The Truth about Orthodox Christianity Essay Example For Students

The Truth about Orthodox Christianity Essay As described inThe Grand Inquisitor by DostoevskyThe writings of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Helen Ellerbe show substantial evidence that the orthodox Christians did in fact steal from humanity the divine freedom it was promised by Jesus Christ. This thesis is supported in Dostoevskys The Grand Inquisitor from his book The Brothers Karamazov. The dark side of Christian history by Helen Ellerbe also supports this theory. The Inquisition itself shows credibility to the theory that orthodox Christianity was established to conquer and control the freedom of humans. 2. Orthodox Christianity has a history of trying to deceive humanity. In her book, Ellerbe proclaims that: Orthodox Christianity fostered humanitys shift towards a world view that pays little heed to the idea of divinity. (Ellerbe 165). In addition, the Grand Inquisitor claims it as a merit for himself and his Church that at last they have vanquished freedom and have done so to make men happy. (Dostoevsky 1081). 3. Reading The Grand Inquisitor while considering the history of early Christianity, the question can be asked, Did orthodox Christians really believe in God? Or is the God they believed in a guise that Christianity has put forward to have humanity believe in Him through its teachings only. The Roman Church had taken Gods celebrations of nature and converted them to Christian celebration. In The dark side of Christian history, Ellerbe supports this when she writes Unable to convince people of the absence of God in nature, the early Church instead incorporated aspects of the very nature worship it condemned (Ellerbe 143). We will write a custom essay on The Truth about Orthodox Christianity specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now 4. The Spanish Inquisition was established in 1478. King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella I requested the Inquisition. At first, The concern of the Inquisition in Spain was over the conversion of Marranos:Marranos were Jews that were converted to Christianity using force and pressure by society. It is estimated that by the end of the 14th century about 100,000 Jews had become Marranos, although the greater number of Jews openly adhered to their faith even at the risk of expulsion. Some Marranos actually accepted Christianity, but most of them practiced Judaism in secret, while others waited only for an opportunity to throw off their Christian disguise (Encarta 99). Later, the Inquisition turned to people of Islam and attempted to convert the in the same way they had done to the Jews. And, even later, to those suspected of being Protestants. The Spanish Inquisition was similar to the first inquisition that was started in France. It was centrally directed by the Supreme Council of the Inquisition, but its procedures were similar to its medieval counterpart. Although the Spanish Inquisition received approval from the Pope, the papacy turned the control of the Inquisition over to the King and Queen after only a few years of being started. The prose that Ivan Karamozov wrote in The Grand Inquisitor was set in Seville, Spain. 5. Dominican Churchmen, including Tomas de Torquemada, as well as other religious, were officers of the Inquisition. The most influential and notorious Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition was Tomas de Torquemada. Tomas was the first Grand Inquisitor and executed thousands of suspected heretics. It can be assumed, but not substantiated, that the Grand Inquisitor in Dostoevskys story is the same person or has a very close resemblance. Dostoevsky portrays the Grand Inquisitors attire: He is not dressed in his gorgeous cardinals robes. As he was the day before, when he was burning the enemies of the Roman Church. (Dostoevsky 1079). Of course, this is only speculation on my part since little more is known about the Inquisitors themselves. The Grand Inquisitor involves taking the man performing miracles in front of the cathedral prisoner. The Grand Inquisitor begins to question and threaten the Prisoner. 6. The Grand Inquisitor tells the Prisoner that the Prisoner himself had turned all his power over to the Pope: All has been given by Thee to the Pope, they say, and all, therefore, is still in the Popes hands (Dostoevsky 1080-1081). This idea is also in agreement in The dark side of Christian history where it is written: Christianity has helped to create a society in which people are alienated not only from each other but also from the divine. (Ellerbe 1). 7. The Grand Inquisitors statements and questions support the deceit of orthodox Christianity. He accuses the Prisoner of ignoring man: Thou didst reject the only way by which men might be happy. But, fortunately, departing Thou didst hand on the work to us. (Dostoevsky 1081). During that time of feeling ignored, Christianity was free to change many Pagan beliefs to be vilified or to conform to Christian ideals. The Prisoner, when asked to do so by the dread spirit had refused to turn rocks into loaves of bread. The Prisoner had turned away from providing Man food from Nature. The Church took this as another reason for Man to turn to it as their salvation. Dostoevsky writes: They will find us and cry to us, Feed us, for those who have promised us fire from heaven havent given it. Then, And we alone shall feed them in Thy name, declaring falsely that it is in Thy name. Oh, never, never can they feed themselves without us! (Dostoevsky 1082). Helen Ellerbe states that The Church spent c enturies prohibiting displays of reverence that involved nature. (Ellerbe 142). In addition to the forsaking of nature, The Grand Inquisitor accuses the Prisoner had given men freedom, but man could not handle the freedom that was given to them. The Church took over that feeling of freedom. For fifteen centuries we have been wrestling with Thy freedom, but now it is ended and over for good. (Dostoevsky 1081). And have concluded that they have taken control of mans freedom: But let me tell Thee now, today, people are more persuaded than ever that they have perfect freedom, yet they have brought their freedom to us and laid it humbly at our feet. (Dostoevsky 1081) and Modern thought most often validated Christian tenets. The perception that the universe operates like a machine or a clock corroborated St. Augustines contention that human beings have no free will. (Ellerbe 173). Even Mans freedom to celebrate was usurped by Orthodox Christianity. Humanity had been forced by the church t o consider their pagan events as Christian. Christian holidays were held at the same time. One of those holidays held most dear by humanity today, Christmas was made to correspond to the pagan celebration of the winter solstice. What we call Easter as Christians had virtually the same meaning as the pagan holidays Attis. (Ellerbe 148). .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 , .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .postImageUrl , .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 , .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8:hover , .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8:visited , .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8:active { border:0!important; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8:active , .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8 .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u18662857d519f3d357bb69a1f6b6eff8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Spiritual Root Of My Resilience Essay8. The Prisoner uses the performance of miracles to influence the people and have them worship Him. Whenever the words He, Him, Thee, and Thou are capitalized in all grammatical cases, we have become accustomed to referring to God and/or Jesus Christ. In The Great Inquisitor this remains the case. The Grand Inquisitor refers to the talk in the wilderness and says to the Prisoner, the great spirit talked with Thee in the wilderness, and we are told in the books that he tempted Thee. (Dostoevsky 1081). This statement was in reference to Satans temptation of Christ in the wilderness. 9. Simply touch the Prisoner or His garments performed miracles: He holds out His hands to them, blesses them, and a healing virtue comes from contact with Him, even with His garments. An old man in the crowd, blind from childhood, cries out, O Lord, heal me and I shall see Thee! and, as it were, scales fall from his eyes and the blind man sees Him.. (Dostoevsky 1079). 10. He raises the daughter of a prominent citizen from the dead: The procession halts, the coffin is laid on the steps at His feet. He looks with compassion, and His lips once more softly pronounce, Maiden, arise! and the maiden arises.. (Dostoevsky 1079). 11. These are miracles that Christians relate to Jesus Christ. Yet the orthodox Christians believed that death was a passing from an earth that was possessed by the devil to deliverance to God in heaven. Orthodox Christians, in their effort to conquer it, often ended up glorifying death. Jesuss most valuable act was understood to be not his miracles of healing or his message of love and peace, but rather his act of dying. The Bible states that the day of death is better than the day of ones birth. (Ellerbe 162). 12. HE is silent because talking would give support to the Churchs Inquisition. His appearance and aura alone shows understanding and love. It also shows that Jesus will not answer to the Grand Inquisitor. He will not admit that the Church is correct, but it puts him in a catch 22. If he does answer, the Church is justified in their Inquisition of Humanity. At points where He should be wrought with anger the Prisoner continues to look upon the Grand Inquisitor with consideration. His appearance and aura alone shows understanding and love. This is understood by the inquisitor and is firmly rejected, And why dost Thou look silently and searchingly at me with Thy mild eyes? Be angry. I dont want Thy love, for I love Thee not. (Dostoevsky 1086). The Grand Inquisitor receives his answer to all his questions and accusations at the end of the story. The Prisoner, still silent, places a kiss on the lips of the inquisitor. 13. The Grand Inquisitor joins the clever people. The inquisitor now understands that the Christians will never achieve their goals to bring people into harmony with themselves. As Ivan says in the story:You see, only suppose that there was one such man among all those who desire nothing but filthy material gain-if theres only one like my old Inquisitor, who had himself eaten roots in the desert and made frenzied efforts to subdue his flesh to make himself free and perfect. But yet all his life he loved humanity, and suddenly his eyes were opened, and he saw that it is no great moral blessedness to attain perfection and freedom, if at the same time one gains the conviction that millions of Gods creatures have been created as a mockery, that they will never be capable of using their freedom, that these poor rebels can never turn into giants to complete the tower, that it was not for such geese that the great idealist dreamt his dream of harmony. Seeing all that he turned back and join ed- the clever people. (Dostoevsky 1089). .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 , .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .postImageUrl , .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 , .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0:hover , .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0:visited , .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0:active { border:0!important; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0:active , .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0 .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2b27000291c484f94b02a206251294b0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Essay on My Opinion On Teaching Philosophy14. The Grand Inquisitor was an atheist but could not break away from orthodox Christianity. This was the Inquisitors secret in the entire story. The Grand Inquisitor could not deny Him as could the clever people that he joined. They have no such great cleverness and no mysteries and secrets. . . .Perhaps nothing but Atheism, thats all their secret. Your Inquisitor does not believe in God, thats his secret. (Dostoevsky 1089). 15. The Inquisition was the vehicle by which the Church could cover-up its lies to humanity. This has been shown by Ivan Karamozov, in an excerpt from The Grand Inquisitor: My story is laid in Spain, in Seville, in the most terrible time of the Inquisition, when fires were lighted every day to the glory of God, (Dostoevsky 1078). In the The dark side of Christian history it is stated that, the Church turned its force against European society itself, launching a brutal assault upon southern France and instituting the Inquisi-tion. (Ellerbe 3). Therefore when people in the 15th century spoke of freedom, it was only the freedom that the Church allowed them to have. 16. The Grand Inquisitor proves the thesis of this paper. Ivan says:he sees that he (the Inquisitor) must follow the counsel of the wise spirit, the dread spirit of death and destruction, and therefor accept lying and deception, and lead men consciously to death and destruction, and yet deceive them all the way so that they may not notice where they are being led, that the poor blind creatures may at least on the way think themselves happy. (Dostoevsky 1089). 17. Also, Ellerbe states: The perception that the Universe operates like a machine or a Clock corroborated St. Augustines contention that human beings have no free will. (Ellerbe 173). And Atheism simply extended the Christian idea that God is distant and removed from the physical world. Once people accepted that, it was not difficult to believe that God did not exist at all (Ellerbe 171). 18. All the historical evidence of the Inquisition and the writings of Dostoevsky and Ellerbe show substantial evidence that the orthodox Christians did in fact steal from humanity the divine freedom it was promised by Jesus Christ. Works CitedEllerbe, Helen. The dark side of Christian history. San Rafael, CA: Morningstar Books, 1995. Dostoevsky, Fyodor; The Grand Inquisitor from The Brothers Karamozov. Taken from Literature of the Western World by Wilke, Brian, and Hurt, JamesMicrosoft Encarta 99, Microsoft Corporation, 1993-1998.

Pregnancy essays

Pregnancy essays As a teenager, one is faced with many different obstacles that must be overcome. The pressure about school, homework, after school activities, a job, a boyfriend, and family all contribute to what makes up a teenager's stressful life. One important thing that teenagers face is sex. There is an increasingly amount of teenagers having sex at a younger age. If one chooses to have sex, there are consequences that must be thought about in a mature way. At 17-years-old, most people would think a girl is too young to even think about having sex. But with society these days, promoting sexuality, it's not something that's unheard of. There are some girls out there who have sex when they're just beginning their teen years. The seriousness of having sex is usually overlooked when it happens so young. We don't realize the risk involved; you have to worry about contracting an STD or HIV or becoming pregnant. The last thing a girl wants to do is to become pregnant, especially with so many other things to worry about. Some people wait until marriage for religious or their own moral reasons. However, those who choose to have sex before they are married must face the consequences that come their way. In order to prevent pregnancy, using protection and birth control is your best bet. Birth control would be a necessity if you are sexually active. Condoms do prevent pregnancy but there is always the chance of it tearing or some other accident. Also, if you become sexually active, you should make sure that you visit a doctor in order to find out that everything is properly taken care of. Testing your partner for diseases is also a smart idea, just in case he has contracted something he doesn't know about. If a girl does become pregnant, there are a couple options she's able to take advantage of. There is always the way of abortion, which I am completely against. Having an abortion is unfair to the unborn child and the easy way ...

Ambitiously Authentic What Ive Learned about Funding My Dream

Ambitiously Authentic What Ive Learned about Funding My Dream Ive lost count of the scholarship and residency applications Ive had rejected. But in 2014, I won a scholarship to the Wesleyan Writers Conference, and this year I was honored to be an Artist in Residence at Trail Wood, the memorial sanctuary and former home of nature writer Edwin Way Teale. Ive thought about the difference between my prior attempts and my wins, and here are a few lessons I learned: Go local: FundsforWriters (FFW) often lists state- or region-specific grants - watch for them! Far-away locales dont necessarily equal prestige or a higher level of success. My motivations for going local were at least in part due to limited time and money for travel, but familiarity with the physical locations (both in Connecticut, my home state) and the local culture made a difference in terms of how I penned my applications, and, probably, how judges accepted them. Go niche: Even if your work crosses genres, take ownership of a specific writing category. When I finally figured out that nature writing was my thing, the tide began to shift. When I applied for the writers conference scholarship, my voice took on a more confident tone as I talked about my specialty. In the case of the residency, the Connecticut Audubon Society sought writers with a strong interest in nature. Again, FFW lists many of these niche awards for categories such as mystery writers, journalists, or specific demographic groups. Be yourself: In all forms of writing, genuine shines through. My applications included enthusiasm and revelations about my personality, while being careful not to overdo it Dont skimp on research: If you are able to visit the physical location of your opportunity, do it to get a feel for the place. But whether or not a visit is possible, research the history of the award and its former recipients and read descriptions of the place/event. This will engender a tone that reflects in-depth understanding of the award. Besides being able to visit my intended award locales, I scoured the application websites and other sources for details that resonated with me and informed my submission. Plan ahead and pace yourself: Savvy research and authenticity wont help if you arent practical about writing well in advance of deadline, allowing time for many rewrites. Setting milestone dates and reminders in my electronic calendar helped me stay on track. Its also important to avoid trigger finger. Like many writers, I tend to send work out prematurely, driven Choose your readers carefully: Read up on the contest judges; consider that in some cases the judges are not writers. Ask trusted friends/colleagues to read your work, paying close attention to their overall reactions and specific comments. In my case, the input of some carefully chosen nonwriters was as valuable as that of my peers. It should go without saying that you also need to pay attention to technicalities - word count limits, writing sample format, etc. Check your work against the guidelines a final time. When you hit the send button or the post office, you can be confident that youve done your best and improved your odds. In my case, the work I put in was rewarded many times over in a sense of fulfillment at finally finding funding for a longstanding dream. I wish the same for every hardworking writer.

Health Disparities Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 75

Health Disparities - Assignment Example For example, health statistics indicate that African Americans experience the highest mortality rates from cerebrovascular disease, HIV/AIDS, cancer and heart disease more than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). Most of the American Indians die from unintentional injuries, cirrhosis, liver disease and diabetes. The reasons for these health disparities among racial and ethnic groups is complex and clearly not understood, but they largely relate to socioeconomic differences, environmental degradation, differences in health-related risk factors, and direct and indirect impacts of racial and ethnic discrimination (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012). This paper, therefore, reflects on two articles and establishes whether the information and data presented hold true in addressing health disparities among racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., and further recommends solutions to practices or beliefs that seem to support these biased patterns. Jack Geiger, in his article â€Å"Racial and ethnic disparities in diagnosis and treatment: a review of the evidence and a consideration of causes,† reviewed a number of researched works addressing health disparities issues in the United States. He established that the fundamental explanations of disparities and the key determinants of population health status among American racial and ethnic groups lie in physical, social, and economic environment, which are, in turn, influenced by the larger society’s values, norms, political economy, and social stratification systems (Geiger, 2003). He further identifies that the two variables that most studies frequently cited as the leading cause of disparities reflected beliefs and values which are common in the larger society. The first is biological differences (racial) as a significant contributor to health disparities. I agree with the author that, in spite of the current understanding of race as a social concept, the notion of the significance of racial grouping, in terms of medical grounds, continues to appear even in the current societies.  Ã‚  

Letter for imigration about the reinstatement Essay

Letter for imigration about the reinstatement - Essay Example (Here I will have to insert a valid reason as to why you failed in your subjects which you did not mention) But I promise to make up for it. I only have two quarters to finish before I could graduate. That is why I am hoping that my three years of studying would not go to waste. I came here for the sole purpose of attaining good quality education and I have high hopes not just for myself but for my country as well. I am also considering to be of service to your country in many ways I can. Add to that, your standard of teaching has been known around the world and I cannot just let go of this great opportunity. Besides, I am financially capable of supporting my schooling. I never had a bad record or a history of deportation. For the past ___ years, I have been a law abiding citizen, never tarnishing the reputation of your country nor that of Indonesia. I was never involved in crimes, fraud or any other violations of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations. The documents attached herewith would prove that. For one, my immigration documents are valid and accurate. Rest assured I will continue to follow rules and maintain my status as an international student if I be given a chance to study in your country again.

An Eminent Threat to the Planet Essay Example for Free

An Eminent Threat to the Planet Essay Global warming is certainly a danger that threatens our society. While it may not drastically affect this generation, if things keep going as they are, future generations will have to deal with the problems that people are presently causing. Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases Global warming refers to an overall increase in the temperature of the earth. This is due emissions of greenhouse gases, which are essentially pollutants which damage the earth’s ability to maintain itself when they are released into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a particularly common greenhouse gas that is emitted by the activities people all of the time. An overload of these gases prevents the ability of the atmosphere to absorb some of the rays from the sun, as the ozone layer is damaged. Fossil fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, and kerosene release fumes into the atmosphere that damage the atmosphere’s ability to regulate the earth’s temperature by allowing and preventing solar rays from reaching the surface. Climate Change and seal Level Rise Although current climate change is best represented by more extreme temperatures (higher high temperatures in the summer, and lower lows in the winter), ultimately the earth is expected to warm up. Many scientists have hypothesized that within the next century, the earth may warm by up to two degrees Fahrenheit. Although this does not seem like a lot, it could cause the melting of the outer layers of Antarctic ice, which would cause a rise in sea level by up to a few feet over the course of the next century. But the rate of global warming is expected to increase, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. If this occurs, and due to the expansion of Antarctic ice and the melting of some ice caps, sea level could rise by several feet, which would have devastating consequences. Life as we know it would be completely altered by any significant rise in sea level. Because water allows for trade and transportation, most major communities are built close to the coast of continents, rather than the interiors. That being said, if sea level was to rise so much as ten feet, many cities would be completely destroyed. Miami, Florida would have to be evacuated, as would most of the towns within fifty miles of the United States Gulf Coast. Much of the land in the Caribbean would be submerged, as would many islands in the South Pacific, and even some areas in Europe, such as the Netherlands. How Our Current Activities are Causing Global Warming Although exact measurements of the rate of the rise in temperature and thus, sea level are presently immeasurable, the way human beings are living today will certainly ensure that they will be significant. People are causing more emissions of environmentally and atmospherically dangerous gases than ever before, and we do not seem like we are going to stop any time soon. More cars are on the road, more airplanes are in the air, and more boats, including large freighters and barges are in the water than ever before, and as the planet’s population increases, so will the amount and volume of our emissions of dangerous gases. If we intend to hinder global warming in any way, we have to realize that our present course is not environmentally friendly, and it will lead to a rise in temperature (and a greater abundance of pollutants). We need to invest in clean fuels, and even though researching alternatives to our current fuels will be costly, it is well worth it in the long run, because global warming is a fast way to destroy our planet. References U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Climate Change: Greenhouse Gas Emissions. 2009. http://www. epa. gov/climatechange/emissions/index. html U. S. Department of State. Climate Change and Overview. 2009. http://www. state. gov/g/oes/rls/rpts/car/90312. htm

Why I Should Win The University Philosophy Club Essay Contest :: Writing Jacksonville University Essays

Why I Should Win The 1997 Jacksonville University Philosophy Club Essay Contest The Jacksonville University Philosophy Club is sponsoring its eighth annual undergraduate essay contest. The best argumentative essay, from any discipline, will receive the first place prize. I will demonstrate here why you will be compelled to award that prize to the essay that you are currently undertaking. We start this argument with the following premise, known as the Conservation of Energy. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. This is a basis of physics, and no evidence is brought against it that refutes its certainty. If we accept it, it follows that the energy in the cosmos must be finite. If we posited an infinite amount of energy, we could not speak of conserving it. Additionally, the stuff of the cosmos cannot be infinite or w e would face the contradiction that new energy would be coming into existence from nothing; ex nihilo. From this examination we must accept the entailed premise that the amount of energy must be finite. The second premise of the argument is that all becoming is of necessity. Perhaps, it is easier to frame this idea within a format of cause and effect. For the event, represented by the placeholder; Z, to be any different than it is, its cause (or causes), symbolized; Y must have necessarily been different in some manner. It follows logically that for Y to be different, then X must differ. This, like the energy in the cosmos, can not amount to an infinite set of possibilities. The possible outcomes of a pair of rolled standard die are a finite number of outcomes (six to the second power). The number of possible outcomes of any finite set of probabilities must be finite (albeit perhaps incomprehensibly large). If we extrapolate the number of outcomes from the huge number of finite possibilities we do not ever, arrive at an infinite amount. Although, one odd possibility does remain. We may come upon the case where (for the sake of simplicity) Z causes A. The chain of causes resumes wher e it once before began. Subsequently, time is infinite. It extends forever toward the past and forever into the future. We have now only to piece these premises together. Energy is a fixed quantum within the cosmos. Time proceeds through an unending series of becoming from necessity (with acknowledged shortcomings, I may interchange the terms; cause and effect).