Alchemy :: Expository Essays Research Papers

Alchemy The science by aid of which the chemical philosophers of medieval times attempted to transmute the baser metals into gold or silver. There is considerable divergence of opinion as to the etymology of the word, but it would seem to be derived from the Arabic al=the, and kimya=chemistry, which in turn derives from the late Greek chemica=chemistry, from chumeia=a mingling, or cheein, 'to pour out' or 'mix', Aryan root ghu, to pour, whence the word 'gush'. Mr. A. Wallis Budge in his "Egyptian Magic", however, states that it is possible that it may be derived from the Egyptian word khemeia, that is to say 'the preparation of the black ore', or 'powder', which was regarded as the active principle in the transmutation of metals. To this name the Arabs affixed the article 'al', thus giving al-khemeia, or alchemy. HISTORY OF ALCHEMY: From an early period the Egyptians possessed the reputation of being skillful workers in metals and, according to Greek writers, they were conversant with their transmutation, employing quicksilver in the process of separating gold and silver from the native matrix. The resulting oxide was supposed to possess marvelous powers, and it was thought that there resided within in the individualities of the various metals, that in it their various substances were incorporated. This black powder was mystically identified with the underworld form of the god Osiris, and consequently was credited with magical properties. Thus there grew up in Egypt the belief that magical powers existed in fluxes and alloys. Probably such a belief existed throughout Europe in connection with the bronze-working castes of its several races. Its was probably in the Byzantium of the fourth century, however, that alchemical science received embryonic form. There is little doubt that Egyptian trad ition, filtering through Alexandrian Hellenic source\s was the foundation upon which the infant science was built, and this is borne out by the circumstance that the art was attributed to Hermes Trismegistus and supposed to be contained in its entirety in his works. The Arabs, after their conquest of Egypt in the seventh century, carried on the researches of the Alexandrian school, and through their instrumentality the art was brought to Morocco and thus in the eighth century to Spain, where it flourished exceedingly. Indeed, Spain from the ninth to the eleventh century became the repository of alchemic science, and the colleges of Seville, Cordova and Granada were the centers from which this science radiated throughout Europe.

Making a Case for Premarital Education

Based on current information gathered from empirical analysis, professional/public opinion, and rational debate, Stanley (2001) constructed four arguments that support an increased need for premarital counseling. The arguments were â€Å" presented for the plausible benefits of engaging in premarital preventive efforts on a broad scale† (Stanley, 2001, p. 272). The author’s arguments include: 1. Using premarital strategies to slow couples down in an effort to allow them time get to know one another better before jumping into marriage. . Using premarital counseling strategies to emphasize the importance of the marital union and the long-term family and societal consequences attached to the decision to marry. 3. The use of premarital strategies will demonstrate that there are resources available to assist couples when they start to experience marital discord. 4. Couples participation in premarital education programs are less likely to have marital problems and are less li kely to divorce (Stanley, 2001).Stanley (2001) presents the arguments as possible research programs that could be studied further to help develop a better understanding of what strategies can be implemented to lower and/or prevent divorce and decrease marital distress. Scott Stanley makes some compelling arguments for the need of premarital counseling and places emphasis on all of society taking an attitude of prevention in regards to developing strategies to effectively deal with the high divorce rate and high levels of marital discord that our country is currently battling.While the arguments have a sound basis are very rational, they lack validity from empirical research. Stanley (2001) acknowledges the need for more empirical research is needed to determine how to successfully prevent marital distress for society as a whole and lower the current divorce rates. Silliman and Schumm (2000) support the need for more research on this topic when they discuss how further attention to t heoretical frameworks to guide premarital counseling is needed although the research and practice of premarital counseling have already been established.A high rate of divorce is one of many social problems affecting society today. Stanley (2001) states, â€Å"it is estimated that approximately 40% or more of new marriages among the younger generation will eventually end in divorce† (p. 272). There currently seems to be a push to put things in place to help prevent marital and family breakdown and the suggestion that couples should be required to undergo premarital education to help improve and prevent marital distress.Risch et al (2003) support the use of premarital counseling when they state, â€Å"marriage preparation programs have been used by practitioners and couples for decades, generally speaking programs aim to enhance the quality and stability of marriages and the content is chosen with this goal in mind† (p. 2). This preventative approach is an area that is receiving much attention worldwide as some governmental units are requiring premarital counseling as a means to reduce divorce and strengthen families† (Stahmann, 2000, p. 104).It is certainly advantageous to have preventative programs in place to assist couples who make a commitment to the union of marriage. This union affects the couple directly, their growing family, their separate families, and society as a whole. Premarital counseling strategies can be viewed as society’s commitment towards promotion and the attainment of a happy and healthy life. Anything preventative should be viewed as worthwhile means to the end. While new research is being developed, there is a lot to say for taking the necessary steps to put preventative measures in place to deal with what is currently known about the topic.Premarital counseling should be viewed as a practice to promote general health to the entire family system. The preventative measures associated with these strategies can cleanse the entire family system as they can assist in the decrease in marital discord and divorce, which have a cause and affect relationship with domestic violence, child abuse, and mental health issues related to the consequence of a broken marriage. This is a good example of how â€Å"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure† (Benjamin Franklin).

Q. Tarantinos Use of Different Film Elements in Kill...

Q. Tarantinos Use of Different Film Elements in Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction Quentin Tarantino has used the lightning, colour, sound, camera, mise-en-scene, iconography, speed of editing and special effects in Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction to make the audience want to carry on watching. These film elements have been used very effectively by the director in the openings of both films to build audience interest. The first aspect – lightning was very helpful in building interest in Kill Bill. The opening scene of Kill Bill is in black and white. It was originally coloured but the critics have decided that the blood which appears in this scene is too offensive and have†¦show more content†¦When the audience thinks about the stereotypical wedding, they would expect happy, excited and perhaps nervous atmosphere, lots of bright, warm colors and people around with smiles on their faces talking about the fabulous ceremony and the two families being joined. This is why the situation is very confusing for the audience – it happens rather seldom, or does not happen at all, that the bride is cruelly beaten up during her own wedding, the whole thing does not meet the audience’s expectations regarding ‘a wedding’. This also effectively gets the audience to want-to- watch to look for an explanation – why did this happen? How did the situation get so bad that the bride is killed on her own wedding†¦? The color in the opening of Pulp Fiction does not tell the audience a lot about what could eventually happen. The scene is set in a bar, possibly a cafà © where breakfast/dinner is served. The colors are not contrastive nor bright or attention-grabbing because they give a sense of casualty and every day life. The woman wears a purple top, the man has jeans and a Hawaiian shirt on. Again, it shows the reality and the aspects of every day life – dressed normally because nothing special is going to happen. In Kill Bill the only colours are black and white. The scene was made black and white partly due to censorship issues and for dramatic effect. Looking at the effect of theShow MoreRelatedRole of Violence in the History of Cinema987 Words   |  4 Pagesa litany of films that have imagery or plots that include violent acts. However, their different directorial visions and styles make it so that Hitchcock and Tarantino films are nothing alike. This is because Hitchcocks obje ctive was to make the audience feel afraid, tense, and anxious for the protagonist, whereas Tarantinos objective is to illustrate the absurdity of violence by elevating the macabre to the level of humor. Both Hitchcock and Tarantino are brilliant directors who use violence in