ASTERISMS is a collection of lyric poetry that seeks to express a sense of awe for the natural world by exploring themes of science, art, and the self. By combining physics and metaphysics, scientific terminology and musings on love, ASTERISMS argues that these seemingly-disparate fields of knowledge can harmonize in unexpected ways. In its style, the collection draws from the works of Dorianne Laux, Pablo Neruda, and Annie Dillard. Most of the poems are written in free-version and are tied together by images of astronomy and wilderness, both modern and prehistoric. Poems about classical music appear as interludes meant to complement others concerned with science and technology, as music too has its own invented language. Like asterisms - ancient inventions meant to personalize the expansive mystery of the night sky - this collection seeks to admire, if not completely understand, our place in the natural world and cosmos beyond.

The purpose of this thesis is to present a systematic examination of the major groups of nature symbols used by Hawthorne in his novels and tales treating moral isolation. Since Poe's and Melville's early remarks on Hawthorne's love of allegory and his power of blackness, many critics have studied the extensive use of symbolism and the detailed analysis of human nature in his works. While critics have not ignored the numerous examples of nature symbolism contained in the works, none has made a comprehensive analysis of Hawthorne's systematic patterns. Such an analysis reveals a significant aspect of the already acknowledged depth and genius of his symbolic method and shows that his use of nature symbolism, differing from that of both his puritan ancestors and transcendentalist contemporaries, serves as further evidence of his great artistic originality. In Chapter Two, an examination of The Scarlet Letter, in which nearly all the nature symbols are used, reveals the great richness and complexity with which Hawthorne develops them. The journey into the wilderness is the chief symbol, giving not only a structural unity to several vital chapters in the centre of the novel, but also revealing the extent of the moral isolation of the characters. Within this major pattern, several other patterns emerge: the interplay of sunlight and darkness, the physical nature of the wilderness itself, and the attitudes of the various characters to nature symbolise the moral natures of Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale. The following chapters examine the systematic application of each set of symbols to a specific aspect of moral isolation. Moral innocence and attempts to regain or retain it are symbolized by sunshine, flowers and the harmonious relationship of individuals with nature; moral evil and guilt by the journey into the wilderness, the wild nature of the forest itself, and darkness. A third group of symbols relating to the garden reflect another aspect of isolation, that of the isolated individual attempting to enter into contact with others. Within each of these three symbolic patterns, the individual symbols are modified to reflect the unique moral conditions of the particular characters. Hawthorne's use of nature imagery takes on added significance when considered in relation to his allegorical method. It becomes an integral part of the method by which he was able to retell old material and common themes in such a way as to give each a new life and meaning. It is a part of the method which has helped to establish his position as a major American author. / Arts, Faculty of / English, Department of / Graduate

Since 1930, critics have given wide attention to the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins. Some of these critics have discussed the nature element in Hopkins’ poetry; but, generally, they have considered the nature imagery as one of the less important elements of Hopkins' work, confining their criticism to general statements, or limiting their discussion to one, or to a very few, of Hopkins' poems. This thesis attempts to go beyond these generalities. By a thorough investigation of Hopkins' use of nature, it attempts to show that nature imagery constitutes one of the major unifying elements of his poetry. Special attention will be given to the discussion of the "terrible sonnets" whose nature imagery may be said to synthesize the anguish of soul which prompted the poet to write these sonnets. Three groups of poems exemplify nature imagery as a unifying element in Hopkins' poetry: Hopkins' simple nature poetry, his poetry of praise, and the "terrible sonnets." In his simple nature poetry, Hopkins, by expressing his concept of the beauty of nature, allows the reader to share this vision of beauty with him. In the poetry of praise, Hopkins uses nature imagery to express one consistent theme, or "underthought"-- the grandeur of God and man's consequent duty of praise. The "terrible sonnets" celebrate God's power, His justice and His mercy. These seven poems of poignant beauty are Hopkins' expression of the terrible sufferings of the spiritual "nights" in which the only source of hope is God's mercy. The nature imagery in each of these groups is closely connected with Hopkins' poetic theories of inscape and instress. Hopkins considered that the essence of the object is to be found in its individual distinctiveness. Closely connected with the teachings of Duns Scotus, this philosophy provided Hopkins with a basis for his theories of inscape and instress, the key concepts of Hopkins' poetry. In inscape, the intuitive glance which follows the sensuous perception of the object allows the beholder to see its individually distinctive essence. The word "instress" is used by Hopkins to mean two different principles. At times, "instress" is used to express the principle of actuality of the object; at other times, to define the total effect which an individual inscape produces upon the one who sees it. Hopkins' poetic techniques are a natural result of his theories of inscape and instress. In an effort to express inscape accurately he sought to reproduce in his poetry exactly what he saw and what he heard. He called into play all the resources of language, of nature imagery, of poetic techniques and of prosody which he could command; and he produced a poetry which is at once dynamic, original, and beautiful. An understanding of Hopkins' theology of nature is also basic to the correct interpretation of his poetry. To Hopkins, all nature is a manifestation, an "utterance" of God; each separate object "utters" God in its own individual way. This sacramental view of nature was the result of Hopkins' unique ability to see things at once on both a natural and a supernatural level. He expresses the "underthought" of God, or of man's relations to God, by means of the "overthought" of nature. Nature imagery is, therefore, one of the principled unifying elements of Hopkins' poetry. / Arts, Faculty of / English, Department of / Graduate

This thesis explores pictorialism in eighteenth-century poetry and landscape. The tradition of ut pictura poesis is presented in terms of its origins in antiquity, its background in the thought of the eighteenth century, its manifestations in the poetry of the period, and its relations to the picturesque in landscape. A sketch of the origins and development of literary pictorialism in Greece and Rome, the medieval, Renaissance, and post-Renaissance periods, outlines its leading features and furnishes a historical perspective against which eighteenth-century practices can be viewed. Special attention is given to the bond between the sister arts of painting and poetry and to the new standards of artistic excellence deriving from Italian Renaissance and baroque painting. In eighteenth-century poetry, passages from Pope and Thomson illustrate neo-classical pictorial practice with respect to the ancient doctrine of enargeia (vivid, lifelike imitation), the means of idealizing nature, and the iconic tradition of imitating or describing objects of art. These practices are shown to serve aesthetic, social, or moral purposes. Finally, the thesis discusses Thomson's pictorial poetry as the product of traditional ut pictura poesis and not as the cause of picturesque landscape vision. The relationship between literary pictorialism and the landscape picturesque is clarified by relating Thomson's characteristic landscape form to Claude Lorraine, Salvator Rosa, and Nicolas Poussin. And the landscape picturesque itself, discussed largely in terms of its origins in the English natural garden and its formalization in the aesthetic theories of William Gilpin and Uvedale Price, is shown, like poetic pictorialism, to be a product of the neo-classical doctrine of models, another form of neo-classical "imitation." As such it rounds out the paper's study of pictorialism in the eighteenth century. / Arts, Faculty of / English, Department of / Graduate

Après les travaux de F. Del Punta, S. Donati et C. Trifogli, sur les commentaires inédits de la Physique au XIIIe siècle, cette étude propose une réévaluation du commentaire thomasien. En resituant celui-ci dans la tradition exégétique dominée par le Grand commentaire d’Averroès et la paraphrase de Maître Albert, l’intention plutôt énigmatique de Thomas prend un caractère moins théo-centré et, en un sens, plus physique, mais aussi plus paradoxal. / Following the works by F. Del Punta, S. Donati and C. Trifogli on the unpublished comments of Physics in the thirteenth century, this study puts forward a revaluation of Aquinas’s comment. By placing it in the exegetic tradition dominated by Averroes’s great comment and Albert’s paraphrase, Thomas’s rather puzzling intention becomes less theo-centred, and in a way, more physical, but also more paradoxical.

Reducing deforestation and degradation (REDD+) under the rubric of payment for ecosystem services (PES) is being promoted as the most cost-effective mechanism for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. This process of commodifying forest services will redefine the rhetoric of decentralised forest governance that has evolved in developing countries over the last two decades. This thesis uses ethnographic case studies in two forest villages in West Bengal state in India, along with 294 household surveys and 76 interviews, to examine the impending changes in socio-economic and political arenas with the adoption of a market mechanism like REDD+. I undertook a pilot study for one month in October 2009, which was followed by my main field work in two phases: February to July 2010 and November 2010 to February 2011. First, the analysis of livelihood dependence of forests dwellers shows unequal extraction of forest products by various wealth classes under the current socio-economic and political structures of village societies. Rich and medium class families with their higher assets were higher net users of forests, while poor households had a critical dependence on forests for their daily survival. Second, I examine the impact of livelihood dependence on forests. A majority of key informants did not see the current extraction of forest products, for example, for meeting local subsistence and commercial needs as major detriments to forest and carbon conservation. However, I argue that a number of legal provisions and official guidelines could potentially impose restrictions on the ongoing forest use pattern as a result of REDD+. Third, by comparing the functioning of the village council (with a special focus on the implementation of India’s National Employment Guarantee Scheme) with forest protection committees, I reflect upon the limitations in the decentralised forest management that emerge from the institutional design of the programme. I show that the decentralised forest governance suffers from lack of accountability and transparency over the control of forests by the Forest Department. Finally, this thesis suggests that the institutional design for REDD+ at the national level needs to be based on the democratic partnership of local institutions and the state.

In his Treatise of Human Nature, published in 1739, David Hume set out to scientifically comprehend human understanding, action, and personality in terms of the "experimental method of reasoning." He presented a naturalistic portrait of man which represented him as fundamentally determined to avoid pain and embrace pleasure. In this portrait a substantial place is provided for reason, but only as the "servant" of the passions. Only the passions were considered by Hume to be practical; they alone are the effective source of every impulse to act. Reason is merely theoretical; it is solely concerned with the provision of information for the passions. Hume recognized that his account of human nature must face two related problems. First, there is the matter of the common belief that reasoning is a practical activity; a belief not in keeping with Hume's conception of reason as merely theoretical. Second, the fact that persons' actions are influenced by moral ponsiderations implies that they often act in ways not designed to gratify their personal passions. Thus, moral phenomena seem to pose a threat to the hedonistic basis of Hume's theory of human nature. These two problems are related insofar as it is precisely in the case of moral actions that the common notion of practical reason traditionally operates. Hume sought to preserve the essential impracticality of reason in morals with the provision of a complex notion of "sympathy." l£ is the central purpose of this thesis to show that Hume's concept of "sympathy" fails to resolve the problems that it is addressed to. SECTION I: HUME'S THEORY OF ACTION IN THE TREATISE This section provides a sympathetic reading of Hume's account of the role of the passions and reason in the determination of human action. Two difficulties in this account—the concept of a "promptive" function of reason, and the notion of a "calm passion"—are critically considered and found to cohere with the general theory of the faculties in the Treatise. SECTION II: NATURALISM, DETERMINISM, AND VOLITION The naturalism of Hume's account of action has direct reference to the philosophical problems which cluster around the question of the freedom of the will. This section considers the implications of Hume's psychological determinism with a view to understanding more perfectly the detail of his theory of the faculties and action. Close attention is paid here to Hume's view that actions are "artificial," and it is concluded that he allowed a large and influential role for reason without directly threatening the purely theoretical function of the understanding. SECTION III: NATURALISM AND MORALS Hume regarded his theory of morals in the third book of the Treatise as a test and confirmation of his theory of action developed in the first two books. This section explicates Hume's view that moral judgments are affective perceptions rather than conclusions of reason. It is shown that the principle of "sympathy" operates at the center of the process of moral judgment. SECTION IV: SYMPATHY Hume designed the principle of sympathy to explain, in a manner consistent with his general theory of action, how persons can be naturally concerned for the interests of others with whom they have no prior affective connection. The central claim made is that persons are attuned to one another in such a way that there is an easy communication of passion between them. Thus, what is commonly interpreted as a moral "judgment" is really a peculiar feeling precipitated by a sympathy with the passions of others. It is this special feeling which issues from a process of sympathy which Hume identified as moral praise or blame. This final section of the thesis provides an extensive analysis of Hume's concept of "sympathy," and presents an argument aimed at demonstrating the failure of the concept to fulfill its intended role. It is suggested, in conclusion, that Hume fails to show that moral judgments and actions could be possible without the practical involvement of reason. / Arts, Faculty of / Philosophy, Department of / Graduate

A need to develop creative practices in child therapy, which address elements of environmental and therapeutic sustainability, is evident. Practices that are accessible, affordable, adaptable, and cross cultural offer therapeutic options that are applicable in a range of contexts. This study explored the potential for nature-based material used in therapy, to facilitate narrative identity development. The therapy process preceding the study entailed the use of an Embodiment Projective Role (EPR) ideas for narrative play therapy, incorporating nature as metaphorical material in exploring identity. As a descriptive qualitative study the collaborative narrative inquiry allowed for an account of identity development through the co creation of a significant statement of self research document. The inquiry into six children's identity documents, differing in age and gender, yielded intentional states of being as identity conclusions. Statements of what was done, statements of knowledge about self, and statements of how their identity informed decision making, were made. Identity conclusions were reached by every participant and the knowledge that was co created resulted in rich feelings across all participants. Participants acknowledged the sustainability of the therapeutic process through concrete natural reminders. When engaging in revisiting conversations with their caregivers, it was evident that each participant had experienced changes that enriched their daily life experiences following the research. The research fulfilled objectives of contributing knowledge of alternative, sustainable therapeutic resources and creates opportunities for continued research and practice in narrative nature based play therapy. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

Outdoor green spaces are necessary for cognitive development. Many mentally challenged children in South Africa lack proper treatment and access to green spaces, as well as basic social interaction. This dissertation investigates why play in outdoor spaces is beneficial and how this can be achieved through the basis of a playscape focusing on development and therapy for mentally challenged and abled-bodied children. The design solution also aims to uplift the community and create safe spaces. The main research question asks how a playscape can transform the segregated, derelict areas in Westbury into spaces that encourage child development. The hypothesis states that activity-orientated playground design that recognizes the abilities of mentally challenged and abled-bodied children, and provokes imagination, can create platforms that remove social boundaries and aid in development. Furthermore, naturalistic playground design can aid in solving the issue of boundary within Westbury, while effectively defining open space and creating a sense of place. In order to test the hypothesis, pragmatic requirements for child development were obtained through a literature review and by conducting interviews with therapists dealing with mentally challenged children. Case studies were consulted to understand the application in design. In conclusion, it is confirmed that naturalistic, activity-orientated playground design can create platforms that remove social boundaries and aid in development and therapy. By using archetypical landscape elements that provoke the imagination, a multifaceted playscape can be created. This dissertation in its design application demonstrates that it is possible to use boundary to create safer, integrated spaces, while effectively defining an open space. By this example a playscape and its surrounding spaces can offer platforms for economic, social, communal and environmental upliftment within Westbury. / Mini Dissertation ML(Prof)--University of Pretoria,2018. / Architecture / ML(Prof) / Unrestricted

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / South Africa has developed an extensive network of parks, nature reserves and conservation areas, the stated purpose of which is to both promote and protect nature and, particularly in the case of state-owned resources, to harness the power of tourism in social and economic development. This study examines the impact on rural and urban communities of proclaimed 'nature areas' and related efforts by the state to grow the economic and developmental contribution of tourism in the regions concerned. Through interrogating this 'triangulation' of nature, tourism and local economic development the pattern of benefit distribution from the protection of nature areas is highlighted.