...What are the key features of the design argument for the existence of God? (10 marks) (b) Identify the strengths of this argument. To what extent are these strengths more convincing than its weaknesses? (10 marks) 2. (a) Describe the main strengths and weaknesses of the cosmological argument for the existence of God. (14 marks) (b) To what extent do the weaknesses of this argument limit its effectiveness? (6 marks) 3. (a) Examine the characteristics of BOTH a religious and a scientific interpretation of the origins of the universe. (14 marks) (b) Comment on the view that the differences between these interpretations rule out any major disagreement between them. (6 marks) 4. (a) What do religious believers mean by the ‘problem of suffering’? (5 marks) (b) Select any TWO theodicies and consider how far they offer solutions to this problem. (15 marks) 5. (a) Examine TWO philosophical reasons for belief in miracles. (6 marks) (b) Outline at least TWO problems with belief in miracles. (8 marks) (c) Consider the claim that there are no acceptable solutions to these problems. (6 marks) 2002 1. (a) Outline the design argument for the existence of God. (7 marks) (b) ‘The design argument fails because of its weaknesses.’ Examine and comment on this claim. (13 marks) 2. (a) What are the key ideas of the cosmological...
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...AS Philosophy & Ethics Course Handbook 2013 to 2014 [pic] OCR AS Level Religious Studies (H172) http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/type/gce/hss/rs/index.aspx OCR AS Level Religious Studies (H172) You are studying Philosophy of Religion and Religious Ethics and will be awarded an OCR AS Level in Religious Studies. The modules and their weightings are: |AS: |Unit Code |Unit Title |% of AS |(% of A Level) | | |G571 |AS Philosophy of Religion |50% |(25%) | | |G572 |AS Religious Ethics |50% |(25%) | If you decide to study for the full A Level you will have to study the following modules at A2: |A2: |Unit Code |Unit Title |(% of A Level) | | |G581 |A2 Philosophy of Religion |(25%) | | |G582 |A2 Religious Ethics |(25%) | Grading | ...
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...7 Habits of Highly Effective People Reginald Allen Strayer University The Three Most Important Concepts Stephen R. Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, describes the differences between personality ethic and character ethic. The character ethic is the idea that a person advances in basis of their character. This was culturally the main idea expressed in the United States up until about World War I, when poplar literature began to focus more on short-cuts and easy ways to manipulate situations or to get what you want. Character ethic depends on deep changes within each of us, while the personality ethic falls back on methods or techniques. The personality ethic does not challenge us and does not bring about deep changes in us. “The problem with relying on the Personality Ethic is that unless the basic underlying paradigms are right, simply changing outward behavior is not effective (Covey 2010).” Paradigms are the mental maps that we use to describe the world around us. The key of a paradigm isn’t much in the nature of a thing as much as our perception of the thing. Covey uses the example of a person in Chicago with a map of Detroit trying to find their way around the city. No matter how hard they try, they will not be successful. In order to maintain correct paradigms it is essential to keep an open mind and to realize that no matter how much we see, there is always more to the picture. “If our paradigm is not close to reality, our attitudes...
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...1. Define OB 2. Goal of OB 3. List the fundamental concept of OB 4. What are the key forces of OB 5. Explain how the study of the fundamental concept of organizational behavior can help better manage their people at work 6. Name the different models of organizational behavior with a description of any one. 7. Why managers need to study OB 1. Define OB * Organisational behavior is the systematic study and careful application of knowledge about how people-as individual and as groups –act within organsiastions. * OB is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups and structure have on behavior within organisations for the purpose of applying such knowledge towards improving an orgnasiation’s effectiveness. 2. Goal of OB Leaders must be able to: i. Describe ii. Understand iii. Predict iv. Control individual behavior in the organisation * Describe: * OB is a science that analyses as to how people behave in different situations in the organisation. A manager should be able to describe the behavior of each individuals under his command. 3. List the fundamental concept of OB Fundamental concepts of OB The nature of people i) Individual differences ii) Perception Iii) A whole person Iv) Motivated behavior V) Desire for involvement Vi) Value of the person The nature of organisation i) Social systems ii) Mutual interest iii) Ethics i) Individual differences : * People have much in common (excitement in any achievement) but each person...
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...An Evaluation of Critical Thinking and Ethics in Decision Making Critical thinking is applying a mindset that is appropriate in decision making and determination of fact vs. fiction. Ethics are made up of moral principles weather personal or professional your ethics play a role in decision making too. Critical thinking and Ethics together are very important while making decisions. Logic and your personal standards are combined to determine the best action for optimal results. Critical thinking is purposeful reasoned and goal directed. It achieves an understanding that relates well to each other. Reacting with systematic evaluation to what you have heard or read. It is the skills and attitudes. Critical thinking is the search to identify better opinions, decisions or judgment. Goodpaster and Levine (2010), describe creative thinking, organization, logical thinking, scientific thinking, persuasive thinking, and problem solving as all being part of critical thinking. The steps to critical thinking are as follows, remembering: recalling key terms, facts, or events. Understanding; explaining the idea in your own words and being able to summarize. Applying; applying the idea to get results, ex. completing a task, reaching a goal, solving a problem. Analyzing; can the idea be divided into parts, groups or steps. Evaluating; rate the truth, usefulness or quality of the idea. Creating; can the idea be useful for inventing something new. These steps are important concepts when...
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...various relationships, a better understanding into reactions or actions based on other individuals and the environment provide some insight. The purpose of this paper is to define social psychology, analyze the four key characteristics of social psychology as well as explain the concept of situationism and role in social psychology, and identifying the five core social motives and explain the effects on social psychology. Defining Social Psychology Effects of cognitive and social process on an individual’s perceptions on influences in relation to others as a scientific study are defined as social psychology. Individuals influence each other whether by taking, behavior, actions, or walking that also influence affects on -the -job or career paths he or she takes. A product of his or her environment, other items, places or individuals can carry a positive or negative effect on individual personalities and development over time. Social psychology provides a better understanding into various aspects of human behaviors and interactions with other individuals. Whereas humans are habitual, we tend to follow the lead of others through facial expressions, actions, observation, and performance (Myers, 2008). Analysis of Four Key Characteristics of Social Psychology Influences from society motivate individuals to comply and belong by influencing others. Philip Brickman conducted experiments leading to...
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...supported and believed in their own arguments. They were similar in their approach to ethics; they both admire reason and rationality. The basic beliefs of Aristotle contrasted with the modern ideas of Immanuel Kant which offered a great match for an interesting view of human good and good will. However, after a thorough inspection of each philosopher's theories, I found that after initially leaning toward Aristotle’s theories I discovered that Kant's idea of good was found to be more captivating than Aristotle's, in that Kant's view addressed good in a complete sense through categorical obligations of man. Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and was passionate about the virtue ethics, as were a lot of the early philosophers in Greece. He was a student of Plato and wrote on a variety of topics. “Aristotle set the tone of the virtue ethics approach with his observation that in exploring the moral dimension of experience, he said we are discussing no small matter, but how we ought to live. A sentiment that echoed Socrates’ commitment to moral action.” (Chaffee, 2013, p. 482). Aristotle believed virtue ethics was the cultivation of a virtuous person to be the goal of ethics. He believed that genuinely virtuous people would act in a moral way, as a reflection of their moral goodness. Aristotle’s main piece of work in this category is called The Nicomachean Ethics. In his book Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle asks his reader what they would consider to be good. Aristotle listed a...
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...Virtual Team Challenge: Spill! Student Handout Task Two: Ethics What is Ethics? Consider this: Again, you find yourself living in a cave in prehistoric times, collecting berries and bartering them for the other things you need. One day, a migrating prehistoric family settles in a nearby cave and decides that it, too, will collect berries. What's more, they brought with them an exciting new invention that has emerged farther along the mountain range where you live: the 'wheel'. You quickly find out that this new invention revolutionizes berry collection - and soon you find that your neighbors are collecting so many berries, it is becoming harder and harder for you to find your own. Furthermore, you are afraid of what over-picking berries may mean to the local wildlife. With less berries, the hunter will catch fewer and fewer animals, which means that there will be fewer sandals and baskets. Your neighbor's relentless pursuit of berries will spell disaster for everyone. So what do you do? What should you do? As humans started to organize into bigger and bigger communities, they needed ways to ensure that people treated each other, and their environment, in a certain way. They needed a way to let everyone know what 'right' and 'wrong' were in any number of situations. They formed mechanisms to ensure that people in society treated each other in a way everyone agreed was acceptable. People started to codify rules for how people are to treat one another into laws. But sometimes...
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...Vito Asaro Ethics Mario Trentanelli Reflection Project January 14, 2013 Week 3 According to the Webster dictionary, in which four definitions are given for the term, ethics is the system of moral principal. Webster also goes on to describe ethics as, “the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, (Dictornary.com). For me, I agree with Plato that, “there are absolute and eternal moral truths and principle”. I believe even if we choose to follow through with an action we know is know is morally wrong, we still ultimately know that the act is still wrong. For example if one was to steal from a store, the desire to take that object might overcome ones better judgment, but the act is not committed without the understanding that the understanding of the reproductions. The lesson plan describes several tools for critical thinking. These tools for critical thinking are: ad-hominem argument, the straw man fallacy, consistency failure and the red hearing. Ad-hominem attacks the source or individual of the argument. This can best be seen when to children get into trouble and either one points the finger, he did it! This tool is to show a group in a perceived way, the lesson plan use pro-choice, defining them as baby killers. We saw a great example of the straw man fallacy in this year presidential debates when President Obama criticized Governor Romney for wanting to cut Sesame Street’s federal financings...
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...basically says that happiness is the key to life’s conquest, and happiness that is the determination of right or wrong. So if an action’s consequence causes happiness, then the action is right, if it causes pain, or destroys happiness then the action is wrong.Utilitarianism may be regarded as a relativist, consequentialist and teleological system of ethics, giving no fixed moral rules and judging an action by its consequences or end result. Jeremy Bentham, and his disciple John Stuart Mill have become recognised as the two greatest sponsors of Utilitarianism. Bentham is known for his popularisation of the more traditional version of the theory, known as Act Utilitarianism. Although a student of Bentham, Mill could see problems in what he was being taught and so began to develop his own views in his own version called Rule Utilitarianism. Bentham’s main philosophy of Act Utilitarianism is to create the “greatest good for the greatest number”. So for example, if you are in a situation where lying would bring about the greatest good then, you should lie. Utilitarians support the view that it is the value of the consequences of the particular act that count, so if breaking the law would lead to the greatest good for the majority then it would be the correct act to follow. Bentham argued that one should maximise happiness for the majority, a view which is known as the ‘Utility Principle’. Happiness was thus equated with moral goodness. This idea further identifies Bentham as a ‘psychological...
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...IFSM 304 – Ethics in the Information Age Learning Portfolio Assignment Descriptions Here are the detailed Assignment Requirements and Summary (Reflection Paper) that comprise activities for a Learning Portfolio for IFSM 304. These activities, along with class discussion and any other assignments your professor may require will enable you to achieve the course objectives and demonstrate knowledge of key concepts and apply this understanding to real-world digital ethics topics and situations. Understand that your work will comprise a Learning Portfolio for the course and these assignments are linked! You will be faced with work that advances with a progression from a general basic framework for decision making to more specific analysis and critical thinking about more complex ethical issues. Current Events 5% Conference Posting of articles on IT-related Ethical Global issues (multi-national corporation) The purpose of this assignment is to analyze a current event article on global ethical issues from a multi-national corporation perspective. This assignment is designed to increase your knowledge from a corporate viewpoint and enable you to analyze ethical issues from a current GLOBAL situation or event. This will also enhance your research and writing skills and your critical-thinking abilities. Select a current topic (2010 source or later) and find an appropriate article on the topic. Provide the persistent URL (one that anyone can click on to read the...
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...Module 7 – Leadership and decision-making (13%) Leadership and ethics What is leadership? Identifying leadership attributes Transformational leadership Strategic Leadership The nature of strategic leadership The role of leaders in strategic thinking and decision-making The role of leaders in strategic analysis The role of leaders in setting direction The role of leaders in strategic formulation and selection The role of leaders in implementing strategy The Naked CEO Preview Leaders are required to develop the strategy, drive the change and align the organisation’s structure, resources and culture with the strategy. There are various viewpoints about what actually constitutes the leadership, the qualities required and its level of importance. The purpose of this module is not to present and analyse these arguments, but to provide a practical approach based on the transformational leadership that focuses specially on the role of strategy and strategic leadership. Irrespective of the approach taken to strategic leadership, there exists an important distinction between leadership and management. A leader is primarily involved in: setting direction, aligning and communicating, and inspiring and motivating. A manager is primarily in charge of: planning and budgeting, organising and staffing, and controlling and problem solving. Objectives You should be able to: (1) describe the role of ethics and corporate social responsibility in leadership; (2) identify and discuss...
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...Personal Ethics Statement. I describe ethics as the values we possess integrated with our actions. Obtaining, identifying, and utilizing honest ethical behavior is a key component to academic and personal success. Knowing how to apply your ethical behavior to situations, academic or personal will aid an individual to manage a successful life. The true need for sound ethical behavior is the cornerstone to the foundation of a person’s character. Character is ethical behavior combined with choices and that is what defines us as individuals. Our character is tested when a paper is due, you run out of time and there is an option to cheat. Character plays a major role in team effort when collusion can be prevalent. A university is a vast consortium and it creates a challenge to your ethical standpoint and ethics must be exercised regularly. Without proper understanding of ethics and how it affects the relationship to your own principles you could put yourself or someone else in academic danger. Your ignorance of ethical behavior may violate a universities code of integrity. I feel upholding a concise set of ethics is essential to academic and personal success. Ethics in the university is a topic that is in the background and forefront at the same time. It is assumed you should acquire and use good judgment and it should be transparent, but we talk about it all the time. An ethical behavior search on the Internet will produce over 4.5 million hits, for example, what is ethical...
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...The Moral Compass nd understand moral theory. In fact, you have a moral philosophy – but you may not think of it that way. Every time you have a conversation about what someone “should” or “ought” to do, you doing moral philosophy. Your moral converations may be very personal – whether you should return the five dollars extra change the clerk gave you at the video store – or very broad – whether national security is more important than personal freedom. Whatever your moral conversations are about, it is likely there is a body of literature that would be useful in clarifying your thoughts on the issue. It may be a good idea for you to read a basic textbook on moral philosophy to review or familiarize yourself with the way philosophers have thought about some of the moral issues that almost everyone encounters. It is especially useful to be familiar with the terms and concepts of moral philosophy so you can express your views precisely and intelligently. Some of the major moral theories are briefly summarized in the Primer of Moral Theory that follows. You will find most of them are discussed in more detail in any basic moral philosophy text, although you may find them listed under slightly different titles. As you consider each theory, use the “Where Do I Stand” box to mark your position on it. Include a brief explanation of the reasons for your position. The purpose of this exercise is for you to decide for yourself what moral theories and standpoints make the most sense to...
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...Summarize the major features of Texas Instruments’ management systems. 2. How does Texas Instruments ensure that its operating managers appropriately allocate their time between short term and long term? 3. Why do you believe the OST System worked so effectively for TI in the 70s? why was not working effectively for company in the mid-to-late 80s? 4. Would systems like these be appropriate in other organizations, such as Harvey-Hudson Electronics? What implementation problems would you foresee? ANSWERS: NO.1 Texas Instruments (TI) is considered to be the pioneer of the American electronics industry. TI was first established in 1951 as an electronics company serving the American defense industry. In 1958, TI developed the first semiconductor integrated circuit. TI has three main lines of business in 1984: components, which included semiconductor integrated circuits, semiconductor subassemblies, and electronic control devices; digital products, which included mini computers, personal computers, scientific instruments, and calculators; and government electronics, which included radar system, missile guidance and control systems, and infrared surveillance systems. The major management system of TI is OST System, which is Objective, Strategies, and Tactics System. OST System is a system for managing change and innovation. The system was employed to define the strategies the company intended to follow for further growth and development and to identify the tactics required to...
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