#thomas theis

[python-programming-language]

Ein gelungener Einstieg in Python ...

Python ist eine sehr einfach zu erlernende Programmiersprache und für den Einstieg in die Welt der Programmierung ideal geeignet. Trotz ihrer Einfachheit bietet diese Sprache auch die Möglichkeit, komplexe Programme für vielfältige Anwendungsgebiete zu schreiben. (MITP-Verlag)

Post #142: Thomas Theis, Einstieg in Python, Ideal für Programmieren Steiger, Rheinwerk Computing Verlag, Bonn, 8. aktualisierte Ausgabe, 2024.

[greyfeu]

hiii all of the family (sorry alfred he wouldnt fit)

[sersh]

Saint X — Season 1 Episode 5 for @lexa-griffins and @butmakeitgayblog!

[sunny44]

Baby fever

Pairing: Mac Verstappen x Girlfriend!reader

Warnings: baby fever

Summary: Max gets the baby fever after seeing Y/n with his nephews.

I always knew that my life was destined to follow the straight and fast line of a Formula 1 track. Since I was a child, racing cars were my focus, my passion. The idea of starting a family one day was always there, but it never occupied my thoughts. At least, not until I met Y/n.

From the first time I saw her, I knew she would be the love of my life and the person I wanted to build a future with. But we live life one day at a time, and even though we’ve made plans for the future, it wasn't something we were in a rush to pursue.

My sister Victoria gave birth to little Hailey a few weeks ago, and today we were going to meet her for the first time. She and Y/n have been messaging each other every day since Hailey was born, trying to find the right day for our visit.

When we arrived, Victoria and Thomas were in the living room, visibly tired but radiating happiness. Besides the little baby, they also had my two other nephews, who, though older, still required a lot of attention. I couldn't imagine how exhausted they must be.

We eagerly approached to meet little Hailey.

"You arrived just in time," Victoria said, her voice soft but full of enthusiasm. "She just woke up. Do you want to hold her?"

I was going to hold her first, but seeing Y/n’s eyes shining with emotion and excitement, I quickly gestured for her to go ahead.

Victoria handed Hailey to Y/n, who took her with the utmost care, then sat on the couch and patted the spot next to her for me to sit beside her. Y/n held her for a while before handing the baby to me before she fell asleep so we wouldn’t disturb her.

The light weight in my arms was something incredibly significant for me, even though I had held Luka and Lio many times when they were babies, every time felt like the first.

Hailey, with her big, bright eyes, looked at me with innocent curiosity. She had rosy cheeks and a serene expression, almost as if she were absorbing the world around her for the first time. My heart, accustomed to the fast pace of racing, seemed to slow down in that moment.

Y/n moved closer to me on the couch, gently touching the baby’s arm. "She’s so beautiful, Max."

"She really is." I replied, still surprised by the strength of the emotion washing over me. There was something deeply moving about holding this small human being who was part of my family.

As Hailey moved her hands slightly, almost as if she were trying to hold someone’s finger, I began to imagine what it would be like if that baby was ours. A part of me always believed I was far from being ready to be a father, that my life was too fast-paced to accommodate something so big and important. But in that moment, I felt a shift, something I couldn’t ignore.

"Are you okay, Max?" Y/n asked, noticing the silence that had settled between us.

"Yes," I replied, smiling softly. "I’m just watching her. I'm afraid to speak too loudly and scare her."

She smiled back, but there was a deep understanding in her eyes. Y/n has always been able to read me like no one else, and I knew she understood that I didn’t wanted to share what was on my mind at the moment.

After a few minutes, Thomas entered the room with Luka, my oldest nephew, who immediately ran into Y/n’s arms. They’ve always had a special connection, something I’ve always admired. Seeing the two of them together brought me a quiet joy, something I was beginning to value more each day.

Y/n had disappeared for a little while earlier while I was still holding the baby. When Hailey fell asleep in my arms, I handed her back to my sister, who went to put her in her crib. Tom had just gone to put Lio down for his afternoon nap, and I went to find my girlfriend.

I heard laughter coming from the backyard, where a scene unfolded that made my heart leap once again. Luka was laughing, running around the yard with contagious energy, while Y/n chased him, their laughter mingling in the air in a way that made the world seem lighter.

I stood there for a moment, just watching. There was something deeply familiar about Luka, as if I were looking at a miniature version of myself. It was something we always laughed about because he looked just like me. Y/n was always amazed at how similar we were, saying he could easily pass as my son.

He was the spitting image of the Verstappen family, and seeing him so happy and at ease with Y/n made me think about how she would be as a mother.

I always knew Y/n had a special way with children, but seeing the genuine and joyful connection between her and Luka made something bloom inside me. An idea that, until then, I had kept somewhere distant in my mind.

"She gets along well with him, doesn’t she?" Victoria’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"She really does," I replied, without taking my eyes off the scene in front of me.

"Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?" she asked, smiling as if she had caught me in the act.

"Maybe," I admitted, feeling my face heat up. "I never really thought about it before, but... I think something has changed."

Victoria nodded, understanding without needing more explanations. "Babies have that effect. They make you see the world in a different way. And from what I see, you and Y/n would make great parents."

“Thank you. She would definitely be a great mom,” I said before starting to laugh at their giggles.

The idea hit me with an almost frightening clarity. What once seemed like a distant dream now felt like a real, tangible possibility. I knew my life would never be normal, that the travel, the races, and the constant pressure would always be a part of me. But seeing Y/n laughing with Luka, I realized there was room for something more. For a family. For a future that, until then, I had never dared to imagine.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with soft shades of orange and pink, Y/n approached me, still smiling, her face lit up by the simple happiness of the moment.

"What is it?" she asked, noticing my expression.

"I was just thinking," I replied, gently pulling her closer to me, "that maybe one day... we could have something like this."

“Like?”

“A house with our kids running around.” I said and she looked at me, surprised, but then her smile widened, full of love and understanding.

"You think so?"

"I know so." I said, with a certainty I never thought I would have. "And I can't wait for it."

"I can't wait either," she said, giving me a quick kiss. "Though I find it almost impossible to imagine a child that looks you than Luka. But I’m sure that if our kids look like you and we take Luka and Lio with us they’ll all look like our kids."

I started laughing as Luka continued to play around us, and with the soft sound of the wind filling the space between us, I realized that the dream of having a family, something I never knew I wanted, was becoming clearer. It was a dream I wanted to share with Y/n, a new kind of race that I was eager to begin.

Bonus scene!

Yourusername Instagram stories

“Family time”

[jeankirsteind]

Yeah, you can ask to Maribug who was reconciled her with her abusive mother in the Queen Wasp and also Saint Zoe in the Queen Banana how she can manipulate Chloe with easily that that placebo was from her mom 🤫

That’s why Gabe and Lila-Cerise-or-whatever-who-she-is were exploit her emotions since third seasons.

Honestly it's not even just S5 like she would have still been loyal to Ladybug had Gabriel not isolated and manipulated her in Miracle Queen

YEAH NO LIKE

Literally the entire FUCKING setup for Miracle Queen was Gabriel holding Chloé's parents hostage, confronting her directly(which is a grown man with super powers vs. a teenager with no powers, he can win that fight in his sleep), manipulating the situation to make it seem like Ladybug has abandoned and lied to her, and Ladybug coincidentally helping this plan by letting her jealousy break her own rules and pick Kagami(the only other Hero whose identity was public and should be benched).

Like. There's just. A whole train of manipulation and force and setting things up and bad timing, culminating in Chloé having no choice but to team up with Hawkmoth if only to save herself.

Only for TA to say she's a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum being told 'no' for once?????

[an0thergl1tch]

Obligatory pronoun/gender sanderssides headcanons because I reflect my transness onto characters I enjoy :

Patton : Ultimate he/him ally. I have a feeling he would be the type to say he doesn’t mind what pronouns are used for him but mainly for the reason he’s afraid to correct people, or he genuinely doesn’t care. I have a feeling he would really enjoy neopronouns and would be like “Thats so cute I want some too!!” (Honestly his color palette matches the demiboy flag which I think also works.)

Roman : Classic he/him himbo, however anything goes when in drag however being called a queen and a princess hits different. Confident as hell in his masculinity there is no toxicity here folks (except when Thomas was extremely closeted but we don’t talk about that.) Call him pretty and he will fall in love with you.

Logan : Honestly gives he/they agender vibes, he is way too emotionally repressed to think about his gender and his pronouns, and he mainly just dosent care. (He does care but if he thinks too hard about it he will have a crisis.) Definitely a jewelry person but is afraid to wear any incase he doesn’t look professional (LET HIM LOOK PRETTYYYY)

Virgil : Classic emo he/they, simply for the reason that the he/theys love him. He gets nervous around labels. This bitch closeted as fuck, but definetly runs a tumblr blog where he’s out and shares depressing dysphoria poetry. Is the bitch that asks janus what the gender of the day is.

Janus : This bitch nonbinary as fuck he even matches the flag. Any pronouns. Says he isn’t trans but giggles when called a pretty lady. When asked I have a feeling he would be like “bitch i have no fucking clue”. Definitely calls himself androgynous because it sounds more sophisticated. Has an identity crisis nightly and LIVES in drag to cope. Definitely catfishes straight dudes at clubs to steal their wallets and get free drinks. When asked the gender of the day he will say a very specific character description. Absolutely tortures Thomas with the idea of another identity crisis.

Remus : Genderqueer vibes (he even matches the flag). Any pronouns, ESPECIALLY neo/xenopronouns. Absolute genderfuck. Gender = HIM from the powerpuff girls. Definetly collects microlabels like pokemon cards because microlabels are cool (same.) Wears every pride pin at once to confuse homophobes. Also goes to clubs to steal people wallets and get free drinks, not by flirting but by pickpocketing them. He and janus go out on bar hopping dates.

[edwardslovelyelizabeth]

How many mistresses did Edward IV have? It is said that the names of his mistresses are not recorded in contemporary times?

They are debatable because not everything was recorded back in the day and he never had an official court mistress and he never officially recognized his illegitimate children. We know he was involved with one Elizabeth Lucy, also known as Lady Lucy, Lady Elizabeth, and Elizabeth Wayte (as you can see even her name is debatable) could be the mother of his several illegitimate children most notably Arthur Plantagenet who was born sometime between 1461 and 1464, which means that the woman who was his mother was Edward's mistress when he was still unmarried. She Is also suggested to be the mother of another illegitimate child Elizabeth Plantagenet who was born sometime in 1464 or earlier because she married Sir Thomas Lumley in 1477 (she should be minimum 12 at the time of her marriage), so again was born when Edward was still unmarried or just recently married so conceived before he was actually married.

Another mistress is rumored to be Elizabeth "Jane" Shore (née Lambert) who was also supposedly a mistress of William Hastings and Edward's stepson Thomas Grey (and she was actually accused of adultery with Thomas in Richard's proclamation against Thomas Grey). She might have been Edward's mistress from 1476 on when she was granted the annullment of her marriage. The most we know about her is from Thomas More's "The History of King Richard III", which is somewhat controversial baring in mind More was only 5 years old when Edward died and he wrote his history for the Tudors obviously so he is not a contemporary source and a biased one at that. Here is what he wrote of Jane Shore

But the meriest was this Shoris wife, in whom the king therfore toke speciall pleasure. For many he had, but her he loued. Whose fauour, to sai the trouth, (for sinne it wer to belie the deuil) she neuer abused to any mans hurt, but to many a mans comfort & relief: where the king toke displeasure, she wolud mitigate & appease his mind: where men were out of fauour, she wold bring them in his grace. For many that had highly offended, shee obtained pardon. Of great forfetures she gate men remission. And finally in many weighty sutes, she stode many men in gret stede, either for none, or very smal rewardes, & those rather gay then rich: either for that she was content with the dede selfe well done, or for that she delited to be suid vnto, & to show what she was able to do wyth the king, or for that wanton women and welthy be not alway couetouse. I doubt not some shal think this woman to sleight a thing, to be written of & set amonge the remembraunces of great matters: which thei shal specially think, that happely shal esteme her only by that thei now see her. But me semeth the chaunce so much the more worthy to be remembred, in how much she is now in the more beggerly condicion, vnfrended & worne out of acquantance, after good substance, after as gret fauour with the prince, after as gret sute & seking to with al those that those days had busynes to spede, as many other men were in their times, which be now famouse, only by the infamy of their il dedes. Her doinges were not much lesse, albeit thei be muche lesse remembered, because thei were not so euil. For men vse if they haue an euil turne, to write it in marble: & whoso doth vs a good tourne, we write it in duste which is not worst proued by her: for at this daye shee beggeth of many at this daye liuing, that at this day had begged if she had not bene

And this is basically it of the "known" mistresses of Edward IV.

[authorscribblescheetah]

Great Scott! The holiday season, specifically the winter holiday season, is upon us! So why not indulge in some short, sweet holiday stories and go pick up a copy of Happy Howlidays! Happy Howlidays is the flash fiction anthology (edited by yours truly) that features stories from seventeen different authors. There are stories that feature the Christmas Holiday, Epiphany, the Winter Solstice, and even an Accidental Hanukkah!

My story "Tinsel's Town" is featured, along with stories written by Cyrano, Field T. Mouse, Thomas "Faux" Steele, Rob MacWolf, Malina Douglas, Melissa Theys, Frances Pauli, Nenekiri Bookwyrm, Renee Carter Hall, Sarah Doeberiner, K.C. Shaw, Packwolf Lupestripe, Sofox, R.C. Capasso, Yarrow, and Ziegenbock!

Seriously, the anthology was so fun to work on, and I loved being able to work with these authors on their stories. I highly recommend picking up a copy and reading these stories for yourself.

https://thurstonhowlpub.storenvy.com/products/36440494-happy-howlidays-a-furry-flash-fiction-christmas-anthology

[heartsdefine]

every friend group should include:

a bimbo (pippa cross)

a mean bisexual (gemma doyle)

an even meaner lesbian (felicity worthington)

he/theys and she/theys (kartik & circe)

a token straight that's on thin ice (thomas doyle)

an astrology bitch who has everyone's birth chart memorized (ann bradshaw)

and a short king (simon middleton)

[prettymvgic]

my muses ; this is temporary until i figure out how to make things mobile friendly !

FEMALES : poppy : age unknown, pixie, currently captive by a vampire - madelaine petsch. kiana murphy : 22, college student, waitress - samantha logan. kimberly vaughn : 24, 1990's - young!julia roberts. olivia harrington: 22, college student - grace van dien. robyn bailey : 29, model & influencer - laura harrier. sidney prescott : 17-22, scream 1-3 - neve campbell. samantha palmer : 18-23, hs student/college student - katherine langford. marianne parker : 55, ranger wife - diane lane. katherine foster : 42, conwoman - anne hathaway. andrea "annie" bennett : 41, inn owner & keeper, starting over - bethany joy lenz. mercedes hart: 27, influencer & industry plant, upcoming musical artist - ryan destiny. bristol harper : 35, online jewelry store owner, mother to two - hilary duff. evangelina constance : 48, owner of a cult - carla gugino. allison barnes : 38, former nurse now surviving the apocalypse - lauren cohen. lacey thomas : 18-20, college student - nicole wallace. seline castillo : 33, owner of flattop bar & grill, more info upon request - vanessa hudgens. cassandra foxx : better known in her world as ALASKA, 30, sugar baby/escort, more info upon request - vanessa hudgens. marzia vadala : 34, italian, jewelry store owner - phoebe tonkin. gianna ortiz : 34, spanish, receptionist for a corportation - ana de armas. mariana ruiz : 19-22, spanish, hs or college student - alexa demie. holland st. clair : 25, model trying to get her debut, trans-female - hunter schafer. angeline swanson : 23, pornstar - sabrina carpenter. first last : 40, prosecutor - kerry washington.

MALES : marshall "the judge" owens : 49, apocalyptic cult member - andrew lincoln. jude mitchell : 34, lives in an apartment in nyc, struggling artist - andrew garfield. david bascom : 26, 1950's, closeted homosexual - harry styles. casey theriot : 27, nomad. - tom holland. pak dae-hyun : 23, idol struggling with fame - junkook. patrick galloway : 29, blackballed actor starting over - nicholas galitzine. choi minho, 25, establishing actor, mostly indie films waiting for his break - kim jiwoong ( aki. ) hak su-jin : 31, book store / cafe manager in seoul - woo do-hwan. kai kahinu : 19, younger brother to zane, new zealand native, maori - matthew sato. wihan chen : 24, indie musician - first kanaphan puitrakul. ( tashi. ) felix maynard : 30, owner of tart & thyme restaurant, chef - will poulter. caskey dallas : 18-23, outcast, more info upon request - cole sprouse. robin sallow : 28, manager of off beat records, more info upon request - thomas doherty. jesse dylan : 18-30 ( 1985 - 1997 ), teen/convict, more info upon request - dacre montgomery. dean maddox : 22, college student, more info upon request - hero fiennes tiffin. simon parker : 29, lead singer & guitar player of killin' time, more info upon request - joe keery. maverick reed : 26, fisherman's son - rudy pankow. hwan van : 26, mechanic - cha eun-woo choi daehyun : 20, idol, au!fae - felix lee. trevor elliot : 24, college, indie musician, au!fame - felix mallard. kim hanuel : 26, ceo- yeo jin-goo. andrew baker : 19, homeless. - brandon flynn. casper cromwell : forever 20, ghostboy haunting a house. - louis patridge.

THEYS : zane kahinu, 22, older sibling to kai, new zealand native, maori - zoe terakes.

[theradicalkanji]

I realize a lot of this is my DM giving me a lot more leeway with this spell than I probably should be getting, but I've been getting so much mileage with Detect Thoughts.

We just finished a long long story arc where we were trying to take down this Thomas Edison ass Uber capitalist robber baron ass bitch who was all but enslaving inventors into creating new products for him to hawk. The storyline culminated in a Massive dungeon crawl through his corporate offices, R&D labs, hidden super science lair.

The first stage of the dungeon crawl was the offices. We found the Big Bad's brown nosed lackey, and he was being unsurprisingly cagey and difficult, but one successful deep dive later, the DM was like. You get one question before he tries to push you out again. So I was like "I want to probe his memories to see how to bypass the security" which granted me knowledge of not just how to craft the key but where the pieces were.

After getting through security we got into his secret lab and found his super doom mech. The city sized monstrosity was being powered by twisted fey energy (which tied into the Warlock's story line since his arch fey patron had sent him to find the source of the warped fey energy bleeding into the plane). The lock and my fairy, being the two that could fly, managed to sneak up to an observation platform and found one of the head engineers. I was able to get into his mind. Find out how to safely disable to conduits allowing us to both power down the devices and rescue the fey plants (and their dryads).

When the final battle inevitably happened, the mech itself was greatly weakened because we managed to disarm all the batteries and rescue all the fey beforehand.

Then at the very end of the adventure, we squared off with the big bad and the literal embodiment of Greed (which was a major part of the monk's storyline. His master was on a quest to hunt down the seven deadly sins aspects, and our monk was chasing after his master.) We kick the baddy's shit in and seal Greed away. The Big Bad immediately starts to play up the fact that he was possessed by a Sin and was claiming to be completely innocent. The party did some insight checks which seemed to corroborate the dude's story, but I had one spell slot left after that massive mega dungeon and I was gonna use it.

You've probably noticed a theme by now, and one quick deep dive later, I had a barrage of memories showing that this dickhead was not just cognizant of the actions he was taking while "possessed" but was really the driving force. Theis guy had a sort of symbiotic relationship with Greed. Greed gave the guy powers, and the guys unchecked avarice kept Greed fed and happy.

[jasoncanty01]

[inkognito-philosophin]

Kind Gottes, Kind der Natur – Die theistische Evolution und die Entstehung des Menschen

Widerspricht der Schöpfungsglaube der Evolutionstheorie? Aus katholischer Sicht lässt sich eindeutig sagen: Nein. Die Kirche bietet mit der „theistischen Evolution“ ein Konvergenzmodell an, das seine Anfänge in der Metaphysik Thomas von Aquins hat und eine wichtige Stütze im Denken Pierre Teilhard de Chardins findet.

Die beiden Schöpfungsberichte der Genesis

Das erste Kapitel des biblischen Buchs Genesis kennt auch derjenige, der nicht zu den regelmäßigen Kirchgängern zählt. Der Schöpfungsbericht kann zu den großen Erzählungen unseres Kulturkreises gerechnet werden. Hier geschieht die Erschaffung des Menschen als getreues Abbild Gottes.

Es gibt noch eine zweite, weniger bekannte Schöpfungserzählung im zweiten Kapitel der Genesis. Darin wird geschildert, wie Gott der Erde Lehm entnimmt und den Menschen daraus formt. Als ein aus der Natur stammendem Wesen ist in diesem Menschen wenig übrig vom Ebenbild. Oft sind diese beiden Sichtweisen gegeneinander ausgespielt worden.

Hier das Kind Gottes, mit voller Würde und erhobenem Geist, dort das Kind der Erde, schon der schmutzigen Metaphorik nach mit Ungemach behaftet. Einmal ist der Mensch Kind Gottes, ein anderes mal Kind der Erde.

Statt das eine Kind gegen das andere auszuspielen, wie es das frühe Christentum und die Patristik (namentlich Augustinus) mit ihrer Naturskepsis taten (für Augustinus war alles Natürliche verdorben, woraus noch der Pietismus seine Überbetonung der Gnade gegenüber der Natur ableiten sollte), kann man auch die Erzählungen zusammen bedenken, wie das in der mittelalterlichen Scholastik (namentlich bei Thomas von Aquin) geschah.

Für diesen Versuch des Zusammendenkens von Schöpfung und Naturprozess hat sich der Begriff „theistische Evolution“ eingebürgert.

Theistische Evolution

Die Idee der theistischen Evolution ist folgende: Die Natur erscheint uns als zweckhaft organisiertes Ganzes, dessen Prozesse eine teleologische Struktur aufweisen, die sich durch eine genauere Betrachtung aber nicht entschlüsseln lässt.

Die Welt erscheint uns also einerseits zutiefst sinnvoll, anderseits erfahren wir von diesem Sinn nichts durch die Naturwissenschaft, die uns aber für die Beschreibung und Erklärung der Prozesse selbst durchaus befriedigende Theorien bereitstellt.

Daraus folgt, dass wir entweder einer Täuschung unterliegen und uns die Zwecke in der Natur und den Sinn der Welt nur einbilden (dann nämlich, wenn die Naturwissenschaft schon alles erklärte und jede weitere Frage unsinnig wäre), oder aber, dass es Zwecke und Sinn tatsächlich gibt, sie jedoch außerhalb der Natur gesucht werden müssen.

Über die Gültigkeit der beiden metaphysischen Weltanschauungen wird heftig gestritten und es kommt zu Missverständnissen und Verirrungen, denen die Vorstellung einer theistischen Evolution entgeht. Sie beinhaltet nämlich, dass die Evidenz des Telos’, den wir bei alltäglichen Natur- und Weltbeschreibungen unweigerlich eingestehen (Wir sagen etwa: „Vögel bauen Nester, um darin ihre Eier abzulegen und ihre Jungen groß zu ziehen“), die Existenz einer nicht-natürlichen, absichtsvollen und geistigen Ursache nahe legt, von der die Zwecke und der Sinn stammen.

Eine Ausprägung dieser Ursache ist der christliche Gott. Gott wird als Ursache seiner selbst (causa sui) zur Ursache der Potentialität, die der Natur eingeschrieben ist. Gott legt gleichsam seine Kunst in die Natur hinein, so lautet die von  Thomas von Aquin entwickelte Idee, welche die theistische Evolution begründet.

Thomas spricht in seinem Kommentar zur Aristotelischen Physik von der Natur als „die den Dingen eingestiftete Vernunft (gemeint ist damit ein Potential zur Selbstentfaltung, J. B.) einer Art Kunst, nämlich der göttlichen, durch welche diese Dinge auf ein bestimmtes Ziel hingeordnet werden“.

Es ist die der Natur eingestiftete Konsistenz, die uns als Sinn aufscheint, die jedoch in der Naturkausalität selbst nicht aufweisbar ist. Die theistische Evolution nach Thomas von Aquin hebt also den Widerspruch von einerseits nicht-zweckhafter, mechanistischer Naturkausalität, die nicht zu unserer Erfahrung passt, und andererseits einem als zweckhaft und sinnhaltig erfahrenen Weltganzen, das von der Naturwissenschaft nicht eingefangen werden kann, mit metaphysischen Gründen und eingedenk der theologisch einschlägigen Offenbarung auf und überführt die vermeintliche Konfrontation der Weltdeutungen in eine Konvergenz von Schöpfungsvorstellung und Evolutionstheorie.

Gott wird dabei als transzendente Ursache des Lebendigen begriffen, nicht als dessen immanenter Anfang. Gott wird damit zum Urgrund des Menschen.

Reflexion und Mutation: Menschwerdung nach Teilhard de Chardin

Der Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin bringt Thomas’ Gedanken der theistischen Evolution auf den Punkt: „Gott macht, daß sich die Dinge selber machen“. Die Evolution des Menschen ist für ihn ein beständiger „Fortschritt geistiger Bewusstheit“.

Doch ab wann (ab welchem Grad „geistiger Bewusstheit“) können wir von „Menschen“ sprechen? Diese Frage stellt sich Teilhard de Chardin und versucht, sie in dem 1956 erschienenen Buch La Place de l’Homme dans la Nature (deutsch: „Die Entstehung des Menschen“) zu beantworten, nachdem er bereits in seinem Hauptwerk Le Phénomène Humain (1955), das in der deutschen Übersetzung den Titel „Der Mensch im Kosmos“ trägt, für diese Antwort eine anthropologische Grundlage gelegt hatte.

Teilhard beschreibt die Entstehung des Menschen als Schritt in die Reflexion. Der Schlüssel ist dabei die Gemeinschaftsbildung, in dem „das letzte und zweifellos höchste Streben der Natur nach Komplexität zum Ausdruck kommt“.

Doch: Wann betritt der Mensch das Land des Denkens?

Die Menschwerdung entpuppt sich als ambivalent: Einerseits geschieht die Entstehung der Spezies „Mensch“ wie bei anderen Spezies auch, anderseits stellen wir beim Menschen „von Anfang an gewisse Eigenschaften fest, die eine höhere Stufe von Lebendigkeit erkennen lassen, als wir sie bei den anderen Arten antreffen“. Mit dieser widersprüchlichen Genese des Menschen befasst sich Teihards Theorie.

Teilhard behauptet einerseits, die Entstehung des Menschen sei „eine Mutation, die in ihren äußeren Merkmalen allen anderen Mutationen gleich ist“.

Andererseits unterscheide sie sich, so Teilhard, in ihren Ergebnissen von allen anderen Mutationen. „Wir sehen uns“, schreibt er, „der überraschenden zoologischen Tatsache gegenüber, daß sich auf der Erde vom Ende des Tertiärs ab das entscheidende Streben der Evolution offensichtlich auf den Menschen konzentriert.“ Teilhard benutzt einen telelogisch aufgeladenen Evolutionsbegriff („Streben“), weil er erkannt hat, dass „alles darauf hindeutet, daß das Leben seit dem Pliozän die besten Kräfte, die ihm noch verblieben, ganz auf den Menschen ansetzte, wie ein Baum auf seinem Gipfel?“

Teilhard führt weiterhin aus, dass „im Lauf der letzten zwei Millionen Jahre zwar sehr viele Gruppen ausgestorben sind, dagegen außer den Hominiden in der Natur keine wirklich neue Gruppe mehr zum Durchbruch gekommen ist“.

In sehr metaphorischer Sprache streicht er die menschliche Besonderheit heraus: „An sich sollte schon diese bezeichnende Tatsache unsere Aufmerksamkeit und unseren Verdacht wecken. Wie viel mehr erst eine eingehendere Untersuchung des Phänomens des Menschen. Welch schäumende Kraft, welch ein Überschwang, welche Einmaligkeit begegnen uns doch in diesem letztgeborenen Kind der Erde!“

Angesichts dieses Menschenbildes wird die Ambivalenz der Teilhardschen Theorie deutlich: Einerseits ist der Mensch einmalig und seine besonderen Fähigkeiten lassen auf den schöpferischen Eingriff Gottes schließen, andererseits ist er auch nur ein „Kind der Erde“, also der Natur.

Sein Erscheinen verdankt sich einer Mutation, aber, so Teilhard, einer „in ihrer Art einmaligen Mutation“, insofern, als „in dem Phylum, das aus dieser Mutation hervorging, fast von allem Anfang an vier Merkmale festzustellen sind, die an Stärke etwas Außergewöhnliches, an Neuartigkeit etwas ganz Einmaliges darstellen: eine außergewöhnliche Dynamik der Ausbreitung, eine einmalige Schnelligkeit der Differenzierung, eine unerwartete Dauerhaftigkeit der Fortpflanzungskraft und schließlich eine in der Geschichte des Lebens bislang unbekannte Fähigkeit des Zusammenwachsens von Zweigen innerhalb ein und derselben Gruppe“.

Woher jedoch kommt diese Einmaligkeit?

Mit dieser Frage eröffnet sich der Raum für den Schöpfungsgedanken. In der Tat: Der einmalige, besondere Eingriff einer Intelligenz scheint angesichts der einmaligen, besonderen Mutation ein nicht von vorneherein abwegiger Gedanke zu sein.

Teilhard de Chardin ermöglicht es uns, den Menschen sowohl als Ergebnis der Evolution als auch als Resultat eines schöpferischen Eingriffs zu betrachten – als Kind der Natur und als Kind Gottes.

Darwin selbst würde sich im Grabe umdrehen, wüsste er, dass auf dem Rücken seiner Evolutionstheorie ein Kampf der Weltbilder stattfindet.

Zu Recht, denn dafür gibt seine epochale Erkenntnis zur Entwicklung des Lebens aus zwei Gründen keinen Anlass – zum einen, weil sie nichts über den Ursprung des Lebens aussagt und zum anderen, weil sie den Glauben gerade dadurch stärkt, dass sie Gott methodisch aus der Naturbetrachtung ausklammert und damit einer engstirnigen Lokalisation Gottes entgegensteht, und damit die Unendlichkeit und Allgegenwart Gottes als des „Ganz Anderen“ (Rudolf Otto) unterstreicht, die im Christentum grundlegend ist.

Sowohl die schöpfungstheologischen Vorstellungen Teilhard de Chardins als auch Thomas von Aquins teleologischer Gottesbeweis sind auf den Gedanken einer gottlosen Natur angewiesen.

Auch wenn also einige Interpreten Charles Darwins Evolutionstheorie für weltanschaulich umwerfend halten:

Wer wegen Darwin Atheist wird, hat nicht verstanden, an was er nicht glaubt.

[primroseprime2019]

Hi, happy STS! How is mental health treated in your universe and/or by your characters? Is it prioritized? Are mental illnesses and disorders heavily stigmatized? Do you have any characters who have mental issues?

Gregory has Bipolar Disorder, Harry has ADHD and Autism, Paige has Autism and PTSD, Demetrius has Epilepsy, Shiloh has Dyslexia, Kaitlin has Depression, Thomas has ADHD, Ivan has PTSD, Osiris has PTSD and Schizophrenia and Eric is Autistic.

Matthew has PTSD, Miguel has ADHD, Andrew has PTSD and he is also Bipolar. Wendy has PTSD, Siffrin has PTSD and he is also Autistic. Sunny has Bipolar Disorder, Hestia is Autistic, Bucky has ADHD and Bipolar Disorder. Shepherd is Bipolar and Natori has PTSD and Dionysus has Anxiety Disorder. Edward has PTSD, Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety Disorder. Stuart has Multiple Personality Disorder, Magnolia has Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety Disorder. Steven has PTSD. Cypress has Depression

(So far, those are all the characters I can think of with Mental Health Conditions.)

Mental health is treated with a complex mix of understanding, neglect, and stigma in the Transcendants universe. While there is recognition of mental health conditions among the characters, their treatment varies depending on the individual’s support system, the society they live in, and the prevailing attitudes toward mental health.

1. Mental Health Prioritization: For the Universal Protectors, mental health is a part of their overall well-being, but it can often take a back seat to their responsibilities. Their trauma, particularly from their experiences in Phoenix Rising and their roles as Protectors, creates an environment where mental health is somewhat suppressed or overlooked in favor of pushing forward. That said, they do care deeply for each other and often try to offer support, even if it’s not always sufficient. When it comes to more serious mental health issues, the Protectors might have trouble discussing or confronting them openly, especially when the individual in question prefers to keep their struggles private.

2. Stigma: Mental health conditions are not as heavily stigmatized as they might be in our world, especially among the Transcendant species that are more attuned to the complexities of the mind. However, there can be a subtle stigma, particularly for characters who exhibit symptoms considered “unpredictable” or “uncontrollable,” such as Bipolar Disorder or PTSD. The societal pressures of being a Universal Protector or living in a universe shaped by conflict sometimes lead characters to push their mental health concerns aside, as they feel it might hinder their abilities or make them seem weak.

3. Characters with Mental Health Conditions: Many of my characters grapple with mental health issues, which adds depth to their personal struggles and their relationships with others. The characters I've listed show a broad spectrum of conditions that range from PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, and Autism, to Anxiety Disorder, ADHD, and even Multiple Personality Disorder. These conditions do not define the characters, but they do affect how they experience the world and how they interact with others. For example:

• Gregory struggles with Bipolar Disorder, which causes emotional highs and lows that affect his decision-making and relationships.

• Harry navigates life with ADHD and Autism, which shapes his interactions with others and how he processes information.

• Paige’s Autism and PTSD create a deeply sensitive character who often feels misunderstood, and she works hard to protect herself from overwhelming situations.

• Ivan’s PTSD is tied to the trauma he experienced in Phoenix Rising and his complicated role in the destruction of Primordia’s first children.

• Osiris’ PTSD and Schizophrenia add layers of complexity to his character, as he is often forced to manage visions or hallucinations that might confuse or distress him.

4. Support Systems: Despite the challenges, my characters do lean on each other. Their shared experiences as Universal Protectors create a bond where they can express vulnerability, even if it’s not always easy for them to do so. The relationships between characters, such as those between Ivan, Harry, Paige, and Osiris, are often a source of comfort, though they struggle with how best to support one another. Outside of the Protectors, characters like Matthew, Miguel, and Wendy also have their own circles of support, though they, too, face similar difficulties in dealing with mental health within a larger society that might not fully understand them.

Overall, the way mental health is treated in my universe reflects a blend of compassion, struggle, and hesitation. There is no single, unified approach, and mental health remains a challenge for many, but it is also something that the characters can work through- often with the help of their friends and allies, even if they are not always perfect in how they address it.

[newsservicesnews]

The Impact of Civil War Cartoons on American Society

During the tumultuous period of the American Civil War, visual media played a pivotal role in shaping public opinion. Among these forms of expression, Civil War cartoons emerged as a powerful and influential method for commentary on the war, political leaders, and societal issues. These satirical illustrations, often published in newspapers and magazines, served not only to entertain but also to inform and provoke thought among the populace.

The United States during the 1860s was a nation divided, grappling with an internal conflict that pitted brother against brother and friend against friend. In this environment of heightened emotions, Civil War cartoons provided a unique avenue for individuals to engage in political discourse. Artists like Thomas Nast and E. W. Kemble became notable figures, using their illustrations to critique the actions of prominent politicians and influence the sentiments of the general public. These artists wielded their pens as weapons in the fight for justice and equality, addressing issues such as slavery, corruption, and the need for unity.

One of the most significant aspects of these cartoons was their ability to distill complex political ideas into easily digestible images. Rather than relying solely on lengthy written arguments, cartoonists captured the essence of political sentiments with a single drawing. For example, Nast's iconic portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln highlighted his moral resolve, while other artists used caricature to mock Confederate leaders. These illustrations ignited conversations and often inspired individuals to take action or reflect on their beliefs.

The influence of Civil War cartoons extended far beyond simple political engagement. They provided a platform for voices that may have otherwise remained unheard. Women, African Americans, and other marginalized groups found representation in these visual satirical narratives, contributing to the broader conversation surrounding civil rights. For many, these cartoons represented a beacon of hope and progress, urging society to move towards a more equitable future.

As the war progressed and the political landscape shifted, the themes within these cartoons also evolved. Early illustrations tended to focus on the immediate horrors of battle and the moral imperatives tied to the conflict. However, as the war dragged on, many artists began to address the aftermath of the conflict and the challenges of Reconstruction. Their work tackled issues such as the reintegration of the Southern states and the rights of freed slaves, illustrating the societal complexities that emerged from the ashes of war.

In examining how these political cartoons influenced public opinion, one cannot overlook their educational aspect. For a populace that was often illiterate, Civil War cartoons served as a crucial educational tool that brought forth the realities of the war and its implications for the future of the nation. The emotions conveyed through these illustrations molded perceptions and motivated actions, demonstrating the crucial role of art in promoting civic engagement.

For contemporary audiences, the lessons from this historical phenomenon remain relevant. If one examines the influence of visual media today, it becomes evident that political cartoons still serve as a vital form of commentary and engagement in society. This understanding can be particularly crucial for those interested in politics and governance. In fact, learning how to communicate effectively in a visual culture is a significant component of how to get started in politics today. Engaging the public through various forms of media, including illustrations and digital cartoons, can provide a pathway for individuals to voice their opinions and influence the political landscape.

In conclusion, Civil War cartoons were more than mere entertainment; they were instruments of political engagement and catalysts for change. Their ability to encapsulate complex social issues into simple, yet profound imagery contributed substantially to the national consciousness during a pivotal time in American history. As we continue to navigate our modern political landscape, the legacy of these artistic expressions serves as a reminder of the power of visuals in shaping public discourse and the importance of finding one's voice in the complex tapestry of democracy.