Philosophy of Religion

Introduction This paper is a critical analysis of the philosophy of religion. Philosophy of religion addresses the existence of God and seeks to find out what God is like. The most important aspect of philosophy of religion is if God exists and what God means to us (Collins 43). Each one of us ponders these questions in life, and the philosophy of religion has tried providing answers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy of Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The classic arguments of the philosophy of religion have been refined while some have been abandoned. Some other new arguments on the same topic have cropped up, but the controversial debate is still on. Philosophy of religion should be viewed from the perspective of its mother discipline; philosophy (Collins 43). For instance, we define philosophy as the analysis of ultimate concepts. Likewise we should think of philosophy of religion as being t he analysis of concepts encountered in religion. Metaphysical aspects are the central focus of traditional philosophers of religion. This is correct although some critics oppose this idea because concepts like God are crucial to metaphysics. After all, if this debate of God exists, then he must be someone or something pretty according to the attributions given to Him (Collins 46). If this God of debate does not exist, then God is not very important and this debate needs to be shunned. Analytical versus continental Analytical and Continental Philosophy are the two classifications of philosophy of religion. Analytical philosophy occupies the departments of theology while continental philosophies occupy the departments of philosophy (Pomerleau 558). Analytical philosophers decided to approach philosophy of religion with clarity, precision, logic and careful argumentation tools. On the other side, the continental religion philosophers have approached the subject with literal and informa l tools like love (Pomerleau 558). Both groups are correct in their approaches because they have different experiences, and they work in different areas of the philosophy discipline. The prove that God exists Philosophers of religion, who came first, have used both inductive and deductive methods to address the existence of God (Collins 56). For instance, the ontological argument says that God is a logical being and further explains that God actually exists. This argument is still debated up to date because of the confusion it raises. Various critics have come forward to give their views on the ontological argument.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another argument is the cosmological argument. This has portrayed many forms, and the first one is that if there is a contingent being, which exists, there ought to be a necessary being as well to explain its existence (Collins 57). Some cr itics have also come forward to criticize it. The third argument is that from design, which was proposed by various philosophers who gave it the classical formulation, ‘watches on the heath’ (Collins 61). The major question about this argument is what is the appropriateness and success of using the philosophical tools to show the existence of God in a probable way. This argument presents meaningless arguments on the existence of God because they cannot be verified. For example, the problem of evil has varnished and has no sign of popularity. Today, the problem of evil cannot assist philosophers of religion to knock down arguments on atheism. Some critical works have shown impossibilities in establishing the truth about the non-existence of God using this argument (Collins 65). Instead, it has been presented to argue that the existence of God is improbable. Atheists and believers are still on the debate of whether God exists, and if he doe, why does he allow sufferings? This argument cannot answer this question. The rationality of the belief Some critics argue that the religious belief is a basic belief that can be rationally held without necessarily inferring from other beliefs. This implies that since the belief is not necessary for purposes of rationality, its purpose is to convince the non believers. A belief is only justifiable if its production is from a cognitive mechanism that functions according to its designed plan (Collins 68). Otherwise, it would have made sense to believe that if God is our maker then his design plan, which we believe in him, should be rational. What is Godlike? Philosophy of religion has attempted to understand what God is like. The central claim is that God’s existence has put philosophers of religion on an edge in trying to explain this view. The debate has always focused on the four attributes of God, which include; omnipotence, omniscience, e goodness and eternity (Collins 79).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy of Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Each of this attribute bring about puzzles like; why did God create a heavy stone that is so heavy that he himself cannot lift or why did God create a human being who knows secrets that he does not know. For instance, the attribute of omniscience has brought questions like does God know what I will be doing tomorrow. Another controversial issue about the nature of God is eternity (Collins 81). God is referred to as everlasting or eternal, but the concern is; why is God ever praised for doing well if he cannot do evil. Religious language The nature of religious language is another traditional controversial issue in the philosophy of religion. The issue is whether the language of God is to be understood literally, metaphorically, or analogically (Pomerleau 601). Theists have struggled to find a language construing religion but philosophers of religion shou ld be free to mean what they say and to say what they mean. The philosophy of Christians The Christian philosophers suggested to their believers that they should never feel forced to follow the current philosophical trends but should instead stick to the teachings of the church and philosophize the issues in the church, which are believed to be of significant importance than the philosophical issues (Pomerleau 606). Christian philosophers are also reminded not to forget their Christianity obligations when working in the fields of philosophy. In this context, Christian philosophers have brought their faith to carry topic like analyzing the unlikely counterfactuals. Christians should read about the sinfulness of human kind and guilt as well as the salvation of God for human’s sake (Pomerleau 607). They should also inform themselves more about the bible, which is their holy book to reveal to them about God. One of the Christian doctrines, which have touched so much on Christiani ty and philosophy, is the trinity. This aspect has evoked a strong debate. Analytic philosophers have sought by using all tools to explain this concept, but they have not yet found an answer for it. Conclusion To conclude, the standard of discussion is still high and more research needs to be done. There is a lot of interest amongst philosophers of religion and other fields of study. Atheists need to research on the argument about God and bring forward sensible reasons for rejecting theism. Human beings have viewed Atheism from a right or wrong perspective, which has left most of them pessimistic.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The conclusions arrived at do not matter; the time spent to argue out these questions and ambiguities is not time wasted. This is because religious beliefs of human beings underpin the way they live their lives in this world. The clear answering of the above questions will be beneficial. The building of confidence in us will make us better people. Works Cited Collins, James. The Emergence of Philosophy of Religion. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1967. Print. Pomerleau, Wayne P. Western Philosophies of Religion. New York: Ardsley House, 1998. Print. This essay on Philosophy of Religion was written and submitted by user Raul S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

From Bookstore to Theater, Turning Your Book into a Movie

From Bookstore to Theater, Turning Your Book into a Movie After years of research, writing and submitting, your book is published. Your dream is a reality. But through the process you had another dream – to see your written words come to life as a movie.   There are two routes to making this possible. Your first option is to find a literary agent to represent your book in the entertainment industry. The industry loves â€Å"IP† (intellectual property). From the Marvel universe to The Hunger Games, this is an industry that â€Å"hungers† for the next big thing, and they prefer to find those through agents.   Agents are flooded with submissions, but if your book has a following, reviews, and positive press, it may be considered for representation. Finding such an agent follows the same path used to find an agent for your book- research. To get a feel for the industry you’ll want to start reading industry trades The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. You should already know aboutIMDb.com (Internet Movie Database), and the monthly subscription toIMDbPro.com has fairly up-to-date contact information (you’ll see who representsSuzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games).   Identify the agent’s submission policy. It’s all about that first impression. If you are fortunate enough to secure an agent, and they get your work optioned, then the process moves into higher gear.   Generally, you will receive an upfront payment for a specific time period of optioned rights. You may or may not have input into the adaptation of your book into a screenplay. If your book is not produced Your second option is to produce your own movie. This means a substantial learning curve and working with a team of creatives. To start, you adapt your book into a screenplay, which is easier said than done. As a novelist you adjust your thinking because a screenplay only paints what needs to be visualized. Start reading IndieWire.com and FilmmakerMagazine.com for a feel of the industry. Attend film festivals to see independent films come to life.   See if your state has a film office. Through all these new resources you may come across a screenwriter to work with.   The Writers Guild of America is also a wonderful resource. Want to write the screenplay yourself? I highly recommend the software Final Draft. With your script complete, submit to festivals with screenwriting competitions (FilmFreeway.com). Winning nominations and awards validates your screenplay.   Find the right cast and crew, which can be a challenge. Seek out local colleges or universities that offer a film program and castings for independent short and feature films. Volunteer to help on set or, if you’re interested in acting – audition! From there you will learn what happens on a set. Carefully plan your film budgets to include distribution. Shane Carruth’s award winning Primer was produced for $7,000 with a box office gross of over $400,000. Look him up to see where he is now. You probably once thought that publishing a book was just a dream, but there it is in your hands. If you apply the same discipline, determination and patience to the film industry, you may find yourself in a theater watching your book unfold on the silver screen.

American University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American University - Essay Example AU is known to have six divisions including the Kogod School of Business, which is known as to oldest business school established in Washington DC. The more than 50 years of experience of the university could only speak for its stability which could, in turn, imply a tradition of excellence and relevance under present business conditions. Being known also for the school’s curriculum linking business and politics, I believe that my study of business in the university would give me the necessary preparation regarding policy and regulation and their effects on business decisions. It should is obvious now that policy and regulation would always continue to be part of business realities.As a Qatari, I believe AU will allow me to deal with other cultures since the school is known for a variety of students coming from 75 countries. This is complemented by a wide source of its faculty since one-third comes from outside the US. Based on this, I believe that the school could help me as a Qatari or US outsider in terms of being more capable to relate with different kinds of people from different cultures.On a practical or personal note, I know that I could play soccer still at AU as I used to have during my high school and some years of college life. I believe also that my stay with the university, with its location in Washington DC, would allow me to continue my enjoyment of the place since I have studied in Northern Virginia Community College for 3 years and I really liked living in Virginia.

Sustaining Organisational Effectiveness Research Paper

Sustaining Organisational Effectiveness - Research Paper Example This article dwells into the details of how leaders can be inspirers at the same time also analyses how lackluster leadership qualities can result in poor performance of the entire organization. The article also substantiates the fact, with the help of a survey conducted by the McKinsey consultancy services highlights the wide gap between the aspirations of executives to innovate and their ability to do so. It also says that tinkering with organizational structures and processes as a way of stimulating creativity and innovation will lead the organization nowhere. The article also lays emphasis on innovation and the need for it to be incorporated as a part of business strategy itself. The article attempts to drive home the point that fostering a culture of creativity and innovation is only possible only when the higher-ups empower their people. Even failure should also be encouraged so as to encourage employees and others to crop up with innovative and creative ideas. Not all organizations give the staffs such a degree of participation, with authoritarianism raising the head (Burnes, 2004). Several multinational companies encourage their employees of all levels to generate bu siness ideas which can result in competitive advantage for them. For example, a Japanese company like Matsushita encourage its entire staff to generate innovative business ideas. They even encourage people who do menial jobs in their organization to convey their ideas to the top management in case if they have any. Another excellent example is Philips; this company encourages not only their employees but also their suppliers and also their customers to come up with new innovative ideas to compete better. Johnson and Scholes (2002) state that an organization might develop in the future based on groupings of key environmental influences. Such ideas are duly appreciated and awarded also promptly by the company.

Othello by William Shakespeare | Summary and Analysis

Othello by William Shakespeare | Summary and Analysis Othello, is a very known playwright written by the famous writer William Shakespeare. If you are a person who have read many of his works you would know that his writings are based on love, triumph and tragedy also. Just by reading Othello I can tell that the story is about jealously and betrayal of lovers, and someone ends up dead because of the drama involved with it. Unluckily I will not tell of the summary of the playwright, nor tell about or give an simple analysis of the characters involved in the story. I will give you an examination of the racial connections in the playwright Othello, and relate it to the racial prejudices of Jacobean England. I will be honest, when I first read Othello, I did not quite understood how race was placed into the playwright, and why it had anything to do with Othello, because the theme of the story was basically about betrayal and jealously between two lovers who were separated over jealously. When I did research about Othello and racism, and rea d Othello continuously, I slowly began to realize that race did have some kind of involvement into it. Racism seemed to be a big issued in the days of Shakespeare and others. Some writers wrote their stories based on the society they was in and made it quite recognizable in their story, England and other nations had problems with race just as we did in America Othello is a story that made that obvious, Shakespeare puts in different racial stereotypes into the dialogues, giving them to characters like Iago, Roderigo and Branbantio. In the 17th century, People of England attitudes toward non-Europeans like North Africans and others were said to be shaped by policies and stories by travelers. The term moor came from a country that was used to refer to people from North Africa. People of North and West Africa who was living in the Elizabethan England was put out because of their unusual style of dress, behaviors and culture customs. Moors were also talked about and was put in the category of being sexually overactive and being a more jealous people. Queen Elizabeth gave the moors full recognition out of quick niceness for their help in defeating Spain, but unluckily that was quickly turned over fast and she deported the North Africans or Moors because of bad and unusual behavior and the fear of if she let them stay in England than there would end up being an overpopulation of black people and she seemed to definitely not want that. Back in that time period in England blacks were not associated with the slavery tim e period that we all know of, because the slave time period started late in the 17th century. One part in Othello that opened up my eyes and made me realize that race it was an issue, was when they spoke of different cultures like the Turkish culture and the Vietnamese culture. In Othello it stated that the people in Othello had celebrated the destruction of the Turkish force, I realized that there were some kind of cultural division in the playwright Othello. As I went on with my research and read some of the sources that helped me completely understand the issue, I understood that racism was one of the issues in Othello. One of my sources that I read named Shakespeare and Race discussed that some of the racial issues in Othello also probably had something to do with Shakespeare and the society that he was in, not just the racism acted on the Vietnam society in the play Othello. I also learned that the character Othello who was Desdemonas love was an African or an Moor in the story. A moor is once again defined as an member of a nomadic people, who civilization flourished in North Africa between the 8th and the 15th centuries. Othello seemed to be culturally divided and assorted. In order to answer the question and understand why racism was a big topic in Othello and why Shakespeare incorporated it into Othello, I had to dig deep and go back to the history and the real world outside of the playwright Othello. It also appeared to that the story was written during the time of great racial tensions in England. As I went on I discovered that Shakespeare disguised the white and the black people in Othello. He made the white people seem evil and the black people seem as the good ones. It seemed like Shakespeare was trying to make a point, a point of no matter what color a person is, we are all humans. Mainly because this was true, back then, whites seemed to be over people of color, while people of color was so called inferior under white people. Queen Elizabeth also made contributions to racism in England ,this might have stemmed off to racism in Othello. In the book English Ethnicity and Race in Early Modern Drama it stated that When Queen Elizabeth ruled England she exiled ten Africans from her country, then afterwards Queen Elizabeth traded the Africans for the imprisoned English men held in Spain and Portugal.(pg5 English Ethnicity and Race.) . This was similar to what I stated earlier. After the end of Elizabeths ruling Elizabethan England became Jacobean England and was under the rule of King James. Not like his other works, Shakespeare did not reserve the playwright or story of Othello to an earlier time period. Historians also stated that by the time William Shakespeare wrote Othello, England had already been exposed to Africans or blacks. Terri Vaughn an History Professor of Columbia University stated that by the year 1555, there were books in England describing the Africans or as they say the Moors of Africa.(Vaugh n). I also learned from my research that in the sixteenth century the meaning of the color black was defined as deeply stained with dirt or being dirty. Writers such as William Shakespeare and others referred to any dark person from North African as a Moor or a black moor. I also learned that white people or light skinned blacks that was from Africa wasnt considered an moor because they couldnt tell if they was from Africa or not. When I started to read and understand Othello more I realized that Othello was about a relationship between a black man and a white woman. Usually back in the slavery days if a black man was in a relationship with a white woman he would face some kind of punishment for that. It would have been like an offense or an rule that was broken by the black man. Maybe no connections or association with other nations or countries made it to be that way. England people who went outside of their race were viewed as barbarians. those who fell outside the borders of the know n, white world were viewed as â€Å"barbarians, which means a member of a culture thats uncivilized and its sometimes considered offensive. Michael Neil states in an article that was written by him called Race in Literature†. The term moor probably have existed as a description in terms of color, but not necessarily in terms of its position to the white civilized world .Othello is a play with a lot of racial feeling in it.† writes scholar Michael Neill(1985). In the article called Shakespeare and Race, written by John Stows. it greatly emphasizes that to the Elizabethans the appearance and conduct of the moors was a complete outrage, saying that here was a big difference between themselves and the moors. The article also explained that when William Shakespeare chosed an African or an moor as an hero or general, he wasnt really confused or had lack of knowledge bout racial thought or racism, but was more aware of his society who made the divisions of black and white world a big issue. The character named Iago in the story made races remarks about Othello calling him a black ram. Othello is treated unequally in the story because he is black and not white, if Othello was a white man, Im pretty sure he would have been treated fairly with no names and racial slurs called out at him. Comments of racial remarks are said all through out the story. Emilia also made a racial remark toward Othello, She called him an blacker devil, when she found out that he killed Desdemona. There were other characters who were racist towards Othello like Iago, Emilia, Brabinto, and Roderigo. Iago made the racial comment about Othello, because he simply didnt like the fact that he made lieutenant and that he was married to Desdemona. Iago also made a racist comment to Desdemonas Dad about Othello and Desdemona. He states, Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Iago had it in for Othello he simply tried to turn every one against Othello, even Desdemonas dad. Many rac ist comments like thick lips was said about Othello. Yet they were very messy because they never said it in his face. It seemed as if Shakespeare wanted race to be known to his readers of his stories, he wanted people to see that there wasnt just whites in the world, there were other races in the world also and that people of other races was good also and people of Caucasian decent made blacks and others look like negative entities. Shakespeare wrote three other plays with non whites and moors in it, They are The Merchant of Venice, Titus Andronicus and of course Othello. Many think that you will find honest straight up racism and racist sayings and language in Othello. Many also consider that many plays like Othello can examine tools of racism and racist views, with thin an historic setting and both within an historical setting and existing context. historic and a contemporary cultural or spiritual context. Some say that Othello is also an very racist play and that it has an racist theme. I think that its not really that racist because Shakespeare shows a woman and a man of enemy races and puts the m together. The only thing racist about the play is the racist comments that the characters say to Othello. It seemed as if racist comments was said when only angered. It seems like it was just depicting the society of that time. Before we had freedom blacks was considered to be under and lower than whites. But jealousy is more likely to be the theme of Othello. Othello is an historical reading that explores race in other countries and in Literature. It portrayed one of the first love stories of an interracial couple who is destroyed and broken up over hatred and jealous by people who didnt want an accomplished black man to survive and make out in a good situation. Even though William Shakespeare might have lived in an racist place and was surrounded by racist people it showed that he personally wasnt an racist person. Maybe William Shakespeare himself did approve of an relationship of an white woman and black man. Maybe he wanted to show that he was a good person and wasnt like others that was around him at the time. Ruth Cowhig wrote in an exert called Othello and Racism. In the excerpt, Ruth Cowhig provides a simple background on blacks in England during William Shakespeares time. She simply states that the character Iagos racism is the main source of his hatred towards Othello. He gives off an prejudice energy toward other characters in the story to turn them against Othello the Moor also (Cowhig, R). Ruth Cowhig emphasize that William Shakespeare continuously examines stereotypes with his story of Othello. I think the opening of the play presents an opportunity to discuss a variety of issues and stereo typing including interracial marriage. Othello gives us a lesson and something to think about, especially in society today and things that seemed to happen in the past.

Shakespeare Theme Essay

A. P. Literature How does Shakespeare express theme through language? Shakespeare, an extraordinary writer, uses many literary techniques which prove his mastery of English. His most fascinating technique however, is displaying theme through language. In his play â€Å"Hamlet†, Shakespeare uses language to address existential dilemma, truth, and death. These themes significantly shape â€Å"Hamlet† into the masterpiece it is. In his play, Shakespeare expresses existential dilemma through Hamlet. Hamlet’s life so far has gone roughly in a negative direction.His father, the King of Hamlet, has passed away; and disappointingly, Hamlet comes back to a crowd that is busy acknowledging the new king, Claudius, and is forgetting about the death of his father. Shakespeare uses language to express theme through Hamlet’s soliloquy, â€Å"To be, or not to be†. In his soliloquy, Hamlet asks himself whether he should kill himself, or keep going. Hamlet illustrate s the strain that many people feel at one point or another, the world is just too much. Another theme that Shakespeare expresses in his play through language is truth. For a â€Å"madman† such as Hamlet, he is pretty intent on getting his facts straight.Hamlet wants to be sure Claudius is his father’s murderer before he takes any drastic action. After being enraged by his father’s speech, Hamlet tries to find out the truth. In Act 3, Scene 2, Hamlet stages a play called â€Å"Mousetrap†, which portrays the death scene his father described. During that scene, Hamlet intends to watch Claudius to see if he expresses guilt. Through language, Shakespeare shows truth. Hamlet goes to great measures of finding out what is true; expressing a view that believing if another is honest is a matter of great trust, or great naivete. Lastly, Shakespeare expresses through language the theme of death.In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet encounters death through his fatherà ¢â‚¬â„¢s ghost, and in Polonius’s and Ophelia’s demises. These run ins prompt Hamlet to look at death through different angles. For instance, the ghost of his father causes Hamlet to think about the spiritual aftermath of death. After Polonius’s death in Act 4, Hamlet compares death to the â€Å"Worm that ate the king’s corpse, that might be used to catch a fish to feed a beggar†. In other words, Shakespeare comments that death is a great equalizer, or as a stepping stone to truth away from an ambiguous dishonest world.Hamlet is a play that strongly represents the themes of the world through the language of art. Shakespeare enforces his views of the world through events that can be decoded into many messages. With just a few characters and occurrences, Shakespeare is able to illustrate themes such as existential dilemma, truth, and death. Through its many ingenious themes, â€Å"Hamlet† can be considered an outline of the treacherous world w e live in. If you take anything for granted, or trust everything you hear, your path will become a difficult one.

Persuasive Speech About Protecting Animals

I am very pleased to be here to address the Animal Welfare Intergroup, and to discuss with you,in particular,the essential rights of animals. Even nowadays, in the most people’s eyes,animals have no consciousness,no thoughts,and no emotions . Therefore,human regard them as inferior species. People empower themselves to imprison the animals,to mistreat them,to eat them, and to kill them. Who gives the rights for human to do that?Human and animals have the same rights to live in the Earth. So today, I should say at the outset that I,like millions of citizens in China will share the view that animal welfare is an issue of very high importance.And I will speak on behalf of our friends, who also live in this planet—the animals. The current condition of many species of animals is very severe and the extinction rate of animals is increasing with an alarming speed. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),it calculated that the percentage of endang ered species as 40 percent of all organisms in 2008. Destructive human activities have led to the current rate of species extinction, which is at least 100–1,000 times higher than the expected natural rate.Although almost every country has their own laws and there are many organizations in the world to work toward the protection of endangered species. However,the work is far from done. Many countries have relatively effective laws and policies,but there is not a good way to enforce them. Therefore,destroying of habitats, killing and trading of endangered animals, eating of wild animals and mistreat of animals are still happen in the world. Do you know how many sharks died every year because people love to eat shark fins? Do you know what is the feeling of animals to be tested by human?Do you know the disasters of eating wild animals.Let me tell you the amazing data about them. There are more than seventy million of sharks died and people only killed them for their fins. Peopl e cut fins of sharks and put them back to sea. Shark can not live without their fins and their blood flow in water,sinking to the sea flow and slowly to be died. Why people are so cruel that killed sharks and only satisfy for their taste. The medical developed very fast in recently years and animals make a great contribution for medical researches. Does animals want to contribute to human medical development?Absolutely not.And why people force them and test them. Do you remember the SARS happened all over the world in 2004?A great number of people died because infected with this disease and the first one to get this disease because he ate one kind of wild animals. What can we so for animals?We can contribute to nature reserves and other wilderness areas. Habitat preservation is one of the best ways to help protect endangered animals. And we also need to buy environmentally friendly goods. Choose non-toxic cleaners and lawn care items that won't pollute streams, rivers or oceans.Avoi d any products that have been made from threatened or endangered animals. Buy foods and goods that are made from materials that do not harm endangered animals or their habitat. As you can see from this speech today, the suffering has not ended. Endless thousands of poultry. I'm sorry. That's really just kind of starting to distract me. And I got the shoe and the music going, and I couldn't concentrate there for a second. Okay. Outrageous cases of animal abuse that's just been a portion of what you've heard about today.I hope that you can see from the speech today how essential it is for the thousands and thousands and thousands of animals who are suffering endlessly, that an action be taken. Boiling alive. Humane? I don't think so. Being kicked and stomped and thrown against the wall repeatedly until you are dead. Humane? I don't think so. It is essential that we take an action to enforce animal slaughter rules and rites and regulations. Something has to be done for this billion dol lar industry will continue to go on and on without recourse. Please let's make a difference.