Descartes Views on God Essay Example for Free

Descartes Views on God Essay From reading some of his works, one might assume that Rene Descartes does not believe in the existence of a heavenly being, a God that presides over humans and gives us faith. I do not believe this to be the case. I believe that Descartes is simply trying to destroy all of the uncertainties that have come about do to inadequate explanations of such a supreme being. For Rene Descartes and all of the other believers in the world, the existence of God provides a convenient answer to unexplained questions, while never providing answers to the questions about God himself. This is evidenced a great deal in the circular argument made by Descartes in the Meditations on First Philosophy. What follows is a brief account of the third and fifth meditations, which provide Descartes response to the masked question, What is God? Can one perceive or confirm the existence of an idea that is external to him, an idea such as God? In order to determine the answer we must start by understanding the ways in which we can conclude an objects existence. Descartes explains three ways in which a person might come to such a conclusion ?the first, through nature; the second, through feeling a value that is independent of the will of the object; and the third, the objective reality of an idea, or the cause and effect profile. Descartes drills us with the idea that an object will have an effect when it stems from a legitimate cause, or an initial idea that precedes with equal or superior properties in ones intellect. In other words, the mind generates thoughts and ideas about a physical form, and develops a reality for this form, through previous schema and beliefs. And although an idea may give rise to another idea, this regress cannot, nevertheless, be infinite; we must in the end reach a first idea, the cause of which is, as it were, the archetype in which all the reality that is found objectively in these ideas is contained formally. The only problem with Descartes argument is when the existence of God arises as a notion, for there is no sustenance or idea for the notion of God to originate from. Is it possible, then, to create the idea of a finite being from an infinite existence, outside of the physical and mental, in a state all of its own? Descartes quickly answers that the response would be that a finite being cannot completely, if at all, comprehend the ideas that would cause God to exist, and therefore the basis for doubt is lost in an intangible proof. Additionally, the mere fact that he believes that there is a God provides yet another piece of proof towards His existence. This must be true, according to Descartes, with the provision that the idea and belief must have been placed in his consciousness by an outside factor. The final factor that convinces Descartes that there is a God is the fact of his own existence, along with the fact that he, himself, is not a God. This belief stems from the theory that if a man is independent from all other existence and ideas about forms and matter, then he has the ability to become infinite. Descartes says that if he himself were the author of his own being and independent of all existence, then he would attain a Godly level of existence. Ultimately, it is his own dependence on another being that proves to him that there is a God. Many people are bred into religion, or borne into a set of ideas about a particular infinite being. The interesting problem with most types of faith in this manner is that the scripture that has been deemed to come from your god is also the proof that God exists. This is the type of circular definition that Descartes is trying to avoid at all costs. Basically, its like using a word in its own definition, or ? the definition of an apple is an apple. The argument begins to get a little bit ambiguous when he begins discussing the uncertainty of his beliefs. He is, as he claims, as certain of the idea of the sun, the moon, the earth, even his own rational thought, as he is certain of Gods existence.

Role of James Baldwin in the Civil Rights Movement Essays -- NAACP Nat

Throughout most of the 1950’s and 60’s there was a strong push by Black Americans to end their unfair treatment in America. Two main groups during this time were working on this problem. The NAACP and the Nation of Islam were two main groups working on and poised to solve this very dilemma. Despite trying to solve the same crisis their ideas on a solution were very different. Since their views were varied, people in turn had different views on which group they would become associated with. This inspired many writers to publicly display their beliefs on the issue. In â€Å"Down at the Cross,† Baldwin displays favor toward the methodology of the NAACP in the Civil Rights Movement because of their beliefs in the American system. Even though he was partial towards the NAACP he still believed in some of the teachings of the Nation of Islam especially in their views of keeping Black pride and Black values. These notions lead to the fact that Baldwin seeks a mixture of these two factions. The NAACP made many strides in America to help integrate Whites and Blacks. This group’s main method of mixing the races was through the legal system. The path they picked caused many issues with Baldwin and one he perceived is that â€Å"very few liberals have any notion how long, how costly, and how heartbreaking a task it is to gather the evidence that one can carry into court, or how long such court battles take.† (Baldwin 320). So not only is it hard on the pocket, but Baldwin believes â€Å"there is no reason that Black men should be expected to be more patient, more forbearing, more farseeing than whites; indeed, quite the contrary† (Baldwin 321). One can see that Baldwin felt that the NAACP’s methods were slow and that the Black man should ... ...d in this way everyone in America can become part off this greater whole. Then we can learn from each other’s mistakes and successes to become a greater family because â€Å"isn’t love more important than color?† (Baldwin 327). Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Down at the Cross.† 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1988. 63-84. Barbour, Floyd B., ed. The Black Power Revolt. Boston: Porter Sargent Publisher, 1968. â€Å"G. O. P. Picks Volpe in Massachusetts.† New York Times 12 Jan 1960. Jones, LeRoi. â€Å"The Need For a Cultural Base to Civil Rites & Bpower Mooments.† Barbour. 119-126. Poussaint, Alvin F. â€Å"The Negro American: His Self-Image and Integration.†Barbour. 94-102. Wright, Nathan Jr. â€Å"The Crisis Which Bred Black Power.† Barbour. 103-118. â€Å"Union Aides Rebut Bias Accusation.† New York Times 5 Jan 1961. Role of James Baldwin in the Civil Rights Movement Essays -- NAACP Nat Throughout most of the 1950’s and 60’s there was a strong push by Black Americans to end their unfair treatment in America. Two main groups during this time were working on this problem. The NAACP and the Nation of Islam were two main groups working on and poised to solve this very dilemma. Despite trying to solve the same crisis their ideas on a solution were very different. Since their views were varied, people in turn had different views on which group they would become associated with. This inspired many writers to publicly display their beliefs on the issue. In â€Å"Down at the Cross,† Baldwin displays favor toward the methodology of the NAACP in the Civil Rights Movement because of their beliefs in the American system. Even though he was partial towards the NAACP he still believed in some of the teachings of the Nation of Islam especially in their views of keeping Black pride and Black values. These notions lead to the fact that Baldwin seeks a mixture of these two factions. The NAACP made many strides in America to help integrate Whites and Blacks. This group’s main method of mixing the races was through the legal system. The path they picked caused many issues with Baldwin and one he perceived is that â€Å"very few liberals have any notion how long, how costly, and how heartbreaking a task it is to gather the evidence that one can carry into court, or how long such court battles take.† (Baldwin 320). So not only is it hard on the pocket, but Baldwin believes â€Å"there is no reason that Black men should be expected to be more patient, more forbearing, more farseeing than whites; indeed, quite the contrary† (Baldwin 321). One can see that Baldwin felt that the NAACP’s methods were slow and that the Black man should ... ...d in this way everyone in America can become part off this greater whole. Then we can learn from each other’s mistakes and successes to become a greater family because â€Å"isn’t love more important than color?† (Baldwin 327). Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Down at the Cross.† 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1988. 63-84. Barbour, Floyd B., ed. The Black Power Revolt. Boston: Porter Sargent Publisher, 1968. â€Å"G. O. P. Picks Volpe in Massachusetts.† New York Times 12 Jan 1960. Jones, LeRoi. â€Å"The Need For a Cultural Base to Civil Rites & Bpower Mooments.† Barbour. 119-126. Poussaint, Alvin F. â€Å"The Negro American: His Self-Image and Integration.†Barbour. 94-102. Wright, Nathan Jr. â€Å"The Crisis Which Bred Black Power.† Barbour. 103-118. â€Å"Union Aides Rebut Bias Accusation.† New York Times 5 Jan 1961.

Racial Diversity in Society Worksheet Essay

Complete the following using the MySocLab Social Explorer Map: Income Inequality by Race (located on the student website) as a reference: †¢Select 1 racial group from the list below: African American Asian American Arab American Hispanic American/Latino White/Caucasian †¢Write a 150- to 300-word summary of the economic, social, and political standings of that group. Use additional resources if necessary, from the University Library or your textbooks. Provide citations for all the sources you use. Hispanic Americans or Latinos in America descend from many different countries such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and The Dominican Republic. They come to the United States as immigrants for a variety of different reasons, but the most common is that they come here in search of the American Dream. From an economic point of view Hispanics remain at the bottom of the job ladders due to the fact that many of them are not educationally equipped and are not fluent in English which are both necessities when it comes to the jobs in demand. Their lack of formal education is what is keeping them down in our nation’s technology run job market. Studies show that less and less Hispanic Americans are finishing high school, and without the skills that education will teach them they will continue to flounder in today’s economy. When it comes to social statistics it is overwhelmingly clear that faith and family have and continue to be the cornerstone of the Hispanic American Family val ues and a huge part of their religious based culture. Politically, due to the fact that the majority of  Hispanic Americans are lower or middle class, they tend to agree with the democratic views when it comes to politics. Part II Answer the following in 50 to 150 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use. †¢What is racism? In what ways does racism affect diversity? Racism can be defined as the belief that a specific racial group is superior or inferior to another and that there is nothing that any individual who belongs to that racial group does (economically, socially, politically) can change it. Racism affects diversity through outlets such as discrimination and prejudice that we hold against one another due to the fact that our skin is not all the same color. Today, we hear words like that (prejudice and discrimination) and we are quick to object to the accusation that we can still, after all we as a nation have overcome when it comes to touchy subjects like this, be guilty of such negative ways of thinking. However, it is clear that some things clearly have not changed when we look at statistics that show that in American society whites are still hired for high paying jobs in greater numbers than minorities with the same credentials or that minorities still seem to make up the majority of inmate populations in today’s prisons. †¢How do racial groups interact in contemporary America? Are interactions positive, negative, or neutral? Support your response using proper citations. Today, it is not uncommon for racial groups to interact with each other in a mostly positive way due to the fact that in most communities we are not separated based on our racial background when it comes to things such as the schools we attend and jobs that we are allowed to hold like we have been in the past. This is thanks to desegregation and affirmative action laws that have been put into action over the past several years. However, even with these laws we are not a perfect nation and there is still cases where social  inequities can allow discrimination and prejudices to rear their ugly heads in today’s society. Social inequities can affect a particular races basic human rights such as the right to live in a certain area, be hired for a certain job, be able to travel freely, acceptance into schools or colleges, and even the right to vote. †¢Are there existing social inequities based on race? Why or why not? Social inequities is one of those touchy subjects that some people say still exist and some people say does not. Like many subjects similar to this one (racism in general, prejudice, and discrimination) people’s views on it can differ tremendously. Some speak from experience and some speak on it based on facts that they are taught. I’ll touch on an example that I previously mentioned to support the argument that yes, social inequities are existent in today’s society. When you look at prisons today, it is clear that minorities make up a much larger chunk of the inmate population than whites. People who argue that social inequities are the cause of this say that this is a result if whites having always been a more protected race in the US and because of this so called protection, they are favored in the justice system and are given more access to better attorneys. People who support the idea that social inequities don’t exist can of course use the argument t hat the reason that minorities make up most of the inmate population is simply because they are the ones who are responsible for committing the crimes that get them in trouble in the first place. †¢What do you believe to be the causes of racial prejudice and discrimination in today’s society? Looking back at our Nation’s history, it’s clear that racism has and continues to be a problem here. However, it’s also clear that he have taken huge steps, which include legal actions, in order to eliminate it. Unfortunately it is not something that can be completely abolished overnight, and we have to have patience in order to keep the movement pressing forward. The awareness that courses such as this one provides are also great tools when it comes to educating more people on the issue, the  causes, and what can be done to keep it from spreading. I believe that the main cause of racial prejudices is the fact that although as a nation (united) we are against it there are still individual people and families amongst us who refuse to stop it in their personal lives and who continue to teach it to their children generation after generation. Racism is something that is taught, as there is now way for it to be passed genetically or inherently. References Braubach, M. (2010, January 4). Social inequities in environmental risks associated with housing and residential location—a review of evidence. Oxford Journals. Retrieved from http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/1/36.abstract?sid=4aa802c1-b338-41e1-b724-eef7ecee7791 Huffman, A. (2012, November 15). How Hispanics Impact Political, Social and Economic Climate. Charisma News. Retrieved from http://www.charismanews.com/us/34581-how-hispanics-impact-political-social-and-economic-climate Schaefer, R. T. (2012). Racial and Ethnic Groups (13th ed.). : Merrill Prentice Hall.

Descriptive Essay About The Galapagos - 1646 Words

It was a seven hour flight to get from New York City to Guayaquil, Ecuador. After going through customs I was finally greeted by my colleague, whom I would be working on this research with. Our flight to the Galapagos was not until the next day so we decided to rent a car to take a small trip to a different island, off the coast of Ecuador. Before setting off on our journey I took my colleague to Parque de Iguanas. This is a very common tourist attraction because of how up close and personal you can be with iguanas that live in there. The iguanas can be found relaxing on the stone pathway or the grass, but most are found on the trees. Although they are extremely fascinating animals, they are not the focus of our expedition. After our†¦show more content†¦The airport was small and held the necessary amenities needed for air travel. The island’s human population is about 6,000 making it the second most populated island of the archipelago. The temperature was around the high seventies and there was a constant fresh breeze from the ocean. The area was filled with tourists, giving the island an atmosphere of a resort or vacation spot rather than a site that influenced Darwin’s theory of natural selection. However, what made San Cristobal a critical aspect of our expedition was that it was home to Frigatebird Hill. We took the tourist trail from the city center to Frigatebird Hill. We passed many homes, tourist attractions, and hotels. Once at the hill we observed the difference between the Magnificent Frigatebird and the Great Frigatebird. The male Great Frigatebird has green iridescent scapular feathers while the Magnificent Frigatebird has purple iridescent scapular feathers. The female Great Frigatebird has a red eye ring and a white throat and breast, while the Magnificent Frigatebird has a blue eye ring, black throat and a white breast. The Magnificent Frigate bird forge for food closer to the island. They roamed the skies preparing for the prime opportunity to pluck out fish or squid from the water. Yet, they also obtained their food by stealing it from other bird including their own kind! A blue footed booby returned from the sea to feed its young. While regurgitating the for the young blue footed