Sima Qian and Bias

EALC 110 Professor Hayden Michael Day May 1, 2008 Records of the Grand Historian: Sima Qian and Bias The fact that history contains errors will not come as news to someone who has reflected on the topic. What is more disturbing however is that our history may be wrong and that there are great gaps in it. Maybe we have failed to record and gather the events that make up the fabric of history. It is little events, strung together and accumulated over time, which account for our place in history. This leads to the issue of an unbiased history, which is of utmost value. However, there is no such thing as an unbiased history. These biases may be blatant and as such are willful distortions of the past, resonating the inevitable fact that history is the propaganda of the winners. Beyond that, there are the cultural biases in history. A definition of "bias" is crucial to further understanding this issue. The usual implication of the term "bias" is that one is either deliberately or involuntarily ignoring some of the relevant facts. In this way, a historian can influence how the readers perceive a given period of history by what he or she has chosen to include and omit. Thus, a record of history not only provides information of the past, but it also serves as a reflection of the historian's own perceptions. This is not just a modern phenomenon, but has been a part of the history

  • Word count: 2352
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Usefulness of Philosophy

Philosophy of Discipline Philosophy is to be studied, not for the sake of any definite answers to its questions, since no definite answers, can, as a rule, be known to be true, but rather for the questions themselves. -- BERTRAND RUSSELL Zhao Yue (34) 3.11 Elisha What is philosophy? It is a question troubling the philosophers ever since philosophy was first studied. That is a question we cannot answer, but we do know that philosophy will guide us to the quest for knowledge. The knowledge of philosophy can enhance analytical, critical and interpretive capacities that are applicable to any subject-matter. When we read Japanese Manga, we often see the characters cry out the question "Why?" We would often only be told of how the Manga characters were able to advance not because they found the answer to the question but realized that to answer these questions, they have to work harder. This is the basic form of philosophy. The questions are, of course, never answered, but the process of trying to answer them is the beginning of knowledge. The current generation of youth, such as ourselves, are obsessed with finding answer to everything as a result of today's education system. Indeed, the subjects taught in school: Languages, Mathematics, Sciences and Humanities, all require us to obtain the answer in order to pass the exam. Those who focus their mind and soul to getting the

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Reflection on Metaphysics and Learning

POD Reflection on Metaphysics & Learning Chen Minqi (1) 3.13 Haggai Many people think David Beckham is handsome, and many also agree that Will Smith is handsome. However, they look totally different. So the question arises is that how do we define and identify handsome? Is it just 'looking good', which is so vague? Another question which is closer to our daily life is that we call sky blue, but we also call our jeans blue. Obviously, the colour of the sky and the jeans, or even the colour of different jeans, are definitely different. What is 'standard blue'? Plato believed our souls are permanent and before we were born into this existence, our mind experienced the perfect forms of objects in the "World of Forms" and thus we could identify and classify things according to this imprinting. However, Aristotle insisted that we learn from observation and our minds automatically form general concepts. There is a famous question which can show the different ideas between Aristotelianism and Platonism. That is - what is the standard of a table since there are so many kinds of tables? Aristotle would say that you have to see fifty different tables and then you will form a concept of "tableness", while Plato believed that we had experience the perfect form of a table in the World of Forms and therefore being able to classify tables. Personally, I agree with Aristotle's theory that

  • Word count: 519
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Environmental Philosophy Reflection

Environmental Philosophy Reflection Since the environmental movement began four decades ago, there have been many different opinions as to what roles we should play in protecting and preserving the environment, whether it is important (ethical viewpoints), and also the environment's impact on animals, economics and creation of change. Many people assume that the environment is in no danger and that we do not need to worry about recycling, protecting animal rights and preserving the environment for future generations. Their common excuses being that the life consists of making choices and paying costs, or that the people have the right to live however they want or even the idea that god created this world and us, therefore, we can do whatever we want with it. However, these statements, if not completely, but are mostly untrue. Firstly, all human beings are just another living being living on the planet and have an equal part in the ecosystem. Therefore, life on earth should be treated as a single living system which includes interdependent living beings with equal rights. On the other hand, the destruction of scenery, water pollution, air pollution and similar environmental problems due to increase in technology are not only affecting human beings (increase in health problems like asthma), but are also affecting the other living things and changing the

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Earth Summits are all talk and no action Do you agree?

'Earth Summits are all talk and no action' Do you agree? An Earth Summit is a global conference where political leaders of each country decide the best way to look after the Earth and to live a sustainable life. These political leaders are of different religions, cultures and backgrounds so their views will differ and sometimes, there is no result to Earth Summits. This essay will question if Earth Summits help us to look after the Earth or if they truly are 'all talk'. On one hand, people may disagree with the statement because over the recent decades, we have become more aware of increasing damage to the environment and a widening global gap between the rich and the poor. Governments have learnt ways to become more sustainable and have many policies that show this. They also promote a clear understanding of, and commitment to, sustainable development so that all people can contribute to the overall goal through their individual decisions. There are also some religious views that disagree with the statement. A Christian might disagree because they believe in stewardship and by attending Earth Summits people are trying to look after God's sacred Earth. Although the Earth Summits may have minimal results, the world is trying to agree on a view that will improve the quality of life for future generations. Christians believe that we are looking after the planet for God -

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Analyse Aristotle's Causes (Aitiai)

Unlike his teacher, Plato 428-347BC, Aristotle 384-322BC did not believe in 'The World Of Forms' and therefore the idea that everything could be measured using it's 'Perfect Form'. Aristotle's ideas were based on what we experience whereas Plato's ideas were based on a world beyond that of what we see. Aristotle wanted to examine what it meant for something to be real, and this is how he formed his ideas of the four causes. His theory was based on knowledge that was acquired through experience He wrote in his book 'Metaphysics' that he believed that everything in this world has four reasons for being and a definite purpose. He said that each thing had four reasons which explained what, why and how they were; these reasons were what he called The Four Causes. The Four Causes are: 1. The Material Cause - what a thing is made of i.e. metal, wood etc., 2. The Efficient Cause - how it came into being, i.e. what/who made it, 3. The Formal Cause - what characteristics does it have that makes it what it is and finally 4. The Final Cause -why was it made? The Final Cause of something could also be called its purpose, its aim or goal and it is essentially 'What it's made for'. This is the cause which Aristotle believed to be the most important. For example, here are the Four Causes of a chair; its Material Cause would be wood, its Efficient Cause would be a carpenter, its Formal

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Explain why some people believe that the paranormal proves there is a life after death.

25th October 2012 Bryony Upson 10J Life after death Define what is meant by the paranormal. (2) The paranormal describes unexplained events and happenings which are thought to have a spiritual cause e.g. ghosts or mediums. Define what is meant by a near death experience. (2) A near death experience is when somebody about to die or is clinically dead has an out of body experience, and claims to see an after-life for example, people claim to see places heaven, their deceased relatives or religious figures. Explain why some people believe that the paranormal proves there is a life after death. (8) Many people religious or not believe that there is some form of life after death, and many people claim to have evidence for their theory, For example; Near death experiences, ghosts, mediums (contacting the dead) or reincarnation. Many people claim to have had near death experiences. These have been reported by patients who have been pronounced dead or a short amount of time. People who have had an experience usually describe leaving their bodies, and seeing relatives and friends who have died or a bright light they feel they want to

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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'There is no such thing as evil' Discuss this statement.

‘There is no such thing as evil’. Discuss this statement. In our society, the question of the existence of evil is very important as every day we hear of news of natural disasters or genocides that have occurred. This raises the question of whether we are born evil and indeed, whether a benevolent God can exist amidst all of this suffering. Conservative and Fundamentalist Christians would believe that evil does exist and that Satan is the root of all evil. They believe that Satan literally exists and that he is on earth to tempt and corrupt humans. Because Satan exists and he is active in the world, evil must exist as well and humans are only evil because they have been corrupted by the devil. Liberal Christians will believe that Satan doesn’t literally exist but he is a metaphor for the source of evil. I do not think that this is a good argument because, in my opinion, the existence of the devil and thus evil is not compatible with an omnipotent God as God could just get rid of Satan. Fundamentalist Christians would believe that evil exists because of Adam and Eve and the Fall. Because Eve was tempted by the snake to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, all humans who are descended from Adam and Eve are sinful which brings in the notion of Original Sin, which suggests that we are all sinful from birth, and so Christians are baptised to cleanse the babies

  • Word count: 524
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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Theories of Life after Death do not provide a solution to the problem of evil Discuss.

Megan Murphy “Theories of Life after Death do not provide a solution to the problem of evil” Discuss. The problem of evil is believed by Christians to have begun with the story of Adam and Eve. This is because Adam ate the forbidden fruit which showed to God that Adam was sinful and had an evil streak in him with which he would betray people as long as he got what he wanted. Adam was easily influenced by the snake and this aspect of evil has now been passed through to everyone in the world as we all stemmed from Adam and Eve. This is an aspect of moral evil as Adam influenced it himself and this is believed to have been passed down to all humans which allows us to have evil characteristics within our natures. However, Christians also believe that “good” people are rewarded in the afterlife, and people who have behaved badly are punished. Justice is not always served in this lifetime so people now believe it must be served in the afterlife, therefore suggesting that there is an afterlife and a part of us goes to it to be rewarded. This would suggest that the statement is wrong as theories of life after death do allow belief that there is a solution for the problem of evil. It also suggest that more people might strive to do the right things in life so that they get rewarded in the afterlife, this would also cut the crime rates and make people better and more

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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It cannot be true that there is life after death, because there is no evidence for it. Do you agree? You must refer to one religion in your answer.

'It cannot be true that there is life after death, because there is no evidence for it.' Do you agree? You must refer to one religion in your answer. I do not believe that the statement "it cannot be true that there is life after death because there is no evidence for it" is true. I doubt it on the grounds that it can be stated that there is life after death because there is no evidence that there isn't! In this essay I will justify this belief and will explain what the major religions all say on this matter. Christianity says that there is an afterlife but proposes no evidence for this. Also the historic nature of the bible and the differences in interpretation also hinder its scientific validity. This is also the case with the Quran therefore these two religious texts bear no scientific evidence to show there exists an after life. There are cases of near death experiences where people die and come back to life and they say they have seen dead relatives or family members. There are also cases where people die and see a white light. But why are these guarantees of an afterlife? These both could be a feature of the human brain and how its function. It does not mean that there is an after life. There are also sightings of ghosts or dead family members. Yet there is still no scientific evidence for sightings of ghosts. So where does this leave us? Well lack of evidence

  • Word count: 538
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)
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