Silas Marner Major Themes

Major Themes Class Silas Marner centers around two households, Marner's cottage by the stone-pits and the Cass manor, the Red House. These two settings represent class extremes, and the people of Raveloe know it. The cottage is the ramshackle abode of the lowliest member of Raveloe society; the manor is a sprawling home filled with gentry and a location for dances. Rather than set an impermeable boundary between these two worlds, Eliot stages many intersections between the two households. Dunstan Cass, who is a member of the moneyed class, enters Marner's home looking for money. Silas Marner, lowly and miserable, raises aSquire's granddaughter as his own child. Godfrey Cass, though he owns Marner's cottage at the end of the novel, is actually in the weaver's debt. These are just a few instances of the permeability of class boundaries in the novel. In Raveloe, strict boundaries of class do not necessarily lead to greater happiness among the higher classes. Indeed, those with money-or those who are supposed to have money-tend to be the most harried and corrupt characters, such as Dunstan, Godfrey, and even Silas before Eppie. The person most oppressed by circumstances in Silas Marner is perhaps Godfrey Cass, who finds himself at the ercy of a lower-class wife, who fails to have children of his own, and who ends up envying the bond of a lowly weaver and his daughter. Silas Marner and Eppie, on the other hand, though they do not have status or wealth, have power over the Casses and seem to enjoy unmitigated happiness. The Rainbow tavern and the church in Raveloe also serve as places where class differences are evident. The Rainbow becomes quite a different place when the â€Å"gentles† are having a dance; during these times (in Chapter Six, for instance), the lesser villagers, like Mr. Macey, reign over the Rainbow, telling stories all the while about the anded members of society. At the church, the important members of society sit in assigned seats at the f ront of the church while the rest of the villagers sit behind them and watch. In both these places, although everyone recognizes the status difference between the common villagers and the gentry, this difference does not seem to be a problem in Raveloe. The lower classes have not been fed the broth of revolt; they seem quite content. Meanwhile, the upper classes are not oppressive or cruel slave drivers like their factory- owning counterparts. In fact, the gentry rely upon the villagers to sincerely appreciate their mportance and value in the town. It is Mr. Macey, not Mr. Lammeter, who celebrates the history of the Warrens. And without the respectful, watching eyes of the villagers, the front-row seats in church would have less dignity. Thus, Silas Marner tends to represent class differences with historical accuracy. Eliot seems drawn to this pre-industrial era, when there was an easygoing class hierarchy in country towns. Compare the relatively class- indifferent respect that is s hown in Raveloe to the horrible factory in the manufacturing town that Marner and Eppie visit in Chapter Twenty-One. The industrial world treats the lower classes as inhuman ogs in the factory wheels. In Raveloe's trade-based society, meanwhile, each villager can play an important role in the success of the society. That is, the weaver is respected to some degree by the Squire if he weaves his linens well. Even so, one might reasonably argue that Eliot's idyllic depiction of happy peasants romanticizes the difficulties of the class differences in nineteenth-century England. Myth and Folklore Many critics of the novel fault its unrealistic situations and conclusions. They point out that Marner's conversion from a miserable old misanthrope to a loving father happens too quickly, and they argue that the end of the ovel has too much poetic justice, with every character getting a just reward. These critics hold the novel to a standard of realism that others see as inappropriate to Eliot' s goals in Silas Marner . Defenders of the novel argue that is is more like a fable, operating through the moral logic of a fairy tale in order to accomplish goals beyond merely representing reality. In fables, ballads, myths and fairy tales, sudden transformations, inexplicable coincidences and other such unrealistic plot devices are part of the magic. Novels need not read like documentaries. Silas Marner is a work of fantasy as much as it represents a deeper eality. While the plot reflects the novel's mythic character, there is also explicit reference to myth and legend throughout the novel. Weaving itself is a classic emblem of myths across cultures (see the Mythology and Weaving web site). Certainly Eliot was well aware of this emblem when she chose her protagonist and the activity of weaving. The story also has a strong Biblical undercurrent, recalling especially the stories of Job, King David, the expulsion from Eden, and Cain and Abel. And the author of Silas Marner expects r eaders to understand its many references to ancient mythology including the Fates and Arachne (a weaver ransformed into a spider–note the profusion of insect imagery describing Marner). The hearth, where Eppie is suddenly found, is an especially powerful image in Roman myth. Myth and superstition are active patterns in the village. Mr. Macey tells ghost stories about the Warrens and predicts the future. The villagers look with curiosity on wanderers such as Marner, perceiving that such persons belong to a separate, magical race with powers to heal or harm. These patterns contribute to the folkloric character of the work. Even while Silas Marner satirizes the superstitions of the villagers and offers a fairly realistic explanation or every â€Å"miracle† in it, the novel engages the mysteries of fate and love that characterize legendary literature. Memory George Eliot and William Wordsworth have a special affinity. In Silas Marner , more perhaps than in any of her other works, this affinity provides the root of the novel. Eliot even facetiously wrote, in a letter to her publisher, that she â€Å"should not have believed that any one would have been interested in [the novel] but myself (since William Wordsworth is dead). † Eliot uses poetry from Wordsworth as her epigraph, she quotes and echoes his language throughout the work, and she centers the redemption of her rotagonist on one of Wordsworth's favorite themes: memory. For Eliot and for Wordsworth, memory is not simply about â€Å"remembering† in the everyday sense; it is about the profound experience of owning one's own history, of embodying one's past. For example, in Silas Marner's redemption after finding Eppie, the first thing he thinks about is his long-lost baby sister, someone he has not thought about for at least fifteen years. In fact, Eppie's name was also his mother's name and his sister's name. Eppie does not merely allow Marner to move forward out of the meaningless cycle of weaving and mourning in which he is trapped at the time of er arrival, but she also allows Marner to recover elements of his own past. Many other motives are connected with memory. Marner's herb gathering, for instance, is something he learned from his mother, which he had forgotten until Eppie arrived. His healing process requires backward reaches into the positive, meaningful elements of his past. In the presence of Eppie, Marner's memory propels him to a richer future. George Eliot's own memory contributed to key elements of the novel. In a letter, Eliot writes that the novel unfolded â€Å"from the merest millet-seed of thought. † This little seed was her recollection f a stooped, old weaver walking along in the Midlands whom she happened to see one day long before she began the work. Eliot's enrichment of this scrap of her memory is much like the process of remembering in the novel. From a remembered gesture-such as gathering herbs with one's mother- one can unf old an entire horizon of value pertinent to the present. Memory, for both Eliot and her characters, is active and creative, more than a passive â€Å"storehouse† of knowledge and experience. In remembering we deepen our present life. One way to create the new is to refashion and reinterpret what we have recovered from old times and old meanings.

Hamlet1 essays

Hamlet1 essays Hamlet one of Shakespeare's greatest plays, where the young prince of Denmark must uncover the truth about his fathers death. Hamlet a play that tells the story of a young prince who's father recently died. Hamlets uncle Claudius marries his mother the queen and takes the throne. As the play is told Hamlet finds out his father was murdered by the recently crowned king. The theme that remains constant throughout the play is appearance versus reality. Things within the play appear to be true and honest but in reality are infested with evil. Many of the characters within the play hide behind a mask of falseness. Four of the main characters that hid behind this mask are Polonius, Rosencrantz (Guildenstern), the king Cluadius. From behind this mask they give the impression of a person who is sincere and genuine, in reality they are plagued with lies and evil. There appearance will make it very difficult for Hamlet to uncover the truth, the characters hide behind. Polonius the kings royal assistant has a preoccupation with appearance. He always wants to keep up the appearance of loving and caring person. Polonius appears like a man who loves and cares about his son, Laertes. Polonius speaks to his son with advice that sounds sincere but in reality it is rehearsed, hollow and without feeling. Polonius gives his advice only to appear to be the loving caring father. The reality is he only speaks to appear sincere as a politician, to look good rather then actually be good: And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell; my blessing season this in thee! Act 1 Polonius gives his son Laertes his blessing to go away, he sends a spy to follow him and keep an eye on him. This shows his lack of trust for anyone, he gives the appearance of a confident father who trusts his son to go off on his own...

Why Medical Mentors Can Pave the Way for Your Career Success

Why Medical Mentors Can Pave the Way for Your Career Success There’s a lot to learn before you can excel as the health care employee. Sure, you’ll read the textbooks and pass the tests to earn your credentials, but is that really enough to give you confidence when it’s time to step up in the thick of the job? What you will need along your career path is real-life advice and real-time observation that only a seasoned mentor can offer.  As a member of the wide-ranging health care field, you’re in luck–the industry is already filled with successful professionals who know the ins and outs of the job because they’ve lived them.  No matter what career level you have established, it will enrich your professional life to seek out a relationship with a trusted someone who has â€Å"been there, done that,† and lived to tell the tale.Textbooks can’t tell you what can go wrong on a 2 a.m. call and they can’t share stories about dealing with difficult patients. Stellar test scores donâ€⠄¢t mean you know what career path is best for you personally. Lean on trusted professionals whose careers have taken the shape you want for yourself.Soak in all the knowledge you can apply it to your job, and excel. Then, years down the line, you can pay it forward and share your very own life lessons and experiences to inspire a young new colleague to succeed!

The Stuff of the Universe Book Review Research Paper

The Stuff of the Universe Book Review - Research Paper Example In that context, the book tends to discuss not only the visible aspects of the geography of the universe like the stars and the planets, but also delves exhaustively on the elusive ingredients of the universe like the dark matter which is predominant and all pervasive. The book under consideration furnishes a lucid understanding as to whether this universe is expanding or rather contracting. The overall objective of the book appears to be to give to the readers the necessary information that will go into achieving a relative perspective of the universe and the humanity’s place in it. The essential theme of The Stuff of the Universe tends to delve on the predominant query as to what features of the universe as the humanity knows it were pivotal to the emergence of life on earth and whether it was merely a coincidence or some deeper reasons that led to such a propitious alignment of the cosmic elements and constituent. The humanity has always been curious about the fundamental q uestions surrounding the origins of the universe and life and this book caters to this curious and academic aspect of human interest. However, the lacuna rampant in this sphere of human interest has been that the science of cosmology has been to a great extent kept remote and away from the everyday concerns that engross the mankind. In that context, The Stuff of the Universe tends to bridge the gap between the mundane concerns of life and death engaging the humanity and how the cosmic elements tend to play a pivotal role in these concerns. In the book, Gribbin and Ress have tried to make the queries surrounding the origins of the universe an integral part of the mainstream life. They talk about varied stages of the origins of the universe as when it was just a second old, or its earlier stages. The book intends to bring the science of cosmology, out from the privileged scope of the cosmologists and astrophysicists to the realm of general public. The book comprises of three parts. Th e Part I, ‘Cosmic Coincidences: How special is the Universe?’ discusses the geography of the universe and two kinds of dark matter. However, in this part, the main forte of the authors lies in their ability to establish links between the cartography and constitution of the universe to the everyday human existence. For instance, it gets really enticing to learn that, â€Å"We live in a galaxy. Galaxies contain stars, and stars are made of baryons- the same sort of stuff, to a physicist, as our own bodies are made of.†1 Part II, ‘The Stuff of the Universe: The Particle Zoo’ is primarily about the essential constitution of the universe and the constituents affiliated to it. This part elaborates on the cosmic constituents and phenomenon like halo stuff, gravity’s telescopes, cosmic string, core stuff, etc. in as lucid and simple a language as could be possible for a Cosmologist to interpret the cosmic facts to a layman. Part III, ‘The Bespok e Universe: Tailor-Made for Man; or off the Peg? ‘touches on the perpetually stimulating and ever poking questions as to whether the existence of life on earth was part of a great and ever unraveling plan or merely a prosaic coincidence. The book both ponders on the individual constituents of the universe like galaxies, stars, quasars and their constitution and evolution as well as links this knowledge to the philosophical and theological queries grappling the mankind since times immemorial, in as simple and precise language as

The prevelance of obesity in children with physical disability Dissertation

The prevelance of obesity in children with physical disability - Dissertation Example Obesity is an increasing problem right across the population in western societies, but is perhaps especially a problem if overeating becomes an established habit in childhood at a time when others control what food is chosen and available to a great extent. Ells, Lang et al point to the possible links between obesity and disability. In particular they link the two in cases of muscular skeletal problems and in those with learning difficulties. This is confirmed by the findings of Stewart et al in Scotland when they surveyed ambulatory boys with intellectual disabilities, which often occurs in those with cerebral palsy and Down’s syndrome. According to Clinton Smith there is considerable evidence which indicates that if children with particular risk factors can be identified and the correct action subsequently taken then the situation can be improved. What is clear is that excess body weight in children, whatever their physical condition, presents a significant risk factor for m any conditions that may occur in later life. These include heart attacks, cerebral vascular accidents, diabetes, cancer, disease of the gallbladder disease and arthritis. According to the American Department of Disability and Human Development. ( 2007) there is evidence that the conditions which lead ultimately to conditions such to stroke and heart disease most often have their origins in childhood, where they manifest themselves as high blood pressure or levels of cholesterol which are higher than the norm. For these reasons, no matter what a child’s physical ability levels or inclinations it is important for children to lead as a physically active a lifestyle as possible. Obesity results when a person's calorie intake regularly exceeds their energy needs for such bodily functions as metabolism, the thermal effect of the food consumed , the person’s physical activity level and capabilities and their growth. The majority of energy obtained from food ( roughly 60%) is required for normal metabolic activity. Physical activities require another 25% , the thermal effect of food digested uses 10% and growth requires some 5%.(Spina Bifida Association 2009) Just as eating less than the body requires leads to weight reduction so eating more than required will lead to weight gain. Obesity is therefore more likely than usual to occur in those with restricted mobility, low metabolic levels and who are of restricted growth. In the U.S.A., according to Rogozinski, ( 2007) more than 17% of American children are obese. Parents naturally want to please their children and to care for them. It is when this becomes distorted into bad eating habits that obesity emerges. Also, once established as a habit, it can

What causes conflict along the nomadsedentary frontier Essay

What causes conflict along the nomadsedentary frontier - Essay Example Nomadism for Pastoralists is apolitical as well as an economic strategy. Nomads use their nomadic movements to maintain household autonomy, to evade domination by other members of their own communities as well as by outsiders, including state authorities.From ancient times the contrast between nomadic and sedentary ways life has been a recurring theme. It is said in the earliest pages of Bible, farmers those who work in the soil and of "those who live in tents and rise livestock". The most familiar nomads are the pastoral nomads of Middle Eastern countries those who moved and even today move with their camels, cattle, sheep, and goats, seeking pasture for them at each season of the year.Nomads often live and move in arid areas of the world where water and soil condition are not in good condition. But they are also to be found in well watered places, where they could have more political power while compared to sedentary agriculturalists.There is a large population of nomadic pastorali sts in North Africa, in arid areas of West Africa, and particularly in such East African countries as the Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania. From the Middle Eastern countries through Iran, Pakistan and North India, through to China and Mongolia, Pastoral nomadic remains important as a mode of livelihood.Travel with their herds. They are widely found in the Alps and in other mountains areas in Europe and was fixed dwelling in both winter and summer areas. Pastoral nomads contribute greatly to the economic activity of the country, like they sell or exchange pastoral products for grain, cloth, weapons, and other trade goods. Pastoral nomads are able to define themselves according to their priorities as long as they remain nomads like they proved themselves long access to milk, to sustain long- term relationship with members of their own communities, and to build the power and prestige in accordance with their own values and culture. Nomadism for Pastoralists is apolitical as well as an economic strategy. Nomads use their nomadic movements to maintain household autonomy, to evade domination by other members of their own communities as well as by outsiders, including state authorities. Typically Pastoral nomads rely on their own organization, military skills, and weapons to defend their herds and pastures against raiders and to add to their own herds and pastures by raiding others. The military skills that are an advantage for Pastoral nomadians can be used for other purposes and throughout history pastoralists have repeatedly conquered sedentary populations and established dynasties and ruling elites over them. Mongol conquerors in china, central Asia and Russia provide one of the best known examples. The Mongol conquest was the most world- changing event of this era. Barfield says, "The exceptional nature of the Mongol Empire has been largely misunderstood because, as the most powerful nomadic state that ever exited , it was presumed to be the culmination of political evolution on the steppe rather than the exception that it was," (Barfield 1991,48). The Chinnggis rose to power with marginal support even as his own relatives opposed him. His conquest led to Yuan dynasty. He did not rely on kinship to organize his supporters but rather on loyalty and autocratic control. His main supporters were friends and retainers and his political organization rejected the imperial confederacy model whereas the Mongol state was based on the principles of centralized administration and tribal leadership were abolished. A rigid discipline came which unknown among nomads were followed .But after the fall of Mongol Empire the traditional nomads system with imperialism came into existence. After Chinggis's rule it was only with Khubilai that the Mongols took up the responsibility of ruling northern china rather than despoiling it. The Mongol Empire for the first time united most of Eurasia into a single empire whereas western Europe remained outside the Mongol Empire. The Mongol success can be said in the following ways: First the states they attacked in western Asia were weak and vulnerable to conquest. Their ecological adaptations were much more fragile than was the case in

History of Psychology Essay Example for Free

History of Psychology Essay I declare that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted in any form for another unit, degree or diploma at any university or other institute of tertiary education. Information derived from the published or unpublished work of others has been acknowledged in the text and a list of references is given. I warrant that any disks and/or computer files submitted as part of this assignment have been checked for viruses and reported clean. Student signature: __________________________ Date: __________________________ Abstract This paper aims to trace and analyze the historical development of the subjective nature of truth, the sources and reactions towards the theory. The implications of the theory of subjective truth are vast since a position on the nature of truth permeates one’s personal life goals and purposes, cognition, and morality of individual and hence also affects research methodology and psychotherapy. Subjectivism focuses on individuals’ thoughts and feelings as well as the proposition that knowledge of humans can never be separated from the knower. This literature review covers the existence of truth as being subjective during the time of the early Greek philosophers, present within Hellenistic and Roman psychology and persisting within romantic and existential philosophy, humanistic psychology and the approaches of the postmodernists in the mid-1960s. Keywords: subjective truth, history, postmodernism The Subjective Nature Of Truth: A Historical Development The constant tension of whether truth is objective or subjective has long since existed throughout history and continues to pervade in current schools of psychotherapies. â€Å"Science versus Humanism† is the term Conway (1992) gives to the philosophical dimension along which the values underlying the theories of psychologists differ. A scientific approach to psychology is based on the epistemological tradition of objectivism. Mahoney (1989) summarizes objectivism as beliefs that an objective and separate ‘real world’ lies beyond the organism, independent of perception and that valid knowledge is ultimately rendered from our sensory experiences, and can be totally separated from the knower (Mahoney, 1989 as cited in Conway, 1992). In contrast, the humanistic approach to psychology is based on the epistemological tradition of subjectivism which focuses on thoughts and feelings. Furthermore, knowledge of humans can never be separated from the knower (Conway, 1992). Due to different theories on the nature of truth, methodology for observing consciousness and the role of inner experience differ. The human science approach to psychology seeks to explain behavior in terms of a person’s subjective existence (Kendler, 2005). Humanistic psychology and philosophical phenomenology are two schools of thought that employ the human science interpretation of psychology (Kendler, 2005). The implications of the theory of the relativity of truth is seen in the individuals personal life goals, purpose of life, cognitive styles, morality, ethics, counseling goals, research methodology and conceptualization of definitions. Due to the great relevance of the topic to psychology, this essay traces and analyzes the historical development of the subjective nature of truth, the sources and reactions towards the theory. Early Greek Philosophers and Hellenistic and Roman Psychology The Sophists were a group of philosophers who believed that nothing is inherently right or wrong but that believing something is right makes it right and vice versa (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 41). Protagoras (485-420 B.C.) was the most popular Sophist who proposed that man is the measure of all things, meaning that man determines whether something is true or untrue and hence, truth depends on the perceiver not physical reality (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 41). The context of this perspective of the nature of truth is that Protagoras lived in the Periclean democracy where skills for effective communication were valuable to own especially in the political sphere (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 42) where some beliefs were more advantageous to utilitarian harmony than others. Hence, Protagoras was primarily interested in teaching effective argumentation to demonstrate the practicality of the relativity of truth. Socrates (470-399 B.C.) disagreed with the Sophists’ view that no truth exists beyond personal opinion. In the second century A.D., a school of thought named Skepticism promoted suspension of judgment and preferred to say ‘This is how things appear to me† rather than to claim having arrived at irrevocable truth (Hergenhahn, 2009). They were of the view that dogmatists constantly fought amongst themselves and were always agitated unlike the Skeptics who sought a life of peace and lived by two primary guides: appearances (sensations and feelings) and social convention (Hergenhahn, 2009). Displaying a similarity with the Sophists and the Skeptics, the Cynics such as Diogenes (412-323) advocated individualism and that true happiness depended on self-sufficiency and living a life that was natural, rejecting any type of control, be it bodily or social control. The theme of moving away from absolute truth and towards a relativistic conception of truth, individual feelings, opinions, social convention or whatever ‘truth’ brings gain (e.g., political status or living peaceably with others) will manifest itself again throughout history. Instrumental theory of truth: Profitability as criteria for truth William James (1842-1910) was of the view that ideas become true as long as they help people satisfactorily relate with other parts of one’s experience (De Waal, 2005, p. 43). James proposes that it is far from essential for our thoughts, beliefs or in other words, conceptions of truth, to copy reality. Hence, he opposes the singularity of truth and posits that multiple, though different beliefs are acceptable. In contrast, there can only be one truth for the empiricists and the rationalists since truth is the perfect copy of reality (De Waal, 2005, p. 47). Based on pragmatic principles, James proposes that any hypothesis cannot be rejected if there are useful results that come from it. Pragmatism is hence a principle that views any ‘truth’ as true as long as it profits. In other words, the pragmatist’s notion of truth is that beliefs originating from within one’s self but does not copy anything without the believer will still count as true when these lead people to directions that are worthwhile (De Waal, 2005, p. 50). The theme of moving away from a singular truth independent of the knower and towards whichever concept, idea or belief brings profit is a pattern seen even during the Early Greek Philosophers and Hellenistic and Roman Psychology. A profit-focused approach to handling truth, as proposed by the pragmatists, will strongly permeate and an underlying principle in future philosophies and approaches to psychology such as romanticism, existentialism, humanistic and postmodern psychology. Romantic and existential philosophy: Feelings, human choice and freedom In the late 18th century, an artistic and intellectual movement named Romanticism rebelled against Enlightenment rationality that overemphasized linear and the investigation of causes by trying to add feelings and intuition to rationality (Schneider, 1998). Romanticism emphasized the wholeness of experience via implicit processes such as affect, intuition, kinesthesia, imagination as well as the descriptions of these processes (Schneider, 1998). Rousseau was of the view that facts of history were of less importance than what values can be learned from them and that history should be considered as a collection of fables (Rousseau, 1762 as cited in Robinson, 2008). This type of thinking is seen again in Postmodernist thinking later on in history although to Rousseau, historical facts were not subjective but unknowable because of human error and interpretation. In psychology, romanticism is manifested in orientations of existential-humanistic, hermeneutical, narrative, and transpersonal psychologies (Schneider, 1998). Carl Rogers of the school of humanistic psychology, whose thoughts will be further explored later on in this paper, has much similarity with the romantics since experience is Rogers highest authority and makes decisions based on what feels [emphasis mine] right, valuable or worth doing (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 593). Like romanticism, existentialism stresses subjective experience. The existentialists (18th and 19th centuries) encourage us humans to consider the meaning of living authentically, in ones own personal way (Oaklander, 1992). If one chooses freely, one chooses authentically and leads an authentic life. Since there are no objective values for the existentialist, it depends more on how one chooses rather than what their choice is. An existential philosopher, Kierkegaard proposed that each persons life individually has its own self-determined meaning. Subjectivity is truth, that is, the persons beliefs define that persons reality (Oaklander, 1992, p. 577). Though the existentialist philosophers differ in their views in a few aspects of their thinking, one common theme is the emphasis on human freedom and choice and the related slogan of Sartre that existence precedes essence which means that humans have no prepackaged nature or essence but that we are is what we choose to be (Oaklander, 1992). In other words, subjectivity must be the starting point (Oaklander, 1992). Sartre also says that â€Å"Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself. Such is the first principle of existentialism. It is also what is called subjectivity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Influenced by existential philosophy, a brand of contemporary psychology which has the key concepts of freedom, individuality, authenticity and responsibility emerged called existential psychology (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 574). The man who is generally considered to be the bridge between existential philosophy and existential psychology is Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) who is of the view that there is no ‘ultimate truth’ but emphasizes interpretation and that there is no ‘real meaning’ behind a phenomenon (Daitz, 2011). He proposed that humans choose nature of their own existence and it is worthy of notice that Heidegger chose to be committed to Nazism (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 574). The theme of moving away from a singular truth independent of the knower and towards â€Å"personal truth† as self-defined by individuals as well as the unfortunate consequence of individuals freely choosing what they think is right or desirable which may conflict with what society views as desirable. This will manifest itself again with slight differences in humanistic and postmodern psychology. Humanistic psychology: An application of subjective truth In the early 1960s, humanistic psychology, a new human science that would study humans as aware, choosing and emotional beings, appeared in reaction to traditional scientific approaches to psychology (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 571). Unlike the two existing schools of psychology, behaviorism and psychoanalysis, which assume determinism in explaining human behavior, humanistic psychology assumes humans are free to choose their own existence and that subjective reality is the most important cause of behavior (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 571). A basic tenet of humanistic psychology is that subjective reality is the primary guide for human behavior (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 586). Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was of the view that humanistic science should allow the individual to be freer and more inner determined (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 586). What he deemed as self-actualization is what humans achieve when they are true to their own nature (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 587). Carl Rogers (1902-1987) also proposed that a person who is likely to live a fulfilling life is motivated by his true inner feelings instead of beliefs, traditions and values imposed by others outside the individual (Hergenhahn, 2009, p. 593). Rogers started the movement of Person-Centered therapy which stress an essential trust in the experiential world of the client and stress three conditions to promote the client’s growth: congruence (genuineness on the therapist’ part), true empathy, unconditional positive regard. A limitation that Owen (1999) notes in his analysis of both psychoanalysis and person-centred therapy is the conflict for the person-centred therapist to both communicate unconditional positive regard as well as congruence with a negative feeling about a client. In other words, prizing the client and also at the same time, being honest with personal feelings towards client. This poses a question of what a therapist should rightly do when being honest also means being non-empathic and withholding unconditional positive regard from the client. This problem of congruency undeniably stems from the theory of truth and its subjective nature since what the therapist believes to be true and what the client believes to be true are both equally ‘true’ if the assumption is that the individual self-defines truth. Postmodernism approaches: Contemporary development of the theory of truth Modernists believe in objective reality that exists independent of any attempt to observe it whereas postmodernists believe in subjective realities that do not exist independent of observational processes (Corey, 2005). Postmodernism is similar to the romantics, existentialists, the Sophists, and Skeptics and aspects of James’ psychology in that there multiple truths and these vary with individual experience, thus paving the way for postmodernism. According to Schneider (1998), the postmodernist were different from the romantics in that postmodernists promote a relativistic chaos when this conflicted with the sensibility of Romanticism (Schneider, 1998). The Romantics assumed knowledge as determinate and argued for the universality of autonomous experience while postmodernism assumes it as indeterminate and relativistic, thus fragmenting knowledge and experience (Webb, 2006). Similar to James’ pragmatism, the postmodernist is of the view that a problem exists only when people agree there is a problem needing to be addressed. Narrative therapy is an application of the Postmodernist approach to psychology and encourages clients to see their stories from different perspectives (Corey, 2005). The clients reality is focused on without disagreeing whether it is accurate or rational (Weishaar, 1993 as cited in Corey, 2005). Unlike traditional therapists who see the client as the problem, the narrative therapists believe that the problem is the problem (Corey, 2005). This separation of client from problem allows one to take a stance against specific storylines, be hopeful in generating a more positive, healing story and thus reducing self-blame. The therapist searches for times when the client made a choice and times when the client was successful (Corey, 2005, p. 403). Very similar to the assumptions of the Cynics and particularly the Romantics, the Postmodernist approach is based on the optimistic assumption that people are able and that they possess alternative stories that can enhance their lives (Corey, 2005, p. 403). The nature of truth and the approach to psychology: Future research direction Within the United States and internationally, Kirschenbaum and Jourdan (2005) carried out a survey that found an increasing number of therapists who identify themselves as â€Å"eclectic† or â€Å"integrative† amongst Carl Rogers’ client-centered/person-centered therapists over the past 30 years. In his writing on the topic of romanticism’s potential in complementing psychology, Schneider (1998) writes that experimental research, whether in hypothesis-making or verification, cannot fully replace romantic insights and needs to refer back to qualitative data that Romantics emphasize (Schneider, 1998). Hence, there are advantages in employing research as well as therapy methodology that take into account aspects of the intuitive and emotional aspect of human beings that romanticism emphasizes. In view of the advantages, Schneider also writes about the implications for therapists in training. He proposes the provision of rich and sensitive qualitative descriptions of their clients in addition to treatment plans that are problem-oriented or behavioral in focus (Schneider, 1998). Therapists in training should also pay attention to emotional, kinesthetic, and cognitive experiences of clients. Besides just assessing progress toward therapy goals, the meaning of therapy goals for clients should also be considered. Schneider is of the view that therapist with the full range of experiential data about their clients would be in an optimal position to collate essential data for a treatment plan. Hence, research should be done to measure the effectiveness of this approach to therapy in addition to (i.e., eclectic approaches) or instead of traditional approaches. In his comparison of person-centred therapy with psychodynamic therapy, Owen (1999) notes the possibility of conflict that person-centred therapists might face in trying to be congruent to their own personal feelings while at the same time, being non-judgmental and providing unconditional positive regard. Further research should be carried out in the area of long-term consequences to the therapist and to the client as well as strategies that can be employed when there is a conflict in the congruence of the therapist and the therapist’ provision of unconditional positive regard. Research may also include investigating the incorporation of one aspect of the psychodynamic approach which is neutrality (neither making interpretations nor providing unconditional positive regard) towards the client’s sharing of his personal experience or thoughts (Owen, 1999). Neutrality allows for a full range of emotions including negative emotions of the client. Conclusion Whether truth is absolute and independent of the knower and perceiver has been supported and argued against since the period of the early Greek philosophers. Similar themes that focus on the human individual to evaluate and make their own choices, define their own meaning and ultimately, define and act upon what is the nature of truth and the truth itself recur time and time again whether in the form of an emphasis on affect like the Romantics or Postmodernist who selects part of a narrative, whether accurate or true, to put it to good use in helping the individual cope during therapy. The implications of the position taken on the nature of truth have been demonstrated throughout history in major schools of philosophy, psychology and in this paper. Future speculation of this theory of truth is that, after certain negative events that will happen in future times as a result of pragmatic and postmodern thinking, a reaction against relativistic and individualized conceptions of truth that may take a shape of fundamentalism may return to schools of philosophy and the social sciences. References Conway, J. B. (1992). Presidential address: A world of differences among psychologists. Canadian Psychology, 33(1), 1-23. Corey, G. (2005). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (7th ed.). California: Thomson Learning Inc. Daitz, L. (2011). Understanding, truth or resolve? Considering the ‘aim’ of existential psychotherapy and the approaches of van Deurzen and Spinelli. Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis, 22(1), 140-149. De Waal, C. (2005). 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