Philosophy of religion Argument according to Pascals Wager on the belief in God

The belief in the existence of God is contentious in the philosophical domain. In the philosophical argument presented by the book, Pascal’s Wager, by Jeff Jordan with regard to the existence and work of God, it emerges that people’s belief in God is often enhanced by self-interests rather than the unending desire to appreciate and acquire evidence that God exists through reasoning.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy of religion: Argument according to Pascal’s Wager on the belief in God specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Human beings have the unending self interest to believe that God exists so as to fulfill their emotional, psychological and earthly desires. Logical arguments on the existence of God are therefore considered vague in enhancing the conviction that God exists (Jordan, 13). People believe in God’s existence and his good deeds The approach also helps to fulfill the s piritual desires and expectations of human nature. However, I fully object to this argument due to my strong conviction that believing in God as a means of fulfilling self interests could be vague and confusing (Jordan 18).Reasoning and exploiting all intellectual capabilities should be an important guiding principle for understanding the existence of God. This objection is based on the fact that Wager contends that God is incomprehensible. The aspect argues that it is safe and human to put one’s hopes in God rather than on earthly beings. People who believe in God and are ready to acknowledge his presence in their lives are safer since in the eventuality that God truly exists; those who believe in him would go to heaven while those who do not believe in his existence would go to hell. However, in the eventuality that God does not exist, those who believe in him and those who do not believe in him would not lose anything. The author focuses on identifying vital human characte ristics that define human behavior and response to challenges. Focusing on fulfilling spiritual self-interests is a fundamental aspect of recognizing the presence of God in life (Jordan 9). Objection The belief in God that is based on the prevailing evidence of his existence is an important approach to living a more fulfilling, desirable, treasured and happy life. The belief is a means of ensuring that people’s arguments about God’s existence do not remain to be mere illusions. Evidence-based arguments help to reinforce the fact that favor, blessings and grace that come from God have the ability of transforming human life. The attributes also help to emphasize the fact that self interests could be misguiding due to the likelihood of the interests being different. The variation could occur as a result of a change in circumstances, environment, situations, prevailing practices, cultural and religious beliefs and issues related to one’s pious denomination. The dang er with believing in God’s existence based on the appeal on our self interests is a challenge that lies on the unspecified assumption that all people know the â€Å"god† in question.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, it is likely that not all people have a clear understanding of who God really is. It is likely that not many people believe in God. In fact, certain people do not mind whether or not God’s existence has any impact on the kind of lives they live. People have the inability to believe that God exists. Although God is widely believed to be a supernatural being, people have continuously failed to believe in his deeds due to lack of evidence on his existence. This fact has complicated the need for human beings to accommodate different arguments on the role and place of God in human life. Strengths and weaknesses In his argument, the author c onsistently manages to put into consideration the various arguments already put in place by other authors with regard to the belief and existence of God. In line with the above analysis, it evident that human nature and the existence of God are interlinked issues. The author’s argument also appreciates the fact that human life is sacred and the belief in God is an important spiritual issue of concern. These issues are critical as they clearly reveal the purpose for which human beings exist and the fundamental role that God has placed in people’s lives. Failure to reinforce the significance of trusting in reason reveals the weakness of the argument that self-interests should always be the guiding principle for our belief in the existence of God. This argument fails to understand the fact that regardless of one’s approach to matters of God, reliance on the broad-spectrum concept of theism without dwelling on a specific doctrine could lead to unfounded theological conclusions. The possession of favorable arguments on humanity is good though it has the possibility of threatening human belief. The author has failed to acknowledge the fact that human nature should be understood through the use of a rational approach. The presence of God or any supernatural being in life should never be determined by human desires but rather by reasoning. It should also be guided by the understanding that life has a foundation that can only be best defined by understanding the role of God and origin of mankind. Uncertainties in the purpose of mankind, reason, science, religion and skepticism should be conceptualized by people who constantly strive to acquire evidence of the existence of God. Belief in the existence of God is an alternative that presents the greatest good. It is not a rational means of understanding the existence of God. The belief in the existence of God based on people’s self interest is an approach that is subject to manipulation. Just a s people’s lives and approaches to life are different, so are their self interests. Failure to explain the specific religious doctrines in which the aspect of believing in God is founded is considered as spiritual ignorance.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy of religion: Argument according to Pascal’s Wager on the belief in God specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This aspect is brought about by the need of fulfilling self interests. It is considered to be a better alternative to a belief that is based on the existing evidence. This concept remains to be a serious challenge. Although it could be in any person’s interest to believe in God, Jordan (13) is of the view that lack of any supportive consideration of the need to believe or not to believe in God without any proof of his deeds is an unacceptable approach. Infinite punishment, reward and fulfillment of self-interest as a result of believing in God’s existence should never be a motivating factor towards believing in God. What the author says The author is likely to say that God does not always indulge in what people say or think. To boost his argument, the author would say that it is through addressing self interest that people would best understand and thus believe in God. To the author, losing something due to misguided faith is better than believing in God without addressing one’s self interests. Sadly, this response would not be adequate. The response would not help in addressing both the intrinsic and extrinsic needs of people with regard to religion and the belief in God. It is important to fully exploit rationality and ability to reason and acquire a genuine belief that God exists. Works Cited Jordan, Jeff. Pascal’s Wager: Pragmatic Arguments and Belief in God, University of Delaware, Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press, 2006.Print. This essay on Philosophy of religion: Argument according to Pascal’s Wager on the belief in God was written and submitted by user Cindy Calhoun to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Discounted cash flow Essays

Discounted cash flow Essays Discounted cash flow Essay Discounted cash flow Essay What Is a capital Investment? Using money to buy goods or services issuing shares of stock of the corporation authorizing and issuing shares of common stock by a multinational corporation committing resources to projects that have costs and benefits well into the future Correct! Question 2 Estimating the expected cash inflows and outflows from proposed projects is performed in what step of the capital budgeting process? Estimating the expected cash inflows and outflows from proposed projects is performed in what step of the capital budgeting process? Eject identification project evaluation project monitoring project review Question 3 Which capital budgeting technique Is preferred In all major Industrialized countries? Net present value internal rate of return payback period none of the above Question 4 Why is it believed that Japanese companies prefer the payback period over the discounted cash flow methods for evaluating capital investment alternatives? Why i s it believed that Japanese companies prefer the payback period over the discounted cash flow methods for evaluating capital investment alternatives? It is consistent with their corporate strategy of investing in new technology. Japanese companies compete using very short product life cycles. Cash flows over a long period of time are difficult to predict with much accuracy. All of the above Question 5 Why is the multinational capital budgeting process more complex than capital budgeting in a domestic environment? Why is the multinational capital budgeting process more complex than capital budgeting in a domestic environment? Cash flows must be predicted. An appropriate discount rate must be selected. There are additional risks involved. The payback period is shorter. Question 6 Clamps Co. Is considering building a manufacturing facility in Country Z, which has changed it labor laws frequently and dramatically in the past decade. What kind of risk is created by these legislative actions? Clamps Co. Is considering building a manufacturing facility in Country Z, which has changed it labor laws frequently and dramatically in the past decade. What kind of risk is created by these legislative actions? Physical risk political risk financial risk economic risk Question 7 Hyperinflation causes what kind of risk for a multinational corporation? Question 8 The possibility of loss due to unexpected changes in currency values or interest rates is called: The possibility of loss due to unexpected changes in currency values or interest rates is called: business risk Question 9 Cash flows related to a proposed capital investment project are subject to what kind of risk? Cash flows related too proposed capital investment project are subject to what kind of risk? All of the above Question 10 0/2 puts Skip to question text. Johnson Ltd determined that the net present value of an investment in technological improvements at its plant in France would be ?10,000,000 if pending litigation was resolved in the companys favor and would be ?2,000,000 if the courts ruled against the company. Johnnys attorneys in France assessed the probability of a favorable ruling at 70%. What is the expected net present value of the project? You Answered Correct Answer Question 1 1 Why is management control particularly complex in decentralized multinational organizations? Why is management control particularly complex in decentralized litigation organizations? Managers abroad are not as well-trained as managers of domestic operations. Decision-making authority is not delegated to the local managers of foreign operations. Managers of foreign operations may be motivated by local goals rather than parents goals. Financial risks are always higher for the local managers of foreign operations than for managers of domestic operations. Question 12 Under what condition should the gain or loss from translating foreign currency profit of subsidiary into the parents home currency be included in the subsidiarys assure of performance? Under what condition should the gain or loss from translating foreign currency profit of subsidiary into the parents home currency be included in the subsidiarys measure of performance? If the subsidiary manager is authorized to hedge the translation exposure if there is a translation gain, but not if there is a translation loss if the multinational corporation is using the same method of translation for performance evaluation as it does for financial reporting

The development and effectiveness of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable Essay

The development and effectiveness of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable policy in the United Kingdom - Essay Example (Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, 2003.) Hence, the two top causes of these diseases are highly preventable. "It has been estimated that eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day could reduce the risk of deaths from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer by up to 20%." (5 A DAY health benefits, 2003, Department of Health's The NHS Plan, 2000.) Breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastric cancer are just a few of the cancers that can be prevented. Loaded with plenty of vitamins and minerals, these foods also contain phytochemicals which are "non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties," as defined by Phytochemicals (n.d.). Phytochemicals include flavonoids and fiber along with many other substances that are necessary for sustaining life. Flavonoids are found in the colored portions of the fruits and vegetables prevent the release of histamines, fight free radicals, and increase blood circulation and the immune system. Phytochemicals perform various functions including the prevention of cancer cell replication, prevention of cell damage, and the lowering of cholesterol levels. Amazingly, there are more than 900 different phytochemicals that have currently been identified and one vegetable serving contains 100 different phytochemicals. ... Diet and cancer: the evidence (2006) reports, "EPIC scientists recently found that eating foods high in fiber can reduce one's risk of bowel cancer. People who ate the most fiber had 40% less bowel cancer risk than people who ate the least. Some other large studies have supported these findings." There is much evidence to support the benefits of eating an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables. Groups such as The NHS Plan, The NHS Cancer Plan and the National Service Frameworks for Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes and Older People also stress diet/nutrition as a top factor in the strategy of prevention. (Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, 2003.) These are just a few reasons why the government created the 5 A DAY programme. The goal of this programme is to inform the public of health benefits gained by consuming fruits and vegetables via targeted action. Most people in England consume less than three servings per day. Children eat less fruits and vegetables than adults. The reasons that people eat such few servings include the cost, availability, and quality especially after inconveniences such as shipping, storing, preserving, etc. The government's 5 A DAY programme aims to raise awareness and change the public's attitude. Many people feel that the cost, preparation, "lack of taste", and other inconveniences are not worth it. In today's hurried society, it seems easier to grab something packaged, processed, and "less expensive". But the cost of one's health and quality of life is quite high and more expensive in the long run. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption (2003) lists the target actions of the government in implementing and enforcing the programme: National School Fruit Scheme Local 5

Design and Construction of Motorway Project Essay

Design and Construction of Motorway Project - Essay Example Through utilization of these regulations, project managers could ensure that safety and health applications remain present throughout engineering project implementation period. While engineering projects remain essential for development of the country, the impacts of the implementation process for these projects could be catastrophic. The reduction of imminent risks within the projects remains essential towards safe implementation of the entire project (Bailey, 2002). The aim of this report remains identifying the imminent hazards within the project that could present a danger to people working on the project. This report seeks to establish an informed analysis concerning the health and safety regulation required in engineering projects. Through identification of the imminent risks, the contractors could essentially implement safety operation processes, significantly reducing safety concerns during construction. This report seeks to identify the imminent hazards for contractors durin g construction and workers after project completion. The project engineers could utilize the proposals contained in this report in ensuring safety for individuals involved in the project. Description of works This project involves construction of a motorway seeking to replace the existing M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The project shall involve numerous and continuous excavation processes within the lifetime of construction. The excavation process involves the production of massive amounts of dust, which becomes a potential health hazard for individuals living within the vicinity, and the people working on the project. The process of excavating materials within the construction site comes at the centre of the project. Through excavation, the engineers could achieve a significant level of project implementation. Designing the site into the required form shall involve a continuous bulk excavation process. The proposed route for the motorway passes through Greenfield and Brownfield land, which continue to be associated with mining of different minerals. These areas have numerous deposits of coal and steels minerals. During the construction process, the materials excavated from the site should be carefully handled to reduce the prevalent risks produced by the mining processes of these minerals. While different activities might be affected by construction, the imminent hazards following excavation through coal mines remain a surmountable safety concern. Upon removal of the topsoil, an analysis of the contents of the soil should e performed to determine the presence of harmful elements within the soil. Through this analysis, proper disposal methods could be implemented to ensure reduction of the imminent hazards produced by the material. The project could potentially generate a significant amount of waste materials and remnants of the construction materials utilized. Following the completion of the project, disposal of these materials is likely to become fundamen tal in ensuring safe working environment for people maintaining the project. Disposal of the waste materials generated remains a fundamental post-construction safety and health concern. The waste disposal operation seeks to ensure the environment remains safe for the people after completion of the project (Lagrega et al, 2010). The maintenance employees would be working in safe environments when all generated wastes become

Types Of Films And Films Narrative Essay Example for Free

Types Of Films And Films Narrative Essay Fiction something that does not exist in real life; Contrasted with Documentary films, Fiction does not purport to deal with factual information. However, there are also Documentary-Fiction combinations like in the JFK film. In JFK, the filmmaker incorporated found footage to give it a semblance of reality.   Ask your classmates for a show of hands, who has watched JFK? Documentary Please refer to the table above for the distinctions. Ask your classmates for documentaries that they have watched and point out the devices employed by these documentaries they volunteered.   Briefly discuss how The Blair Witch Project is of the subgenre, mockumentary, to supplement the discussion in the Film Art book. Ask questions about the accuracy and reliability of documentaries. Discuss the impact of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth as a popularized documentary for the purpose of environmental advocacy. Ask your classmates if they find documentaries convincing or just bordering on propaganda? Why is Michael Moore a controversial figure? Animation Please refer to the table above for the distinctions. Ask your classmates for animated films that they have watched and point out the devices employed by these animated they volunteered.   To supplement the book discussion, mention the other concepts and subgenres under animation such as: rotoscoping technique (like in Richard Linklater’s films, Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly), Japanese anime films (Voltes V, Daimos, Princess Mononoke), Computer Graphics Interface (CGI like Finding Nemo, Happy Feet, iMAX 3D animated features) in contrast to old celluloid techniques (manually drawing and painting on celluloid sheets that are overlapped and shot frame by frame). See more: how to start a narrative essay Experimental and Avant-Garde Please refer to the table above for the distinctions. Ask your classmates for experimental films that they have watched and point out the devices employed by these experimental films they volunteered. Discuss the Japanese-American film, Eiga Zuke, or Pickled Film, through the technique employed by the filmmaker. Here, the abstract splotches were created by soaking the negative in â€Å"pickling agents† before processing it into film stock. Experimental films generally have no rules, emphasizing self-expression and exploratory techniques. Ask your classmates what kind of experimentation they would eventually like to try in their own films in the future? Defining Genres: (Mental Note: Picture S-T-E-M, Subject, Theme, Emotional Effect, Manner of Presentation) Subject: Give an example of a film with a specific subject, like a biography, the subject is the life of the protagonist.   Theme: Give an example, like a Western, where the theme is resolving conflict between law and order forces, versus outlaws, bandits or Indian communities. Distinct Emotional Effect like in Horror movies and thrillers, these are calculated to make the audience feel horrified. These films challenge the sensibilities of what the audience perceives as normal. Manner of presentation: Give an example of a film, like a Musical, where the characters clearly engage in singing and dancing to communicate aspects of the plot Always remember that Genre Mixing is common and that there are certain innovations in film that challenge the preconceived notions established in that genre. This is a reflection of the social process that includes a transforming social milieu. For example, the film Aliens, portrays Ripley as a strong feminist character who is also a caring mother. Chapter 4: NARRATIVE AS A FORMAL SYSTEM STATE: The Story-Plot distinction suggests that you want to give someone a synopsis of a narrative film, you can proceed in 2 ways: 1. Summarize the story, starting from the earliest incident which the plot cues you, then infer straight through to the end.2. Tell the plot, starting with the first incident you encountered in watching the film 3 Aspects of Narrative: (Mental Note: Picture Ca-T-S , Causality, Time, Space) Narration: the Flow of Story Information Openings, Closings and Patterns of Development Refer to the table to discuss the distinctions and cite examples from the book. In the classical Hollywood narrative, the chain of actions that result from predominantly psychological causes tends to motivate most or all other narrative events. if the characters did not desire something to be different from the way it is at the beginning of the narrative, change would not occur. Discuss a short excerpt from the Citizen Kane film and analyzes the aspects by showing them the plot segmentation in the book. Integrate all the concepts discussed so far in the Citizen Kane class discussion. Don’t forget to thank your audience after your presentation. Works Cited Bordwell, D. and Kristin Thompson. â€Å"Types of Films.† Film Art: An Introduction. Location: Publisher, Year. 42-61 Bordwell, D. and Kristin Thompson. â€Å"Narrative as a Formal System.† Film Art: An Introduction. Location: Publisher, Year. 89-113

The Artistic Way of Living and Perceiving :: Art Philosophy

The Artistic Way of Living and Perceiving Being an artist is more than simply producing artworks. It is more than simply knowing art and how to make it. Being an artist is a complete way of life in itself, and at its utmost is a mode of perceiving the world to where everything is seen as a work of art. Being an artist is a mode of existence. For the artist’s life to be this complete way of being, it is necessary to take a certain direction and overcome certain obstacles. It is easy for the artist for fall into ruts along the path of art. This is one artist’s account of how three of the biggest challenges, or these ruts, present themselves, and how it is possible to overcome them. As such, this is an examination of how the challenges of being an artist lead to a fuller understanding of what it means to live as an artist, and how being an artist is a very specific kind of life. The work done by Gabriel Marcel and Henry Bugbee presents a particular perspective which enhances the life of an artist, and so t heir work will help us to understand this artistic mode of being which I am talking about. It is important to illustrate what the three most common ruts are that an artist can fall into. I use the term rut because what occurs to an artist is a falling into a hole of sorts from which it is difficult to emerge at times. These holes or pits seem more appropriately described by the term rut. So it is that an artist, when on the path of art, may find themselves stuck in any or all of the following situations. The first rut is one of expectations. It is the expectation of what art should be. If this expectation is not met, the artist will become frustrated and will not enjoy their work. The expectations of one’s work may become more severe to where the artist becomes more deeply entrenched in this rut to the point of it turning into perfectionism. The rut of perfection is worse, because it never allows the artist to be satisfied, whereas the previous rut of expectation only creates dissatisfaction some of the time. This difficulty seems to be encountered earlier than the others by an individual who is pursuing art.

Losing Common Sense in a Sea of Technology Essay

Technology has made miracles take place. Technology is an asset to our society. Things we could not do with our anatomical brains we can conjure up with a machine. With the answers to simple questions at fingertips with the availability of the internet, simple thought processes replaced with instant gratification. Critical thinking is almost extinct due to rapid response internet websites and databases. In today’s society, we depend on computers and technology to dictate schedules, lead meetings, and manage social lives. Therefore, ruing personal bonds, destroying critical and creative thinking, and losing common sense. The introduction of technology and computers on society has been beneficial in many areas, science having the biggest impact. For example, new radar technology will allow forecasters to see extreme weather, as will potential improvements to satellite technology, as well as computer models that run on powerful super computers. With these radars improved, more lives saved. â€Å"This will allow us to get to cover faster and be better prepared† (Lubchenco, Hayes 68). Another example of how technology has been beneficial to our society is in the medical field. Today many surgeries perform with the help of robots. Robotically assisted cardiac surgery presents less invasive than conventional surgery, with shortened hospital stays and faster return to daily activities (Krueger, Jones, Howell, etal. ) The largest benefit of technology is the easy and fast access that has come from the Internet. Almost any subject matter, research papers, and technical documents are available to anyone. Communication has also become much simpler using the Internet. Computers and the internet has become a staple in the American home. Not only are Americans conforming to an E-society, the rest of the world is too. This intention of this paper is not to discourage technology. Technology has done the unimaginable in societies here and abroad, perhaps technology has done too much. As we advance in the small gadgets and upgrade our systems to use the latest software, it is safe to say, we have become â€Å"addicted†. Because of this â€Å"addiction† or dependency on technology and computers, more and more people are flooding to their P. D. A’s or to their laptops to do simple everyday tasks; we should know how to do already. Anything from grocery shopping, booking a plane flight, depositing a paycheck, can be done over the internet from a personal computer, cell phone, or I Pad. Life as we know it is becoming a virtual reality within itself. We focus our addenda’s and our itineraries based around technology. Despite the positive impact technology has made on education, there are certainly areas that it poorly used. â€Å"The uncontrolled use of technology without examining its long-term benefits and potential problems is not something that should be allowed to happen in education. (Hodorowicz) For example, more and more often universities are moving toward â€Å"distant learning†, or online classes. â€Å"Nothing can replace the interactions between students and teachers. Once the process of learning from a fellow person has been automated to something mechanical many things will be lost† (Hodorowicz). Furthermore, automated grading loses the ability to see just where a student went wrong, or what the student was trying to achieve in an answer. Online courses remove the ability to deal with truly great teachers in a personal way, and it removes the ability to interact with other students. Automated education also hinders getting help when needed. It has been noted that with the use of computers and technology â€Å"education will no longer be an unpredictable and exciting adventure in human enlightenment, but an exercise in conformity and an apprenticeship to whatever gadgetry is useful in a technical world† (Schwarz). Technology has also been useful inside the home. yet, has been a key factor in the decline of stable, social relationships. Researchers are debating whether the Internet is improving or harming participation in community life and social relationships. This research examined the social and psychological impact of the Internet on 169 people in 73 households during their first 1 to 2 years on-line. We used longitudinal data to examine the effects of the Internet on social involvement and psychological well-being. In this sample, the Internet was used extensively for communication. Nonetheless, greater use of the Internet was associated with declines in participants’ communication with family members in the household, declines in the size of their social circle, and increases in their depression and loneliness (Kraut, Patterson,Keisler,etal. . Virtual communities are becoming an ever-growing normality. With the social networks like Facebook and twitter comes the anonymous predators. † The Internet is populated by people with false identities, people with inaccurate information, people who express themselves quickly and with little reflection or sense of accountability† (Schwarz). New frauds and ill opportunities to drain bank accounts emerge daily; just an example of how we are coming adapt to the cyber world with our eyes wide open. We are losing what it means to be human and the morals that were once instilled. As stated earlier in this paper, this is not a paper of whether technology in our world today is right or wrong. This is a paper proving how our ethical values and use of common knowledge are becoming extinct because we allow computers to think for us. We are losing creativity to think â€Å"outside the box† with our learning becoming more of a mathematical equation than an experience. Relying too much on technology is what will lead to the extinction of man, maybe not of a species, but of an individual, rather than random avitar. Works Cited Schwarz, Gretchen.