...Secularism is the realization that God’s will be done plus the natural evolution of universal morality. Christianity was the spiritual identity of one’s soul, beliefs, spirituality, social, and political foundation. Then those from other countries believed that Christianity provided spiritual connections, organizing principles, and inspirations for their identity. Believers were united by their faith as well as commerce and communication to help spread and strengthen each other (Getz & Brooke, 2012). The thinking of secularism and its relationship to feminism has arisen in the context of the confluence of a number of developments including: the increasing dominance of the 'clash of civilizations' thesis; the expansion of postmodern critiques of Enlightenment rationality to encompass questions of...
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...Introduction 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...
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...------------------------------------------------- Course Syllabus PHI 105 Introduction to Philosophy Course Start Date: 08/15/2011 Course End Date: 10/16/2011 Please print a copy of this syllabus for handy reference. Whenever there is a question about what assignments are due or when they are due, please remember this syllabus is considered the ruling document. Copyright Copyright ©2010 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. University of Phoenix© is a registered trademark of Apollo Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft©, Windows©, and Windows NT© are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Use of these marks is not intended to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. Edited in accordance with University of Phoenix© editorial standards and practices. Facilitator Information Larry Waggle, Ph. D. larrywaggle@email.phoenix.edu (University of Phoenix) Unclelahr@live.com (Alternate) 480-330-0953 (MST) Facilitator Availability I am available from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Arizona Time on most days, but I attempt to reserve Sunday for my family. On Saturdays, I tend to be online in the morning only. If these times are not...
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...PHIL 225: Philosophy of Love & Sex Essay #1 (20%) Due Nov. 28 in class (no electronic copies accepted) 5% per day late penalty (late papers can be left in drop off box outside K201) Answer one of the following topics in an essay of approximately 1200-1500 words (4-6 double spaced pages, 12 pt. font, 1” margins). Avoid plagiarism by using your own words and making sure to cite sources properly using a well-known format such as APA or MLA. ** you must cite at least 2 peer reviewed sources not including our textbook (i.e. go to library) 1. Explain the philosophical and social/cultural significance of various mythological/religious narratives of the origin of love and sexual desire 2. Human desire is born of a wound/cut/separation in human nature. Discuss this statement with reference to Erich Fromm, Genesis and Aristophanes’ speech on love. 3. Discuss various religious, cultural, or philosophical arguments for or against homosexuality. 4. Discuss the views on Love by Erich Fromm (erotic love) and Harry Frankfurt. What do they have in common? How does each argue that true Love is different from lust/infatuation/falling in love AND motherly/charitable love? 5. Discuss the idea that universal love (Agape) is or is not (e.g Freud) the basis of civilization. 6. In Leonore Tiefer’s and Michael Ruse’s articles we have a couple of critiques based on pointing out that established ideas (i.e. that sex is a natural act & the Human sexual response cycle) have little or...
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...Secularism is one of the most important aspects in the present Indian socio – political – economic scene. Unfortunately, Secularism in the present Indian context seems to be incomplete due to the intermingling of religion with politics and thus Secularism has been criticized by many. This project first defines the term “Secularism”, then puts light on the Secularist ideas followed by us and finally analyses the various critiques attached to it which have developed over time. What is Secularism and Why Secularism? “Secularism is the process by which sectors of society and culture are removed or separated out from religious symbols and institutions so as to constitute their own domains. The Secular state is a state that guarantees individual and corporate freedom of religion, deals with the individual as a citizen irrespective of his religion, is not constitutionally connected to a particular religion, nor seeks either to promote or interfere with religion.” The Secularism in question is basically the interrelation between the state and multiple religious communities in India. In addition to this, we also need to know why Secularism was needed for India in the first place. The following arguments are the most apt arguments which show the need for a Secular state. Firstly, the Indian society at large was a mixture of numerous cultures, religions, customs and languages. Thus if the dream of a single nation was to be fulfilled, it was important to imbibe the characteristics...
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...Why was Socrates regarded as a man of virtue? Why was Socrates regarded as a man of virtue? Socrates: Man of Virtue (470-399 B.C.E.) Socrates proposed the theory of value in which there are two sorts of good: virtue and happiness. Both are unconditional goods. But happiness is a "self-generated" good in that it "derives its value strictly from its inherent properties;" whereas virtue is an "other-generated" good in that it derives its value from happiness, precisely from its conduciveness to happiness. Virtue is an instinct in all humanity which can be aroused through self-examination. This universal truth is accessible to everyone who thinks and question. Socrates assumes that any person with whom he talks has the resource to answer his question correctly, that is, that no specialist knowledge is required. Socrates thought that knowledge is virtue, and virtue leads to happiness. It makes sense to think that moral people know what morality is. If you know right from wrong, then you might be able to choose to do what you know to be right. It also makes some sense to suspect that our beliefs about right and wrong influence our decisions. If we believe its right to help a drowning child, then it would be fairly shocking to decide not to do so—and it would less surprising when we decide to help the child. It is quite a shocking statement to say that virtue always leads to happiness. Criminals commit crimes that hurt others to help themselves. To think that their crimes would...
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...multicultural intensity, which comprised of eight predictors that basically dealt with interactions of members of two nationalities or cultures in an institution. The authors used multicultural intensity to study relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel. They first summarize the complex history between the two groups. The guiding question of the study was, “what differences with regard to attitudes toward multiculturalism exist among female and male students belonging to different national and religious groups, practicing different levels of religiosity (Shamai and Hager, 2012, p. 3)?” The participants consisted of 681 randomly selected students from Tel-Hai College from five self-identified groups; Jews, Israeli-Jews, Israelis, Druze, and Arab. Participants were given a questionnaire. Shamai and Hagar found that the group that was most in favor of multiculturalism was Arabs, then the Druze; the Jewish group was least in favor. Students who identified as more traditionally religious tended to be less supportive of multiculturalism. In general, female students tended to be more supportive of multiculturalism than males. The authors also found that Jewish and Arab students maintained a civil environment. They point out...
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...English for business studies B AE1034 – FOM9 Critique essay Mohanad Ahmed Elzain : 1141127760 Mazin Ahmed Elzain : 1141127759 Good people, bad judgments NEW YORK- Vidkun Quisling, Norway's wartim fascist leader whose name has become synonymous with collaboration with evil. The article wrote by Ian Buruma 8/ july /2015 .Token from (http://www.todayszaman.com/op-ed_good-people-bad-judgments_393269.html) .Vidkun lived with his wife in a rather grandiose villa outside of Oslo. That villa is now the Norwegian center for studies of holocaust and religious minorities, a fine transformation of a tainted place. Earlier this year, he visited the center for a fascinating exhibition on the first independent Norwegian constitution promulgated in 1814. It was a remarkably enlightened and progressive document, composed by learned scholars, steeped in history, law, and philosophy. Some were experts on the Greek classics, others on ancient Hebrew; all were keen readers of Kant and Voltaire .There is, however, one extraordinary clause: Article II proclaims freedom of religion in the Lutheran state, with the caveat that “Jews shall still be banned from entering the Realm. And just before the clause entered Norwegian law, the King of Denmark had granted citizenship to Jews in his realm One of the writers of the constitution, Frederik Motzfeldt, argued that Jews would...
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...HARVARD COLLEGE Writing Center WRITING CENTER BRIEF GUIDE SERIES A Brief Guide to Writing the Philosophy Paper The Challenges of Philosophical Writing The aim of the assignments in your philosophy classes is to get you doing philosophy. But what is philosophy, and how is it to be done? The answer is complicated. Philosophers are often motivated by one or more of what we might call the “Big Questions,” such as: How should we live? Is there free will? How do we know anything? or, What is truth? While philosophers do not agree among themselves on either the range of proper philosophical questions or the proper methods of answering them, they do agree that merely expressing one’s personal opinions on controversial topics like these is not doing philosophy. Rather, philosophers insist on the method of first attaining clarity about the exact question being asked, and then providing answers supported by clear, logically structured arguments. An ideal philosophical argument should lead the reader in undeniable logical steps from obviously true premises to an unobvious conclusion. A negative argument is an objection that tries to show that a claim, theory, or argument is mistaken; if it does so successfully, we say that it refutes it. A positive argument tries to support a claim or theory, for example, the view that there is genuine free will, or the view that we should never eat animals. Positive philosophical arguments about the Big Questions that are ideal are extremely hard to construct...
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...event at the New Gen Health Services headquarters. We are told that Benji accepts this all inclusive invitation and decides the opportunity is worth the trip. While awaiting his flight to Seattle Benji takes the opportunity to learn a little about the company that is attempting to recruit him. Once he begins his search Benji learns of some of the good things that the company does. He finds that New Gen sends researchers around the world in an attempt to find new beneficial health services. This action seems to be reinforced with another article that interviews the CEO who professes his mission of creating a healthier America and touting the companies leading ethics code. Having found these articles as well as many supporting the financial wellness of company Benji seems to have found a great company to work for. As it is with many situations things that appear too good to be true usually are. With continued researched Benji begins to find articles that paint a different picture of the company he is being courted by. He finds that New Gen has been supporting organizations such as ACLU and Planned Parenthood. In conjunction with this support Benji also finds the company may have been using business tactics that drove other distributors to bankruptcy. Looking at this set of information we can begin to form a picture of the company known as New Gen Health Sciences....
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...Jean-Paul Sartre and Existentialism Jean-Paul Sartre . . . the name is one of the most popular in modern philosophy. But who was he? What did he write and what were his works about? What was his role with regard to Existentialism? What is Existentialism, really? What life influences affected the person as whom he became famous? How would Sartre assess various social topics that we face today? What are the problems with Sartre's view of Existentialism and existence in general? These are the questions addressed in the following pages of this brief dissertation.His life Upon reviewing several sources, it is apparent that Sartre was a very disorganized and inconsistent individual. Sartre was obsessed with his intellect to the point of abandon of all else in his life - personal hygiene, honesty, organization, thoroughness, and more. It seems that he felt he was of superior intelligence in comparison to all others who surrounded him. He was not necessarily a great and original thinker, but rather a superb media sensation of sorts. Rather than developing Existentialist thought, he merely promoted it to amazing popularity through his eccentric lifestyle. Although he is best known for his association with Existentialism, it is interesting to note that he denounced its principles later in life and adopted Marxism, which he also later denounced. Jean-Paul-Charles-Aymard Sartre was born in Paris on June 21, 1905, the only child of Anne-Marie Schweitzer Sartre and Jean-Baptiste Sartre. Anne-Marie...
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...BOOK REVIEW of Bush, L. Russ. The Advancement. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2003. APOL 500 LUO (fall 2013) Introduction to Apologetics Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Christopher R. Townsend (#2600628) September 16, 2013 CONTENTS Introduction 1 Summary 1 Critical Interaction 3 Conclusion 6 Bibliography 7 Introduction This is a critique of L. Russ Bush’s The Advancement. In order to properly ascertain the individual components as well as the overall success of Bush’s work, this article deploys the use of a general summary, followed by a section of critical interaction, and finally a conclusion. In the end, elements of Bush’s argument prove invaluable, while others miss their target. Summary Chapter 1 begins with an historical review of the modern worldview formation. This includes first the secular worldview, inspired by the focus on freedom inherent in the Enlightenment. Bush then begins to explore the details of the Christian alternative. This discussion reaches a climax as he notes the contrast of the new and old worldviews. “In the earlier view there is a natural stability in both history and in nature. Progress or decline are products of a person’s relationship or lack of relationship to God, and neither is inevitable historically (15).” Ultimately Bush concludes, “The older worldview is not true (just)...
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...Search the SEP • Advanced Search • Tools • Random Entry Table of Contents • What's New • Archives • Projected Contents Editorial Information • About the SEP • Editorial Board • How to Cite the SEP • Special Characters Support the SEP • PDFs for SEP Friends • Make a Donation • SEPIA for Libraries Contact the SEP SEP logo © Metaphysics Research Lab, CSLI, Stanford University Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Open access to the SEP is made possible by a world-wide funding initiative. Please Read How You Can Help Keep the Encyclopedia Free Author & Citation Info | Friends PDF Preview | InPho Search | PhilPapers Bibliography Kant and Hume on Morality First published Wed Mar 26, 2008; substantive revision Sun Aug 12, 2012 The ethics of Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) is often contrasted with that of David Hume (1711–1776). Hume's method of moral philosophy is experimental and empirical; Kant emphasizes the necessity of grounding morality in a priori principles. Hume says that reason is properly a “slave to the passions,” while Kant bases morality in his conception of a reason that is practical in itself. Hume identifies such feelings as benevolence and generosity as proper moral motivations; Kant sees the motive of duty—a motive that Hume usually views as a second best or fall back motive—as uniquely expressing an agent's commitment to morality and thus as conveying a special moral worth to actions. Although there are many points at which Kant's and Hume's ethics...
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...societies and cultures have different policies, different customs, laws and regulations and moral ideas. ETHICAL RELATIVISM Cultures vary extensively in their ethical practices. Whatvarious practices that some societies considers morally acceptable, can be condemned in others, like polygamy or adultery, racism, sexism, and genocide, which is the deliberate killing of people who belong to a particular racial, political or cultural group. Differences like these may make us question whether there are any universal moral principles or whether morality is merely a matter of "cultural taste."Dissimilarities in these practices across cultures raise a vitalconcern in ethics -- the concept of "ethical relativism." Ethical relativism is the philosophy that states that morality is relative to the customs of one's culture. Albeit, whether an action is right or wrong is contingent on the moral norms of the society in which it is practiced.The same action may be morally right in one society but be morally wrong in another. It is a theory in which the point of ethics and their universality is brought out. Implying that for every different culture there will be a different code of ethics, for any given time. To those who accept the theory believes that there are no universal moral ideals or standards that can be applied universally to all people anytime, but only the moral principles practiced on their own societies that they can be judged...
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...Is Buddhism an Atheistic religion? Responding this question is really difficult as its answer may be different depending on who is replying it. The answer depends on the definition one gives to certain words. Words like religion, theism, atheism and god. So to answer this question, these words must first be defined. Religion is defined in the World Encyclopedia as “A code of beliefs and practices formulated in response to a spiritual awareness of existence. It may involve either faith in a state of existence after earthly death, or a desire for union with an omnipotent spiritual being, or a combination of the two.” Another definition is found in Émile Durkheim’s book The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, Book 1. He states: "Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things which unite into one single moral community called a church, all those who adhere to them." The definition provided by the World Encyclopedia points out that the code of beliefs we understand as religion, has to do with a supreme being/God or in a state of existence after earthly life, this state of existence is in some religions called Heaven. In contrast, Durkheim avoids references to the supernatural or God in his description. There is controversy in the subject, as there are many scholars who’s definition of religion has a relation with a supreme being or god and other scholars who argue that religions do not involve a belief in a God or in nothing related to the...
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