Native American Dance Regalia in the Powwow

The making of dance regalia is for Native American people a tradition. It is a distinctly indigenous activity that is illustrative of the reality that for indigenous people there is no separation between art and everyday life, between culture and creativity, or the sacred from secular. All styles of regalia are remarkably elaborate, and while the degree of beauty of an outfit doesnt necessarily equate to dancing talent, it does say something about a persons commitment to dancing. They all have stories as historical categories and as individual creations. The making of powwow dance outfits is an art form all its own. Powwow History Powwows are intertribal social gatherings that began roughly in the 1880s. This was at a time when Indians were experiencing great upheavals in their communities. Those were the years of the assimilation era when tribes were being forced onto reservations, into more sedentary lifestyles, and families were being broken up due to the boarding school policy. By the 1960s the federal governments relocation policy led to large populations of Native Americans in urban centers, and powwows became an important way for Indians to stay connected to their tribal cultures and identities. Native American Beliefs For Native people, everything is imbued with spiritual meaning even in the context of the modern world, and especially when it comes to the expression of culture and identity. For dancers, not only is the act of dancing that expression, but the wearing of dance regalia is the visible manifestation of ones heritage. A dancers regalia is one of the most powerful symbols of her Native identity and in that regard, it can be considered sacred. This is one reason why it is incorrect to refer to dance regalia as a costume. Many of the elements that make up a dance outfit are items often associated with the ceremonial function, such as eagle feathers and parts, animal hides, items that have been handed down through generations, as well as designs that may have been handed down or were given in dreams and visions. How Outfits are Acquired In todays world not everybody in Native societies possesses the skills required to construct dance regalia, and, in fact, most simply do not. Often dance outfits or elements of outfits are passed down; grandmas moccasins, dads dance fan or bustle, or moms buckskin and beadwork. More often outfits are made by family members, purchased in the marketplace, or custom made by professional artists. Far less commonly are outfits actually made by the dancer her or himself. No matter which way a dancer acquires their dance regalia, it typically takes many years to build a wardrobe of dance outfits (most dancers own more than one outfit) and is very expensive. Skills It takes a variety of skills to put together a dance outfit. First, it takes the knowledge of different dance styles which will guide the vision for an outfits design. An eye for design is imperative so that all elements of the outfit will be consistent. Sewing is one necessary skill, but not just the ability to sew fabric. The ability to sew leather is also necessary which means a person must have leather smithing skills as well. They must also have certain crafting abilities, like knowledge about how to make feather fans, moccasins, and beadwork. This is such a wide variety of skills and because very few people possess all of them, most dance outfits come from several different sources. Dance Styles There are a number of different dance techniques that are divided into mens and womens in the categories of northern and southern styles. Men and women both have a style of fancy dancing (which is considered a northern style), and both have styles of traditional dance within the northern and southern genre. Other styles include grass dancing, the chicken dance, southern straight, jingle dress, and gourd dancing.

The Chinese Room Argument - 1272 Words

While proponents of strong AI believe that machines are capable of imitating human consciousness so well that it might be perceived as actually obtaining consciousness, others such as John Searle believe otherwise. Another logical stance on the question is accepting that machines are able to behave as though it has a conscious mind physically, but also arguing that machines will never be able to possess this consciousness as though a human would. This second type of viewpoint is considered Weak Artificial Intelligence, otherwise known as narrow artificial intelligence. Weak AI is acknowledging that machines can simulate consciousness computationally, but that is different from actually obtaining consciousness. One of the most widely known†¦show more content†¦Searle believed that simply manipulating symbols will not ensure computers are able to think or understand, in other words, knowing syntax does not mean understanding the semantics, and function does not mean understanding. There are of course many criticisms of Searle’s Chinese Room Argument, the main ones include the Systems Reply, the Robot Reply, the Brain Simulator Reply, the Other Minds Reply, and the Intuition Reply. In Searle’s Chinese Room Argument, the person inside the room is defined as not able to understand Chinese. But in response to that, the Systems Reply brings up the point that while the person might not know any Chinese, the system as a whole understands Chinese. The Virtual Mind Reply is similar to the Systems Reply in that the person inside the room might not understand Chinese by him or herself. But Virtual Mind Reply questions whether understanding is created or not. While the person in the room might not have any knowledge of Chinese at the beginning, running the system might create an agent that does have understanding of Chinese. The Robot Reply, while accepting that the person in the room might not understand Chinese or the computer in the room does not understand a particular language, suggests that â€Å"giving a computer a body† would mean something different for the computer. Being able to interact with the environment using sensors might enable the computer to learn. The Brain Simulator Reply suggests to consider the program beingShow MoreRelatedThe Chinese Room Argument Essay906 Words   |  4 Pages John Searle formulated the Chinese Room Argument in the early 80’s as an attempt to prove that computers are not cognitive operating systems. In short though the immergence of artificial and computational systems has rapidly increased the infinite possibility of knowledge, Searle uses the Chinese room argument to shown that computers are not cognitively independent. John Searle developed two areas of thought concerning the independent cognition of computers. These ideas included the definitionRead MoreA Critique Of The Chinese Room Argument2056 Words   |  9 Pages(Not) Mere Semantics: A Critique of the Chinese Room The Roman Stoic, Seneca, is oft quoted that it is the power of the mind to be unconquerable (Seneca, 1969). And so seems that, in recent times, Searle has produced a similar rhetoric. (At least insofar as strong AI might ‘conquer’ and reducibly explain mental states). This essay will attempt to do two things: 1) Examine three central objections to Searle’s Chinese Room Argument (CRA); these being the Systems Reply (SR), Deviant Causal Chain (DCC)Read MoreAnalysis Of Searle s The Chinese Room Argument Essay1597 Words   |  7 PagesSearle’s, The Chinese Room Argument, asks, if a computer can use data to output answers does that computer understand? In Searle’s experiment, he acts as a computer and is given translations of Chinese symbols. He states that even though he can find the appropriate translations for the symbols and output answers he still does not understand Chinese. Prior to my previous argument, I look to investigate in what instance ca n the computer be thought of as an understanding machine. In order to do thisRead MoreEssay about John Searles Chinese Room Argument2000 Words   |  8 PagesJohn Searles Chinese Room Argument The purpose of this paper is to present John Searle’s Chinese room argument in which it challenges the notions of the computational paradigm, specifically the ability of intentionality. Then I will outline two of the commentaries following, the first by Bruce Bridgeman, which is in opposition to Searle and uses the super robot to exemplify his point. Then I will discuss John Eccles’ response, which entails a general agreement with Searle with a few objectionsRead MoreMinds, Brains, and Science by John R. Searle1815 Words   |  7 PagesBerkeley (â€Å"John R. Searle,† 2014). Searle earned his Ph.D. in philosophy at Oxford, and has made several contributions to his field on topics, such as consciousness, artificial intelligence, and the problem of free will (â€Å"John R. Searle,† 2014). His â€Å"Chinese Room† experiment is known as one of the main critiques to the concept of artificial intelligence. In Searle’s book, Searle describes his thought process into this experiment during the second chapter, titled â€Å"Can Computers Think?† Searle’s purpose ofRead MoreWhy Functionalism Is A Better Theory Than Identity Theory1231 Words   |  5 Pagesto humans, so would count as having mental states. Therefore functionalists are saying that machines are conscious. But surely, only biologically living organisms have the platform to obtain a conscious mind, which is the brain. The absent qualia argument was raised by philosopher Ned Block against functionalism (Block, 1978). Qualia are our private experiences and sensations that are infallible and cannot be explained by words, like the smell of fresh coffee, or the sensation of pain, and thus theyRead MoreComputing Machinery And Intelligence By Alan Turing1469 Words   |  6 Pagesnature of machines’ capacity for thought or consciousness, such as John Searle. In his Chinese room thought experiment, Searle outlines a scenario that implies machinesâ€⠄¢ apparent replication of human cognition does not yield conscious understanding. While Searle’s Chinese thought experiment demonstrates how a Turing test is not sufficient to establish that a machine can possess consciousness or thought, this argument does not prove that machines are absolutely incapable of consciousness or thought. RatherRead MoreChinese Room Scenario by John R. Searle Essay531 Words   |  3 PagesChinese Room Scenario by John R. Searle Through the use of his famous Chinese room scenario, John R. Searle tries to prove there is no way artificial intelligence can exist. This means that machines do not posses minds. The debate between those who are in favor of strong and weak artificial intelligence (AI) is directly related to the philosophy of mind. The claim of weak AI is that it is possible to run a program on a machine, which will behave as if it were a thinking thing. BelieversRead MoreDualism Provides An Explanation For The Mind1100 Words   |  5 Pages Dualism provides an explanation for the relationship to the mind in several ways. The relationship between the two is a compelling argument that several philosophers make. Although the body is a psychical existence the mind is utterly non-psychical. The body and mind are innately different beings and we cannot perceive mind-body dualism with our senses. Humans are aware that individuals hold psychical and mental entities traced back to psychical sciences including size and color. Additionally,Read MoreThe Mind Brain Identity Theory1689 Words   |  7 PagesIn the article â€Å"The Nature of Mental States† Hillary Putnam presents a compelling argument that dealt a â€Å"considerable blow† to the Mind-Brain Identity Theory—a theory developed by J.C.C Smart—in which he [Putnam] stated â€Å"mental states are multiply realizable.† His argument is driven by functionalism. His functionalist account of mental states like pain differs from what is explained by the Mind-Brain Identity Theory. In turn, he also avoids the issue of multiple realizability, an issue that was proven

Music as a Mirror of its Time Essay Example For Students

Music as a Mirror of its Time Essay The concept of Music as a Mirror of its Time is the thread that connects the musical eras discussed in this course and effective way to follow musical development by studying it in relation to the events and influences that shaped he history of the times. It is clear that music was used as a tool ranging from religious ceremony to self-expression. This paper will walk thought history, musical development and composers that represented the major eras in European concert music. We begin with the Middle Ages, the period of time between DADA and ADDED, which is rather divided by the Dark Ages, roughly between DADA and ADDED and the High Middle Ages between ADDED and 1400 AD. The Dark Ages was a time when all progress and technology developed during the classical Greek and Roman periods was lost. Europe was isolated from the outside world. The Church was all-powerful and the role of music was centered it. The music during the Dark Ages was monophonic in texture consisting of a single melody without any accompanying harmony. Music was simply used as a tool religious ceremony and not a form of expression. The most common music of the age was plainsong or plainchant, which insisted of a single unaccompanied vocal melody. Plainchant was usually composed anonymously and for the Church. The High Middle Ages was marked by the re-introduction of techniques and technologies included improvements in farming and agriculture and well as a marked improvement in public safety. The result was increased trade and the establishment and growth of cities. The music of this period while still influenced by the Church, developed and evolved into Polyphonic texture consisting of two or more principle melodies heard simultaneously. As this music grew in complexity, it had to be written and thus darted the development of musical notation and the concept of the composer. An example of an early polyphonic work is the Alleluia Paschal Nostrum by Leonine, composed around ADDED. The work is considered in the style of Florid Organ. An Organ combined plainchant with the voices of man. This music was a mirror of its time marking the importance and the influence of the Church in everyday life as well as celebrating the rediscovery of knowledge that was lost during the dark ages. The Renaissance saw a reemergence of European culture during the period from ADDED to ADDED. Inspired by the classical ages of Greece and Rome, the period as marked by world exploration and conquests, new technologies such as the printing press as well the decline of the absolute power of the Church. The music stressed clear articulation of the words by using Word Painting to intensify the meaning of the words. The musical texture was homophobic and included a melody, bass line and inner voices. While this period saw the emergence of secular music as well as a decline in the influence of the Church, religion was still a major inspiration for music. Religious works of the Renaissance period included Giovanni Palestinians Music as a Mirror of its Time By ceaselessness Thomas Wilkes madrigal, As Vests was from Lattes Hill Descending from 1601. Music of the renaissance reflected the times by balancing secular and religious importance while celebrating the reawakening of the arts and discovery of the larger world. The Baroque Era, spanning the years from ADDED to ADDED was marked by great discoveries in science, architecture, literature and philosophy as well as further decreases in the power of the church and increased acculturation. Baroque music brought forth a duality of elements that stood in tension, that is, the music was highly utilized and extravagant while based in carefully controlled and tempered rhythms. The music mirrored the times, as this duality theme was evident throughout all art and design of the period, ornate and detailed yet rational and orderly. The quintessential composer of Baroque music Johann Sebastian Bach with compositions representing both secular and religious themes such as the Brandenburg Concerto #2 in F Major of 1721 and Mass in B Minor, Sanctum Hosanna 1745. These works conveyed energetic rhythms with a dance like qualities with a melody full of embellishment and detail. The Classical Era, spanned the dates from 1750 to 1827, and was a musical style that was born out of The Enlightenment. The Enlightenment, (173()-1780) was a period in history when the aristocracy and clergys influences in society diminish as the new middle class grew from the emergence of the Industrial Revolution. The emergence of the middle class into a position of power had a profound influence on the times as they sought to be educated and wanted an end to social injustice. Music Genre Classification Using Ga-Induced Minimal EssayIn the Classical era, the operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 1791) were considered the pinnacle of the art form and Mozart added innovation with the Operatic Ensemble or group singing. The Marriage of Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787), The Magic Flute (1791), are some of Mozart classical era operatic steelworks. The Romantic Period, (1827 to 1900) marked by an intensification of musical expression and loosening of the musical rules developed during the Classical era, but was not considered a true era, as it did not represent a musical break in the form and syntax that was developed in the Classical era. During the Romantic era, music was considered the ultimate art form because is could express emotions and concepts far deeper that and words could. Romantic era art, literature and music mirrored the times and society fascination with extreme emotional states, Folkloric Nationalism, a fascination with the wilder aspects of nature and a fascination with the macabre, gothic and the supernatural. The composers of the Romantic era, while using the classical forms, used longer melodies, complex harmonies and larger bigger orchestras and modern instruments to expand their expressive contents. The most representative composers of the Romantic period were Frederic Chopin (1810 1849), Franz List (1811 1886) and Richard Wagner (1813 1883) The instrumental music of the Romantic period day included compositions with extra musical content Program music is the 4th movement of Beethovens 6th Symphony (Strum). The music explicitly evokes a musical image of a summer storm including raindrops, a deluge and the feelings of being caught in the storm. This was quite different that the music of the Classical which rather than tell a specific story, was instead composed to evoke specific feelings or moods. In response to the times, specifically, the increase discord in Europe around 1848, spawned by citizens wanting an end to monarchies and social injustices and the installation of constitutional and representative governments, music saw the emergence of nationalism. Folkloric Nationalism was an incorporation of a country folk music into concert works and operas. Chopping incorporation of Polish nationalist folk songs and themes into his compositions is an example of Folkloric Nationalism as is Franz Lists 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies, which were Gypsy music inspired works. Russian Nationalism grew out of the defeat of Napoleon and the Dismembers Revolution of 1825. Music of and after that period tended to be infused with Russian folk songs and stories. As the Russian musical tradition grew, the writings of Alexander Services Pushpin were popular subjects to Russian Operas and musical works. Furthering the concept of music as a mirror of its time, the twentieth century was a period of incredible intellectual, technological and scientific development. Modern civilizations ability to move and communicate more rapidly made the world grow smaller and compressed time itself, necessitating changes in musical phrasing and structure in order for composers to continue to strive to remain relevant and express themselves. Twentieth century modernism began with the compositions of Claude Debussy (1862 to 1918). Debussy was influenced by the French languages blurred edges and infinite nuance. Debussy music was not about the literal recreation of a subject but instead impressions of how the he perceived the subject. The composition Nudges from the Three Nocturnes is an example of this musical impressionism. Debussy elevated timbre, or the sound qualities of the individual instruments to a level equal to pitch, rhythm and harmony. Igor Stravinsky (1882 to 1971) created the most important works of the twentieth century. His most influential contribution was that of asymmetric meter or a grouping of beats from one unit to the next are in an irregular tatter, a quality taken from Russian folk music as well as the Russian language itself. What Debussy contributed to music with the focus on timbre, Stravinsky did with the use of asymmetrical rhythms. The Composer that if found most intriguing and attracted to in this course is Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven is one of the great disruptive forces in western music and seems to defy convention and is hard to categorize. While he composed in the Classical Era, he bent and reshaped musical form to suit his expressive needs, while he was revolutionary and influential, he didnt influence a true musical break or spawned any movement or imitators.

The Sunflower Essay Example

The Sunflower Essay Table of Contents IThe Sunflower A. The Primary Storyline †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 B. The issues that emerged †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 C. Wiesenthal’s moral problem On Book I: The Sunflower Primary Storyline When I read the book it all boiled down to me that the main topic being discussed is the word forgiveness. Because the act of forgiveness has complex philosophical, moral, religious or spiritual aspects, it requires and deserves a thoughtful analysis of our beliefs. The main character in the book was a man name Simon Wiesenthal and who was also the author of this book. The primary story line of the book, Simon Wiesenthal was a Jewish prisoner in a concentration camp in Lemborg, Poland. He did pass a Polish cemetery on a forced journey to a Technical School which had been turned into a make shift hospital. On each grave site a sunflower had been planted, each standing straight. This is where the title of the book derived from. He envied those lying in their graves because they had been properly buried, a sunflower marking their graves, with butterflies flying overhead. He predicted his burial site would be a mass grave. After arriving at the make-shift hospital, he was secretly led by a nurse to a dying SS member’s bedside. The soldier recalled his past experiences with the Hitler youth group and his volunteering for army duty. The SS soldier described â€Å"the terrible thing† he had done and said, â€Å"Some time elapsed before I realized what guilt I had incurred. † Simon couldn’t forgive the soldier and left him in silence. Simon began to doubt his choice to leave the soldier without offering the forgiveness he sought. Simon was shuffled to different work camps until he was sent to Block 6 where death was imminent. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sunflower specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Sunflower specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Sunflower specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer After the war he joined a commission to investigate war crimes. After seeing a field of sunflowers, he decided to visit the soldier’s mother. After the encounter, his doubts remained. In the concluding paragraph, the author writes, â€Å"You, who have just read this sad and tragic episode in my life, can mentally change places with me and ask yourself the question, â€Å"What would I have done? † Issues that emerged There were many issues that emerged from the story. The first of the main issue were where after confirming that Simon was Jewish, a nurse escorts Simon to the bedside of a dying Nazi solider named Karl. Karl hauntingly recounts his involvement in the horrifying death of a father, a mother, and a dark-eyed child who are brutally shot down after jumping out of a burning building. Simon becomes extremely distressed with the imagery evoked by the untimely demise of the dark-eyed child, especially when he theoretically identifies the child with a six-year old named Eli. Indeed, while recalling the heart-wrenching scenes of the kindergarten extermination, Simon fights the urge to leave the hospital room as the dying soldier continues to recount the rest of his confession. With sincere remorse in his voice, Karl begs for the forgiveness of a Jew. The irony of this dying soldiers confession arises from the fact that a murderer who did not want to be a murderer but who had been made into a murderer by his murderous ideology was confessing his crime to a man that may die by the hands of these same murderers at any time. Struggling with this ironic dilemma and having an imagery of the child with piercing eyes that questioned the hatred of the world surrounding him, Simon leaves the soldier in complete silence. Simon seeks and challenges the opinions of his contemporaries about the beliefs on justice, mercy, human responsibility, and forgiveness. Simon had nightmares about the Nazi soldier’s confession. He went back to the hospital too see the Nazi soldier, but the nurse announced he died. The main issues come when Simon fails to understand why the Nazi soldier’s request for forgiveness and should he forgive him. He discussed with his close companions about the issue and heard their point of view. Still having doubts and still not understanding he also brought the situation up to a Polish Catholic Jew who had studied to be a priest. After hearing his point of view he still had doubts remained. After viewing a field of sunflowers Simon decides to visit the Nazi soldier’s mother and even after the visit doubts still remained. In the end he never figured out what to do. Simon’s Moral Issues Simon’s moral issues in the story were if he should forgive the Nazi soldier after his confession. Did Simon have the right to forgive the Nazi soldier in behalf of the Jews that were killed? Was morally right for Simon not to forgive the soldier after he confessed and acknowledged his wrong doings? Forgiveness is very complex in the situation Simon is in because of all the pain and suffering the Nazi soldiers brought to him and his people. Even thou Simon could have forgiven the soldier it was still a chance he would be kill from the same people that he would have forgiven. Dalai Lame What is forgiveness? To whom does it matter and why? After reading Dalai comments on â€Å"The Sunflower†, Dalai believes that forgiveness is a part of the way we live our lives out spiritually. He stated that one should forgive the person or persons who have committed atrocities against oneself and mankind. If your religion state to you to live your life to a certain guideline and forgiveness is a part of that guide then the victim doesn’t really have a choice to forgive because it’s the right thing to do according to their religion. No matter how big the atrocity or act brought against a person the victim should forgive. Who has the right to forgive? According to Dalai comment, every human has the right to forgive. Any person who had an act brought against them has the right to forgive. Through religion God gives human beings the right to forgive. If God forgives someone, does it settle everything? Through Dalai’s comments the answer will be yes. Dalai is standing in the mythos looking at the situation where religion and God is the center piece of life. God is the supreme ruler and everything he says goes so once God has forgiven you then everything is settle even if the victim doesn’t forgive you. Who decides if someone is forgiven, the victim; perpetrator; the Law; God? According to Dalai, the victim decides if someone is forgiven because in religion there is confession and the perpetrator confesses their wrong doings to the victim. The perpetrator then seeks forgiveness from the victim and the victim then has the power to decide to forgive or not to forgive. Should the Nazi officer be forgiven? If so, by whom? Why ; why not? According to Dalai, the Nazi officer should be forgiven because since forgiveness is a part of our spirituality and religion it has been labeled as the right thing to do. Eva Fleischner (Professor Emerita of Religion at Montclair State University) What is forgiveness? To whom does it matter and why? Through Eva’s comments you can see that she is standing more in the logos as she views forgiveness and the situation in the story. She is claiming that forgiveness is more of a selfish act for the perpetrator than the victim. The perpetrator is only seeking a peace of mind for him as he prepared to leave this world. Who has the right to forgive? According to Eva’s comment, the victim could forgive if they choose too but how forgiveness is going to benefit the victim. So she is practically saying that the victim shouldn’t give forgiveness because it is not benefiting them in any way to make up for whatever pain or suffering that’s been carried out by the perpetrator. If God forgives someone, does it settle everything? Well Eva is standing more in the logos rather than the mythos looking at forgiveness. So, she doesn’t think that if God forgives someone that everything will be settled. She thinks that the victim should receive some type of reward or anything that is beneficial before they can get some type of forgiveness. Who decides if someone is forgiven, the victim; perpetrator; the Law; God? According to Eva’s comment, the victim decides if someone is forgiven because they have a choice to forgive or not to forgive. The victim is also not judged for whichever one they choose because they are viewing it from a logos standpoint. Should the Nazi officer be forgiven? If so, by whom? Why ; why not? According to Eva, the Nazi officer shouldn’t be forgiven because the victim isn’t benefitting anything from it. Instead of the Nazi officer seeking forgiveness he should try to do something that will help the Jews in some way. Harold S. Kushner (Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, Massachusetts) What is forgiveness? To whom does it matter and why? Through Harold’s comment, forgiveness is where the perpetrator who seeks forgiveness is trying to free themselves from what they used to be and becoming a new person. He is standing in the mythos looking and examining forgiveness. The perpetrator doesn’t need a victim to forgive them and that forgiveness is between the perpetrator and God. Who has the right to forgive? Harold was stating that forgiveness comes from God, and it comes when God chooses to grant it, not when we want to. God’s forgiveness is something that happens inside us, not inside God. Harold is claiming that he perpetrator has the right to forgive their self and that God gave us the miracle to forgive ourselves just once we confess our wrong doings to him. If God forgives someone, does it settle everything? Through Harold’s thinking, then the answer will be yes that when God forgives someone everything will be settled. Harold’s point of view is that God could only grant forgiveness that is within us. Who decides if someone is forgiven, the victim; perpetrator; the Law; God? According to Harold, forgiveness is decided by God because only he can grant us the ability to forgive ourselves where the perpetrator can leave their wrong doings behind. Should the Nazi officer be forgiven? If so, by whom? Why ; why not? According to Harold, the Nazi officer has the right to forgive himself once he confess his wrong doings to God and leave his wrong doings behind. Lawrence L. Langer (Professor Emeritus of English at Simmons College in Boston) What is forgiveness? Examining forgiveness Lawrence was standing more in the logos where he put a measurement on acts that can be forgiven, where some acts can be forgiven and some acts are just unforgivable. Who has the right to forgive? Lawrence is stating that man controls forgiveness and we have the choice to forgive according to the act that has been made against the victim. Such as in â€Å"The Sunshine† , the Nazi soldier didn’t deserve forgiveness because of how great the bad in the act that he carried out. If God forgives someone, does it settle everything? Lawrence is claiming that God doesn’t have anything to do with forgiveness and that man controls forgiveness. We control who can be forgiven and who is unforgivable this decides how everything will be settled. Who decides if someone is forgiven, the victim; perpetrator; the Law; God? The victim decides when someone is forgiven. The victim can choose to forgive a perpetrator according to how great the bad act that was carried out on the victim. Should the Nazi officer be forgiven? According to Lawrence, the Nazi officer should not have been forgiven because his wrong doings are so bad that they are un forgivable. Manes Sperber (Austrian-French novelist, essayist, and psychologist) What is forgiveness? According to Manes, forgiveness is what people seek to have a peace of mind after all their wrong doings when they are on the verge of death. In the story â€Å"The Sunflower† the soldier only came to realization of his wrong doings on his death bed and wanted to seek forgiveness from any Jew to have a clear conscience. Who has the right to forgive? The victim has the right to forgive, however the perpetrator will be benefitting more from the forgiveness. Sperber is standing in the logos where he is looking at directly right and wrong and also fair and unfair. It will be unfair for the victim to also give mental peace to the perpetrator after the wrong he did. If God forgives someone, does it settle everything? Sperber is looking at it from a logos perspective where God doesn’t have anything to do with forgiveness. Showing that forgiveness is between man and is a complex issue between man. The victim either can choose to forgive or can choose not to forgive. Who decides if someone is forgiven, the victim; perpetrator; the Law; God? The victim decides if someone is forgiven because the perpetrator seeking forgiveness is a selfish act. Perpetrator only seeks to have peace of mind and the victim can choose to give it to them or not. Should the Nazi officer be forgiven? According to Sperber, the Nazi officer should not be forgiven because he is being selfish and only seeking forgiveness because he is on his death bed. Charles Fowler (Student of Saint Leo University) What is Forgiveness? [ 1 ]. Wiesenthal, S. (1998). The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness [ 2 ]. Wiesenthal, S. (1998). The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness [ 3 ]. Wiesenthal, S. (1998). The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness [ 4 ]. Wiesenthal, S. (1998). The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness