An Increased Understanding of Neurobiology :: Neurobiology Biology Health Essays

An Increased Understanding of Neurobiology It is a beautiful day outside, the person you care about just told you they feel the same way, you paid all your bills and still have money left over, and you finished all your work on time, yet you are still in a very crabby mood. Or, it is an awful day out, you just failed an exam, you have a ton of work to finish in too little time, and you were just dumped, still you have a feeling of well-being that you cannot change. We have all been there, our emotions seem to have a mind of their own and we do not know why we are feeling what we are feeling. Philosophers, psychologists, and science fiction writers have been debating the usefulness of emotions for centuries, still we continue to experience them and deal with them as part of our existence as human beings. Neurobiologists have preferred to take the tactic of looking at emotions as something we experience, thus something that should be studied. This tactic has led to some interesting evidence in terms of the usefulness of emotion in our everyday life. Some have found that experiencing the variety of feelings that we do might help in our ability to remember things and in learning about the world around us. If it is the case that emotional information does help us when we remember things and learn, then how do emotions work in the brain? There have been found to be some key structures, each playing a role in the way we experience emotions and what kind of moods are experienced. Still, with all of this information, we still have emotions that we cannot explain given our everyday experience. The increased understanding of neurobiology that we have can be used to explain why we feel what we do, even when the external world cannot. It had long been thought that any research into emotion was a waste of good research efforts. There were many reasons for this, but primarily the idea was that emotions were not scientific enough for science. As time and methods have changed, so has that attitude and now emotions are looked at with slightly more respect and less apprehension about their not being rational. (1) This change in attitude has led to people finding that emotions might actually lead to somewhat useful things. An Increased Understanding of Neurobiology :: Neurobiology Biology Health Essays An Increased Understanding of Neurobiology It is a beautiful day outside, the person you care about just told you they feel the same way, you paid all your bills and still have money left over, and you finished all your work on time, yet you are still in a very crabby mood. Or, it is an awful day out, you just failed an exam, you have a ton of work to finish in too little time, and you were just dumped, still you have a feeling of well-being that you cannot change. We have all been there, our emotions seem to have a mind of their own and we do not know why we are feeling what we are feeling. Philosophers, psychologists, and science fiction writers have been debating the usefulness of emotions for centuries, still we continue to experience them and deal with them as part of our existence as human beings. Neurobiologists have preferred to take the tactic of looking at emotions as something we experience, thus something that should be studied. This tactic has led to some interesting evidence in terms of the usefulness of emotion in our everyday life. Some have found that experiencing the variety of feelings that we do might help in our ability to remember things and in learning about the world around us. If it is the case that emotional information does help us when we remember things and learn, then how do emotions work in the brain? There have been found to be some key structures, each playing a role in the way we experience emotions and what kind of moods are experienced. Still, with all of this information, we still have emotions that we cannot explain given our everyday experience. The increased understanding of neurobiology that we have can be used to explain why we feel what we do, even when the external world cannot. It had long been thought that any research into emotion was a waste of good research efforts. There were many reasons for this, but primarily the idea was that emotions were not scientific enough for science. As time and methods have changed, so has that attitude and now emotions are looked at with slightly more respect and less apprehension about their not being rational. (1) This change in attitude has led to people finding that emotions might actually lead to somewhat useful things.

Zachary’s Story Essay

A. An ulcer starts by eroding the mucosa of the G.I. tract wall. What functions of digestion and/or reabsorption might be lost if this layer is no longer functional? What functions will be compromised if the ulcer eats through the sub mucosa and then the muscularis? Absorption would not happen correctly some of the ingested and secreted may seep out of the lumen. This also could create a pathway of entry for pathogens if the ulcer ate through to the muscularis mucosa. You may lose some control of defacation. B. If Zach has a peptic ulcer affecting his stomach or duodenum, which components of the peritoneum will be affected? If the ulcer eats a hole into the wall of the stomach, bacteria and partially digested food can spill through h the opening into the peritoneum causing severe inflammation of the abdominal cavity and wall. C. How can Zach’s stomach contribute to the formation of ulcers in other parts of the G.I. tract? Which cells are direct participants in formation, and how do they contribute to lesions in the G.I. tract wall? Zach’s stomach contributes to the formation of ulcers by the acids needed to breakdown food when they are excessive. Parietal cells (secrete HCI) and gastric glands (acetylcholine) are directly related to the formation of ulcers. D. Why does Zach’s G.I. tract need the substance that contributes to the formation of ulcers? How is this substance secreted by cells within the gastric pits? Zach’s G.I. tract needs the substance to assist in the breakdown of food and for absorption. Epithelial cells extend into the lamina where they form secretory folds called gastric glands. Several of these glands open into the gastric pits and secretions from these glands flow into the pits.

Psychology I Relate to the Humanistic and Behavioral...

There are many different modern perspectives of psychology. These modern perspectives are cognitive,psycoanalysis,humanistic.socio-cultural,behavioral and evolutionary. When thinking about a key event in regard to different personality theories, I felt that I could most relate that key event of my life to the humanistic and behavioral theory. I will mainly be emphazing on these two modern perspectives. Moreover, I will then evaluate the key concepts and the principles of these two theories, and briefly compare and contrast their thoughts in the following paragraphs. Behaviorism, is a theory based upon the idea that all behaviors are attained through certain condition. Behaviorists believe that it is more profitable to study†¦show more content†¦I remember that during winter of my junior year, I had see my ex-girlfriend for the first time in three years. She left my life when I was in the eighth grade, because I was irresponsible to dumped her two time during our relationship. I can probably never forget how special she meant to me. I know that deep inside, I still loved her dearly. I stop talking to her for three years because she was so busy with her life. After about three years of excommunication, I finally got the courage to call her up and ask about how was thing going for her. We caught up on old memories and enjoy a few laughs about the new ones. After the conversation, I decided to go see her the next day. One of my biggest mistake was to introduced my best friend, Celio Sosa, to my ex-girlfriend. While I was driving Celio home from school one day, he begged me to drive him to see Estela, my ex-girlfriend. At first, I thought that he should meet her because she was my first girlfriend and he was my best friend. When I took Celio to Estelas house, he was shocked by her beauty. The next day, he go to her house without telling me about it. He was courting my ex-girlfriend for a couple of days. I did not know about this until I came to visit her, and she told me that my friend had been visiting her everyday. I was a little jealous because I knew that Celio liked Estela. I went up to his face the next day and ask him if he like her, andShow MoreRelatedPsychology : Psychology And Psychology1300 Words   |  6 PagesIn Psychology There are six modern psychological perspectives. These perspectives are behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive, social, cultural, and biological. Each per spective has its own unique way of explaining human behavior. I think that really explains the complex mental processes and behavior, and each prospective study should not be limited to just one. The following is my explanation of the terms and comparisons between the psychodynamic and behavioral aspects relating to the OctoberRead MorePsychology: Behavior and Mental Process1100 Words   |  5 PagesPsychology is the study of the behavior of individuals and their mental processes. (Gerrig page 2). I think the field of psychology is divided into several parts: Research, counseling, perspectives, goals, and careers. Research has played a vital role in the psychology. It has identified and helped us to understand how and why people feel, act, and think. Implementing the scientific method enables the results to be both reliable and valid. By employing this precise method, psychologists are ableRead MorePsychology : Psychodynamic And Behavioral Perspectives1320 Words   |  6 Pages In psychology there are six modern psychological perspectives. These perspectives are behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive, sociocultural, and biological. Each perspective has its own unique way of explaining the human behavior. I believe to truly explain the complex mental processes and behavior, each perspective must be examined and not limited to just one. The following is my explanation and comparisons between two of these perspectives: psychodynamic and behavioral perspectives pertainingRead MoreEssay about Classical Conditioning and Hancock John Hancock1411 Words   |  6 PagesMOVIE REVIEW: â€Å"HANCOCK† 1 Movie Review: â€Å"Hancock† Emanuel Vasquez Professor: Michael Christensen Psychology 1010-004 Utah Valley University February 28, 2013 MOVIE REVIEW: â€Å"HANCOCK† 2 Movie Review â€Å"Hancock† John Hancock (Will Smith) is a powerful superhero who has become a looser because of his addiction to alcohol and clumsy acts. He has also become the most hated person in Los Angeles. Even though he has saved many lives, he also destroyed many properties, costing theRead MoreMy Emerging Behavioral Therapy Theory1711 Words   |  7 PagesMy emerging theory employed aspects of therapy from the humanism, existentialism, dialectical behavior, and when necessary exposure therapy. These theories have represented me as a person. As I have presented them here, they through the lens of each other, they work to form one integrative approach. As Rogerian humanism has laid the foundation for ways of being, this theory also incorporated Dr. Marsha Linehan’s structure of dialectical behavioral therapy’s and goals expressed by Yalom in existentialismRead MoreFace Your Life Essay1343 Words   |  6 PagesThere are many different modern perspectives of psychology. These modern perspectives are cognitive,psychoanalysis,humanistic-cultural,behavioral and evolutionary. Any change that happens in your life must come from you and your own efforts. Although a psychologist can guide you, no one can do the work for you. A small daily event can sometimes lay back a deep impact on your life. This is one such incident, where a normal routine incident taught me a very important principle of life. When thinkingRead Moreexplore the behavioral and humanistic theory6235 Words   |  25 Pages INTRODUCTION This project, emphasis is on the behavioral theory and humanistic theory. My research constructed chiefly on two behavioral theorists Burrhus Fredric Skinner and John Broadus Watson and two humanistic theorists Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. In behavioral theory, the founder of psychological behaviorism, John Watson believed that internal thinking process could not be observed; therefore, psychologists should not focus on it. An American psychologist,Read MoreContrasting Psycodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral and Person-Centered Counseling Theories1732 Words   |  7 Pages2005). Counseling theories are used by counselors as part of their treatment plan for clients. There are many types of theories that counselors can choose from. These theories are usually hosen based on the client needs and what the counselor feel will be most effective. Counselors are not limited to just one theory when it comes to treating their clients. Theories can be used in conjunction with one another to effectively treat clients. Counseling does not just involve theories alone, it in involvesRead MoreHumanistic and Social Development1288 Words   |  6 Pagesone I am going to talk about today is Humanistic and Social Development, and how it relat es to Physical Education. First off, the primary objective of early physical education programs was a person’s physical health. Humanistic and social development emphasizes self-awareness and choice as a basis for personal growth. With a humanistic approach, there is a connection between physical education and a person’s social and emotion well-being. There are five major tenets of humanistic psychology whichRead MoreTheory of Personality Essay2510 Words   |  11 PagesTheory of Personality Paper Humanistic psychology has led to the development of several different psychotherapies. All are based on the idea that people possess the resources for growth and healing and that the goal of therapy is to help remove the barriers that block this growth and achievement. Although, several theorists have contributed to Humanistic Psychology, one of the most renowned is, Abraham Maslow. Humanistic psychology is defined as: Explicitly concerned with the human dimension

Draft Of Personal Philosophy Statement - 1268 Words

7-2 Final Project Milestone Three: Draft of Personal Philosophy Statement In the field of higher education, I will welcome with open arms, accept, affirm, and celebrate all students by creating an environment that is equal and inclusive for all people regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, cultural background, religion, family structure, economic status, learning ability, linguistic ability, and/or learning style. I will create an environment that includes positive, challenging experiences that will give each individual a positive educational experience free of barriers with the knowledge that postsecondary education can enhance a student s overall well-being, increase their chances for personal fulfillment†¦show more content†¦12, 2002). In their research Gurin, Dey, Hurtado and Gurin found that â€Å"diversity experiences had robust effects on education outcomes for all groups of students† (pp. 26, 2002). The article further detailed how their research showed when students have consistent diverse experiencesâ⠂¬  they meaningfully affect important learning and democracy outcomes of a college education† (pp. 34, 2002). When it comes to developing one’s personal educational philosophy, empirical data is important and has the ability to give us information that we can use to assess whether or not our beliefs and strategies we intend to use will be effective and have the outcomes we are seeking. The established higher education model that I tend to gravitate toward and support in my higher education philosophy is the student centered learning theory also sometimes called learner-centered teaching or a student-centered model. The theory of student-centered learning can be contributed to Hayward as early as 1905 and in 1956 to John Dewey (O’Neill and McMahon, n.d.). The student centered model is driven by a need for a change in the traditional educational environment and when incorporated and implemented correctly we will seeShow MoreRelatedChoose Three (3) Works of Art from Three Artists from the Baroque Period Through the Postmodern Era.769 Words   |  4 Pagesan introduction and conclusion. The final draft, will be completed for Unit five, and will cover all four bullet points (listed in the U5IP assignment). Your final paper will be a 1200-1500 word critical essay about the three works of art you have chosen. The goals of a critical essay are to evaluate and analyze the art works based on research, using the vocabulary and concepts you have learned. Your attitude should be detached (i.e. your personal opinions are not as important as academic concepts;Read MoreAcademic Success : Career Goals1088 Words   |  5 Pagescompleting the paper. Knowing this you can set short term and long term deadlines in completing the paper, by implementing a schedule with both school and personal life. Create and write the outline out, take the time to put notes down and organizing them. This will help to build the outline. Identify topics and subtopics, and create a Thesis Statement. Consider the main points of your paper with research. Finding good academic, current sources, avoid using nonacademic resources in the paper. The bestRead MoreAristotle’S Philosophy. One Of The Greatest Philosophers,1085 Words   |  5 PagesAristotle’s Philosophy One of the greatest philosophers, Aristotle, continues to impact our society today. His theories are easily applied to ethical situations in business, and especially in accounting. Philosophy studies ideals of the meaning of life, truth, and knowledges. When in challenging situations ethics influence choices. Ethics are a crucial as we use them daily in all affairs, business and personal. Our ethics direct us to choose the most ethical solutions, even in events there is noRead MoreThe Statement Of Teaching Philosophy1775 Words   |  8 PagesMy Philosophy Introduction â€Å"The statement of teaching philosophy (also called the teaching statement or teaching philosophy statement) promotes reflective practice by encouraging instructors to describe their teaching methods, to justify why they use those methods, to analyze the effectiveness of those methods, and to consider how they might appropriately modify those methods in future courses.† (Schà ¶nwetter et al., 2002) Stake holder motivation, engagement, cognitive associations, and personalRead MoreBusiness Ethics Essay1202 Words   |  5 Pagescustomary ways of behavior, they are somewhat misleading. It had to do with what should or should not be done. Divide practical wisdom into two parts: moral philosophy and political philosophy. Theyre defined together as a true reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man (Drucker, 1996). One statement of the problem is business organizations, as well as members of society in general, are plagued by the f act that there are liars, cheats, and thieves amongRead MoreEssay 11280 Words   |  6 PagesEssay 1 Carolyn Rudy 1. The nation is at war, and your number in the recently reinstated military draft has just come up. The problem is that, after serious reflection, you have concluded that the war is unjust. What advice might Socrates give you? Would you agree? What might you decide to do? Read the Introduction, Chapter 2 Crito and the Conclusion Chapter 40 Phaedo by Plato. Some people think war is justified because; it is in order to counter terrorism. I think theyre wrong becauseRead MoreProblems Facing The Company And The Board Of Directors1391 Words   |  6 Pagesasking the company outside counsel and make sure that they conducted investigations due to possible leaks. According to reports, there were possibilities that, few board members were leaking confidential conversation of the board. According to statement made by Dunn, the most crucial duties of the board are duties of deliberation and candor that depend upon absolute trust that is held by each director and towards other confidentiality. This is factual for trivial and an essential matter for theRead MoreThe Students For A Democratic Society1669 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical world. The SDS denounced bigotry, materialism, personal alienation, and industrialization in America and also widely protested American abundance, the threat of nuclear war, military spending, and the Cold War. They publicly addressed this in 1962 by creating what historian Michael Kazin describes as the â€Å"most ambitious, the most specific, and the most eloquent manifesto in the history of the American Left†. The Port Huron Statement was created as a political manifesto, which is a publicRead MoreHealthcare Provider and Faith Diversity Essay1557 Words   |  7 PagesHealth Care Provider and Faith Diversity: First Draft Michelle L. Murphy GCU: Spirituality in Healthcare March 16, 2014 Rev. Rick Hudock Abstract As heath care providers we need to keep mindful of the care we provide to several different religious traditions. It is up to the health care professional to respect and understand the ideals that affect our patients and their family members. In this paper we will compare the philosophies of three diverse faiths. The faiths chosen are Islam, ChristianRead MoreCase Study : Leadership Crisis At Steelworks Essay1276 Words   |  6 PagesSince 1960s, Steelworks has provided metal products and services for construction sector in different Asian countries. In 2005, Steelworks was acquired by Southern Metals, a well-known and respected Indian metal company. Because of the different philosophy of the new CEO Kumar from his predecessor, some problems emerged in the Chinese branch of Steelwork company. The critical point was the project 3C, which Kumar has created as a key for reorganization of regional branches of Steelworks’. According

Civil Dissobedience and Taking a Stand Essay - 644 Words

Civil disobedience, is often the last step that people take to bring attention to a topic or subject that they feel strongly about. Every day is full of unjust rulings that may not be to everyone’s liking. Many people fight for what they believe in even if the outcome is bleak. You are your own self and you will always have your opinion that may not match all other citizen’s. Civil disobedience has escalated to a majority of non- violent protesting, although there are some cases including violence. It is a form of rebelling against what they feel is unfair or unconstitutional. Showing civil disobedience is an act that you must be willing to accept the legal consequences, which may include incarceration. As time†¦show more content†¦In my article this is demonstrated by the quote â€Å"Surrounded by about 100 police officers and a helicopter circling above, more than 50 Walmart workers and supporters were arrested in downtown Los Angeles Thursday night as they sat in the street protesting what they call the retailer’s poverty wages (The Huffington Post).† Demonstrators refused police orders to clear the streets. Over 54 people were arrested. They were required to pay $5,000 or spend the night in jail. The demonstration included 500 protesting Walmart workers and supporters sitting in the streets. Workers felt that they were receiving poverty wages from Walmart, a huge corporation that made a profit of over 17 billion dollars last year. â€Å"The protesters said Walmart can afford to pay every worker at least $25,000 a year -- pointing to Walmart’s $17 billion profit from the latest year and the founding Walton family’s fortune, w hich equals the wealth of the bottom 42 percent of American families (The Huffington Post).† Like Thoreau wrote† Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence (Harmon, Carolyn).† It was important for the workers and community supporters to demonstrate by civil disobedience rather than just voicing their concerns. Thoreau also writes â€Å"The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right. It is truly enough that a corporation has no conscious; but a corporation of conscious men is a corporation with a

Portfolio Management-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Portfolio Management. Answer: Portfolio Management can be referred as an art and science of making a decision regarding investment mix and policy harmonizing with the objectives relating to asset allocation for individuals and organizations. The main investment goal of my investment portfolio was to organize a diversified portfolio with an intention to earn appropriate returns on the shares with minimum risk (Martinsuo, 2013). The strategy which has been followed while preparing portfolio evolves not to put all the money in risky shares but to divide the available funds into two parts i.e. the first portion was allocated to the securities from where the return will be received at a small rate, but it was sure that capital return would be received. A major part of the whole investment was done in securities having high and secured returns. The remaining portion was allocable to risky securities having fluctuating marketing value but having the possibility of profit at a higher rate. The portfolio was organized in a way that the overall the losses does not supersede the gains which have been earned and the same have been done by following the strategy of diversification. The information sources which have been taken for the purpose of making transactions involves annual report, history of share prices of the company, tracing the trend being followed by the prices of the company and the data available through news relating to the companies in which investment has been made. In accordance with the study of Beringer, Jonas Kock, (2013), ratios such as operating profit margin, debt equity ratio and dividend per share which were available on finance websites were also assessed in an appropriate manner before making transactions. As per the views of Martinsuo, (2013) lower price of shares has to be reviewed with a new approach and with same focus should be made to the capital development and productivity in the industry. As oil prices have been reduced by approximately sixty percent since summer 2014, but it is expected that the prices will increase. In this situation, it is better to keep stock rather than selling off the same at lower prices. As the prob ability of higher capital profit in future is more; thus the same should be retained. One of the stock i.e. BHP BLT FPO has been sold @ $26 as the share price of same were bullish, and a probability exists that in future prices can be decreased ; thus it is an appropriate time period to sell off the shares. Shares of Wesfarmers Ltd have been bought @ $39 as they had bearish share price and probability exist that maximum capital profits can be gained through them in future. Shares of CWLTH Bank @$90 as the same have reached to a higher value in comparison to the value at which it was purchased; thus they have been sold to attaining maximum profits. NAT GAS which is being traded is SP 500, the share price of same have been decreasing @.29 % in comparison to the last price; thus shares of this company will be purchased as the company has development projects for the future. Shares of Woolworths and MACQ group have also been sold @ $29, and $90 as prices of both the shares were having bullish characteristics; thus the transaction was made after analysing past trends and p resent share price position. The same will be done with the intention of earning more profits by an increase in capital. Share Price of SPDR Gold Trust has been increased @.90 % in comparison to the previous price, but after assessing the trend of past five years, it can be said that the same has decreased by 0.29% in overall. Thus the same will be sold off as it is an appropriate time to sell off the shares so that maximum returns can be earned (SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), Share Performace, 2017). As crude oil is a lucrative investment, thus the same should be kept for future selling because prices have not increased to the expected level. By considering this factor, high volume of trading is done in this security on a daily basis. Thus the other benefit of liquidity is always available with the stock. Figure 1: % Change in price of share of Crude (Source:Crude Oil.Share Performace,2017 ) Earning yield of Dow Jones has been decreased by 1% i.e. it was 6% in the year2015, but for the year2016, it was 5.1%. Thus the stock needs to be assessed for some more time, and then the decision regarding selling and purchasing of shares relating to same should be taken. Figure 2: Comparison of earning yield of Dows and Jones with US GDP (Source: Historical Chart. Dow Jones) It can be accessed from above chart that the annual earnings have been in accordance with the trend which has been followed by U.S. GDP. However, a small volatility has been observed that the percentage available is higher in comparison to the percentage of GDP in recent decades. But as a few negative earnings are present in past few years, the stock needs to be assessed so that more appropriate decision could be taken regarding the shares of Dow and Jones.In accordance with views of Bakker, D. (2014), it is not possible to ascertain what will be the future value of a particular stock but it can be ascertained that whether the share price is presently significantly undervalued or overvalued. This information works as an essential tool for taking a decision relating to purchase and sales of shares. While conducting the transactions and managing the portfolio, I learned the importance of the concept of diversification in portfolio management. It is better to invest in the security of different risk so that overall risk is appropriately managed. Whole investment should not be made higher risk securities because if things do not go according to expectation than there is a risk of higher loss. Thus it is better to invest in securities of different sectors so that fruitful returns can be earned. I learned the manner of assessing key ratio and changes in share price in an appropriate manner. Key ratio and change in share price play an important role in taking a decision relating to sale and purchase of shares (Hollensen, (2015). The ability relating to attaining investment objectives and identifying constraints relating to planning while managing portfolio became more efficient while managing the portfolio. Even I improved the efficiency of measuring and evaluating portfolio performance and rebalancing the portfolio as per the requirement. Now, I am able to implement the strategy relating to purchasing and selling shares in the more appropriate manner in comparison to the manner I do the same in the past. I got introduced to the options and futures during the course. I am able to analyse the performance over the period of time and make the appropriate required adjustment necessary for asset allocation and security selection References Books and Journal Bakker, D. 2014.Vertical Brand Portfolio Management: Strategies for Integrated Brand Management Between Manufacturers and Retailers. Springer. Beringer, C., Jonas, D., Kock, A. 2013. Behavior of internal stakeholders in project portfolio management and its impact on success.International Journal of Project Management,31(6), 830-846. Hollensen, S. 2015.Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Martinsuo, M. 2013. Project portfolio management in practice and in context.International Journal of Project Management,31(6), 794-803. Online SPDR Gold Trust (GLD).Share Performace. 2017.[Online]. Available through https://www.stocktrak.com/quotes/quotes?converted=1sym=GLD. [Accessed on 31st July 2017] Crude Oil. Share Perfomance. 2017.[Online]. Available through https://www.stocktrak.com/quotes/quotes?converted=1sys. Crude Oil/ . [Accessed on 31st July 2017] Historical Chart. Dow Jones.2017.[Online]. Available through https://www.macrotrends.net/1319/dow-jones-100-year-historical-chart/ . [Accessed on 31st July 2017

Ovid The Poet Essays - Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Ovid

Ovid the Poet Not exactly considered a "serious" poet or author, Publius Ovidius Naso, or Ovid as he is more commonly called, captured the spirit of Greek and Roman mythology in his most noted work The Metamorphoses. The stories told in this work are commonly thought of as not serious enough for adults. Therefore, many of these stories have been "dumbed down" and transposed into child book form. Though most of these stories are very serious, many do not see them as sophisticated literature. True as this is, his works are still great and reflect much of the attitude and culture of his time. Behind his fables, Ovid was a fantastic storyteller and a master at capturing the spirit of the ancient times as well as portraying his own life through his work. Like many poets of that time, Ovid's father wished him to be a lawyer. His father sent him from his home in Sulmo, where he was born, to Athens to obtain a legal degree and study rhetoric. "Indeed rhetoric was the core of Roman education in Ovid's time, as it had been for almost a century before his birth as it was for centuries after his death" (Luce 785). When his formal training was complete, Ovid studied philosophy. Ovid then came home to start a serious career. "It did not work. Fathers of poets seem to have a penchant for trying to turn their male offspring into lawyers, doctors, or engineers. Usually this stratagem is effective because most sons are not poets. Most fathers confronted with the problem of a versifying son, therefore, turn out to be right; Ovid's father turned out to be wrong" (Luce 785). Ovid sincerely attempted to satisfy the demands of his father, but failed horribly. He abandoned his law studies and he drifted off to book merchants and poetry readings. He also married, but swiftly divorced, the woman his father had chosen for him. He was clearly strong-minded and independent. Ovid became more interested with the world of poetry. He also became acquainted with most of the leading poets of the time. Thus, at approximately at the age of twenty, Ovid launched into his career as poet. Up to this point, the poet's life was basically ho-hum. "Until the catastrophe in A.D. 8, when Augustus exiled him to Tomis on the Black Sea, Ovid's life appears to have been uneventful" (Luce 785). In the next years of his life, he married a total of three times. "?This might suggest domestic turmoil of an unusual sort; but given social fragmentation of his time, even this apparent disorder may have been merely ordinary. In any case, the third and final marriage seems to have been an extraordinary one, and Ovid's devotion to the wife he left in Rome when he went to Tomis is manifest to her in his final volumes" (Luce 785). Soon in Ovid's life appeared an adversary, though. Augustus Caesar, the grand nephew to Julius Caesar, took the empirical throne. Augustus was bent on reforming Rome in a time of spiritual freedom. He saw the "free love" attitude of Ovid's time as wrong and demeaning to the family. He soon made laws against certain acts between two unmarried people. At this point Ovid was just discovering and enjoying this time of freedom. "While Augustus was devoting himself to the reform of a social order that nearly a hundred years of cival war had left in ruins, Ovid devoted himself to the refinement of his craft and of his observations of Roman high society and politics" (Luce 786). The difference between the two's mind set is described by T. James Luce as "?The confrontation between two irreconcilable visions of human life, the collisions of political necessity with poetic freedom, of pragmatic with a humanism that is grounded in religious intuitions, of the contingencies of history with moral imagination" (Luce 788). Ovid found himself exiled to Tomis from Rome. The exact circumstances of this exile are unknown, for even Ovid himself shrouds them in mystery. He and his friends who practiced the same loose mindset did not take Augustus's efforts seriously. "What Ovid and his playmates did not understand, what would have appalled them had they been able to