Christianity and Islam Essay Example for Free

Christianity and Islam Essay Christianity and Islam are two very significant Religions in the world today. Although they celebrate very different things, some of the things they celebrate are very similar. There are many differences between both religions predominantly with the way they celebrate festivals. On the other hand the rules that both religions follow are quite similar. Christianity stands as the most widespread religion with over 2 billion followers. Christians believe that there has only been one God and he is the one who created everything on the earth today. The main festivals that Catholics celebrate are Lent, Easter and Christmas. In Christianity these festivals are very momentous and are always celebrated. The reason behind why Christians celebrate these festivals is because it reminds Christians the way Jesus lived his life up to when he passed away. In the Christian Religion there are different spiritual leaders starting with the Pope, Priests, Bishops and Jesus. Christians attend Churches to pray to God and ask him for certain things but most importantly to celebrate significant days on the Catholic calendar. Islam began around 600AD in the Arabian Peninsula. The Islam community believes in one God called Allah. Islam was revealed to the prophet Mohammad in Mecca which is now modern-day Saudi Arabia. The key festivals that the Islamic community celebrate are called Ramadan which celebrates the gift of the Koran, Eid-al-Fitr which celebrates the first day after Ramadan has been completed, Dhu Al-Hijia and lastly the Eid-al-adha which is the festival of Sacrifice which occurs 70 day after the ending of Ramadan. Mohammad is an important individual when it comes to the history of Islam. He was the first person to ever be revealed to Islam and after his death many people began to follow Islam. His death gathered more people together and a wider community began to believe in the Religion of Islam. The Islamic community practices the five pillars of Islam which are Shahadah, Salaah, Zakat, Saum and Hajj. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of a 40 period which is called Lent. It is important because we follow Jesus’ journey in the desert where he was forced to fast for 40 days. The time of Ash Wednesday becomes somewhat flexible as the date changes in the Liturgical Calendar. Sundays are not counted during the time of Lent which honours the Resurrection. Lent is a time of soul-searching and repentance. Traditionally on Ash Wednesday, Christians attend a mass where ashes are placed on their forehead as a sign or remorse and mourning. They are also the symbol of willingness to prepare themselves for the events which lead Easter. During Lent, Christians abstain from eating certain foods which they desire on a daily basis. In the Western Church, Christians have a tendency to to give up meat. The term ‘fasting’ is a personal act of devotion to God. It also helps us remember God. Abstaining from something that you enjoy is designed to bring you closer to God and helps you be come a better Christian. Also during Lent, the Catholic Church encourages Christians to give back to the community or all across the world by giving loose change or clothing to help the less fortunate. Ramadan is a period of time to abstain from eating during daylight hours of the day; this is only for people with a Muslim background. It is important to the Muslim community because it was the time where God declared the Koran to the prophet Mohammed. Ramadan occurs during the Ninth month of the lunar calendar when a new moon is occurring. The fasting period of Ramadan is quite different compared to the fasting period of Lent. In Ramadan, the Muslim community it is only permitted for people to eat and drink during Sunrise and then break their fast by eating dates only again at sunset. Not only do they abstain from eating during certain times of the day, they do not smoke, they abstain from sexual intercourse, and devote a whole month to their Religion. Muslims find it very difficult to not eat during the day, especially mothers with younger children. These difficulties arise when you are hungry and preparing food for younger children as you become tempted into eating. Not everybody in the Muslim community need to refrain from eating, children that have not hit puberty, pregnant women or breastfeeding women, people who are sick or people who are on a journey. Ramadan is designed to bring them closer to Allah, strengthen their willpower and self-control and is a test of self-discipline and faith. Christianity, Lent, Islam and Ramadan are very similar because their beliefs and festivals are very similar to each other although their Religions are very different. The things which the Muslim community believe in are surprisingly similar to what Christians believe in also.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Studying In University English Language Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Studying In University English Language Essay Students choosing studying master degree in a University have a number of advantages, at same time they will meet some problems. This essay will around four questions and talk about my study life in Bangor University, through these four questions it will analysis the characteristic of my motivation, learning approaches. To find out what kind of problems will I meet in the group works and what should be avoid meeting these problems, and how to deal with them. First, this essay will analysis the motivations of choosing the master degree in Bangor University and it will combine the point of views of motivations to study from other researchers. Second, it will discuss the learning approach which I used to study. Third, this essay will summarize some problems or issues which we will meet in our group work. Finally, I will find out the effective method to deal with these problems and discuss how to avoid or decrease them as much as possible. Motivated to study in Bangor University In our normal life, study is not only for find a good job, but also have a numbers of reasons, that is study motivation. Generally, motivation can drive students get more power to do the action in order to close their goals, therefore, motivation as a peoples behavior existed in our life. I choose study Master Degree in Bangor University that because I feel Bangor University will bring me the information which I need and want to know, for example, the motivation to study in Bangor University can promote me to continue my academic learning everyday and it can make me to prepare my exam regularly in order to pass my examination successful, that bring me nearer to my final target. Figure 1 Through this figure (1), it is shows three steps for Maslows hierarchy pyramid according to these steps I will analysis form the basic needs to self-fulfillment needs. First step is basic need, it is include safety needs ¼Ã‹â€ security, safety ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °and physiological needs(food, water, warmth, rest) these two sections all contained people lowest level of demand, that mean the first thing people need in their life it is only the material demand. Second step is psychological needs. this part is more high-ranking than basic need. That includes esteem needs (prestige and feeling of accomplishment) that contains some mental and immaterial demand from external power. Third step is self-fulfillment (achieving ones full potential including creative activities) and esteem needs (prestige and feeling of accomplishment) that is the highest level, it all about the self-enhancement. As far as I am concerned, for the first step, I realized the environment of Bangor University satisfied my anticipation; here is suit for students to study. It is satisfied my material demand and Bangor is the most safety city in UK. For the second step, knowing new friends and having group work with other countries student satisfied my belongingness and love needs, during studying time, my classmate may friendly and respect you, it can lead you have a sense of self-worth. The last step was based on the front two steps in order to create personal study motivation. That can make you have more power to study in Bangor University. As Sergi(2004) supported that people choose a particular action and continued with it at last, they will try their best to do it ,that is motivation behavior. Bangor University possesses a long history and it was a part of second biggest federal University of Wales. Now, Bangor University has 10000 students and 2000 staffs. It has the top teaching quality and learning environment. Therefore, study master degree in Bangor University satisfied all conditions of my ideal studying places. Faye (2008) claimed that through the three basic psychological required (particular goals, values, and behaviors), study environment issues could influences the integration and organization of students. Martin (2008) also pointed out ambient environment effects may affect students academic achievement, a numbers of factors impacted their motivation to study, that include nature of University education background, he also claimed that the culture and structure also can influences students motivation. That means University life is a platform for student stepping into society, students need to make a decision in their different life contributions. For instances, in my experiences, I was study in Glasgow which is a florescent and fashion metropolis, there are filled with several intense emotions and temptations, plenty of students towards thus enticement, they are hardly to control themselves to doing well in University. Therefore, I choose continue my master degree in Bangor University, the reason is the learning environment is suit for study and this city do not have such complicated society background. It is benefit to have academic research. Owing to English is not my native language; therefore, foreign language learning is the second biggest motivation for me to study in Bangor University. This University has a number of foreigner students, everybody using English as first language here, improve my English skills will achieve my personal target therefore, it can improve my self-actualization. Therefore, study motivation is a step from basic motivation to top motivation. That depend on the choices from students, different people have different motivation to study. However, in a world, all motivations are connected students personality and expectation. Learning approaches Approaches to learning are separated into three different parts; they are deep, surface, and strategic learning approach. The characteristic of deep approach learning is focus on the material that will cost long time to take a broad view and relate ideas; they always relate new ideas to previous knowledge and tend to read, always study beyond the course requirements. The characteristic of surface approach learning is try to learn in order to repeat they have learned, make use of rote learning, focus on the few view and collect the main points, tend to stick closely to the course requirements. The characteristic of strategic approach to learning is intended to obtain high grades, always use previous exam paper to predict questions. Marton(1997) demonstrated normally students have two definitely different approaches to learning, they are surface and deep approach.

Division of labor in a Household Essay -- essays research papers

Division of labor in a Household   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The division of labor in the household hold depends on the environment. Society creates gender ideology that affects the roles women and men take on in the household. In The Second Shift by Arlie Russell, she states three different ideologies of gender. There is the traditional, transitional and egalitarian ideology that determines what sphere men and women want to identify with, home sphere or work sphere. However, it depends what kind on the time period and society you live in that determines the â€Å"norm† gender ideology, which affects the division of labor in a household. The society, which affected the Mendoza and Ortega family that I have observed and interviewed, constructs views of the appropriate roles for men and women in the family devotion schema. Historical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An important period of United States history that affected the division of household labor was during the earlier industrial revolution. Before the industrial revolution in America, men and women work in the farm; it was a private family farm that both men and women worked. So around the 1830’s these farms were taking over by corporation, and during this time there was a growth of factories, trades and business in the new cities of America, which attracted men and women away from the farm life. However, there was a transition in economy of America, which affected men and women, but it affected them differently. The jobs that men were receiving were different from what women were getting. â€Å"In 1860, most industrial workers were men.† While, men where working in factories women where working in more domestic jobs, but only 15% of women were working for paid. Hence, most women stayed at home to take care of the second shift, housework. When men star ted working in factories and women working in domestic jobs, this change the way people lived, especially family life. Now men are leaving their homes, where they use to work as farmers, to city to work, while women primary stay at home to work. During this time period, the lives of men where changing more drastically, but women identity was still identifying with the home, while men were identifying with his paid work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nowadays, women’s lives have changed significantly due to the expansion of jobs that have gave women more opportu... ...n working, still the women were the one who did most of the housework. The placement of living also had an affect on their lives as well. As a native New York, the part of queens the Ortega family lives, would be consider as â€Å"suburbs† and the part of Brooklyn, the Mendoza family live in would be considered as the urban. Their surroundings affected their affirmation of their choice of gender ideology. In Queens, most women were stay-at-home mothers and expected the man to provides the finical needs. Sherry affirmed her notion of traditional mothers by giving examples of her neighbors to state that it’s the â€Å"norm† to take at home and take care of your children. On the other hand, Gen lived in an area where most of the mothers worked outside the homes. She stated that today, â€Å"women should not identify herself with only the home, but with the labor force as well.† Both families’ neighbor encouraged them to believe in their gender ideologies, which had some contradiction between what a person said they believed, their gender ideologies and what they actual did in the second shift. The Mendoza and Ortega family had one person, the wife/mother, doing more of the second shift, housework.

The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman :: The Little Foxes

Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes shows a large amount of feminism throughout the play. Lillian intertwines economical independent with feminism several times. Regina Hubbard is constantly the main character involved with the economical independence and feminism. Birdy and Alexandra Hubbard are portrayed for their ability to rise above the oppression that surrounds them during most of the play. Hellman’s portrayal of Regina shows her as the wickedest character. This serves as a foundation to the message that when women are powerless they will do anything to over come it (Friedman 81). Regina shows her true nature towards the end of the play. Regina was forced to stay with Horace after she married him because she had none of her own financial backing. Since Hellman had equated money with independence Regina has no choice but to stay with Horace until she gains her own money and in turn her independence. Her strife for independence highlights her feminist nature. She is willing to endure unhappiness for as long as it takes to be independent (Friedman 82). Regina appears cold and conniving. While her husband lays dying in the house, she tells her bothers and Leo that she can put them in jail for what they have done all while keeping it unknown that she does not really know what happened. Her calm and calculating demeanor as she negotiates shows her as a very focused per son. Even though her husband lies dying she only appears to care about her money and how she can manipulate her brothers to her advantage (Galens 166). Regina says that she marries Horace solely for his money and status. She stats that she hates him and cannot wait until he dies. This outburst that shows Regina’s true feelings allows the reader to see her as a feminist in a way. She was so determined to get what she wanted that she bounded herself in a situation that she abhors for years just for a chance to achieve her goal (Galens 156). At the end of the play Alexandra ask her mother is she afraid (225). This line parallels the one in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf. This gives the idea that Regina only terrorized others as a coping mechanism to get over her own fears. Regina’s ability to overcome her fears shows her feminist side despite the immoral methods she chose (lord 146). Regina’s daughter Alexandra has had her decisions made for her by her mother in the early parts of the play.

Thatcher and Blair :: essays research papers

Introduction With the campaign ‘New Labour Because Britain Deserves Better’, it appeared that the new look of the Labour Party was so promising that most Britons have poured their votes for the Labour Party, and Tony Blair and his family moved to stay at the 10th Downing Street. It is said that the New Labour won the election, because they have tried to understand what British people wanted. Like it or not, the New Labour has simply followed Margaret Thatcher’s achievements. Moreover, Tony Blair and his aides have consistently used Thatcherite rhetoric to strengthen his ‘New’ credentials such as the use of ‘No turning back’ and ‘No, no, no.’ (The Guardian, April 20, 1999) Thus, based on the assumption that the Left Wing has adopted the Right Wing policies, this report attempts to find differences and similarities of Mrs. Margaret Thatcher’s and Mr. Tony Blair’s domestic and foreign affairs policies as well as the impacts on Britain. Background The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. Its constitution is partly unwritten and flexible. Also, politics in Britain is a two-party politics, and the system of British government is built around the existence of competing political parties, having distinctive policies and views, particularly The Conservative Party and the Labour Party, which are the dominant parties nowadays. To understand the management policies, it is worth looking into the political philosophy of both rival parties. The Conservative Party The Conservative Party or formally National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations is a right-of-centre political party. It is the heir and continuation of the old Tory Party, members of which began forming Conservation Association after Britain’s first Reform Act of 1832, extended electoral rights to the middle class. Formed by Sir Robert Peel in 1834, the first Conservative government announced the reform of abuse; the importance of law and order and of the police; orderly system of taxation, and the importance of both landed interests and of trade and industry. Among former Conservative Prime Ministers, there are two well-known persons, who shall be mentioned here. Firstly, during World War II, The Conservative Party dominated national office and Winston Churchill (later became Sir Winston) led Britain to victory in 1945. Secondly, Margaret Thatcher (b. 13 Oct 1925) and later being made as Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven was the first European and British Prime Minister (1979-1990). Not only did she win three consecutive terms in the 20th century, but she also was Britain’s

A Comparison of W.K Clifford and William James’s Arguments

Clifford and James Summaries of W. K. Clifford and William James’s arguments for belief | In this paper, I hope to effectively summarize W. K Clifford’s (1879) argument on the ethics of belief, followed by a summary of William James’ (1897) argument on the right to believe, and finally, provide an argument for why W. K Clifford’s (1879) argument is stronger by highlighting its strengths while simultaneously arguing against William James’ (1897) argument. According to Clifford (1879), there is an ethics to belief that makes it always wrong for anyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence.Clifford (1879) begins his paper by providing an illustrative analogy – one where a ship-owner is preparing to send to sea a ship filled with innocent men, women, and children. Prior to its departure, doubts had been brought to his attention regarding its condition and the possibility of a failure to complete the voyage. The ship-owner, now in a dilemma , successfully convinces himself that because the ship had weathered so many storms and successfully completed so many voyages, it was fit to believe that the ship was fit to sail.He acquired a sincere belief that the ship would successfully complete the voyage despite its apparent faults. Eventually, the ship sank. Clifford (1879) argues that the ship-owner is responsible for the death of those innocent men and women – not only did the ship-owner ignore the doubts regarding the ship’s capabilities, but he acquired a false belief by simply stifling his doubts. Yes, he felt sure about the ship’s capabilities; but, he only acquired such a conviction by allowing himself to believe it, and not based on sufficient evidence.Clifford (1879) also argues that in the event the ship had not sank and had completed the voyage, the ship-owner â€Å"would not have been innocent, he would only have been not found out. † (498) In essence, Clifford (1879) argues that the o utcome has no effect since the origin of his belief was flawed and based on whims rather than evidence. In another analogy where a group of men are accused for manipulating children, Clifford (1879) argues that those who accused the innocence of the men based on self-propagated beliefs are not â€Å"honourable men,† (499) regardless of whether the accused were guilty.He illustrated the ideology that no accusation can be made unless there is sufficient evidence to supplement it; if sufficient evidence cannot be found, then the individual loses the right to believe that certain belief, as he will harm himself and humanity. Clifford (1879) argues it is right and necessary to examine evidence on both sides of any belief with patience and care. Right, because when a man is so consumed by a belief so as to not entertain other grounds, he can still choose the action stemming from that belief – thus, he has a duty to investigate â€Å"on the ground of the strength of his conv ictions. (499) And necessary, because those who become consumed by their self-sponsored beliefs must have a rule to deal with actions stemming from those beliefs. Clifford (1879) argues no one belief is isolated from the action that follows, and no belief is ever truly insignificant. No individual can judge the validity of his beliefs in an unbiased manner; thus, the actions following beliefs, regardless of being true or false, can have strong implications on our future if not corrected now. Clifford (1879) argues it is essential to continuously judge our beliefs and validate them based on sufficient evidence.Finally, Clifford (1879) argues our beliefs are not personal property; rather, â€Å"our words, our phrases and processes and modes of thought are common property. Belief†¦ is ours not for ourselves, but for humanity. † (500) Because our actions – which stem from our beliefs – affect those around us, Clifford (1879) deems it a universal duty to constan tly doubt our closely held beliefs. Although â€Å"we naturally do not like to find that we are really ignorant and powerless,† (500) Clifford argues it would be a crime and a sin on humanity to acquire a sense of power when the belief has not been sufficiently investigated and earned.Clifford (1879) is a strong proponent of proof-based beliefs and of the continuous criticism of beliefs held backed by loose evidence. In order to advance as a fair and just society, our beliefs must be evaluated and supported by evidence which is fair and just, and not by apparent truisms which satisfy our personal power struggles, insecurities, and lack of interest. William James (1897), on the other hand, attempts to define the permissible cases in which it is intellectually respectable to believe without sufficient evidence.James (1897) begins by providing three criterion for judging beliefs: either beliefs are 1) living or dead; 2) forced or avoidable; or 3) momentous or trivial. A live hyp othesis is one where the hypothesis appeals to the existing beliefs of the individual; a forced hypothesis is one where one must choose between alternatives, and cannot proceed without doing so; and finally, a momentous hypothesis is one where there is a lot at stake and/or when the decision is irreversible. James(1897) argues that certain actions and convictions need pre-existing beliefs which do not require sufficient evidence.He uses Pascal’s Wager as an example – James (1897) argues Pascal’s Wager may force individuals in choosing to either believe in God or not, regardless of there being sufficient evidence to prove the existence of the former or latter. However, James (1897) argues that different propositions hold varying meanings and importance to different individuals; it is individuals’ pre-existing beliefs which form future beliefs once further information is received. James (1897) acknowledges the fact that many beliefs are pre-supposed and wit hout sufficient evidence.To challenge Clifford (1879), he says â€Å"our belief in truth itself†¦ that there is a truth†¦ what is it but a passionate affirmation of desire,† (505) effectively questioning Clifford’s (1879) double-standard; if Clifford (1879) requires sufficient evidence for beliefs, where is the sufficient evidence to support the belief of truth held by scientists and philosophers alike? Then, James (1897) extends the argument to say we want to have a truth – it is our will which pushes us to believe in a truth and â€Å"puts us in a continually better and better position towards it. (505) In discussing telepathy, James claims scientists do not want to consider the evidence for telepathy because â€Å"they think†¦ that even if such a thing were true, scientists ought to band together to keep it suppressed†¦ It would undo the uniformity of Nature and all sorts of other things without which scientists cannot carry on their pur suits. † (505) James argues that â€Å"[the] very law which the logicians impose upon us†¦ is based on nothing but their own natural wish to exclude all elements for which they†¦ an find no use. † (506) Thus, James effectively argues that even the scientists’ passionate convictions and prejudices form their beliefs, as we see in the case of telepathic research. Finally, in this section, James (1897) argues such behaviour re-inforces Pascal’s Wager – a pre-existing belief can generate further beliefs, and that logic alone is not enough. Then, James (1897) takes two approaches in looking at the â€Å"duties† in matters of opinion – that we must know the truth, and we must avoid error.James (1897) argues it is impractical and unrealistic to know the truth while simultaneously avoiding error; â€Å"it hardly ever happens that by merely disbelieving B we necessarily believe A. We may in escaping B fall into believing other falseh oods, C or D, just as bad as B,† (506) says James (1897). Then, James (1897) argues that the risk of being wrong or in error is trivial compared to the possibility of stumbling upon real knowledge and of â€Å"indefinitely guessing true. † (506) In his opinion, it is better to continue to guess or hope for the truth than to continuously deny certain beliefs until sufficient evidence surfaces.He believes it is better to be light-hearted in the regard of accepting certain beliefs than to constantly question and doubt. James (1897) argues that in most matters, the decision to choose between various options is not so momentous and urgent that a false belief to act on is better than no belief at all. He says â€Å"seldom is there any such a hurry†¦ that the risks of being duped by believed a premature theory need be faced. † (507) James (1897) then goes on to state that modern science’s â€Å"nervousness† and yearning to technically verifying the tr uth may â€Å"cease her to care for truth by itself at all. (507) In extending this argument, he states that although technical evidence is strong and important, human passions are stronger. He then poses his final question – that of weighing the perils and benefits of waiting with â€Å"impunity† until the sufficient evidence is found. In essence, he asks if there are forced options in man’s already speculative questions, and whether it is wise to continue to wait until â€Å"sufficient† evidence arrives. In leading up to his conclusion, James (1897) argues that the desire for a certain truth can help bring about its existence; so, desire or the will to discover a fact can help create the fact.He infers this to mean that the beliefs conjured and held by our passionate minds may prove to be instrumental in providing the sufficient evidence to justify those beliefs. In conclusion, James (1897) argues that because religion is forced and momentous, we canno t remain skeptical and continue to wait, as we will lose the good provided by religion if we continue to wait in the same fashion that we choose to disbelieve in the first place – James (1897) argues that it is better to risk the chance of error than the loss of truth.Finally, James (1897) argues that to believe in religion or God with the notion of being right is the prerogative of the individual and is undertaken at his own risk – if the individual wishes to put himself in the best position possible to enjoy the fruits of the after-life, then society and/or science’s imposed rules and laws of requiring â€Å"sufficient evidence† for the verification of that God or religion is unjustified. It is the individual’s personal decision and he alone assumes the risk – as such, his right must be respected.James argues that individuals have a right to believe without sufficient evidence so long as the belief is live, momentous and is forced. He argu es that it is impractical to continue to wait for sufficient evidence to surface while the chance to believe gradually dissipates. Now that I have summarized Clifford (1879) and James’s (1897) articles, I would like to elaborate further as to why Clifford’s (1879) argument is stronger than James’s (1897) in the area of religious belief.In his article, James (1897) made a number of references to the apparently frivolous actions of scientists and their narcissistic habits of â€Å"waiting† for sufficient evidence. However, his rendition of live hypotheses still does not give sufficient reason to believe in a certain belief without first establishing a basis for its verification. First, in any experiment, â€Å"sufficient evidence† is to be based on objective proof which can reasonably prove that the latter cannot hold truer than the former. However, when beliefs are formed based on passion and human emotion, how can one achieve any objectivity?How ca n there be fair grounds for comparison? How can one individual, who, in his own right, is passionately convinced of his belief – based on nothing more than emotion – convince the other that his belief is superior when the other individual believes on the same token? Second, James (1897) continually criticizes scientists for their ways and states science’s search for â€Å"technical verification† is a shun for the truth; however, would modern science have discovered the cure of diseases and made significant inroads in the field of medical research had it stuck with one belief and not explored other avenues of growth?Is it, then, morally right to continue to hold certain medical hypotheses valid while simultaneously rejecting other possibilities when such an act could concern the lives of millions? Should there not be room for a reasonable amount of doubt and criticisms within one’s beliefs to continually improve, rather than degrade, as James (1897) suggests? Yes, James suggests that evidence should be required when the matter at hand is a significant one – but who can be a fair judge on the magnanimity of such a topic?Thus, although it may be tedious and inconvenient to continually question and doubt one’s basis for belief, it is necessary and categorically the right thing to do. We owe it to ourselves and to mankind to be honest with one another, and not believe just to satiate our personal thirst for power. Finally, James (1897) asks that those who believe – regardless of whether they have evidence or not – must be left alone and have the right to â€Å"live and let live. † I vehemently disagree.As Clifford (1879) suggested, beliefs turn into actions, and by the time we realize the action undertaken was an immoral one, it is usually too late. We are all connected – any thoughts in my mind, or yours, can affect others in an infinite number of ways. As James (1897) stated, most everyd ay beliefs will not affect others drastically; however, there is a fraction of beliefs which can turn actions affecting many people or any one person in profound ways, either negatively or positively.In such a scenario, do we want to leave open the possibility of unfounded beliefs adversely affecting some person’s life? Do we want to run the risk of hurting a loved one and/or our reputations because we were too lazy or did not find the issue momentous or live enough to gather sufficient evidence for a belief? Thus, although Clifford’s (1879) proposition may seem, again, tedious or time-consuming, it is the only way of ensuring we close the cracks and do our best to ensure a fair society.After all, in the presumption of innocence, our legal system works in a similar way – the legal system ensures every accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, regardless the magnitude of the verdict, because it knows the implications of sending an innocent man to prison. Thus, every belief by the prosecution and defence must be backed by sufficient evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. After analyzing the summaries of the respective philosophers – W. K.Clifford (1879) and William James (1897) – I hope it has become evident that sufficient evidence to support beliefs is not only right and necessary for us, but for humanity as a whole. As a society, we cannot shun substantive, technical evidence because we are satisfied with our pre-existing beliefs. To advance as a society, it is our universal duty to continually question our beliefs and search for sufficient evidence in forming our new beliefs. References Pojman, Louis, & Rea, Michael. (2012). Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. Boston: Clark Baxter.

Gulliver’s Travels Essay

Gulliver’s Travels is not really a children’s book, but it has been seen as a children’s story right from the start: little people, big people, talking horses. It was first published in 1726. At the time that Swift published Gulliver’s Travels, he was dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. The book, which made fun of the political scene and certain prominent people in England, was published anonymously and was a great success. In each of the three stories in this book, the hero, Lemuel Gulliver, embarks on a voyage, but, as in the Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor on which the stories may in part have been based, some calamity befalls him. First, Gulliver arrives in Lilliput, where he finds himself a giant, held prisoner by tiny men. They are initially afraid of him, but he gradually wins their trust and eventually helps them in their war against Blefuscu. The second land he visits is called Brobdingnag, a land of giants. Gulliver, now a tiny person, has to work as a freak in a show at first but is then rescued by the Queen and has long talks with the King. Gulliver finally ends up in the land of the Houyhnhnms, peaceful horses who have created a perfect society, except for the presence of monkey-like Yahoos. Although Gulliver looks like a well-kempt Yahoo, he wants to be a Houyhnhnm. Finally, he has to leave because he does not fit into this society. Summary of Part I: A Journey to Lilliput Gulliver sets off on the ship Antelope to the South Seas, but strong winds wreck it. Gulliver lands on an island and when he wakes up he finds himself tied to the ground. A large number of little men (no larger than Gulliver’s hands) keep him prisoner and when he tries to break free, they attack him with arrows. Gulliver stays still not to get hurt. Then they bring him food and drink and plan to take him to the king but still tied with strings. He is given a house, an old church, but Gulliver is still tied to the wall of the church. Lilliputians think he is dangerous. Some men attack Gulliver and when the king’s men throw them to Gulliver, he pretends he is going to eat them, but then sets them free. Gulliver is kind, so the king will not kill him, and he teaches Gulliver their language. The king promises to untie Gulliver’s strings if he follows his written rules. Gulliver hands over his belongings: his sword and his guns. Now he can walk again. Gulliver learns about the war between Lilliput and Blefuscu and offers to help the king: he pulls forty large Blefuscu ships to Lilliput. The king is happy, but as he is very ambitious he wants Gulliver to help him kill the Big-enders, enemies of his people, the Little-enders. Gulliver refuses to do so. The people from Blefuscu and Lilliput finally put an end to their war. The king of Blefuscu invites Gulliver to his island. Gulliver finally decides to leave Lilliput and goes to the enemy island. After a short stay at Blefuscu, Gulliver leaves for home. The book begins with a short preamble in which Lemuel Gulliver, in the style of books of the time, gives a brief outline of his life and history before his voyages. He enjoys travelling, although it is that love of travel that is his downfall. During his first voyage, Gulliver is washed ashore after a shipwreck and finds himself a prisoner of a race of tiny people, less than 6 inches tall, who are inhabitants of the island country of Lilliput. After giving assurances of his good behaviour, he is given a residence in Lilliput and becomes a favorite of the court. From there, the book follows Gulliver’s observations on the Court of Lilliput. He is also given the permission to roam around the city on a condition that he must not harm their subjects. Gulliver assists the Lilliputians to subdue their neighbours, the Blefuscudians, by stealing their fleet. However, he refuses to reduce the island nation of Blefuscu to a province of Lilliput, displeasing the King and the court. Gulliver is charged with treason for, among other â€Å"crimes†, â€Å"making water† in the capital (even though he was putting out a fire and saving countless lives. He is convicted and sentenced to be blinded, but with the assistance of a kind friend, he escapes to Blefuscu. Here he spots and retrieves an abandoned boat and sails out to be rescued by a passing ship, which safely takes him back home. This book of the Travels is a topical political satire. [2] Summary of Part II: Gulliver in Brobdingnag When Gulliver sets off again to the Indies, his shi p is hit by another storm and he is once again marooned on an unknown island: Brobdingnag, land of giants. He lives on a farm and the farmer’s daughter teaches Gulliver their language. The farmer, an ambitious man, makes money by showing Gulliver around the country. Gulliver falls ill. When he is brought before the queen of Brobdingnag she buys Gulliver because she likes him a lot. The farmer’s daughter stays with him. The king shows interest in England’s political system and asks Gulliver questions which embarrass him. He wants to impress the king with his country’s wonders only to discover that in Brobdingnag there is no war and people help each other instead of fighting. His happy stay ends when a huge bird lifts him high into the air then drops him into the sea, but he is soon rescued and on his way back home again. When the sailing ship Adventure is blown off course by storms and forced to put into land for want of fresh water, Gulliver is abandoned by his companions and found by a farmer who is 72 feet (22 m) tall (the scale of Brobdingnag is about 12:1, compared to Lilliput’s 1:12, judging from Gulliver estimating a man’s step being 10 yards (9. 1 m)). He brings Gulliver home and his daughter cares for Gulliver. The farmer treats him as a curiosity and exhibits him for money. Since Gulliver is too small to use their huge chairs, beds, knives and forks, the queen commissions a small house to be built for him so that he can be carried around in it; this is referred to as his ‘travelling box’. Between small adventures such as fighting giant wasps and being carried to the roof by a monkey, he discusses the state of Europe with the King. The King is not happy with Gulliver’s accounts of Europe, especially upon learning of the use of guns and cannons. On a trip to the seaside, his travelling box is seized by a giant eagle which drops Gulliver and his box into the sea, where he is picked up by some sailors, who return him to England. This book compares the truly moral man to the representative man; the latter is clearly shown to be the lesser of the two. Swift, being in Anglican holy orders, was keen to make such comparisons.