Western Views of Non-Traditional Medicines Essay -- Exploratory Essays

If you walk into any pharmacy, grocery store, or natural foods store, you cannot avoid the shelves and displays of "alternative" remedies and treatments. Promises of fewer aches and pains, clearer skin, slower aging, better digestion, and more "harmonious" body functions are plastered on store walls and across bottle labels with many, often green, pills and liquids. Ginseng, Echinacea, acupuncture, reflexology, antioxidants, Vitamin A, B, C, E... have all become a familiar part of our culture's vocabulary, and for many, a part of their health regime. The allure of treatments that are as simple as a collection of plants or are based on a well-loved substance like garlic are obvious, particularly in an cultural environment where not only medical labels but most food labels seem to be written in a different language, and where people are taught that "science [and medicine] know more about them than they could ever know or understand about themselves"(Beinfield, 24). A full-page advertis ement in the New York Times for the Oxford HMO is an insightful illustration of both public demand of alternative treatments and its current misgivings about Western medical care. In the first paragraph, Oxford says it has redesigned its program to take on a more "physician-responsive, patient-centered approach." Another section begins with the heading, "Alternative Medicine. The Choice is Yours." It goes on to state, "A third of the people we serve already use alternative therapies. Now they have access to the first credentialed network of alternative care practitioners. It includes acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists and nutritionists, to name a few... In traditional health care, specialty care has been focused more on isolated treatmen... ... New York Times. Tuesday, April 1, 1997.   * Website on Chinese Medicine: www.hanwei.com/culture/medic.htm   * Stix, Gary. "Probing Medicine's Outer Reaches." Scientific American. October 1996.   * Website on Alternative Medicine: www.chinaplus.com   * Marshall, Eliot. "The Politics of Alternative Medicine." Science. Vol. 265. Sept. 30, 1994.   * Website on Chinese Medicine: www.europa.com   * Finkelstein, Katherine Eban. "Insuring Children: Health Care Reform Writ Small." The Nation. March 3, 1997.   * Eisenberg, M.D., David, with Thomas Lee Wright. Encounters with Qi: Exploring Chinese Medicine. 1985, New York, W.W. Norton and Company.   * Caudill, M.D., Ph.D., Margaret A.. Foreward, The Web that has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine. Ted Kaptchuk, O.M.D.. 1983, New York, Congdon and Weed.   * Website on Chinese Medicine:www.ccchome.com  

Beethoven 9th Symphony

Ludwig van Beethoven, great music composer, born in December 17, 1770 in Bonn Germany, and died in March 26, 1827 in Vienna. He was interested in music at a very young age. He grew up in a family where his father was a musician but he had drinking problem, and his mother was gentle loving care person. Beethoven claimed his mother as his best friend. When Beethoven took interest in music, his father taught him music day and night and how to play an instrument. He gave his first concert when he was 6 years old. Without a doubt, the child was gifted and his father Johann envisioned creating a new Mozart, a child prodigy. The musical and teaching talents of Johann were limited therefore, he hired teachers and musicians; composition by renowned musician such as Gottlob Neefe.In 1782, before the age of 12, Beethoven published his first work, 9 Variations in C Minor for piano on a march by Earnst Christoph Dressler. The following year, in 1783, Neefe wrote in the Magazine of Music, about hi s student. â€Å"If he continues like this, he will be, without a doubt, the new Mozart.† His mom passed away on July 17th 1787 only five year after this. Beethoven felt that he was responsible of his two brothers because of irresponsible drunk father.He started earning money by playing instrument in orchestra and giving music lessons. In 1792, Beethoven start working under Austrian wonderful composer Joseph Hyden in Vienna. By the 1800’s his compositions established him Mozart successor. He had an amazing currier as composer and pianist. He composed, he wrote music for himself. Sadly, when he started to lose his hearing his musical style changed but still he created some of his amazing masterpieces. From 1802 to 1814 he composed some masterpieces like Appassionata Sonata, and his only opera Fidelio.In 1815 when his brother died he had to adopt his brother’s son and dealing with all the legal matters affected his work to slow down tremendously. His nephew wasnâ €™t talented in music like himself as he hoped for. Unfortunately, by 1819 he was completely deaf but his composing was not at all. He composed quite of few symphonies including his 9th symphony after losing his hearing. The only difference was he start to compose for others.Beethoven’s 9th symphony 4th movement is very important because it is the longest (over 1 hour), and the largest (by instrumentation) symphony ever written at its time, and still today one of the longest ever. It took  Beethoven to complete six years to finish the symphony and it was finished in 1824. It is famously known as â€Å"Ode to Joy†. It premiered on Friday, May 7, in the Karntnerthortheater in Vienna. Another important fact about Symphony No 9th and 4th movement is Beethoven was the first composer to include the human voice at the same level as the instruments.Beethoven had long been completely deaf when he composed it, but still conducted the premiere performance back then. When th e piece ended, Beethoven, being deaf, was still conducting, the soprano soloist turned him around to accept his applause. Beethoven's â€Å"Ode to Joy† was adopted as the European National Anthem in 1972. It’s text written by An Die Freude.Instrumentation for the symphony was the largest of back then. The performing forces required and how they are used Beethoven’s 9th symphony 4th movement has the largest forces by instrumentation at its time and still to this day it is the longest symphony.Orchestra had these forces: Woodwinds are; Piccolo (fourth movement only), 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in A, B-flat and C, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon (fourth movement only). Brass: 2 Horns (1 and 2) in D and B-flat, 2 Horns (3 and 4) in B-flat (bass), B-flat and E-flat, 2 Trumpets in D and B-flat, 3 Trombones (alto, tenor, and bass; fourth movements only).Percussion: Timpani, Bass drum (fourth movement only), Triangle (fourth movement only), Cymbals (fourth movement only). Voices ( fourth movement only); Soprano solo, Alto solo, Tenor solo, Baritone solo, SATB Choir (Tenor briefly divides). Strings; Violins I, II, Violas, Cellos, Double basses.Beethoven’s original idea was to make 9th symphony instrumental but his desire to put human voice into the symphony did not come until the fourth movement. As to the finale he had sketched an instrumental fourth Movement that he decided to gratify his lifelong desire to set Schiller's Ode to Joy to music. Beethoven selected only certain verses from Schiller's Ode, and even altered the order of these, thus affirming his right to exercise his own judgment and single out only that which suited his. It had no less than three different choral groups combine into one fiercely profound powerhouse of sound.There was a conflict about the form of Beethoven’s final movement on 9th symphony. He found it difficult to suddenly introduce a chorus of voices after a long instrumental symphony; it was simply out of place.Briefly, the movement begins with an outraged, confused, flurry of sound; then a restatement of the prior three movements, each interrupted and rejected by instrumental recitative. If we go little bit more in detail; in the beginning flurry of instruments (dissonant too) than the cellos and basses play dramatic recitative. It follows themes from the three prior movements’ plays but quickly basses and cellos interrupts. Now, new theme begins but hesitant.Again, minor protest from the bases and cellos. Other instruments join in, which lead to a triumphant statement of the theme in D Major. Beethoven replays the opening of the finale. This time, though, the human voice replaces the cello and basses. The human voice is solo baritone voice. Then exquisite choral-orchestral exposition on Schiller’s Ode to Joy engages in four stanzas. Then Turkish March takes the lead like hero marching to victory. This march then leads to a long orchestral interlude, then to a fugue o n two themes. This leads to a an overpowering full orchestral-choral development.A display of the male and female choruses is sung in an almost meditative, prayer-like way, starting from Seid umschlungen Millionen!, or Be embraced, all ye Millions! As for the ending, I think David Wright puts it the right way; ponders the mystery and beauty of divine grace. Then everybody goes all-out to the joyous and thrilling close.†

Midsummer Nights Dream-- Rationality vs. Irrationality Essay

Society today encourages rationality in nearly every situation. That being said, irrational behavior is tolerated today as much as it was in the time of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. One does not have to go far to realize this fact – consider the reality television shows today (ex. Jersey Shore, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Bachelor, etc.) The reason behind the popularity of these ridiculous shows is quite simple: people find entertainment in watching others make fools out of themselves! Shakespeare was quite aware of this in his writing of Midsummer, with the characterization of Helena, the absurd quarreling between Oberon and Titania, and the foolish love of Hermia and Lysander. Before going any further, perhaps it†¦show more content†¦So, basically, Helena is encouraged by Demetrius’s insults and threats. This example proves how her thoughts and actions are irrational in every way, but can be quite humorous to Shakespeare†™s audience. Another conflict that shows the contrast between rationality and irrationality is the relationship dynamics of Titania and Oberon, the queen and king of the fairies. They are both extremely stubborn and selfish, which causes a disturbance in the typical weather patterns of their realm. In spite of their responsibility to ensure the well-being of the forest, they argue over foolish things-especially over the Indian boy that Titania has been raising. Oberon decides he cannot be happy unless he has the boy for himself, and resorts to desperate measures to get his way. In this case, irrationality wins against rationality. Rather than working through his marriage problems with Titania, Oberon sends Puck to put a potion on Titania’s eye, which makes her fall in love with the first thing she sees. This conspiracy allows Oberon to snatch away the child while Titania is distracted. Although the marriage worked out in the end, it is based on the deception of a desperate husband who wanted his way. As with many infatuated young lovers, Hermia