Benjamin Franklin’s views as an American colonist begin to evolve into ones with greater American identity and pride. This transition was slightly evident in Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on Virginia, but Franklin reinforces this sense of American identity. Franklin’s autobiography presents his narrative and experiences of his rise from poverty to wealth and status in the American society. He describes this experience in the very beginning of his autobiography: “Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity in which I was born and bred, to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation in the world…my posterity may like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to their own situations, and therefore fit to be imitated” (5). Jefferson and Franklin were both motivated to give positive accounts on their experiences in America in order to prove to the other European nations, especially the British, that America had industrial capabilities and to establish America as a growing nation. Yet, the difference between Franklin and Jefferson’s accounts is that Franklin is not simply trying to win over the acceptance of the British for America as a nation, but he is strongly encouraging incoming settlers, especially the youth, to take part in this history of a growing nation. In the second part of Franklin’s autobiography he states why he is writing his accounts: “ “. Franklin desires to create a “future of great men” who will be educated, motivated, and wise in order to lead the nation. This part of the autobiography reflects an advertisement in which the youth are inspired to follow and become a part of the American Dream. To become more persuasive Franklin’s friend, Mr. Benjamin Vaughn, employs the use of diction in describing the endless possibilities in America. By supporting these descriptions with evidence of Franklin’s own experiences, Vaughn inspires hope among the desperate in attaining the American Dream.
“I do not know of a more efficacious advertisement than your biography would give” (72). Mr. Vaughn realizes the strength and motivation behind Franklin’s experiences that could inspire a revolution and motivate the people of America to stand firm in their split from their mother country, Great Britain. To Mr. Vaughn, Franklin is an image of the “rising people” who are the leaders of a rising nation. To create a strong nation effectively the target audience is young men who will not merely be educated, but will be educated to be wise. Not only does Mr. Vaughn emphasize educating the youth, but more specifically he desires to see a nation, much like Franklin, that uses discretion in all areas of life. “It will be so far a sort of key to life…to give them a chance of becoming wise by foresight” (74). Vaughn attempts to illustrate how the American nation will rise to power by strengthening the pillars of the nation, which are its people. Yet, his letter not only emphasizes the importance of building a nation with strong people, but it also is inspiring for young men to become a part of this revolution. “What more worthy of experiments and system than human life?” (74). He gives the impression that not only are there endless possibilities in America, but he implies that by taking risks with your own life you cannot lose because there are so many opportunities to fulfill your dreams. What is most inspiring about Vaughn’s letter is that by using Franklin’s account of how he rose from poverty to becoming one of the nation’s leaders he is able to reach a wide audience. He is inspiring all those, no matter of their origin, to be able to see men such as Franklin and know that whatever struggles they have endured in life do not matter because happiness and greatness are a part of the American future. Vaughn uses repetition of the words simple and importance in alluding to his audience. He implies his intentions for using Franklin as an account of American greatness when he states: “your affairs and management will have an air of simplicity or importance that will not fail to strike” (74). In that statement he is alluding to the success of Franklin and the other founding fathers in persuading the British of America, yet he attempts to create a sense of simplicity among the youth as well when he states: “the means are as simple as wisdom could make them” (74). The theme of the American dream will become the motivating factor in bringing settlers to America, and Franklin’s autobiography will become one of the sources of inspiration.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Is Rationality the Only Form of Human Understanding?
Locke’s essay is simple in stating and analyzing the fountains of human knowledge and understanding, sensation and reflection. His language is simplistic and he refrains from using metaphors to avoid from producing any sense of ambiguity. Human understanding has been a prominent theme in both Mather’s and Edwards’s essays in an attempt to portray a division among people who have natural knowledge and spiritual knowledge. In the Introduction of Mather’s essay he conveys that those who are influenced by the glory of God will “rise into that Superior Way of Thinking and of Living” but that he will achieve this by “using his Rational Faculties in viewing the Works of God” (22-23, 13-14). Yet, Edwards essay illustrates two forms of knowledge achieved by man: knowledge that God conveys through the influence of natural means and spiritual knowledge that God communicates himself. If Locke’s views the origin of ideas and human knowledge as arising from external sensible objects and the ways in which we internally perceive these objects, then is it safe to say that relying on rationality alone can supply us with all the knowledge we need? There is no mistaking that the ultimate author of this knowledge is the Lord himself, but what is Locke implying in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding? According to Locke, humans gain their knowledge from experience, but in order to understand these experiences or minds must be supplied by some material ways of thinking and these he states are sensation and reflection. This form of understanding is what Edwards believed was imparted by God to the unregenerate person as an “extrinsic, occasional agent” (3).
The simplistic style that Locke employs is evidence of the form of human understanding in his essay as one that is based solely on rationality. He formats his essay with numbers stating each idea in italics and then proceeding to further explain his ideas. There is no ambiguity in where he believes human knowledge comes from because he highlights Experience, Sensation, and Reflection by writing them in all caps. Yet, it is evident in the end of the fourth bullet that Locke does not believe that human understanding relies on rationality alone. Although he employs a straightforward technique in outlining this principle, he states that: “the objects of SENSATION…as the objects of REFLECTION, are to me the only originals from whence all our ideas take their beginnings” (par. 4). At first I had interpreted this statement to support my argument that Locke believed in rationality as the only form of human understanding because he calls sensation and reflection the “only originals,” but then in re-reading the statement over again I began to think of an idea presented in Edwards’ essay. On the third page of Edwards’s essay under the first bullet in explaining how God communicates his idea through the principle of nature he states: “Not only are remaining principle assisted to do their work freely and fully, but those principles are restored that were utterly destroyed by the fall.” Edwards implies that there were principles that man had once had to govern his conscience, but since the fall of man the principles of nature, which Locke outlines as Sensation and Reflection, have taken over to restore these principles. Therefore, Locke’s essay supports Edwards’s idea that the origin of our ideas takes root from what we sense and reflect upon from our experiences because after the fall man had to reason through natural means because he had been separated from the Lord. Yet, Locke’s essay implies that sensation and reflection are where our “ideas take their beginnings” therefore, human understanding does not end at here, but only begins here.
The simplistic style that Locke employs is evidence of the form of human understanding in his essay as one that is based solely on rationality. He formats his essay with numbers stating each idea in italics and then proceeding to further explain his ideas. There is no ambiguity in where he believes human knowledge comes from because he highlights Experience, Sensation, and Reflection by writing them in all caps. Yet, it is evident in the end of the fourth bullet that Locke does not believe that human understanding relies on rationality alone. Although he employs a straightforward technique in outlining this principle, he states that: “the objects of SENSATION…as the objects of REFLECTION, are to me the only originals from whence all our ideas take their beginnings” (par. 4). At first I had interpreted this statement to support my argument that Locke believed in rationality as the only form of human understanding because he calls sensation and reflection the “only originals,” but then in re-reading the statement over again I began to think of an idea presented in Edwards’ essay. On the third page of Edwards’s essay under the first bullet in explaining how God communicates his idea through the principle of nature he states: “Not only are remaining principle assisted to do their work freely and fully, but those principles are restored that were utterly destroyed by the fall.” Edwards implies that there were principles that man had once had to govern his conscience, but since the fall of man the principles of nature, which Locke outlines as Sensation and Reflection, have taken over to restore these principles. Therefore, Locke’s essay supports Edwards’s idea that the origin of our ideas takes root from what we sense and reflect upon from our experiences because after the fall man had to reason through natural means because he had been separated from the Lord. Yet, Locke’s essay implies that sensation and reflection are where our “ideas take their beginnings” therefore, human understanding does not end at here, but only begins here.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Balance: An Essential Element in The Christian Philosopher
Mather’s essay is very detailed and complex and understanding the philosophical and religious implications that he is outlining is somewhat difficult. In order to create understanding among his audience of philosophical readers a recurring theme found throughout his multiple essays is creating a balance in the structure of his essays, in the implications of his philosophical ideas, and in the philosophical information in relation to various religious principles. In creating a balance that can be seen explicitly in the structure of the text and implied through the comprehension of his philosophical and religious ideas, he effectively conveys the overall message of his essays: Although there have been many discoveries about the world around us and these discoveries have been accredited as the ideas of various philosophers, the ultimate credit should be given to God who is the Creator of all these things. God has created what we observe explicitly in nature and what we observe is a reflection of God’s glory.
The idea of balance is apparent in Mather’s first essay on light where he is comparing the effects that bodies and light have on each other. In an attempt to explain how light is emitted and heat felt he states that: “Light is a body…Resistance must proceed from a contact of two bodies…that Bodies of Light act mutually on one another. Bodies upon Light emitting it…Light upon Bodies by heating them” (19, 85-87). Within a few lines Mather again explains how the rays of light emitted from a body and refracted by some attraction produce light which “do mutually act upon one another” (20, 93-96). The word equal is later used to describe the effects of gravity on various objects in space and time in essay twenty-one on gravity. The effect of using words such as mutual and equal convey Mather’s whole notion of an existing balance in nature. When Mather speaks of light he parallels the effects of light and heat to create a balance on what we see and what we feel. When he confronts the religious notion of a Spiritual World where God is praised he parallels this world to a wicked world that is blinded from God’s glory. When he speaks of gravity he acknowledges the ability of a force so strong to hold everything in the planet fixed around one center.
This balance is an important technique in portraying his idea of a philosophical religion where science and religion meet. Mather’s begins each essay with the philosophical reasoning behind a topic or theme supported by observations of various philosophers. For example, in beginning essay ten on comets he starts out by defining a comet as “blazing stars…that move periodically about the Sun” (50, 41-43). He gives evidence of this knowledge by quoting several philosophers, but towards the end of the essay his tone shifts to a more religious and spiritual tone where he addresses the religious implication of comets as a “wicked World made a fiery Oven in the Time of the Anger of God!” (53, 65-66). Although he cites a lot of written knowledge and facts in explaining the processes that go on around us he always makes sure to parallel these objects that influence these processes to religion. Creating a balance not only within the text, but within the structure of the essays is important in effectively conveying Mather’s whole idea of philosophy and religion in balance with one another. Mather wants to persuade and even better help people understand that you can understand the physical processes of this planet, while still giving gratification to the Lord who is the Creator of this planet. Without balance he would not have been able to effectively portray how philosophy and religion could intertwine in explaining life.
The idea of balance is apparent in Mather’s first essay on light where he is comparing the effects that bodies and light have on each other. In an attempt to explain how light is emitted and heat felt he states that: “Light is a body…Resistance must proceed from a contact of two bodies…that Bodies of Light act mutually on one another. Bodies upon Light emitting it…Light upon Bodies by heating them” (19, 85-87). Within a few lines Mather again explains how the rays of light emitted from a body and refracted by some attraction produce light which “do mutually act upon one another” (20, 93-96). The word equal is later used to describe the effects of gravity on various objects in space and time in essay twenty-one on gravity. The effect of using words such as mutual and equal convey Mather’s whole notion of an existing balance in nature. When Mather speaks of light he parallels the effects of light and heat to create a balance on what we see and what we feel. When he confronts the religious notion of a Spiritual World where God is praised he parallels this world to a wicked world that is blinded from God’s glory. When he speaks of gravity he acknowledges the ability of a force so strong to hold everything in the planet fixed around one center.
This balance is an important technique in portraying his idea of a philosophical religion where science and religion meet. Mather’s begins each essay with the philosophical reasoning behind a topic or theme supported by observations of various philosophers. For example, in beginning essay ten on comets he starts out by defining a comet as “blazing stars…that move periodically about the Sun” (50, 41-43). He gives evidence of this knowledge by quoting several philosophers, but towards the end of the essay his tone shifts to a more religious and spiritual tone where he addresses the religious implication of comets as a “wicked World made a fiery Oven in the Time of the Anger of God!” (53, 65-66). Although he cites a lot of written knowledge and facts in explaining the processes that go on around us he always makes sure to parallel these objects that influence these processes to religion. Creating a balance not only within the text, but within the structure of the essays is important in effectively conveying Mather’s whole idea of philosophy and religion in balance with one another. Mather wants to persuade and even better help people understand that you can understand the physical processes of this planet, while still giving gratification to the Lord who is the Creator of this planet. Without balance he would not have been able to effectively portray how philosophy and religion could intertwine in explaining life.
Hello
Hey everyone! I'm gonna try this again since my last post never showed up. I am Menna and I was originally born in NYC, but I was raised in Raleigh. I enjoy reading, but with all this school work it’s really hard to find leisure time to do things that I actually enjoy. Novels that I have read that I really enjoy include Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and Liar’s Game by Eric Jerome Dickey. I am looking forward to reading some really interesting novels in this class and meeting new people. : )
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