'Interpreting Others' assesses the way in which J. M. Coetzee's novels address the philosophical contest between humanism and antihumanism. The thesis highlights the opposing understandings of the...Show more'Interpreting Others' assesses the way in which J. M. Coetzee's novels address the philosophical contest between humanism and antihumanism. The thesis highlights the opposing understandings of the human subject exercised by the two perspectives. Specifically, it foregrounds the issue of the possibility of understanding other minds as a battleground in the humanism conflict and places this question in a literary and ethical context. A chapter each is dedicated to analyzing the ways this conflict is manifested in The Life & Times of Michael K, Disgrace, and Elizabeth Costello. The author uses the theories of Deborah Knight, who attempted to bridge the apparently intractable conflict between exponents of the humanist and antihumanist subjects, to explain Coetzee's position, which is argued to straddle both camps, demonstrating a thoughtful criticism of humanism which nevertheless remains attached to the humanist subject and the possibility of understanding between individuals.Show less
Inquiry into the German part of the Holy Roman Empire through the eyes of an Italian humanist, Enea Silvio Piccolomini. Two of Piccolomini's writings are considered, the 'Pentalogus' (written at...Show moreInquiry into the German part of the Holy Roman Empire through the eyes of an Italian humanist, Enea Silvio Piccolomini. Two of Piccolomini's writings are considered, the 'Pentalogus' (written at the court of German King Frederick III) and the 'Germania' (written shortly before Piccolomini was elected pope). The writings reflect the struggles of the German King/Emperor to strengthen his power over the Holy Roman Empire, both in military and ecclesiastical matters. More broadly, they offer the reader a highly personal account of the major events in fifteenth-century Europe, such as the fall of Constantinople and the Church's attempts to unite all of Christendom during the Conciliar Movement.Show less
This thesis looks into the various ways of how postrevolutionary Iranian filmmakers use visual, thematic and artistic tools to deliver criticism in the modern highly theocratic Iranian society. By...Show moreThis thesis looks into the various ways of how postrevolutionary Iranian filmmakers use visual, thematic and artistic tools to deliver criticism in the modern highly theocratic Iranian society. By describing historical backgrounds and showing paralels with other Iranian art forms such as literature and poetry and comparing Iranian art cinema with Western art cinema such as neorealism, these patterns and intentions are made clear.Show less
Three remarkable minds shaped the computer world as we know it today. Douglas Engelbart invented the man-machine interaction system and Theodor Holm Nelson laid out the basic structure of hypertext...Show moreThree remarkable minds shaped the computer world as we know it today. Douglas Engelbart invented the man-machine interaction system and Theodor Holm Nelson laid out the basic structure of hypertext, which serves as the underpinning principle of the Internet. Both men were inspired by Vannevar Bush, the science advisor to president Roosevelt during World War II and an influential information theorist after that. The question is, were these authors already thinking about the future of humanism as an intellectual discipline? As it turns out, formative ideas for humanism in the computer were already present from the outset.Show less
In this thesis the creation and appearance of Joan Blaeu’s town atlas of the city and monuments of Rome, the Admiranda Urbis Romæ, are treated. In the first part the social-historic context related...Show moreIn this thesis the creation and appearance of Joan Blaeu’s town atlas of the city and monuments of Rome, the Admiranda Urbis Romæ, are treated. In the first part the social-historic context related to the appearance of the town atlas is discussed: relevant elements for the interest in Italy in the second half of the seventeenth century were taken into consideration (Humanism, the collecting of antiquities, Grand Tour). The flourishing of Dutch publishing in this period has also been treated, in particular the emergence of the Blaeu firm in Amsterdam. In the second phase of the research focus was shifted towards the town atlas of Rome. Its goal, contents and intended audience, as well as the relationships with Italian sponsors and the collaboration of the Blaeu firm with their Italian contacts were discussed. After a description of the characteristics of the original Blaeu edition, in the final part of the thesis later editions by other publishers were treated. A conclusion was then reached about the development of a subtly changing perspective on Rome as witnessed through the various editions of the town atlas of Rome; the relations between the Netherlands and Italy in the second half of the seventeenth century were a guiding theme through the entire research.Show less
