... What topics in the Legal Studies syllabus does the article relate to?My chosen media file relates to the following topics in the legal studies syllabus.Part I: The Legal System * Basic legal concepts (values and ethics, nature of justice) * Conditions that give rise to law reform (changing social values)Part II: The Individual and the Law * The types of rights to which individuals are entitledPart III: The Law in Practice * Groups or individuals suffering from disadvantage (LGBT) * Individuals or groups in conflict with the state * The effectiveness of the legal and non-legal responses to this issue | What issues are raised in the article and why are they issues? Explain in detail. (This section should relate to the topics in the syllabus) (max 250 words) One of the most predominant issues put forth is if same-sex marriage is coincides with the many religious groups which makeup Australian society. The show presents the opinions of both leaders and members of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The most prominent stand point of all these religions was that same-sex marriage is not permitted by their respective scriptures. However alternative interpretations were also provided by a Rabbi and a Sheikh, who believed that their religions support same sex marriage. It is very important to understand the various religious standpoints on gay and lesbian marriage in Australia as the majority of the Australian population identifies as religious in order to gauge if it reflects...
Words: 783 - Pages: 4
...Introduction to Philosophy Tuesday, April 28, 2009 Miracles: How They Do Not Violate Nature For centuries, the validity of miracles has been debated on by countless philosophers. Of these philosophers, some are religious and others both materialist and atheist. Some materialists, who argue against the existence of miracles, believe that the world is purely physical and that nothing can possibly happen outside the laws of nature. The theistic philosophers reply with the statement that science cannot explain everything simply because the art was founded by us humans who are, by definition, imperfect. So the implication shows science to have inherited man’s imperfections. Science is completely logical, but it cannot explain the nature of everything since there are always undiscovered concepts and laws to be found. Among these phenomena are miracles. Contrary to materialist beliefs, miracles do not violate the real laws of science because the laws that we are referring to are the ones that man, in all his imperfections, compiled. God created all the laws of science of which many have never yet been discovered. So logic would tell us that we cannot be for certain that supernatural events violate any natural laws, but certainly these events do not have to violate any natural law to be miracles. First off, today’s use of the word miracle is inherently misused. It is commonly used by speakers to describe a wonderful event that he believes his audience should feel the same way about. Using...
Words: 1812 - Pages: 8
...IB Theory of Knowledge Essay In what ways may disagreement aid the pursuit of knowledge in the natural and human sciences? Cherno Okafor 000747-034 Weston Collegiate Institute February 20th, 2013 Word Count: 1598 In this TOK Essay, I will be conducting an analysis illustrating how disagreements can be used to aid the pursuit of knowledge in both the natural and human sciences and in some cases, hinder the pursuit of knowledge in these areas. First, it is necessary to define the key terms in this topic, which are “pursuit of knowledge”, “natural sciences”, and “human sciences”. “Pursuit of knowledge” is the act of obtaining knowledge. Natural science refers to the study of natural phenomena of the universe. Fields associated with this are: chemistry (elements), biology (contrasting ideas between Lamarckism and the Darwinian concept of evolution), and physics (gravity). On the other hand, human science refers to the study of people themselves and their behaviours which includes matter in history, literature and philosophy where “man is the measure of all things and human nature” as uttered by the classical Greek philosopher Plato. There is also anthropology, economics, and ethics; for example the explanation of criminal behaviour in cognitive and social psychology in human science. The term “disagreement” is ambiguous in the sense that it can represent a variety of things. For instance, it can refer to a difference of opinion between two people or groups...
Words: 1829 - Pages: 8
...“marriage” and “spouse” In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word “marriage” means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word “spouse” refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. (Added Pub. L. 104–199, §3(a), Sept. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 2419.) Where does the official United States Federal definition stem from? The answer to that question is not a single source but a series of teachings handed down from Western society stemming, arguably going back to ancient Greece and ancient Jerusalem. The legal use of marriage is not just for religious purposes but also for tax, property rights, and child rearing. Recently, a cultural divide has invigorated a debate on redefining marriage to include same sex or non-traditional unions as marriages. The debate is largely two sides each defining the specifics of what marriage entails. The first is referred to as conjugal view and the latter is revisionist view. Conjugal view can be defined as: “The union of a man and a woman who make a permanent and exclusive commitment to each other of the type that is naturally (inherently) fulfilled by bearing and rearing children together. The spouses seal (consummate) and renew their union by conjugal acts – acts that constitute the behavioral part of the process of reproduction, thus uniting them...
Words: 2824 - Pages: 12
...Philosophy of religion is a branch of philosophy concerned with questions regarding religion, including the nature and existence of God, the examination of religious experience, analysis of religious vocabulary and texts, and the relationship of religion and science. It is an ancient discipline, being found in the earliest known manuscripts concerning philosophy, and relates to many other branches of philosophy and general thought, including metaphysics, logic, and history. Philosophy of religion is frequently discussed outside of academia through popular books and debates, mostly regarding the existence of God and problem of evil. The philosophy of religion differs from religious philosophy in that it seeks to discuss questions regarding the nature of religion as a whole, rather than examining the problems brought forth by a particular belief system. It is designed such that it can be carried out dispassionately by those who identify as believers or non-believers. Religion: A Part of Metaphysics Philosophy of religion has classically been regarded as a part of metaphysics. In Aristotle's Metaphysics, the necessarily prior cause of eternal motion was an unmoved mover, who, like the object of desire, or of thought, inspires motion without itself being moved. This, according to Aristotle, is God, the subject of study in theology. Today, however, philosophers have adopted the term philosophy of religion for the subject, and typically it is regarded as a separate field...
Words: 1759 - Pages: 8
...down to their mode of socialization with the environment. ORIGIN OF RELIGION Religion evidence dates back to thousands of years. Archaeologist used apparent burials from Homo sapiens as yardsticks of religious ideas. Other evidence includes symbolic images from middle stone ages, especially that of Africa. However, the interpretation of the paleo-images and their direct meaning with respect to how they relate with religious beliefs remains a controversy, as compared to more recent remains. Various theories have been put down by scholars more recently to supporting the originality and origin of religion rather than believing in earlier claims by Christian beliefs that the world was unreligious (non-religion). Edward Burnett, Tylor, and Herbert Spencer proposed the theory of “Animism” while a renowned archaeologist, john Lubbok described earlier religion as “Fetish”. Other scholars like Max Miller in his theory defined earlier religion as “Hedonism”, while Wilhem Mannhardt used naturalism to describe religion that is, a myth of events of natural happenings. All these theories have been argues by critics and thus; people do say there is no established fact regarding the origin of religion. HISTORY OF THE STUDY OF RELIGION Religions Geschichtliche Schule (i.e. School of Religious History) was a 19th century German school of thought. The school was...
Words: 2467 - Pages: 10
...of the mind, functionalism was interested in mental processes and their relation to behavior. Through his work at Harvard as a professor teaching psychology courses and his writings related to the philosophy of pragmatism and functionalism, William James became known as spokesman of this burgeoning approach to psychology. His influence was exponentially increased through the inspiration he gave to his students. G. Stanley Hall, Mary Calkins, and Edward Thorndike are among those who spread functionalist psychology to other universities. DARWIN AND FUNCTIONALISM Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection was tremendously influential on the establishment of functionalism. After his famous voyage on The HMS Beagle, Darwin labored many years to produce the book responsible for a dramatic paradigm shift: The Origin of Species. Darwin’s argued that the environment forces a natural selection upon its inhabitants and favors those inhabitants that have adaptive characteristics. The members within a species who have adaptive characteristics pass on this survival component to their offspring while those members without the adaptive characteristics begin to disappear. The theory of a mechanistic universe proposed by Descartes seemed to be crumbling under the weight of a chaotic and impersonal force of evolution. The function of mind and behavior was now looked upon as adaptive rather than innate. Individual differences rather than universal...
Words: 1664 - Pages: 7
...different disciplines known as science and religion. However, science and religion are not as separate as one might be lead to believe. Both minister towards humankind's craving for the truth. While Science and religious beliefs are complete opposites they can complement each other allowing them to coexist with little conflict. Religion can provide an explanation when science is unable to do so and science provides an explanation where religion is unable to do so. If the assumption is that science and religion are incompatible, then it simply means that it is highly unreasonable to accept simultaneously the claims of modern science and the claims made by religious doctrine. The initial premise that one might think is that these two would more than often contradict each other, however, science exist to explain the natural world, that is, the world around us. Religion tends to explain the purpose and meaning behind the natural world. It is the difference between physical and spiritual realities that each represents and tries to explain. As science focuses on the physical truth, religion examines and focuses on the spiritual truth. Until the modern period, science was not a separate discipline from philosophy. Generally, most scientist were known as natural philosophers, or experimental philosophers. Their primary mission was to gather data about observable phenomena in nature, to categorize that data, and to generalize from specific observations to more general ones...
Words: 2958 - Pages: 12
...perspectives on healing and the critical components of healing such as prayer, medication and beliefs. It will also explain what is important to people of those particular faiths when cared for by health care providers whose spiritual beliefs differ from their own. In the conclusion, it will explain how the spiritual perspectives from different faiths should be incorporated in the health care progress by medical professionals so that they don’t interfere with their patients’ beliefs and practices. D’souza (2007) warns that doctors and clinicians should not “prescribe” religious beliefs or activities or impose their religious or spiritual beliefs on patients. Introduction The philosophy of providing health care may differ depending on the faith diversity in the world. Different religious groups have different spiritual perspectives on healing and may also believe in different components of healing. This study therefore explores the Buddhism, Bhai and Judaism faiths and compares them with the Christian philosophy of faith and healing. Buddhism Buddhism is an Indian religion that encapsulates a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who is commonly known as the Buddha. Buddha means “the awakened one” or “the enlightened”. Between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism remains the dominant religion in the Far East and has also become popular in the West...
Words: 1694 - Pages: 7
...Elements of Religious Traditions Paper Crystal Plummer REL/134 – World Religious Traditions II Wednesday, May 18, 2011 Professor Jeffery Hineline Religious Traditions A religious persons' world views a transcendent dimension to life- that there is a supernatural power beyond humans beings. Religion has different meanings to different people, it is based on how a person is swayed by the people who raised them. It could have been a experience that is traumatic which can push someone to follow a different life in terms of religion. The everyday lives of all people are made up of rituals and traditions. Christians worship God, who they believe is the creator of the entire world. Muslims who worship Mohammed, in which they believe is a prophet from God, Buddhist believe in Buddha, and Hindus believe in Brahma. This paper will explain how religious traditions describe and encourage the following relationships: with the divine, with sacred time, with sacred space or the natural world, and with each other. It will also identify key critical issues in the study of religion with specific examples on Hinduism such as their traditions and beliefs, which I am familiar with. People around the world worship something, depending on their beliefs. Relationships A spiritual relationship with God, gods, spirits, or nature in which humans have had since the dawn of time of the natural world. Humans looked at nature as something to be sacred, as well as something to be worshiped...
Words: 1123 - Pages: 5
...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 | ...
Words: 13036 - Pages: 53
...Assess the claim that secular approaches to environment issues are of more help than religious ones. (35 marks) Secular approaches are ethical approaches that are not religious, for example Kantian ethics. Religious approaches would include Natural Law and biblical references. In both of these approaches to environment issues, a good approach to environment issues would be one that weighed up the pros and cons of both sides of the argument and come to a rational conclusion that is backed up with reason. Utilitarian’s weigh up the long term effects against the short term effects. I think this is a good way of looking at the environment, as the long-term effects are very different to the short-term effects. If we focus on only the short-term effects, then no environmental problems will be solved. Jeremy Bentham follows the quantitative approach, which is where the cause of the action outweighs the maximisation of higher pleasures for the present and future generations. Bentham would weigh up the pleasures and pain for all those involved. For example, a quiet lake with loads of wildlife being used for water skiing and other recreational activities. Bentham would weigh up the pleasure of the people and the amount of income against the pain that the wildlife would take and then make a decision whether it should be allowed or not. This is not a very helpful way of solving environmental problems because each situation will have a different outcome depending on the pleasure and pain...
Words: 1939 - Pages: 8
...AS 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:...
Words: 641 - Pages: 3
...As an Athletic Trainer ethics play a major role. In many cases I evaluate many of the injuries sustained by my student-athletes offering varied suggestions on how we should move forward with either a Doctor Visit or in house rehabilitation. With this responsibility comes opposition from both parents and coaches as they insist I clear an athlete for play or don’t deliver the whole truth to the parents and or coach. Although not as controversial as assisted suicide it poses significant risks and eyebrow raises in the sports world. Doctors, nurses, and various medical personal have a harder role. They wager people’s lives and future and decide in some countries whether or not to permit such an act. In this essay we will explore the facts on Euthanasia: Assisted Suicide, my view, the world view and its progress. Before I begin, however, let me note what I will not try to do. I will not try to show you that Physician Assisted Suicide is a fully justifiable course of action what I will do is give you facts and statistics of this rapidly growing controversial issue.. What I will show you is the compatibility to the commitment to good end-of-life care. One of the most important public policy debates today surrounds the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide. The outcome of that debate to whether or not it should be made available will profoundly affect family relationships, interaction between doctors and patients, and concepts of basic ethical behavior. Although not accepted widespread...
Words: 1907 - Pages: 8
...The natural law theory implies that there are particular laws of nature and things in nature that have certain purposes and values. The Christian view of this being that these values have been created by God. In order to identify whether something is correct, we have to ask ourselves if it is consistent with its natural laws of nature or purpose. The most prominent articulations of this theory are the ne given by Thomas Aquinas also better known as Thomism. Thomists were the most influential in outlining the universal declaration of human rights in the United Nations and therefore this theory is pretty invasive in moral thoughts. The most interesting aspect of this theory is the notion that ethical judgment about issues are made at the class level. This theory fails since it relies on questionable notions that derive these moral details from natural details through the exercise of our reasons. This implies that religious people have got no special access to the truth. The society feels obliged to maintain good morals in the society. There are a number of social responsibilities theories that dictate how people should conduct themselves. Gay marriages have been viewed in different views by different people...
Words: 1135 - Pages: 5