西方文明史期末作业 2

学院、班级____ _ 学号 __ 姓名______

I、从所给的4道题中自选两题，先将自己的选题复制于此，再做答。（请在下方直接回答，勿改动格式。）

1）论个人主义精神在西方文明各重要领域中的表现

It is a prevalent phenomenon that individualism play a part in policy, in economy, in religion, in art, in philosophy and in science etc.

Firstly, in policy, everyone pursues equality, freedom and individual rights. The Declaration of Independence solemnly declares，“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these，are life，liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” A basic premise of the rights affirmed in it is that everyone is as good as anyone else and each person is endowed with certain natural rights. At the same time, the democracy and constitutionalism are the foundation of the individual. It is the same that in the U.S.A, every single person is free when they give a speech and equal to go after their own benefits. This is only allowed in constitutionalism. This is reason why people all around the world enjoys this country but obey the constitution.

Secondly, the market economy motivates one to peruse the target in economy. For

example, the market economy is a typical feature of American economic system. Actually this system is different from Chinese one. It shows that the government do not intervene strongly which does not mean the government let it go. So the market is full of energy. One of the most vigorous factors is the competition. To make one‟s product is the best one; the producer would and could try his best to make it. In this process of fighting, the creative things such as ideas or technologies are invented and developed quickly.

Thirdly, in some extent, individualism comes from Christianism. To tell the truth, Christianism is the most popular religion. We can date back to The Discovery of New Sea

Route. It was Columbus who brought it to America. Then there were two revolutions in religion. These issues make all American have a high recognition on Christianism. On the other hand,

Christianism symbolizes the content of American spirits by itself. In Christianism, it is

advocated that the Idea of God, freedom, equality, democracy, individualism, idea of Capitalism. As we have learned, that almost every president would like to end up his speech with “God bless America”. What‟s more, America is defined as a independent and free country in United States Declaration of Independence. This kind of idea is proposed that everyone is created equal.

Fourth, art is also one form of human nature. Our Chinese people prefer some kind of landscape paintings which pay much attention to the whole part and the artistic conception. Unlike us, for some western artists, they emphasize the human. Especially during Europe‟s renaissance, those works show us the beauty of body. And the virgin is not as far-fetched but more

common and natural.

Last but not least, philosophy and science are the materialization of mind. This means that these two aspects ascend from the basic opinions above. What I want to say is to keep a right attitude to them. Because we have a different history and a distinct developing path, they imply the diversity of each own value.

In conclusion, individualism is one of the most crucial factor which influence not only American generation by generation but also the other nations.

2）作为西方文明精神基础的个人主义的主要内涵是什么？

As we all know, the individualism is the foundation of western spirit, which includes several meanings.

Firstly, independence of oneself is the basis of a society. Only if a person is able to form his actual decision by rethinking his target independently and rationally, can be called individual. After knowing oneself and realizing what to be done next, what an individual needs is to finish the goal as a proof of being capable.

Secondly, a person is the real goal. That is to say, the real goal is to upgrade personal ability to a community. One part of individualism is to develop oneself according to one‟s nature and personal benefits. From the individual‟s point of view, one should be independent firstly and then begin to develop one‟s ability to go after the goal.

Thirdly, everyone is independent, free and equal. The principle of independence, liberty and equality is the premise of individualism. Suppose one could not take good care of himself, let alone others. Without liberty everything is out of question. Without equality nothing is orderly. Maybe they are the necessity to solve the sensitive problems. For instance, only when these issues are solved suitably can the black get their items they deserve. And after the civil war, the independence is done with the United States. But later two things catch people‟s attention all over the world. What the black are struggling for in this process is to get the freedom and equality both physically and spiritually.

Fourth, every single one of person in the world needs to make sure the boundary between individual and other person, society and country. This means that the individual is superior to later ones. Thus the later ones should do as little as possible to intervene the individual. They would better be a tool to protect the individual and provide a situation to self-realize. Every person exists as a dependent individual rather one of the same group. Let us take the U.S.A for example. To be honest, individualism is emphasized but not being selfish. It is a country that everyone could persue his goal with a independent dream. And for children, they were taught independence. For adults, they are trying to fight for their own benefits by own. AA life style is a better way to prove this kind of mind.

Sixth, this part shows the relation between the individual and the union. On the one hand, one must be responsible to his deeds and would not destroy others. Under this circumstance, the

country would benefit from every single person. Like the U.S.A, people will not throw away trash here and there as they want because the place which you put your trash does not belong to you. In fact, that place belongs to others „property or public property and you have no rights to invade it.

Last but not least, as it just mentioned, responsibility is the first step. Next step is to be able to self-control, self-organize and self-obey to the union. Individualism is not the same with being selfish. This part shoes exactly the difference between these two aspects. Accordingly, the process of pursuing self-interest does not necessarily damage other‟s interest for self-interest is just taken as a motivation to production and success.

II、7，谈谈你对自由的理解 (My points of freedom)

What is freedom? Different people have different opinions. Maybe you will say that it is free whatever clothes we are wearing; it is free wherever we will go; it is also free whatever you want to speak. Anyway one needs freedom both physically and mentally.

Actually everyone does not want to control by others. This is a kind of physical freedom. One may say it is so easy to get it. But please think it considerately, is it a simple issue? In our daily life for us university students, we have to get up early and dress us up to take a class. Also we are not allowed to be late for class. Besides we would better not play mobile phones on class. What is more, we must finish homework on time. It is also nice of us to be polite to others no matter who they are. So if it is as somebody says, all things I have just mentioned are not followed for us. Is it OK? Definitely no. Thus here what I want to say is that there is no absolute freedom. What we can do is to be comfort not only with you but also for others. Let us take some things for example. We can choose to buy and wear the clothes we like. We could utter our minds to others. And we can choose our major and our friends. One more thing, it is OK for us to express ourselves.

To be honest, as a student in university, it is the best time for us to make a plan for our dreams and make it come true. As I was a freshman, I made some resolutions during my university. I was honored to take the scholarship for motivating myself to move forth firmly, and I made good use of my time in and out of class. Thus I got good grades. In addition, to improve the spoken skills, it is formed to read books in the morning. And there are lots of contests I have taken part in. In the process of competing with others, I grow a lot from a little girl who flushes easily and is afraid of opening mouth to a outstanding student. And now I enjoy speaking in front of people and organize some games to entertain our students. And I am able to give one person a deep impression. Every time I talk to myself that do not depend on other persons totally and be controlled by others completely. Thus what I have done is my own determinations. Maybe there are a lot of people standing in the way of your life. When you get the problems sorted and get some rewards so that you become more excellent, they are jealous of you and even hate you. Otherwise they are laughing at you when you come across some troubles. But in other words they are the motivations for us to go after what we want. What we could do is to face them directly and rise the occasion. Do not let them have a bad effect on you.

Plus, recently I find it strange that few people have a real hobby while I ask some kind of questions to us college students. And in the course of teaching little children English, they are almost forced to join a tutorial class whatever kinds of that. Some are about arts. Others are about language skills. All the purpose is to develop a hobby or forte. Here what I want to talk about is that maybe the order is wrong. Only when we are interested in it can it become hobbies. Such as I love teakwondo, I would like to spend some time on it. This kind of interest brings lots of benefits tome. Every class of teakwondo I would pay much attention to my behavior and try my best to learn what I want. I do not need someone to push me instead I prefer to have this class. It is

my happiness rather torturing. So we can say it is rather easier than mental freedom.

For the whole world, freedom is a goal. As we all know, America is the Statue of Liberty and china is a democratic country. In 1862 the American civil war had broken out! In 1937 the Chinese Anti-Japanese war had broken out! We can find that the outbreak of wars was connected with the pursuit of freedom. The equality between the black and any other races is a historical problem. Actually, we have made a big step for it but not enough. What we need is not just a series of law and we do not want to see wars any more. So for other races, what they should do is to correct their minds and opinions about it to get out of the shackles left by fore-generations. What is important is that for the black. There is a famous speech to appeal to the equality given by Martin Luther King. “This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.” Here it is obvious that only all of us hold this belief can this dream come true.

For women, they need to get the freedom of the idea that men control the whole society. For the USA, Hillary Rodham Clinton is the symbol of the charming lady. For British, the iron lady is the symbol of the all-round lady. For china, nobody can forget the first female emperor, Wu Zetian. Maybe the society is a room. Women have occupied certain space. They have access to express themselves and gain their right. They are not wives who only stay at home and are a babysitter but go outside and play a part in society. We could appreciate their steps anywhere. What they should do is to give up this kind of thought and believe firmly that they could do something as well as men and even better. As long as they believe it, others would agree with it as well.

Once upon a time, I heard a story about freedom parrot. It repeated the word “Freedom!” every day. It happens to meet a man, a great man, a fighter for freedom. After hearing the calling, the man determine to free it from the golden cage. When he open the door of the cage, to his surprise, the parrot was clinging to the bars of the cage. But the man uses his hands to take it out, while the parrot was pecking at him. Anyway he pulls it out and throw it into he sky, satisfied and happy. In the morning, as the man is waking up, he hears the parrot shouting, “Freedom! Freedom!” But when he come out, the parrot is sitting in the cage. The door was open.

Just as S. E. Morison says, man can only be free through mastery of himself. This reminds me of the fly. Frome my view of point, the common house fly is a better type of a perfectly free creature. It does not care whether it is king or clown whom he tastes; and in every step of his swift, and in every pause of his resolute observation, it is full of confidence and the determination that the it is the leader of the world. For other creatures, for example, bees need to build and gathering; dogs should company its owner and guide others; spiders prefer to make up nets; ants are busy accounting; and squirrels are involved in collecting. All these creatures are less free than the fly. They are the slaves of life. Unlike them, the fly are free in the air, free in the chamber.

But what I want to warn you is to make a difference of freedom physically or mentally. Furthermore, whether you want to be the parrot or the fly. If I choose, I will choose either of them. I do not want to be a person who is free with high stress in mind. One more thing, everybody needs a pure heart and the determination of freedom and a clear mind to live with. Definitely we can get inspiration from the fly. Sometimes we need search for the brave and courage in front of troubles.

Just now, as a 3rd student, we do no need a fighter to pull us out and throw us in to sky. What we are lack of is the faith that we must fly out of from the cage and call your wings. Then use our own mind to grow. Use our courage to fight. Use freedom to live.