Egyptian Journey to the Afterlife
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A 15 page discussion of the critical components of the ancient Egyptian's belief in an afterlife. Notes that much of our contemporary knowledge regarding ancient Egyptian culture is based on archaeological findings. Among the most interesting of these findings are those which relate to the elaborate worship rituals of the Egyptians, rituals which to a large degree were comprised of those relating to death and the afterlife. Provides an overview of Egyptian belief, preparation for the afterlife, mummification, the preparation of the body, rituals instructing the dead, the tombs, and ceremonies. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Filename: PPegyDth.wps

Ernst Cassirer: Language & Myth (1946)
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(5 pp) Philosophers are always asking themselves questions. What a philosopher is trying to do, is figure out the way in which people understand the world, or their sense and place of reality in the world. The German philosopher, Ernst Cassirer (1874- 1945) felt that we use mentally created symbols to understand our current reality. It was Cassirer's idea that scientific laws, theories of religion and the unique qualities of a given language were all symbols, which we as humans create to facilitate understanding the world. The logic of understanding then is to give some sense of order in the chaos of the world that we face on a daily basis.
Filename: BBcassir.doc

Fairy Tales: Now and Always
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(10pp) Since the time that someone rubbed two sticks togetherto make fire, people have loved a good story. It may loosely be called a legend, a story, or a tale, Joseph Campbell links most of them together with a thematic approach called the "hero's adventure." We will test some current fairy tales ("The Princess Who Stood on Her Own Two Feet," Jeanne Desy; "Prince Amilec" Tanith Lee; and "Petronella" by Jay Williams) to see how they fit the traditional model. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: BBfrytls.doc