...A man who cannot choose ceases to be a man."Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange is a novel about moral choice and free will. Alex's story shows what happens when an individual's right to choose is robbed for the good of society. The first and last chapters place Alex in more or less the same physical situation but his ability to exercise free will leads him to diametrically opposite choicesgood versus evil. The phrase, "what's it going to be then, eh?," echoes throughout the book; only at the end of the novel is the moral metamorphosis complete and Alex is finally able to answer the question, and by doing so affirms his freedom of choice. The capacity to choose freely is the attribute that distinguishes humans from robots; thus the possibility of true and heartfelt redemption remains open even to the most hardened criminal. A Clockwork Orange is a parable that reflects the Christian concept of sin followed by redemption. Alex's final and free choice of the good, by leaving behind the violence he had embraced in his youth, brings him to a higher moral level than the forced docility of his conditioning, which severed his ability to choose and grow up. The question, "what's it going to be then, eh," is asked at the beginning of each section of the novel. In the first and third part it is asked by Alex, but in the second part it is asked by the prison chaplain. The answer does not come until the end of the novel when Alex grows up and exercises his ability to choose...
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...him with all these abilities and qualities. But he also made man similar to animals in his carnal desires. And it is for man to choose if he will follow the path of spiritual development and refrain from sin. If he chooses this way, gradually he will be able to achieve perfection and to unite with God. This is the main purpose of man’s life. Creating man in his own image God let man know how much he loves man and what a great importance he places in his creation. So by fulfilling his purpose in life man participates in realization of God’s plan. But if man rejects the way of God, he will no longer be the God’s image or, in other words, he will not be man. The free will and the freedom of choice are two essential concepts here because man has been given the possibility to make a conscious choice. So only by using his free will he should slowly move to the union with his creator. On the other hand, this statement can mean that by creating man in his own image, God opposed him to the rest of the living creatures, as only man has the ability for conscious interpretation of reality, for abstract and...
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...ARGUMENTS AGAINST DETERMINISM: MAN IS FREE, NO MORE, NO LESS INTRODUCTION The issues of Freedom and Determinism have been sensitive issues that have sparked off heated debates throughout history. The question whether man is really free has been a hard nut to crack and as a result of this, many attempts have been made by different individuals from both philosophical and theological point of view in their effort to explain and understand this concept ‘Freedom’. The line of thought that supports the notion of free will is also called libertarianism. DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS Before delving into the argument, it is worthy of note that the terms under discussion be given a definition for a better understanding of the terms. According to Advanced Learners’ Dictionary, determinism is the belief that people are not free to choose what they are like or how they behave because these things are decided by their background, surroundings and other things over which they have no control. It is simply the view that man is not free, that his actions are determined by certain causes. On another note, libertarianism according to the same source is the belief that people should have the freedom to do and think as they like. Freedom is simply man’s capacity to take hand in his own development. Concentrating more on the major object of my argument which is against determinism, the concept freedom was supported by both philosophers and theologians throughout history. On the part of the philosophers...
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...Poem Analysis Essay ENGL 102 B07: Literature and Composition Summer 2011 Linda Vaughn L24421443 June 19, 2011 APA Style Outline I. Introduction A. Thesis II. Body A. Figures of Speech B. Imagery C. Tone IV. Conclusion Introduction Who, at one point or another in their life, has not pleaded with God for some tangible, physical help? Asking Him to take over, prove Himself, so that we can know that He is real and we can give our heart to Him. In the poem “Batter my heart, three-personed God”, written by poet John Donne, the speaker is asking God for exactly that. With his use of metaphors, paradoxes, and alliteration, we can actually feel the speaker’s urgency to be saved. The violent imagery and changes in tone throughout the poem prove just how desperate he is for God to take over control of him. Body The title itself, with the metaphor “Batter my heart”, draws the reader in. It captures the attention and makes one curious as to what will happen next in the poem. It gives the reader an image of destruction to an essential essence of life; for without a heart, we cannot survive. Is he stating that there is no life without God? The title also provides the initial tone of the poem. It gives the reader the impression that the speaker is desperate, vulnerable, and seeks to be violently manipulated. As we move on, we find that the speaker believes in the Holy Trinity, as he is pleading to the “three personed God”. ...
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...Shane Correia The Written Book In the stories of Oedipus Rex and The Adjustment Bureau, the authors present a conflict between fate and freewill that leaves us, the readers, questioning whether or not fate or freewill is what governs us. This leaves the human mind to debate if the choices in our lives are really choices that we have been left free to make on our own or if we are simply provided the illusion of choice by a higher power that controls our destinies. In the film, The Adjustment Bureau, David Norris, who is the main character in the film is told that Elise, the woman he pursues through love, is about to become “one of the most famous dancers in the country, and eventually one of the world’s greatest choreographers. If she stays with [David], she ends up teaching dance to six year olds” (George Nolfi). Not to crush Elise’s dreams and interfere with her bright future, David ends his pursuit of her much in the same way that Oedipus leaves his father, “the man whom Oedipus, long ago, feared so, fled so, in dread of destroying him” (56). Both David and Oedipus leave their loved ones behind to avoid causing harm to them, but through fate, harm comes to them anyways. Elise is emotionally crushed without David in her life, and Oedipus inadvertently kills his own father. Through fate, one can argue that the pain that Elise and Oedipus’ father incur are unavoidable and that the illusion of choice was only granted to David and Oedipus in order to give the appearance...
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...Leslie Jordan April 19, 2010 Paper 5 Does Free Will Exist? The idea of free will has always been a very interesting topic for me to discuss, because there really is no wrong answer of if free will exist or not. No one can provide proof of us having free or not unless they can talk with God and we all know that being able to actually talk to God and he actually respond is considered “crazy”. I believe that if you believe you have free will than you have free will. As children were always told that you can do and be whatever you want as long as you believe so I figure the same rule applies to free will. I am discussing the idea of free will with in the character Billy Pilgrim. The Tralfamadorians live with the knowledge of the fourth dimension, they believe that all moments of time are happening and taking place simultaneously. Because the Tralfamadorians believe that all moments of time have already taken place; they also believe their life path has been predetermined and they have no control over it, therefore causing the aliens not to believe in free will and finding it strange that humans do. According to the Tralfamadorians earthlings are the only species that believe they have free will, humans for some reason think of time as a linear progression. Most humans believe they have control over their lives and their destiny. Billy seems to have no control in his life or any free will at all throughout this novel, his free will is constantly being challenged. In one instance...
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...Discuss at least two ways the principle of “cause and effect” applies to human behavior, especially as the principle applies to criminals and to criminal justice professionals. The cause will be the criminal actions. The effect will be the consequences the criminal will have to face when they complete or attempt the crime. For instance, if they rob a bank, they will have to face the consequences if and when they get caught. Also, if a person abuse a child out of frustration, they will have to face Child Protection Services and criminal charges of child abuse. Comment on this statement: If determinism is correct, then nothing happens that was not caused to happen by a necessary antecedent event or condition – including thoughts, feelings, choices, and actions. Determinism says that every event has a cause. Menaing our actions are caused by a prior event. If determinism is correct, then our actions are influences by a prior event. For example, a little girl is being bullied at school everyday. She retaliate by stabbing another student with a pencil for continously stabbing her. The bullying happened first(the cause) then the stabbing(the effect). Take a position on which philosophy is correct: (a) “internal” factors of determinism (biological and psychological) or (b) “ external” factors (norms, belief, culture, and sub-culture). Explain how each influences the responsibility of choice. The philosophy I believe is correct is external factors of...
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...Prof. Kellenberger Phil 310 Free Will When grumpy old Scrooge of the famous movie A Christmas Carol went home on Christmas eve, he had no idea what awaited him. He experienced a night of anguish and terror after three ghosts visit him. Scrooge was a grumpy mean-spirited man after the death of his sister Fan. Just to prepare him for his “life” in death, his dead partner and friend Marley, who facilitates the entire nightmare, shows him the lost lonely spirits who were mean-spirited in their earthly lives. The first ghost who visited him that night was “the ghost of Christmas past”. This ghost serves to remind him how others had been kind to him during past Christmases in his youth and how people in his past embodied the Christmas spirit. This ghost served to instill guilt and remorse. Next, “the ghost of Christmas present” appears to Scrooge and shows him how everyone is enjoying Christmas and spreading the Christmas spirit around town. It also shows how his servant Bob, despite his meager earnings enjoys Christmas with his family. It also shows Scrooge his nephew Fred enjoying Christmas with his family. The two families only show downcast moods when discussing Scrooge. However, Fred maintains hope that his uncle Scrooge can change. After that, the most dreary “ghost of Christmas yet to come” appears to Scrooge. He shows Scrooge how Bob’s son death saddens everyone and leaves them feeling a sense of loss. He then shows him a rich dead man who nobody misses and some...
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...Albert Rosales Professor: Gill Intro Philosophy: 213 In writing this paper, I was apprehensive by the immensity of the task that was required of me, having never studied Philosophy and philosophers before this class and not having a good understanding of it. I could not begin to comprehend Metaphysics, Ethics Epistemology etc. if it was not for this course. This may sound ignorant but I had never really given any thought to my worldview. If asked what I believed about something I would give my belief and that was that. What exactly is a worldview? A worldview is what it sounds like. It is the way one may see the world or as Nash puts it in his book Life’s Ultimate Questions “the sum total of a person’s answers to the most important questions in life(392).” Everyone has a worldview whether we realize it or not. How does one get their worldview? Our education, our upbringing, the culture we live in, the books we read, the media and movies we watch, all can help shape our worldview. Nash says, “Worldviews contain at least five clusters of beliefs, namely, beliefs about God, metaphysics (ultimate reality), epistemology (knowledge), ethics and human nature (14).” Using these five sections I will share my worldview. In general my worldview is a Christian one. I believe that there is one God who exists in three forms who created the Heavens and the earth. In the Bible Genesis 1:1 tells of how God is the beginning of everything; he created the heavens and the earth out of nothing...
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...Personal Responsibility: A key to Success in all aspects of life Ashley Benard GEN/200 Foundations for General Education and Professional Success 11/4/13 Instructor: Paul Bishop Although everyone does not possess strong personal responsibility skills does not mean that they cannot be successful in life, Personal responsibility is the key to being successful in all aspects of life. Personal responsibility is the key to being successful in all aspects of life. It is evident that when you lack responsibility for yourself that it plays a part in the lack of success you may encounter in life. Personal relationships and careers can be affected when you do not take control of your actions. Taking full responsibility for your short comings and not blaming others for what you are not doing will lead to redirection into a positive and successful life. Listed below are 5 Keys to Success. 1. Stop the blame game. 2. Root out your irresponsibility. 3. Change your self-talk. 4. Keep on learning. 5. Don't be disturbed by the sore losers. Zimmerman, A. (2012). Association of Information Technology Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.aitp.org/news/100685/ Being irresponsible can lead to poor choices. One trait in individuals that are irresponsible is that they make impulse decisions. They don’t make the effort to investigate or gather information without doing the first thing that comes to mind. They use constant excuses and blame everyone but themselves...
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...he Cost of “Free” Will in Oedipus Rex (the King) Perhaps the Greek playwright Sophocles never had the concept of “free will” in mind when writing Oedipus Rex, but the play does allow for that interesting paradox we know today as free will. The paradox is: if Oedipus is told by the gods' oracles that he will kill his father and marry his mother, does he have any power to avoid this fate? That's a basic free will question. If Oedipus manages to avoid killing his father and marrying his mother, he will prove the gods wrong, and the oracle prediction turns out to be no prediction at all. How free can we truly be if created by an all knowing being? If God knows, even at the moment before our births, that we are already destined to ascend to Heaven or burn in Hell, can we move through life making truly free decisions? Or are we always to be viewed as puppets of destiny? Was Adam to be blamed for the fall? Or was that actually God's plan? So what is this idea of "original sin?" Shouldn't we celebrate Adam as a hero for freeing man from the state of unawareness that he lived in until he consumed the sacred pomegranate? Recall that the very first line following Adam and Eve's sin is "And they saw that they were naked." This nakedness is not so much of the body (though early Christians loved to view it that way), but rather a sense of viewing, as Joseph Campbell puts it, "duality," the basic difference between man and woman, right and wrong, and, ultimately, man and...
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...Believers and unbelievers struggle with this concept. The problem with evil is that it’s deeply rooted in us because God gave us free will. Without free will, we would be forced into loving God. He, however, wants us to love him because we choose to. Many unbelievers argue that “the existence of such evil cannot be reconciled with, and so disproves, the existence of such a God. (The Philosophy of Religion, 2008).” The theology of Hamartiology explains that evil comes in moral and natural ways. The most common that is rooted in us is the moral way. Moral evil is the willful bad acts or decisions of humans against God, others and even themselves. Every day we experience this as a way of life. An example is what we see in our current news. Isis, a terrorist group, choose to murder people for their faith. Natural evil is the “result of any event perceived to be morally negative and that is not caused by the action or inaction of an agent, such as a person. (Chief of Sinners)” An example of this would be if a person chooses to smoke cigarettes, then it is inevitably going to cause them to get lung cancer along with many other harmful diseases which are forms of natural evil. The question as to why sin exist and bad things happen is often asked, especially by lost souls. If you think about it, if God created a perfect world then none of us would have free will. We would essentially be loving God with no reason other than because we have to. God has a desire though to have a relationship...
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...Ted Honderich Determinism Vs Free Will Psychology 101-1322 Professor: James Pattison By: Belinda Bielicki July 2, 2011 Determinism versus Free Will: The most important and the oldest philosophical question is perhaps that of free will and determinism. Do people have free will, or are our actions pre-determined? Ted Honderich defined determinism as the philosophical idea that every event or state of affairs, including every human decision and action, is the inevitable and necessary consequence of antecedent states of affairs. "Nothing occurs at random, but everything for a reason and by necessity." Determinism is used by philosophers to account for some of the choices and actions that cause or create the effects of causal sequences; these sequences raise questions about the freedom of the choices and actions. Determinists believe our decisions are controlled by previous exposure to differing situations and environments and that each and every one of our actions is caused by a specific prior action or cause. (a occurs because of b, b occurs because of c..etc) In the belief of a determinist, man is no exception to this rule and therefore we are not "free" due to our actions being a result of a previous cause. If we are to dispute that this in fact is true, than we as human beings cannot be held responsible for our actions, as we have no control over them, they are automatic. However this is not the case, when a human commits an act, they are held responsible for...
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...Argument and logic Free will versus determinism is the excerpt I chose for this argument and logic assignment .Free will and determinism have opposite meanings so the belief of free will and also atoms doing what they do being predetermined cannot be true .unless the given circumstance makes it true .Let me explain free will is defined as the power given to human beings to make their own choices that is unconstrained by external circumstances or by fate or divine will .Determinism is defined as that every event or act and decision is an inescapable consequence of antecedents that are independent of free will .Which states that humans do not have free will to chose. This is not caused because anything or anybody is trying to control humans it just is. This belief is true in religion and cause and effect .Many religious people believe that the existence of god supports determinism .Because that god is all knowing and all powerful so there is nothing that god does not know or that he does not already know .If people had free will there would be things that people would do that god does not already know about and that would limit god being all powerful .The other argument about determinism is cause and effect this argument says the same thing would always occur due to the event .Let’s say you throw a rubber ball on the ground it would hit the ground and bounce back up .Throwing the ball against the floor was the cause and the effect was the ball bouncing .Based on this everything...
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...The Cost of “Free” Will in Oedipus Rex (the King) Perhaps the Greek playwright Sophocles never had the concept of “free will” in mind when writing Oedipus Rex, but the play does allow for that interesting paradox we know today as free will. The paradox is: if Oedipus is told by the gods' oracles that he will kill his father and marry his mother, does he have any power to avoid this fate? That's a basic free will question. If Oedipus manages to avoid killing his father and marrying his mother, he will prove the gods wrong, and the oracle prediction turns out to be no prediction at all. How free can we truly be if created by an all knowing being? If God knows, even at the moment before our births, that we are already destined to ascend to Heaven or burn in Hell, can we move through life making truly free decisions? Or are we always to be viewed as puppets of destiny? Was Adam to be blamed for the fall? Or was that actually God's plan? So what is this idea of "original sin?" Shouldn't we celebrate Adam as a hero for freeing man from the state of unawareness that he lived in until he consumed the sacred pomegranate? Recall that the very first line following Adam and Eve's sin is "And they saw that they were naked." This nakedness is not so much of the body (though early Christians loved to view it that way), but rather a sense of viewing, as Joseph Campbell puts it, "duality," the basic difference between man and woman, right and wrong, and, ultimately, man...
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