The Acolytes of Being: A Definition of "Transcendence" in German History and Politics

Acting as my Senior Honors Thesis in the departments of History, Political Science, and University Honors, this project, “The Acolyte of Being,” aims to present an aesthetic history of twentieth century German philosopher Martin Heidegger’s concept of “Da-sein:” the “thereness” of Being (or existence) itself. Taking into account 2,500 years of Western metaphysics, my thesis begins by redefining one key philosophical term: transcendence, and in so doing revive four others as well: truth, beauty, freedom and the term metaphysics itself. As such, this work begins with a “Definition of Transcendence,” informing the following five chapters. These chapters, in keeping with the historicity of Da-sein as an aesthetic one, each name great works of art, opening of the oblivions of Being to man. Each of my chapters follow the guiding definition of “Transcendence” and correspond as well to one of five Wagnerian operas: Das Rheingold, Die Walkyrie, Siegfried, Götterdämmerung and, finally, Parsifal. This operatic chapter structure is linked as well to my the naming of my “Acolytes of Being:” Friedrich Nietzsche and his The Birth of Tragedy out of the Spirit of Music, Richard Wagner and his concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk, T.S. Eliot and The Waste Land, and, finally, National Socialism—as an aesthetic, poetic politics. In constructing my argument in this manner, I am able to communicate that not only is history artistic, but that this aesthetic details the gradual return of metaphysics. With National Socialism acting as the final “Acolyte of Being,” the distinction between the ontic (things as they appear) and the ontological (things in themselves) is defaced and Being as such returns with force to the dwelling of man. With Heidegger himself offering up his ground breaking philosophy to the spiritual impetus of National Socialism we come before my chief question in this thesis: How did National Socialism pose the question of Being in the twentieth century? Certainly a troubling assertion we must also add: What can this mean

Seeing India: A Hyperreal Yoga Fantasy

How does the yoga studio present India for viewing? As a yoga scholar-practitioner, I examine visual, linguistic, and embodied representations of India at a local yoga studio to address this question. The fieldwork for this ethnographic thesis spans yoga classes, yoga teacher training, and a two-week pilgrimage to India with members of this yoga studio. I pay special attention to bhakti yoga, a devotional form of yoga taught by the yoga studio as a way to offer a more spiritual and therefore more authentic yoga. Placing my experiences within a critical understanding of postcolonial yoga history, I show that yoga has been constructed to meet various ideologies and political projects, challenging the production of yoga as India’s pristine and unchanging cultural icon. I find that India is exhibited as an ultra-spiritual, pre-colonial, anti-modern location both at the yoga studio and when traveling as a yoga tourist. Using Jean Baudrillard’s theory of the hyperreal, along with postcolonial theories, I argue that the yoga studio creates a particular India for consumption that is not based in reality but is instead the product of oriental fantasies

Claiming Disability In Appalachia

Appalachia has been seen as a disabled region, commonly positioned as needing development to be brought in line with the rest of the United States. Instead of automatically assuming that this disablement is negative, I interrogate the multiple meanings and potentialities of disability. I draw on the work of disability scholars and activists to discuss how disability provides a transformative site for social justice. Taking a critical disability studies methodology, I track the ways in which Appalachia has been disabled, primarily through histories of environmental extraction and domination by outside forces. Perceptions of Appalachia as a disabled region, along with lived experiences of disability and impairment, are salient to Appalachia’s past, present, and future. I consider how disability relates to and can inform social movements in Appalachia, including labor, environmental justice, LGBTQ+ organizing, and caregiving. Throughout diverse case studies that challenge the boundaries of what we consider disability, I argue that understanding disability is crucial to the question: What would a good future for Appalachia look like? Instead of assuming that this hypothetical future would include an eradication of disability, I contend that disability offers a source of cultural knowledge and expertise, especially for cross-movement building in times of precarity

Causative Factors Of Absence In Newell School

It was the purpose of this study (1) to determine the causes of absence as stated in parents' written excuses; (2) to determine the causes of absence as shown by a statistical analysis of attendance records; and (3) to determine the causes of absence by investigations and use of pupil guidance questionnaires

"He had the words" : the search for truth in the fiction of Bruce Brooks

Bruce Brooks, an award-winning author of adolescent literature, is most often classified as a writer of adolescent sports fiction. Critics like Chris Crowe tend to regard his works as typical of adolescent literature and, therefore, expect Brooks’s main characters to reconcile with authority. Although Brooks does focus on characters who are in conflict with authority, he does not always show these characters as finally accepting their prescribed roles. In The Moves Make the Man and What Hearts, Brooks creates two similar narratives in which his main characters seek to find truth through their control of discourse. As Roberta Trites says is typical of adolescent literature, both books depict adolescents who are exploring their ability to exert power. Applying the philosophical theories of Michel Foucault to The Moves Make the Man and What Hearts shows that the characters in these novels are conflicted by their desire for power and their need for freedom. They attempt to attain freedom through confession but find that freedom is not available without submission. In The Moves Make the Man, narrator Jerome Foxworthy depends on his use of words to overcome the oppressive authority of institutional discourses while Bix Rivers exercises control of the discourse through his silence. Although both boys are searching for freedom, neither is willing to relinquish authority. While these characters need to exert power, that power is dependent on their relationships with others. In What Hearts, Asa Hill uses discourse to structure his world and to create his identity. Asa comes to understand that he must use words and silence; and he recognizes that while he can assert power, he does not necessarily want to do so. His final acceptance of a less authoritative role within the institutional discourse of the family fulfills the established expectation of adolescent literature

Atmospheric deposition in southeastern North Carolina and its impact on the Cape Fear River estuary

Concentrations of NHx, NO3 -, free amino acids, total and organic nitrogen, and inorganic anions were determined for 78 rain events between September 1, 2002 and August 31, 2003, on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in southeastern North Carolina. The majority of N in Wilmington rain (78%) is inorganic, occurring as NO3 - and NHx in approximately equal proportions. Free amino acids make up a small portion of ON (11%). Correlation analysis and back trajectory analysis indicate that regional sources, rather than local emissions, determine the concentrations of inorganic N in UNCW rainwater and particle dry deposition. NO3 - concentration in rainwater at UNCW has decreased from 1990 to the present while wet deposition increased due to increased rainfall and possibly increased emissions from growing population and expanding industry in North Carolina. Wet and dry deposition of NHx are respectively 53% and 26% higher than a decade ago reflecting an increase in regional and possibly local emissions. Similar temporal patterns in are seen at UNCW and the NADP monitored sites with the greatest increase in Clinton, NC, where NHx concentrations and depositions have increased 58% and 107% respectively. Concentrations of H+ and major N analytes, with the exception of ON, vary significantly as a function of air mass origin with major increases in analytes correlating with locations of known anthropogenic sources. Seasonal and diurnal influences have a significant impact on the concentrations of H+ and N analytes in UNCW rainwater with significant concentration maximums in the spring and significantly lower concentrations from 6:00AM to 10:00PM. Direct atmospheric deposition is not a major source of bioavailable nitrogen to the Cape Fear River Estuary. The average total daily NHx and NO3 - dry depositions were small in comparison to their total amounts in the CFRE. Wet depositions of NHx reached 20% for a single event with an average per event deposition equivalent to 1.3% of NHx in the CFRE. Dry deposition accounts for 17% of inorganic N deposition to the CFRE; though it is possibly underestimated in this study

G. B. S. pamphleteer or playwright?

Shaw was a Fabian Socialist. His political philosophy is shaped by the belief that every individual should be allowed to develop to his highest capacities.1 The function of government, therefore, should be to insure that equal opportunity for this development is provided for every individual. At present, there is no equality; the existing economic system makes it impossible. Capitalism with its unequal distribution of income enables the few rich to prosper, while the majority of the people must live in poverty. Poverty is regarded by Shaw as a great crime of civilization. Whereas the poor have no time for the cultivation of cultural and intellectual interests, the system of unequal distribution fosters the growth of the idle rich class who become corrupt and irresponsible. To eliminate these evils in society and to increase the leisure time of the poor and the work requirements of the rich, Shaw proposes economic reform to be carried out by a newly organized and competent parliament

The factors that influence an effective mentor and mentee relationship

The purpose of this study was to determine what factors influence an effective mentor and mentee relationship. The study was completed at an elementary school in southeastern North Carolina and involved 4 mentors and 2 mentees. The subjects participated in a survey and a follow up interview to determine what factors they felt influenced their relationship and if they felt that they did have an effective relationship. The mentor logs were collected and analyzed for further data. It was concluded from the surveys that the subjects did feel that they had an effective relationship. The factors that were found by the researcher to be the most influential in determining ways to strengthen the relationship were mentor training, mentor’s knowledge of the needs of their mentees, and scheduling time to meet regularly

Alexander Herzen : a study

Russia's nineteenth century revolutionary movement had few more Influential and distinguished figures than Alexander Herzen. He became a social radical at an early age but tended consistently to avoid the well-worn paths of his contemporaries. His social and political thought is rare and complex for its time and place. It combines a devotion to the absolutes of human freedom and Justice with a realistic perception and acknowledgment of human limitations. It is the resulting interaction of Idealism and realism that lends Herzen’s thought its arresting and distinctive quality

Methods and materials for teaching adult beginning readers

According to research, there are approximately 60 million American adults who need to improve their basic literacy skills. Unfortunately, present literacy programs serve only a small number of these people and have problems which reduce their effectiveness such as inadequate funding and lack of qualified personnel. One major problem of the program is that although research indicates that adults differ from children as learners, many programs use methods and materials more suitable for children than adults. The purposes of this descriptive study are to survey teachers in a representative literacy program, the North Carolina technical/community college Adult Basic Education program to determine what methods and materials are being used as well as student interest areas; to examine research in reading and adult education to find methods and materials proven effective for adults; to rate available reading series according to content and appropriateness for adults; and to design a sample basal reading unit for adults based on research