The Prehistory and Analogues of Hesiod’s Poetry

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua T. Katz
Keyword(s):  
Greek Poetry ◽  
Near Eastern ◽  
Language And Thought ◽  
Holistic Understanding

Hesiod’s indebtedness to Near Eastern material is more frequently discussed than the Indo-European background of his poetry. This chapter argues for a holistic understanding of how Indo-European prehistory and Near Eastern analogues contribute together to the formation of Hesiodic language and thought. Concentrating on Theogony 35, ἀλλὰ τίη μοι ταῦτα περὶ δρῦν ἢ περὶ πέτρην;, “But what are these things about a tree or a rock to me?,” I demonstrate that this enigmatic question encapsulates Hesiod’s role as mouthpiece at the head of the simultaneously Indo-European- and Near Eastern-based tradition of Greek poetry. By means of artful phonology here and throughout the proem, Hesiod highlights, in ways not previously noticed, the quite different sounds of the melodious Muses and their loud-thundering father, Zeus, who, like the Near Eastern storm god, has a robust association with prophetic oaks and stones.

Herder

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Human Existence ◽  
Natural Order ◽  
Language And Thought ◽  
Language History ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Philosophical Understanding

Herder is very much a thinker for our time. Instead of approaching facets of human existence in an isolated fashion, he brings the entire human being into focus by tracing its connections with the natural, cultural, and historical world. Through this integrated approach, Herder’s anthropology develops a holistic understanding of the human sphere in relation to our existence as natural creatures who are crucially marked by the fact that we have language and thought, and understand and express meaning in our actions. By illuminating these contextual dimensions of human existence, Herder’s anthropology resonates with many demands and needs arising today, when national and cultural interests—and conflicts—take on new, and old, forms in the wake of unprecedented global challenges. The first part of the volume examines the various dimensions of Herder’s philosophical understanding of human nature through which he sought methodologically to delineate a genuinely anthropological philosophy. This includes his critique of traditional metaphysics and its revision along anthropological lines; the metaphysical, epistemological, and physiological dimensions of his theory of the soul-body relationship; his conception of aesthetics as the study of the sensuous basis of knowledge; and the relationship between the human and natural sciences. The second part then examines further aspects of this understanding of human nature and what emerges from it: the human-animal distinction; how human life evolves over space and time on the basis of a natural order; the fundamentally hermeneutic dimension to human existence; and the interrelatedness of language, history, religion, and culture.

Greek Literature

2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-255
Author(s):  
Malcolm Heath
Keyword(s):  
Near East ◽  
Ancient Near East ◽  
Greek Literature ◽  
Greek Poetry ◽  
Near Eastern ◽  
Primary Material

Let us begin, as is proper, with the gods rich in praise – or, more precisely, with The Gods Rich in Praise, one of three strikingly good monographs based on doctoral theses that will appear in this set of reviews. Christopher Metcalf examines the relations between early Greek poetry and the ancient Near East, focusing primarily on hymnic poetry. This type of poetry has multiple advantages: there is ample primary material, it displays formal conservatism, and there are demonstrable lines of translation and adaptation linking Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hittite texts. The Near Eastern material is presented in the first three chapters; four chapters examine early Greek poetry. Two formal aspects are selected for analysis (hymnic openings and negative predication), and two particular passages: the birth of Aphrodite in Theogony 195–206, and the mention of a dream interpreter in Iliad 1.62–4. In this last case, Metcalf acknowledges the possibility of transmission, while emphasizing the process of ‘continuous adaptation and reinterpretation’ (225) that lie behind the Homeric re-contextualization. In general, though, his detailed analyses tend to undermine the ‘argument by accumulation’ by which West and others have tried to demonstrate profound and extensive Eastern influence on early Greek poetry. Metcalf finds no evidence for formal influence: ‘in the case of hymns, Near Eastern influence on early Greek poetry was punctual (i.e. restricted to particular points) at the most, but certainly not pervasive’ (3). His carefully argued case deserves serious attention.

Meaning of happiness: A qualitative inquiry among adolescents

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naina Kapoor ◽  
Shifa Rahman ◽  
Tejinder Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Theory Analysis ◽  
Academic World ◽  
Adolescent Students ◽  
Professional Goals ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
To Come

Research on happiness seems to be blooming in current academics. Psychology's engagement with psychopathology left no space for this concept to come to the fore. With rapid changes in the academic world, together with the shift in the focus towards more positive concepts has resulted in a renewed interest in the concept of happiness. The domain of qualitative research seeks to explore the diverse human experiences and the present study uses this domain to understand the subjective meaning of happiness in adolescent students. Using a qualitative approach, twenty adolescents were asked to share their life experiences using a semi structured interview schedule. A grounded theory analysis revealed that happiness forms a core concern for an individual where it depends not only on the cultural norm involving an individual where social relationships form an important part, but also goals and aims (s) he/she wishes to achieve in life. It exists in temporality but is impacted by the larger dimension of meaning in life which is relatively stable and covers a huge expanse of an individual's existence. Finding happiness in life involves both personal goals such as self growth and attainment of peace, and also professional goals like fulfilment of one's academic aim. Happiness is also seen as being impacted by an individual's past happenings, belief in selfworth and social responsibility. Analysis of the findings thus points to the fact that meaning of happiness varies across individuals, however, the essence remains the same for a given culture. The consideration of the emic approach not only creates sound knowledge, but also leads to a holistic understanding of human affairs.

The place of the plant world in the worldview system of transoxiana sufism in 16th century

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (Extra-A) ◽  
pp. 157-161
Author(s):  
Lutfullo Eshonovich Ismoilov ◽  
Ramil Tagirovich Yuzmukhametov ◽  
Markhabo Tukhtasunovna Rajabova
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Method ◽  
Literary Analysis ◽  
Semantic Interpretation ◽  
16Th Century ◽  
Main Method ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
The World ◽  
Lives Of The Saints

The article considers the topic of the Plant World in the Sufi writings of the 16th century Transoxiana, based on the material of manakibs, i. e. the so-called Lives of the Saints. The significance and relevance of the topic is due to the need to study the issues of semantic interpretation of the concept of plant and plant world in Sufi writings. Hence, the purpose of this article is to disclose the diverse meanings of the concept of the “World of Plants” contained in the 16th-century Transoxiana manakibs of such authors as Abdurakhman Jami, Abu-l Baka b. Khodzha Bakha-ud-din, Khusein Serakhsi. The main method in the study of this issue is the historical and comparative method, and the method of literary analysis, which allows you to create a holistic understanding of the symbolism of the Plant World in Sufi writings of Transoxiana of the 16th century.      

Did David Murder Saul's Successors in 2 Samuel 21:1-14 and Does It Matter?

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Deken
Keyword(s):  
Near Eastern ◽  
The Law ◽  
2 Samuel

A semantic reading of this text alters the structure of the episode as a whole to reveal a story-within-a-story: the death of the seven Saulides and the expiation performed by Rizpah. The purpose of this sub-plot is to point to the perpetrator of the initial crime causing a famine, by presenting an analogous circumstance. By analogy we are directed to the conclusion that David is responsible for the famine after engineering the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. David’s exploitation of the differences between Ancient Near Eastern and Israelite law resulting in seven dead claimants to the throne of Israel, suggests that the episode has been compiled as a rejection of kingship; the centralization of worship, and the promulgation of the law-code. Fundamental to all these, is the rejection of the popular sovereign practice of murdering any potential successors to the throne.

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