...Miracle Miracle Introduction The movie that I have chosen to write about was the movie “Miracle”. The movie miracle has many different types of cultural differences that are not that easily seen at a first glance. However, when you watch the movie more than once you can begin to see the cultural differences that occur in the movie. The cultural differences that I was able to see from this movie were Jim Craig’s miscommunication with coach, Jim Craig’s father’s miscommunication, the different styles of play between the Soviet’s and the US, and the difference between USA and Soviets players. The first cultural difference that occurred in the movie was easy to see and hear. Jim Craig, who was the goaltender, had his mother pass away leaving just his father to support him. In the opening scene in the movie, the hockey committee is having tryouts to form together a hockey to team to compete in the Olympics. When Herb Brooks, the head coach of team USA, is scouting his players, the assistant coach says, “Why is Craig starting over Janacek, his mother died and his game has been off ever since” (O’Connor)? Herb then replies, “Have you ever seen him when his game is on” (O’Connor). As the movie goes on, Jim Craig makes the team and Herb Brooks has everyone take a test, to see how hard he can push them. However, Craig does not take the test. When Herb goes to Craig’s room to ask him why he didn’t take the test, Herb could tell that something wasn’t right...
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...The Proof of Miracles Miracle is such a strong word in the world, but what classifies a miracle? Do miracles even exist? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a miracle is defined as an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs. Through my personal experience, I can say that miracles do exist. I went from having fun, to going blind in one eye, to having sight in both eyes better than 20/20 within less than two months. My story starts off with me and my three brothers playing paintball, a sport with two teams where the object of the game is to shoot the other team to win. We played about three games of paintball and the last game had just ended. We all took off our masks and my oldest brother was out of bullets, so we thought. He started to shoot the ground and all that came out of his gun was CO2 (a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom, which makes a gas at standard temperature and pressure). After he shot the ground, my oldest brother started shooting at my feet and slowly moved the gun up my body until he got to my face. Then out of nowhere, two paintballs came out of the gun and hit me in the mouth and the eye. Everything changed from joking around to sheer panic. Everyone dropped their gear, and my oldest brother picked me up in his arms, and rushed me into the house. The paintballs that hit me were filled with red paint, so it was hard to tell what was blood and what was paint. My upper...
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...person interprets an event as an act of God and another does not? Hume Created a case against miracles saying not that they do not happen, but that it would be impossible to prove them – he is an empiricist (bases knowledge on experience). A miracle is ‘A transgression of a law of nature brought about by a particular violation of a Deity’. Nothing that can happen in nature should be called a miracle. Had 5 arguments against believing in miracles; one philosophical and four psychological. Not enough evidence of miracles to outweigh our general experience. Rationality requires that belief is proportionate to evidence. ‘A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence’. Insufficient witnesses – must be witnessed by a highly credible, good sense, well-educated person. How much education is ‘enough’? The testimonies usually came from ignorant and barbarous nations. People tend to exaggerate and are drawn towards the sensational and drama. The often have a desire to believe. There are conflicting claims that cancel each other out. Hick’s response would be that all religions lead to one God though. Hume will never be fully able to fully prove to believers that miracles do not occur, as the definition of a miracle implies divine activity and this is ultimately beyond our earthly considerations. But sceptics and believers can be said to both agree that the occurrence of miracles must be a very rare event. Critque of Hume Hick would say that we do not know the laws of nature...
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...Davao Vision Colleges Inc. Stone Rock Village, Catalunan Grande, Davao City EDUCATION DEPARTMENT _______________________________________________________ BOOK REPORT (HOW TO LIVE A LIFE OF MIRACLES) (By: Bo Sanchez) ________________________________________________________ Submitted by: WElla R. GuEvarra 1ST year, BEED Submitted to: Mrs. ivie lebria Instructor Just like Bo Sanchez I am just a normal person. And yet, like every human inhabitant of the modern world, I have experienced many of the miracles of life; I have received a great deal of hearsay of it; and I know that I am always under its influence and mercy. Though I am unable to comment on its methods or the truth of its discoveries, I am nonetheless appropriately interested in its motives in what it thinks it is doing and how it justifies itself. I agree with the proposition that science miracles has become a sort of religion. I want to know by what power it has crowned itself and mitered it. Miracles are a very mysterious thing. It has no future explanation like to know the parts of a thing and how they are joined together, to know what things do and do not have in common, and to know the laws or principles by which things cohere, live, and act. Such inquiries are native to human thought and work. It’s just a unexpected turn of events that favors us. We need to discover a new way of living. We need...
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...Miracles in the bible N.T. Miracle # 1 Two Blind men cured Matthew 9:27-31 N.T. Miracle # 2 Blind man healed Mark 8:16-26 N.T. Miracle # 3 Centurion’s servant Matthew 8:5-13 N.T. Miracle # 4 Deaf and dumb man Mark 7:31-37 N.T. Miracle # 5 Demon cast out of boy Matthew 17:14-21 N.T. Miracle # 6 Demon possessed man Luke 11:14-22 N.T. Miracle # 7 Dumb spirit cast out Matthew 9:32-33 N.T. Miracle # 8 Ear of Malchus Luke 22:47-53 N.T. Miracle # 9 Fig tree withered Matthew 21:18-22 N.T. Miracle # 10 Five thousand fed Matthew 14:14-21 N.T. Miracle # 11 Four thousand fed Matthew 15:32-38 N.T. Miracle # 12 Healed son of nobleman John 4:46-54 N.T. Miracle # 13 Jairus’ daughter Matthew 9:23-26 N.T. Miracle # 14 Jerusalem man healed John 5:1-14 N.T. Miracle # 15 Lazarus raised from dead John 11:35-47 N.T. Miracle # 16 Leper healed Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45 N.T. Miracle # 17 Man born blind John 9:1-12 N.T. Miracle # 18 Man with dropsy Luke 14:1-6 N.T. Miracle # 19 Net full of fishes Luke 5:1-11 N.T. Miracle # 20 Paralytic healed Matthew 9:1-8 N.T. Miracle # 21 Peter’s mother in-law Matthew 8:14-17 N.T. Miracle # 22 Ressurection Luke 24:1-9 N.T. Miracle # 23 Second net of fishes John 21:1-14 N.T. Miracle # 24 Syrophoenician’s daughter Matthew 15:21-28 N.T. Miracle # 25 Tempest stilled Matthew 8:19-27 N.T. Miracle # 26 Ten lepers Luke 17:11-19 ...
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...Religious Studies Revision: Miracles. AO1 Material: i.e. ‘what goes in part a)?’ Definitions of what a miracle is: Aquinas: ‘Those things…which are done by divine power apart from the order generally followed in things.’ Plus his threefold understanding of miracles. Hume: ‘a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the deity.’ John Mackie: ‘a violation of a natural law…by divine or supernatural intervention. The laws of nature describe the ways in which the world – including of course, human beings – works when left to itself, when not interfered with. A miracle occurs when the world is not left to itself, when something distinct from the natural order as a whole intrudes into it.’ Richard Swinburne: ‘a miracle is a violation of the laws of nature, that is, a non-repeatable exception to the operation of these laws, brought about by God. Laws of nature have the form of universal statements “all As are B,” and state how bodies behave of physical necessity.’ Examples of miracles: miracles of Jesus, choir in Beatrice Nebraska. What the scholars say in favour of miracles: Aquinas: it is possible for God to bring about a miracle, providing it is not logically impossible (e.g. God could not square a circle). Keith Ward: laws of nature are probabilistic not fixed: it is possible for laws of nature to be bent. Miracles are likely to happen in the presence of deeply religious people. What scholars say against miracles: David Hume: 5 criticisms...
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...Hume and miracles Examine Hume’s views on miracles. Hume rejected the idea of miracles due to his belief they were beyond the realms of reasonable belief there are other interpretations of the events which would be more likely. Hume believes wise and sensible people will form their beliefs on evidence. Therefore it must be more likely that it is true than it being false before they believe it. Hume argued we should weigh up the evidence in the case of miracles. We should look at which more likely; natural rules will have held good, or is it more likely that a miracle will have taken place. By Hume’s thinking our past experiences have shown us that for example, we can’t turn water into wine, we can’t rise from the dead, we can’t walk on water, therefore the whole weight of past experiences we have had bears this out. This leads to us being sceptical when it comes when looking at reports that something different has happened. You have several choices when/if someone tells you they’ve witnessed a miracle. You could believe what the person is telling you, if you know the person well enough and know they usually tell the truth then you would do so. However, you could believe that the person is mistaken or deceiving you on purpose. For Hume, he argued that a reasonable person would choose the most likely of the choices, even though it may be unlikely that the person is deceiving you and unlikely that they’ve made a mistake it will always be more unlikely that a miracle has actually...
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...defined miracles as a “violation of the laws of nature” and consequently rejected their occurrence as both improbable and impractical. This view has been supported by modern scientists and philosophers such as Atkins, Dawkins and Wiles to a certain extent. However Aquinas, Tillich and Holland and Swinburne to a certain extent reject Hume’s reasons, instead arguing that miracles have a divine cause and that Hume’s arguments are weak. This essay will argue that Hume’s reasons for rejecting miracles are not valid and in doing so consider his two main arguments; lack of probability and Hume’s practical argument. Hume’s first reason for rejecting miracles was a lack of probability. He argued that evidence from people’s experience of observing the world showed the laws of nature to be fixed and unvarying. However to suggest a miracle occurred was to say that the laws of nature had been violated, hence his definition of miracles being a “violation of the laws of nature.” Miracles were reported has having occurred by eyewitnesses, as is stated in the Bible in the case of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. However for Hume it was far more likely that the eyewitnesses were mistaken in what they witnessed, than for Jesus to have actually raised Lazarus from the dead and in doing so violated fixed laws of nature. A violation of the laws of nature was therefore an improbable occurrence. Wiles’ agrees with Hume’s point that it is more likely the eyewitness was wrong than a miracle occurred...
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...and even laugh through the contradictions, hypocrisies, and impossibilities that are part of life. In Israel they seem to hover more startlingly on the surface in 3D; so you have to dodge them, endure them, and make yourself comfortable inside of them. Yes, I can honestly say this summer was a “bucket list” summer for me. One other item on my list while there was to experience The Red Sea, that miraculous place of astonishing crossings, partings, and transformations. So I got on the bus for the ride through the blistering Negev desert or the Wilderness as we know it (and as I saw, it truly is). Soon enough, clad in my hot pink swimsuit, I stood at the shores of the Red Sea. Then it was my turn to immerse myself and take “part” in this miracle. I looked across the waters of the Sea. On the opposite shores I could see Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan in one eyeful. Worlds away and yet so close. I stepped into the calm sparkling water … expectantly, and… OUCH! What I didn’t expect was to step onto sharp, jagged rocks. Apparently, the Red Sea is a rocky place. All I felt was the stab of rocks and the scorch of the Negev sun. Laughing at myself for over spiritualizing, I thought of one of my favorite Midrashim. Towards the end of the line of Israelites, two men, Reuven and Shimon are crossing through the sea. The thing is, they're both looking down. Apparently even though the water had drawn back from the sea creating water walls on either side, the bottom of the sea was still...
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...,ASSESS HUME’S REASONS FOR REJECTING MIRACLES Hume’s rejection of miracles comes from his theory that there are laws of nature which are based on past experience, a posteriori, and appear to be unvarying and universal. During this essay I will put forward Hume’s approach before assessing his reasons for the rejections of miracles and what other philosophers have said about his rejection. According to the dictionary definition, a miracle is defined as: ‘a highly improbable or extraordinary event that is not explicable by natural laws and is considered to be divine’. Hume’s definition of a miracle is not that different from the dictionary definition, defining them as: ‘a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent.’ He puts forward two separate arguments against miracles; one being a priori and the other being a posteriori. The first of his arguments is based on the lack of probability and is a priori. Hume argues that miracles are violations of the laws of nature and a ‘firm and unalterable experience’ has established these laws of nature. He did not deny that these events, miracles, would not happen; but instead said that they are the least likely event possible, and improbable events need witnesses of higher credibility than witnesses required for more probable events. Hume argued that even the most impressive testimony will at most counterbalance the unlikeliness of the event. Clearly, a serious...
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...“By definition a miracle can never happen.” Discuss. The known definition of a miracle is “an extraordinary and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore attributed to a divine agency.” However, Peter Vardy in The Puzzle of God gave four different definitions provided by many different scholars, including Aquinas and Hume, with Hume believing they are impossible but cannot be disproved compared to Aquinas believing they are completely possible even within the system of natural activity. What a miracle is can be debated forever due to the many different interpretations of who and why they come about, with psychologists such as Freud arguing they are just an illusion and Wiles arguing that miracles do exist but not as a result of God’s will. The real question is whether the laws of nature can ever be broken and to that affect – do miracles define themselves into non-existence? The definition of a miracle provided by Hume is “a transgression of the laws of nature brought about by the volition of a deity.” He believes that miracles are simply an interposition by some invisible agent, but he however goes on to challenge this definition with his theoretical case miracles which argued that the laws of nature we experience are constant and therefore cannot be changed, In response to this, as the laws of nature cannot be defied, (if they could be broken they would not be laws), by Hume’s definition, miracles can never happen, as laws of nature...
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...Asses Humes reason for rejecting miracles. (35) Hume defines a miracle as a transgression of a natural law by a particular volition of the deity. This does not imply that a miracle is an extraordinary event but it is one that breaks the natural law and that it is brought about by the action of God. Other two definitions would be that a miracle is an event that has religious significance and this does not need to have broken the laws of nature to be regarded as a miracle but it needs to reveal something about God. The last definition of a miracle is a view of Thomas Aquinas who defines miracles as an event caused by God. In this essay I will be discussing why Hume rejects miracles and arguments for and against his theories. Hume was an empiricist, so he believed that it was more likely that the report of a miracle was mistaken than the laws of nature were violated. He did not say that miracles did not happen, but that it would be impossible to prove them. Hume’s argument is based on the principle of induction, which is the suggestion that future events will take place based on previous evidence. This is because evidence from people’s experience of observing the world showed the laws of nature to be fixed and unvarying. For example, the sun has risen every day in the past, so it is very likely that it will rise again and not stand still in the sky. However, Hume did accept that whatever happened countless times in the past did not guarantee such would happen again in...
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...Hume was a verificationist and approached miracles from an empirical view, relying on probability as a basis for his reasons for rejecting miracles. Hume defined miracles as a ‘violation of the laws of nature’, he believed that the laws of nature were set in stone, through the use of a posteriori knowledge Hume identified them as being universal and unchanging. Hume observed that some Biblical miracles, such as Jesus walking on water, violated those laws of nature. He then went on to identify the probability that a violation of these laws could occur, Hume argued that if the probability of an event occurring was low then there was little chance that the miracle had actually occurred. This would be true in the event of a baby falling from a 3rd floor window and escaping unscathed, the probability of this happening is extremely low thus Hume would state that a report of it happening was false and it probably did not happen. Through using the principle of probability a miraculous event should be labelled as a miracle only where it would be unbelievable for it to be anything less. Upon following this principle it is less likely that the testimony is false than the miracle occurred should you have a prior belief, however if you do not believe in a deity and the probability of a miracle occurring then the miracles happening is less likely than the testimony being false. This argument used by Hume is not an effective argument as there are cases in which the laws of nature have been...
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...a) Outline at least two definitions of the term miracle. Examine key reasons for believing in miracles. The term miracle is queried over constantly for the reason that there are various definitions all consisting of why we should believe miracles to be true. Two of which belong to Thomas Aquinas’ and Richard Swinburne. Each poses reasons for why one should believe in miracles and whether they do really and truly exist. Firstly Aquinas posits his suggestion that miracles are ‘Those things…which are done by divine power apart from the order generally followed in things’. He sets out his definition with three main aspects; starting with the idea that events are done by God which nature could never have the capability of doing. One example used to support this is that it’s logically impossible to stop the Sun yet God with his divine power can. Therefore if this is broken and an act goes against it, it is thus a miracle. The second proposition is that things that are done by God which nature can do but not in that order also qualify as being a miracle. The final idea that Aquinas puts forward is that the events done by God that nature can do but God does without the use of natural laws also are deemed to be miracles. The significant thing about Aquinas’s definition of a miracle is that he allowed for the possibility of miracles to occur within the system of natural activity. Moreover he allowed for the possibility that God’s activity with the natural realm may be part of...
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...The Miracle Worker, a play written by William Gibson, tells the story of the early life of Helen Keller. It focuses on the difficulties Helen's family had with trying to reach her, and Annie Sullivan's efforts to give Helen the gift of language. In the "Water Pump" scene Annie is with Helen at the water pump in the yard. Several movie versions of the play are effective in its portrayal of the story have produced over the years including the 1964 version. This version of the play is effective in its portrayal of the story, particularly "Water pump scene". In this movie, the character actions, camera angles and sounds create the exciting mood of the scene. The character actions in the 1964 version are very effective especially when Hellen starts...
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