Thursday, December 19, 2019

Argument For The Existence Of Moral Law - 1134 Words

C.S Lewis begins â€Å"Mere Christianity† with an argument for the existence of moral law. People do not argue with each other, he says because they have different standards, but because they believe someone is in violation of their shared standard. This is the moral law that permeates all cultures and all time periods. All groups have similar standards of right and wrong. Lewis then begins the next chapter by examining objections to his moral law argument. Some say that moral law is just herd instinct. However, Lewis says that when you see a man drowning you’re desire that you ought to help the man is different than mere instinct, not to mention self preservation instinct and this ought desire often clash with one another. Additionally, we often find out impulses and instincts governed by moral law. Some might say that moral law is simply a social construction, but if this is true then how do we justify our good societies, and what makes us better than the Nazi’ s is our standards are simply constructions of our own society? In the next chapter Lewis continues with human moral law. While natural laws cannot be broken human laws yet we still feel that they must be adhered to. Therefore, some grand moral law must exist. This all begs the question, says Lewis of what lies beyond the moral laws. Did it come about by chance or was there a creator? Lewis concludes that there must’ve been a God like force that set the universe in motion. Lewis implores the readerShow MoreRelatedThe Moral Argument1723 Words   |  7 PagesTHE MORAL ARGUMENT How do we explain the fact that people often refrain from immoral acts even when there is no risk of their being caught? There are many formulations of the moral argument but they all have as their starting point the phenomenon (fact) of moral conscience. In essence the moral argument poses the question: where does our conscience, our sense of morality come from if not from God? It also asserts that if we accept the existence of objective moral laws we must accept the existenceRead MoreEssay on Moral Argument for Existence of God1607 Words   |  7 PagesAll moral arguments for the existence of God work on the principle that we all have a shared sense of morality. Despite cultural differences, broadly speaking, humans worldwide have a vague idea of what is right and what is wrong; a moral argument for the existence of God would say that this mutual understanding is proof of Gods existence. Immanuel Kant put forward this argument (although, not a moral argument); God as the source of objective morality. Firstly, he addressed the categorical imperative;Read MoreThe Adequacy of the Moral Argument for Explaining the Existence of God540 Words   |  3 PagesThe Adequacy of the Moral Argument for Explaining the Existence of God The moral argument like many arguments for the existence of God comes in many different forms. All of these set out to prove God’s existence from the evidence of morality in the world. Morality is about understanding the difference between the right and wrong action in a situation, the moral person has this understanding and then acts appropriately. The moral arguments first problem or flaw is thatRead MoreThe Theory Of Evolution And Adaptation1382 Words   |  6 Pages There are three major refutations against the design argument, first she designs argument is faulted for its weak analogy between the natural objects and the objects that that is known to have a creator such as buildings. This is the equivalent of comparing apples to oranges. For the second refutation the design argument claims that everything has a perfect design, this simply isn’t the case. For example, we can examine the issues of starvation within the United States, although the world is structuredRead MoreDoes God Exist?668 Words   |  3 Pagesphilosophical argument: ontological argument, the first cause argument, the argument form design, and the moral argument. Arguments relate to the existence of God are in different forms: some focus on history, some on personal experience, some on philosophy, and some on science. These arguments are the purported proof of the existence of God. If s uccessfully, each argument supports a specific and certain conception of God. Argument I: The design argument for the existence of God. The argument from designRead MoreArgument For The Existence Of A Law Of Nature1217 Words   |  5 Pagesmajority of his argument for Christianity on the existence of a Law of Nature, or Moral Law. He argues that this is the source of the moral compass common to all of mankind and proves the existence of the Christian God. Lewis stresses the importance of this concept to explain the validity of Christian doctrine. This paper will analyze Lewis’ argument for the existence of a Law of Nature in Mere Christianity as well as â€Å"Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis† by Adam Lee, a refute of that argument. C.S. LewisRead MoreLogic, Metaphysics, Epistemology, And The Value Theory1244 Words   |  5 Pagesknowledges is deemed correct. Logic focuses on arguments within reasoning and accounts for which arguments will be successful and which arguments will fail. The special subject of logic is the breakdown of the the three Laws of Thought: the law of identity, the law of contrad iction, and the law of the excluded middle. ⠁Æ' In his work of The Problems of Philosophy, Russell explains the three laws ⠁Æ' The law of identity: whatever is, is (Russell) ⠁Æ' This law basically states that it is what it is andRead MoreReligion And Morality On The Hunt Of Finding The Author Of What We Know As Social Norms952 Words   |  4 Pagesa. C.) who states: morality and moral obligations ultimately do not depend on God. First of all, we will discuss the origin end evolution of Divine Command Theory. There are three central assumptions about the correlation between morality and religion. We may focus on one out of those three assumptions. This assumption points out that somehow there is a direct relation between a divine being and what is morally appropriate. Russ Shafer-Landua explains this argument by claiming: â€Å"Morality must beRead MoreCS Lewiss Moral Argument and the Existence of a God Essay1538 Words   |  7 PagesCS Lewis’s Moral Argument and the Existence of a God The question of whether or not God exists has been asked by billions of people since the concept of religion emerged. Many people try to explain things such as hurricanes and tornadoes as â€Å"Acts of God† or even the existence of human beings and the world itself to be â€Å"created† by an almighty power. Others claim that the harm they inflict was demanded of them by their God. CS Lewis argues that through the comprehension of standards of good andRead MoreThe Atheist Argument From Evil Essay1134 Words   |  5 Pagespossible reasons God permits evil, it seem unlikely that there are logical reasons for the huge amount of suffering the world experiences. The large amount of suffering seems to suggest that there is no God rather than an inactive one. The atheist argument from evil goes as follows: There exist horrendous evils that an all-powerful, all-knowing, perfectly good being would have no justifying reason to permit. An all-powerful, all-knowing, perfectly good being would not permit an evil unless he had a

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Colony Report free essay sample

After the Virginia Company of London was chartered to collect profit from the sales of silver and gold, they knew that a colony was needed. With one hundred forty four colonists on board, the first settlers left England on December 20th, 1606, with one goal on their mind: to find land where they would be concealed from the Spanish, seeing as they were a competitive threat to the British. After arriving, Jamestown was established as the capital of Virginia. After creating a system of government, the colony replaced it’s council with a governor in 1609. The following year, Thomas Gates, acting as the first governor in the new world, issued the divine, moral, and martial laws, which ordered all colonial men and women to attend church twice daily, even on work days, to never tell a lie, and to observe other basic rules. In the year 1611, tobacco was introduced to Virginia, which would soon become one of the main exports from the colony. The tobacco industry began when John Rolfe, a famous colonist, imported tobacco plants from Trinidad. The following year, he exported the first tobacco crop from Virginia. Tobacco soon became a leading cash crop in the colony. As much as Virginia seemed to flourish, there were many problems with the land. When all of the colonists arrived in Jamestown, they found the location to be bad for farming, and filled with disease. Once everyone was settled, the colonists united in order to make the best of the land, but still, an ordinary colonist lived in fear of illness, and Native American attack. Land ownership and farming was crucial to colonial Virginia. The colonists relied on the workers of the farm, thus beginning the growth of slavery in Virginia. This gave the wealthy farmers a way to make even more money. By the middle of the 17th century, slavery had begun. Virginia made slavery legal in 1662. Slaves were mistreated on the plantations. Slaves did the most difficult jobs like planting, weeding, and harvesting tobacco, with minimal breaks. The colonial Virginia government was created in favor of the wealthy men. The legalization of slavery is one thing that demonstrates the government’s support of the wealthy landowners. The wealthy farmers and landowners lived an easy life. Growing cash crops to supply the colony as well as many places around the world, may not have been an easy task, but only the slaves had to do the difficult part and were unpaid. Because of the General Assembly (created in 1619), men on the council were selected from the gentry. The men of the gentry were mostly the wealthy land speculators, who bought land, and sold it for a higher price. The men of the assembly used their power to vote themselves large salaries and raise the taxes on the small farmers. This made the lives of the small farmers and landowners miserable. The poor farmers had the land on the frontier. This land was basically on top of the border that divided the land of the Natives from Virginia. Like the wealthy plantation owners, small landowners were spaced far apart from their neighbors. The 1670’s brought dispute between the gentry and the freedmen. Since the farms were on the frontier, this also brought dispute with the Natives and they began to raid the frontier. Because the wealthy farmers set up their farms behind the frontier, their land remained intact, but the land of the poor farmers was ruined. Since most of the farmers practiced subsistence farming and relied on the farm to live, this was a big problem. In the year 1670, the people who lived on the frontier asked the governor William Berkeley to send a military officer to protect their land, but he denied their request. This made the rest of the farmers furious, including a member of the council named Nathaniel Bacon. Bacon owned a large plantation on the frontier. He strongly believed that â€Å"all Indians in general were all enemies. † Bacon was infuriated, so he stepped forward to lead them when Berkeley refused. He would not take no as an answer. Most colonists agreed with Bacon, and in September of 1676, Bacon and his followers marched to Jamestown. Berkeley fled, and Bacon burned the town down, killing all Natives that came in their way. His followers robbed the plantations. Berkeley charged Bacon and the followers with treasons, which is a crime of betraying one’s country or hometown; a crime punishable by death. Bacon led his group to the land outside Jamestown, where he issued a Declaration of the People, against Berkeley and his government. Bacon demanded tax reductions and improved land for freedmen. The 18th century was still limited for Virginia. In 1699, Williamsburg was established as the capital of Virginia. In the year 1711, skills were developed in order to thrive on the frontier. Soon the tidewater region became densely settled. The land was vastly expanding. In 1716, Governor Alexander Spotswood and friends discovered fertile land in the Blue Ridge mountains. The land was soon turned into farming. Twice a year, Virginians who had something to discuss with the government left their plantations to Williamsburg for an event called â€Å"Publick Times. † These times were not easy for the merchants and poor farmworkers. They were ordered to remain working for the wealthy men and their families. Years after Bacon died, his legacy lived on. He wished for the poor and the wealthy farmers to be treated equally, and receive the same land rights. His act of rebellion inspired many small farmers affected by the selfish acts of the government. As stated before, the poor farmers lived a difficult life. They took the frontier, and were used as a shield for the wealthy. They weren’t able to be part of the gentry, and were not allowed to speak their minds to the government, which was biased to the wealthy men. Nathaniel Bacon stood for the poor farmers, because he believed that the government did not care about them, since Berkeley refused to help them. The Virginia government was in favor of the wealthy men who had all of the power, as demonstrated by numerous historical events.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Stagecraft in The Tempest Essay Example

Stagecraft in The Tempest Paper Stagecraft is a theatrical term referring to the technical parts of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes, constructing and rigging scenery, hanging and focusing of lighting, design and shape of costumes, makeup, and recording and mixing of sound. Stagecraft is the part that differentiates a book from a play, or alternatively, the ability to make a story more realistic. Stage directions are one of the stagecrafts that a director would have to use in The Tempest. Stage directions are very important as without them it would just be like someone reading out a poem in a hall. A director has to think of stage directions for every single line. I will just give an example of a few in Act IIIii. On lines 2-3, Stephano says servant monster, drink to me. Over here it is obvious what Caliban has to do. There are many things that a director has to think about when Stephano says this line. He has to provide a bottle for Caliban to drink from and he has to command the actor to exaggeratedly drink and then maybe stagger around away from the bottle with a pained look on his face. Props are also very important as they make things more realistic to an audience than just pretending to drink out of nothing. We will write a custom essay sample on Stagecraft in The Tempest specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Stagecraft in The Tempest specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Stagecraft in The Tempest specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This line is an example of an integrated stage direction, which makes it easier to make an action for the characters as the action is in the line of a play that the character is reading. In this line, it is more amusing to see it in a play rather than reading it in a book as an account of people clowning around is less funny than watching people clowning around. The next line, which is integrated stage directions as well, is when Caliban says on line 21 Let me lick thy shoe, over here Caliban has crossed over the line of normality and people would prefer to see this than read about it. People find it funny to watch someone doing something like licking a shoe, which doesnt happen in everyday life. Also watching someone do something like this reminds the audience of the power of alcohol and what it can do to you. Magic is another thing which watching on stage can make it look a lot more realistic. There is a lot of magic used in the tempest so the director has to make the magic look extra special to achieve the full potential of stagecraft. The playwright wrote the story to be a play so it should be easier to make the magic look better than an image that someone who is reading the play has in his or her head. The best example (to do with magic) of Shakespeares stagecraft is the invisibility of Ariel. It was mine art, when I arrived and heard thee, that made gape the pine and let thee out. Prospero is in total control of Ariel, Ariel is saying this to refer to the fact that Sycorax (Calibans mother) locked Ariel in a pine tree for 12 years and it was Prospero who let him out which is why Ariel is like a slave to Prospero. thy thoughts I cleave to This shows how Prospero has full control over Ariel and how Ariel can read even his thoughts. Within this stagecraft, the audience has to pretend that Ariel is invisible when they actually can see him. This is called suspension of disbelief. Without this knowledge in our minds that Ariel is really invisible it helps us to understand the joke of this scene and we can see why Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo are becoming so confused. By Shakespeare enabling the stagecraft of Ariels invisibility, we are reminded how really Prospero has all the power and how Stephano regal acts are not real, how Stephano is really not a true leader with real power. Stephano is being made a fool of in a couple of ways as he keeps on turning on Trinculo every time Ariel says thou liest and he keeps on showing parts of his unregal side I will supplant some of your teeth Stephano forgets his act and he turns on Trinculo like a mother protecting her cubs. This is an example of slapstick comedy; he starts slapping Trinculo like hes a clown on a stage. This also shows how again Stagecraft can make a play on a stage quite a powerful experience. Next is the subject of Metatheatre. Metatheatre is when a playwright includes a play inside their play, or an author including a story inside their story. It is also to show the audience that what theyre watching is a play and not real life. Normally metatheatre is used to teach a lesson to the audience. Metatheatre is used in The Tempest when Prospero makes a play for Ferdinand and Mirandas wedding. Its supposed to teach us that just like it dissolved into thin air when it finished so to life and everything around us is temporary and nothing can have too much power as one day it too will just dissolve or die or rot and fade away. It is mentioned in Prosperos speech about the great globe when he says our revels now are ended. These our actors, as I foretold you, were all spirits and are melted into air, into thin air. This whole speech is an example of metatheatre as he is explaining to the audience how this play is not real and none of what they just saw was actually real although it may look like it. Another example occurs right at the end of the play when Prospero is about to give up his magic and he is speaking directly to the audience, asking them for an applause and cheers he says, But release me from my bands with the help of your aged hands. Gentle breath of yours my rails must fill, or else my project fails which was to please In this speech, Prospero reminds the audience that they are in a play and asks them to clap if theyve liked the play which they payed to see. Prospero reminds the audience of this because when someone is watching a play or a film, they sometimes forget where they are as they are too engrossed in the storyline of the film. Music is another aspect which manifests itself better in a play than a novel. When one is merely reading the book, one can only imagine what the tune of Ariel sounds like or what the scout em and flout em dance really looks like. Performance brings the musical reference alive. The raucous song and dance of the drunken trio: Caliban is the leader of the dance and this shows that even with Stephanos regal act, Caliban is really in control of the group! Stephano loses his regal ways whenever something out of the ordinary and it shown with the song, when he hits Trinculo and on line 218 when he says I do begin to have bloody thoughts. By watching this unfit behaviour for a king performed by Stephano, the Shakespearean audience can learn and appreciate about European power and Colonialization, they can also learn about natives like Caliban and how they live in their natural habitat. We can only see that Caliban is in control of the dance when we are watching a play, as this is not written in the script itself. Caliban towards the end of these scenes starts speaking from prose to verse and in iambic pentameters for example in his beautiful speech about the sounds of the island at the end of act IIIii when he says Be not afeared, the isle is full of noises, Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not and although we can read this in a novel of the play it is still easier and more realistic to watch it in a play. Finally, I wish to consider costumes. In The Tempest the main point of costumes are the flashy trashy trumpery that appeal to Stephano and Trinculo. We see again here that watching a play is of course better, as one can see just how bad the clothes actually are and how much Stephano and Trinculo are not under control of everything. The main point of these clothes are to distract Caliban, Trinculo and Stephano. Whilst they are distracted, Prospero intends to plague them all. Once we see these clothes we know that this is going to be a funny scene and indeed it is. (The next part is also funny as the majestic Stephano and his followers are not really looking like kings at all, in fact they are looking more like tramps all wet from the swamp of mud smelling like horse piss. This is another example of costumes stagecraft) Caliban sees straight through these clothes but Trinculo and Stephano dont and they start trying them on. We see from this that Caliban is not as stupid as he appears and Stephano and Trinculo are as stupid as they look, it shows who is the cleverest of the three and it shows that all Stephano attempts to be regal have not worked and they are gone as quickly as they came with just one little distraction. These are just a couple of points on the theme of power and stagecraft used in The Tempest and there are also many others proving that there are clear advantages of telling a story by way of a play, than simply in a novel.