Bøker av Andreas Sofroniou

PSYCHOTHERAPY, CONCEPTS OF TREATMENTThe simplistic explanation of psychotherapy is that it deals with the treatment of disorders of emotion or personality by psychological methods. There are arguments about the effectiveness of psychotherapies, but it is generally agreed that success depends on a secure, confiding relationship between the therapist and patient and on a shared confidence in the capacity of the therapist and his or her theory to explain and eliminate the problem.In recent times psychotherapy gained recognition as a theory of and therapy for the mental disorders known as neuroses, and a general theory of personality and emotional development constructed by the many schools of behavioural sciences.Although the theories which psychotherapists follow are arguably the most inclusive in psychology, they still have fundamental conceptual weaknesses. Never-the-less, it is consider effective alongside the other forms of therapy, i.e. behavioural therapy, and treatments offered by psychiatry.

An instinct is the mechanism by which animals and humans can perform complex behaviour patterns without learning or conscious effort. Instinctive behaviours are inherited and have evolved to be adaptive, fitting the organism to its particular role.Instinct is of particular importance in animal behaviours such as courtship, mating, and other reproductive activities. More general behaviours such as feeding and defence may have an instinctive base. Many birds, some grasshoppers, frogs, and a number of other animals have song or call patterns that attract mates and are based upon instinct.Instinctive behaviours often require a stimulus or releaser to initiate them. The herring-gull chick pecks the red spot on the adult's bill, releasing its instinctive feeding behaviour. A releaser will operate only if conditions, both internal and external to the organism, are suitable.

FREE WILL, EXTISTENTIALISM, COMBATIBILISM:Free will is the philosophical aspect of freedom of humans where they have choices that are not determined by prior causes or by divine intervention. Thus 'condemned to be free' and to have a voluntary choice or decision as in 'I do this of my own free will'.Where as existentialism is a chiefly twentieth century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centring on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe. Therefore the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad.Compatibilists, by contrast, deny that this much is needed for free will. They hold instead that a person acts freely so long as he is not constrained by external forces, such as the will of another person.

The three terms 'Marxism', 'Socialism', and 'Communism' have different meanings and are often confused.While Marxism is a philosophical and scientific theory about the nature of social evolution, 'Communism' and' 'Socialism' are words which are usually employed to designate certain political policies. The relationship between these policies and Marxism is that they aim, in varying degrees, at achieving the ends which Marxism is believed to justify.The difference, between Communists and Socialists is that Socialists accept the principle of achieving their ends through the machinery of a free democracy while Communists accept this only in so far as it is inevitable, and are ready to resort to unconstitutional means to attain their ends when such methods appear likely to be more successful.Although these seem to be the ends of both Socialism and Communism, there is no ground for the belief that Marxism justifies these ends in a moral sense, i.e. shows that they ought to be pursued.

The importance of democracy as a system of government the reader must remember that this sovereignty rests with the whole people, who rule either directly or through representatives. In the contemporary world, democracy is closely associated with the idea of choosing governments by periodic free multiparty elections. The chief elements of representative democracy are: Freedom of speech and expression; Periodic free elections; the right to form competing parties to contest these elections; a government which is responsible to the legislature and to public opinion. Where one or more of these elements is absent, the system is unlikely to be genuinely democratic. There has also been pressure for more democracy at a lower level, particularly in the way that work is organised. The social conditions for stable democratic government have been considered, with the level of economic development. Thus, the advanced capitalist societies are nearly all representative democracies.

A young, handsome Cypriot Turk called Yusuf is tossed by fate into the vortex of a bitter conflict. Following his many adventures, the young Turk is forced to continue his quest for his future in unexpected circumstances and places. What follows is love, lust, violence, philosophy, architecture, battle, poetry, psychology and politics; from alpha to omega. Yusuf, a dazzlingly handsome young citizen of a noble family, is capture in battle and delivered into modern slavery and prostitution. Befriended by an academic in London and adopted by an English gentleman, he rises to prominence in an era of matchless braver, corruption and conflict.

The application of technology and its integrations includes the scientific knowledge to the practical aims of human life or to the change and manipulation of the human environment. Circa 3000 years BC many new technologies were developed; irrigation systems, road networks and wheeled vehicles, a pictographic form of writing and new building techniques. The new ideas and techniques engendered official persecution, but by the mid-17th century the tide of opinion had changed. By the late 17th century, technology essentially meant engineering. During the 19th century science began to create new technologies. This continued into the 20th century with the introduction of computing, Internet, Artificial Intelligence and other services made possible only because of further advances in science. In recent years Western aid has sought to develop appropriate technologies, using local materials and techniques, in partnership with the indigenous peoples.

The philosophy of the mind deals with the examination of problems revolving around the concept of the mind. The mental may be distinguished from the physical in various ways: intentionality and consciousness provide important features of mental states. An important part of the argument is the claim that mental states are known in a special way: they are directly given, transparent to their owner and known infallibly.Monist and materialist believe that reality is physical and explained by natural science; sought in various ways to understand the mind in material terms. Behaviourism advocates that psychology should concern itself exclusively with observation of behaviour, disregarding introspection altogether. Others propose that mental states are the same as states of the brain. Dissatisfaction with these overly simple attempts to incorporate the mental into the physical realm led to the development of functionalism.

Human nature is in abundance of fundamental dispositions and traits. Theories about the nature of humankind form a part of every culture. One traditional question centred on whether humans are naturally selfish and competitive. Philosophers have tried to explain human nature in its ability to behave morally and yet selfish enough to compete for more. A broader problem is that of determining which ostensibly fundamental human dispositions and traits are natural and which are the result of some form of learning or socialization. Recent research in genetics, evolutionary biology, and cultural anthropology suggests that there is a complex interaction between genetically inherited factors and developmental and social factors. Language use by humans is now generally recognized as genetically enabled, though the acquisition of any specific language also requires appropriate environmental stimuli. Behavioural differences between genders also appear to have a genetic basis, as does sexual orientation.

Religion is a crucial source of legitimacy and Political mobilisation in Cultures. Conflict between groups is often within one state, based upon different religion, race, language, culture, history and ethnicity. Chaos may be caused due to scarce resources or in forms of oppression and prejudice, racism, segregation, and discrimination; culminating in civil war.Language differences reinforced by religious beliefs have often been a focus of political tension. Ethnic conflict is widespread in former colonies, where borders were drawn with no regard for the cultural differences. Secularisation and decline of religious belief are regarded as hallmarks of modernisation.

Concepts and writings are not timeless and should instead be understood in terms of the historical context in which they developed.Ideology is a political belief-system which explains the world as it currently is and suggests how it should be changed. The term describes social classes, especially that of capitalism or bourgeoisie. Ideology is recognised as the means by which people perceive the social world and consciously subscribe to a political creed.Idealism is a set of views according to which the physical world is dependent upon the mind; we somehow create the world. Idealists are not saying that our experience of the world is other than what it is; simply a collection of 'ideas' that are coherent. Politics is the study and practice of how people are governed. Efforts are made to influence, gain, or wield power at various levels of government, internally and internationally, including dispute resolution, formal elections to the threat or use of outright coercion or force.

The Hellenic Diaspora (Dispersion) is the collective term for the process which began with the accelerated destruction of the captured Greek territories by the Roman Empire. Some Greeks interpret diaspora as exile, others as a positive aspect of Hellenism's ethnic and spiritual destiny, who remained loyal to their faith, ethnicity and homeland. The beheading of Archimedes was the beginning of the brain drain of Greeks to the Middle East, Asia and Northern Africa.The existence of these diaspora communities was also an important factor in the spread of Christianity. By the early Middle Ages Europe was the centre of Hellenic scholarship, but from the time of the Crusaders, anti-orthodoxy and the persecution of Hellenes begun. Eastern Europe welcomed Greek victims of persecution and by the 17th century Eastern Europe had become the diaspora's centre, until the massacres of the 1821 and 1915 by the Ottomans, thus many Greeks migrated to Germany, Britain and the USA.

THEOLOGY RELATIONSHIP OF RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHYTheological functions and interests imply that theology can master the disciplines with which it is confronted. Theology is based on authority (revelation) as documented in scriptures of various religions, philosophical, philological, historical studies and hermeneutical (critical interpretive) questions. Theological tasks broaden into a concern with the history and traditions of religions. With such approaches difficult and controversial questions arise; whether and to what extent the scriptural standards of the sources of revelation are modified by traditions.These problems play an important part in the relationship of people, cultures and their political philosophies. Thus, the question of truth posed by theology requires the constitution of a discipline that specifically concerns itself with fundamental questions, as is in systematic theology.