Compare Popes and Swifts Ideas on Reason Essay example

Reason’s Significance nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;One of the most important differences between humans and all other forms of life can be seen in our ability to think and rationalize our decisions and choices as humans. Without reason, we as humans would be no different than a cat or dog. God, in his infinite wisdom, blessed man with the ability to reason, but left it entirely up to us whether or not we choose to use it. Alexander Pope and Jonathon Swift, two prominent writers of the eighteenth century, take two very different approaches when it comes to the importance or insignificance of reason. Pope chooses to argue that reason is the balancing factor in our lives and helps us to achieve the most possible success if we listen to its†¦show more content†¦He does not seem to think that reason is important at all or at least not to extent that others make it out to be. The other voyages in â€Å"Gullivers Travels† seemed strange for obvious reasons such as the drastic size difference of the i nhabitants, but the voyage to Laputa is preposterous based on its sheer impracticality. He finds it humorous how the inhabitants of the island can be so consumed with absolutely nothing. They spend their whole lives attempting to figure out seemingly impossible things. What they are concerned with is abstract thought and nothing that is even close to practical or concrete. The Laputians are so consumed with not doing anything practical that they even completely renounce right angles. The absence of right angles only limits them further in their ability to advance. Swift also makes fun og the inhabitants and their seeming obsession with language. They seem to take it to the extreme when they assign a certain letter to certain parts of a machine, but then using different letters or symbols to describe the movements of these parts. Language is a fundamental element of any civilization, but Swift appears to believe that they are taking their language too far and he finds it ridiculous. Gulliver even becomes bored with his conversation with the inhabitants and desires to leave. In turn, the Laputians do not find him very interesting either and are more consumed with their own mathematicsShow MoreRelatedThe Changing Face of Love in English Literature1528 Words   |  7 Pagescompletion of a duel the following year. This tale’s driving force is a love theme. Arcita and Palamon are motivated by their obsession and jealousy as they attempt to win the favor of a woman that neither has ever met. I examined two medieval works to compare the theme of love within these works and the overwhelming consensus of the two works was that love is a danger and a distraction. I first examined â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight†. 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