SCIENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SCIENCE - Essay Example ers to understand the process and existence of life and a discussion of these two ideas is important for any student of history, biology or the life sciences in general. As reported by Johnstone (1930), in matters of historical positioning, vitalism and materialism are not very different from each other. He says that, â€Å"During the last three centuries, biology has exhibited alternating phases of materialism and vitalism. Materialism when, under the stimuli of progress in physical science, it made great advances, and vitalism when, those stimuli being exhausted, it marked time (Johnstone, 1930, pp. 631)†. However, despite the drifting nature of how life was seen by biologist, the particular understanding of the two viewpoints changed very little. For example, vitalism is defined as a doctrine that suggest that all functions of a living being are due to a vital principle that is different and separate from the physiochemical forces that are present in the organism. Life itself is seen as a vital spark which creates energy with the body. Of course the religious leaning within this doctrine is easy to deduce since the vital spark of the body can be easily considered the soul of the person or animal that departs the body once the organism is dead. The idea of vitalism was played down in historical terms when things such as germ theory and the idea of different bodily systems and organs performing different and independent functions were understood by scientists. Life could now be taken to be connected to chemical and biological processes that once understood in chemical terms reduced the need to be dependant on the mystical idea of a vital spark in the human body. However, the deeper questions of how life itself can be maintained still needed help in certain areas from a vitalism perspective because the full explanation of what life is and how living things can be said to be living was still lacking. On the other hand, materialism considers life to be a product

American Playwright Charles Ludlam and his impact on the arts world as Research Paper

American Playwright Charles Ludlam and his impact on the arts world as a Renowned Arts Leader - Research Paper Example After this, he wandered to a freak show where he saw a group of armless black dwarves busy painting pictures with their toes. The Catholic Church, with its high pageantry and religious ritual was a prominent force in his family. Right across the street from his home, there was a movie theater. Ludlam was therefore encouraged to explore his vivid childhood imagination, producing basement and backyard plays and vignettes with other children in the neighborhood (Gary, 2005). Throughout his high school, Ludlam as known as a rebel and outcast and his first formal exposure to theatre was through an apprenticeship in 1958 at the Red Barn Theater, a summer stock company. Here, Ludlam was exposed to the often haphazard, frantic and chaotic theater experience. Ludlam then begun pursuing his interest in theatre arts by travelling to New York where he saw a variety of theatrical entertainment ranging from the commercial to the avant-garde productions to the experimental. The Living Theatre in particular was of significant motivation and influence Ludlam such that at the age of 17, he founded his own avant-garde arts company which he named the Student’s Repertory Theater. This was in Northport, New York. Later on in life, the multidimensional, prolific artist became responsible for responsible for founding and growing The Ridiculous Theatrical Company, one of the most unique theater enterprises in America. As the founder of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, Ludlam’s work in theatre and film had made him a recognized renowned arts leader. This is mainly because his theatrical work made a break with the existing dominant trends in theatre of realistic settings and naturalistic acting. The introduction of some elements of queer performance to avant-garde theatre was very evident since the formation of Ridiculous Theatrical Company (Wilmeth and Miller, 1996). This was the major stage