Thursday, January 23, 2020
Stephen Jay Gould Nonmoral Nature Essay -- essays research papers fc
Evil in Nature and a Benevolent God      The idea of the existence of evil in nature many times creates arguments between creationists and scientists concerning not only the design of nature by a creator –God, but the actual benevolence of God. In Stephen Jay Gould’s essay â€Å"Nonmoral Nature†(1984), he explores this highly controversial issue by posing the question: â€Å"If God is good and if creation reveals his goodness, why are we surrounded with pain, suffering, and apparently senseless cruelty in the animal world?†He uses the life span of the parasitic ichneumon wasp to illustrate a scientific view that the concept of evil is limited to human beings and that the world of nature is unconcerned with it. To some degree Gould may be correct in his assumption that nature is unconcerned with evil, however, a Christian view and scriptural model does provide strong argument as to how the fall of man influenced evil in nature, and how nature points directly to the benevolenc e of God.      The Christian believes that God created the universe and its basic life forms. According to scripture, when God originally made life, He considered it â€Å"good†and perfect (Genesis 1:25). However, the Bible also shows that the perfect state God established on earth did not last long. Scripture recognizes the existence of evil and suffering in nature, and points the finger at God Himself as being responsible. Genesis chapter 3 reveals several curses God placed on the serpent, on Eve, and on nature. When Adam and Eve disobeyed their creator’s command not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they rejected God and demonstrated they were no longer capable of living in their perfect world. They needed a place for their fallen weakened characters, and in Genesis 3:17-18, God revealed the kind of earth they would live in                                                   from then on, â€Å"Cursed is the ground†¦in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life†¦thorns and thistles it shall bring forth; and you shall eat the plants of the field.†After their fall, Adam and Eve live... ...;                                               Works Cited Blackford, Russel. â€Å"Stephen Jay Gould on Science and Religion.†Quadrant Magazine 2000.     http://www.users.bigpond.com/russellblackford/gould.htm Bohlin, Raymond G. and Kerby J. Anderson. â€Å"The Straw God of Stephen Gould†Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation 35.1 1983: 42-44. Gould, Stephen Jay. â€Å"Nonmoral Nature,†1984. Hen’s Teeth and Horse’s Toes: Further Reflections in Natural History. New York: W.W. Norton, 1994. 32-44. Johns, Michael. â€Å"Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life.†Rev. of Rock of Ages, by Stephen Jay Gould. Emory Report 27 Sept. 1999: 52.6. Kirby,William. â€Å"On the Power, Wisdom, and Goodness of God.†The Bridgewater Treatisies. Treatise VII (1835) 2.2. The Ryrie Study Bible. New American Standard Translation. New York. New American Library, 1999. Wheeler, Gerald. â€Å"The Cruelty of Nature†Origins 2.1 1975: 32-41.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
African American and Obama Essay
In â€Å"A More Perfect Union’†, a speech given by Barack Obama, there are multiple issues addressed, with race being the biggest of them all. In Obama’s speech, his main focus is the issue of racism, and he touches on the examples of racism today and how we should cope with these problems. Obama uses various tones and experiences in both his life and the lives of others as well, to portray his thoughts on the subject. Obviously in a speech about racism given by an African American man, there are going to be mixed responses portrayed by the audience, and I think those mixed reactions are exactly what was occurring in the audience. As being part of that audience, I think Obama did an exceptional job of showing how racism is still present today, not only towards African Americans, but every other race as well. In â€Å"A More Perfect Union†, Obama not only talks about the conventional types of racism consisting of whites and blacks, but also that of all the other ethnicities we have in this country. As a result of doing this Obama presents all these issues fairly and unbiased, without concentrating too much on which form of racism applies to him the most, which would be racism towards African Americans. He makes a case that there is also racism towards Caucasian Americans, which is not usually thought of when dealing with prejudice amongst groups of ethnicities. By doing this, Obama really shows that he is presenting his concerns equally, and is no way biased towards a certain group or race in his speech. Obama talks about different types of experiences of racism in his life that many other young African American men and woman might have also experienced. And since he has such a rich cultural family, with many different ethnicities, he makes his life relatable to almost every race in America. The points he uses in his speech are both realistic and appropriate towards the audience that he is addressing, which are the voters of America. Obama had a very valid point which I think intrigued many people, when he spoke of his family situation. He explained his family background and all the different ethnicities that were intertwined within his family tree, including his white grandmother. Just like any other grandson, he loved his grandmother and she loved him no matter what her views on racism were. By presenting this background Obama made it clear that race was no boundary when it came to family life, so why could this not be the case between associates in every day life. I think this story of his grandmother is one of the most vital points in the speech. Most everyone in the audience can relate because mostly everyone in the audience would probably of had a grandmother that they loved as Obama did. Out of everyone in the audience who had a grandmother, I would almost guarantee they would love the same even if they were a different color or race, which is the point Obama is trying to make here. While Obama was giving this speech he had a very distinct tone, which I think was made known to everyone who had heard it. Listening to the speech, I couldn’t help but think of his tone as sad and disappointed. Also I think it was clear that Obama was very disappointed when it came to his feelings regarding his very own Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and rightly so. When talking about active racism going on in a country like America today, there should be no feelings other than disgust and disappointment. I believe that it didn’t take long for the audience to pick up on Obama’s tone for the speech, and henceforth this tone set the stage for the rest of the speech. Obama used his tone to his advantage when speaking and, really helped him make a more emotional speech when talking to his audience. Obama used various different tones and examples when giving his speech to the American people. The reason he did this, was to try to connect with all the different types of audiences he was addressing. Obviously he was addressing the American people, but there are many sub groups within the American people. Obama made sure to speak of racism toward African Americans, as well as other ethnicities, including Caucasian, to eliminate any bias there was when giving the speech as an African American male. Doing this was very important when giving this speech, because if all the different different audiences weren’t addressed, it would automatically be assumed that this African American man, was speaking towards his race only, and therefore isn’t taking into account the rest of the American people. If the audience would of reacted to this speech, I would assume they would think that Obama is not only an unfit candidate for president, but a morally challenged American as well. Obama’s â€Å"A More Perfect Union Speech†, was not just a speech, but a message to all of the American people that we will not succumb to racism today, as we had in the past. By addressing America in this way, I think he gained a lot of respect from people that otherwise wouldn’t have even considered voting for him in his presidential campaign. In his speech he brings up many concerns that we had as a country, and I think that he addressed those concerns as well as anybody could of. Obama presented a lot of valid points, and showed to America that he had many insightful experiences that qualified him to be a successful leader in a country such as the United States. â€Å"A More Perfect Union†, really set the stage for the new movement against racism, by giving this speech Obama changed the view of many Americans’ on the subject of racism, and I think that is exactly what Americans needed to realize.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
The Legacy Of Kanye West - 1343 Words
Throughout history, the biggest reforms in government, philosophy, and behavior have been made by freethinking and outspoken people. People such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela changed the world with their actions and words. While others, including Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Walt Disney implement their talents to business to change the world. All are spoken highly of and are highly regarded. One name that is wrongly not considered for this list is Kanye West. Kanye West is an intelligent person whose actions and outbursts, despite the media’s attempts to make them look incoherent and uncivilized, actually come from a place of goodwill and promote a platform of free thinking. With twenty-one Grammy’s and fifty-seven nominations, Kanye West is often regarded as one of the most influential and important artists of our time (The GRAMMYs 2). But many believe he is a musical fluke, who seeks attention and controversy. West first broke into the music ind ustry by producing beats under the guidance of famous hip hop producer No I.D. (â€Å"The Mentor†1). After his highly praised groundbreaking album, The College Dropout, was released, Kanye quickly found himself in the spotlight. His second album, Late Registration, was met also met with critical acclaim. With his recent successes and connection to the youth of America, West took an opportunity to help the people affected by Hurricane Katrina by appearing on TV alongside Michael Myers for a Red Cross event.Show MoreRelatedBiography Of Kanye Omari West On His Intensity And His Genius At Writing Music845 Words  | 4 PagesKanye Omari West, who was beloved for his intensity and his genius at writing music, was born in Atlanta, Georgia, June 8th, 1987. West had a difficult childhood which made him stronger as a person and in turn made him more motivated to succeed. His success motivated many other artists to follow in his footsteps and pursue art as careers. 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Many modern listeners will recognize Charles’s song from Kanye West’s 2005 hit â€Å"Gold Digger.†However, while in the original version Charles sings about a very supportive woman who helps him out in many ways, West sings about a woman who is after a man for his money. Similar to â€Å"I Got a Woman,†Charles’s Hit the Road Jack magnificently combined multiple genres such as rock, soul,Read MoreEssay on John Singletons Boyz in the Hood1263 Words  | 6 PagesBoyz in the Hood is a statement of how urban youth have been passed a legacy of tragic indifference, and the writer has shown that it is an almost inescapable fate for those born into racism and poverty to repeat the patterns they wish to escape. The movie’s characters are clear representations of how the system fails young black youth in the United States, and the difference one mentor can make for these kids. During segregation young black children became targets for white brutality. This movieRead MoreThe Problem Of Mental Illness858 Words  | 4 PagesMajenneh Sengbe is taking action as the co-founder of her upcoming organization Black Minds Daily. Black Minds Daily started in honor of a late friend of mine that committed suicide... so I created this [organization] in honor of her to continue her legacy in some way and to bring awareness to mental health within black communities, Sengbe says. Black Minds Daily an independent, organization that focuses on ending the negative stigma of mental health and mental illnesses within the black communityRead MorePop Queen Rihann An Overview1405 Words  | 6 Pageswas another way of glamour that attracted millions of listeners and viewers on YouTube. When Rihanna releases a song, it is almost a guarantee for the song to hit the chart and the producers and record label knows that she already have fulfilled the legacy in the music industry. However, Drake is another solo male artist who is highly liked by the mass audiences. While these two artists has collaborated in the past, Adorno states that glamor is necessary when popular music is produced. In order forRead MoreThe Contributions Of Michael Jackson1299 Words  | 6 PagesSong,†â€Å"You Are Not Alone,†â€Å"Black or White,†and â€Å"Human Nature†were his most influential songs aside from the two mentioned earlier. Many artists were influence d by Michael Jackson. Very Popular performers like Usher, Justin Bieber, Beyoncà ©, and Kanye West were strongly influenced by Michael Jackson. While attempting to â€Å"heal the world†and influence his audience, Jackson was also an amazing entertainer. Jackson first started in a group with his brothers called the Jackson 5. The Jackson 5 was a
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