Hh: Hobbesian

English philosopher and political theorist best known for his book Leviathan (1651), in which he argues that the only way to secure civil society is through universal submission to the absolute authority of a sovereign. Hobbesi·an adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

In Context:

The authors further classify the books by using a Kantian or Hobbesian position regarding their optimistic or pessimistic outlooks. For the uninitiated, the authors provide a quick description of both philosophers. On the optimistic side, Immanuel Kant, a Prussian philosopher who lived in the 1700s, focused on the spread of the rule of law and constitutional republics as key components leading to a peaceful world. On the pessimistic side, Thomas Hobbes, a British philosopher of the 1600s, believed in strong central governments, whether democratic or not, as the key to ensuring security of the state and, thus, peace through strength when dealing with other states.

Each chapter reviews books with a common theme or bent. Seeing the Elephant opens with reviews of books written shortly after the downfall of communism, when it was easy to envision a new international society based on the ideas of democracy and globalization. It follows with the pessimistic reaction of writers to this initial surge of optimism, covering books written primarily since the late 1990s and dealing with such topics as the rise of terrorism and the uneven tensions produced by globalization. Other chapters address writings concerning the effect of technology on the world economy and security, US grand strategy in both a neo-Kantian and neo-Hobbesian world, and US defense strategies.

As the authors state in the preface, "the primary audience for this book is the students of America's war colleges." Essentially the CliffsNotes or "dirty purples" for a great list of books regarding strategic thought and the US role in global security, Seeing the Elephant should be mandatory reading at the beginning of each new class. Hopefully the authors will update it periodically to keep pace with developing ideas. 

Bb: Brownie

brownie [ˈbraʊnɪ]

n

1. (Myth & Legend / European Myth & Legend) (in folklore) an elf said to do helpful work at night, esp household chores

"I see you think I have no chance," Brownie said falteringly.

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by Barrie, James Matthew

Pp: Permaculture

n. A system of perennial agriculture emphasizing the use of renewable natural resources and the enrichment of local ecosystems. [perma(nent) + (agri)culture.] perma·cultur·ist, perma·cultur·al·ist n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

CURMUDGEON: (noun)
one who abhors disingenuity and hypocrisy, and has the temerity to say so, often recasting unpleasant facts in a droll manner.

A Special Thanks to the Dick Martens - Curmudgeon in Residence

Ss: Securalism

1. an ethical system asserting that moral judgments should be made in the circumstances that face you now, without reference to an eternal God. (With help from Christ Community Church Daytona and Pastor Larry Kirk)

Cc: Coram Deo

"in the presence of God"; a phrase from Christian theology which summarizes the idea of Christians living in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God

Vv: Vicissitudes

plural noun variations, changes, shifts, changes of fortune, life's ups and downs (informal)

In Context:
"energy which will carry their tribe through the year, through the vicissitudes of the months. Dh Lawrence Mornings in Mexico

Bb: Biomimicry

n
Biomimcry according to Fast Company Magazine: is a discipline that tries to solve problems by imitating the ingenious and sustainable answers provided by nature.

Dd: Dayyenu

Dayyenu

How can a Jew say, let alone sing, that "it would have been enough" even had we not received the Torah or Eretz Yisrael? Yet, every year at the Pesach seder this is the perplexing message we seemingly proclaim as we sing "Dayyenu!"

The answer is really quite simple. Within its context in the Haggadah, the refrain of "Dayyenu" has an implicit suffix - it does not mean 'it would have been enough;' rather, "Dayyenu" means 'it would have been enough to say Hallel for...' In this "piyut" which poetically summarizes the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, we declare that each single act of God's kindness in that redemption process 'would have been enough' to obligate us to praise Him, i.e. to recite the Hallel.

In the Haggadah, we recite "Dayyenu" at the conclusion of magid, prior to mentioning "pesach, matzah and maror" (Rabban Gamliel omer...) and reciting of the Hallel. Mentioning these three mitzvot adjacent to the Hallel parallels the requirement to sing Hallel while eating the korban pesach during the time of the Temple. Thus, "Dayyenu" serves in the Haggadah as an introduction to the Hallel:

Had Hashem only taken us out of Egypt and not punished the Egyptians, that "would have been enough" to obligate us to say Hallel.
Had he split the sea for us but not given us the 'mahn,' this alone would have been sufficient reason to praise God.
And so on.

"Dayyenu" relates a total of fifteen acts of divine kindness, each act alone worthy of praise. Therefore, the Haggadah continues, "al achat kamah vekhamah," how much more so is it proper to thank God for performing all these acts of kindness. Thus, in the Haggadah, "Dayyenu" provides the proper perspective, and creates the appropriate atmosphere for the recitation of the Hallel.

When we recite the Hallel at the seder, we do so not only out of gratitude for Hashem's taking us out of Egypt, but also in appreciation of each stage of the redemptive process. As the "Dayyenu" emphasizes, we thank God not only for the exodus, but also for the 'mahn,' for shabbat, for coming close to Har Sinai, for the Torah, for the Land of Israel..., and finally for the building of the Bet HaMikdash.

Based on this understanding, the "Dayyenu" contains an underlying, profound hashkafah, a message very applicable to our own generation. Today, there are those who focus only on the first stanza of "Dayyenu," viewing freedom as the final goal, the ultimate redemption. For them, the first stanza of "Dayyenu" - the exodus - is "enough." Others focus only upon the last stanza, that without the realization of the idyllic goal of building the Mikdash, the entire redemptive process is meaningless. In their eyes, Hallel should be sung only when the redemption reaches its ultimate goal. "Dayyenu" disagrees - each stage of the process requires Hallel.

It is this hashkafic message, i.e., the understanding and appreciation of each step of the redemptive process, that "Dayyenu" teaches us. Ge'ulat Yisra'el - the redemption of Israel - is a process that is comprised of many stages. Every significant step in this process, even without the full attainment of the ultimate goal, requires our gratitude and praise to Hashem. In each stage of redemption, Am Yisra'el is required to recognize that stage and thank Hashem accordingly, while at the same time recognizing that many more stages remain yet unfulfilled. "Dayyenu" challenges us to find the proper balance.

[P.S. Save this shiur! You can 're-use' it for Yom Ha'Atzma'ut.]

Ff: Fractions

n.

1. Mathematics An expression that indicates the quotient of two quantities, such as ¹/₃ .

2. A disconnected piece; a fragment.

3. A small part; a bit: moved a fraction of a step.

4. A chemical component separated by fractionation.

---

[Middle English fraccioun, a breaking, from Anglo-Norman, from Late Latin frcti, frctin-, from Latin frctus, past participle of frangere, to break; see bhreg- in Indo-European roots.]

Word History: Our word fraction did not originally have a mathematical sense. It goes back ultimately to the Latin verb frangere, "to break." From the stem of the past participle frctus is derived Late Latin frcti (stem frctin-), "a breaking" or "a breaking in pieces," as in the breaking of the Eucharistic Host. In Medieval Latin the word frcti developed its mathematical sense, which was taken into Middle English along with the word. The earliest recorded sense of our word is "an aliquot part of a unit, a fraction or subdivision," found in a work by Chaucer written about 1400. One of the next recorded instances of the word recalls its origins, referring to the "brekying or fraccioun" of a bone.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Pp: Propinquity Effect

propinquity

Noun

Formal nearness in time, place, or relationship [Latin propinquus near]

Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006

The sense of the word "propinquity" as given here is a specialised one. For a more general definition of the word, see in the Wiktionary.

In social psychology, propinquity (from Latin propinquitas, nearness) is one of the main factors leading to interpersonal attraction. It refers to the physical or psychological proximity between people. Two people living on the same floor of a building, for example, have a higher propinquity than those living on different floors. Propinquity can mean physical proximity, a kinship between people, or a similarity in nature between things. Propinquity is also one of the factors, set out by Jeremy Bentham, used to measure the amount of pleasure in a method known as felicific calculus.

Propinquity effect

The propinquity effect is the tendency for people to form friendships or romantic relationships with those whom they encounter often. In other words, relationships tend to be formed between those who have a high propinquity. It was first theorized by psychologists Leon Festinger, Stanley Schachter, Kurt Lewin and Kurt Bach in what came to be called as the Westgate studies conducted at MIT (1950). The typical venn diagram used to represent the propinquity effect is shown below where U = universe, A = set A, B = set B, and S = similarity:



The sets are basically any relevant subject matter about a person, or persons, or non-persons, etc; depending on the context of the use of the word. Propinquity can be more than just physical distance. Residents of an apartment building living near a stairway, as an example, tend to have more friends from other floors than others. The propinquity effect is usually explained by the mere exposure effect, which holds that the more exposure a stimulus gets, the more likeable it becomes.

Yy: Young Turk

n.
1. A member of a Turkish reformist and nationalist political party active in the early 20th century.
2. also young Turk
a. A young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party.
b. A young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations.
hm()
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Hh: Henotheistic

henotheism

a belief in one suprème or specially venerated god who is not the only god. — henotheist, n.

See also: God and Gods

-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

For, if she was a witness for Christian agape, or selfless love, Hinduism was bearing witness that it is henotheistic, meaning that while it has its own belief system, it does not deny the truth of others.

CATHOLIC DIED A HERO TO NATION OF HINDUS by Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Pp: Protean Man

Proteus was a minor sea god in the court of Poseidon, who could readily adopt any form or guise he desired, but who found it impossible to maintain any particular identity or commitments. These types will plunge into a variety of faith experiences, but do not root themselves to one faith. (Postmodern Believers).

Ii: Imaginative Community

whose ethic and organization incroporates a belief in the inevitability of progress and openess to the future.

Defined by Lee Smolin in the (Trouble with Physics)