DOCSLIB.ORG

This Thesis Has Been Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for a Postgraduate Degree (E.G

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
This Thesis Has Been Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for a Postgraduate Degree (E.G This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: • This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. • A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. • This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. • The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. • When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. The moral theory of Thomas Traherne, with special attention to the pro-formative role of nature in the moral formation of children by Rev. Chad M. Rimmer M.Th., University of Edinburgh, School of Divinity (2010) M.Div., Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (2003) B.Sc. (Biology and Chemistry), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1999) Doctor of Philosophy Submitted to New College, School of Divinity in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Edinburgh 2014 Thesis Abstract In the mid seventeenth century, Thomas Traherne claimed human beings must retire into creation in order to fully know the virtues, including goodness, peaceableness and care. In this thesis I review Traherne's moral theory in light of recently discovered manuscripts of his work. For Traherne, because God's Divine goodness is the efficient cause of creation, creatures are naturally good. He uses Paracelsian optic and atomic theories to indicate how creatures communicate their goodness to one another. By retiring among creatures in their natural place, he argues that persons create a relational theatre in which they develop their capacity to sense creaturely communication. In this 'communion' persons perceive their mutual 'interest' with creatures in the relational nexus of creation. This knowledge provides motivation for 'blessed operations' of care for persons and creation. Because the human relationship to other creatures is morally significant, retiring among creation is a critical part of Christian moral formation. For Traherne this sensual engagement with a relational creation is necessary in the moral formation of children, who apprehend nature with their senses. Their innate wonder equips them to form their moral identity in relationship to a peaceable, caring creation. Traherne's account of the role of nature in moral development raises significant pedagogical questions in an age when scientific knowledge and the senses were increasingly disassociated from moral reasoning. For Traherne an education that denies the role of the senses in moral formation 'murders' the child by distracting her attention from the virtues of peace and mutuality that are present in creation. In conversation with phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty, child psychologists Colwyn Trevarthen and Darcia Narvaez, and educational philosophers David Carr and Carol Gilligan, this thesis demonstrates the contemporary significance of Traherne's claims. Through the wonder of play, contact with the natural environment helps children develop an 'ecological' identity based on their relationship to other creatures. The perception of care in these early relationships is the basis for forming an inter-subjective moral identity and the virtues of care. Many 'care' ethicists and psychologists emphasize the early experiences of care taking. Environmental educators emphasize the caring relationship to creation. Hence they give substance to Traherne's claim that play, wonder and a sensory relationship with other creatures at an early age contribute to the formation of moral identity. Traherne's ideas also have pedagogical implications for theories of Christian moral formation. Theologians and ethicists, such as Rowan Williams, Michael Northcott and John Inge, have suggested place-based programmes of moral formation are needed in the parish context. This thesis demonstrates that Traherne's moral theory provides a rationale for understanding the theological significance of a child's natural wonder and the need for its cultivation in programmes of Christian education. A relationship to the local ecology of the parish can help a child perceive the care of creation, and play a pro- formative role in developing a moral identity in relationship to a caring Creator. I declare that this thesis is the product of my own original work, carried out for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Edinburgh, and has not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification. Rev Chad M. Rimmer, 21 January, 2014 To Paul Michael and Luke May you always follow the whispering instinct of nature to become as a little child, renewing your infant eye so that you will never become a stranger to the shining skies. May you always play among the creatures who minister to you, wonder at the Creator who teaches you that you are cared for in all creation, and, being sensible of God's mercies, feel your duty to be a friend of God in the universe. Acknowledgements I want to acknowledge those people who have accompanied me through the completion of this thesis. Thomas Traherne is first among them. In a time of war and shifting paradigms, he saw the beatific vision of the Creator's peace that is woven into creation. I thank him for sharing that vision with us in prose and poetry, and for being an inspiring witness among the communion of saints. I am also thankful to those Traherne scholars who have gone before me. Specifically I want to thank Dr Denise Inge and Dr James Balakier for graciously sharing thoughts, emails, electronic copies of various resources, and the general encouragement to join this small but inspired group of Traherne devotees. I thank Dr Robbie Nicol of the Moray House Institute, School of Education for his time and willingness to talk about things related to phenomenology and the pedagogical implications for environmental education. I thank my friend and future colleague Jeremy Kidwell for hours of mutual reflection, critique, and encouragement over coffee at St. Giles. I thank Jennifer for being willing to patiently edit her little brother's thoughts with eagle eyes. I thank Professor Jolyon Mitchell and Dr Rowan Williams for dedicating their time to engage my research and discuss my contribution to our field, especially during Lord Williams' Giffords Lectures. For the depth of your expertise and faithful encouragement I will forever be grateful. I want to particularly thank Professor Michael Northcott. I came to Scotland believing that our relationship to creation is an important part of our pursuit of peace. He helped me cultivate that passion into research by inviting me to work in this field that he has faithfully and masterfully tended for decades. When I would produce a paper or chapter that was not well ripened he would insist that I start over with better questions so that I could bear the fruit of theological ethics. I am incredibly grateful to my supervisor for his patient teaching. But I am also thankful to him as a fellow priest and friend who shared his home, his faith, his time and his garden for these years. Finally, I wish to thank my wife, Natalie, and my two sons, Paul Michael and Luke. They were willing to sacrifice so much for this project. I thank them for their patience while I spent so much time huddled in the corner at my desk. I pray that they are blessed with all the felicity, love, joy and peace that I receive from our life together. I thank them for tending the garden as a family, and turning the natural wonder of Arthur's Seat into our playground. In so doing, they constantly remind me what this thesis is all about. List of Traherne's Works and Short Titles Ethicks Christian Ethicks (Cornell University Press, 1968) Roman Forgeries Roman Forgeries, Or, a True Account of False Records Discovering the Impostures and Counterfeit Antiquities of the Church of Rome / By a Faithful Son of the Church of England. (1673) (London, 1673) The Church's Year-book The Works of Thomas Traherne: Church’s Year-book, Meditations and Devotions from the Resurrection to All Saints’ Day, A Serious and Parenthetical Contemplation of the Mercies of God, in Several Most Devout and Sublime Thanksgivings for the Same. (Meditations on the Six Days of Creation), ed. by Jan Ross (D.S. Brewer, 2009) Commentaries The Works of Thomas Traherne: Commentaries of Heaven. Al-sufficient to Bastard, ed. by Jan Ross (D.S. Brewer, 2007) Inducements to Retirednes The Works of Thomas Traherne: Inducements to Retirednes; A Sober View of Dr Twisses, His Considerations; Seeds of Eternity, or, The Nature of the Soul; The Kingdom of God, ed. by Jan Ross (DS Brewer, 2005) A Sober View The Works of Thomas Traherne: Inducements to Retirednes; A Sober View of Dr Twisses, His Considerations; Seeds of Eternity, or, The Nature of the Soul; The Kingdom of God, ed. by Jan Ross (DS Brewer, 2005) Seeds of Eternity The Works of Thomas Traherne: Inducements to Retirednes; A Sober View of Dr Twisses, His Considerations; Seeds of Eternity, or, The Nature of the Soul; The Kingdom of God, ed. by Jan Ross (DS Brewer, 2005) Kingdom The Works of Thomas Traherne: Inducements to Retirednes; A Sober View of Dr Twisses, His Considerations; Seeds of Eternity, or, The Nature of the Soul; The Kingdom of God, ed. by Jan Ross (DS Brewer, 2005) Centuries Thomas Traherne: Centuries, Poems, and Thanksgivings, Volume I, ed. by Herschel Maurice Margoliouth (Clarendon Press, 1958) Poems and Thanksgivings Thomas Traherne: Centuries, Poems, and Thanksgivings, Vol.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Reptile Brain, Mammal Heart and (Sometimes Perplexing) Mind of the Juror: Toward a Triune Trial Strategy
    THE JURY EXPERT The Reptile Brain, Mammal Heart and (Sometimes Perplexing) Mind of the Juror: Toward a Triune Trial Strategy Jill P. Holmquist Jill Holmquist, J.D. is a trial consultant and President of Forensic Anthropology, Inc. (“FAI”) where she works with Dr. Martin Q. Peterson, one of the pioneers in trial consulting. She is also an attorney licensed in California and Nebraska. FAI provides trial consulting services nationally for plaintiff and defense counsel in cases that range from personal injury suits to complex business transactions and patent infringement suits. In our quest to perfect our trial skills and improve outcomes, lawyers and trial consultants have, for at least 30 years, turned to science. Our understanding of it is incomplete and our implementation imperfect, yet we make progress. But sometimes our incomplete knowledge does a disservice, as does the treatment of the triune brain in David Ball and Don Keenan’s Reptile: The 2009 Manual of The Plaintiff’s Revolution. In the Reptile Manual, the authors frame trial strategy in terms of reptilian survival. Why? Because, they say, (a) jurors see you, plaintiffs’ counsel, “as a menace to their survival”;1 (b) “it is too late to respond with logic alone or even with emotion”;2 and, therefore, (c) to prevail, plaintiffs’ attorneys must frame their cases to activate jurors’ reptilian survival mode.3 In Ball and Keenan’s approach, your (the attorney’s) survival is at stake because jurors think you threaten their survival; therefore, you need to show jurors that the defense is the real threat. You need not be in terror mode, but otherwise the reptilian angle is not a bad trial strategy, but it is a one-dimensional strategy.
    [Show full text]
  • Citations for Scales Included in the Measuring Morality Survey Last
    Citations for Scales included in the Measuring Morality Survey Last updated 1-9-13 Note that (almost) all scales are either a) scales in development, or b) shortened versions of published scales. Any scale that was shortened was modified by the scholar who suggested its inclusion on the survey. Citations are typically to the full- versions of these scales. Thus in publications it may be appropriate to refer to these scales as “modified” versions of the scale to avoid confusion with the full versions. Below are citations for each item on the survey. Blanks indicate items for which we currently have no citation information. Cosmopolitanism Identity Measures Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire, Short-Form Plante, Thomas G., and Marcus T. Boccaccini. 1997. “The Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire.” Pastoral Psychology 45(5):375–387. Plante, Thomas G., Charlotte L. Vallaeys, Allen C. Sherman, and Kenneth A. Wallston. 2002. “The Development of a Brief Version of the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire.” Pastoral Psychology 50(5):359–368. The Rational/Experiential Inventory Moral Relativism Ethics Position Questionnaire Items are taken from the relativism scale of the Ethics Position Questionnaire. Forsyth, Donelson R. 1980. “A Taxonomy of Ethical Ideologies.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 39(1):175–184. Lakoff Scales Wehling, Elisabeth, Matthew Feinberg, Laura Saslow, Ingrid Melvaer, and George Lakoff. n.d. “A Moral House Divided: How Idealized Parenting Values Explain Political Ideology.” Dispositional Positive Emotion Scale Shiota, Michelle N., Dacher Keltner, and Oliver P. John. 2006. “Positive emotion dispositions differentially associated with Big Five personality and attachment style.” The Journal of Positive Psychology 1(2):61–71.
    [Show full text]
  • PSY4010 Issues in Psychotherapy Theology Integration
    Course Syllabus PSY 4010 Issues in Psychotherapy-Theology Integration Fall 2020 Wednesday's 4:00-7:50pm Semester Units: 3 Instructor: G. Michael Leffel, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology Office hours by appointment OfficePhone: (619) 849-2278 E-mail: [email protected] COURSE DESCRIPTIONAND DESIGN The catalog describes this course as follows: This foundational course clarifies key issues in human nature and prepares the student for developing a worldview that is consistent with their theological and spiritual orientation. It is a detailed study of issues in the integration of theological insights and psychotherapy approaches within the therapeutic setting. The purpose of each class session is to highlight selected topics from the required readings and to supplement this material with related ideas. Students are responsible for all assigned readings, whether or not discussed in class. A "graduate style" discussion format will be used in the course. Each student is expected to have read the assigned readings for class discussion (course Schedule below), and be prepared to think together about the readings in class. COURSE REQUIREMENTSAND EVALUATION A. Weekly Attendance 50 pts Each week's attendance is worth (approx.) 3 pts. B. Weekly Reading Reflections180 pts Graded 0-10 on completeness and thoughtfulnessof your reflection. This is a substantial portion of your grade. Please followdirections on Reading Reflections for when and how to submit forfull credit. C. Essay Mid-Term Exam 150 pts Take home Mid-Term Type-as-You-Read Exam (discussed in class). D. Final Project (Exam) 60 pts You will submit to CANVASyour final project ( exam) afterThanksgiving Break. USE OF TECHNOLOGY In order to be successful in the online environment, you'll need to meet the minimum technology and system requirements; please refer to the Technology and System Requirements information.
    [Show full text]
  • Beauty in the Theological Vision of Thomas Traherne
    Durham E-Theses Divine Allurement: Beauty in the Theological Vision of Thomas Traherne MERRILL, DAVID,LOWELL How to cite: MERRILL, DAVID,LOWELL (2017) Divine Allurement: Beauty in the Theological Vision of Thomas Traherne , Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/12399/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Divine Allurement Beauty in the Theological Vision of Thomas Traherne By David Merrill Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy At the University of Durham Department of Theology and Religion 2017 i Abstract Through an in-depth exploration of his literary theory, doctrine of creation, anthropology and doctrine of sanctification, this thesis examines the essential role that beauty plays in the theological vision of Thomas Traherne. Through an analysis of Traherne’s poetry and prose, Chapter 1 identifies the purposive nature of Traherne’s literary output to be one of allurement.
    [Show full text]
  • Darcia Narvaez Curriculum Vitae, August 2020 Professor of Psychology Emerita University of Notre Dame ______
    Darcia Narvaez Curriculum Vitae, August 2020 Professor of Psychology Emerita University of Notre Dame _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Office Address: Home: 362 Corbett Family Hall 5322 Brookdale Drive University of Notre Dame South Bend, IN 46637 Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Phone: 574-243-7874 Office Phone: 574-631-7835; FAX: 574-631-8883 [email protected] Websites: https://sites.nd.edu/darcianarvaez/ ; www.DarciaNarvaez.com ; www.EvolvedNest.org EDUCATION University of Northern Colorado (Greeley, Colorado) B.A. cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa Honors, 1976 Majors: Music and Spanish; Minor: Psychology Luther Northwestern Seminary (St. Paul, Minnesota) Master of Divinity, 1984 University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Educational Psychology: Psychological Foundations Ph.D., 1993 Minor: Cognitive Science PRIMARY POSITIONS Primary and Secondary Teacher (music), Brent School, Baguio City, Philippines 1977-1978 Primary and Secondary Teacher (music), Roseville, Minnesota 1978-1979 Organist, Peace Lutheran Church, Lauderdale, Minnesota 1978-1995 Business Owner and Teacher, E-Span Language Services, St. Paul, Minnesota 1984-1987 Human Resource Developer, Minnesota Migrant Council, St. Paul, Minnesota 1985 Program Coordinator, Hispanic Motivation Program, 1985-1986 Hispanic Women's Development Corporation (in cooperation with the College of St. Catherine), St. Paul, Minnesota Secondary Teacher (Spanish), The Blake School, Hopkins, Minnesota 1986-1990 Center for the Study of Ethical Development,
    [Show full text]
  • Étude D'une Composante Motivationnelle Des Valeurs
    Sanctionner l'auteur d'une transgression : ´etuded'une composante motivationnelle des valeurs morales S´ebastienM´etayer To cite this version: S´ebastienM´etayer. Sanctionner l'auteur d'une transgression : ´etuded'une composante motiva- tionnelle des valeurs morales. Psychologie. Universit´eRen´eDescartes - Paris V, 2014. Fran¸cais. <NNT : 2014PA05H113>. <tel-01127024> HAL Id: tel-01127024 https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01127024 Submitted on 6 Mar 2015 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destin´eeau d´ep^otet `ala diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publi´esou non, lished or not. The documents may come from ´emanant des ´etablissements d'enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche fran¸caisou ´etrangers,des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou priv´es. Université Paris Descartes Institut de Psychologie Ecole Doctorale « Cognition, Comportements, Conduites Humaines » (ED 261) Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale : Menaces et Société (EA 4471) Sanctionner l’auteur d’une transgression Etude d’une composante motivationnelle des valeurs morales Sébastien Métayer Thèse de Doctorat présentée pour l’obtention du grade de Docteur en Psychologie Directrice Pr. Farzaneh Pahlavan, Université Paris Descartes Rapporteurs Pr. Peggy Chekroun, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense Pr. Juan-Manuel Falomir, Université de Genève Résumé En fixant des normes et des interdits, les valeurs morales participent du bon fonctionnement d’un groupe ou d’une société (Haidt & Kesebir, 2010 ; Janoff-Bulman, Sheikh, & Hepp, 2009). Lorsqu’une norme sociale ou morale est transgressée, l’individu est parfois pris du désir de sanctionner l’auteur de la transgression, même s’il n’en a pas lui- même souffert les conséquences (Chekroun & Brauer, 2008 ; Fehr & Fischbacher, 2004).
    [Show full text]
  • Moral Identity and the Development of Moral Character
    Provided for non-commercial research and educational use only. Not for reproduction, distribution or commercial use. This chapter was originally published in the book The Psychology of Learning and Motivation, Vol 50, published by Elsevier, and the attached copy is provided by Elsevier for the author's benefit and for the benefit of the author's institution, for non- commercial research and educational use including without limitation use in instruction at your institution, sending it to specific colleagues who know you, and providing a copy to your institution’s administrator. All other uses, reproduction and distribution, including without limitation commercial reprints, selling or licensing copies or access, or posting on open internet sites, your personal or institution’s website or repository, are prohibited. For exceptions, permission may be sought for such use through Elsevier's permissions site at: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/permissionusematerial From: Darcia Narvaez and Daniel K. Lapsley, Moral Identity, Moral Functioning, and the Development of Moral Character. In Daniel M. Bartels, Christopher W. Bauman, Linda J. Skitka, and Douglas L. Medin, editors, The Psychology of Learning and Motivation, Vol 50, Burlington: Academic Press, 2009, pp.237-274. ISBN: 978-0-12-374488-3 © Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. Academic Press. Author's personal copy CHAPTER EIGHT Moral Identity, Moral Functioning, and the Development of Moral Character Darcia Narvaez and Daniel K. Lapsley Contents 1. Introduction 238 2. Moral Self-Identity 239 2.1. Ethical Theory and Moral Development 239 2.2. Blasi on Moral Identity 241 2.3. Personality Theory 243 3. Development of Moral Self-Identity 248 3.1.
    [Show full text]
  • A Multi-Level Model of Moral Thinking Based on Neuroscience and Moral Psychology
    Psychology Research, ISSN 2159-5542 D November 2011, Vol. 1, No. 5, 328-339 DAVID PUBLISHING A Multi-level Model of Moral Thinking Based on Neuroscience and Moral Psychology Changwoo Jeong Hye Min Han Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea Stanford University School of Education, Stanford, USA Developments in neurobiology are providing new insights into the biological and physical features of human thinking, and brain-activation imaging methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging have become the most dominant research techniques to approach the biological part of thinking. With the aid of neurobiology, there also have been several studies on the biological processes of human moral thinking in moral psychology. For instance, some researchers have tried to discover patterns of brain activation when a person copes with moral dilemmas. In this paper, the authors suggest the level-structure of moral thinking from the most abstract level to the most biological-physical level and reductionism in the philosophy of science is introduced as a framework for analysis. Moreover, with the level-based structural approach and framework of reductionism, this paper tries to discover the practical value of our model for moral development and education. Keywords: moral thinking, moral psychology, moral development, neuroscience, reductionism, philosophy of science Introduction Developments in neuroscience and imaging technology have led to new discoveries in how the brain is activated. For instance, fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) enables us to understand which part of the brain is activated when it is stimulated by outer sensory signals. Moral psychology, which investigates human functioning in moral contexts, is also affected by new trends in technological advancement (Narvaez & Vaydich, 2008).
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction [To Cultivating Virtue: Perspectives from Philosophy, Theology, and Psychology] Nancy E
    Marquette University e-Publications@Marquette Philosophy Faculty Research and Publications Philosophy, Department of 1-1-2014 Introduction [to Cultivating Virtue: Perspectives from Philosophy, Theology, and Psychology] Nancy E. Snow Marquette University, [email protected] Published version. "Introduction," in Cultivating Virtue: Perspectives from Philosophy, Theology, and Psychology. Ed. Nancy E. Snow. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014: 1-16. Publisher Link. © 2014 Oxford University Press. Used with permission. Introduction he last thirty years have seen a resurgence of interest in virtue in Anglo-American philosophy. Virtue ethics, an approach to norma­ Ttive theory that focuses on the character of the agent, has estab­ lished itself as a legitimate alternative to consequentialism and deontology.' Work elucidating theories of virtue within these competing traditions has also moved forward.' Despite the rising interest in virtue, however, little attention has been paid to the question of how virtue is developed' This volume aims to address that gap in the literature. It is a collection of mostly new essays solicited from philosophers, psychologists, and theologians, ali in the forefront of research on virtue.4 Each of their contributions focuses on some aspect of virtue development, either by highlighting virtue culti­ vation within distinctive traditions of psyc hological, ethical, or religious thought, by taking a developmental perspective to yield fresh insights into criticisms of virtue ethics, or by examining the science that explains virtue development. Russell and Driver investigate virtue cultivation or problems associated with it from Aristotelian and utilitarian perspectives, the latter focusing on sentimentalist virtue development, a theme taken up by Slote. Cureton and Hill and Swanton explore self-improvement, the former from a Kantian vantage point) the latter with an eye toward offering solutions to the problems of self-centeredness and virtue ethical right action.
    [Show full text]
  • The Metaphysical Poets Were Men of Learning and to Show Their Learning Was Their Chief Object
    ENGLISH (HONS.) PART-I PAPER-I ABHAY KUMAR CHAUBEY MP COLLEGE, MOHANIA Q- Write about The Metaphysical School of Poet Or The Revival of Metaphysical Poetry Ans- Metaphysical poetry owes its origin in the Jacobean age. Donne is the founder of the Metaphysical school of poetry, who led the revolt against the conventional poetry of the Spenserians. Donne was the leaving force in the rise of the style and its most consistent and extreme adherent. Metaphysical poetry began in the Jacobean age, in the last of the age of Shakespeare. Donne was the leader and founder of the metaphysical school of poetry. The Metaphysical poets were men of learning and to show their learning was their chief object. In Metaphysical poetry we come across obscure and recondite refrences and the vast learning is twisted in such a manner that it becomes very difficult for a reader to follow what the poet really intends to say. Metaphysical poetry was purely intellectual and made an appeal to the intellectuals. Donne was the great Metaphysical poet who taught his followers to indulge in conceits and witticism in poetry, conceit is an instrument by which a metaphysical poet reveals his wit. Conceit is a literary term which means a strained or far fetched comparison of literary figure. Conceits were also employed by Elizabethan poets and dramatist but those were commonly in the nature of ornamentation. Most of the metaphysical are often called mystical poets. In the poetry of Donne, Herbert, Crashaw, Vaughan and Traherne there is an expression of a communion with God. The Elizabethan style of poetry was clear.
    [Show full text]
  • Triune Ethics Theory
    TRIUNE ETHICS THEORY Triune Ethics Theory: The neurobiological roots of our multiple moralities (2008) (PDF). IN WORD Triune Ethics Moral Identities are Shaped by Attachment, Personality Factors and Influence Moral Behavior (ppt) Also see: Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and Wisdom (Narvaez; W.W. Norton, 2014) PLUS More published papers to download at the bottom of the page Triune Ethics Theory (TET) is a psychological theory developed to meet three goals. First, it attempts to harvest critical findings from neurobiology, affective neuroscience, and cognitive science and to integrate them into moral psychology for the purpose of informing psychological research on the moral life of persons. In contrast to dominant theories that focus on top-down, deliberative reasoning (e.g., Kohlberg), TET is a bottom-up theory that focuses on motivational orientations which are sculpted by unconscious emotional systems that predispose one to react to and act on events in particular ways. Second, it seeks to explain differences in moral functioning through a person by context interaction. Individuals differ in early emotional experiences that influence personality formation and behavior in context, while at the same time situations can evoke particular reactions which vary with personality. Third, it suggests the initial conditions for optimal human moral development. Here are descriptions of the three ethics and THEIR SUBTYPES (Summer 2010): Security, Safety or Self-Protectionist Ethic The extrapyramidal action nervous system (Panksepp, 1998) fosters basic survival and relates to territoriality, imitation, deception, struggles for power, maintenance of routine and following precedent (MacLean, 1990). When threat arises, the Security ethic tends to take charge, seeing what is advantageous for the self to adapt to and survive intact.
    [Show full text]
  • Merton and Traherne: the Two Thomases
    9 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS Merton and Traherne: The Two Thomases CANON A .M . 'DONALD' ALLCHIN N THINKING OF WHAT I WOULD SAY THIS EVENING I HAD A DILEMMA. I I wondered whether to speak in very general terms, Merton and the new millennium; or Merton and the spiritual and theological situation of our Post-Modernist age; or perhaps a little more particularly Merton in relationship, I believe a potentially very fruitful relationship, to the current of theological and spiritual writing which is emerging here in Britain, a current which is sometimes described in terms of generous orthodoxy. That is a current which as far as Anglicans are concerned can be represented above all by the work of two outstanding theologians, one an Irish layman from Dublin, and the other a Welsh archbishop from Swansea; David Ford, Regius Professor at Cambridge and Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Wales, one of our keynote speakers in our conference two years ago. It is perhaps particularly good for the English amongst us to recognise that Anglican and English are not necessarily synonymous! But the more I thought about it the more I decided to avoid generalities, we have had too many of them in the turn of the millennium; and instead to concentrate on a few minute particulars, and in particular on one quite narrow topic, Merton's attitude to and indebtedness to some of the classical Anglican writers of the seventeenth century. No-one could pretend that these classical writers bulk large in Merton's work. Of course he had had some knowledge of the poets of the period from his student days at Columbia when, not unexpectedly, he had been particularly drawn to John Donne and Richard Crashaw.
    [Show full text]