The Mystery of Evil Found in Job Essay - 1467 Words

The existence of famine, war, disease, and other distasteful aspects of humanity pose a tough, insistent question as to why God chose to create evil. As an infinitely powerful creator, surely a morally perfect God can and should create a world where evil does not exist in the first place. To propose otherwise seems to paint God as a malevolent being who apparently takes joy in watching the chaos. Bernard Leikind (2010) is a physicist who published an article that paints a representation of the mystery of evil as seen by most non-believers. In his article, Leikind uses the Old Testament biblical figure Job to support a malevolent God who just as easily gives as he takes away. He references Job 38:1-4 (NIV): Then the Lord spoke to Job out of†¦show more content†¦As an agnostic, Ehrman represents the agnostic perspective. To address the mystery of evil, it is important to address this viewpoint as agnosticism does not effectively handle the question of the mystery of evil. There is an understandably stout yearning in almost all humans, despite their beliefs, to hope that pain and misery has definitive purpose, especially a purpose that makes sense in the context of our own existence. The desire to place suffering with purpose has repeatedly lead cultures to seek out and worship gods (or the God) in return for safekeeping in times of calamity. This strong desire, in the face of such travesty, is often given as evidence as to why the supernatural exists, or rather is created by humans. The desire to seek out God for protection should not and cannot be misconstrued with the certainty of the divine. God does not offer protection from the depths of misfortune, but healing in his uncon ditional love and self-sacrifice. Joseph Conrad (1897) offers this explanation, â€Å"What makes mankind tragic is not that they are victims of nature, it is that they are conscious of it. To be part of the animal kingdom under the conditions of this earth is very well—but as soon as you know your slavery, the pain, the anger, the strife, the tragedy begins.† In light of Conrad’s observation, Ehrman seems petulant, railing against what he feels is fair and what is not fair, blamingShow MoreRelatedBible Study: Lessons Learnt from Job Suffering756 Words   |  3 PagesJobs suffering Job and his friends were not aware that his (Job) suffering was inflicted by the devil who sought permission from the Lord to test the faithfulness of Job towards God. After Job suffered the loss of all his children and possession as well as well as being afflicted with sores all over his body, his friends Zophar, Bildad and Eliphaz sought to find meaning as to why all this occurrences. They tried to explain that it was because of sin that God punished man; this being a key argumentRead MoreHeart Of Darkness Critical Analysis1409 Words   |  6 PagesBiographical information about the author: Joseph Conrad was an orphan by 12 years old. His parents died as a result spent in exile in Siberia. He began his first job at the age of 17, being a sailor. He eventually began to sail British ships and became a British citizen. He enjoyed writing stories while he sailed and made money that he used to take care of his kids and ill wife with. Information about the literary period: The literary period was early modernism. Modernism refers to the forms,Read MoreThe Shining By Stephen King1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe Shining, a novel written by Stephen King followed by a film directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1980 is a horror/thriller narrative filled with many mysteries of its own. Initially, The Shining portrays itself as an average â€Å"The house is haunted but no one believes me† story. However, as the plot progresses we learn that there is much more that goes into the big picture. At its core, the narrative is about isolation, psychological problems, alcoholism, and the suspense of an impending doom. JackRead MoreChupacabra1311 Words   |  6 Pagesevidence has provided. I. Sightings of the Chupacabra have been reported all over Mexico and Southern Texas. II. The Chupacabra has been hunted for centuries. III. Local scientists have recently debunked the mystery of the Chupacabra. Restated Thesis: even with all the new found evidence which shows the Chupacabra to be just a myth, some will continue not to believe what science has proven. The Truth about Mexico’s mythical Chupacabra creature The Chupacabra or â€Å"Goat Sucker† has beenRead More Herman Melvilles Billy Budd as Allegory of Good versus Evil1327 Words   |  6 PagesHerman Melvilles Billy Budd as Allegory of Good versus Evil Herman Melvilles Billy Budd relates an allegory of innocence versus evil by symbolizing Billy Budd, John Claggart, and Captain Vere as Jesus Christ, Lucifer, and God. The protagonist in the novel is Billy Budd.   The experiences that Billy undergoes throughout the novel parallel what Jesus Christ endured in his life.   Melville characterizes Billy Budd as an innocent man physically and mentally.   The first feature sailors wouldRead More Biography of Edgar Allen Poe and His Poetry Essay1060 Words   |  5 PagesAllan Poe -------------------------------------------------------- Edgar Allan Poe was born on 19 January 1809 in Boston and passed away on 7 October in Baltimore. His poems and short tales are considered original and usually have a tinge of mystery in them. Edgar Allan Poe produced important literacy criticisms. Edgar Allan Poe’s parents, David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins died when he was only three years old. His parents were touring actors. After his parents’ death, John AllanRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Job As A Work On Human Suffering And Divine Sovereignty1678 Words   |  7 PagesOver the past centuries, scholars have regarded the book of Job as the seminal and quintessential work on human suffering and divine sovereignty. It has influenced the perspectives of both authors and philosophers for millennia. To some of the greatest writers of the past few centuries, the book of Job is presumed as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, literary work, especially on the topic of theodicy. When regarding the book of Job, Victor Hugo stated, â€Å"Tomorrow, if all literature was toRead MoreEvil : Horror Or Hoax?893 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"You know evil from experiencing it† (â€Å"Amityville: Horror or Hoax†) George Lutz made a very convincing statement about his experiences facing an â€Å"evil† presence that tormented his family which he spoke very in very great detail on an episode of History’s Mysteries documentary show when they featured the show â€Å"Amityville: Horror or Hoax. Although it is logical to assume that the force of evil â€Å"is diabolical and preordained reflects a view of the world in which mysterious, unseen forces are lockedRead MoreEssay on The Usual Suspects by Christopher McQuarrie1137 Words   |  5 Pagessuccessful film grossing over $51 million worldwide. The storyline is a crime mystery thriller the genre has a set of conventions, they create a high level of anticipation, uncertainty, mystery and nerve-wracking tension. They also help the audience understand the film more easily and know what to expect from it. It also helps make sure that the audience will enjoy the violence, suspense and mystery the film contains having seen similar films in the past. The manipulationRead MoreInternet Trolls: The Few ‘Bad Eggs’ 737 Words   |  3 Pagesconjures an image of an ugly misshapen creature, feeding on fear, an evil being intent on doing damage. Modern trolls are such creatures. They prowl the Internet, looking for the vulnerable. Trolls are bullies. They spark anger and hostility through degrading or rude comments and posts on news feeds. They typically remain unnamed, hiding behind anonymous usernames or handles to spout their damaging words. Internet trolls can be found on a variety of websites. There are many heated topics up for debate

Hsbc Critical Analysis Csr - 2265 Words

Introduction Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Holdings PLC (HSBC) is ranked 46th on the Fortune 500 company listing in 2011 (Fortune 500 2011). With an international presence of offices and establishments in leading financial cities (Scott Mark 2008) such as New York, London, Zurich, Sydney and Tokyo, HSBC provides an array of financial services to approximately 89 Million customers. As one of the largest banking and financial service organizations in the world, HSBC values their commitment to all their stakeholders (HSBC 2012). HSBC believes that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a dictum that their organization and all its constituents live by (â€Å"CSR is engrained in HSBC’s corporate DNA† 2006). Therefore, in addition†¦show more content†¦During the 5-year course of the project, through HSBC’s support together with their partners, were able to engage and complete a list of environmental projects. One example would be Project Living Yangtze. Together with WWF, Project Living Yangtze (Living Yangtze 2012), located in China helped 120,000 fish farmers to increase their income by approximately 30% as well as rejuvenate the lush water foliage (â€Å"HSBC Climate Partnership† 2011) during Phase 1. Phase 2 saw the completion of the connection of 50 lakes to the Yangtze River that has since benefitted about 20 Million inhabitants near the lake. In another CSR effort, Project Climate Champions saw 2,233 employees from HSBC at one of five regional climate centers where these employees had to work together with Earthwatch scientists to understand how climate change affects natural resources (â€Å"HSBC Climate Partnership† 2011). Although HSBC’s Climate Partnership efforts have seen significant initial success, with the project already at a close, the sustainability of this partnership is unknown. With HSBC pulling out after their 5-year project has wrapped up, there could be issues with enforcement and compliance to the processes put in place during the partnership. InShow MoreRelatedCorporate Social Responsibility of Hsbc2219 Words   |  9 PagesAbout HSBC Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) is one of the largest banking and financial services organizations in the world. We are the worlds local bank. Headquarter: London Network: HSBCs international network comprises around 8,000 offices in 88 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. Shareholders: With listings on the London, Hong Kong, New York, Paris and Bermuda stock exchanges, shares in HSBC Holdings plc are heldRead MoreOverview of Barclays Bank PLC2556 Words   |  10 Pagescountries and has about 140,000 of employees. 1.1 Barclays Purpose and Values Barclays has its own set of values and culture within which every Barclays entity operates. As such, it has recently announced its new Purpose and Values globally, which is critical so that it can maintain and sustain its reputation in the competitive market. Every employee shall respect and adhere to those values. In addition, the bank also has a code of conduct, containing all ethical and professional matters which are importantRead MoreGreen Washing and Its Effects on Consumer Perspectives3489 Words   |  14 Pagesinformation about their environmental policies without any restrictions hence they can provide misleading information at will. The final reason why green washing is common is that government action and regulation is still pending. An analysis by HSBC on passed and pending economic stimulus packages of 15 countries reported that over US $3 trillion is intended to stimulate economies for the next ten years (Bazzillier Vauday, 2009). A large percentage of this money will support environmentalRead MoreArticle: Performance Appraisal and Performance Management35812 Words   |  144 Pagesothers for determining wage rates. In the 1940s behavioural methods were developed using a motivational approach. These included behavioural anchored rating scales (BARS), behavioural observation scales (BOS), behavioural evaluation scales (BES), critical incident, and job simulation. All these judgments were used to determine the specific levels of performance criteria to specific issues such as customer service and rated in factors such as â€Å"excellent†, â€Å"average†, â€Å"need to improve† or  "poor†. Post-1945Read MoreBpi Strategic Management Report11182 Words   |  45 Pagesbusiness. Now they celebrate their 160th anniversary, as an icon in the Asia Finance, not just only for being the oldest commercial banking institution in Asia but also as the prime mover in the development of markets and industries. II. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS Philippine banks generate more than 18% from corporate banking and over 48% from investment banking and treasury,despite efforts to diversify into retail banking which contribute around 34% to total income. This is even lower than compared to 5Read MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 Pagesapplicable to practice. We continue to take a balanced approach in the eighth edition of International Management: Culture, Strategy, and Behavior. Whereas other texts stress culture, strategy, or behavior, we feel that our emphasis on all three critical dimensions and the resulting synergy has been a primary reason why the previous editions have been the market-leading international management text. Specifically, v vi Preface this edition has the following chapter distribution: environmentRead MoreBarclaycard11748 Words   |  47 PagesContents Barclaycard Case Report and Summary Critical Issues †¢ Current Performance o Financial Performance o Customer Performance o Internal Current Performance o Internal Long-term Performance †¢ External Environment Analysis o STEP Analysis o Porters Five Forces o External Factor Analysis o Industry Analysis (Porter) o Competitor Analysis o Competitive Intelligence †¢ Internal Environment Analysis o Internal Factor Analysis o Organizational Culture o Organization Key successRead MoreThe Financial System of Bangladesh4855 Words   |  20 PagesIn order to achieve its mission, MRA has set itself the task to attain the following goals: †¢ To formulate as well as implement the policies to ensure good governance and transparent financial systems of MFIs. †¢ To conduct in-depth research on critical microfinance issues and provide policy inputs to the government consistent with the national strategy for poverty eradication. †¢ To provide training of NGO-MFIs and linking them with the broader financial market to facilitate sustainable resourcesRead Morepaul hoang answers72561 Words   |  291 PagesCorporate and organizational culture [7 – 8 marks] There is a sound discussion of the factors that contribute to effective leadership, some of which are beyond the control of the leader. Appropriate terminology is used and there is evidence of critical thinking. [5 – 6 marks] The discussion is sound but may be unbalanced and/or lack depth in areas. There is little, if any, evidence of an attempt to evaluate the issue. [3 – 4 marks] The answer is descriptive and lacks depth/coherence. At theRead MoreCase 29 Panera Bread Company: Rising Fortunes?25159 Words   |  101 Pagesscholarships. And, we take very seriously our responsibility to positively influence our supply chain so that it is healthier, safer and more sustainable. 2. Creating a Great Place To Work * At Maxis, we have always said that our employees are critical to our success. We regard leadership as an essential part of our business, especially to fulfil our goals to be the premier integrated communications service provider in Malaysia. Therefore, we invest significantly in leadership development and training

Ideological Conflict And Political Polarization - 2143 Words

Ralph Mehitang Political Science 102 Professor Robinson November 28, 2016 Polarization In America Ideological Conflict is defined as the mental, verbal, or physical manifestation of rivalry between people that share opposing world views. Political polarization relates to when a person’s view and stance on a topic, law, issue or particular group of people is stringently defined by their identification with a particular political party or ideology. Ever since the 1960s ideological conflict and political polarization have evolved as more factors have come into play. Examples of important factors that have fueled the evolution of these two topics are abortion, the death penalty, gay marriage, gun control, illegal immigration, Euthanasia, drug, war, and religion. These factors are important topics that over the years have caused the evolution of ideological conflict and political polarization and have caused such divide amongst the people of America when it comes to their views and stance on specific things. In my opinion I believe to the utmost degree that ideological conflict and political polarization poses a major threat to the effective functioning of the democracy in America today. Political polarization today is on a completely different level than what it was 30-50 years. It’s safe to say that the 1960s were bad, other than during the the civil war the country had never been so divided ideologically. The government was facing debates over civil rightsShow MoreRelatedThe Growing Ideological Gap Between The United States’1592 Words   |  7 PagesThe growing ideological gap between the United States’ two major political parties, in other words, rising levels of political polarization, has had a negative impact on American politics as it results in Congressional inefficient, public apathy, and economic inequality. The United States has maintained its two party system for some time, but the major parties have not always been so clearly separated. In the early and mid-twentieth century, polarization was actually declining, as there was muchRead MoreAmerican Politics And The United States Congress Essay952 Words   |  4 Pagesto understand the causes of increasing partisanship and polarization in the United States Congress. Since the 1970s, the ideological positions of the two major U.S. parties, the Democratic and Republican parties, have widened (Abramowitz and Saunders, 2008; Levendusky; 2010). This ideological divide also promotes a perception among the American public that Congress has increasingly become ineffective and polarized to a point where political parties in government no longer compromise on policy forRead MoreTo persuade my audience that a parliamentary system is useful in the US. I. Introduction A.1200 Words   |  5 PagesMain Points: What problems revolve with Political Polarization and whom does it begin with? Who influences Political Polarization? Who does Political Polarization effect? What does Political Polarization affect? What possible solutions are there to resolve Political Polarization? II. In a multi-party system like the US, government officials in Congress are not reaching agreement on issues that matter to the public which has become known as political polarization, or partisanship. A. (Definition) defineRead MorePolarization in Congress: A Dichotomy of Unity and Division within the Legislative Branch991 Words   |  4 PagesPolarization in Congress: A Dichotomy of Unity and Division within the Legislative Branch POLARIZATION OVERVIEW: Polarization occurs when members of both political parties consistently vote along ideological lines. Ideological differences in Congress today are quite staggering. Congressmen have increasingly been moving away from moderate stances and adhering more to party ideologies. The issue with polarization arises when there are two incredibly differing ideologies where both sides feelRead MoreThe Spanish Civil War: A Microcosm of the Polarization of European Politics1566 Words   |  7 PagesTo what extent did the Spanish Civil War represent a microcosm of the polarization of European politics between the Right and the Left? The Spanish Civil War is the name given to the struggle between loyalist and nationalist Spain for dominance in which the nationalists won and suppressed the country for the following thirty nine years. However, because of the larger political climate that the Spanish Civil War occurred in, it is impossible to view the war as a phenomenon contained within oneRead MorePolarization in Us Politics1665 Words   |  7 Pagespolitics is becoming more polarized. If so, is this a reaction to the polarization of political elites? Approx 1500 words 13/12/10 The election of 2008... marked the end of an epoch. No longer could Republicans count on the basic conservatism of the American people, the reflexive hostility to candidates who favour big government (Darman, 2010, 34) In the 1970s and 1980s there was a consensus that the importance of political parties was in decline, that the shared conservative ideology ofRead MoreCulture War By Morris Fiorina2000 Words   |  8 Pagesbook, Culture War by Morris Fiorina, his political stance on Americans not being polarized has not been caused by a growing significance of the political parties today, rather a change in the government over the years. He believes that the two parties, Democrat, and Republican are the most polarized while the public is not. Abramowitz argues that there is no polarized relationship between the American people and the political parties. He believes the polarization is reflected through those who are politicallyRead MoreExamining Low Young Voter Turnout1193 Words   |  5 Pagesyoung voter turnout being disproportionately lower, the impact we have on our government policy’s also disproportionate, or as world renowned Political Scientist Dr. Arend Lijphart puts it â€Å"uneq ual participation means unequal influence.† (Lijphart). The Causes The three main factors effecting young voter turnout are: Civic Education, Political Polarization, and Voter Registration. Civic Education Civic Education’s important because it helps familiarize young people with our electoral and governmentRead MoreSpanish Civil War1918 Words   |  8 Pagescourtesy of the Great Depression, so naturally unemployment rates were high and wages were low. Ideological differences between various political groups were in existence due to the radicalized time, however not to the extent as in most other European nations at the time as Spain was not as heavily involved in or impacted by WWI. On top of this, Spain had been rife with regional, economic, and social conflict for decades. These factors, although minor in the context of the causes of the Spanish civilRead MoreCulture War By Morris Fiorina6419 Words   |  26 Pagescovers perspectives on abortion, homosexuality, and whether or not electoral cleavages have shifted. A large point of Fiorina’s is his take on the 2004 election. He ends the book with, how did our great nation get to this position of proclaimed polarization, and how do we improve from here? In chapter 1, Morris Fiorina begins the book by describing the fiery dispute between Pat Buchanan and George H. W. Bush. He segues these two politicians battling it out in strong disagreement into the cultural

Key Concepts of Religious Experience as an Argument for...

Key Concepts of Religious Experience as an Argument for the Existence of God The argument is of an a posterioi nature, therefore it is inductive. This means the argument uses data and evidence from which conclusions are drawn. The argument of experience must involve a sense of encounter, the experience of the encounter therefore has been seen, felt and sensed and therefore making the experience exist to us (Hume). These experiences seem to be widespread throughout society and therefore can be claimed to be a normal occurrence. David Hay in his book The Spiritual Experience of the British in 1979 his findings are counter-intuitive, his findings show that roughly 50% of the sample reported having†¦show more content†¦The religious experiences have to be interpreted, this gives the possibility that interpretations will be different and that these interpretations will be personal. The interpretations result in the reliability of the experiences to be questioned, also it can be argued that the experience is just an interpretation, and that this interpr etation can change. We could argue that some people are justified in interpreting their experiences religiously whilst others are justified in presenting alternative explanations for the same phenomenon. Another problem is that we know our senses can be deceived, for example Optical Illusions, this implies that perhaps religious experiences are just illusions. There are 2 possible outcomes, one is that the interpretation is of Reality I think therefore I am (Descartes) or it is of an opposite nature When a man tells me God has spoken to him in a dream†¦ it is no more than to say he dreamed God spoke to him. Richard Swinburnes principle of Credulity and Testimony, help to support peoples interpretations of experiences by stating that people who make such claims have a right to be taken seriously. If a recipient of such an experience is normally a person who is sincere and trustworthy, the likelihood is that their testimony has strong credibility. Religious experiences are rational proof of a belief in religion/Gods existence.Show MoreRelatedThe Argument for the Existence of God Essay1159 Words   |  5 PagesThe Argument for the Existence of God It is an undisputed fact that some people claim to have experienced God. It is these religious experiences that have been used by philosophers to argue for the existence of God. The main way of expressing the argument from religious experience is as follows: P1 Someone experiences an entity C1 The entity exists P2 Someone has experienced God C2 God exists Those who champion the argument seek to differentiate ordinary Read MoreThe Possibility of Proving the Existence of God Using Inductive and Deductive Arguments1222 Words   |  5 PagesThe Possibility of Proving the Existence of God Using Inductive and Deductive Arguments Many philosophers have attempted to prove the existence of God, although there is no argument as yet which proves without any doubt that God exists. A proof is the demonstration that something is true or, in this case, that God exists. There are 3 types of proof; direct, deductive, and inductive. A direct proof is when something is immediately obvious, so therefore, it cannot be usedRead MorePropelling Rational Thought Over Compelling Empiricism1459 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophy 02-09-2016 In this paper I intend to examine the rationalist philosophy of Rene Descartes and fundamental empiricism of John Locke’s philosophical arguments, in particular their ideas relating to the science of man, his identity and attempt to explain distinctions between the two. As I lay the framework of my argument it is important to understand the precepts that serve as the underpinning for the views considered by Descartes and Locke respectively. Rationalism and empiricismRead MoreProposed Seven Philosophers On The Existence Of God And Their Development Of These Ideas1413 Words   |  6 Pagesideas on the existence of God and their development of these ideas. St. Augustine s epistemology is rationalization. In his argument for the existence of God, he is referring to varying degrees of perfection otherwise know as, an Ontological argument. He believed that in pursuing truth, it would lead to the epicenter of all truth, God. Upon his pursuit of truth, he began to further develop his philosophy that all things whether that be knowledge, humanity or the world all have a religious significanceRead MoreEssay about Nominalism1456 Words   |  6 Pagesmaintains, only with propositions, not with things as such, since the object of science is not what is but what is known. Things, too, are always singular, while science has to do with general concepts, which as such exist only in the human mind. Scotus had deduced the objective existence of universals from the concepts originated under the operation of the objects. Ockham, on the other hand, asserts that no universal is a substance existing outside of the mind, and proves it by a variety of keen logicalRead MoreA Higher Power1392 Words   |  6 Pagesconceivable notion of revolution and compromise is entirely ignored. Perhaps the dispute should reflect upon not the existence of who, but what the higher power is that guides such a spiritual populace. Since the beginning of human history, mankind has found great assurance in the idea that somewhere, somehow, there exists a presence that watches over them and guides their every action. This concept instills confidence in the life choices of those who practice it and has appeared in many aspects of historyRead MoreAnalysis Of Alexander Pope s The Enlightenment 1411 Words   |  6 Pagesconfined to the eighteenth century, wherein scientific knowledge and method proliferated under the belief that all knowledge is achievable by man. Opening the gateway to modern philosophy, ‘The Enlightenment’ aimed to explore the nature of human existence, being dubbed as an age of reason. ‘Reason’ is defined as man’s judgement that is, as Creighton explains, ‘held in mind by one who would be freed from the bondage of the emotions’ and must, therefore, differentiate his own reason from the ‘hinderance’Read MoreSeparation Of Church And State1 717 Words   |  7 PagesSeparation of Church and State Separation of church and state has long been regarded as a foundation of American democracy. At the same time, the concept has remained highly controversial in the popular culture and law. Much of the debate over the application and meaning of the phrase focuses on its historical antecedents. The reason I chose this specific topic is due to the fact I’m a devout Christian and I also have strong interest in political science. In this paper I will briefly explain someRead MoreThe Theory Of Reincarnation And The Soul1147 Words   |  5 PagesThe Argument Stating Reincarnation Exists In this paper I show reincarnation to exist. My arguments for reincarnation to be possible are as followed. Many different religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism believe it to be true and have many examples showing the possibility. Depending on the religion, reincarnation can range from souls just traveling to other bodies or animals, seeking to fulfill life lessons. Also, looking at child prodigies, how can one explain the utter talent with no previousRead MoreMaterial and Ideational Relations Between Humanity and Its Environment1332 Words   |  6 PagesThe concept of a continuum of material and ideational relations between humanity and its environment requires a nuanced approach which avoids generalizations. I theorize that one cannot argue the greater importance of either the material of ideational aspect without making dangerous assumptions. While some scholars may theorize that it is mankinds religious and ethical worldviews which shape the environment, there is also strong evidence supporting the idea of humanitys technologies and surroundings

Sex education Essay Example For Students

Sex education Essay Sex Education is Ineffective Perhaps one of the most controversial issues arising today is that of sex education in Americas public school system. In todays world, where information travels at the speed of light and mass media is part of our everyday lives, teenagers are more exposed to this world than ever before. In this country, teens have access to television, newspapers, and of course, internet. Sometimes, teenagers can misinterpret what they see in the media regarding sex and make unwise decisions, such as having unprotected sex. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and teenage pregnancies is a growing problem in the U. S. Every year, one million girls aged 15 to 19 become pregnant each year in this country alone (Schools Skimping 13). Sex education was introduced to help solve the problem of STDs and teen pregnancies by giving teenagers real facts and correct information about sex. Teenagers can therefore make wise and safe choices about sex. However, there are major flaws in sex education. While it is extremely important to educate teenagers about sex and sexuality, putting sex education in the American educational system in not the correct solution. Sex education is flawed in that it is ineffective when it comes to lowering teenage pregnancies and STDs because sex education programs leave out important information, teachers who teach it are unqualified, and because teenagers are more greatly affected by their parents, peers, and popular media than by their teachers. There is a myth that sex education provides teenagers with good and important information. Sex education supposedly gives students the means to make responsible and wise decisions. Pamela DeCarlo, from the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, is a firm believer in sex education, and believes it must be taught in order to reduce the spread of STDs and teenage pregnancies (DeCarlo). According an article in USA Today, however, Congress passed in 1996 a legislation allocating two hundred and fifty million dollars to fund sex education programs. These programs excluded medically accurate information about birth control and STDs (Schools Skimping 13). These programs cannot possibly hope to have any significant benefits. Teenagers are deprived from getting the type of information they need about sex. The whole purpose of sex education is to educate teenagers about sex and help lower teenage pregnancies and the spread of diseases. If these so-called sex-education programs are lacking in information about birth control and STDs, then it defeats the whole purpose of having sex education in the first place. Another argument that is often made is sex education provides teenagers with the type of information that they cannot receive from a parent. The argument is that sex education provides students with qualified instructors to help answer questions that might have been too embarrassing to ask a parent. According to a Teen Talk survey taken by Durex Consumer Products, a manufacturer of condoms, teenagers are more likely to talk to their parents only about dating and relationship issues. Only about thirty percent of them talk to their parents about buying or using contraceptives (Schools Skimping 13). However, most teachers who teach sex education are unqualified. Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, vice-president of the Institute for American Values, says, Principals have to do little more than buy a sex-education curriculum and enroll the coach or home-economics teacher in a training workshop, and their school has a sex-education program (Whitehead). It is unsettling to think of how just anyone can teach a program. Workshops cannot possibly provide teachers with enough skill and expertise to adequately educate teenagers about sex. Workshops, at most, would only cover the basics, which would put teenagers at a loss if they ever wanted to know something that was not taught in the workshop. It seems that sex education is not taken very seriously, considering that math and English teachers need degrees in their respective subjects in order to teach it, whereas sex education teachers need no such requirement. Until sex education teachers are more adequately trained, the responsibility of educating teenagers about sex should lie with the parents. Since many teens may be too embarrassed to initiate a conversation about sex, the parent should be the one to bring up the subject. Although parents, too, may not .

Greatest Good for the Greatest Number free essay sample

Sandel lectures on justice throughout two episodes. Episode 1 Part one â€Å"The Moral Side of the Murder† has three cases that demonstrate how to recognize moral selflessness and cope with consequences. These cases also show us how they move us to act and the opportunities that exist from those actions. The moral rightness of these cases can maximize consequentiality moral reasoning and can also locate morality in certain duties and rights which is categorical reasoning. In the first case driving the trolley and killing one worker rather than five is not considered an act of murder according to students from Sandels discussions. The majority expressed consequentialist moral reasoning. As an onlooker on a bridge looking at the trolley, some students would not push a fat man over the bridge to save the five workers, they said that the act would be committing murder; therefore the consequences are complex and categorical. When asked about a surgeon removing five organs from one healthy individual to save the lives of five other individuals, the majority of the students did not agree to be morally correct. We will write a custom essay sample on Greatest Good for the Greatest Number or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this example the greatest number was compromised because of moral reasoning. Episode 1 Part two, â€Å"The Case for Cannibalism† is a real life story that asks the question if the four survivors of the Mignonette ship were morally justified. Brooks, Dudley, Stevens and Parker had been on a life boat for 19 days. Parker’s decision to drink the salt water put him in a vulnerable position that ended his life by cannibalism to save the rest. By day twenty-four, Brooks, Dudley and Stevens were rescued and arrested. The majority of the students agreed to try them while the minority asked the question to what degree of necessity would exonerate them. It was discussed if the three survivors would benefit the community or be a danger to society for being cannibalistic. The key point by Sandel and the students was that adding consent would make a difference in the trial. Kantian ethics was preferred instead of Bentham’s utilitarianism theory. Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill have different proposals on utilitarianism. â€Å"Jeremy Bentham identified good consequences with pleasure, which is measured in terms of intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity, and extent. John Stuart Mill argued that pleasures differ in quality as well as quantity and that the highest good involves the highest quality as well as quantity of pleasure. † There is no agreement on which theories count as consequentiality under this definition therefore skepticism will always exist. Episode 2 Part One â€Å"Putting a Price Tag on Life† was focused on Bentham’s theory of act-utilitarian. Cost benefit analysis was a huge focus on this topic. This analysis involves placing a dollar value to stand for utility. The first case took place in Czech Republic encouraging the citizens to smoke. The company Philip Morris conducted a cost benefit analysis and had the highest gain which included early death from smoking to benefit the government or other people. Decision to smoke was a qualitative risk factor since there was known probabilities. This objection to utilitarianism fails to respect individual and minority rights and is not possible to total a dollar value on human life. Another study that examined placing a dollar value on human life, was done by psychologist Edward Thorndike. He conducted a survey in the 1930’s for the purpose of placing a dollar amount with various scenarios. The choices of living in a farm in Kansas, pulling off a front tooth, cutting off a toe and eating a worm all had a value. The majority favored as the highest pleasure to live in a farm in Kansas. Episode 2 Part Two â€Å"How to Measure Pleasure† discusses the levels of pleasure. The examples of choosing the highest pleasure between Shakespeare, Simpsons or Fear Factor were based on culture and education. Students reasoned that Shakespeare voted the highest because this is presented throughout the school years. But if given a choice between Shakespeare, seasons of the Simpsons as the only pleasure for life, majority ruled I favor of Shakespeare for intellect purposes. The Simpsons for entertaining purposes were voted second and Fear Factor last. To test the highest pleasure, people would have to experience all to pick the very best. John Stuart Mill said that utility is the only standard of morality therefore you must experience both pleasures. The similarities between Episode 1 and 2, was that categorical moral reasoning was preferred. Circumstances dictated those whom decided that the greatest good was for the greatest number. In contrast, more utilitarian and consequential moral reasoning emphasis was found in Episode 1 than in episode 2. The moral of the story that philosopher Bentham suggested was that â€Å"Here in life and in death is a man who adhered to the principals of his philosophy. † References http://www. questia. com/read/1E1-utilitar/utilitarianism http://onbiostatistics. blogspot. com/2010/02/cost-benefit-analysis-put-dollar-value. html