Astrology and Pagan Symbolism in Christianity

Astrology and Pagan Symbolism in Christianity Astrology and Pagan Symbolism in Christianity First of all we shall start the definitions of the key words as used in the research question. Astrology can be defined as the study of how events on earth correspond to the positions and movements of astronomical bodies which are the moon, sun, planets and the stars. Paganism in general is a term for the ancient and modern religions which identify nature as the body of the divine e.g. Taoism is the paganism of China, Hinduism is the Paganism of India, Shinto the paganism of Japan and Santeria, Voudon Macumba are the paganisms of the African Diaspora; etc On the other hand symbolism is the applied use of symbols i.e iconic representations that carry particular conventional meanings. Symbolism also refers to a way of choosing representative symbols that are in line with the abstract rather than literal properties, allowing for the broader interpretation of a carried meaning than more literal concept-representations can allow. A religion can be described as a language of concepts related to human spirituality. Symbolism hence is an important aspect of most religions. Christianity is the monotheistic system of beliefs and practices that are based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and that emphasizes the role of Jesus as savior and Christ. Discussion Zodiac is one of the oldest conceptual images in human history. It reflects the sun as it figuratively passes through the 12 major constellations over the course of a year. It also reflects the 12 months of the year, the 4 seasons, and the solstices and equinoxes. The term Zodiac relates to the fact that constellations were anthropomorphized, or personified, as figures, or animals. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary on December 25th/a> in Bethlehem, his birth was symbolized by a star in the east which three kings or magi followed to locate and adorn the new savior. He was a child teacher at age 12 and at the age of 30 he was baptized by John the Baptist, and thus began the ministry. Jesus had 12 disciples whom he traveled about with performing miracles such as healing the sick, raising the dead, walking on water, he was also known as the King of Kings, the Son of God, the Light of the World, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb of God e.g. After being betrayed by Judas his disciple and sold for 30 pieces of silver, he was crucified, placed in a tomb and after 3 days resurrected and ascended to Heaven. The birth sequence of Jesus is completely astrological. The star in the east is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky at night, which on December 24th aligns with the three brightest stars in Orions Belt. These three bright stars are referred today what they were called in ancient times, The Three Kings. The Three Kings and the brightest star Sirius, all point to the place of the sunrise on December 25th. This is why the Three Kings follow the star in the east, in order to locate the sunrise or the birth of the sun. Virgin Mary is the constellation Virgo, also known as the Virgo the Virgin which in Latin means virgin. The ancient glyph for Virgo is the altered m. This is why Mary with other virgin mothers, such as Adoniss mother Myrrha and Buddhas mother Maya begin with an M. Virgo is also referred to as the House of Bread, and the represents of virgin holding a sheaf of wheat. The House of Bread and its symbol of wheat represent August and September, the time of harvest. In turn, Bethlehem literally translates to house of bread. Bethlehem therefore refers to the constellation Virgo, a place in the sky, not on Earth. Another very interesting phenomenon that occurs around December 25th is that from the summer solstice to the winter solstice, the days become shorter and colder. From the northern hemisphere perspective, the sun appears to move south gets smaller and more scarce. The shortening of days and the expiration of the crops when approaching the winter solstice symbolizes the process of death to the ancients. By December 22nd, the Suns demise was fully realized, for the Sun having moved south continually for 6 months, makes it to its lowest point in the sky. And here a curious thing occurs, the Sun stops moving south, at least for 3 days. In the three day pause, the Sun stays in the vicinity of the Southern Cross, or Crux, the constellation. After this time on December 25th, the Sun moves 1 degree, this time north, foreshadowing longer days, spring and warmth. And thus it was said, the Sun died on the cross, was dead for 3 days, only to be resurrected or born again. This is why Jesus and num erous other Sun Gods share the crucifixion, 3 day death, and resurrection concept. It’s the Suns transition period before it shifts its direction back towards the Northern Hemisphere bringing spring and thus salvation. However, they didn’t celebrate the resurrection of the Sun until the spring equinox, or Easter. This is because at the spring equinox, the Sun officially overpowers the evil darkness, as daytime thereafter becomes longer in duration than night, and the revitalizing conditions of spring emerge. Therefore the obvious astrological symbolism around Jesus regards the 12 disciples. They are simply the 12 constellations of the Zodiac, which Jesus, being the Sun, travels about with. In fact, the number 12 is seen more often throughout the Bible which has more to do with astrology than anything else. Looking at the cross of the Zodiac, the figurative life of the Sun, this was not an artistic expression or tool to track the Suns movements. It is a Pagan adaptation of the cross of the Zodiac. That is why Jesus in early occult art is shown with his head on the cross the Sun of God, the Light of the World, the Risen Savior, who will come again, as it is every morning, the Glory of God who battles against the works of darkness, as he is born again every morning, and can be seen coming in the clouds, up in Heaven, with his Crown of Thorns, or, sun rays. Now, of the many astrological-astronomical metaphors in the Bible, the most important has to do with the ages. In the scriptures there are numerous references ‘Age’. To understand this, we need to familiarize with the phenomenon called the precession of the equinoxes. Ancient Egyptians along with cultures long before them recognized that approximately for every 2150 years the sunrise on the morning of the spring equinox would occur at a different sign of the Zodiac. This is concerned with the slow angular wobble that the Earth maintains as it rotates on its axis. It’s called a precession because the constellations go backwards, rather than through the normal annual cycle. The time that it takes for the precession to go through all 12 signs is roughly 25 to 765 years. This is also called the Great Year, and ancient societies were very aware of this. Each 2150 year period was called an age. From 4300 b.c. to 2150 b.c., it was called the Age of Taurus, the Bull. From 2150 b.c. to 1 a.d., it was called the Age of Aries, the Ram, and from 1 a.d. to 2150 a.d. it was called the Age of Pisces, the age we are still in to date, and in and around 2150, we shall enter the new age called the Age of Aquarius. The Bible reflects a symbolic movement through 3 ages, while foreshadowing a 4th. In the Old Testament when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments, he was very upset to see his people worshiping a golden bull calf. He reacted by shattering the stone tablets and instructing his people to kill each other in order to purify themselves. I would attribute this anger to the fact that the Israelites were worshiping a false idol or something to that effect. The fact is that the golden bull is Taurus the Bull, and Moses represents the new Age of Aries the Ram. That is why Jews even today still blow the Rams horn. Moses represents the new Age of Aries, and upon the new age, everyone should shed the old age. Other deities mark these transitions as well, a pre-Christian god who kills the bull, in the same symbol. Jesus is the figure who ushers in the age following Aries, the Age of Pisces the two Fish. Fish symbolism is very repetitive in the New Testament. Jesus fed 5000 people with bread and 2 fish. When he began his ministry walking along Galilee, he befriends 2 fishermen, who followed him. I have seen Jesus-fish on the backs of peoples cars. Yet they do not know what it actually means. It is a Pagan astrological symbolism for the Suns Kingdom during the Age of Pisces. Also, Jesus assumed birth date is essentially the start of this age. In Luke 22:10 when Jesus is asked by his disciples where the next Passover will be, Jesus replied ‘Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water follow him into the house where he entereth in.’ this scripture is one of the most revealing of all the astrological references. The man carrying a pitcher of water is Aquarius, the water bearer, who is always seen as a man pouring out a pitcher of water. He represents the age after Pisces, and when the Sun leaves the Age of Pisces (Jesus), it will go into the House of Aquarius, as Aquarius follows Pisces in the precession of the equinoxes. Also what Jesus is that after the Age of Pisces will come the Age of Aquarius. We have all heard about the end times and the end of the world. Apart from the depictions in the Book of Revelation, the main source of this idea comes from Matthew 28:20, where Jesus says ‘I will be with you even to the end of the world.’ Otherwise, in King James Version, ‘the world’ is a mistranslation, among many mistranslations. The actual word being used is aeon, which means ‘age.’ ‘I will be with you even to the end of the age.’ Which is true, as Jesus Solar Piscean representation will end when the Sun enters the Age of Aquarius. The entire concept of end times and the end of the world is a misinterpreted astrological allegation. Lets tell that to the approximately 100 million people in America who believe the end of the world is coming. Furthermore, Jesus character, a literary and astrological hybrid, is most explicitly similar to the Egyptian Sun god Horus e.g., inscribed about 3500 years ago on the walls of the Temple of Luxor in Egypt are images of the enunciation of the immaculate conception, the birth, and the adoration of Horus. The images begin with Thaw announcing to the virgin Isis that she will conceive Horus, then Nef the holy ghost shall impregnant the virgin Isis, and then the virgin birth and the adoration. This exactly entails Jesus’ miracle conception. In fact, the literary similarities between the Egyptian religion and the Christian religion are staggering. The plagiarism is continuous. The story of Noah and the Ark is taken directly from the traditions. The concept of a Great Flood is common throughout the ancient world, with over 200 different cited claims in different periods and times. However, one needs look no further for a pre-Christian source than the Epic of Gilgamesh, written in 2600 b.c. In this story is told of a Great Flood commanded by God, an Ark with saved animals on it, and even the release and return of a dove, all held in common with the biblical story, among many other similar occurrences. Then there is the plagiarized story of Moses. Upon Moses birth, it is said that he was placed in a reed basket and set adrift in a river in order to avoid infanticide. He was later rescued by a daughter of a king and raised by her as a Prince. This baby in a basket story was lifted directly from the myth of Sargon of Akkad of around 2250 b.c. Sargon was born, placed in a reed basket in order to avoid infanticide, and set adrift in a river. He was in turn rescued and raised by Akki, a royal mid-wife. Furthermore, Moses is known as the giver of the Ten Commandments. However, the idea of a Law being passed from God to a prophet on a mountain is also a very old motif. Moses is just a law giver in a series of law givers in mythological history. In India, Manou was the great law giver. In Crete, Minos ascended Mount Dicta, where Zeus gave him the sacred laws. While in Egypt there was Mises, who carried stone tablets and upon them the laws of god were written. The Ten Commandments are taken outright from Spell 125 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. What the Book of the Dead phrased I have not killed Thou shall not kill, I have not told lies became Thou shall not bear false witness I have not stolen became Thou shall not steal,† and so forth. In fact, the Egyptian religion is likely the primary foundational basis for the Judeo-Christian theology. Baptism, afterlife, final judgment, virgin birth and resurrection, crucifixion, the Ark of the Covenant, circumcision, saviors, Holy Communion, the great flood, Easter, Christmas, Passover, and many more, are all attributes of Egyptian ideas, long predating Christianity and Judaism. Justin Martyr, one of the first Christian historians and defenders, said: When we say that Jesus Christ, our teacher, was produced without sexual union, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into Heaven, we propound nothing different from what you believe regarding those who you esteem Sons of Jupiter. In a different writing, Justin Martyr said He was born of a virgin; accept this in similarity with what you believe of Perseus. Its quite obvious that Justin and other early Christians knew how similar Christianity was to the Pagan religions and practices. However, Justin had a solution, as far as he was concerned, the Devil did it. The Devil had the foresight to come before Christ, and create these characteristics in the Pagan world. The Bible is just but an astro-theological literary fold hybrid, just like nearly all religious myths before it. In fact, the aspect of transference, of one characters attributes to a new character, can be found within the bible itself. In the Old Testament theres the story of Joseph. Joseph was a prototype for Jesus. Joseph was born of a miracle birth; Jesus was born of a miracle birth. Joseph was of 12 brothers, Jesus had 12 disciples. Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver; Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver. Brother Judah suggests the sale of Joseph, disciple Judas suggests the sale of Jesus. Joseph began his work at the age of 30; Jesus began his work at the age of 30. The parallels go on and on. At the time of Jesus, the Mediterranean world was ruled by the Roman Empire. The Romans were pagans, who had their own gods namely; Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and so on. The names of these gods have survived to date in the names of the planets, the days of the week, names of months and general linguistic usage. The other cultures in the area also had their own gods and goddesses, who corresponded more or less to the Roman pantheon. Greek was the language of culture in the Middle East; the main centre was Alexandria in Egypt and the Roman world was one in which trade and religion passed rapidly between the cities and towns along the marvello. Celebrating the Solstice was forbidden by the Church, but many customs survived anyway. In the 4th Century, Pope Julius I declared that 25th December was Jesus birthday and so celebrations were in order. This effectively transformed the Pagan occasion into a Christian holy day (holiday). This was not, however, merely a convenient way to Christianize a Pagan celebration. There is no historical evidence to prove what date Jesus was born on, or the season, or even the year. But after many years of calculation, contemplation and argument, 25th December was assigned. And since the why is more important than the when, that date has been good enough for Christians ever since. Conclusion Paganism has a wider influence on our lives than we might care to think. Take for example, the simple wedding ring. This has profound Pagan origins yet is considered an essential part of the wedding ceremony by many Christians. Overemphasizing the relevance and importance of religious symbols can lead to conflict. Consider the tensions that rose in France during 2004/5, following the banning of Muslim headscarves, Sikh turbans, Jewish skullcaps, large Christian crucifixes, and other conspicuous religious symbols that dont blend into secular state schools5. The headscarf issue resulted in just a handful of school expulsions but more damagingly generated ill-feeling, divided the country and achieved nothing positive. Paganism has had a wide influence on Christianity given the many examples of rites and regalia that support this assertion. And this raises the question: So what? Christians should be cautious about condemning practices as Pagan, just because of their origins. The origins may be interesting, but not so important. What is really important, however, is what we do with these things. References: J. G. Frazer (1993) The Golden Bough, Macmillan Co. Ltd, London R. Graves (1961) the white Goddess, Faber Faber, London A. His lop: (1990) The Two Babylon’s, Loizeaux Brothers; 2nd edition. M. D. Magee Sun Gods as Atoning Saviors an online resource investigating the origins of Christian and Jewish teachings Strabo:( 1982) The Geography of Strabo, Loeb Classical Library Tertullian:( 870) Adversus Judaeos, trans. Rev. S. Thelwall, 1870 B. G. Walker 🙠 1983) the Womans Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, Harper Row, NY

Critique of Utilitarianism Theory

Critique of Utilitarianism Theory Utilitarianism as an independent ethical position only arose in the eighteenth century however fundamental utilitarian ideas can be found in the thoughts of philosophers such as Aristotle. It is a philosophical theory of morality or how one should act which has historical roots within the liberal tradition. The aim of utilitarianism is to make decisions on the basis of a calculation of consequences. As a moral theory, There are however many critiques of utilitarianism which vary as they have different reasons and different targets due to the fact utilitarianism isnt a single coherent theory but a cluster of related theories which have developed throughout the years. In this essay I will be explaining some of the problems with utilitarianism as a theory and discussing whether these problems are insurmountable, for which I think they are. As a theory, utilitarianism is usually thought to start with Jeremy Bentham, however, similar ideas were evident in the writings of David Hume in An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals (1)and Francis Hutchinson, whom David Hume studied under, in his An Inquiry into the Original of Our Ideas of Beauty and Virtue (2). Utilitarianism tells us an act is moral insofar as it creates the greatest good for the greatest number. It tells us to take the amount of happiness distributed between sentient beings and look at which distribution is going to maximise the amount of happiness. It gives a systematic answer. Throughout the past two centuries utilitarianism has been very influential within practical disciplines of politics and economics. As a result, utilitarianism has had an influence modern life, particularly public policy. What could be more important when making political deliberations than aiming to make peoples lives better and less unhappy? One of the first utilitarian theorisers, Jeremy Bentham, is famously credited for being the founder of the doctrine. Bentham defined utility as instrumental to happiness. He believes that all judgements of good and bad can be based on pleasure and pain. He is seen as an advocate of psychological hedonism. In his famous introduction of An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1979), Bentham states Nature has placed man under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. Therefore, pain and pleasure provide the basis for his moral theory of what we ought to do. Initially, he began his career by studying law and then moved on to moral ethics in order to advise legislators. He was primarily interested in improving the law and his goal for the legislator was the utilitarian principle or the greatest happiness principle. Therefore, his advice was not initially aimed for individuals and their life choices but for the legislator. Although Bentham sees pleasu re as the key of explaining how human beings act, he relies more often on the concept of pain when constructing his legal theory. While he does endorse act-utilitarianism, his sanction-based theory of obligation is more applicable to the legal system he was so interested in improving. John Stuart Mill is also one of the most well-known utilitarian thinkers and defenders of the theory. His celebrated thoughts can be found in his famous essay: Utilitarianism. Mill observes something of a crisis in moral thinking. Philosophical thinkers have been unable to come to a consensus on the principle of what constitutes right and wrong. Mill argues that having such a foundation is necessary to legitimise morality. This is why the theory of utilitarianism is so important. Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill categorise and measure utility and pleasure in different ways. Bentham uses the hedonic calculus which decides the value of pleasure by seven measures of quantity: duration, intensity, certainty or uncertainty, remoteness or propinquity, fecundity, extent and purity. Bentham is well-known for his treating of all pleasures as of equal value. By this he means not that all pleasures are of exactly equal, but that the legislator who his work on utilitarianism is aimed at should not be valuing one pleasure above another. John Stuart Mill however saw pleasures in two categories higher and lower pleasures. A criticism of John Stuart Mills utilitarianism, and the first problem with the theory that I shall be addressing, is his categorisation of higher and lower pleasures. The difference between these pleasures is founded on sort and not degree, therefore this makes comparison of the consequence of actions far more difficult to calculate. Higher and lower pleasures cannot be measure or compared as they are of a different kind. How would Mills version of utilitarianism be applied in situations in which bother higher and lower pleasures are involved in the calculation? In relation to John Stuart Mills classification of higher and lower pleasures, a common criticism of simple versions of the theory such as Benthams utilitarianism is that they reduce the subtleties of human life to a stark calculation of animal-like pleasures, with no concern for how these pleasures are produced. This gave utilitarianism a bad name and it was often mocked as a doctrine only worthy of swine. (philosophy of the classics, mill utilitarianism). John Stuart Mill defends utilitarianism from such criticism with his version which differs from Jeremy Benthams simple version: Mills differentiation between higher and lower pleasures puts forward that intellectual pleasures are intrinsically more valuable that physical pleasures. Bentham however treats all pleasures as equal to each other. So, when utilitarianism is described as a doctrine worthy only of swine, Mill argues that it is better to be a dissatisfied human being than a satisfied pig; and better to be a dissatisfied So crates than a satisfied fool. His defence is that human beings are capable of intellectual pleasures as well as physical ones, whereas pigs cannot enjoy intellectual pleasures. In his view, humans who have experienced intellectual pleasures will prefer them to lower, physical ones. Those who still are lead astray by lower physical ones are falling for immediate sensual gratification, even though they know full well that higher, intellectual pleasures are more worthwhile. John Stuart Mils idea of higher and lower pleasures has been viewed as flawed in itself. It has been criticised as a self-serving idea. For example, an intellectual will view his preferred enjoyments as a higher, more important pleasure. Therefore, as an intellectual, it could be argued that Mill himself is biased towards what constitutes as higher and lower pleasures. A further and harsh criticism of utilitarianism is that the theory would justify slavery. This is as long as the slaves were happy or the overall happiness gained by the beneficiaries of the slavery was calculated as than the slaves unhappiness. Bentham fiercely denies this to be the case, as he argues that the choices of human beings give the best inclination of what makes humans happy, and slavery by definition is never a choice and therefore slaves can never be said to be happy. Bentham is also well known for his application of utilitarianism as the greatest happiness for the greatest number. This can subsequently be translated to mean that utilitarianism sacrifices the unfortunate few the powerful many. Therefore it has been argued by some that regarding the slavery example mentioned previously; if the vast economic benefits of slavery outweighed the unhappiness of the slaves then slavery is still favoured by utilitarianism. Bentham argues against this however as he claims the greatest happiness for the greatest number should be applied in a way that the interest of the powerless many should be more important than the interests of the powerful few. Another fundamental criticism of utilitarianism is that it ignores justice. A classic example of this criticism was given by H. J. McCloskey McCloskey, H.J. (1957) An Examination of Restricted Utilitarianism in The Philosophical Review, Vol. 66, No. 4 (Oct., 1957), pp. 466-485. If framing an innocent man for a crime that would reduce the further riots and pain that looking for the real guilty person would incur, utilitarian theory would suggest that this would be the optimal choice as although an innocent man will suffer, for a greater number of people less pain will be caused, incurring in a calculation of more pleasure overall. Therefore, if the sole aim of utilitarian theory is to maximise pleasure and reduce pain for the greater number, justice will be ignored in situations such as this example. Bentham however argues that it is a serious misrepresentation to say that utilitarians would be willing to ignore justice and punish an innocent man in the name of the greater good. ADD t o benthams defence. Another problem with utilitarianism is the impracticality of calculating the utility of actions in real time. The calculation of utility is said to be self-defeating as by the time the best utilitarian course of action has been calculated and decided, the opportunity to take this action may well have passed. How can one calculate which of all possible actions will maximise the most happiness overall. What if one is in a dilemma and has a decision to make quickly? In high pressure situations, one usually does not have time to sit down and make exact calculations regarding which decision will bring about the most happiness and minimise pain. Mill deflected this objection with the response that humans learn general moral principle though experience that can later be relied on in such situations. Exact calculations are not necessary for each situation in life as this would be impractical. In chapter 2 of his essay Utilitarianism, Mill replies to such criticism: In such circumstances, one should follow common-sense moral rules, which summarize lots of human experience, and tend to guide us toward actions that promote general happiness and away from actions that tend to dampen it. Also, one can cultivate habits and train individual character, so that people become disposed to act in ways that are happiness-promoting. I feel his reply is valid as utilitarianism as a theory is still in use when making decisions in ordinary situations without exact calculations. It is logical to assume common sense moral rules as guidance when making decisions without needing to apply exact calculations. A further problem of John Stuart Mills utilitarianism is that strict application of some utilitarian principles can result in unpalatable consequences. This has been argued by many of utilitarianism critics and there are plentiful examples of scenarios where consequences of utilitarianism being applied leads to unacceptable consequences. A great difficulty with utilitarianism is that for one to truly take on a core principle such as the greatest happiness for the greatest number, is very demanding. Everything action an individual undertakes would become a moral obligation to help a greater number of people. It requires the actor to be impartial regarding his own happiness and desires and focus neutrally on the happiness of others over one sown. as between his own happiness and that of others, utilitarianism requires him to be as strictly impartial as a disinterested and benevolent spectator. (jsmill utilitarianism chapter 2) What makes this so demanding is the excessive amount of strangers in need of help and the indefinite opportunities there are to make sacrifices to maximise their happiness. This is also a problem as there is no differentiation between helping your friends and family before complete strangers. For example, choosing to work excessively and earn as much money as possible to help those in poverty wou ld be the correct utilitarian choice as it does the most good for the most people. We would become charitable cogs and ignore our human nature to have personal leisure time for example and engage with our individual wants and needs. This ties in with the criticism of utilitarianism that it ignores individuality and individual rights which is a main topic of criticism. As a theory, utilitarianism cannot respect the rights of individuals mill defends. Taking into account John Stuart Mills defence, I personally do not think that utilitarianism looks at individuals as unique and groups people together without regard for their individuality. One would become a martyr for greater happiness, disregarding ones own, apparently less important wants, needs and desires. Utilitarian thinkers argue that the world would in fact be a much better place if we did live by principle. I disagree and feel that in this sense utilitarianism is overly demanding and has a lack of respect for individual righ ts. This is a key problem with the theory that I do not believe is insurmountable as it would deter individuals from engaging with the theory. Act-utilitarianism is too demanding Therefore critics of utilitarian argue this overly demanding theory would leave one with a life of hardship and austerity. Bernard Williams is an infamous critic of utilitarian theory. He states that we need a sense of integrity and commitments to justify any morality. He effectively argues that utilitarianism misses moral agency. His example of this problem with utilitarianism is the differentiation between an act and the consequence. It is hard to justify that the action rather than a possibly terrible consequence is what makes an action immoral. Too much egoistic weight is placed on personal actions. For example, the action of shooting someone with a gun rather than the victim dying is what is wrong with such a scenario for a utilitarian. Williams argues that we do not judge actions by their consequences and this notion of utilitarianism should be rejected no matter how plausible it may seem. Williams believes this way of judgement removes what it is to be human from the scenario. Moral decision should preserve our psychological identity and integrity. John Stuart Millss proof of utilitarianism has also come under constant criticism. His answer the question why maximise happiness? is controversial. Mills claim is that happiness is pursued as an end in itself and is the aim of all human activity. If someone claims that they pursue virtue as an end in itself, Mill argues that this is just an ingredient in their life of happiness and just a means leading to the same end: happiness, pleasure and the avoidance of pain. Virtue is just part of their happiness. So for Mill, the question of why maximise happiness? is in fact a question of why happiness is desirable. His analogous answer to this is that The only way we can prove an object is visible is by demonstrating that people can actually see it. Therefore the evidence that happiness is desirable is that people desire it. This evidence of proof has come under much criticism as it is argued by Henry Sidgwick that itis based on a bad argument. First of all he criticises the comparison of what is desirable and what is visible. Visible means can be seen however desirable doesnt actually translate to can be desired. In fact it is more correctly translated to mean should be desired. This weakness of John Stuart Mills analogy makes it hard to compare what people do desire to what people should desire. Therefore, his proof of happiness being desirable is based fully on bad argument. As the fundamental aim of utilitarianism is the maximise happiness, the fact that Mill has difficulty proving that happiness is what the people desire is a fundamental problem with the theory that I do not feel can be ignored. It is also argued that if John Stuart Mill had given a correct analogy, his argument would have lead to a selfish version of utilitarianism compared to the utilitarian approach that the greatest happiness for the greatest number its aim. In Mills example, individuals wanting their own personal happiness will add up to an aggregate happiness. Therefore, it is argued he needs a far stronger argument than his given analogy to prove that general happiness is what all people should aim for. It is clear that utilitarianism, although often considered a simple theory which declares that the morally right action in any circumstances is the one which is most likely to maximise happiness, is actually a very complex cluster of related theories which have developed rapidly since the 18th century. Throughout this time many features of utilitarianism have come under constant criticism and as a normative theory it has been widely accused of being unworkable. I do believe that utilitarianism has flaws which John Stuart Mill as the theorys key defender has been unable to explain adequately. A lot of Mills utilitarianism is defendable such as how he deals with the objection that the calculations are impractical. However some of his answers to criticism do not persuade me that the problems with utilitarianism are surmountable. I sympathise with the criticism that utilitarianism is overly demanding and following rule utilitarianism strictly would lead to a life of austerity and self-de nial. As a moral basis for some decision making I think utilitarianism could have use in society today, however, as moral theory I do not think that it upholds and the problems within it are insurmountable. The criticisms I have mention in this essay are not exhaustive.

value of a college education Essay example -- essays research papers

Value Of A College Education According to Lundberg (2003), â€Å"adult students are one of the most rapidly growing segments of today’s college student population, making up approximately 40% of all college students† (665). Having a college education is an important tool that contributes to several aspects of a person’s life. The areas that are impacted the most would be the professional and personal areas. It is important to learn the value of a college education in order to take advantage of what you learn and how to productively apply it in your personal and professional life. Having a college education is something that can always be looked at as a positive achievement that feels good and looks good on a resume. Earning a college degree can provide a lifetime of rewards and unlike most other consumer purchases such as a car, will only appreciate in value, not depreciate. Professional Aspects According to Vocational Training News (2003), despite the current economic climate, college students say having technology skills will greatly increase their employment potential (6). The job market is constantly changing each year. Jobs are now more competitive and having a college degree seems to be a necessity for most which is why having a college degree at least shows that an individual is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and has worked hard to accomplish a specific goal. Having a college degree also gives more opportunity to apply for jobs of interest. Larger Salary A college degree also allows for the opportunity to earn a larger salary. Having a degree also gives a person more confidence when negotiating salaries. Knowing that a company cannot use the excuse of not having a degree against you is a great benefit. Even though the cost of a college education is outrageous, the benefits of having a degree far surpass those costs. Loans can be paid back but it is very difficult to make a substantial amount of money without a degree. This reminds me of a saying that I once heard though I cannot recall who said it. "If you think the price of education is expensive, try the price of ignorance. You pay for ignorance everyday for the rest of your life."- Anonymous Respect and Admiration Everyone would like something to show from the hard work they put into earning their deg... ...ngs to different areas of a person’s life. In my case, I will have developed the skills and values necessary to be an asset to my company and elsewhere in the business world. I will now not be looked upon as just an â€Å"entry level† worker. More opportunities will be available for jobs that are of particular interest to me and as stated before, the opportunity for a higher salary will exist. By continuing my education, I will have achieved a great accomplishment and know that all of my hard work and determination has finally paid off. The value of a college education is priceless. Earning a degree can only make the future more desirable. In conclusion, I need to take it upon myself to further my education right now, without interruption, no matter what the obstacles may be. References (2003, December). Teens say tech knowledge increases potential jobs. Vocational Training News, 34, (12), 6. Retrieved December 21, 2003, from EBSCO database. Lundberg, C.A., (2003, November/December). The influence of time-limitations, faculty, and peer relationships on adult student learning. Journal of Higher Education, 74, (6), 665. Retrieved December 21, 2003, from EBSCO database.

Charlotte Perkin Gilman: A life of slient suffering :: Biography

Charlotte Perkins Gilman, born in 1860, was a radical feminist in a time when women kept house and raised children. She attributed to the development of a â€Å"kitchen-less home, socialization of housekeeping and child care† (SOURCE 2) although she also married and had a child. Ultimately her radical goals and domestic house life lead to her psychotic downfall. Gilman’s dread of domestic life began in childhood when her neglectful father abandoned the family, Charlotte, her mother and brother. Her mother responded by denying affection, fearing â€Å"that it would weaken her daughter's character and give her an inflated sense of security† (SOURCE 2). Gilman fought to become educated and was able to build a life and support herself as a single woman. Filled with shame and fear from her parents’ divorce Gilman was weary to accept the multiple proposals of suitor Charles Walter Stetson, eventually agreeing in 1885 after her closest friend became married (SOURCE 2). The union was described as unsatisfying and a great factor in Gilman’s breakdown (SOURCE 1). They had their first and only child in 1886, which was the turning point in Gilman’s mental health. The pregnancy was filled with illness and emotional instability; she was put on bed rest which left her unstable and â€Å"depressed by domesticity and ambition† (SOURCE 2). After her child was born she claimed she â€Å"felt guilty she did not experience the joy† and â€Å"was a failure as a woman† (SOURCE 2). Gilman was unable to function normally, her life filled with extreme unhappiness or sudden hysteria. Eight months after the birth of their daughter Gilman’s emotional state was not improving and she left home. She spent five months with a friend collaborating on writings and plays (SOURCE 2) and filled with the relief of living an domestic life began feeling better. Gilman returned home determined she was well again but within a month was returning to her previous state (SOURCE 2). Writing in her diary â€Å"I am very sick with nervous prostration and I think some brain disease as well† (SOURCE 2) at this point she began getting treatment from S. Weir Mitchell a nerve specialist. She underwent the Rest Cure Treatment and â€Å"for six weeks, Charlotte had complete bed rest, daily massages, plentiful food, and no access to books or friends. She was sent home with an admonition never to write or paint again† (SOURCE 2). The treatment ended with an extreme psychotic breakdown, which is described in her short story The Yellow Wallpaper.

Global Climate Change Technology and Carbon-Cycle Projection Models :: Greenhouse Gases Pollution

Global Climate Change Technology and Carbon-Cycle Projection Models Introduction â€Å"Global climate change† is the hippest buzz phrase for radical environmentalists, dutiful scientists, industry heads, and policy-makers alike. Philosophically, it is proof that the environment is humanity’s connective tissue; whether your life’s work is spent tilling a field, manufacturing steel, or conducting conference calls, global climate change affects you. The gravity of this human-environment issue is highlighted in the headlines of the EPA’s â€Å"Science and Policy News†: â€Å"Researchers See ‘No Doubt’ of Human Influence on Climate,† â€Å"Climate Change May Be Greater Threat to Biodiversity than Habitat Loss,† â€Å"Largest Arctic Ice Shelf Breaks Up† (http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/NewsandEventsScienceandPolicyNews.html). To ensure the further sustainable progress of humanity, it is critical that we work to understand our relationship to climate and its changes. This paper is an assessment of the current work being done to foster that understanding. Specifically, it evaluates global climate change modeling technology, especially the carbon-cycle models imperative for emissions-reduction policy. Climate Science Driven by interactions between the atmosphere, the sea, and life on land, climate is the â€Å"average weather† of Earth (http://www.met-office.gov.uk/research/hadleycentre/models/climate_system.html). The climate system is the sum of the gas, heat, and momentum exchanges that take place between all the components of climate: the atmosphere, the biosphere, the cryosphere (icy earth surfaces), and the land surface. Global climate determines the Earth’s weather; tropical storms, drought, and other large-scale weather events can have catastrophic effects on human communities. Global climate determines Earth’s seasons; crop growing seasons ebb and flow with annual rain and sun variations. Global climate determines the terrestrial and oceanic composition of Earth; should average global temperature rise enough, ice caps and glaciers melt, increasing sea levels on coastal zone where millions of people live. In short, the global climate system influences the most ba sic processes we depend on for survival. A bare-bones definition of climate change refers to variations in climate within different time scales, or to a change in the long-term weather patterns on the planet. However, the broader connotations of the term are critically important to an understanding of climate technology and its applications. Though climate change can be caused by fluctuations in Earth’s cycles and temperature due to â€Å"natural† flux in solar radiation, seasonality, or atmospheric concentration (as happens after a volcanic eruption), the term increasingly implies changes in global temperature with significant economic, social, and environmental ramifications (http://nsidc.

Best Childhood Memory When Riding a Bike Goes Wrong Essay

The assignment topic that we were to choose from was somewhat challenging for me. We were asked to write about our fondest childhood memory. Growing up with six younger siblings and a large number of cousins, there have been many entertaining occasions we have shared. One of my warmer memories was when I was 11 years old on July 4, 2006 at my great grandmother’s house with my siblings and cousins. My family is very massive and when we all get together, there is a guarantee that something amusing that wound up taking place to someone or all of us. On this specific day, it happened to be me and my bike riding experience. It was four o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon. The sun had gone down a little while previously but it was still somewhat hot. All of the kids were trying to find things to occupy our time. Everyone started suggesting such activities as â€Å"let’s go to the park,† â€Å"let’s go get ice cream from the store,† or â€Å"let’s play kickball or my proposition – â€Å"let’s race down the hill?† Everyone thought about the choices that were made and surprisingly agreed to my suggestion. So everyone went to the site were everything we needed to choose from in order to race down the hill was stationed. Some people had skates, bikes, scooters, and even go-karts. After we had acquired what we wanted we commenced up the hill towards our destination. Once we all climbed to the top, we ensured that everyone was accounted for and ready to ride. One of the younger kids who could not race down the hill with us, stayed at the bottom of the hill for the purpose of starting the race. Everyone who was going to go down the hill was extended across the top of the street and I was adjacent to them on the sidewalk. My younger cousin asked â€Å"are you ready?† We all responded â€Å"yeah† very loudly. At that point, she said â€Å"on your mark, get set, go!† We all moved quickly down the hill with hopes to be the first to win. I was going down the hill exceedingly fast with the intentions of winning the race. I felt like first place was mine for the taking. I wanted so bad to be able to rub it in all of their faces that I was victorious. However, while going down the hill I realized the bike I had chosen was malfunctioning. The handle bars were not lined up with the front wheel. For  this reason, I had been used to the brakes being on the handle bars, but consequently this bike was made different from what I was used to. In order to stop the bike, you had to press the pedals backwards. By the time I recognized I had to make the pedals go backwards and at the same time try to hold the handle bars straight, I came to the conclusion that I was indeed going to fall. I undoubtedly ended up doing exactly what I feared would happen. I hit my face on a light pole since I couldn’t slow the bike down. I was melodramatic and cried so much that today I can laugh about the â€Å"accident†. In the hopes that I would gain sympathy from someone, I went to my daddy and I recounted him on what had happen. Surprisingly, his words to me were â€Å"suck it up you will be okay.† I certainly assumed I was about peris h and he told me that I would be okay. For this reason, I didn’t know what was on his mind when he stated that to me. I was an eleven year old child that had been deeply traumatized and scarred. Little, did I know that the advice he gave me would follow me through my existence. In my life, I have had a lot of great memories with my family. The bike riding experience was one to demonstrate the many perils of wisdom that I have been given by my family and life diversities. At the present time as I have grown older, I realize now the importance of his words of astuteness to me. I now understand that life is going to have it up and downs and you will get condemned down a lot and come out with bumps and blemishes. The essence of the situation is how you pick yourself back up and dust yourself off and try again. In other words, it is alright to have some obstacles in your life but it is all in the way you handle the obstructions.

Labor Market Trends

Most of the economic analysts argue that trend of the labor market can be characterized as a dynamic one, meaning on a constant change, and its dynamism can be attributed to the changing economic performance of the market and some other factors that imposes an effect to the labor market. During the time when the economy is in good or bad condition, the behavior of the labor market is very different on every scenario. By understanding the trend of the labor force would mean, for the policy makers, having the capacity of predict the level and skills of the labor force that will be available in the economy and on how they will utilize its number to attain the societal goal as a whole. An economy having a surplus or a deficit of laborers would certainly bring costs and benefits. This is the reason why the labor market trends should be monitored form time to time. Factors affecting the labor market pattern should also be considered. Technology, government policy and the like must also be included into attention for it imposes either direct and/or indirect effects to the labor market trends. In the technological world that we are now living, it is ordinary for the economy to demand for new skills, job opportunities and new line of labor in order to suffice the need of the modern kind of living. With the complexity of the economy as time goes by, the policy makers has to monitor the demand and supply of low skilled and high skilled workers to protect the welfare of the majority while maximizing the profitability of the economy as a whole. As for the companies that plan to hire workers, it is necessary for them to understand the trend in the labor market for them to determine the level of education the available worker has and to set their standards based from the given information (Marcotte, 1991). This paper aims to discuss the current labor trend such as the trends for new jobs and its relationship to career development by relating an article about labor market trend to the existing one. Labor Market Trend Employment rate, wage rate, growth rate of the industries and the required level of education for an individual to have a work are just a few of the factors that should be considered in identifying the current trend in the labor market. According to the article of Fix, he talked about the reason of the increase in the demand for the laborers in the late 1990’s due to the sustainable growth in the US and globalization in the economy that even the low skilled workers and single mothers are hired to suffice the demand for the laborers. With this we can see that economic forces affect the trend in the labor market. The higher the investments in economy, the greater the number of possible job opportunity for that certain employment line. One example to this is the current high demand of the nurses in many parts of the world, because of this; most of the undergraduate students tend to study nursing in order to have a better career, get a better salary and so forth. It is understood that if a certain job line is in demand, there would be always a high wage rate, lot of benefits and â€Å"nice† employment terms and agreement. This is what has been the behavior of the students when choosing their undergraduate courses (Amirault, 1990). Government policies also play a vital role in affecting the trend in the labor market. Those job lines that have greater benefits compared to the others as mandated by the law would surely gain higher demand from the laborers (International-Labour-Organization, 2000). The government must also monitor their minimum wage rate to prevent their workers to migrate abroad. Migration of the skilled workers would greatly affect the economic performance of the country for it makes the country to have fewer workers in performing various economic roles. Wage rate must be set in balance in order to attract the workers to stay and work in the domestic market (Fix, 2002). The booming of a certain industry would also affect the current trend in the labor market for it attracts laborers to apply into that industry (Fix, 2002). One example into this is the impressive growth of the cellular phone industry in the south-east Asia and because of this, the tendency of the labor pool is to have a vocational course on electronics since there is a great demand for the said line of job. Cellular phone technicians also became in demand in the economy. Effects of the Globalization to Labor Market Trend Globalization has already been attributed to various negative effects that developed countries now experiencing. One of the main arguments of the analysts is that under globalization, multinational corporations are exporting laborers from the developed to developing countries through the aid of the â€Å"foreign direct investments† (International-Labour-Organization, 2000). When a certain corporation made its investment abroad, it brings with them some of the top skilled workers to supervise the operation of the new company branch in another country. In this case, all the skills of the imported laborers will benefit the country where the capitals are invested. And not only that, the host country could also benefit from the additional job opportunity that the company will offer to the labor market. Under the trade liberalization, the government is giving the consumers pieces of advice to prefer more the goods produced from abroad than with the locally produced one (International-Labour-Organization, 2000). With this, the local industry will find it hard to compete with the imported goods in terms of price and quality, therefore, harming the laborer since there is a possibility for them to be laid off to cut production costs on the part of the local industry. The increasing use of machineries and other advanced technological process to speed up the production made some laborers to loose their jobs since company owners prefer the most the machineries over the human labor for the former is more effective and efficient in working. Industries became more and more independent to technology in making their products produce faster and of great volume according to the International Labour Organization. It is therefore crucial for the government to regulate and protect the welfare of those laborers that might get harmed by their actions. Conclusion Based from the above statements and facts, we can clearly see that economic growth imposes negative effects to the trend in the labor market. The importation of the skilled workers leaves the importing country with less competitive laborers while letting the other countries to gain the benefits that are supposedly for the economy of the host country; and the preference of the imported goods than with the locally produced, harms not only the industry but also the laborers, for they could suffer from a decrease in their salary, or worse, loss their jobs. The behavior of the students in choosing a course also affects the future trend in the labor market. The number of demands for every job line serves as an attraction to the students. This would later on makes the supply of laborers on other job lines to turn down. The imbalance in the supply of the laborers in the economy could cause market turmoil and this should be prevented by the government to happen. The wage rate of the laborers especially the â€Å"low profiled† one must be monitored and evaluated often to ensure the welfare of those who are in need. As we all know, they compose the majority of the number of available workers in the market and by protecting their welfare would mean preserving the good working relationship of the workers and the market. Today labor unions play and have power to fight for the stake of the laborers in the economy and having trouble with them can greatly affect the economic performance of the country. A day mass demonstrations and strikes of the laborers could cause the loss of millions of dollars in terms of production of nay industry. The importance of understanding the trend in the labor market would really help every sector in the economy. REFERENCES Amirault, T. A. (1990). Labor market trends for new college graduates [Electronic Version]. Retrieved June 15, 2007 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1155/is_n3_v34/ai_9325762. Fix, D. S. N. a. M. (2002). Economic and Labor Market Trends [Electronic Version]. Retrieved June 15, 2007. International-Labour-Organization. (2000). Labour Market Trends and Globalization's Impact on Them [Electronic Version]. Retrieved June 15, 2007 from http://www.itcilo.it/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/global/ilo/seura/mains.htm. Marcotte, D. E. (1991). Learning in the Labor Market: The Changing Importance of Education and Training After â€Å"Formal† Schooling Ends [Electronic Version]. Retrieved June 15, 2007 from http://ncrve.berkeley.edu/Summaries/1275sum.html. ; ;