The Tribe

The Tribe has always been an important concept in Arabian and Islamic history, creating divisions among its dwellers and followers. How has this caused problems in the history of Islam?

The tribe, in Arabic and Islamic history has always been a place of comfort, security, creating a strong sense of belonging and stability. In many ways it helped the people who belonged to a certain tribe to feel stronger as a group, but if two tribes met, it could have caused many quarrels and battles. For example, when Muhammad and his followers conquered the city of Mecca, the whole battle was just a large quarrel between two tribes. The reason that conflict occurred between tribes is that each tribe lived and traveled separately from other tribes, so groups were not as familiar with each other as people are today. Even though all the people had the same religion and nationality, living so separately from each other, they started to developed their own ways and slight variation to their customs. So when different tribes met, they had different ways and interpretations of religion, customs and life itself. For that reason, each tribe, being so separate form the other started to question the others, thinking that any their ways are right. Obviously, that kind of life would cause problems among the tribes, because each group developed slight differences in the their one religion and customs.

India's Religous History and Non-Violence

How has the religous history of India influenced their tradition of non-voilence?

Overall, the Indian religion is based on non-voilence and almost, if not all, their beliefs stress the belief of peace. Their religion is more about devotion to god, truth, and achieving enlighenment in their next lives. Their actions are mostly done in the best intentions for their incarnation into the next life. So, most believers of Islam would try their best to live this life well, and not be violent in order to, eventually, live up to the ideal of life. For example, Mahatma Gandhi. He believed in complete non-voilence and truth, and made his life simple, achieved his goals for his country and himself by finding the truth, meditating, and simplifying life tofind it's real meaning. He did not believe in finding peace or reaching goals through violence, because that would just make the the the other goals be unattainable. Most of India's history went the same way. The belief that violence is wrong led to many great achievements in their history and formed their image as a country that strongly believes in non-violent.

Migration

Can migrations have a positive affect on the people/land receiving the immigrants?

I think that it can have positive affects, but it's just a matter of luck, coincidence, or sometimes actual reasons. One of the more positive sides is that there would be more worker for the land or regular work. But that will not always happen, and it may lead to overpopulation, deforestation, revolts, etc... But on the other than, if that does not happen, which it completely possible, then migration can definitely have more positive affects. for instance, the culture of the city of country will probably get much richer and develop. All those new religious, ideas and technology will spread, and be developed further. Sometimes the new ideas can lead to other, even more advances invention, or can be combined to make some very useful invention. That will usually lead to easier accomplishment of every day tasks, or maybe even new tasks, creating more jobs, and less poverty. Also, religions can mix together, or inspire other people, and maybe even make a unified religion, making the people unite, if revolts don't occur because of the unification.
Also, if the government uses the immigrants for their benefit, then they could even have a much larger army/navy. If, like the Romans took their captives into their army, that country could do the same, then they would have a stronger army, conquer more lands, and perhaps become a great empire, and long lasting.
another positive effect, is that with good circulation and development of knowledge and technology, the culture may greatly advance in their development, technology, art, and culture itself, potentially allowing a new great empire to rise.

Socrates Vs. Plato

1) Quote by Socrates

"He who is richest is content with the least."

I agree with this quote because it's true that if someone had everything, they would not appreciate anything less. If a person already has the best of everything, their "standards" are a lot higher, even if waht they don't have might be better that what they do have.

2. What is justice to Plato?

Plato belives that justice embodies four great vitrtues: courage, wisdom, temperance, and justice. His idea came from utopian thinking, and he further explains those virtues.

3. What are the positive and negative elements to Plato's ideal republic?

The pros of this utopean society are that the people with more courage, intellegence and strength would have higher positions and poeple would be in good hands. But that cans are that only those people would rule, and the poeple who are samrt or wise, but lack one of the traits, or mess up once, would not be able to hold a high posotion anymore. The problem is that there is no utopian sociey, and humans don't live that way. A society can work very well if evetyone gets a say, and there are standards, but not standards for perfection.

4.What is your vision of an ideal state or republic?

My vision of an ideal republic is one where people do not get affected by modern ideas like politics and money, and don't start thinking in an uneffective way, but rather understand their situation. If people didn't have wars, (which are, in my opinion very dumb, especially knowing those desicions were made by adults) but thought a little more, then they might understand why they want war, and change their situation, not let their emotions control their "politics."

5. The allegory of the cave argues that the only thing standing in the way of knowledge is our insistence that the visual universe is reality.

The allegory of the cave is saying that because humans think that what they see and were told is true, they can't use the rest of their brain. That is probably for a good cause, because then we would have such power, that a little baby could probably destroy the world. But it's saying that we don't connect too much to the spiritual side of the world because our reality is what we see and hear, and we think that that is all ther is. But that's not all their is, because somehow, people get new ideas that nobody has ever heard before, or seen. How do they get them? Usually, by not thinking about "reality" and letting their mind drift away. People may consider them crazy sometimes, but teh allegory is saying that they are just thinking deeper, and it is not what most people consider normal. Maybe they are just using the other 70 -80% of their brain.

Blog #5 Athens Vs. Sparta

1) If I was a young teenage girl of the citizen class, I would rather live in Sparta, because we could be involved in politics, sports and be educated in reading and writing. We would be free to move around, not just be housewives, and own property, take care of our husband's property when they're away at war.(We would be more equal to men.)
2) If I was a slave, I would rather live in Sparta because, even though we would have to give half of our produce to owners of the land, we wouldn't be killed by them.
3) If I was a young boy in the citizen class, I would rather live in Athens, because we would be educated well in reading, writing, poetry, gymnastics, and would only go to the army for 2 years. We could also study for a longer time (5-20 years old) with enough money.
4) If I was a young soldier, I would rather live in Athens because we would only go to the army for 2 years, until 20 years old. unlike the Spartans who would have to go from age 7 -30. Life would be less harsh and infants would not be killed if they were not good for the army.
5) If I was a wealthy citizen, I would rather live in Athens, because we would not have to be military professionals, living in barracks most of our lives, but aristocrats,with large estates, or be in the cavalry. We would be free men, able to vote.

In my opinion, it would be better to live in Athens, a much more enjoyable city to live in with artistic and philosophical background. In Sparta, the focus and daily life is basically military. In Athens, while having a strong army, people can focus on educations and sport, and have more democratic values. Also, slaves were not treated as bad as in other Greek states; some are even given important jobs, like policemen. While women have less involvement in politics, they were plenty busy and home and with their children, who were not taken away at age 7. In Sparta, they would go to the army and live in very harsh environments until age 30, and still be in the army until 60. They would rarely see their wives and children. Overall, Athens is the better place to live, having a better environment, education, and more aristocratic ideals.

New ideas in politics sometimes emerge in times of political or economic stress because there is a need for a new form of government. Sometimes people revolt, like during the Legalist rule in China.Sometimes, the government can't support the state and is overpowered by other countries, causing a change(Great Wall). New politics usually form during times of stress because there is a need for it.

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Population was not the only development of the classical period. The population doubled, if not tripled, but there were many other changes that came with that. The political system changed; people needed a stronger way of organization, so they developed governments and laws. people started to farm and domesticate animals that helped with farming so that more people could be fed. Many new technologies were created, mostly out of iron. Metal tools also contributed to farming and the population growth. Overall, new creations and ideas were created during the classical period, like art and government, but they all were either caused by population growth or created for it.