Assess the strengths and weaknesses of one schorarly definition of Essay

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of one schorarly definition of religion - Essay Example ings of psychological science and the first-hand researches of anthropologists all over the world, to develop the concept of religion from an integrated and new point of view (E.W.S, 1923). King (1992) states that he found Dr. William K. Wright’s concept of religion to be â€Å"something broad and universal, covering the whole of life† (p.384). It appeared to King that the universality and perpetuity of religion result from the fact that it â€Å"endeavours to secure the conservation of socially recognized values†. In the review by E.W.S (1923) of Dr.W.K. Wright’s book A Student’s Philosophy of Religion, Dr. Wright’s definition of religion is stated as: â€Å"Religion is the endeavour to secure the conservation of socially recognized values through specific actions that are believed to evoke some agency different from the ordinary ego of the individual, or from other merely human beings, and that imply a feeling of dependence upon this agenc y† (p.341). The Strengths in Dr. W.K. Right’s Definition of Religion: King (1992) observes that in order to determine the exact meaning of religion both the genus and the differentia of Dr. Wright’s definition have to be dealt with. In the genus of his definition of religion, the author had tried to include every conceivable form of religion to broaden the focus of the term as much as possible, and in the differentia he attempts to be sufficiently narrow and specific to exclude from the species of religion everything included within the genus which is not properly religious. Each of the separate expressions in Dr. Wright’s definition of religion is scrutinized by King (1992): By â€Å"values† many be any of a number of things depending on the level of progress achieved by the religion and of the civilization in which it appears. â€Å"Natural religions† is the term used by Dr. Wright for lower or less advanced religions: having values which are all concrete and practical wants, with belief in the supernatural. Relief

A reflection on the summer religious course Essay

A reflection on the summer religious course - Essay Example In spite of the fact that the Bible, as well as the works of the saints, was used, this course tries to be objective in order to make sure the students are able to make their decision according to their own views and not some framework that is being forced upon them. That is why this material may be interesting for those who are religious and not religious at all. Why is the course important? There are several reasons why this course is important. First of all, it provides students with a rather in-depth analysis of various texts that they would hardly be able to do. In other words, it shows the level of precision that is rarely achieved by a student while examining various materials that are connected to religion. Furthermore, it allows the students to see who the famous verses from the Old or the New Testament may be interpreted in order to get the correct meaning of them. This, in turn, teaches them to understand the texts of the religious right and develop the require objectivity of their opinion. The next reason why the course in question is important lies in the fact that it offers the different perspective on the same subject. Though Christian sacred texts are used, the course does not take a particular side in the discussion. In other words, it objectively provides the students with the information that can be later used to form their own judgments. Given the precision of the course in question as well as the abundance of the details, it surely should be recommended to the students.

Acid base and redox titration of vitamin C Lab Report

Acid base and redox titration of vitamin C - Lab Report Example 1:1 Moles of vitamin C 0.0031938mol Mass of vitamin C 0.564g Percent of vitamin C in the tablet 85.5% Table 2:The table below summarizes the results if the redox reaction experiment Data Trial Mass tablet used 0.67g Molarity of I3- (moles/L) 0.0990mol/l Initial volume of I3- (mL) 4.1 mL Final volume of I3- (mL) 28.6 mL Volume of I3- used 24.5 ml Moles of I3- used 0.0024mol Vitamin C: base molar ratio 1:1 Moles of vitamin C 0.0024mol Mass of vitamin C 0.43 g Percent of vitamin C in the tablet 64.18 % The equations used to find the answers in the trials are written bellow, Equation for table 1 C6H8O6(aq) + NaOH(aq) -> H2O(l) + Na+(aq) + C6H7O6-(aq) Equation for table 2 C6H8O6(aq) + I3-(aq) -> 3 I-(aq) +C6H6O6(aq) + 2H+(aq) Discussion/Conclusion:Chemical properties of substances initiate reactions. The reduction property of vitamin C, for example, is responsible for the chemical’s property to initiate reactions with other chemicals. The acid has a high tendency to donate electron s to other chemicals forming a basis for reactions. Based on stoichiometry and known information of a chemical in reaction with vitamin C, elements such as the number of moles and even mass of vitamin C can be determined from a reaction that can be either an acid base reaction or a redox reaction. The acid base reaction involved sodium hydroxide solution, the base in the reaction, and vitamin C, the acid. The equation for the reaction is given as follows C6H8O6(aq) + NaOH(aq) -> H2O(l) + Na+(aq) + C6H7O6-(aq) Vitamin C was oxidized in the process while sodium hydroxide was reduced. The redox reaction is on the other hand represented by the following equation, C6H8O6(aq) + I3-(aq) -> 3 I-(aq) +C6H6O6(aq) + 2H+(aq) The oxidation reaction is given by the following equation C6H8O6(aq)->C6H6O6(aq)+... Chemical properties of substances initiate reactions. The reduction property of vitamin C, for example, is responsible for the chemical’s property to initiate reactions with other chemicals. The acid has a high tendency to donate electrons to other chemicals forming a basis for reactions. Based on stoichiometry and known information of a chemical in reaction with vitamin C, elements such as the number of moles and even mass of vitamin C can be determined from a reaction that can be either an acid base reaction or a redox reaction. The acid base reaction involved sodium hydroxide solution, the base in the reaction, and vitamin C, the acid. The equation for the reaction is given as follows C6H8O6(aq) + NaOH(aq) -> H2O(l) + Na+(aq) + C6H7O6-(aq) Vitamin C was oxidized in the process while sodium hydroxide was reduced. The redox reaction is on the other hand represented by the following equation, C6H8O6(aq) + I3-(aq) -> 3 I-(aq) +C6H6O6(aq) + 2H+(aq) The oxidation reaction is given by the following equation C6H8O6(aq)->C6H6O6(aq)+ 2H+(aq) The reduction equation is given by I3-(aq) -> 3 I-(aq) From the chemical equation, vitamin C is oxidized while iodine ions are reduced. The accurate titration is the acid base reaction. This is because it offers the same percentage composition as indicated on the vitamin C tablet used. The experiments offered different results. While the redox reaction yielded a percentage composition of 64.19 percent, the acid base reaction yielded 85.5 percent. The difference in the numbers could be due to a number of errors. The first type of error that could have led to the difference is inaccurate measurement of the reactants. Such could occur in measuring readings in the titration process for the redox reactions.

The Protestant reformation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Protestant reformation - Essay Example Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation when he nailed his manifesto on the chapel door on October 31, 1517, in Wittenberg. The manifesto consisted of ninety-five theses.That day was the Feast of All Saints in which pious folk came to venerate the precious relics of His Highness the Elector, Frederick the Wise. Valuable indulgences were gained when one venerates the relics. Luther's document was about the abuse of the granting of indulgences to the people. He stated that those preaching in favor of indulgences make a serious error when they say that these indulgences alone can grant man salvation. Luther stated that the indulgences have only one merit, which is to bring money to the church. He also attacked the theological teachings of Catholicism. He stated that true contrition means being open to doing penance for their sins. The indulgences granted by the Church remits the punishment due to sin. Luther believed in justice by faith alone without the necessity of good works . Through the grace of Jesus Christ, the soul's sins are covered by a cloak of light. Thus the one means and only hope of salvation is to entrust oneself to Christ, as it were to cling to Him.There were many causes of the Protestant Reformation. First, the moral authority of the Church in the temporal and spiritual spheres had been diminished. This development was due to the opulence and liberal ways of the Church leaders and bishops at that time.By the sixteenth century, pockets of discontent and indignation had seriously affected Christian unity in France, England,Italy and Germany. Italy and Germany. The strength of the Papacy had also weakened due to constant political differences with the different European leaders who harbored political ambitions. Difficulties and conflicts also rocked the Papacy. In 1305, a Frenchman ascended to the chair of Peter. The new pope, Clement V, settled in France. The Papacy established itself for 70 years at Avignon, France beginning in 1307. It w as during this time that the Papacy had diminished in influence and in public esteem. The Popes had been seen as opulent, bureaucratic, politically-astute politicians and businessmen. Due to the shifting loyalties of its closest allies, the Papacy had also lost its independence and international character. Pope Gregory XI vigorously pursued the heretics and remained true to the faith. After Gregory XI died, a new pope Urban VI, was elected to succeed him. However, the French, who were dissatisfied,decided to elect an anti-pope. Moreover, there was a rise in anti-clericalism in Europe combined with the spread of mysticism and heresy. (Gochberg 43) The most important cause of the Protestant Reformation was the abuse of the use of indulgences by some Catholic preachers. Some of them just wanted the money of the people and they made a business out of a holy practice. Many of the poor Catholics had felt offended and had decided to turn away from the faith. Some of these became Protestants. 2. Historians often consider to the Renaissance to be the "birth of modernity." It was during the Renaissance that Florence used her widespread and highly organized business to extend her banking business parallel to that of her commerce. Florentine banking business controlled the credit all over Christian Europe. The wealth of Florence established the banking business in the Middle Ages. Florence had trounced all its competitors. In 1338, there were eighty Florentine firms doing frenetic banking and exchange business. The Florentines had exchanges everywhere: London, Bruges, Paris, Avignon, Majorca, Pisa, Genoa and Venice. (Greer, 50) Renaissance represented a time for freedom for thought and culture. The Renaissance was the portal to secular humanism which emphasized of an anthropocentric perspective. In this scenario, man determines right and wrong. Secularism states that economics, society, and politics functions well without the intervention of religion. Religion, which used to dominate the

Define the term middle class and discuss the factors that led to its Essay

Define the term middle class and discuss the factors that led to its growth in the early nineteenth century - Essay Example This was the emergence of the real middle class society in America. Over the periods, various factors have contributed to the development, sustenance and elimination of the middle class depending on the prevailing circumstances which has led to the ever changing definition of the members of the middle class group (Murrin, et al, 14). Apart from rewards for the war veterans, the key factor which led to the emergence and development of social class in America can be dated back to the effects of the agrarian revolution of the 18th century and the industrial revolution of the 19th century. During the agrarian revolution, people who could acquire some piece of land, apart from the colonizers, and were able to employ at least a few people on their land, managed to live more comfortable lives than the others and were therefore considered as the middle class (Temin, 36). In the industrial revolution, people who were employed to work as supervisors in the industries were capable of earning good pay to make them lead better lives thus becoming the middle. Today, the middle class is defined as those people capable of owning at least two cars and living comfortably but will struggle if they missed paycheck for two months. They are actually not

International Business continutes to increase inexorably and the World Essay

International Business continutes to increase inexorably and the World Trade Organisation supports this by encouraging countries - Essay Example Additionally, the WTO has sought to realize objectives such as global economic integration and increase in global incomes. However, the WTO quest to promote free trade has encountered various challenges. These challenges include countries that trade under protectionist policies other countries have refused to open their economies totally. Despite the handicaps, WTO has accomplished some of its objectives. This is because there has been a gradual rise in the global trade (Bradford 2003, p. 30). WTO has sought to enhance free trade by campaigning that nations trade freely. However, it has not accomplished the above objective. This is because numerous nations have adopted various protectionist policies that have prevented free and fair trade. Additionally, bodies such as European Union have sought to protect their constituent nations by barring entry of certain comedies to this region. However, the political and trading block has also increased trade among its nations. Protectionism is the key hindrance to free trade in the world. UK has adopted various policies that prevent free trade. Some of the policies entail massive taxation, quotas and total ban. The adoption of such policies by nations has resulted from various reasons. Such reason primarily relates the saturation of the economy with cheap products that have pricing advantages. Despite the phenomenal trade increases that would occur on the elimination of protectionism, there would be negative economic implications. Countries would lose some of their sectors owing to importation of certain products into their economy (Bradford & Lawrence 2004). There are countries such as China, India and Brazil that produces certain products at lower cost owing to low expenditure of labour and other inputs. Exporters from such countries would have a competitive edge over most producers globally. Therefore, nations that experience higher cost in the production of similar goods would encounter reduced clientele. The cheap pr oducts would floods markets globally. As such, manufacturer in countries such as UK may suffer owing to flooding of the economy with such goods. The local industry in these nations would suffer greatly owing to free trade. Conversely, nations producing items at low cost would have a massive competitive advantage over their rivals. This would result in economic prosperity of such nations. Protectionist policies enacted by the UK government seek to protect its producers who are vulnerable to products subsidized by global powerhouses. This has been the key justification for the protectionist policies. Despite the justification by leading nations for enacting such policies, it is evident that they have been the key hindrance to free and fair trade. Leading nations incur higher cost since they pay higher remuneration. As such, their firms incur higher costs. This translates to higher prices. Irrespective of the quality of such product, they can compete with other gods owing to pricing. T he above reason is solid for enacting protectionist policies (Chorev 2007, p.45). Free trade would increase entry of goods in all nations. As such, some of the industry would close down as detailed above since they cannot survive competition on the global front. The closure of these industries would culminate in job losses. One the key concerns of government is unemployment. If the government allows free trade, then there will be substantial job losses. Any government that would

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 124

Summary - Essay Example The banker contradicts the peasant’s judgment on the state, he or she judges the government based on a future goal that it works towards realizing. Economics manipulates and dictate the political behavior. Administrations lose supporters in seasons of hard times while a massive gain of the supporters seen in good times. The two models involving both retrospective and prospective of the index of consumer sentiment as contradicting variables between economic conditions and approval, it is found out that the probable component adequately accounts for the presidential approval time series. The next article voting successfully addresses an average voter as one who falls far short of the prescriptions of classic autonomous hypothesis in terms of interest, facts, and participation in politics. The authors suggest a more realistic standard involving the citizens fulfilling their democratic duties by voting correctly. Five decades of behavioral research in political science reveals that only a tiny marginal of the citizens in any democracy live up to the lines and goals of democracy. Interests in politics become generally weak, political discussions limited and political knowledge is diminishing. The result leads to the majority of American citizens not participating actively in politics beyond voting. The determination of voters on their correct vote choices can be predicted reasonably well using the widely available survey data. The authors illustrate how the prediction can help in determining the proportion of the voters voting correctly, which they calculate at about 7 5 percent for the five US presidential elections between 1972 and 1988. The third article is a decisive study of voting in America and talks about the American voter. Michigan model is a theory formulated on voter choice. Based on all-inclusive studies of election study data in America, most voters cast their ballots