Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Arts and Humanities

The Anglo-Saxon period, spanning from approximately 410 to 1066 AD, was a time of significant social, cultural, artistic, and economic development in England. As a society built on tribal loyalties, warrior honor, and emerging Christian influences, the Anglo-Saxons left a lasting impact on literature, most notably through the epic poem *Beowulf*. This literary masterpiece serves as both a reflection and a preservation of the values and traditions of its time, offering deep insight into Anglo-Saxon life.

Anglo-Saxon Society and Warrior Ethos

Anglo-Saxon society was primarily warrior-based, structured around the concept of the *comitatus*, a mutually beneficial relationship between a king and his warriors. This system emphasized loyalty and protection,... Continue reading "Beowulf: A Mirror of Anglo-Saxon Civilization" »

Essential English Vocabulary

• Arranged marriage: Matrimonio concertado
• Be in tears / Be close to tears / Burst into tears: Estar llorando / A punto de llorar / Romper a llorar
• Bare: Vacío
• Beat: Latir
• Bland: Soso
• Boom: En auge
• Cattle: Ganado
• Council: Ayuntamiento
• Cheer: Aplaudir / Vitorear
• Cope: Afrontar
• Costume: Vestuario
• Crop: Cultivo / Cosecha
• Deserted: Vacío
• Deserve: Merecer
• Filling: Saciante
• Fool: Engañar, tomar el pelo
• Grate: Rallar
• Halfway (through/up/down): A la mitad de
• Harvest: Cultivar
• Head (for/towards): Dirigirse a/hacia
• Host: Anfitrión
• Inherit: Heredar
• Juicy: Jugoso
• Lighting: Iluminación
• Moving: Conmovedor
• Outstanding: Excepcional
• Out of place: Fuera de lugar
• Overdressed: Demasiado elegante
• Overrated: Sobrevalorado
• Posh: Elegante / De moda
• Raise: Criar animales
• Regret

American Symbols: Contrasting Views

The Statue of Liberty: A Unifying Symbol?

Most American citizens seem to share a common opinion of the Statue of Liberty. They think that it is a symbol of hope, faith, democracy, freedom, and equality, although the reality is sometimes different.

The American Flag: A Divisive Symbol?

On the other hand, Americans hold two distinct points of view regarding the American flag. Some believe that the stars and stripes represent unity and equality; these individuals may feel content with their lives in America. Others feel that the American flag does not live up to their expectations and are ashamed of it. These people might feel compelled to disrespect the flag, wanting to burn it or drag it through the mud. As a... Continue reading "American Symbols, the Dream, and Narrative Perspectives" »

Vocabulary

1. AMBIGUITY: Doubtfulness or uncertainty as regards interpretation.
2. NEPOTISM: Giving jobs to relatives.
3. ETHNOCENTRIC: The belief in the inherent superiority of one's own culture.
4. INVEST: To put money, time, or feelings into something.
5. ENLIGHTENMENT: Clear thinking that is free from delusion.
6. COURTSHIP: Time when one person pursues the other for marriage.
7. DECLINE: To reduce or to say no.
8. UNPREDICTABLE: Something that behaves in unexpected ways.
9. BRANCH OUT: To expand or extend, as in business activities.
10. SECULARISM: The view that public education and other matters of civil policy should be conducted without religious elements.
11. BIAS: Inclination, prejudice, viewpoint.
12. CONTROVERSY: A prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention.
13. STEREOTYPE: Opinion

The Narrative Verbal Icon /2

A Brief Overview of the History of Narration

• Phase 1: Mythic narration = "histories" of the world. Very ancient stories, which are signs of the thinking man. They are a kind of documentation about how people think. This was the narrative of fictitious cultures. The heroes were divine beings, outstanding humans who were able to do things which others are unable to.
• Phase 2: High Mimetic narration = imitating a culture which is superior to another, connecting the stories with historical facts. The producers of heroic epics found a tradition and storytellers followed them. (primary=oral, secondary=written). The journeys of Odysseus and Aeneas belong here. The focus is on the journey made by the characters (mostly without)

Literary devices Jane Austen uses in her novel Pride and Prejudice.

Dramatic Irony

Definition: In literature, a plot device in which the audience’s or reader’s knowledge of events or individuals surpasses that of the characters. The words and actions of the characters therefore take on a different meaning for the audience or reader than they have for the characters. This may happen when, for example, a character reacts in an inappropriate or foolish way or when a character lacks self-awareness and thus acts under false assumptions.

Alliteration

Definition: Alliteration is a literary device where words are used in quick succession and begin with letters belonging to the same sound group. Whether it is the consonant sound or a specific vowel... Continue reading "Literary Devices in Pride and Prejudice" »

PL/SQL Package: gestionEmpleados Specification

CREATE OR REPLACE PACKAGE gestionEmpleados
AS
  -- Cursor to get average salary per department
  CURSOR curMediaSueldo IS
    SELECT AVG(salario) "media", dept_no 
    FROM emple 
    GROUP BY dept_no;

  -- Cursor to select all employees
  CURSOR curEmpleados IS 
    SELECT * 
    FROM emple;

  -- Cursor to select all departments
  CURSOR curDepartamentos IS 
    SELECT * 
    FROM depart;

  -- Package variables
  nombre VARCHAR2(40);
  media NUMBER;
  departamento VARCHAR2(20);

  -- Function declaration to get department name
  FUNCTION nomDepart(numeroDpt depart.dept_no%TYPE) 
    RETURN gestionEmpleados.departamento%TYPE;

END gestionEmpleados;

PL/SQL Package Body: gestionEmpleados

CREATE OR

The Coming of International Relations

The First Great Debate

The emergence of international relations as a distinct field of study is intertwined with the rise of social sciences like economics, sociology, and political science. A group of scholars, often referred to as liberals, idealists, Wilsonians, or utopians, played a pivotal role in shaping early IR thought. They championed the establishment of international institutions, the expansion of international trade, and the practice of open diplomacy guided by experts. This belief in the power of international cooperation and institutions stemmed from their conviction that war was primarily a consequence of flawed thinking by politicians and diplomats.

These early IR thinkers argued that secrecy... Continue reading "The Rise of International Relations as a Social Science" »

Reinforcement Theory

Reinforcement theory posits that an individual's behavior is influenced by its consequences. Rooted in the "law of effect," this theory focuses on the outcomes of an individual's actions, rather than their underlying causes.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement involves providing a positive response to desired behavior, thereby increasing its likelihood of repetition.

Negative Reinforcement

Negative reinforcement involves removing or reducing negative consequences in response to desired behavior, also increasing its likelihood of repetition.

Punishment

Punishment involves removing positive consequences or introducing negative ones to decrease the likelihood of undesirable behavior.

Extinction

Extinction involves withholding... Continue reading "Understanding Reinforcement Theory and Emotional Intelligence for Effective Leadership" »

The Theory of International Relations

Realism

Realists believe that society and politics are governed by objective laws rooted in human nature. To improve society, we must first understand these laws. They also believe in the possibility of developing a rational theory that reflects these laws. They make a distinction between objective rational truth supported by reason and subjective judgment derived from prejudice and wishful thinking. For realism, theory consists in determining facts with reason. The character of a foreign policy must therefore be discovered through the examination of political acts and their foreseeable consequences.

They develop the concept of interest in power to understand international politics. This concept provides a... Continue reading "International Relations Theory: Realism and Structural Realism" »