The Human Personification Of The Enlightenment Period Essay

Throughout much of the history of civilizations, states have declared war for land, valuables, and resources. In the course of the mid-20th century and the 21st century, ascendant super powers have invaded foreign lands for resources such as oil, and weapons companies have profited from the ongoing cycle of war these super powers promote. The populations of these states have been fed lies vis-à  -vis the media; propagandizing these â€Å"rogue nations† and promoting an ‘Us vs. Them’ mentality, to garner support for these armed conflicts. War is our primordial instinct, as humans are territorial and aggressive. That is our nature, and by looking at events in our history, one may see that war appears to be timeless and inevitable. ‘War’ as defined by Webster’s Dictionary is a state of open and declared, hostile armed conflict between states or nations. Voltaire—the human personification of the Enlightenment period—says the followin g: â€Å"Famine, plague, and war are the three most famous ingredients of this wretched world†¦All animals are perpetually at war with each other†¦Air, earth and water are arenas of destruction. Defining war has been a political issue for centuries, and it poses a philosophical problem. Most philosophers will agree on war being a clash of arms, or a state of mutual tension between nations or states, distinguishing it from open rebellions, riots, and personal violence. Immanuel Kant, like many philosophers, has a negative conception of mankind on the subject ofShow MoreRelatedHow Does John Keatss Poetry Reflect the Romantic Era Essay781 Words   |  4 Pagesbetween 1798 and 1832 and its poetry places an emphasis on the imagination, nature and feeling. 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The Romantic period in English literature ran from around 1785, following the death of the eminent neo-classical writer Samuel Johnson, to the ascension of Queen Victoria to the throne in 1837. However, in the years spanning this period writers were not identified as exponents of a recognised literary movement. It was only later that literary historians created and appliedRead MoreWilliam Blake s Poem The Schoolboy 1551 Words   |  7 Pagesin the works of William Blake, particularly in his 1789 poem ‘The Schoolboy’ published in the poetry collection ‘Songs of Innocence’. He explores the theme of restriction and how freedom can be found in the natural setting, also demonstrating how human-identity can be influenced by these worlds. Blake’s own perception of restriction due to education, and love of imagination and creativity, becomes an undertone of his social commentary. The impact of vivid imagery is further explored in D. H. 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