a decision she and I should make jointly as to exactly how much reality she is ready for. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Beth, 36 Joplin, Missouri E-mail Woe to that nation whose literature is cut short be the intrusion of force. This is not merely interference with freedom of press but the sealing up of a nations heart, the excision of its memory. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Russian novelist Microsoft Office Dont join the book burners. Dont think you are going to conceal faults be concealing evidence that they ever existed. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Dwight D. Eisenhower, U. S. general, Republican president Microsoft Office