The Past Is Our Definition - 1519 Words

An American novelist Wendell Berry once said that â€Å"the past is our definition.† But does the past truly hold enough strength to impact one’s life? Is it merely a faded thought? Or does it provide an insight into one’s being? Quite often the past is simply referred to as a certain amount of elapsed time. However, it is more than just a quantifying term. The past is the memoir of one’s existence. It is the recollection of memories. The past is the keeper of our dreams, our struggles and our fears. It is the moments that collectively create both one’s present and personality. The past is a series of chords which when played in the right combinations produce a melodious euphony. On the other hand, it may be an avalanche bearing the symbol of one’s destruction. In times of sorrow, a glimpse into the past can provide relief by reminding one of moments of joy, by allowing him to relive them in his mind and by reducing the magnitude of his g rief through this mirage. The past teaches a person to learn from his failures. Through the provision of a clear picture of one’s faults, the past compels a person to alter his course of action or change his behavior as time progresses in order to abstain from committing the same mistakes again. Thus, the past can shape one into an entirely different person. â€Å"Bear Came Over The Mountain† by Alice Munro is the tale of a couple’s distress as the wife, Fiona is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The story deals withShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Dennett s Qualia 1043 Words   |  5 Pagesinstead of a more charitably (or correctly) understood definition. How, then, to prove the qualia Dennett uses is a strawman? Let’s start by discussing his two examples –first, with pump 5/6 on neurosurgery. Recall that Dennett believes the neurosurgeon showed that our qualia are less than private and immediately apprehensible. The neurosurgeon knew our qualia better– we could not tell what was changed between our memory of past qualia and our current qualia. Dennett thinks pump 5/6 does particularlyRead MoreThe, A Strange Or Horrible Imaginary Creature873 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.† -Toni Morrison. We, as humans, feel the need to label things. That label might be good or it might be bad. Regardless of whether it is good or bad, can it change? Throughout history, words have changed meanings. This happens when cultures meet or when a culture changes. The meaning of a word can even vary from place to place. What about connotations? Can a word still keep it’s meaning if how we perceive that meaning changes? The Merriam-WebsterRead MoreClassification And Interpretation Of Information Essay771 Words   |  4 PagesDefinition 1 Research (Text Book) = The systematic collection and interpretation of information with a clear purpose, to find things out (Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill, 2009) Definition 2 Research (Internet) = The strict definition of scientific research is performing a methodical study in order to prove a hypothesis or answer a specific question (Shuttleworth, 2008) Definition 3 Research (Oxford Dictionary) = The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establishRead MorePerception And Perception Of Perception882 Words   |  4 Pages Perception has a few definitions; the most frequently used definition is what we become aware of through our senses. However, perception is not just what our senses tell us, it is our reaction to the feelings we sense. Perception just happens; it is something we cannot control. The mind tells us how we feel before we even realize what is happening. When people say they are good judges of character, they base their decisions on what they initially see. Appearance plays a huge role in howRead MoreInquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume Essay1058 Words   |  5 Pagesproblem of induction, and is a central pillar of Humes overall philosophy. There are some significant objections to Humes ideas concerning causality, but they do not hold much clout and are no match for his arguments. Once one looks into Humes definition of cause and the problem of induction, it should become immediately clear that his arguments still have solid ground, even 250 years later. Hume starts out by asserting that â€Å"All reasons concerning matters of fact seem to be founded on the relationRead MoreArgument Against The Common Definition Of Patience1500 Words   |  6 PagesIn this essay, I will argue against the common definition of patience. We can peek in various dictionaries, and find the word patience defined as being able to accept or tolerate waiting, delay, or suffering without becoming annoyed or upset. One might oppose patience by getting irritated, upset, emotional or anxious in the face of suffering. Dictionaries may alter this definition from one edition to the next, however, it all draws upon the idea that there’s something we’re waiting for. This resultsRead MorePersonal Reflection Essay On Fforgiveness1274 Words   |  6 Pagesthat most people do not understand, and I must admit I was one of those people before I took the class. My experience with this concept was mainly through church sermons where the pastor explained God forgave us of our sins to restore a relationship with us. Therefore, my definition clouded by these sermons would have been, forgiveness is saying you are sorry, no matter who is at fault, showing remorse for your actions, changing your actions, and reconciling to the point of being civil to the personRead MoreIndividual Uniqueness and Social Work Essay example1495 Words   |  6 Pagesexperiences. Society molds our definitions of difference by the process of dichotomization. As we change and develop, so does our definition of difference and self. Our sense of self can be conceptualized into statuses. Of those statuses our master status is the one we identify with, the most of the time. Within this paper, I define what I believe to be my own master status, alone with its stigmas and privileges. This paper also examines how ones individual experiences and definitions of differences affectRead MoreAn Open Letter For Congress : A Address The Issue Of Systematic Oppression And Race Re lations Essay1726 Words   |  7 Pagespeople imbued by God with the very same inalienable rights afforded the family of humanity will no longer remain silent. We join in chorus to herald an anthem demanding long awaited change. On the heels of the recently concluded presidential election our nation has seen a staggering increase in hate crimes. The re emergence of oppressive practices, emboldened violence, and blatant bias against segments of the population threatens the fundamental constitutional premise that guarantees freedom, libertyRead MoreThe Case For Marriage Redefinition1231 Words   |  5 PagesThe Case for Marriage Redefinition The debate over whether same-sex marriage should be legalized has raged on furiously over the past several years in both the United States and Britain. Opponents of same-sex marriage fear what consequences the redefining of marriage may bring while gay rights lobbyists deny that the meaning of marriage is being threatened. What is really at the heart of this debate, however, is personal liberty. Marriage needs to be redefined to include all genders and the inherent