Each event in history has in some way shaped the way the world is today. Although events were based on environmental forces, most were the result of people’s actions and reactions to their surroundings. Where do actions come from? The mind. It is what everyone has and uses (to the best of their abilities) to function physically, socially, and emotionally. But the main theory to remember is that everyone is different, meaning different minds and different actions from all, and that what happens to you in your earlier years will effects the decisions you make later in life.

Says who? Austrian psychologist born 1856, Sigmund Freud. His famed psychoanalytical theories have told the story of the unconscious mind. Freud is the father of free association (the most common form of therapy today), dream analysis, the theory that sexuality is the primary motivation for humans, and neurological research of cerebral palsy. Despite the controversy around Freud’s theories and studies, he set the stepping stones to understanding why people are the way they are, thus why events happen.

Sigmund Freud, 1920.

Despite the economic crisis experienced by the majority of European families in 1857, the Freud family focused solely on giving Sigmund the greatest education possible. From the start he excelled in school, and was interested in a variety of subjects from law to medicine. Zoology was his first course of study at the University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria. After being the first to study the life of an eel and discover the reproductive organs, Freud decided to switch his focus to medicine. Using his background knowledge of chemistry and biology, he swiftly shifted into psychology and development of theories of the ‘unconscious mind’. Although not the first to come up with the concept, Freud explored the deeper realms which we know today such as the thought that our unconscious consists of knowledge which we are unaware of. Everything which we experience is forever installed into our minds, but not necessarily used all the time. He has given us our knowledge of intuition, “The act or faculty of knowing or sensing without the use of rational processes; immediate cognition,” (dictionary.com). We also have knowledge of sleep, dreams, and the power of hypnosis. After his studies in psychology, Freud decided to use many of his theories for psychiatry. Freud hypnotized his neurotic patients in hopes of retrieving information from the depths of their unconscious. Hypnosis, as we now know, is a difficult form of therapy, because many people are unable to let go and relax; the only way for something such as hypnosis to work is if the patient is willing to accept the hypnosis. With his neurotic patients, Freud also used what is known as the “talking cure”, going back to my comment on what is known as ‘free association’. He allowed the patient to speak about what they were experiencing instead of adding his input on what could be the problem.

When the patient is given the liberty to speak without interruption and with encouragement to expose information about themselves, much can be uncovered.

And with this form of therapy (what is know as psychoanalytic), Freud came up with the human ‘defense mechanisms’:

• Repression: defensiveness; we remember what we want to in order to protect ourselves/denial of emotions.
• Denial: refusal to believe or acknowledge the truth.
• Projection: claiming that your unpleasant thoughts are truly those of someone else.
• Rationalization: allows for logical reasons for actions which are inexcusable.
• Intellectualization: detaching emotion for difficult events, and realizing them in rational terms.
• Regression: giving up maturity for childlike actions and decision making.
• Displacement: taking anger from a certain event/person, and taking anger out upon someone else who is not of fault.

Also from Freud, we have knowledge of the Id (containing basic drives), Ego (our conscious awareness), and Superego (personality structure, where our aims for perfection are), which are the levels of the human psyche. Each person is believed to have each level, and depending upon which one is “stronger” or more apparent will determine actions.

Defense mechanisms? The unconscious mind? Psychoanalytic research and therapy?; these commonly visited concepts may be unimportant to the everyday person, but are in fact all major basis’ of thinking. From the beginning of time, thoughts have turned into actions, actions have turned into events, and events have made up the history of today. It is my belief that people are the cause of history, even when history pertains to environmental factors because of the way people react. Sigmund Freud has given us a way to examine thoughts and understand why the past happened based on psychological factors.

Information Credits:

“Psychology; 7th Edition”. David G. Myers, 2003.

      ^^^^^^^^ I should not have to continue after you viewing this picture ^^^^^^^^

This blog is dedicated to one of the most influential and greatest individuals in history, Alexandros Philippou Makedonon.  He was one the greatest military leaders that walked the Earth, conquering much of the civilized world at that time. His legacy alone has been identified in scared texts such as the Bible, Qur’an, and the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi (one of the oldest books written in modern Persia). His legacy is still evident in our society, containing 11, 600 hits on Youtube.com and 39, 400, 000 hits on the site Google.com under the query entry “Alexander the great”.  Not many other historical figures are on the same plateau.

Not many compelling and genuine historical figures can claim that they have:

• Opened a new era in World History that historians call the Hellenistic Age.
• At 16 becomes the Regent of Macedonia, and in the same year founded a city called Alexandropolis.
• Created an Empire that was one of the largest empires at that time that would reign for three centuries.
• Defeated the great Persian army, shattered the Achaemenid forces, extending the empire from the Meditteranian to India.

In honor of the great individual a movie, directed by Oliver Stone, was released in 2004 called “Alexander”. This movie, stars actors such as Colin Farrell, playing as Alexander(Greatness Implied), Angelina Jolie, playing as Queen Olympias, and Val Kilmer, playing as Hephaestion. This cast just embodies the makings of a great film.

A brief Synopsis of the film for those who have not yet watched the film:

                       ”ALEXANDER, Oliver Stone’s sweeping historical saga that charts the life and legend of one of the greatest figures in world history. The story is an epic that is as daring and ambitious as its subject, a relentless conqueror who by the age of 32 had amassed the greatest empire the world had ever seen. Past and present collide to form the puzzle of the protagonist, a tapestry of triumphs and tragedies in which childhood memories and Alexander’s rise to power unfold side by side with the later day expansion of his empire, and its ultimate downfall. From his youth, fueled by dreams of glory and adventure, to his lonely and mysterious death as a ruler of a vast state, from the tumultuous relationship with his parents-a powerful king and a queen determined to put her child on the throne at any cost-to the rousing brotherly bonds with his closest companions and vast army, as they fought from the sun-scorched battlefields of the Persian Empire across the snow-peaked mountains of India, the film chronicles Alexander’s journey to become a living legend, a man who embraced the ideal that power has a destiny. ”

All credits given to http://www.cinema.com/film/8022/alexander/synopsis.phtml

Many critics and the movie review site Rottentomatoes.com  gave this film a 4 out of 10. Frankly, many feel that this film does not do Alexander justice in his struggles in his achievements. Robert Travers, a critic from for Rolling Stone, said, “The film fails, crucially, in getting us inside the head of a man who models himself on myth”.                                                                           

 This Film may not due this great historical figure justice, but only a few historical figures can say that they had two movies, “Alexander the Great”(1956) and “Alexander”(2004). Not to mention a video game to follow their success!!!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Released in 1956, Directed by Robert Rossen.

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Alexander the video Game. Released on PC in 2004. An RTS(Real Time Strategy) game in where the gamer experiences the epic scope of Alexander’s conquests via historical campaigns, each with unique characteristics and resource management challenges, and featuring heroes from Alexander the Greats era. Players will fight real-time battles using formations, combat and authentic military tactics, while commanding vast armies in foreign lands.

 Alexander also received a song in his honor performed by Iron Maiden, which can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y89vfNpxbW0.

 Alexander’s Life…….

Alexander III of Macedonian was born at Pella, Macedonian in 356 B.C.E. His parents were King Phillip, father, and Olympias, mother. Alexander was a descendant of Achilles and Hercules, as told by his mother.

When Alexander was 13 he went under the wing and teachings of the wise Aristotle, a Greek philosopher. Aristotle sparked many interests of reading and learning, philosophy, science, and medicine.

At the age of 16, Alexander received one of his first true accomplishments. While his father was away, Alexander was called to Macedonia to put down a Thracian rebellion. In that event, Alexander did just that, he put down the rebellion and renamed the rebel’s stronghold after himself, Alexandropoulos.

In 336 B.C.E., Alexander took the throne as the King of Macedonia after his father was assassinated. By the age of 22 he had an army of 30,000 foot soldiers and 5,000 cavalrymen under his command. At this age, many men would be lucky to own a piece of land or some sort of ownership.

Alexander’s first engagement was against the Persians at the Granicus River in modern day Turkey. He defeated the Persian’s vast army. The next Autumn the second major encounter against the Persians took place at Issus, in the south eastern corner of Asia Minor. Persian King Darius III had amassed an army of about half a million to wipe out the Greek threat. But the vicious and tactically superb attack mounted by Alexander routed the Persians, despite being outnumbered about 13 to 1. How can this individual become even more impressive you may ask?

            After an eight year campaign Alexander was now ruler of a massive empire. He was keen to push further west but his men were weary and intent on returning to their families. Reluctantly he complied with their wishes. Alexander was a caring military leader. He would visit his men after the battle, examining their wounds and praising them for their valiant efforts. What a nice guy! He would also arrange extravagant funerals for the fallen. He would arrange games and contests for his men. The affection for their leader was what galvanized his troops.

Returning to Babylon Alexander assumed the role he had coveted for so long – The great Conqueror. Eventually, however, he gave way to a immoral lifestyle of excessive drinking. He also gave way to fits of rage and paranoid suspicion. One night he even murdered his closest associate, Clitus, in a fit of rage. Every great Greek individual has their slight downfall though. This act was to haunt for the remainder of his short life.

In June, 332 B.C.E Alexander fell victim to malarial fever. He never recovered. The man who no man could defeat died on June 13, 323 B.C.E. He was just 32 years and 8 months old. “A tomb now suffices him for whom the whole world was not sufficient.” ~ Alexander

 Why was he Great?

I will summarize this part for readers in points:

• By the age of 22 was crowned a Pharaoh, and to the Egyptians was considered a god.
• Was the son of King Phillip, another great conqueror.
• For three years was under the teachings of Aristotle.
• He was always on the front line directing the attacks.
• He was undefeated on the battle field.
• Every time he defeated an army and captured a city, he would eventually set them free, and if they practiced a different religion he would let them continue doing so freely.
• Was a fair leader who could have easily sat around and ruled 1 or 2 cities, but instead attempted in conquering the world.
• Facilitated an enormous change in our world. 

In conclusion, Alexander’s legacy leaves behind many important lessons in life. It is important to set goals in your life, but you must take the proper steps to ensure the achievement of those goals. Do not put any limits on your abilities. When times get rough and it seems like there is no way that you can make it, be strong, challenge yourself, and don’t give up! Once you begin to achieve your goals, make sure that you respect everyone you come across. It’s better to have people on your side–it makes things easier. And above all be confident in yourself. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young. You can be a leader no matter how old you are. Alexander began working toward his goals at a young age. With hard work, respect for people, and a drive to succeed, you can meet any goal you put your mind to!

Source List:

• http://www.wc.pdx.edu/alexander/alex.html
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great
• www.essortment.com/all/alexanderthegr_rxdz.htm
• pc.gamezone.com/gamesell/p24664.htm
• www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alexandert391181.html
• www.usefultrivia.com/biographies/alexander_the_great_001.html
• www.azete.com/preview/51789
• www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alexander/

 

Mini Biography…

Abraham Lincoln is by far the greatest individual in history. Born in a one room log cabin, Lincoln was the son of uneducated farmers. Despite his poor background, Abe was able to educate himself and become a very successful lawyer. It wasn’t long, however, until Lincoln made his way to politics where he first began in the Illinois House of Representatives. Even from his first term in office, Lincoln began protesting against slavery. Lincoln once exclaimed, “Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”

After 2 terms in office, Lincoln took a break from politics to work as a lawyer. When the Kansas-Nebraska Act took effect (which reversed the limits on slavery), Lincoln was inspired to return to government so he could speak out against slavery. In 1960, he ran for president and won; he was the first elected president from Illinois. As president, he established a national banking system which created a national currency. He also released the Emancipation proclamation which freed all slaves in the confederate states.

Lincoln’s presidency was difficult from the start, but it was made much more complicated when the Civil War began. Even in the midst of war, Abe continued to be amicable to the south. In one case, President Lincoln even wrote a letter of regret to a confederate women, Mrs. Lydia Bixby, who’s five sons were known to be killed in battle. (Read the letter here: http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/bixby.htm ) Unfortunately, Lincoln’s presidency was ended early when he was assassinated on April 14, 1865 in Ford’s Theatre.

Top 10 reasons why Abe is awesome…

1. He is the only president to ever receive a patent. He created a system to alter buoyancy of steamboats.

2. He created a standardized currency for the United States.

3. He was the first major leader in the US who supported Women’s suffrage.

4. His “Gettysburg Address” is one of the most well-known speeches made by a president and promotes equality for all.

5. He wasn’t afraid of a challenge and took on Stephen Douglas in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. At the time, Douglas was the most powerful man in the senate.

6. He was able to save the union and kept the country together.

7. He was a great role model while President as he was a family man and a patient leader.

8. He came from a poor family and was able to rise up to become President.

9. He suffered from depression and yet he overcame his difficulties to lead a successful life.

10. With his Emancipation Proclamation, he was able to free the slaves in the south.

Lincoln was also great because…

He was always in favor of equality for all people. He often stood up against slavery and attempted to promote voting rights for blacks. Lincoln even invited Fredrick Douglass, a well known abolitionist and former slave, to his inaugural reception (for his reelection). When Douglass was denied entrance by a policeman at the door, Lincoln came over and took Douglass by the hand and said, “Here comes my friend Douglass.”

Also known for his ability to inspire, Lincoln delivered speeches such as the Lyceum Address, House the Divided Speech, the Cooper Union Address, and the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln was most famous for saying, “Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” (Read the whole Gettysburg Address here: http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/Gettysburg_Address_%5BFull_Text%5D )

And Finally…

Abraham Lincoln was a great man. He was kind, generous, and cared deeply about his family. But more importantly, he changed the face of America forever. He was able to prevent the confederate states from separating from the union and was able to free slaves in the south. Additionally, he became a huge role model. Lincoln was able to prove that no matter your circumstances, you can achieve whatever you desire. He encouraged others to reach for their goals, even when they seemed impossible. Lincoln is quoted as saying, “I happen temporarily to occupy this big White House. I am living witness that any one of your children may look to come here as my father’s child has.” His abilities to listen to different viewpoints, communicate well, and control his emotions made him a talented leader who many other presidents aspired to model themselves after.

“I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal.”

http://www.trivia-library.com/a/president-abraham-lincoln-little-known-facts-and-trivia.htm

http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/bixby.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln

http://jasonhirsch.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/abraham-lincoln-antietam-battlefield.jpg

http://jhistorian.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/061221225103_abraham_lincoln_lg1.jpg

http://home.att.net/~rjnorton/Lincoln78.html

“The greatest individual in history”. Such a broad statement, open to so many interpretations. What makes someone “great”? I mean, honestly, an argument could be created for anyone to be considered “great”. However, when it comes to people, the greatest would be the one who had not only a profound impact on his (or her) generation but subsequent generations as well. If this is the case, then Wernher Von Braun is the greatest individual of the twentieth century, and quite possible all of history.

The Man

Wernher Von Braun was born in 1912 in what was technically called the “German Empire” in central Europe. As a young boy he read the works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells. These sparked an interest in space in Von Braun.
By 1932, Von Braun was working for the German Government building Ballistic missiles, and received a Ph.D. in physics in 1934. Yes, he was a member of the Nazi Party, but only after he was awarded an honorary membership in the SS, which he accepted because of fear of retribution had he not. Von Braun worked to create the V2 rockets at the secret research site Peenemunde and at a site called Mittlewerk. These places were known to use forced slave labor, but it is generally considered that Von Braun was not involved heavily in this practice. Before the end of the war, Von Braun led the surrender and defection of 500 top rocket scientists, along with test vehicles and plans for the development of rockets.
This defection was part of a program called Operation Paperclip, a program to bring top Nazi scientists to the United States. By Presidential order, however, it was illegal to allow members of the Nazi party to immigrate to the United States, but the degree of knowledge these scientists possessed, made the entire operation worth it. After being based in Texas for a while the team moved to Alabama and created the Jupiter missile for the Army. The next step was being transferred to NASA to design and build the Saturn 5 rocket. Von Braun was soon appointed head of this program. After retiring from NASA in 1972, he worked for Fairchild Industries and died in 1977.

Just Some Technical Things About his Work

This is a diagram of the V2 rocket Von Braun helped design. The rocket was a single stage, liquid fueled rocket with almost no guidance. The rocket burned a mixture of alcohol, water, and hydrogen peroxide. Similar to the fuel used in October Sky.

The Saturn rocket is much more complex. This was a three stage rocket, designed to put the Apollo spacecraft into space. The first stage used a form of kerosene called RP-1, Rocket Propellant -1. The second and third stages used liquid hydrogen as fuel. Note the people at the bottom and the sheer size of the rocket.

But Why so Great?

The extent of Von Braun’s greatness is twofold. He performed work on both the military and civilian side of rocket engineering. There was another post arguing for Mikhail Kalashnikov as the greatest individual. While Kalashnikov developed a gun, useful for relatively small battles, Von Braun worked on the strategic side. The current evolution of guided rockets can make or break a battle, equipping everything from ships, to aircraft, to individual soldiers. More importantly, however, are the ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) which shaped the world during the latter half of the twentieth century. The development of these missiles, capable of reaching the United States from Russia, and the almost simultaneous development of atomic weapons which could be carried on these missiles, and of course the various socioeconomic issues (I love that word), were a major factor in the development of the cold war. That’s just the military side though.

His expertise was a great help in the space race on the U.S. side after he was defected to the United States as well. Von Braun’s team worked to create the Saturn 5 rockets which carried the first Americans, and first Humans, to the moon. This was important in maintaining the balance which the Soviet Union upset when they launched Sputnik in 1957. Apart from being something simply awesome, sending Americans to be the first on the moon perpetuated the Cold War as a cold war, since it restored the balance between the competing superpowers. If the Cold War had turned hot, then Von Braun’s generation would have been wiped out, and there wouldn’t be any subsequent generations. This makes the development of rockets powerful enough to put men on the moon deserving of the label “Great”.

Some extra Pictures

I think this picture is amazing for the size of the engines. Thats Von Braun in front there.

A good picture of Von Braun.

The model V-2 at the Musee de l’Armee in France. I’ve seen this in person

The launch of a V-2 rocket during World War 2 at Peenemünde.

http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/vonbraun/excerpts.html
http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/vonbraun/bio.html
http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/vonbraun/bio.html
timothyministries.org
www.studentie.ro

The Greatest Individual John F Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts to his parents, Joseph Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald. Kennedy is the second eldest of his 8 siblings, and was informally referred to as “Jack”, by relatives and close friends. Kennedy was raised in a high-class home. His father was a millionaire and his mother, the daughter of Boston’s mayor. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was best known as the 35^th president of the United States and contributed greatly to the United States. Although he is primarily known for his accomplishments as president, he had many attainments as just a citizen. Kennedy was a United States congressman in the House of Representatives and president for approximately 1000 days before his tragic assassination. Kennedy was a great attribute to the United States and accomplished many things in his short period of life and he has inspired many people to be determined and confident by actively participating in society. He has left a lofty legacy and despite his death, he will always be regarded as the greatest individual known to man thus far.

Kennedy is known for his accomplishments before and during his presidency.  He received awards for personal and professional achievements, such as receiving the Pulitzer Prize for his book Profiles in Courage. Kennedy attended the prestigious, private school Choate; he later graduated from Harvard University in 1940 with a degree in political science and attended The London School of Economics.  He joined the US Navy the same year he graduated from Harvard and became lieutenant. On one occasion, the ship he was commanding was rammed by a Japanese destroyer. Imagine being in the middle of the ocean you are commander and your crewmen are fighting to stay alive do you decide to save yourself and possibly your crew and swim for help or just wait to die and allow your crewmen to fend for themselves? Kennedy and fellow crew members were thrown over board and rather than giving up Kennedy swam for four hours saving himself and a crew member. Would you have done the same?

John Fitzgerald Kennedy became a congressman in the United States House of Representatives in 1946 and later became the 35^th President of the United States of America in January of 1961.  In his first few days as president he attempted to overthrow political leader Fidel Castro by allowing groups of Cuban exiles into their homeland, however his plan failed. Rather than giving up in the face of failure, Kennedy continued to accomplish goals set during is campaign.  During Kennedy’s presidency he reinforced troops in Berlin, which was a helpful factor in getting the Berlin Wall destroyed. He is also known for forcing the Soviet Union to remove missiles placed in Cuba, which was a major accomplishment in the Cold War.  He was active in the Civil Rights Movement and met with leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and was instrumental in allowing the first black student, James Meredith to attend the University of Mississippi.

During Kennedy’s presidency he also inspired people to be actively engaged in politics. This evidenced by his infamous statement in his inaugural speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.”   He also hosted the JFK show where he portrayed himself and was questioned my audience members. In this show he was respectfully called “Mr. President” or “President Kennedy” however despite the professional manner of the questions Kennedy retorted in witty and sarcastic comments before seriously answering the question.  The JFK Show

Kennedy was “one with the people”, he did not focus on being the most professional president, he did not act above everyone else, and he stuck to his morals and continued to answer in a down to earth manner.  From these actions he has left a legacy of inspiration to generations to come. On a recent dateline show, detailing the role of our current president, Barack Obama, the influences and legacy of Kennedy were recalled. Particularly his family oriented approach and his call for individuals of all ages, genders and ethnicities to become active in politics and their communities. John F Kennedy is the greatest because of the multitude of accomplishments he made in short life, legacy of inspiration he provided the common individual, and the transparency of his intentions.

What does it mean to be the greatest individual known to man thus far? No one can say it better then John F Kennedy himself

“A man does what he must, in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures, and that is the basis of all human morality”

Kennedy is not only the greatest individual known to man thus far but may also be the greatest individual ever.

                An individual so great he is known by only one name— Michelangelo. Undoubtedly one of the greatest artists of all time, Michelangelo’s works rival some of the most famous names in art. Including that of his contemporary and fellow Italian artist, Leonardo da Vinci— the artist most famous for his Mona Lisa. His many accomplishments, earned him the title II Divino, “the divine one”. He was even the first Western artist to have had a biography written about him while he was still alive. In one of the biographies, written by Giorgio Vasari, it is proposed that he was “the pinnacle of all artistic achievement since the beginning of the Reinassance”. Clearly, he had already established himself as one of the greatest individuals during the earlier years of his life alone.

          His path to success began at the age of 13 when he became an apprentice to Domenico Ghirlandaio despite, initial opposition by his father. As a student, he would turn out various works of art, but only gained fame once he left to study sculpture under Bertoldo di Giovanni, a pupil of Donatello. Sculpting would become his media of choice, a task that would require him to “free the figure slumbering in the stone”. His marble sculptures, one of which is the Pieta is one of his more famous works to date. The David was Michelangelo’s next work; it also showed his technical skill and established him as a prominent sculptor- a title that initiated his interactions with the church.

             Commissioned by Pope Julius II, Michelangelo was to complete a tomb for the pope himself. He would also be given the task of painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (the Papal Chapel within the Vatican). Despite his refusal to do so (mainly because he was unfamiliar with painting as a medium, as well as his poor opinion of it) he created a masterpiece that took him four years to complete. It is also important to note that to paint the ceiling, he created a unique scaffold, a wooden platform on brackets, which occupied less space, and allowed him  more freedom to move. The ceiling is not only one of his best works, but also one of the most renowned artworks fabricated during the High Renaissance, as well as throughout the history of art. It also provides images as well as depictions and mythologies behind the stories in the Bible. Images that are still present today.

               The completion of the ceiling caused much controversy due to the incorporation of Catholic and Humanist elements within the figures of the paintings. The two philosophies contradict and conflict with the beliefs of the other. Humanism is a philosophy generally compatible with atheism, in that it rejects reverence to mystic beliefs involved in human affairs. It is also a philosophy, which did not see the Church as intermediaries to God. The Church believed however, that being outside of the Church would prevent one from achieving Salvation.

              Michelangelo, as an artist who had studied humanism, incorporated its values into the paintings on the ceiling as he had always done (i.e. the David), despite, the identity of the paintings’ commissioner being, the Pope.

               The nude figures in the paintings emphasized the humanist vision that humans were potentially beautiful and good. While the Church saw humanity as essentially flawed and evil.  Figures of non-biblical characters were also incorporated into the paintings. This included Sibyls or prophets, and the pagan figure of Charon, the ferryman of Hades who took souls across the world of the living and the dead. These figures further angered many followers of the Church.

                    In addition, he painted the altar wall of the chapel 30 years after the completion of the ceiling. This task took him an additional four years to complete. The painting commissioned by Pope Paul the IV, after the death of Pope Julius the II, is better known as the Last Judgment.

        The paintings of both the ceiling and the altar, posed a threat to Catholic theology, and became a target of the counter-reformation movement (“Catholic Revival” movement). The depictions of nudity were considered sacrilegious and obscene. Michelangelo came into dispute with individuals like Cardinal Carafa and Biagio da Cesena (the Pope’s master of ceremonies).

 (The disputes between Michelangelo and Cesena were evident, as Michelangelo depicted Cesena as a nude judge in the underworld, with features of a donkey, found in the corner of the painting on the altar wall.)

 After his death in 1564, the genitals were obscured due to protests from Pope Paul the IV. Later the “fig-leaf” campaign of the counter-reformation movement began with Michelangelo’s works, as many of his earlier sculptures and paintings were censored, by covering the controversial parts with fig leaves or other cover-ups. By beginning with Michelangelo’s artworks, it showed how much the Church believed his art influenced others.

(Censored figure from the Last Judgment. Notice how  the cloth does not seem to belong)

        Despite hostility from the Church, many artists were influenced by his art. Especially, the painting of the Last Judgment, which inspired a new period in European art, called Mannerism. It would be the last legacy he left behind before his death.

So …..

       Michelangelo is the greatest individual in history, creating most of his legacies while he was still alive. He not only challenged the most influential, and strongest institution in the world- the church, but he did so passively. It takes a truly amazing individual to cause such great changes without having to do much. His talent in art alone, spread to influence religion, politics, and served as inspiration for many generations that followed, who, attempt to mimic his mastery and skill. So surely, you cannot say he only influenced the history of art. It also takes a truly amazing individual to have his beliefs known despite being censored, and despite making enemies within the Church. The fact that he created one of the most renowned masterpieces of all time, in a media unfamiliar to him, also speaks greatly of his artistic talent.

              His artworks however, is not the only legacy he has left behind. He has given us a new form of art, an invention (which most likely is not his only one), and words of wisdom. A great indivual who made contributions simply by doing what he loves, sticking to what he believes in  and being who he is– a renaissance man.       

http://artchive.com/artchive/M/michelangelo.html

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMD1570H-0-1274&artno=0000282245&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Take%20that%2C%20Leonardo%21&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=Y&ic=Y

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelangelo

http://www.michelangelo.com/buonarroti.html

http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMD1570H-0-1274&artno=0000258234&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Why%20Michelangelo%20Matters&res=Y&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=Y&ic=Y

John Locke; We all know his name even if we don’t know what he did or just think he’s that popular character named after him on the show Lost. Perhaps it is remembered that Locke was a philosopher or that his ideas about government are relevant to the formation of America’s government. This is all true. But Locke was amazing. In the sense that beyond being the simple philosopher we know and love today he was about a hundred other amazing things (okay so 100 is an exaggeration but you get the idea). He was an Oxford academic and medical researcher, a government official, economic writer, opposition political activist, and a revolutionary. He was perhaps the most influential man in history and relevant man to all we do now. His ideas about government are our ideas about government (and not just in America) because we adopted them and still use them today.

In the beginning…

God said let there be light and then in 1632 C.E. there was John Locke. Locke had a humble beginning. His mother died while he was still an infant and his father was a simple country lawyer and captain in the Parliamentary Civil War. His father died too while he was young (doesn’t every great man have a tragic beginning?). But his father’s connections got him into the Westminster School in London and then from there he was elected for studentship at Christ Church of Oxford in 1650. Locke studied logic, metaphysics, and classical languages then later medicine and experimental philosophy. In 1658 Locke qualified as a Master of Arts and was elected a Senior Student of Christ Church College then later Lecturer in Greek and Lecturer in Rhetoric. The great Robert Boyle became Locke’s mentor and much later in life Locke befriended the Newton (great individuals have great friends).  

Dr. Locke

Locke studied medicine though in 1666 he hadn’t yet received a degree, but was so good that people called him “Dr. Locke” anyway. Locke was always willing to help out those with some sort of medical problem (so he was a highly generous man)- he even was willing to perform surgeries on people. For instance there was Ashley Cooper (this is a man- Anthony “Ashley” Cooper) by operating on him and removing an “abscess from the chest” in 1666. But Ashley Cooper was no ordinary man. He was the first Earl of Shaftesbury. So now in 1667, at 35, John Locke was the personal physician to an Earl. He was also Lord Ashley’s secretary, researcher, political operative and friend. How many people find themselves that high up in society at age 35? And Locke did eventually earn that degree in medicine at Oxford and a license to practice medicine in 1674.

On the Board

It did not however stop here- for Locke was appointed secretary of the Board of Trade and Plantations and Secretary to the Lords Proprietors of the Carolinas. The former- the Board of Trade, was created in 1670 essentially for Locke- it sprang out of his ideas. As secretary, “Locke was the collection point for information from around the globe about trade and colonies for the English government […] In his capacity as the secretary to the Lords Proprietors, Locke was involved in the writing of the fundamental constitution of the Carolinas,” (Stanford Encyclopedia). So here we see that Locke was largely responsible for the initial constitutions of two of the original American colonies; North and South Carolina.

Essays in Exile

But Lord Shaftesbury wasn’t always at the top politically- he did however find himself at the top of the Tower, imprisoned, more than once- and so Locke smartly distanced himself from the Earl during this time of national insurrection. Besides, Locke was opposed to the Divine Right Theory of the time, a theory which those of us who value democracy tend to oppose as well (but more on that a bit later). As it is- Locke went to France and then exiled in Holland from around 1684 to 1689. And it was in exile in Holland that Locke managed to write two of his most important documents; Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Two Treatises of Government. What is the significance of these? Well lets see…

Essay Concerning Human Understandings

            Basically, all knowledge comes from experience. Humans are not born with innate ideas or principles. If they were, everyone would agree to them but since there are no principles everyone is in agreement on then there are not innate principles. This idea is empiricism, and Locke was a key empiricist. His empiricism is a tradition of British philosophy and the basis of scientific discoveries up until today.

            Furthermore, knowledge can be obtained by humans but there is a limit to human knowledge. This is the epistemological part of the essay. Locke’s stance lies between those of the rationalists, who believed humans’ capacity of knowledge was virtually limitless, and the skeptics who believed humans have no capacity for knowledge. Locke’s epistemological theories inspired other empiricists such as George Berkeley (yes, that Berkeley, the 18^th century philosopher that the Ivy League college in California was named after and who is known for his philosophical contributions and his attack on the foundations of calculus, which proved to be correct and lead to the refinement and development of mathematics but this blog isn’t about him or math…), Thomas Reid, and David Hume (who was interestingly, during the Scottish Enlightenment, a collaborator and friend of Adam Smith, and if you know Mr. Smart than you know the importance of that man). Yes, Locke is responsible for the inspiration of more recent philosophers.

            But it still doesn’t end there! Every heard of tabula rasa? The idea that the mind is a “blank slate” with no built-in knowledge? Still used in law to refer to an impartial mind, untainted by preconceived notions or judgments? Well that was Locke’s too.

Two Treatises of Government

            So this document is perhaps the most important of Locke’s and its theories perhaps the ones you think of first when you recall John Locke. The first treatise is an attack on the Divine Right of Kings, specifically as stipulated by Sir Robert Filmer in his book Patriarcha, which followed that all humans are born enslaved to the natural born king who is the direct descendant of Adam. Even biblical scripture does not support this claim and Locke notes this fact in his treatise.

            The second treatise stipulates the key revolutionary theories about government;

The social contract theory- quite simply the idea that a legitimate civil government comes about only by the consent of the governed. Otherwise the governments do not have a right to the power.

The extent of government- those in power can never have absolute power over the people but only that which allows them to serve the public good and maintain, not destroy, inalienable rights.

Inalienable rights- all humans have them and are born with them; The right to life, liberty, and property.

Separation of powers- wait, that was Locke too? In a way it was. Locke opposed the view of Hobbes (as he opposed nearly everything the philosopher Hobbes stipulated) that one supreme authority should rule or at least only one legislative assembly. Locke believed government was best limited when divided into branches with specific powers. Montesquieu developed the theory of separation of powers and checks and balances but Montesquieu was born the year Locke published his Two Treatises of Government.

Taxation without Representation- Locke spoke of this too and of course was against it. He believed the people have an obligation to pay taxes…

“But still it must be with his own consent- i.e., the consent of the majority, giving it either by themselves or their representatives chosen by them; for if any one shall claim a power to lay and levy taxes on the people by his own authority, and without such consent of the people, he thereby invades the fundamental law of property, and subverts the end of government. For what property have I in that which another may by right take when he pleases to himself?” (Locke)

Rebellion- rebellion is just and necessary when the people are under an illegitimate government, a government which violates their natural rights.

It’s almost as if Locke sat with Thomas Jefferson in June 1776 and helped him draft the Declaration of Independence.

Nonetheless, Locke’s ideas inspired nations and legitimized several revolutions. His ideas are still intact today and we apparently agree with them. As for in America, we can…

dispose of the rulers we don’t like anymore,

and vote for ones we do.

We have our rights,

 and can rebel if we don’t think we do.

 \

There is much, much more I could say about Locke to attest to his greatness, but this blog is already over 1500 words. So, with all John Locke’s contributions to philosophy on humans and government, Locke is highly important to the course of history as we know it, highly relevant to the way democratic countries live life today and thus to all countries democratic countries touch (his ideas are even being thrust upon nondemocratic countries- I speak of course of the Middle East) , and thus he is the greatest individual in World History.

Thanks to these sources:

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/#HisBacLocLif

http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Biographies/Philosophy/Locke.htm#Life

http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/lockeessay

Photos:

https://europeanleaders.wikispaces.com/file/view/John_Locke.jpg

http://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/0604/03/NYHETER-03s20-bush-35_438.jpg

http://www.topnews.in/files/mccain-obama.jpg

http://kancrn.kckps.k12.ks.us/wyandotte/library/Bill%20of%20Rights%20Redux%202/Assets/Images/bill-of-rights-01.gif

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/DonaldDouglas/Americaneocon/43394486-1.jpg

Plato was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, writer of philosophical discussions, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Being taught by Socrates, and influencing Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the foundations of natural philosophy, science, and Western philosophy. Born in Athens, Greece between 429-423 BC, Plato had “quickness of mind and modesty as a boy,” and the “first fruits of his youth [were] infused with hard work and love of study”. He took classes in grammar, music, gymnastics, and philosophy from the most distinguished teachers of his time. One of his mentors was the famous Socrates. After Socrates’ death, Plato carried on much of his former teacher’s work and eventually founded his own school, the Academy, in 385 BC. The Academy eventually became the most famous school in the classical world, and its most famous pupil was Aristotle.
Much is known about Plato’s teachings because he wrote dialogues between Socrates and others that would explore philosophical issues. These dialogues would be used in his school as starting points for discussion. The Platonic dialogues consist of Socrates asking questions of another and proving, through these questions, that the other person has the wrong idea on the subject. Initially, Plato seems to have carried on the methods of Socrates, concentrating on the discussions of basic ethical issues: what is friendship? what is virtue? can virtue be taught? However, Plato later began to develop his own theories and does more teaching than he does questioning. The fundamental aspect of Plato’s thought is the theory of “ideas” or “forms.” Plato, like so many other Greek philosphers, was hindered by the question of change in the physical world. Heraclitus had said that there is nothing certain or stable except the fact that things change, and Parmenides and the Eleatic philosophers claimed that all change, motion, and time was an illusion. Where was the truth? How can these two opposite positions be reconciled? Plato was able to combine the two.
The most famous of Plato’s dialogues is a dialogue called The Republic. The Republic is one of the most influential works in Western philosophy. It deals with the primary question of how to live a good life; then is shaped into the parallel question: what is justice in the State, or what would an ideal State be like, and what is a just individual? These questions also encompass many others, such as how the citizens of a state should be educated, which arts should be encouraged, what form its government should take, who should do the governing and for what rewards, what is the nature of the soul, and finally what (if any) divine sanctions and afterlife should be believed in. The dialogue then covers just about every aspect of Plato’s thought.
Plato imagines two worlds, the sensible world and the intelligible world, as existing on a line that can be divided in the middle: the lower part of the line consists of the visible world and the upper part of the line makes up the intelligible world. Each half of the line relates to a certain type of knowledge: of the visible world, we can only have opinion; of the intelligible world we achieve “knowledge.” Each of these divisions can also be divided in two. The visible or changing world can be divided into a lower region, “illusion,” which is made up of shadows, reflections, paintings, poetry, etc., and an upper region, “belief,” which refers to any kind of knowledge of things that change. “Belief” may be true most of the time but occasionally is wrong (since things in the visible world change); belief is practical and may serve as a relatively reliable guide to life but doesn’t really involve thinking things out to the point of certainty. The upper region can be divided into, on the lower end, “reason,” which is knowledge of things like mathematics but which require that some postulates be accepted without question, and “intelligence,” which is the knowledge of the highest and most abstract categories of things, an understanding of the ultimate good.
He displayed in his works his absorption of political events and intellectual movements of his time, but the questions he proposed are so profound and the strategies he used for tackling them so provocative that educated readers of nearly every period have in some way been influenced by him.

He influenced Aristotle, who may not have always agreed with his mentor, to find his own theories and prove them, introducing inductive reasoning to the world, which is still a major principal of Western science. In practically every generation there have been philosophers who count themselves Platonists in some respects. He was concerned about how philosophy should be perceived, and what its purpose was, that he transformed the intellectual currents he was living in, and proved that the subject of philosophy, as it is often conceived, is a rigorous examination of ethical, political, and metaphysical issues, and gave it a distinctive method — which may be what makes him so important and stand out in the history of our world.

It is without a doubt that Genghis Khan is the greatest individual in the history of this earth. Ever. He was the leader of the largest land based empire ever established, which was far greater than any industrialized nation would ever hope to accomplish later on in the 19^th and 20^th century. His military might terrified villagers so much that they fled their villages without putting up a fight, giving Genghis automatic victory in most occasions. Chinggis, as he is otherwise known, also united trade and commerce throughout central Asia and took control of the Silk roads. It is unquestionable that the efforts of this one man had significant and profound effects on the history of Asia. If men need further convincing of his tremendous feat of masculine dominance, it is also noteworthy to add that in his lifetime, he probably had as much as forty legitimate children in his lifetime, not counting the ones he had with women who were not his wife. He is the most prolific lover ever to have stepped foot on this Earth. If this evidence is not proof of his status as the greatest individual ever, I don’t know what will.

            As a young child named Temüjin, he had faced many hardships and struggles. His father had died at an early age, and even his wife was kidnapped by an enemy tribe. But these struggles are probably what propelled this young charismatic and dynamic child to greatness. His first claim to fame and awesomeness took place when he united the dysfunctional tribes in central and east Asia into one cohesive and growing empire. No big deal. He formed alliances with his father’s acquaintances and fought off other hostile enemy tribes, most especially the Naimans who thought that they could overpower the young Mongolian juggernaut. They could not have been more foolish. Temüjin then proceeded to crush these silly folk and sent reverberating echoes across the land on who the main [MAN] in the land was. By now he had created Mongolia as the center for his empire but the new Khan was not happy with just staying still. He led his men against the Chin dynasty in the east, to Afghanistan and Persia in the West, and even as far as Eastern Europe (he was basically standingon Vienna’s doorstep). When he died in 1227, he had left his sons the largest empire ever established. It is completely probably that the distance between the Earth and the Sun is probably ten times smaller than the area of the Mongolian Empire.

            Not only is Genghis Khan the world-renowned symbol for military supremacy and excellence, his contributions to trade, communication, and (ironically) peace surpasses that of any other great individual. The Silk Road that had prospered in the times of Classical Rome and China, as well as with Islam, saw great use once again under Mongolian control. This then set the stage for a massive cultural exchange that would take place across the Asian land basin, all thanks to my [MAN] Genghis. Artwork, language, food, military techniques, and money was exchanged through the extensive use of these Roads. The leadership of Genghis had infused so many cultures together because even as he conquered much territory in his lifetime, he had let the peoples he ruled over maintain their culture and practices. Talk about awesomeness.

            The most intriguing and spectacular part about Genghis Khan, however, lies in his proficiency in making love. According to National Geographic: “An international group of geneticists studying Y-chromosome data have found that nearly 8 percent of the men living in the region of the former Mongol empire carry y-chromosomes that are nearly identical [to Genghis]. That translates to 0.5 percent of the male population in the world, or roughly 16 million descendants living today.” Another study has concluded that in order for him to have this much descendants, he must have fathered a couple thousand children. Woah! His appetite for women was insatiable, proven by the fact that every woman prisoner gained through conquest was first sent to Genghis Khan. Even his sons inherited his talent for love-making. Research has also shown that his eldest son, Tushi, had forty sons. Woah! Whatever the case may be, it is obvious that the world’s most feared man is not only the greatest individual ever to have lived, but also the most engaged lover.

            So why is Genghis Khan the greatest individual in history? Because no one would ever dare look him in the face and tell him he isn’t. Plain and simple. 

Mikhail Gorbachev is one of the most influential leaders in human history. There can be no doubt that his policies and reforms in Communist Russia in the late twentieth century changed the fate of the world and may have saved millions of lives from nuclear devastation. In my opinion, Mikhail Gorbachev is the greatest individual in human history. This is not because of his views or his leadership qualities, but because of the miracle that he accomplished by ending the Soviet Union and the Cold War after one of the most globally terrifying periods ever recorded.

Gorbachev was born in 1931 after the Communist Revolution to an agricultural mechanic on a collective farm. His political views were greatly influenced by his communist grandfather and so he joined the Communist Youth Party while he was still studying law at Moscow University. Gorbachev moved quickly through the ranks of the Party, working his way to the top and soon became a member of the Communist Party Central Committee. As he climbed the ranks, he struggled to make the lives of the peasants working on the collective farms better, increasing their land allotments, improving living conditions and giving them more voice in structuring their communities.

After Chernenko’s death in 1985, Gorbachev was appointed the General Secretary of the Communist Party, and began introducing reforms and replacing older, more conservative members with younger, more liberal ones.

As the ruler of the USSR, Gorbachev began his campaign of perestroika, restructuring, creating social, economic and political changes that made the Soviet Union more efficient. He outlawed alcohol, encouraged private ownership and other democratic ideas with his demockratizatsiya (democratization) plan and accelerated economic development. Under Gorbachev’s influence, government companies that monopolized a market such as the air plane company Aeroflot broke into individual corporations and began a more capitalist economy with connections abroad. He instigated the first free elections in Russia in decades, the elections for the Congress of People’s Deputies, and was popularly reelected in 1990. Non-party members were allowed to run, and some were elected. More freedoms of free speech and press under the program of glasnost meant that Gorbachev was more openly criticized for his reforms than any other Russian communist dictator, and this may have led to the overthrow staged in 1991 that effectively ended Gorbachev’s power.

Gorbachev made a treaty with President Reagan, the Immediate Nuclear Forces treaty, as well as withdrawing the Red Army from around Europe and the Middle-East and most notably from the Soviet satellite states, when he refused to intervene in during the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the reuniting of Germany.

Gorbachev ended Soviet interference in Eastern European countries, especially communist political influence. For his efforts, he won the Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold in 1989 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. As the Soviet Union crumpled around him and countries staged coups against imposed communist governments, Gorbachev lost popularity in his own country, putting down a rebellion of conservatives and abolishing the Communist Central Committee and officially resigned his position as General Secretary a few years later on December 25, 1995.

Since then, Gorbachev has not been idle. He is still involved with private ownership in market economies, and he founded the Gorbachev Foundation, which is dedicated to conducting socio-economic and political research and improving the international market. Gorbachev is currently a member of the Union of Social-Democrats Party in Russia.

As a leader, Gorbachev brought the world back from the brink of destruction through willingness to engage in peace talks and sign arms reduction treaties. He suggested many of them in order to realize peace between the superpowers of the world, and formed close relationships with the leaders of capitalist countries, easing the tension that fear of nuclear war instilled. Gorbachev’s forward thinking and compromises profoundly affected the lives of people around the world, more than ever previously could have been affected by a single decision or war. He risked his position and went against the party that brought him to power in order to fulfill his dream of making the world safer and friendlier, actually undermining his authority and, in the end, willingly gave up his rule for what he felt was the common good.

I believe that Mikhail Gorbachev is the Greatest Individual in human history because he prevented massive destructions that would have resulted if the tensions between the United States and the USSR had developed into outright war. By slowly dismantling the Soviet Union and allowing its satellite countries to choose their own leaders and political alignments, by introducing peace talks with other superpowers, by advocating the dismantling of nuclear weapons, Gorbachev saved lives and directly affected people who are still alive because of him.

Sources

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/COLDgorbachev.htm

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/gor0bio-1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Gorbachev