...In Eleonore Stump’s “Mirror of Evil”, she presents how the evil in the world acts as a mirror by telling us things about ourselves. Stump discerns between two types of evil that are found in the world, which are real wickedness and garden-variety moral evil. “Real wickedness” is explained as sharp and felt immediately, while “garden variety” evil is felt much less than this. For Stump all of us have a way to determine what is evil or not, and this is our moral faculty. Moral faculty allows us to know what evil is but also what true goodness is. Our moral faculty states that we know things are evil or truly good solely on our intuition, which is unaffected by our memory, reason or perception. Stump presents many good reasons to believe that...
Words: 1304 - Pages: 6
...Throughout Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Divinity School Address, he has composed an essay that speaks of his unique perception of the natural world, but promptly diverts to discussing his take on the religion status of the world. Many of his essays, including this one, have continuously addressed controversial topics and discussions amongst society throughout time. Divinity School Address is an essay that many Christians have discussed, using its comparing Emerson's contradictory and harsh accusations and statements to their own Christian worldview. My goal of this essay is to discuss the reasons why I disagree with the claims that Emerson makes about his worldview and his view of religion as they starkly contradict with a Christian's worldview, as I contradict them when in comparison with a Christian’s worldview....
Words: 1258 - Pages: 6
...Name: Professor Course Date Analytical Book Review: ‘Damned Women’ by Elizabeth Reis In the book, “Damned Women”, Elizabeth Reis gives an insight on the experiences of women in New England in the 17th century. She discusses the views of women who claimed that their souls had been affected by evil. Reis argues that these perceptions made the women of Salem in Massachusetts and the regions that surrounded it to be targeted by the law as being practitioners of witchcraft. The law therefore, targeted women more than men, and women viewed themselves as evil. The evil they committed made them sin more than men who considered themselves stronger, thus, easy for them to resist any temptation brought by Satan. The magistrates on the other hand agreed with those sentiments and, thus convicted women for being evil and agents of Satan (Reis 12). Witches were considered as agents of Satan. Reis also observes the changing perception that people had of the devil. She gives the account of the 17th and 18th century where the clergy and the congregation had changed their opinion of evil. The author’s observation gives the importance of the Salem trials. It became the turning point for Christian’s views. The Salem trials as presented by Reis, however, raise the question on the reasons why women were convicted of witchcraft. Another question that arises is the reason why many women made the most confessions. However, one cannot overlook the significance of the book because it gives the accounts...
Words: 1496 - Pages: 6
...It is evident from the play that: • Death is inevitable • It cannot be bribed • Life is a single chance, and it is our duty to utilize it in a positive manner • Nothing can support a person after death, but his knowledge is salvation Thesis statement Author’s Perception of Death and the Treatment of Death in the play is associated with the hunt of reasoning the real purpose of life, and how Death, by being the God’s messenger, frights the mankind to evaluate his good and bad deeds before confronting the death. It depends upon the person how he wants to spend his life, but it cannot be neglected as well that death is inevitable, and a person should do anything to get an excellent mark in his final exam during the Day of Judgment. The used sources are selected to justify and support the ideas being presented about the author’s perception about death. These sources are also used to cross-examine the ideas personally...
Words: 1715 - Pages: 7
...problem of evil. Countless stories have been told of priests that have raped children, or corrupt men that have stolen and killed to satisfy their own greed in the name of God. Furthermore, people often blame God for inflicting pain and suffering upon them and those that they love. How can a just...
Words: 1439 - Pages: 6
...Over the years, psychologists have marvelled at the mind’s ability to process external action, discriminate it, identify it, and to make moral, conscious decisions. The development of psychology and the understanding of the human mind has been a crucial step forward in the development of civilisation, as psychological insights have proved to be beneficial in improving everyday life, helping us in avoiding things that cause stress, to be more efficient in our thinking, and to make better decisions to a certain degree. There is significant importance behind the understanding of the behaviours of the mind and cognitive processes of which it will experience, though it is the conscience that has been questioned whether it alone can be considered as a satisfactory moral authority for making ethical decisions. The answer to this lies within one’s own interpretation of what conscience actually is, though through consideration of various theories, conscience can be classed as a viable moral authority. There are various sources which define conscience in different manners; therefore this essay will review a selection of theories produced by Sigmund Freud, and Thomas Aquinas, whilst providing alternate viewpoints inclusive of those of the Islamic religion derived from scripture and also making reference to law and the effect it has on making moral decisions. Conscience can be defined as “the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of...
Words: 1262 - Pages: 6
...God and the Problem of Evil Liberty University Bob Cox The debate of whether God exists has been going on for centuries. Atheists and theists have opposing views on how the universe as we know it came in to being. According to atheism, evolution can explain all we see in the universe. The process of evolution which began with the big bang started the universe and all that is within it. Theists see the world full of design and order and believe it came about through an intelligent creator. Atheists do not believe in God because they have not seen clear proof that he exists (McCloskey, 1968). In his article “On Being an Atheist”, H. J. Mccloskey explains why he believes that God does not exist. The theist believes that an intelligent creator is the best explanation for all that we experience in the universe. Personal experience leads many to begin to think about God. Some wonder about the purpose of their life; while others might be struggling reasons for pain and suffering. It helps to believe that our pain and suffering are for some ultimate purpose and that eventually some good can come from it. Faith in God can be arrived at intelligently through reason. We may not be able to prove that God exists but there is convincing evidence to believe he does. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions about what we believe and why we believe it. Our answers will help to strengthen our own faith and give others something to think about. If something is worth believing, it is worth...
Words: 1678 - Pages: 7
...understanding of evil can only exist by acknowledging the existence or non-existence of god. If you cant understand “good,” you can’t comprehend “evil.” What makes this issue so hard to confront for some is that it makes us question our belief in God. How we each perceive evil may vary. The three types of evil that exist are: moral evil, natural evil and necessary evil. Since discussing evil is most often in the context of God, we will first examine the theists approach to evil, some opposing views to this and ultimately how these views correlate with evil. Many followers of theism accept that evil and suffering exist in the world. From their perspective, God is all-knowing, all –powerful and all-good. This viewpoint leads to many questions…if God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent why does evil still happen and why does he not prevent it? Taking into account St. Thomas Aquinas’s argument “Five Ways,” it seems he understands evil exists and has its purpose for a greater good. For example, his third argument which states “every necessary thing either has its necessity caused by another, or not.” (Solomon P.61) If we apply evil to this we...
Words: 658 - Pages: 3
...we all automatically know someone is up to no good. This meaning going against what is socially acceptable or doing something out of the norm of what some may define as sin. Everyone has different perceptions of what sin really is depending on your religious views and beliefs. Yet, all have committed sin, there are ways to obtain forgiveness. Judaism and Christianity share and differentiate conceptions of sin and their ways to obtain forgiveness. In Judaism, there are two types of sin; one is against God, and the other against people. Sin against God could be making a promise and not keeping it. Sin against people is being hurtful to another, physically or mentally. Early rabbis taught that God gave each human two impulses,”good impulse” and “evil impulse”. The “evil impulse” was not in us to make a decision to satisfy our own needs but to be a part of human life and making decisions with the “good impulse” to give us the natural balance in life. “In contrast with other religions of the ancient Near East, evil is not built into the structure of the universe, but rather is the product of human choices.”(Voorst,247) In Christianity, there is one type of sin, Original Sin. Original sin is the sin you are naturally born with. Christians believe that they are born with this sin because God placed Adam and Eve in the garden with the tree that Adam had ate the apple from the tree !1 known as, The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. From Adam’s disobedience of eating the forbidden...
Words: 698 - Pages: 3
...Arthur Miller displays his perception of communism through John Proctor’s perception of witchcraft in the play The Crucible. The play The Crucible takes place in Salem, Massachusetts where John Proctor is accused of witchcraft, which was a massive dispute during that time. The Crucible is in part based on McCarthyism in the 1950’s which was similar to the Salem Witch trials. In The Crucible written by Arthur Miller, reverend Hale experiences changes proven by the things he says, the things he does, and others opinion of him. McCarthyism is a campaign or practice that endorses the use of unfair allegations and investigations. Marilyn Monroe was Arthur Miller’s wife. If you ask me I don’t think that Miller being married to Marilyn was the reason for the court's questioning I think that the play he wrote was why him and everyone involved were questioned.Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible...
Words: 643 - Pages: 3
...INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY Poetry: for and against Submitted by: Arusha tufail Reg# 734 POETRY: FOR AND AGAINST POETRY: The word poetry is taken from a Greek word poieo which means I create. It is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. It consists largely of oral or literary works in which language is used in a manner that is felt by its user and audience to differ from ordinary prose. BRIEF HISTORY OF POETRY: Poetry as an art form predates literacy. In preliterate societies, poetry was frequently employed as a means of recording oral history, storytelling (epic poetry), genealogy, law and other forms of expression or knowledge that modern societies might expect to be handled in prose. Some writers believe that poetry has its origins in song. Most of the characteristics that distinguish it from other forms of utterance—rhythm, rhyme, compression, intensity of feeling, the use of refrains—appear to have come about from efforts to fit words to musical forms. However, in the European tradition the earliest surviving poems, the Homeric and Hesiodic epics, identify themselves as poems to be recited or chanted to a musical accompaniment rather than as pure song. ARGUMENTS ON POETRY: The Plato has criticized poetry as an imitative art in his book Republica. Plato narrated in his book that to have an ideal state, it is necessary to ban all imitative art forms as they corrupt...
Words: 1850 - Pages: 8
...name here Title The premise of dualism has existed for thousands of years. The war against good versus evil has raged since biblical times. From Cain versus Abel to David versus Goliath, the sagas have been epic. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, Young Goodman Brown and Washington Irving’s, The Devil and Tom Walker are two examples of works containing this same premise. Within both stories good and evil wage war via each of the protagonist’s encounter with the devil, the roles of the wives in the stories, and is also illustrated in the cast of supporting characters. Note: This is my thesis sentence! What this reveals is my body paragraphs will pertain to these statements! My first body paragraph would have to examples of Tom Walker’s and Goodman Brown’s struggle with good and evil. I might even have specific quotes from each of the stories that supported my argument. I would also include several sentences to compare and contrast the two protagonists’ good and evil qualities. My second body paragraph would speak to the roles of the wives in the stories and how good versus evil was exemplified through these characters. I would include compare and contrast the two wives here. I would reveal (through the text) specific examples of each wife’s good and/or evil qualities. My third body paragraph would have examples (comparisons and contrasts) of good and evil shown through the various “supporting” characters within the stories. Here I would include information...
Words: 373 - Pages: 2
...Roslyn Marshall Mr. Lerma English 1B 1 December 2014 Word Count: 3,399 Grendel: A Symbol for the Unknown In the history of human civilization, stories have always had an educative role. In the literary works of fiction, authors use diverse images and symbols in order to trigger a particular reaction from the audience. Some authors, however, use traditional images in new contexts challenging the audience's perception of those iconic characters. Authors often argue that characters can have different meanings and symbolism in different cultures and different times. The best example of these new meanings is seen through the writing about iconic monsters in different time periods. From the analysis’ of Beowulf and Grendel: The Truth Behind England’s Oldest Legend by John Grigsby and Grendel by John Gardner, the character of Grendel in both books is the symbolic meaning of how society is afraid of the unknown. When people are confronted with an unfamiliar circumstance, it is human nature to twist the unknown into something frightening and unacceptable....
Words: 3526 - Pages: 15
...and other war-related causes possibly 9 million Germany and Russia (casualties) 3.4 million French males between 25 and 35 dead or wounded nearly half Britain and its empire (casualties) 1 million Austria-Hungary (casualties) more than a million Italy (casualties) more than a half a million Ottoman Turks (casualties) possibly 325,000 United States (casualties) almost 120,000 2. Today, the British celebrate November 11 as Remembrance Day. In the United States, November 11 is called Veterans Day. 3. What was the effect of the Great War on the infrastructure of France and Belgium? (Infrastructure refers to a country’s facilities and structures that are required to build industries and move goods in and out of the country. It includes roads, bridges, utilities, water, sewage, etc. An infrastructure is necessary for a productive economy.) The infrastructure in France and Belgium was devastated. Farms, villages, and towns were wrecked. Artillery fire destroyed bridges, railroad tracks, roads, factories, and homes. Many villages were completely wiped out. Whole stretches of land were reduced to barren wastelands. 4. By 1918, the fighting cost Britain and Germany about $10 million an hour. © 2009 K12 Inc. All rights reserved. Copying or distributing without K12’s written consent is prohibited. Page 1 of 3 HST202A: Modern World Studies | Unit 4 | Lesson 13: War’s End 5. Match each leader with the phrase that best describes...
Words: 1051 - Pages: 5
...with their views on good and evil, and there is still debate today about what Blake’s true feelings were and how they were conveyed through the poem. This paper will simply explain the nature of the poem and the events that come together within it. The beginning of Marriage sets up an image of a man walking through a “perilous path” that is described as “The vale of death” (Blake 1.4-5). Rintrah, a personification of wrath, watches the man be swayed from his path by the “sneaking serpent,” which can easily be interpreted as the Devil (Blake 1.17). The man is driven into the wild to fend for himself, where he will struggle and be tempted by the good and evil sides of himself and of the world. The next plate that Blake writes is not in a poetic form, but instead calls forth a challenge to the Swedenborgian view of religion. He humorously writes that “it is now thirty-three years since its advent: the Eternal Hell revives. And lo! Swedenborg is the Angel sitting at the tomb: his writings are the linen clothes folded up” (Blake 3). Blake’s jokes about Swedenborg’s relationship to Jesus Christ and his changes to the Christian church lead into his next point, which is how contradictory he believes these religious teachings to be in the first place. Blake claims that “Without contraries is no progression” (3). He claims that everything has an opposite, and without those, no man can move forward. This is where the religious get their concepts of Good and Evil, which they easily...
Words: 2231 - Pages: 9
