Free Essays on Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes was one of the first Western Philosophers that the world had seen. Hobbes’s philosophies marked a departure in the English philosophy from religious emphasis of Scholasticism. Hobbes was born in 1588 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. His father was a vicar of the parish during Queen Elizabeth time. He valued not learning and only read the prayers of the church. Hobbes obtained his education from his uncle and moved onto Oxford at the tender age of fifteen. By the time he reached Oxford he was already a scholar in Latin and Greek. He left Oxford in 1608 and began his companionship with the eldest son of Lord Cavendish of Hardwicke, later know as Earl of Devonshire. Hobbes traveled the European continent three times in his lifetime. These trips allowed Hobbes to get most of his work down and he usually traveled with a pupil. His first trip he took was in 1610 were he visited France, Italy and Germany. This trip he took with is pupil, Lord Hardwick. He learned the French an d Italian languages along the way. This first tour of the continent did not allow Hobbes to learn his life purpose, but he did gain experience that could help him along his way. His second tour of the European continent took place in 1629 and lasted for two years. In 1628 his pupil and friend Lord Hardwick passed on and Hobbes had no duties to fulfill in the house. The second trip Hobbes took he had a new pupil the young earl, who was eleven when they left for the journey. When Hobbes arrived back he took over the education of his new pupil. Around the time he was educated the young earl, his philoschical views began to take place. It was not until his third trip across the continent that he began to fit in with the other philosophers of the world. The third trip he was accomplice by the young earl, Earl of Devonshire. The trip lasted three years, 1634 to 1637. The trip began a new chapter in Hobbes life, he began to publish books and his theories... Free Essays on Thomas Hobbes Free Essays on Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes was one of the first Western Philosophers that the world had seen. Hobbes’s philosophies marked a departure in the English philosophy from religious emphasis of Scholasticism. Hobbes was born in 1588 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. His father was a vicar of the parish during Queen Elizabeth time. He valued not learning and only read the prayers of the church. Hobbes obtained his education from his uncle and moved onto Oxford at the tender age of fifteen. By the time he reached Oxford he was already a scholar in Latin and Greek. He left Oxford in 1608 and began his companionship with the eldest son of Lord Cavendish of Hardwicke, later know as Earl of Devonshire. Hobbes traveled the European continent three times in his lifetime. These trips allowed Hobbes to get most of his work down and he usually traveled with a pupil. His first trip he took was in 1610 were he visited France, Italy and Germany. This trip he took with is pupil, Lord Hardwick. He learned the French an d Italian languages along the way. This first tour of the continent did not allow Hobbes to learn his life purpose, but he did gain experience that could help him along his way. His second tour of the European continent took place in 1629 and lasted for two years. In 1628 his pupil and friend Lord Hardwick passed on and Hobbes had no duties to fulfill in the house. The second trip Hobbes took he had a new pupil the young earl, who was eleven when they left for the journey. When Hobbes arrived back he took over the education of his new pupil. Around the time he was educated the young earl, his philoschical views began to take place. It was not until his third trip across the continent that he began to fit in with the other philosophers of the world. The third trip he was accomplice by the young earl, Earl of Devonshire. The trip lasted three years, 1634 to 1637. The trip began a new chapter in Hobbes life, he began to publish books and his theories... Free Essays on Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes believed that the origin and structure of human society could be explained according to the theory that all reality consists of matter in motion. There are certain basic truths relating to human nature that can be deduced from the facts of civil (political) society. â€Å"Hobbes contends that political society arose because the drive of self-preservation caused human begins to leave the perilous â€Å"state of nature† and form a â€Å"social contract† that tranfers their individual rights to sovereign power that can protect the lives of all † (Stumpf, 473-4). Hobbe’s political philosophy is the best theory to prove that man is still with the state of fear today. The State of Nature. Hobbes relates the state to an organism and suggests each part of the state parallels the functions of the human body. For hobbes, humans are the creators of the state. Thus, every action we perform, in the absence of social condition, no matter how charitable or generous, is ultimately done for self-serving purposes. Hobbes examplifies, if he were to give to charity that he is actually taking delight from the contribution and demonstrating his power (****). Humans are essentially equal both mentally and physically; therefore the weakest person has the strength to out do the strongest person. Given our equality, there are situations in nature that potentially force us to quarrel. Hobbes believes there are three natural causes of quarrel; (1) Competition for limited reserves, (2) Distrust in one another, and (3) Glory insofar as people remain hostile to preserve their power (*****). Given these instances humans are naturally in a state of constant war against all , where everyone lives in constant fear. In such condition, there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no culture of the earth, no navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea; no commodious building, no inst...

The History of WWI Hospital Ship, the HMHS Britannic

The History of WWI Hospital Ship, the HMHS Britannic In the early 20th century an intense competition existed between British and German shipping companies which saw them battle to build larger and faster ocean liners for use in the Atlantic. The key players including Cunard and White Star from Britain and HAPAG and Norddeutscher Lloyd from Germany. By 1907, White Star had given up the pursuit of the speed title, known as the Blue Riband, to Cunard and began focusing on constructing larger and more luxurious ships. Led by J. Bruce Ismay, White Star approached William J. Pirrie, head of Harland Wolff, and ordered three massive liners which were dubbed the Olympic-class. These were designed by Thomas Andrews and Alexander Carlisle and incorporated the latest technologies. The first two ships of the class, RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic, were laid down in 1908 and 1909 respectively and were built in neighboring shipways in Belfast, Ireland. Following the completion of Olympic and launching of Titanic in 1911, work began on the third vessel, Britannic. This ship was laid down on November 30, 1911. As work moved forward in Belfast, the first two ships proved star-crossed. While Olympic was involved in a collision with the destroyer HMS Hawke in 1911, Titanic, foolishly dubbed unsinkable, sank with a loss of 1,517 on April 15, 1912. Titanics sinking led to dramatic changes in Britannics design and to Olympic returning to the yard for alterations. Design Powered by twenty-nine coal-fired boilers driving three propellers, Britannic possessed a similar profile to its earlier sisters and mounted four large funnels. Three of these were functional, while the fourth was a dummy which served to provide extra ventilation to the ship. Britannic was intended to carry around 3,200 crew and passengers in three different classes. For first class, luxurious accommodations were available along with lavish public spaces. While the second class spaces were quite good, Britannics third class was considered more comfortable than its two predecessors. Assessing the Titanic disaster, it was decided to give Britannic a double hull along with its engine and boiler spaces. This widened the ship by two feet and necessitated the installation of a larger 18,000-horsepower turbine engine in order to maintain its service speed of twenty-one knots. In addition, six of Britannics fifteen watertight bulkheads were raised to B deck to aid in containing flooding if the hull was breached. As a lack of lifeboats had famously contributed to the high loss of life aboard Titanic, Britannic was fitted with additional lifeboats and massive sets of davits. These special davits were capable of reaching lifeboats on both sides of the ship to ensure that all could be launched even if it developed a severe list. Though an effective design, some were blocked from reaching the opposite side of the ship due to the funnels. War Arrives Launched on February 26, 1914, Britannic began fitting out for service in the Atlantic. In August 1914, with work progressing, World War I began in Europe. Due to the need to produce ships for the war effort, materials were diverted from civilian projects. As a result, work on Britannic slowed. By May 1915, the same month as the loss of Lusitania, the new liner began testing its engines. With the war stagnating on the Western Front, the Allied leadership began looking to expand the conflict to the Mediterranean. Efforts to this end began in April 1915, when British troops opened the Gallipoli Campaign at the Dardanelles. To support the campaign, the Royal Navy began requisitioning liners, such as RMS Mauritania and RMS Aquitania, for use as troopships in June. Hospital Ship As casualties at Gallipoli began to mount, the Royal Navy recognized the need to convert several liners to hospital ships. These could act as medical facilities near the battlefield and could transport the more severely wounded back to Britain. In August 1915, Aquitania was converted with its troop transport duties passing to Olympic. On November 15, Britannic was requisitioned to serve as a hospital ship. As suitable facilities were constructed on board, the ship was repainted white with a green stripe and large red crosses. Commissioned at Liverpool on December 12, command of the vessel was given to Captain Charles A. Bartlett. As a hospital ship, Britannic possessed 2,034 berths and 1,035 cots for casualties. To aid the wounded, a medical staff of 52 officers, 101 nurses, and 336 orderlies was embarked. This was supported by a ships crew of 675. Departing Liverpool on December 23, Britannic coaled at Naples, Italy before reaching its new base at Mudros, Lemnos. There around 3,300 casualties were brought on board. Departing, Britannic made port at Southampton on January 9, 1916. After conducting two more voyages to the Mediterranean, Britannic returned to Belfast and was released from war service on June 6. Shortly thereafter, Harland Wolff began converting the ship back into a passenger liner. This was halted in August when the Admiralty recalled Britannic and dispatched it back to Mudros. Carrying members of the Voluntary Aid Detachment, it arrived on October 3. The Loss of the Britannic Returning to Southampton on October 11, Britannic soon departed for another run to Mudros. This fifth voyage saw it return to Britain with around 3,000 wounded. Sailing on November 12 with no passengers, Britannic reached Naples after a five-day run. Briefly detained in Naples due to bad weather, Bartlett took Britannic to sea on the 19th. Entering the Kea Channel on November 21, Britannic was rocked by a large explosion at 8:12 AM which struck the starboard side. It is believed that this was caused by a mine laid by U-73. As the ship began to sink by the bow, Bartlett initiated damage control procedures. Though Britannic had been designed to survive taking heavy damage, the failure of some watertight doors to close due to damage and malfunction ultimately doomed the vessel. This was aided by the fact that many of the lower deck portholes were open in an effort to ventilate the hospital wards. In an effort to save the ship, Bartlett turned to starboard in the hope of beaching Britannic on Kea, approximately three miles away. Seeing that the ship would not make it, he ordered abandon ship at 8:35 AM. As the crew and medical staff took to the lifeboats, they were aided by local fishermen and, later, the arrival of several British warships. Rolling on its starboard side, Britannic slipped beneath the waves. Due to the shallowness of the water, its bow hit the bottom while the stern was still exposed. Bending with the weight of the ship, the bow crumpled and the ship vanished at 9:07 AM. Despite taking similar damage as Titanic, Britannic only managed to remain afloat for fifty-five minutes, approximately one-third the time of its older sister. Conversely, losses from the sinking of Britannic numbered only thirty while 1,036 were rescued. One of those rescued was nurse Violet Jessop. A stewardess before the war, she survived the Olympic-Hawke collision as well as the sinking of Titanic. HMHS Britannic at a Glance Nation:  Great BritainType:  Hospital ShipShipyard:  Harland Wolff (Belfast, Northern Ireland)Laid Down:  November 30, 1911Launched:  February 26, 1914Fate:  Sunk by mine on November 21, 1916 HMHS Britannic  Specifications Displacement:  53,000 tonsLength:  882 ft., 9 in.Beam:  94 ft.Draft:  34 ft. 7 in.Speed:  23 knotsComplement:  675 men Sources WebTitanic: HMHS BritannicHMHS BritannicLost Liners: HMHS Britannic