Loving God is our highest perfection for Leibniz. It secures our belief and trust in the Creator, which is integral to the sciences as well as faith. Those who love God have justification for reasoning, that is, they can rationally expect to arrive at truth. This is because love is a receptivity to the perfection all of things; loving God, then, is a disposition and tendency toward the most perfect being, the ens perfectissimum. Individuals who perceive the divine nature “do not merely fear the power of the supreme and all-seeing monarch,” Leibniz writes, “but are assured of his beneficence, and lastly—and what brings everything together—burn with a love of God above all else.”1 In my dissertation, I argue that Leibniz’s qualification should be taken seriously: love of God “brings everything together.” The subject of my dissertation can be stated schematically. It consists of two pairs of claims, one pair philosophical, the other theological: A moral quality is required to secure our reason. From a most perfect unity, a moral quality follows. Love of God is our highest perfection. Love of God secures our reasoning. Both concern the security of reason, by which I mean the rational motivation for reasoning itself. They are reasons we ought to expect reasoning to lead to truth. Yet they do not form a tight demonstration: while an inference is clearly at work in the first pair, there are no inferences in the second. Also, there is a distinction between a moral quality and love for God. Unless they are identified, Leibniz’s philosophy and theology secure reasoning apart from one another. In 1686, Leibniz wrote his well-known “Discourse on Metaphysics.” A few months after, he composed a theological treatise, Examination of the Christian Religion. These texts, I argue, should be read side by side, and the first chapter compares how divine perfection secures our reasoning in both texts. Some Moderns’ notion of perfection—namely, Descartes’, Spinoza’s, and Malebranche’s—fail to secure our reasoning because their views entail arbitrariness in the world and the divine nature. But a proper sense of perfection, one that includes a moral quality, secures our reasoning by ensuring that everything is amenable to reason. Descartes also sought to secure our reasoning, and for the second and third chapters I compare his account with Leibniz’s own, then draw out the latter’s criticisms. For Descartes, the deity’s moral quality is characterized by an indifferent will, which is eminently and formally revealed throughout creation. Although recognizing the infinite source of all things directs our attention appropriate in the Cartesian system, Leibniz criticizes Descartes’ detached and indifferent God. When our disposition toward God is not characterized by love, we are less rational than otherwise. Leibniz finds intolerable moral implications in the Cartesian system, and I work out these implications in chapter three. Descartes’ criteria of true and false ideas does not settle dispute, but relies on “interior testimony.” Proper reasoning, then, does not tend toward unity among persons, and this is especially problematic in religious debate. Descartes’ method is Stoic, which also leads to trouble when it comes to church unity: one remains in the church by a sheer act of will, which can violate reason. Leibniz views such a detachment of faith and reasoning as dangerous, besides impoverishing the concept of reason altogether. Leibniz’s notions of God and perfection secure our reason by engendering love for God. “Discourse” and Examen begin with a moral disposition and tendency. In the last chapter, I argue that this is the case by considering two criteria Leibniz adopts—his test for perfection and the kinds of knowledge—as well as the foundation of his logic at the time. Leibniz can tolerate provisional beginnings, hypothetical truths, and original sin because of his robust conception of love. He distinguishes two ways we love God: spes, or hope, is a disposition or tendency to natural perfection, and caritas, or esteem, affection, or love, regards divine perfection. These states orient us according to the divine plan. Miracles are within the world as an effect of the deity’s moral quality: they are a means God personally relates to rational beings. Miracles reveal the moral effects of our perception of phenomena generally, included the regularity observed and classified by science. So, to conclude, I compare Leibniz’s discussion of revelation in Examen with his discussion of miracles in “Discourse” to draw out the significance of miracles for him. Besides much debate on the implications of miracles for his conception of substance, I argue that there is a moral motivation for retaining miracles, even those of the second rank.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / Die indikatiewe (inisiele) aspek van die heiliging word genadiglik deur God aan die gelowiges geskenk tydens hul regverdiging en wedergeboorte sodat die imperatiewe (voortgaande) aspek daaruit kan voortspruit. God ken in eersgenoemde aspek aan die gelowiges die nuwe status van heiliges as gawe toe, en rig hulle op Homself deur hulle met Christus te verenig in mede-sterwe vir die sonde, en in mede-opstanding in sy nuwe lewe. In kontinui'teit hiermee leef die gelowiges die implikasies van hul ontvangde status uit deur in die Militia Christiana die sonde(s) toenemend af te le, en hulle toenemend met Christus te beklee, en in sy krag deur die Gees vir God te lewe. So groei hulle in laasgenoemde aspek. Die Gereformeerde leer, waarvolgens geglo word dat 'n tweede genadewerk of 'n latere Geesdoop onnodig is vir effektiewe groei, laat die beste reg geskied aan die kontinui'teit tussen die twee aspekte. / The indicative (initial) aspect of sanctification is graciously given to the believers by God when they are justified and regenerated, so that the imperative (ongoing) aspect can flow therefrom. In the first-mentioned aspect God confers upon the believers the new status of saints, and focuses them on Himself by uniting them with Christ in co-crucifixion for sin, and in co-resurrection with Him in his new life. In continuation thereof, the believers live out the implications of their received status in the Militia Christiana by putting away sin, and by putting on Christ in an ever-increasing measure, and in living for God in Christ's power by the Spirit, thus growing in the latter aspect. The Reformed teaching, according to which it is believed that a second work of grace or a subsequent baptism with the Spirit is unnecessary for effectual growth, is most in accordance with the continuation between the two aspects. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / Die indikatiewe (inisiele) aspek van die heiliging word genadiglik deur God aan die gelowiges geskenk tydens hul regverdiging en wedergeboorte sodat die imperatiewe (voortgaande) aspek daaruit kan voortspruit. God ken in eersgenoemde aspek aan die gelowiges die nuwe status van heiliges as gawe toe, en rig hulle op Homself deur hulle met Christus te verenig in mede-sterwe vir die sonde, en in mede-opstanding in sy nuwe lewe. In kontinui'teit hiermee leef die gelowiges die implikasies van hul ontvangde status uit deur in die Militia Christiana die sonde(s) toenemend af te le, en hulle toenemend met Christus te beklee, en in sy krag deur die Gees vir God te lewe. So groei hulle in laasgenoemde aspek. Die Gereformeerde leer, waarvolgens geglo word dat 'n tweede genadewerk of 'n latere Geesdoop onnodig is vir effektiewe groei, laat die beste reg geskied aan die kontinui'teit tussen die twee aspekte. / The indicative (initial) aspect of sanctification is graciously given to the believers by God when they are justified and regenerated, so that the imperative (ongoing) aspect can flow therefrom. In the first-mentioned aspect God confers upon the believers the new status of saints, and focuses them on Himself by uniting them with Christ in co-crucifixion for sin, and in co-resurrection with Him in his new life. In continuation thereof, the believers live out the implications of their received status in the Militia Christiana by putting away sin, and by putting on Christ in an ever-increasing measure, and in living for God in Christ's power by the Spirit, thus growing in the latter aspect. The Reformed teaching, according to which it is believed that a second work of grace or a subsequent baptism with the Spirit is unnecessary for effectual growth, is most in accordance with the continuation between the two aspects. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Étude sur les graphes bipartis orientes de Moore montrant que de tels graphes existent, pour certaines valeurs du diamètre, et servent a la construction d'une classe de graphes bipartis orientes, asymptotiquement optimaux. Dans la deuxième partie du travail, quelques notions de coloration des graphes sont présentées. Celles-ci permettent de généraliser certains résultats déjà connus dans le cadre de la coloration habituelle et d'en obtenir d'autres plutôt spécifiques a ces notions. La généralisation de la notion de perfection en b-perfection est proposée ce qui permet l'obtention des graphes triangules représentant la seule classe de graphes b-parfaits

<p>This study reports on the changes in the structural properties of a tungsten-filament when exposed to a methane / hydrogen ambient for different durations at various filament-temperatures.</p>

<p>This study reports on the changes in the structural properties of a tungsten-filament when exposed to a methane / hydrogen ambient for different durations at various filament-temperatures.</p>

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T12:18:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Glauber S.pdf: 460314 bytes, checksum: 01c9c73ccea6537af694de183ce47631 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-18 / This work consists in a comparative study of the writings of John Wesley (1703-1791) and Ellen G. White (1827-1915) seeking to define the concept of sanctification in each author. A description may be found of the factors that led to the elaboration of Wesley s and White s perception. Similarities between both authors are verified, such as continuous growth, negation of sinlessness, the need for constant dependency in God and obedience to His law. Differences between both authors are also studied, such as Wesley s concepts of instantaneous sanctification, the second work of grace, and White s concepts of character perfection and spheres of perfection. This work also discusses contributions and implications that may be presented to the theological debate in today s theology, such as human finiteness, sin and human nature, religious motivations for praxis and divine/human collaboration for development. / Este trabalho consiste em um estudo comparativo entre os escritos de John Wesley (1703-1791) e Ellen G. White (1827-1915) procurando definir os conceitos de santificação de cada autor. São descritos os fatores que levaram a elaboração desta percepção tanto em John Wesley como em Ellen G. White e verificadas as congruências entre os autores estudados como o conceito de amadurecimento contínuo, a negação de impecabilidade, a necessidade de dependência constante em Deus e obediência à Sua lei entre outros. São verificadas também as divergências entre ambos os autores, como os conceitos wesleyanos de santificação instantânea, a segunda obra da graça, e os conceitos whiteanos de perfeição de caráter e esferas de perfeição. Neste trabalho, também são destacadas algumas contribuições e implicações para a teologia na atualidade como os conceitos da finitude humana, o pecado e a natureza humana, a práxis e suas motivações religiosas e a colaboração divino/humana no desenvolvimento.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / This study reports on the changes in the structural properties of a tungsten-filament when exposed to a methane / hydrogen ambient for different durations at various filament-temperatures. / South Africa

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (PhD (Dogmatics and Christian Ethics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / PhD / unrestricted

Karen Finley's The Constant State of Desire merits attention because it acknowledges modern language's inability to represent the suffering of victims and creates awareness of our personal involvement in constructing gendered identities. Finley expresses her abhorrence of the desire for power and perfection by asserting that power is secured in American culture through physical and economic domination. In addition, the pursuit of perfection is engrained in one's psyche through media images and habituated behaviors. Finley does not offer a new language through which to communicate suffering, but she draws the reader's attention to the inadequacies of psychological and cultural rhetoric, thus engaging in an important step of language creation. Finley's art makes use of dominant and nondominant languages combined with body language to illustrate that neither are adequate for representing marginalized bodies of postmodern culture.