Pliny the Elder’s view of the Earth is that of a great mother full of divine spirit and power, with mountains and other geological features serving her own needs and not those of humans. His ecological ethics, then, is one of respect and admiration for Nature, of understanding that human activity must be within certain boundaries set by Nature, and of being appalled by the wanton plundering of the Earth’s riches. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here