The weaknesses of the Ontological argument give support to Atheism. Discuss this statement Essay Example for Free

The weaknesses of the Ontological argument give support to Atheism. Discuss this statement Essay Anselm’s ontological argument described in part (a), was refuted in his own lifetime, by Gaunilo, who demonstrated in a reduction ad absurdum of his own, that if the logic of the argument were applied to things other than God, it led to invalid conclusions. Gaunilo didn’t identify any specific fault with the argument, but argued that something must be wrong with it, because if there wasn’t anything wrong, then we can use its logic to prove anything, which we may have no reason to believe to be true. For instance, Gaunilo argued that it’s possible to construct an argument in the exact same form as the ontological argument, that claims to prove the existence of the perfect island: this island must exist for if it did not then it would be possible to conceive of an island greater than that island than which no greater can be conceived, which is absurd. Therefore, if the ontological argument works, then the argument for the existence of the perfect island must work too. They are both logically similar, so they stand, or fall together. However, the argument for the island is clearly spurious, as we have no reason for this ‘perfect island’ to exist. Unless a theist can point to some relevant difference between his argument for the existence of God, and Gaunilo’s argument for the existence of the perfect island, the theist will have to abandon the ontological argument for the existence of God, as well as Gaunilo’s, because if one fails, then they both do, as they are so similar. This weakness of the ontological argument adds fuel to the fire for atheists through Gaunilo putting forward his argument for the existence of the perfect island as an objection to the ontological argument. He knew that they would both fall, which shows that neither argument works which further supports atheists. Another weakness of the ontological argument which gives support to atheists is Immanuel Kant’s objection to it: Existence is not a Predicate. Fundamental to both Anselm’s and Descartes’ form of the ontological argument is that existence is a predicate, an attribute or a quality that can be possessed or lacked. These qualities for example, may or may not belong to a thing or being and their presence or absence is part of our understanding and apprehension of it. Kant observed however, that existence isn’t associated with the definition of something, since it didn’t add to our understanding of that thing. This supports atheism as existence is merely something that we can have or not have, and it is absurd to say what something is like without it existing. It also supports atheism as an atheist would say that we can’t ascribe existence a priori to a definition of a perfect being. Bertrand Russell furthered Kant’s observations, proposing that ‘existence’ was not a predicate, but a term used to solely indicate the instance of something in the ‘spatio temporal’ world. To say something exists only tells us that that thing occupies a space on the earth. For example saying ‘Cows are brown, and exist’ tells us only one thing: they are brown. The ‘and exist’ shows that they are on the earth, however it’s a tautology since to say they are brown, effectively suggests that they exist and aren’t imaginary. Thomas Aquinas had already questioned this aspect of the ontological argument, claiming that Anselm was guilty of making ‘transitional error’ – moving from the definition of God to the existence of Him. He observed that Anselm also was guilty of making an assumption about the definition of God that was not necessarily shared by all believers. This supports atheism because not all believers believed in Anselm’s definition of God, which poses the question, if people have different views on the right or wrong definition of God, what’s to say that they could ALL be wrong, and atheism is the truth in it all? Furthermore, Aquinas said that understanding the term ‘God’ means that God exists in the understanding, not in reality. God’s existence in reality must be demonstrated a posteriori, with evidence or experience. Atheism is supported in this way, as atheists could argue that anyone can believe what they like in their minds, but something has to be evident in material form in reality to be actually real. Overall, the weaknesses generally give support to atheism as they show alternatives and flaws in the ontological argument. The ways in which atheists interpret the critic’s objections leads to further belief that God does not exist. Atheists are supported primarily by the fact that the ontological argument is a priori, so does not rely on empirical evidence, therefore if there was empirical evidence for God’s existence, they might be swayed slightly in their beliefs.

Anne Bradstreet The Puritan Poet English Literature Essay

Anne Bradstreet The Puritan Poet English Literature Essay Anne Bradstreet was a puritan poet in the 17th century. She experienced hardships throughout her life, but she did the best she could to live by God. She often expressed her thoughts and emotions throughout her poetry. In terms of puritan ideals Bradstreets poetry closely reflected her personal faith in God and the kingdom. Anne Bradstreet was born in Northampton, England in 1612. Her father, Thomas Dudley, was a puritan, but Bradstreet loved to read and seemed to be drawn to the puritan world herself. At the age of 16 she married Simon Bradstreet who was also a puritan. As a child she found much comfort in reading the scriptures. However, during her childhood Bradstreet experienced many moments of ill health. And as an adult, she gave birth to eight children, but only one survived. In spite of her hardships Bradstreet continued on her journey to authorship. Puritanism back then was considered to be a way of life. Its ideal may be best expressed as living in the world without actually being a part of it. A puritan remained strict with morals, and their religion. Puritans believed it was necessary to to live on the earth, and abide by the laws given, but kept in mind that eventually this world would pass. So, that meant the puritans tried to contain a balance between this world and the next. There was no way to safely turn their back on the world since God had created it, and found it to be good. But they could not rely on the security of an earthly world either. However, just as any imperfect human being would, Bradstreet struggled to maintain her faith at times by rebelling and submitting. But just because she may have had doubts did not make her any less of a puritan. She expressed these feelings in poetry as well discussing struggles between her love for this world, and reliance on the next. This was not an attempt for rebelliousness but her attempt of achieving the puritan way of life. Bradstreet not only wrote about events that occurred in her life, but she wrote about the people in it. For example, the poems about her husband whom she loved very much. In To My Dear and Loving Husband, Bradstreet wrote about the love for her husband but created it to be in harmony with the love for God. Puritans were taught that if a husband and wife did not express love towards each other than they disobeyed God. In the last 2 lines The heavens reward thee manifold I pray. Then while we live, in love lets so persevere. That when we live no more, we may live ever (105 Daly). In these lines she expresses her obedience to God, and how she looks to him. She is determined to maintain love in her marriage until the day they die no matter what they may face. Therefore, when they do pass, they will meet in heaven and be together forever. In A Letter to Her Husband, Absent Upon Public Employment Bradstreet wrote about what her husbands love meant to her. Not only does she use symbolism, but she uses a metaphysical approach. In this poem her husband is absent, and she misses him dearly. She goes on to describe how lonely she feels without him, and compares herself to being like the earth without a sun. For her, he is like the sun providing warmth, so without him she is cold and numb. In Upon the Burning of our House Bradstreet shows a brief attachment to materialism, and realizes if it was meant to be then so be it. In this poem her house has burnt down, and she is feeling down. In the beginning she is observing everything that will no longer be used. But she does not lose faith, and keeps in mind that God has the power to give and take as he pleases. Therefore, she puts all her trust in God that he can and will provide for her. In The Author to Her Book Bradstreet wrote of her own faults. She is honest of pointing out her own flaws. I believe the poem is about her work being ready to be published, and seen by others, but she is not ready. She is supposed to have the pure image of a puritan, but she may have fallen short in some areas. Bradstreet feels like she is going to be judged by all, and it is not going to be positive feedback. The tone of the poem is frustration and worry. I cast thee by as one unfit for lightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Thy blemishes amend, if so I co uld: I washed thy face, but more defects I saw, and rubbing of a spot, still made a flaw. I stretched thy to joints to make thee even feet, yet still thou runst more hobbling than is meet (102 George Perkins). However, in the Prologue, Bradstreet wrote about herself and her limitations as a woman. Bradstreet is proud of who she is, and what she has become. But she does not forget how women are viewed differently, and how men may judge her as a woman trying to be a poet. Other women in England seemed to have the same attitude and feelings of their sex. Why cant they be looked upon as equals? Bradstreet just expressed herself more bluntly than most. A sense of pride and belief in herself was required if she wanted to become known as a poet in the 17th century. She expresses this in Who says my hand a needle better fits, A poets pen all scorn I should thus wrong, For such despite they cast on female wits (10 Watts). In Bradstreets works she displays a sense of spirituality, but in others she seems to be her own judge. She realizes herself, her flaws and where she falls short. Over all, she kept her faith pretty well. Work Cited Bercovitch, Sacvan. The American Puritan Imagination. Cambridge University Press 1974. 107- 108. Daly, Robert. Gods Altar: The World and the Flesh In Puritan Poetry. University of California Press 1978. 93, 100, 104, 106-107. Perkins, George. The American Literature. 12th Ed. McGraw-Hill 2009. 92-92. Watts Stripes Emily. Poetry of American Women from 1632 to 1945. University of Texas Press 1977. 10-12.

Bertolt Brechts Caucasian Chalk Circle - Role of Minor Characters Essa

The minor characters of a play are integral in conveying the major thematic concerns of the playwright. Such a theory can be blatantly exemplified throughout Bertolt Brecht’s acclaimed play the Caucasian Chalk Circle in which the minor characters have been constructed to help the reader understand the thematic issues expressed. Published in 1944, the Caucasian Chalk Circle is a clever appraisal of class based societies and has been carefully written to depict the disparity that exists between the upper classes and the proletariat. The minor characters of the play create a highly class based context for the narrative to occur within and ultimately through the resolution of the play the audience is positioned to interrogate the rigid social structure that is dominated by characters such as the Elder and Younger ladies and condemn those who aspire to be accepted by such a society, Lavrenti and his wife. This text, through the character of Michael, instead promotes equality in soc iety, a social conscience that suggests we should consider the prosperity and happiness of all, not a privileged few. Throughout the play, Brecht utilizes Epic theatre’s primary innovation, the Verfremdungseffekt (or distancing effect) to encourage the audience to view the performance intellectually rather than emotionally. This persuades the audience to side with the characters on an objective level and to view the story in a â€Å"universal† sense in which the moral of the story is more important than the actual events. To help convey his concerns Brecht avoids constructing characters that will invite an emotional response from the audience, rather, he creates minor characters in the text as archetypes or representations of certain classes within Feudal socie... ...rcle in an attempt to encourage viewers to reassess the capitalist society we live in. The diverse class system inherent in such a society is negatively represented in the play through minor characters such as Natella Abashvill. Through the minor characters Brecht is able to encourage the audience to promote a form of equality between different classes. Brecht, as a Marxist, believed there should not be different levels of well being depending on what class you belonged to. In an effort to highlight this idea Brecht uses characters such as the Elder and Younger ladies to clearly outline the how individuals were treated by the upper classes according to where they fitted in the class divide. Ultimately, through Brecht’s careful construction he is able to proffer a fierce indictment of the capitalist way and encourage the audience to consider his own Marxist opinions. Bertolt Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle - Role of Minor Characters Essa The minor characters of a play are integral in conveying the major thematic concerns of the playwright. Such a theory can be blatantly exemplified throughout Bertolt Brecht’s acclaimed play the Caucasian Chalk Circle in which the minor characters have been constructed to help the reader understand the thematic issues expressed. Published in 1944, the Caucasian Chalk Circle is a clever appraisal of class based societies and has been carefully written to depict the disparity that exists between the upper classes and the proletariat. The minor characters of the play create a highly class based context for the narrative to occur within and ultimately through the resolution of the play the audience is positioned to interrogate the rigid social structure that is dominated by characters such as the Elder and Younger ladies and condemn those who aspire to be accepted by such a society, Lavrenti and his wife. This text, through the character of Michael, instead promotes equality in soc iety, a social conscience that suggests we should consider the prosperity and happiness of all, not a privileged few. Throughout the play, Brecht utilizes Epic theatre’s primary innovation, the Verfremdungseffekt (or distancing effect) to encourage the audience to view the performance intellectually rather than emotionally. This persuades the audience to side with the characters on an objective level and to view the story in a â€Å"universal† sense in which the moral of the story is more important than the actual events. To help convey his concerns Brecht avoids constructing characters that will invite an emotional response from the audience, rather, he creates minor characters in the text as archetypes or representations of certain classes within Feudal socie... ...rcle in an attempt to encourage viewers to reassess the capitalist society we live in. The diverse class system inherent in such a society is negatively represented in the play through minor characters such as Natella Abashvill. Through the minor characters Brecht is able to encourage the audience to promote a form of equality between different classes. Brecht, as a Marxist, believed there should not be different levels of well being depending on what class you belonged to. In an effort to highlight this idea Brecht uses characters such as the Elder and Younger ladies to clearly outline the how individuals were treated by the upper classes according to where they fitted in the class divide. Ultimately, through Brecht’s careful construction he is able to proffer a fierce indictment of the capitalist way and encourage the audience to consider his own Marxist opinions.

Homeless Families in America :: Research Papers

Thesis Statement This paper will examine a subgroup of the homeless population, homeless families. It will explore the multiple causes of family homelessness and the consequences homelessness has on family life. The three main reasons for the abundance of dispossessed families within America are the following: 1) the lack of affordable housing, 2) low wages in the job-market, and 3) insufficient federal aid. In today’s society, these causes are the main contributors towards the heartbreaking condition of family homelessness, which often leads to family breakups, health issues, and educational obstacles. This paper will also give possible solutions to family homelessness and improvement plans for the future. Defining Homelessness â€Å"Home is where we start from.†(T.S. Eliot) â€Å"Home †¦is †¦the human point of ultimate return.† (John Hollander) Although most people know what homelessness is and it occurs in most societies, it is important to define because the forces of displacement vary greatly, along with the arrangement and meaning of the resulting transient state. The Stewart B McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 defined a homeless person as â€Å"an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence or a person who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional program or place not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation, such as streets, cars, movie theaters, abandoned buildings, etc.† Resent surveys conducted in the U.S. have confirmed that the homeless population in America is extremely diverse and includes representatives from all segments of society, including: the old and young, men and women, single people and families, city dwellers and rural residents, whites and people of color, employed and unemployed, able workers and people with serious health problems. The diversity among people that are homeless reflects how difficult it is to generalize the causes of homelessness and the needs of homeless people. Robert Rosenheck M.D., the author of Special Populations of Homeless Americans, explains the importance of studying homelessness based on subgroups, â€Å"each subgroup [of homeless people] has unique service needs and identifying these needs is critical for program planning and design.† Despite these diversities, homelessness is a devastating situation for all that experience it. Not only have homeless people lost their dwelling, but they have also lost their safety, privacy, control, and domestic comfort. Homeless Families Family homelessness is a fairly new social problem in America. Beginning in the early 1980’s, families with children have become the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.

Do College Students Deserve Alcohol? Essay examples -- Binge Drinking

As a college student I have to bring up a problem that has recently caught my eye. Drinking in the college environment has done much harm to the well-being of the students. The more I see drunken people around campus the more I become concerned for their safety. As I think about this more I start to question if we as body should be allowed to even possess alcohol, regardless of age. While alcohol incidents that include death are very seldom, many other categories have gone up; the number of binge drinkers-those who intend to drink to get drunk- has gone up, the number of Minor in Consumption tickets has gone up and the number of alcohol-related crimes has increased. With the full intent of ensuring the safety of my fellow students, I call for a realization in the evolution of the combination of alcohol and college as well as what harms this pact can produce. There is also the problem of how academics can be affected by drinking. If there is a problem academics which should be the fir st reason why any student should go to college, than this problem with should be fixed. Additionally, if there is a problem that affects a person’s safety, it also needs to be addressed. Alcohol has become a big part of college, as we all know. In The "Risky Business" of Binge Drinking Among College Students, author Joyce M. Wolburg gives many statistics about the harm that alcohol brings to college campuses. About five and a half billion dollars’ worth of alcohol is bought by college students annually, which is more than tuition, books, and rooms combined (Wolburg 24). It is one thing if we spend a lot of money for college itself, but when students have the desire to buy alcohol in that kind of manner, we have to understand that there is a problem t... ...d or affected in a negative way. One purpose of a college or university is to promote safety to its students. If we don’t promote enough safety our students will be thrown into unsafe drinking. Works Cited Hunter, Drew. "Peer to Peer: Effective College Learning: About Alcohol and Other Health Issues." Change 36.3 (2004): 40-44. JSTOR. Web. 8 Jan. 2011. Lederman, Linda C. "Changing the Culture of College Drinking." Web. 8 Jan. 2011. Wechsler, Henry, Toben Nelson, and Elissa Weitzman. "From Knowledge to Action: How Harvard's College Alcohol Study Can Help Your Campus Design a Campaign against Student Alcohol Abuse." Change 32.1 (2000): 32-43. JSTOR. Web. 8 Jan. 2011. Wolburg, Joyce M. "The "Risky Business" of Binge Drinking among College Students: Using Risk Models for PSAs and Anti-Drinking Campaigns." Change 36.3 (2004): 23-39. JSTOR. Web. 8 Jan. 2011.

Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration

In the practice of Health Care Administration, there is an organizational hierarchy that is followed. This organizational hierarchy dictates the way duties and responsibilities are spread out over the vast number of job descriptions available at the healthcare center.Since these duties and responsibilities are given to specific healthcare providers and professionals, it is important that they all understand what the scope of their practice covers. Scope of practice, as defined by Joyce Mitchell and Lee Haroun in their textbook Introduction to Healthcare refers to a healthcare professional â€Å"understanding exactly what one is legally allowed to do in one's profession.† Scope of practice defines the parameters by which a healthcare professional can perform certain procedures, actions, and details. Such duties are usually limited by the medical education and training that one receives both in the classroom and clinical experience. As such, the medical professional is expected to display a certain amount of competency as certified by the local state regulation exams and certifications.The Healthcare Professions Council also defines scope of practice in terms of a statement of tasks.   â€Å"Scope of practice statements describe in general terms what a profession does and how it does it. On the other hand, reserved acts, defined as those â€Å"tasks and services involving a significant risk of harm,† need to be restricted, and may only be performed by professions to whom they are, on a non-exclusive basis, assigned, and so long as those performing them are acting within the scope of practice of their profession.† As such, the scope of practice can vary from state to state although the general essence of the law remains constant in order for the public to understand the governing regulations pertaining to scope of practice.Due to the gravity of the responsibility attached to each medical practitioner's position in the organization, it is ver y important for organizations and healthcare managers to specifically define and develop the responsibilities of each person who is a member of the medical staff. Each member must know exactly what duties, responsibilities, and functions are expected of him and one must never over step those boundaries.It is highly important for each medical professional's role to be defined and delegated to the right medical professional because of each function spells the difference between life and death for the client. Therefore, the healthcare administrator or Nurse Manager must, according to Helen A. Schaag, MSN, MA, RN, author of the paper on The Role of the Nurse Manager in Maintaining Quality and Managing Risk: (1) hold other RN team members accountable for appropriate delegation, and (2) hold team members accountable for the implementation of their delegated actions, provide the appropriate feedback to team members. The healthcare administrators assume all responsibility for tasks delegate d to team members. Each team member must be allowed to perform his or her outlined task at any given opportunity, but within supervision of the healthcare administrator.Once the scope of a medical practitioner's practice is violated in any way, the said healthcare professional is liable for his actions. Let us not forget that the main responsibility of a healthcare professional is to â€Å"Do no harm†. This is why a healthcare professional must only function within the boundaries set by his scope of practice. The ultimate result of the act of overstepping the boundaries of one's scope of responsibilities becomes legal in some instances.Negligence is a case that stems from an incorrectly executed action, even if under supervision, by a person who is not legally allowed to perform such methods. Healthcare professionals train for years before being given a license to perform any procedures. Therefore, they are held in higher regard than someone who has not completed the same lev el of training is.This act of negligence is commonly termed within the medical field as Malpractice. This implies a failure on the part of the medical professional to perform his duties within a certain mandated skill as displayed by persons of his training status. This usually results in injury, loss, or damage to the patient and his relatives.In any organization, the employers carry command responsibility for the actions of their employees. In the medical field, this is termed as Respondent Superior. What this means according to Mitchell and Haroun, as excerpted from the book, Introduction to Healthcare is that, † (1) A physician could be held liable for the consequences of a medical assistant administering the wrong medication, and (2) A patient suffering injuries from a fall caused by incompetence of a physical therapist assistant could be awarded damages (money to compensate for injury or loss). The supervising therapist could be financially responsible. â€Å"Therefore, the scope of practice of a healthcare professional is non-transferable due to the various life threatening and legal implications that may arise from such actions.Work CitedMitchell, Joyce and Haroun, Lee. 2005. Introduction to Healthcare. Singapore. Thomson-DelmarSchaag, Helen A. 2001. The Role of the Nurse Manager in Maintaining Quality and Managing Risk. ANA Nurse Risking Management Services. Retrieved March 17, 2007 from http://nursingworld.org/mods/archive/mod311/cerm204.htmScope of Practice Review. Part I – Volume 1. July 21, 2005. Health Professions Council. Retrieved March 18, 2007 from http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/leg/hpc/review/part-i/scope-review.html

Do We Depend Too Much on Computers Essay

As civilization advances we depend more and more upon our invention. There is technology that saved many lives, as well as the one that have destroyed whole cities. Good morning members of the jury, parents, teachers and students. My name is Hugo Mendoza and I will talk about dependency on computers. I choose it because I think people must know all the benefits it brings to our daily life. So, do we depend too much in computers? The answer is that yes, all days we use computers in the business, public services, education, and the most of all entertainment. Even if we don’t note it our life is affected by technology and computers behind all. I will focus about technology in general. After all these years, technology has been evolving constantly; it has facilitated our life in all aspects. First of all, medicine, medicine has improved a lot by the use of technology in hospitals and labs, improving the health of the sick and in bringing up a new medicine for a no before-seen disease quicker than before. There are healing machines that can cure people faster than would take by human hand. Then, there are vehicles such as cars that use the GPS or the monitor to show how much gas is left select music and more. There are even airplanes that can be monitored by computers, and trains that are controlled by computers to prevent a collision. Children play videogames like PS3 or Xbox, with these videogame consoles they will have better experience in computers and will be able to understand better the technology when they grow up. Computers like PC’s and Mac are used by us every day for school, work, and assignments. Students can get into the internet and find any information they want, we can communicate by long distances, and even get an online tutor for any class. By the other hand, technology has been used to create destruction by fabricating guns, war machines and devices like nuclear bombs. This is the other face of technology, and has been used in wars such as World War II. If we continue to make guns, war machine and bombs with the improvement of technology maybe in the future there will be a bomb huge enough to destroy a country or a continent. It would be the end of the world if it’s like that. Scientists fear that in next generations, machines replace completely work done by humans and we doing nothing; they fear that we will not do sport and depend completely on computers. If it’s like that, what would happen if the systems fail to work? There would be complete chaos. Or worse, what would happen if all the systems refuse to listen to people’s orders and do what they want? Nobody knows, and we don’t want to know. We have to do something about this. In my opinion, technology and computers have to do a lot in the world we lived today and we can’t live anymore without them, as we got used too much on them. However, technology is a double-edge sword and we should find the way to make this dependency less dangerous and safer for future generations. There most only be new inventions when we really need they are really important, useful and helpful for humans.