Monday, December 30, 2019

Psychological Continuity Of Personal Identity - 1655 Words

The question â€Å"What are we?† in an ontological sense is currently inconclusive and open for debate. Nevertheless, identifying a description of what we are not shall help uncover what we are. We are not a psychological continuity account of personal identity over time. Under this context, â€Å"psychological continuity† is defined as continuous mental states over time. For example, characteristics of one’s mind such as sentience, memory, and other mental faculties, must remain an uninterrupted continuum over time to be considered psychologically continuous. Additionally, under this context, the term â€Å"person† will hereafter refer to beings that have mental properties. Under philosophical context, the term â€Å"identity† is generally defined as its†¦show more content†¦Henceforth, to defend this argument, I shall introduce two schools of philosophical thought, one of which will support this argument, and the other of which will oppos e this argument. Thereafter, I shall conclude by showing that the opposing argument is unsound such that premise 1. and 2. shall thereafter be proven true. The canonical school of thought that is employed as a counter to the psychological continuity account of personal identity is one called animalism. Animalists argue that we are animals. Philosopher John Locke described animalism such that â€Å"An animal is a living organized body; and consequently the same animal †¦ is the same continued life communicated to different particles of matter, as they happened successively to be united to that organized living body †¦ This also shows wherein the identity of the same man consists; viz. in nothing but a participation of the same continued life, by constantly fleeting particles of matter, in succession vitally united to the same organized body.† Consequently, animalism implies that psychological continuity does not accurately describe what we are. For example, if a huma n is forced into a permanent comatose state for whatever reason, that human will cease to experience characteristic psychological events, nonetheless, she will still exist as an individual, i.e., she will still have a functioning cardiovascularShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of Personal Identity Essay1529 Words   |  7 PagesIf persons persist over time then by what criteria do we determine their identity at different times? This is the issue of personal identity over time which continues to plague philosophers. What is it that allows me to say I am the same person today as I was yesterday or I will be tomorrow? Am I actually the same person? There has been no general consensus on the answer to this question. However many have proposed solutions to this question. When it comes to this hard problem of why persons lastRead MoreThe Psychological Approach Of Personal Identity And It s Persistence Over Time741 Words   |  3 Pagescome into play and reject the psychological approach to expl aining personal identity and it’s persistence over time; claims that continuity of the brain and memory are not enough to explain and confirm personal identity are made. These theories include the biological approach, the dualist theory, and the materialist approach from Shoemaker, which involves the memory theory. Through the review of these theories respectively, a clearer understanding of personal identity can be developed and argued forRead MorePersonal Identity And Social Identity1241 Words   |  5 PagesPhilosophers have been struggling for centuries with solve how personal identity manifests itself in people, but they are especially concerned with how it carries over through space-time as a unique portion of the person said identity originates from. Philosophers are concerned with personal identity s connection to the physiology of human beings because of the immensely physical nature of the world we occupy. The physicalist perspective is also a stronger rational ba cking because the alternativeRead MoreEssay Personal Identity 1209 Words   |  5 PagesThe two positions of personal identity over-time consider whether we are ‘tracking persons’ or ‘human beings’. Through analysing Locke’s account of personal identity and his definition of a ‘person’, the first side of this argument will be explained. However in opposition to Locke’s theory, the second position that considers us as ‘human beings’ will also be assessed, as advocated by animalists such as Olson. In response to this examples of cases such as amnesia will also be taken into considerationRead MorePersonal Contiguity And Personal Identity736 Words   |  3 PagesPersonal identity is the unique numerical identity of a person in the course of his or her lifetime. Identification is necessary and sufficient conditions under which a person at one time and a person at another tie can be said to the same person, persisting thr ough time. Personal continuity or also called personal persistence in psychology, is the uninterrupted connection that concerns between a particular person of his or her private life and personality. Personal continuity is the property ofRead MorePersonal Identity Essay1292 Words   |  6 PagesThe issue of personal identity is one of the most rudimentary problems in philosophical thought. It can be thought of as the problem of explaining what makes a person at a certain time the same as a person at another time. Although it is generally, among non-philosophers, considered obvious that a person at one point in time is the same person as they progress through life (for example, few would dispute that the James Joyce who wrote Dubliners in 1914 is the same James Joyce that wrote Ulysses inRead MorePersonal Identity, Ethics, Relation, And Rationality1047 Words   |  5 Pagesissues of personal identity, ethics, relation and rationality. Parfit is of the argument that unless questions about identity are dealt with then it is not possible to tackle specific crucial questions like memory, responsibility and matters as survival. Personal identity is important as it helps in addressing certain vital questions. According to Parfit, survival does not require maintaining or preserving of identity but it is a common relation that needs pursuing apart from identity and the relationRead MoreHuman s Personality And Preferences May Change Over Time972 Words   |  4 PagesLocke proposed that consciousness, which is in this case memory is the key to determine identity. In this paper, I would discuss how memory as the mental states grounds the notion of psychological continuity. Raising the problem of circularity in the memory theory, I will explain how to amend the psychological continuity to avoid the problem. At first, philosophers used the same body theory to explain personal identity. They assume that a person at one time is the very same person as a person later ifRead MoreThe Body Theory1247 Words   |  5 Pages The personal identity problem is a philosophical conundrum that asks the question, what makes someone the same over time, or what characterizes the preservation of one’s identity? The term identity does not refer to the type of sameness identical twins have, or quantitative identity, but rather refers to numerical identity, that is for X and Y to be identical, everything possessed by X must also be possessed by Y (Leibniz’s Law). With this in mind, one might say they have the same body as they didRead MorePersonal Identity- Philosphy1036 Words   |  5 PagesIt is easy to see oneself as the same person we were ten, twenty, or fifty years ago. We can define identity through our physical presence, life experiences, memories, and mental awareness of self. One can testify our persistence as a person through our existence as a person. But what makes us the same person? In this paper, I will argue for the â€Å"simple† view of the persistence of identity – that it is impossible to determine what single thing that makes us the same person over time. I will support

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Impact of Scientific Revolution on Physics as an...

THE EFFECT OF SCIENTIFIC EVOLUTION ON PHYSICS AS AN INDEPENDENT FIELD OF STUDY INTRODUCTION The early period of the seventeenth century is known as the â€Å"scientific revolution† for the drastic changes evidenced approach to science . The word â€Å"revolution† connotes a period of turmoil and social upheaval where ideas about the world change severely and a completely new era of academic thought is ushered in. This term, therefore, describes quite accurately what took place in the scientific community following the sixteenth century. During the scientific revolution, medieval scientific philosophy was abandoned in favor of the new methods proposed by Bacon, Galileo, Descartes, and Newton; the importance of experimentation to the scientific†¦show more content†¦The Scientific Revolution outshines everything since the rise of Christianity and reduces the Renaissance and Reformation to the rank of mere episodes, mere internal displacements within the system of medieval Christianity. ITS EFFECT ON PHYSIC The overarching triumph of the Scientific Revolution was the gradual maturation of the scientific method. This period also witnessed the rise of scientific societies, most notably the Royal Society of London and the Acadà ©mie des Sciences of Paris.4 At the core of the Scientific Revolution are four astronomers: Copernicus, then Galileo and Kepler, then Newton. The birth of the Scientific Revolution is often traced to Copernicus, who finally refuted the Ptolemaic model with the first convincing model ofheliocentrism.3 This has earned him the title of father of modern astronomy. In the heliocentric model, the Earth orbits the sun (causing the seasons) and rotates (causing day and night). Yet the model was only gradually accepted, meeting with both scientific and (especially) theological resistance. Theologically, the heliocentric model was considered unacceptable as it diminished Earths apparent importance in the universe. If Copernicus was right, not only was the Earth not at the centre of everything, it was also a tiny ball of matter in the midst of staggeringly vast space. If the Earth is in constant motion around the sun, then at night the stars should appear to be constantlyShow MoreRelatedDiscuss the Roles of Language and Reason in History1311 Words   |  6 Pagesabout the language that is used for such interpretations, the language of power. Truth in history is a dubious concept since any event which involves certain outcomes would be interpreted by a number of experts. The outcomes of the events be it revolutions, wars, or reigns of monarchs and are usually appear in form of facts: toppling of governments, changes in ideologies and laws that societies are to adhere to, development or stagnation of the economy in a given country. These are the facts thatRead MorePsycho logy in Greek Philosophy, Paragraphs1403 Words   |  6 PagesParagraph 1 Many people have contributed to the filed of psychology. Three whom I believe made significant impacts are Socrates, Aristotle and Rene Descartes. In the following section, I will briefly discuss a bit about each individual, and then talk about which of the four archetypes they each fall under based on the information presented. Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher who devoted his life and work to searching for moral good, virtue, and justice. He developed a methodRead MoreJoseph Needham s Impact On The Historiography Of Chinese Science And Technology3648 Words   |  15 PagesJoseph Needham’s impact on the historiography of Chinese Science and Technology (ST), arguing that his great achievements were marred by an East/West comparative approach, and that subsequent historians have only partly overcome these restrictions. His multi-volume Science and Civilization in China (1954-ongoing) single handedly thrust China into the Western-dominated historiography. Organized along the disciplinary lines of modern science, Needham sought to document every scientific concept and technologyRead MoreElectronic Media13295 Words   |  54 PagesNot Just a Matter of Time: Field Differences and the Shaping of Electronic Media in Supporting Scientific Communication Rob Kling Geoffrey McKim April 27, 2000 Indiana University School of Library and Information Science 10th Jordan, Bloomington, IN 47405 USA +1 812 855 5113 kling@indiana.edu, mckimg@indiana.edu Accepted for publication in: Journal of the American Society for Information Science Abstract The shift towards the use of electronic media in scholarly communication appears to be anRead More Physics, Love, and Richard Feynman Essay4935 Words   |  20 PagesPhysics, Love, and Richard Feynman Introduction Physics. Love. These two words sum up the entities that Richard Feynman held most important throughout his entire life. An extraordinary individual, Feynman was able to combine an incredible mind with an incredible personality to achieve ends bordering on the magical. After Feynmans death in 1988, physicist Hans Bethe, paraphrasing the mathematician Mark Kac, spoke of two kinds of geniuses. He explained that the ordinary kind does great thingsRead MoreThe Creation Of Western Civilization2015 Words   |  9 Pagescivilization, however, was also was made obvious right from the start. The Greek’s attention on individuals arose from a slavery based society. The focus on individual rights created both a democratic system and an increase in learning, as well as scientific revolutions that would remain unique until the Renaissance. Adding onto the Greek groundwork, the Romans furthered another significant keystone of Western civilization; the establishment of laws. Through the colla pse of Rome and increasing Germanic barbarianRead MoreThe Evolution Of Science Theory3565 Words   |  15 Pagesnearly impossible to completely grasp science as anything other than a certain phenomenon. Luckily with the evolution of knowledge and the â€Å"founders† of science, we can better understand how things have come to be and if they’ll remain as such. Scientific knowledge has undergone an evolutionary shift starting with triumphalism and arriving at the present-day modern sciences including theories of evolution and an understanding of DNA as a double-helical molecule. Phenomenal pioneers such as AristotleRead MoreA Form Of Geometric Art Invented By The Famous Dutch Artist2670 Words   |  11 Pagesthe students at the Bauhaus were privileged enough to study under these original elementary artists and architects. Walter Gropius, a German-American artist, started referring to the architectural study at the school as a preparation for the life at modern industry . They believed the machine to be their contemporary instrument of design. Craft training helped the students to get an overall experience of their future life in their respective field and also prepared them to be equipped with the necessaryRead MoreComputer Graphics4299 Words   |  18 Pagesprofound impact on many types of media and have revolutionized animation, movies and the video game industry. Overview The term computer graphics has been used in a broad sense to describe almost everything on computers that is not text or sound. Typically, the term computer graphics refers to several different things: †¢ the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer †¢ the various technologies used to create and manipulate images †¢ the images so produced, and †¢ the sub-field of computerRead MoreSchool Of Immunity And Infection7583 Words   |  31 Pageswhat I’ve learned from that. Implementing such teaching in practice – case study and taking teaching concepts into Part 2. One size doesn’t fit all – differences in teaching different size groups Part 4. Marking and examination; Case study – MSc thesis†¦ Part 5. Feedback and improving on it - case study the design of the feeback questionnaire; suggestions for the future†¦ Part 6. Innovation in the class-room – case study with the â€Å"star concept†. Part 7. My plans for the future – becoming a better

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Life of Sammy Free Essays

It’s summer time in the 1960s in this small town located near Boston. The beach is near, the days are hot, and life is boring for a nineteen year old grocery clerk named Sammy. Sammy is a lost and lonely young man, who spent the majority of his work day scrutinizing each and every customer that walked through the door. We will write a custom essay sample on The Life of Sammy or any similar topic only for you Order Now At the very moment he would see them, he would sigh and psychologically pick them apart. Until one day, in walked three young girls wearing bikinis and his bitterness was temporarily put aside.Although immature and ignorant, this young man shows a softer side- sympathy. Throughout this short story, the reader is able to see the various attitudes and emotions of Sammy, who is sick of everyday regular-life, and is desperate for change. Sammy is an immature young man, who hates his job and thinks he knows how to treat customers. His boredom and carelessness at work effect his on-the-job performance: â€Å"I stood there with my hand on a box of HiHo crackers trying to remember if I rang it up or not.I ring it up again and the customer starts giving me hell. † He then goes on to talk about that particular customer to be the type to sit there and wait for him to make an error, then jump all over him when he finally does make a mistake. This is a perfect example of his immaturity. Also, Updike gives subtle hints to his immaturity. He mentions near the end of the story how his mother irons his clothes for work. The way he describes the customers, as barn-yard animals, is very degrading, and could also be related to his hatred for this job.Because he hates his job so much, and is so bored with his surroundings, Sammy has nothing better to do than to analyze every customer, with intricate detail. So one day in walks three young girls wearing nothing but bikinis. Now as you can imagine not much excites Sammy at the AP, so when he feasted his eyes on the girls, he started to pick them apart. Immediately he started observing their most intimate details. He even went as far as giving them their own alias. There was one girl he showed most interest in, he called her â€Å"Queenie. He gave her this name because she appeared to be the leader of the three girls. Another one he called â€Å"plaid,† because of the plaid suit she was wearing- he also called her â€Å"chunky. † And the third one he referred to as â€Å"big tall gooney gooney,† due to her height and what Sammy observed, â€Å"to have the sort of striking features other girls pretend to admire because they know she’s no real competition to them. † To Sammy, other customers are â€Å"witches,† and â€Å"pigs. † In fact, he is so bored at work he even makes a song out of the chimes and noises made by the cash register.This young boy Sammy is still trying to find his place in this world, and seems very lost at times. With the sudden decision to quit, and his mockery of his co-worker, Stokesie. Sammy pokes fun at Stoksie for being married with kids, and said how Stoksie â€Å"thinks he’s going to be manager some sunny day. † Obviously, starting a family and having a manager job is not something that interests Sammy. However, back in the 1960s, it was common to be married with children by the age of 20, and Sammy is nowhere near that.Upon quitting his job, his boss Lengel, reminds him that he is making a bad decision, but he goes through with it. He now has no job and no plans for future employment. Although his immaturity is broadly displayed, Sammy also shows signs of sympathy and resentment as the story goes on. Now, unlike Updike and the other customers, Sammy is not quick to judge the girls. When Lengel scolds the girls for their inappropriate attire, Sammy is immediately displeased and he feels he needs to defend them. He does so by suddenly quitting his job- a desperate attempt to impress the girls.Another display of Sammys sympathetic side is shown when another co-worker, McMahon, is approached by the three girls. The girls ask him a question, he points, they walk away and Sammy remarks, â€Å"all that was left for us to see was old McMahon patting his mouth and looking after them sizing up their joints. Poor kids, I began to feel sorry for them, they couldn’t help it. † Lastly, the point where Sammy leaves the store after quitting, is where we see resentment. Sammy stands in the parking lot gazing inside through the window. His stomach drops and he remarks â€Å"I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter.It was at that point the had realized what he had done, feeling sorry for Lengel, and himself. In conclusion, Sammy has some serious soul searching to do, and he needs to find his place in life. His lack of morals, irresponsibility, and immaturity are effecting him in several ways shown in this story. The way he looks at people- whether he is physically attracted to them or not- needs to drastically change or he will continue to have struggles throughout his life. He must also change his values and what is most important to him if he wants more out of life. How to cite The Life of Sammy, Essays

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Art Of A Short Story Ernest Hemingway Essay Example For Students

The Art Of A Short Story Ernest Hemingway Essay Ernest Miller Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois. His father was the owner of a prosperous real estate business. His father, Dr. Hemingway, imparted to Ernest the importance of appearances, especially in public. Dr. Hemingway invented surgical forceps for which he would not accept money. He believed that one should not profit from something important for the good of mankind. Ernests father, a man of high ideals, was very strict and censored the books he allowed his children to read. He forbad Ernests sister from studying ballet for it was coeducational, and dancing together led to hell and damnation. Grace Hall Hemingway, Ernests mother, considered herself pure and proper. She was a dreamer who was upset at anything which disturbed her perception of the world as beautiful. She hated dirty diapers, upset stomachs, and cleaning house; they were not fit for a lady. She taught her children to always act with decorum. She adored the singing of the birds and the sme ll of flowers. Her children were expected to behave properly and to please her, always. Mrs. Hemingway treated Ernest, when he was a small boy, as if he were a female baby doll and she dressed him accordingly. This arrangement was alright until Ernest got to the age when he wanted to be a gun-toting Pawnee Bill. He began, at that time, to pull away from his mother, and never forgave her for his humiliation. The town of Oak Park, where Ernest grew up, was very old fashioned and quite religious. The townspeople forbad the word virgin from appearing in school books, and the word breast was questioned, though it appeared in the Bible. Ernest loved to fish, canoe and explore the woods. When he couldnt get outside, he escaped to his room and read books. He loved to tell stories to his classmates, often insisting that a friend listen to one of his stories. In spite of his mothers desire, he played on the football team at Oak Park High School. As a student, Ernest was a perfectionist about his grammar and studied English with a fervor. He contributed articles to the weekly school newspaper. It seems that the principal did not approve of Ernests writings and he complained, often, about the content of Ernests articles. Ernest was clear about his writing; he wanted people to see and feel and he wanted to enjoy himself while writing. Ernest loved having fun. If nothing was happening, mischievous Ernest made something happen. He would sometimes use forbidden words just to create a ruckus. Ernest, though wild and crazy, was a warm, caring individual. He loved the sea, mountains and the stars and hated anyone who he saw as a fake. During World War I, Ernest, rejected from service because of a bad left eye, was an ambulance driver, in Italy, for the Red Cross. Very much like the hero of A Farewell to Arms, Ernest is shot in his knee and recuperates in a hospital, tended by a caring nurse named Agnes. Like Frederick Henry, in the book, he fell in love with the nurse and was given a medal for his heroism. Ernest returned home after the war, rejected by the nurse with whom he fell in love. He would party late into the night and invite, to his house, people his parents disapproved of. Ernests mother rejected him and he felt that he had to move from home. He moved in with a friend living in Chicago and he wrote articles for The Toronto Star. In Chicago he met and then married Hadley Richardson. She believed that he should spend all his time in writing, and bought him a typewriter for his birthday. They decided that the best place for a writer to live was Paris, where he could devote himself to his writing. He said, at the time, that the most difficult thing to write about was being a man. They could not live on income from his stories and so Ernest, again, wrote for The Toronto Star. Ernest took Hadley to Italy to show her where he had been during the war. He was devastated, everything had changed, everything was destroyed. Hadley became pregnant and was sick all the time. She and Ernest decided to move to Canada. He had, by then written three stories and ten poems. Hadley gave birth to a boy who they named John Hadley Nicano Hemingway. Even though he had his family Ernest was unhappy and decided to return to Paris. It was in Paris that Ernest got word that a publisher wanted to print his book, In Our Time, but with some changes. The publisher felt that the sex was to blatant, but Ernest refused to change one word. Around 1925, Ernest started writing a novel about a young man in World War I, but had to stop after a few pages, and proceeded to write another novel, instead. This novel was based on his experiences while living in Pamplona, Spain. He planned on calling this book Fiesta, but changed the name to The Sun Also Rises, a saying from the Bible. This book, as in his other books, shows Hemingway obsessed with death. In 1927, Ernest found himself unhappy with his wife and son. They decided to divorce and he married Pauline, a woman he had been involved with while he was married to Hadley. A year later, Ernest was able to complete his war novel which he called A Farewell to Arms. The novel was about the pain of war, of finding love in this time of pain. It portrayed the battles, the retreats, the fears, the gore and the terrible waste of war. This novel was well-received by his publisher, Max Perkins,but Ernest had to substitute dashes for the dirty language. Ernest used his life when he wrote; using everything he did and everything that ever happened to him. He nevertheless remained a private person; wanting his stories to be read but wanting to be left alone. He once said, Dont look at me. Look at my words. A common theme throughout Hemingways stories is that no matter how hard we fight to live, we end up defeated, but we are here and we must go on. At age 31 he wrote Death in the Afternoon, about bullfighting in his beloved Spain. Ernest was a restless man; he traveled all over the United States, Europe, Cuba and Africa. At the age of 37 Ernest met the woman who would be his third wife; Martha Gellhorn, a writer like himself. He went to Spain, he said, to become an antiwar Correspondent, and found that war was like a club where everyone was playing the same game, and he was never lonely. Martha went to Spain as a war correspondent and they lived together. He knew that he was hurting Pauline, but like his need to travel and have new experiences, he could not stop himself from getting involved with women. In 1940 he wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls and dedicated it to Martha, whom he married at the end of that year. He found himself traveling betwe en Havana, Cuba and Ketchum, Idaho, which he did for the rest of his life. During World War II, Ernest became a secret agent for the United States. He suggested that he use his boat, the Pillar, to surprise German submarines and attack them with hidden machine guns. It was at this time that Ernest, always a drinker, started drinking most of his days away. He would host wild, fancy parties and did not write at all during the next three years. At wars end, Ernest went to England and met an American foreign correspondent named Mary Welsh. He divorced Martha and married Mary in Havana, in 1946. Ernest was a man of extremes; living either in luxury or happy to do without material things. Ernest, always haunted by memories of his mother, would not go to her funeral when she died in 1951. He admitted that he hated his mothers guts. Ernest wrote The Old Man and the Sea in only two months. He was on top of the world, the book was printed by Life Magazine and thousands of copies were sold in the United States. This novel and A Farewell to Arms were both made into movies. In 1953 he went on a safari with Mary, and he was in heaven hunting big game. Though Ernest had a serious accident, and later became ill, he could never admit that he had any weaknesses; nothing would stop him, certainly not pain. In 1954 he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Toward the end, Ernest started to travel again, but almost the way that someone does who knows that he will soon die. He suddenly started becoming paranoid and to forget things. He became obsessed with sin; his upbringing was showing, but still was inconsistent in his behavior. He never got over feeling like a bad person, as his father, mother and grandfather had taught him. In the last year of his life, he lived inside of his dreams, similar to his mother, who he hated with all his heart. He was suicidal and had electric shock treatments for his depression and strange behavior. On a Sunday morning, July 2, 1961, Ernest Miller Hem ingway killed himself with a shotgun. Rice Production and Consumption Trends in Negros O EssayErnest Hemingway takes much of the storyline of his novel, A Farewell to Arms, from his personal experiences. The main character of the book, Frederick Henry, often referred to as Tenete, experiences many of the same situations which Hemingway, himself, lived. Some of these similarities are exact while some are less similar, and some events have a completely different outcome. Hemingway, like Henry, enjoyed drinking large amounts of alcohol. Both of them were involved in World War I, in a medical capacity, but neither of them were regular army personnel. Like Hemingway, Henry was shot in his right knee, during a battle. Both men were Americans, but a difference worth noting was that Hemingway was a driver for the American Red Cross, while Henry was a medic for the Italian Army. In real life, Hemingway met his love, Agnes, a nurse, in the hospital after being shot; Henry met his love, Catherine Barkley, also a nurse, before he was shot and hospitalized. In both cases, the relationships with these women were strengthened while the men were hospitalized. Another difference is that Hemingways romance was short-lived, while, the book seemed to indicate that, Henrys romance, though they never married, was strong and would have lasted. In A Farewell to Arms, Catherine and her child died while she was giving birth, this was not the case with Agnes who left Henry for an Italian Army officer. It seems to me that the differences between the two men were only surface differences. They allowed Hemingway to call the novel a work of fiction. Had he written an autobiography the book would probably not have been well-received because Hemingway was not, at that time, a well known author. Although Hemingway denied critics views that A Farewell to Arms was symbolic, had he not made any changes they would not have been as impressed with the war atmosphere and with the naivete of a young man who experiences war for the first time. Hemingway, because he was so private, probably did not want to expose his life to everyone, and so the slight changes would prove that it was not himself and his own experiences which he was writing about. I believe that Hemingway had Catherine and her child die, not to look different from his own life, but because he had a sick and morbid personality. There is great power in being an author, you can make things happen which do not necessarily occur in real life. It is obvious that Hemingway felt, as a young child and throughout his life, powerless, and so he created lives by writing stories. Hemingway acted out his feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness by hunting, drinking, spending lots of money and having many girlfriends. I think that Hemingway was obsessed with death and not too sane. His obsession shows itself in the morbid death of Miss Barkley and her child. Hemingway was probably very confused about religion and sin and somehow felt or feared that people would or s hould be punished for enjoying lifes pleasures. Probably, the strongest reason for writing about Catherine Barkleys death and the death of her child was Hemingways belief that death comes to everyone; it was inevitable. Death ends life before you have a chance to learn and live. He writes, in A Farewell to Arms, They threw you in and told you the rules and the first time they caught you off base they killed you. they killed you in the end. You could count on that. Stay around and they would kill you. Hemingway, even in high school, wrote stories which showed that people should expect the unexpected. His stories offended and angered the principal of his school. I think that Hemingway liked shocking and annoying people; he was certainly rebellious. If he would have written an ending where Miss Barkley and her child had lived, it would have been too easy and common; Hemingway was certainly not like everyone else, and he seemed to be proud of that fact. Even the fact that Hemingway wro te curses and had a lot of sex in his books shows that he liked to shock people. When his publisher asked that he change some words and make his books more acceptable to people, Hemingway refused, then was forced to compromise. I think that the major difference between Hemingway and Henry was hat Henry was a likable and normal person while Hemingway was strange and very difficult. Hemingway liked doing things his way and either people had to accept him the way he was or too bad for them. I think that Hemingway probably did not even like himself and that was one reason that he couldnt really like other people. Hemingway seemed to use people only for his own pleasure, and maybe he wanted to think that he was like Henry who was a nicer person. In the book, Twentieth Century Interpretations of A Farewell to Arms, Malcolm Cowley focuses on the symbolism of rain. He sees rain, a frequent occurrence in the book, as symbolizing disaster. He points out that, at the beginning of A Farewell to Arms, Henry talks about how things went very badly and how this is connected to At the start of the winter came permanent rain. Later on in the book we see Miss Barkley afraid of rain. She says, Sometimes I see me dead in it, referring to the rain. It is raining the entire time Miss Barkley is in childbirth and when both she and her baby die. Wyndham Lewis, in the same book of critical essays, points out that Hemingway is obsessed with war, the setting for much of A Farewell to Arms. He feels that the author sees war as an alternative to baseball, a sport of kings. He says that the war years were a democratic, a levelling, school. For Hemingway, raised in a strict home environment, war is a release; an opportunity to show that he is a real man. The essayist, Edgar Johnson says that for the loner it is society as a whole that is rejected, social responsibility, social concern abandoned. Lieutenant Henry, like Hemingway, leads a private life as an isolated individual. He socializes w ith the officers, talks with the priest and visits the officers brothel, but those relationships are superficial. This avoidance of real relationships and involvement do not show an insensitive person, but rather omeone who is protecting himself from getting involved and hurt. It is clear that in all of Hemingways books and from his own life that he sees the world as his enemy. Johnson says, He will solve the problem of dealing with the world by taking refuge in individualism and isolated personal relationships and sensations. John Killinger says that it was inevitable that Catherine and her baby would die. The theme, that a person is trapped in relationships, is shown in all Hemingways stories. In A Farewell to Arms Catherine asks Henry if he feels trapped, now that she is pregnant. He admits that he does, maybe a little. This idea, points out Killinger, is ingrained in Hemingways thinking and that he was not too happy about fatherhood. In Cross Country Snow, Nick Regrets that he h as to give up skiing in the Alps with a male friend to return to his wife who is having a baby. In Hemingways story Hills Like White Elephants the man wants his sweetheart to have an abortion so that they can continue as they once lived. In To Have and Have Not, Richard Gordon took his wife to that dirty aborting horror. Catherines death, in A Farewell to Arms, saves the authors hero from the hell of a complicated life.