...sinful man through law and education. On the other hand, the seamless “City of God” preserves the divine values of peace, hope and charity. They may occupy different jurisdictions and hold different values, they are still related because they both existed. Based on Aquinas’ account, the state or temporal authority is the author and executor of human law, who punishes through iniquities and encouragement through virtue. The church or the ecclesiastical authority is the interpreter of divine law through natural law. It would appear that the ecclesiastical authority is necessary in advising the state relating to moral legislation. b. The main purpose of politics is for the people to keep peace, and Christians are the best to rule the political society, based on St. Augustine. On his book, Civitas Dei, it has been cited that a Good Christian Leader should lead the people into obedience of God, and then the government will be just. He mainly focuses on the belief that God should be the one to be followed. Contrarily, St. Aquinas puts into account that the leader’s rules should benefit to the common good of the people. This should guide the people to have a good life. Also, the government of humans should also be involved because the divine reason, which is needed to live a virtuous life, couldn’t be simply understood. 2. As for Niccolo Machiavelli, morality, such that originates from one’s basic need, is arbitrary or subjective. One should be moralistic than he should be but...
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...Maimuna Sidibay The fundamental concept Thucydides brings out in his work On Justice, Power, and Human Nature, is his pessimistic view towards human nature while simultaneously contending that justice is what it takes to catalyze prosperity. Thucydides makes certain claims through his representation of democracy that portray his views on human nature. His view teaches us that human nature has been the ultimate tool used by the famous speakers of ancient Greece—thus, it is important in studying his History for we are able to delineate these falsities as we apply them to our own lives. Then, in evaluating the implications in Thucydides’ History, I will agree that it is natural human inclination to unjustly rule over others. I propose to argue my case by first describing human nature and it’s relationship with power and second to explain that with the absence of such conventions such as justice, human nature and overt power induce civil strife. In the “Melian Dialogue,” Thucydides provides a precise position on his view of human nature and its’ pair, power. He shows here that human nature is cruel and unjust and when it is not controlled and restrained, human nature will incline man to become possessive of those more weaker than him and thus pursue his own self-interest through greed. During the Melian Dialogue, the Melians declined the Athenians’ proposal that they submit to the Athenians. In this dialogue, Thucydides made...
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...Political Competency Name Institution Lessons learned about Political Competency from the Documentary, Shameless Propaganda (2013) Political competency is viewed as the capacity to understand what an individual can or cannot control when to take action, which is going against your motive and who you require on your side to push your motive ahead. Political competency relates to having knowledge of how to map the political terrain, get others on your area and lead coalitions. More often than not, political competency is not viewed as a critical core competence that is required by all politicians or leaders within an organization. The documentary “Shameless Propaganda” gives insights of the art of political competence that took place in Canada between 1939 and 1945 (“National Film Board of Canada,” 2014). When you ask fruitful pioneers how they get things going, they'll converse with you about conceptualizing, support, authority, market investigation, and arranging, however they'll infrequently expound on the unending normal micro-legislative issues they participate in. Legislative issues are by all accounts an unthinkable subject in authoritative life-the elephant in the initiative parlor that nobody examines or concedes is there (Golubeva, 2013). Political competence is not fiendishness by result of authoritative life. Being political, in its most appealing light, is being mindful of the hobbies of others, discovering zones of shared view, bringing others on board, and...
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...Critical Thinking and Society Exercise 1. Describe a situation in which critical and creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations. Critical thinking along with critical thought is used every day and most individuals don’t even realize it. One such situation in which I could have used critical or creative thought for the better was my decision to separate from the Air Force. When I was making this decision to separate, I was only thinking of the negative items with the military and why I wanted to separate at the end of my enlistment. Just like many other people that faced this same situation, if given the opportunity to repeat this process utilizing the creative thinking process would be a major player in my decision making. I would suggest to those people to use critical thinking by looking at the whole picture including positives and negatives of staying in the military. Also, using creative thinking to try and come up with a plan of action if separation is the final choice and what the path forward from that point will be. 2. Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. Free will is defined as choosing to make a decision. Truth is defined as “what is so about something, the reality of the matter, as distinguished from what people wish were so, believe to be so, or assert to be so” (Ruggiero, 2009). Knowledge is to know about...
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...series event and listening to Rosa Clemente speak. Before this particular event, I had no clue as who she was but I was still open to hearing her speak and what exactly she was going to speak about. After hearing her speak, the three concepts that stuck in my mind were the controversies with identify politics, race being a social construct, and the issues surrounding climate change. Generally, when I don’t know a concept, I tend to do background research in order to better understand and speak on that concept which is what occurred with my understanding of identify politics. “The laden phrase ‘identity politics’ has come to signify a wide range of political activity and theorizing founded in the shared experiences of injustice of members of certain social groups” (Heyes, 2012). To simplify it, identity politics is basically a political approach that is taken when discussing people of a certain social group. This stuck with...
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...well as understanding her own thoughts at the time, Jeanne shows us these memories are truly hers and not altered in some form. While most of the memories are from Jeanne’s own mind, she used insights from the others in her family while writing the story. For example, she wrote small “chapters” from what happened to her brother in Japan and her father’s past as well. To make sure of certain parts of the story, she and her husband had to “rely on a good deal besides [her] own recollections” (x). Recollecting these memories from friends, family and even those she did not know, Jeanne finds a new understanding of what really happened at camp as well as connect her own memories to make...
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...interaction with our peers. While we do grow up and obtain the ability to form unique thoughts and opinions, we are still susceptible to significant influence by the people who surround us; this is especially true when we are isolated from opinions that differ from the ones that are typically shared by those in our immediate environment. When individuals form groups with like-minded people, the result is often polarization. This mostly occurs in relation to moral attitudes, political opinions, arguments pertaining to opinion rather than fact, or other (primarily) two-sided debates. Group polarization describes when people with similar beliefs discuss them within a group and then each have their preexisting beliefs hardened and amplified. Having his views corroborated by like-minded...
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...The 2016 US Presidential Elections Donald Trump’s announcement to contest for the 2016 US presidential elections on a GOP ticket generated mixed reactions across America. The majority, including political pundits believed that he was totally unfit to occupy any political office, let alone the highest in the land. Trump’s strange political views coupled with an absolute departure of what America’s mainstream politics is, immediately put him at the center of controversy. Interestingly though, he has continued to garner support across board with many subscribing to his views and school of thought. He is winning the primaries at an outstanding rate that he now seems to have a shot at clinching the Republican presidential nominee ticket. Both ends of the political divide i.e. Democrats and Republicans are left to wonder what is propelling his ascension to political relevance yet he is the least qualified candidates in terms of political experience. George Lakoff seeks to explore theories that could possibly explain the situation. George Lakoff is an eminent cognitive linguist at the University of California. He sets out to provide an explanation of how mind science plays a significant role in determining which presidential candidate wins elections in America. What traits they posses and which approach they take in luring electorate to vote for them. George’s bases his theory on framing issues in order to control peoples mind by shaping...
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...Week Three Discussion Questions 1. According to the business dictionary (2012), “mental models are beliefs, ideas, images, and verbal descriptions that we consciously and unconsciously form from our experiences and which (when formed) guide our thoughts and actions with narrow channels” (p. 1). Social, political, and economic situations influence mental model/mindsets. Because of social, political, and economic situations and past experiences, I limit my decision making based on facts, proof, and careful considerations. I rarely make irrational decisions. 2. The four steps that change one’s mental model/mindset consist of: a. Power & limits of the models. b. Test the relevance of the mental models. c. Overcome inhibitors. d. Implement, assess, and strengthen the model. Some possible inhibitors are lack of trust, lack of information, other’s expectations, and set in old ways. I think I need to work on overcoming inhibitors. I tend to let past experiences and other people’s thoughts discourage me from doing or making certain decisions. 3. “Creative intelligence reflects how we perceive the world around us” (Rowe, 2012, p. 1). “The four styles of creative intelligence: Intuitive – focuses on results and relies on past experience to guide actions Innovative – concentrates on problem-solving, is systematic, and relies on data Imaginative – is able to visualize opportunities, is artistic, enjoys writing, and thinks “out of the box” Inspirational – focuses on social...
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...the lived experience of an epoch. In this respect,globalization reflects a widespread perception that the world is rapidly being moulded into a shared socialspace by economic and technological forces and that development in one region of the world can haveprofound consequences for the life chances of individuals or communities on the other side of the globe. Formany, globalization is also associated with a sense of political fatalism and chronic insecurity in that thesheer scale of contemporary social and economic change appears to outstrip the capacity of nationalgovernments or citizens to control, contest or resist that change. The limits to national politics, in otherwords, are forcefully suggested by globalization.Although the popular rhetoric of globalization may capture aspects of the contemporary zeitgeist, there is aburgeoning academic debate as to whether globalization, as an analytical construct, delivers any addedvalue in the search for a coherent understanding of the historical forces which, at the dawn of the newmillennium, are shaping the socio-political realities of everyday life. Despite a vast and expanding literaturethere is, somewhat surprisingly, no cogent theory of globalization or even a systematic analysis of itsprimary features. Moreover, few studies...
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...and your trappings, and your guards—all that your can do is to have me killed”. The political heroism in Antigone's resistance is her refusal of state power. Antigone says no to all she finds vile, and in this sense she is more powerful than the ruler beholden to his throne. Despite all his trappings of power, Creon finds himself helpless, unable to act on his own. He wants not to execute Antigone but cannot help ordering her death. Having said yes to state power, he is circumscribed by his own kingship, by very the throne that makes him the master of the land. He has surrendered himself entirely to the state and knows his circumscription all too well. Unlike Antigone, he has completely ceded his desires to take upon the mantle of governance. Creon is rendered loathsome, terrified of what his office requires of him and yet unable to act otherwise. “If Haemon reaches the point where he stops growing pale with fear when I grow pale, stops thinking that I must have been killed in an accident when I am five minutes late, stops feeling that he is alone on earth when I laugh and he doesn't know why—if he too has to learn to say yes to everything—why, no, then, no! I do not love Haemon”. Antigone recants her love for Haemon toward the end of her confrontation with Creon. Creon has unmasked her brothers as treacherous gangsters, making her act and death march entirely gratuitous. Its political, moral, filial, and religious motivations appear entirely external. Thus Creon offers...
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...I found only travelling can let you learn and draw a lot when enjoying the fabulous scene. So I always believe that a person need more travel experiences to correct and promote himself. I never thought, based on various cultures and different education backgrounds that people who come from different countries could an extremely distinct historical background, distinct way of thinking and beliefs. I thought “I can’t even talk to them and make friends with them”. Worse off, I usually thought what if foreigners like Americans and the British have the racism. However everything has two sides. Right after I travelled to Japan, the UK and the USA; I became confident that we can be friends and communicate easily despite two completely different cultures. I believe in that people should be exposed to new culture and customs. The first country I travelled to was Japan. Being also an Asian country, it was easier for me to understand and accept their culture and get accustomed to Japan quickly. However, considering historical problems, Japan’s invading China and the cruel things they did to Nanking could also be an obstacle between two countries citizens. So I was a little anxious and curious about what they would think about Chinese people. When I got there, my original thoughts changed completely. There was one little things that made me to alter the impression of Japan in my mind. One night, after visiting some historical place, we were all tired and my mom and I wanted to...
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...From a flawed seventh century B.C. experiment by the King of Egypt to Socrates, Plato, Hume, Liebniz, and others, psychology has a very long past but only a short scientific history. Philosophical Background In the seventh century B.C., the King of Egypt conducted what many, including psychology historian Morton Hunt, consider to be the first psychology experiment. Though flawed and rudimentary, the king tested his idea that thoughts and language came from the mind. Although unscientific, the idea of the minds overall ability to do more was put to the test. Socrates (460-399 B.C.) often considered and referred to as a father of philosophy, stated “One thing only I know and that is I know nothing.” This realization came when he concluded that philosophy can only begin when one learns to doubt, particularly the thoughts and ideals that each individual holds dear and sacred. In short, real philosophy cannot start until one’s mind begins to examine itself. Again the mind is central and paramount. To modern psychology he gave the Socratic Method of questioning, which demanded definitions be as accurate as possible, clear thinking at all times, and exact analysis of all details. Hippocrates (460-370 B.C), the father of medicine, developed a new method of research that necessitated the need for careful observation followed by precise collection...
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...Unit 1 Individual Project While not being a philosophical person even a little, I am enjoying the learning process of philosophy. My main focus and interest in life has always been science in some realm or another. But with all good sciences, there lies an underlying truth of what is right, what is wrong; what is real, what is imaginary; what is innate, what is learned. This is where philosophy comes into play. Although I have not had the privilege of having many situations where the big questions have presented themselves, I will share what knowledge I have in my possession. Metaphysics I can relate to the subject of metaphysics more closely than the other areas of philosophy due to my scientific mindset. One of my favorite subjects is astronomy. Theoretical physics is one of the most fascinating jobs/careers a person could have. Not all of astronomy is theoretical, but a vast majority is since scientists are unable to physically study the universe due to human constraints. Traversing through the universe would be the ideal adventure and I would be the first to sign up. Now who are we to say that the universe is real or isn’t real. We can’t touch it, we can’t put it under a microscope and dissect the particles. We can, though, observe and base our knowledge on the observations and calculations made with each study made. Studying many aspects of the universe and putting this information together also seems to help make the universe more real in our minds. Epistemology ...
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...more prominent and unapologetic place in our social change repertoire.” (pg. 251) I can agree that through meditation, real change can occur. In my own practice and research on the topic of meditation, I am finding more and more evidence of the changes meditation brings into my own personal life and I believe that when we are able to make personal transformations that bring about love, compassion, mindfulness and forgiveness, we can start making changes in the world around us. Also in the chapter, she discusses the “spiritual inquisitivness” (p.235) that Govender was grappling with. Questions about God, temptation, and truth surfaced and forced her to explore the logic of South Africa as a whole. I felt like I could relate to Govender’s thought process. I personally have, since starting this class and exploring spirituality versus religion have begun to question everything (from...
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