What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Cosmological Argument?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Cosmological Argument? The Cosmological Argument is one that involves us to always bring out the big question, and develop it. It also requires you to work out the flaws and the good aspects of it. The word cosmological comes from the Greek word cosmos, meaning 'universe' or 'world'. The Cosmological Argument does not seek to prove God's existence from a definition of the concept of God, but rather from an analysis of our experiences of the world about us. The Cosmological Argument is one that can be broken down into smaller particles, particles that can explain the experiences of the world about us. Instead of asking the 'big question' we can break down the question into relatively smaller pieces, therefore making it smaller and easier to answer. Fallacy Of Composition, this shows how things which may seem big and difficult to answer to be broken down into smaller questions. The Fallacy Of Composition is basically where you describe the parts of something, so therefore you have described it all e.g. instead of explaining the existence of the world, you explain everything in it, thus explaining the world. This therefore means that if the question of God seems to be something which you can't explain all you need do is describe is everything in the world, find out where it started and then say it all just came from God. However
Explain Paley's teleological argument Paley's version of the teleological argument argues that structure or order or purpose in the universe
The Teleological Argument-June 2003 a) Explain Paley's teleological argument Paley's version of the teleological argument argues that structure or order or purpose in the universe is evidence for the idea of a creator or a designer. Paley says this designer is God. Paley's argument works by analogy, this is when 2 cases are compared and what is true about one is then claimed to be true of the other. Similar effects imply similar causes, this is argument from analogy. The argument is based on goals or ends or purposes and a designer is needed to explain the goal-orientated structure of such objects in the universe. Paley uses the idea of a watch created by a designer and compares this with the eye. This analogy of the watch is used to argue for the existence of a designer- who is God. The following example is used to explain the teleological argument. A watch has a complex structure, it has cogs, hands etc. An eye also has a complex structure, the retina, pupil etc. The complex structure of the watch allows it to display the time of day. The complex structure of the eye allows us to see. Without the structure of the watch it could not display the time. Similarly without the complex structure of the eye, it would not be able to see. The structure of the watch is the result of an intelligent designer. The structure of the eye is also the result of an intelligent designer,
The Tsunami
The Tsunami We have all recently become dramatically aware of the consequences of living on a dynamic earth. An earthquake that was initially estimated at 8.5 on the Richter Scale, but subsequently revised to 9.0 occurred on 26th December 2004. Many died in this tragic event. It is said to be 160,000 lives had been lost and thousands injured. When the sea floor is raised during an earthquake, water is raised with it, the sea surface is tipped, and water rushes away. An enormous mass of water is suddenly set in motion and complex slushing back and forth continues for many hours. The result is a train of water waves of a unique type. The velocity of a water waveform increases with its length, and in the deep ocean these uniquely long waves travel at 500mph. As the wave approaches land, its bottom is slowed down by contact with the shallowing sea floor but travelling fast enough to cause damage. This tsunami could be considered as an act of moral and natural evil. Why, because the Sri Lankan people had experienced a Tsunami many years ago and were warned by scientists that another one would come, however nobody took any notice. They still allowed resorts to be built so that they could make money from tourism. Many of the areas near the tourist resorts were filled with child prostitutes and drugs. There was a lot of crime and corruption among the people and many had lost
Describe the teachings of the religion which you are studying about war and pacifism.
Describe the teachings of the religion which you are studying about war and pacifism. Christians have different views and opinions about war (A state of open, armed, often prolonged conflict carried on between nations, states, or parties) and pacifism (the belief that disputes between nations should and can be settled peacefully) because of what the bible says in the New Testament and the Old Testament, what Jesus said about it, the just war theory and the holy war. I will explain these in the following essay and Christians points of views on them. One of the main reasons for some Christians agreeing with war is because of the just war theory and this was made in the 13th century by a Christian monk called Thomas Aquinas and he wrote this list of rules out because he believed war needed guidelines. The just war theory stated that war is acceptable but only as a last resort and this must be started by the proper authority e.g. the government, the just war theory also says that the amount of force used within the war should only be enough to win not any more and that no citizens should be killed in this and also that no cruelty or torture must be used. Christians would agree with this because it is as a last resort and it isn't the type of violence that would destroy more then necessary, an example of this is the war in Iraq some Christians would say this meets the
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
View of Christians on Abortion
A01 View of Christians on Abortion Christians believe that they are obliged to preserve human life from the time of conception to the time of death. Therefore they don't approve of abortion and euthanasia. Abortion is the deliberate termination of a pregnancy for various reasons such as risk of child being born seriously handicapped, risk of injury to the mental health of existing children and etc. Christians recognise the basic rights of all individuals including the unborn. They all have rights, which cannot be taken away from them, the right to life. God gave us the right to live from the moment of conception. 'The Lord God formed man--- and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.' So Christians believe no one can take this right away except God himself. ' It is I who put to death and give life.' (Deuteronomy 32:39) Christians consider life to be scarce as God created man in his own image. '...so God created human beings, making them to be like himself (Genesis 1/27).' Therefore great respect must be given to human life. Most importantly Christians believe that human life begins at the moment of conception. 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart (Jeremiah 1:5).' Therefore from the moment of conception a unique life begins with potential so aborting a foetus would break the sixth
How Successful Are Modern Versions The Ontological Argument?
How Successful Are Modern Versions The Ontological Argument? The ontological argument was first put forward by Anselm (1033 - 1109) not as a foolproof argument for the existence of God, but rather as an argument for people who already believe in God. The ontological argument is based on a priori logic, that is to say that it is based on ones definition of God. In Proslogian 2 Anselm defined God as 'That than which nothing greater can be conceived'. He believed that everyone has an idea of what God is like in their heads, but as God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived, and existence is a positive attribute - God must (by definition) exist. Anselm saw this as deductive reasoning - if we follow the argument through in logical stages, and accept all of the premises, then we must accept the conclusion. The argument could be set out in three stages: Premise 1 - God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived. Premise 2 - A God that exists would be far greater than one who does not. Conclusion - God must exist. The argument I have outlined above is the first version of Anselm's Ontological Argument (Intentional Existence), his second argument in Proslogian 3 (formal existence) treated God's existence as necessary, meaning that he must have always been in existence and can never go out of existence. Descartes built on the ontological argument and
Assess The Strengths / Weaknesses Of Virtue Ethics
Assess The Strengths / Weaknesses Of Virtue Ethics The virtue ethicist suggests that his theory avoids the complicated tasks of using a formula to figure out what we ought to do, by instead focusing on the kinds of persons we ought to be. The trouble lies in determining just how we know what kinds of persons we ought to be. Or, we might put it this way: how are we to determine just what the virtues are? Obviously, if we do not know what the virtues are, then telling people to "Live virtuously!" becomes an empty imperative. So, if we ask the virtue ethicist what the virtues are, what will he tell us? Virtue theorists answer this question in at least five different ways. Firstly, some virtue theorists suggest that we will know what the virtues are, we will know what the good life is. Secondly, some virtue theorists suggest instead that we can determine what the virtues are by figuring out what the excellent human life is. Once we know what it means to be the best human being possible, then the virtues are whatever character traits enable us to live at the heights of excellence. Aristotle suggests this theory too. However, identifying the "flourishing life" is itself a major task. Also, if we look very closely at the notion of a "flourishing life," we will find that instead of helping us determine what the virtues are, it actually begs the question, since the flourishing life
Persuasive Writing on the Holocaust
Persuasive Writing on the Holocaust My reaction to the Holocaust was devastating. It is one example of bad things happening to good people. The mass murdering of so many Jews is just disgusting and also because it was done for basically no reason. As this was a true event many sources or witnesses are available to express their views, feelings and emotions of themselves and those who survived this terrible tragedy. I will demonstrate examples of Jews who have survived what they have been through and what they think about God. It is really hard to go through all of this and still believe that God exists. The holocaust should not change our theology on God. It is said to be that the Holocaust was a temporary "Eclipse of God".1 This is supposed to be when God is away from earth beyond any reason or explanation. People trying to respond to this problem of believing that there is a God after witnessing the terrible event have either succeeded or failed. I will introduce three people who have survived the Holocaust and have tried responding to this problem. The three people included are Primo Levi, Richard Rubenstein and Emil Fackenheim. I think a big impact on the life of Jews would be their belief in God because many of them have tried responding to this problem and have changed the ways in which they think about him, their views on how good or powerful he is, how they express
Good and Evil
Good and Evil Religious Education A.) Describe what Christians may believe about the power of good and the power of evil B.) Explain how Christians may be influenced by these beliefs C.) 'If God really loved humanity we would never have to suffer.' Do you agree? A.) Describe what Christians may believe about the power of good and the power of evil The Christian God is believed to be both loving and omnipotent. Christianity teaches that as well as a power of good there is also a power of evil - traditionally this is said to be Satan (or Lucifer), one of the archangels who disobeyed God and was sent to hell (Luke 10:18). Christians believe that the power of evil, almost like a force, can persuade people to do the wrong thing. They also believe that it is up to the individual person to make the right choice and to follow God's teachings, as God will judge us on how we lived our lives, and whether or not we lived good lives. The Old Testament teachings on the power of good and evil are based predominantly on the story of Adam and Eve. The teachings in the Old Testament of good and evil are in two chapters mainly; 'Genesis' and 'Job'. Christians believe that the first ever sin was committed in the Garden of Eden. It is written in the creation story in Genesis that Adam and Eve disobeyed a direct command from God, thus committing the first sin. God said, "The man has