Is the Teleological Argument strong Essays

Is the Teleological Argument strong Essays Is the Teleological Argument strong Paper Is the Teleological Argument strong Paper The Teleological Argument is an a posterior inductive argument which was put forward in many forms by ancient philosophers such as Plato and Cicero to the more modern philosophers and theologians such as Aquinas and Paley. It is an argument to prove the existence of God. The name of the argument comes from Greek telos which means purpose or aim. Aquinass argument which was in his Summa may be summed up in this way: 1. All designed things have a designer 2. The Universe is designed 3. Therefore it has a designer, this designer is God This argument, as seen from point one and three, is begging the question (in other words, it is a circular argument). This makes it weak because it has already asserted one of its premises in the conclusion. It as though he is saying that its true because it is true. This isnt sufficient enough for a sound argument. Also, Aquinas doesnt provide any justification for the second point. These points make it look like its a very weak argument. However points can be given for the universe being designed, such as the seasons and death. This point however can be combated by saying that the universe, may indeed, have some features of a design but there are many which show that it doesnt have design, for instance the fact some women have ectopic pregnancies. The fact that it is a inductive argument means that it is not necessarily true, it is contingent (may not be true) and is not as strong as something that is necessarily true. However, deductive arguments never tell us anything new about the world, which unlike inductive arguments which although may not be necessarily true, do tell us something new. However, the question (about the strength of the argument), should not be subject to our preference of knowing more about the world. So, the fact that it is not necessarily true does weaken the argument. The argument is also a posterior, this gives room for Scepticism (which doubts the external world) to weaken the argument. Scepticism says that we can never have knowledge of the external world which means the order or purpose we see in the world can also be doubted. As Descartes put it, the only thing that is infallible was your own mind (this clearly illustrated when he said I think therefore I am). How do we know that order, purpose and beauty in the world isnt the working of an Evil Demon? David Hume, the British Empiricist, raised objections to the teleological argument which was put forward by Paley however his objections can be used against Aquinass argument too. Humes first objection was that we can not assess whether a universe was designed because we have no experience of universe being designed or built. When you stumble upon a house you know whether it is good or not through experience of other houses, you can not say this about the universe because it is unique. Therefore, how can we determine it is a well designed universe? Hume second objection is that is a farce to liken the universe to something mechanic because the universe Hume then goes on to say that When we infer any particular cause from an effect, we must proportion the one to the other, and can never be allowed to ascribe to the cause any qualities, but what are exactly sufficient to produce the effect. This means that just because it may prove a designer, doesnt mean that we can label the designer with such titles such as omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent. The question now is, are Humes objections valid? The first objection is saying that we can not know something if we had not experienced it and it is unique, however, we have not seen the human race being created and it is unique yet we have many anthropologists and more importantly we are actually finding more and more about universe through the studies done by cosmologists. His second objection, which was combated by Swinburne, can not possibly be true because the order the universe has In conclusion, the Teleological Argument is strong because the first two objections that were put forward by Hume have been combated by Swinburne and do not hold up. However, Humes third objection still holds, this makes the argument weaker because it shows that the argument does not fulfil its purpose (to show Gods existence the definition being of a Judeo-Christian God). The objection that it is an inductive, argument does not hold because although it makes it less likely to be true, that does not mean that is not true. Also, the fact that it is a posterior, may mean that scepticism can doubt it but the common sense approach (put forward by Wittgenstein) says that we should not be affected by such things. Wittgenstein says Here is one hand, and here is another and that is proof enough.

The Chinese Culture essays

The Chinese Culture essays China, also known as the Peoples Republic of China (Zhong hua Ren Min Gong He Guo), is the worlds largest country by population. China contains more than 1/5 of the worlds population. China has 1.3 billion people with a landmass only about the same size as the United States. Now one of the worlds stronger countries, the Chinese culture has steadily grown while adapting to mankinds new cultural developments. Chinas current rate of development is a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 8% and an industrial growth rate of 12.6%. The Chinese government anticipates an increased growth rate over the next four years because of its selection by the Olympic Committee to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. Chinese characteristics are similar to other eastern Asians. Usually born with black hair, Chinese hair color will rarely vary by more than lightening to a dark brown. Their skin is light brown; however, other people often consider the skin color as yellow. The average height of a Chinese is relatively short compared to the average Caucasian. Hairstyles can vary, and like many developed countries, people change and cut their hair according to what looks good. Often in the 1990's, students who attended local schools chose to cut their hair into a buzz cut, short spiky hair. Jewelry is also very common. Chinese people wear jewelry on their ears and necklaces according to preference. Chinese often wear jewelry as a sign of wealth; however, many people living in China do not make enough money to buy jewelry. Traditional clothing is one of the main aspects of the Chinese culture. The most famous traditional fashion in China, the cheongsam, which also means, long dress has been adopted by foreigners. Chinese prefer to call their long dress a qipao. The qipao has a high neck, closed collar, and buttons on the right side. The qipao is famous because it is simple, charming, and neat. Chinese ...

World Regional Georgraphy Unit 6 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

World Regional Georgraphy Unit 6 - Research Paper Example When the British colonizers came in 1795, the laws became more powerful thus, further racial segregation. During this time, Africans were separated from the white settlers and were forced to live in different areas that were later referred to as reserves. Land Act of 1913 facilitated this separation further (Beinart & Dubow, 1995). The economic woes brought about by the World War II increased the racial segregation in South Africa. When National Party gained power in 1948, the new government enacted the apartheid law that ensured that the white race dominated. This law also ensured that the white lived in different areas from the Africans. South Africans were also divided along the tribal lines and their powers decreased. The Population Registration Act was enacted in 1950 and it required all South African races to be classified as black (Africans), whites or colored. Those who failed to adhere to this law were punished harshly. The Department of Home Affairs was responsible for this act. Another core of the apartheid policy was the Group Areas Act which was formed in 1950. This act marked the areas of land based on the race that occupy the areas. The other laws that placed more restrictions on the black South Africans were the Natives Urban Areas Act and the Natives Labor Act from in 1952 and 1953 respectively (Berridge, 1992). Some political parties were against this apartheid policy and they formed a movement to resist the policy. These parties included ANC (African National Congress) of 1912 and PAC (Pan Africanist Congress) of 1958. These two movements managed to ban the South African government through violent campaigns (Berridge, 1992). SASO (South African Students Association) which was formed in 1960 also joined the other parties in resisting the policy. Apartheid policy ended in 1994 when all adults were allowed to vote during that election. The late Nelson Mandela was voted as the

The Localization of Management in China The Implications and Essay

The Localization of Management in China The Implications and Considerations for Foreign Companies - Essay Example Finding - The book provides very sound advice on understanding the operational strategy of China's economy. There is no economy in the world as important and yet as poorly understood as China's. In his penetrating book, Sull helps us understand what really happens in some of China's most important companies. The book is packed with startling stories and much strategic advice for entrepreneurs who can seize the opportunity and manage the risk in the dynamic Chinese market. Finding - This is an intriguing study which addresses the key factors which motivate the local Chinese to open the doors of their land to do business with foreign company. The emphasis is on business lessons which foreign company needs to learn to assimilate into the local culture. The dragon is the Chinese market. Subject - The book is designed to help westerners who intend to conduct business in China. The information contained in the book can also be very helpful if you are visiting China for business or pleasure and even if you desire simply to get greater insight into Chinese worldview and not only the appropriate way to act in different situations, but also some historical and social background which is the inherent part of Chinese business culture. Finding - Thomas G. ... The information contained in the book can also be very helpful if you are visiting China for business or pleasure and even if you desire simply to get greater insight into Chinese worldview and not only the appropriate way to act in different situations, but also some historical and social background which is the inherent part of Chinese business culture. 6. Author-Thomas Geoffrey Moore Title- China in the World Market: Chinese Industry and International Sources of Reform in the Post-Mao Era. Subject- Analysis of China's position in the World market with emphasis on the reform in post-Moa Era. Finding - Thomas G. Moore examines the role of the outside world as a source of change in post-Mao China. Based on extensive documentary and interview material, the book adds the Chinese case to a long tradition of country-based studies by political economists, historians, and area specialists that have chronicled the experiences of developing countries as they enter specific industrial markets in the world economy. This book will be timely and provocative reading for anyone concerned with the nature of China's deepening participation in the world economy and its consequences for the country's development prospects, internal reforms, and foreign policy. 7. Author - Michael Porter Title - Porter on Competition Subject - Strategy formulation in coping with competition Finding - In this book Porter carefully organizes the material within three Parts: First, he focuses on competition and strategy for companies at both the level of a single industry and then for multinational or diversified companies; next, he addresses the role of location in competition; and then he Part III, he addresses some important

The relationship between the socio-economic characteristics Essay Example for Free

The relationship between the socio-economic characteristics Essay The aim of the fieldwork is to analyse the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of the resident population and the quality of the residential environment within different parts of Durham City. The quality of the residential environment will be closely related to socio-economic factors and that the higher status areas will lie towards the edge of the urban area, meaning that the further out from the CBD I go the quality of the residential areas will improve. Looking at the layout of the areas I believe that I could base the area Robsons model. Robson based his model on Sunderland so the River Wear had to be taken into account, this river also runs through Durham but his model showed that as you went further from the centre that the class of living increased. Robson found that a mixture of concentric circles and sectors that identified the urban zones formed the framework to Sunderland. One thing to note is that a great dominance of areas of low and medium class housing were found more centrally than that of the higher class of living found on the outskirts. In each ward each group will survey a single street, they will walk the length of each street and record the quality of the residential environment by scoring each street according to the penalty points system.

Douglas M. Mcgregor: Theory X and Theory Y :: Business

Mr. McGregor theorizes that management views an employee’s motivation toward work in two distinct ways—Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X managers believe the following: (1) The average worker naturally does not like work and will avoid it whenever possible. (2) Managers must always control, motivate, and direct their employees to perform well. (3) Most workers prefer being directed, avoid responsibility, and seek job security. On the other hand, Theory Y managers assume the following: (1) Employees enjoy working. (2) Managers do not need to control and punish workers to accomplish organizational goals. (3) Workers will be committed to an organization if their work is satisfying. (4) Managers should “…arrange organizational conditions and methods of operation so that people can achieve their own goals best by directing their own efforts toward organizational objectives'; (Kolb, et al., 1995, p. 62).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The theory McGregor believes will best stimulate employee motivation toward accomplishing organizational goals is Theory Y. The goal of Theory Y is to provide employees ways to attain the higher levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (esteem (ego) and self-actualization (-fulfillment)) so that the establishment may prosper. McGregor thinks that most organizations today already fulfill the lower needs of employees (physiological, safety, and love (social)) and therefore should concentrate on the higher needs of individuals. Therefore, McGregor says that management should try to develop a relationship based on two-way trust between management and employees.

Hunger Games Essay

Mark Twain once remarked, â€Å"A classic is a book that people praise, but don’t read.† (Cowan 13). Everyone wants to say that they’ve read Shakespeare, but few people would actually choose to read it for fun. Shakespeare though is still considered a classic author. Why? The story of Romeo and Juliet has been produced and remade countless times since it was first written. The timeless love story has the â€Å"power to quicken your imagination to rouse your mind or to strike your feeling† (Pooley 76). This is what classic literature does. This â€Å"power† is what gains literature lasting recognition and the status of a â€Å"classic† When determining if a book should be considered a classic, there are several things to consider. One must take into consideration the genre of the book, the author’s career, and the qualities of the book itself. After reading the book and examining these factors, it becomes clear that certain works of literature stand out above the rest. by , for example, be considered a classic. The Hunger Games is an Adventure book. Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death – televised for all of Panem to see. Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Bio of Suzanne Collins Suzanne Collins is the author of the bestselling Underland Chronicles, which started with Gregor the Overlander. In The Hunger Games, she continues to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age. Suzanne lives with her family in Connecticut. Bestselling author Suzanne Collins first made her mark in children’s literature with the New York Times bestselling under land Chronicles series for middle grade readers. Her debut for readers aged 12 and up, The Hunger Games-September 2008, immediately became a New York Times bestseller, appealing to both teen readers and adults. It was called â€Å"addictive† by Stephen King in Entertainment Weekly and â€Å"amazing by Stephanie Meyer on her website, and was named a New York Times Notable Book of 2008 and a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. Catching Fire -September 2009, the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy, debuted at #1 on the USA Today bestseller list and simultaneously appeared at #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. It was named a Time Magazine Top Ten Fiction Book of 2009, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and a People Magazine (Top 10) Best Book of 2009. The final book in the trilogy, Mocking Jay -August 2010, debuted at No. 1 on all national bestseller lists during its first week on sale. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly said it â€Å"accomplishes a rare feat, the last installment being the best yet, a beautifully orchestrated and intelligent novel that succeeds on every level.† In April 2010, Suzanne Collins was named to the TIME 100 list of â€Å"the world’s most influential people.† The Hunger Games movie opens on March 23, 2012. Produced by Lionsgate Films and directed by Gary Ross, the movie stars Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), Josh Hutchison (Peeta), and Liam Hemsworth (Gale). Suzanne Collins has also had a successful and prolific career writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains It All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. She received a Writers Guild of America nomination in animation for co-writing the critically acclaimed Christmas special, Santa, Baby! (http://www.scholastic.com) This paper compares and contrasts the themes, ideas, and genres of Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† and the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. The former is a short story satire while the latter is a roving epic with heroes and heroines. Both, however, look at the darker side of human nature in different ways. The Hunger Games has a dynamic heroine named Katniss, while The Lottery has no real hero or heroine. Katniss in The Hunger Games represents the kind of Christian heroic ethic of self-sacrifice that, in fact, is missing from The Lottery Katniss saves her sister by volunteering herself in her sister s place. It is an enormous act of courage and charity on her part. Such action is completely missing from Jackson s satire and for good reason. Jackson has not written a story that commends man s good deeds but rather indicts society for its hypocritical practices.