Essays on Evil

Set in the fictional world of Middle Earth, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring is a seemingly well-woven tale about the relationships emerging from the race of men and the realm of mythical creatures such as elves, dwarves, wizards and etc. Its ingenuity comes from the striking resemblance of the values and practices of Middle Earth creatures to that of modern day beings, touching on the delicate issues of morality, the ability to distinguish good from bad, and human nature.

In the story, even with divergent traditions and cultures, we see that mythical ...

The Lord of the Rings-The Fellowship of the Ring is a film that has captured the attention of much audience from all parts of the world simply because it is related to issues that affect our universe and the things in it. This film captures various themes that relate to life issues. According to this film, human beings share certain characteristics regardless of the differences in location and race. This film consists of various characters that interact with each other to show the various themes depicted in the whole scenario.

There are certain similarities between the middle earth and ...

The world of fairy tales is a world of black and white, good and evil, where the villain is perceptibly malevolent, his actions mirroring his wicked soul and he is eventually punished, righteously so in the end. Simultaneously, heroines are the ones who enjoy the symbolic protection of the fairy tale universe and it is this that proves to be their salvation, and not their own survival skills. However, one heroine rises above all of these passive damsels in distress and takes her fate into her own hands. At first, Gretel is obedient and passive, listening to her brother’ ...

The epic poem Beowulf is one of the earliest long-form stories known to man, and it suitably deals with the themes of good versus evil in a very straightforward way. Heroes are virtuous, villains are villainous, and characters are less real people than they are forces of nature. The allure of good is even illustrated through the narrator's treatment of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes: "In the end each clan on the outlying coasts beyond the whale-road had to yield to him and began to pay tribute. That was one good king" (pg. 1). At the same time, ...

Psychological Egoism involves being entirely driven by self-interest, and is characterized by purely selfish motives. It is believed that such a mind will always bring happiness. Whereas, Ethical Egoism is the view that people do take into account interests, that are not their own. Glaucon has created a myth titled “The Ring of Gyges” which discusses the entire concept of egoism.

This myth is the story of a man named Gyges, who while travelling he comes across a chasm, with something sparkling deep inside. Attracted by the shine he goes into the depth and enters a tomb. Gyges ends ...

Bram Stoker’s epistolary novel, entitled Dracula, offers a glimpse of a dark, supernatural world, wrought with sexual symbolism and the draining of human power. Stoker introduces his protagonist, a young solicitor named Jonathan Harker, who finds himself on the road to Transylvania for the purpose of visiting a certain count Dracula and organizing a real estate transaction. Harker leaves behind the vehicles of modern civilization as he is driven into the desolate mountain country (Davison 79). The countryside he passes through is picturesque enough to lull him into a state of false security, while the villagers offer charms ...

Compare both stories in terms of the representation of evil

The characters in the short stories, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor and “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne allow their existence to be transformed by evil threats. The diversion taken by a family in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” causes mayhem, while at the same time, the wrong turn in “Young Goodman Brown” directs him to misery. It is evident that Brown, Misfit and the Grandmother differ on the way they handle evil. Nevertheless, these characters go astray resulting to isolation from the society. In both stories, evil is represented by ...

Most folks in the world are disheartened by the bitter fact that evil happens. People are astonishment as to why God can exist and at the same time allow the evil we see and experience each and every day in our environs to prevail (Braine 1-10). They fail to fathom the reason why a capable God would by genuine reasons agree to the notion that the power of choice should be bestowed in humans. They claim that if God is a loving God, he ought to allow his creations to decide if he really hopes to see a world ...

Introduction

Ostwalt has focused his studies on the interconnection between film and religion, especially the concept of Armageddon which is about the end of the world. Different movies portray Armageddon in different ways depending on the type of movie; be it a horror, comedy or children’s movie. However, in his studies, he reveals that most of the movies produced focus on forces of evil, which attempt to end the world and the good forces which fight the evil in an attempt to save the world from eternal destruction. His theory is inclined toward End-of-World battles which involve the two ...

Part I Question 2: Ontological arguments

Ontological arguments are a category of philosophical arguments that support the existence of God using ontology. There are many arguments classified under the category of ontological. Normally ontological arguments normally start a priory theory about how the universe is organized. The argument states that if it is true that the universe is organized, then it will give reasons as to why God must exist (Schlesinger, 85). They rationally support God’s existence. The ontological argument that God exists was first created in the proslogion of Anselm (1033-1109). Immanuel Kant was the first person to call the argument ‘ontological.’ Kant ...

The commentary takes us through a historical and literal perspective of the bible. It gives us more than just the scriptures. The author takes us through specific passages of the scriptures and gives an overview basing on historical facts. This commentary is essential in helping people understand the bible better. There is a lot of information that has not been included in the scriptures. Most bible readers find the scriptures sophisticated and not making sense because of some information that was considered irrelevant and was not included in the scripture. The author therefore, pick on such scriptures and expound ...

Introduction

The topic about humanity has always been a complex subject. This has caused many people from all walks of life to try and understand what it truly means. Many believe that humanity is inherently evil while others believe that it is good. The human psyche involves the body and the nature. This is what drives the humans to do certain acts. There are many evidence that show how humanity is evil such as rape, murder, torture, terrorism, bullying and stealing. The main force that has driven humanity to evil doings is because people think of themselves and their needs ...

J.J. Abrams’ serialized television drama LOST follows the stories of a group of survivors of a violent airplane crash on a deserted island, stuck without any hope of rescue and beholden to the mysterious forces that govern their new home. In its pilot episode, the filmmakers of LOST firmly establish the recurring theme of good vs. evil that establishes the characters’ journeys in their island setting. This is done through a combination of visual motifs, symbolism, and character moments juxtaposed through flashbacks and editing. Throughout the course of the pilot, the flaws, alignments and attitudes of the characters are ...

DILEMMA AT DEVIL’S DEN

Devils Den faces a dilemma. Susan is a finance major who works part-time at Devil’s Den, a snack bar, managed under a contract with the College Food Services (CFS). The snack bar runs two shifts; the morning shift is managed and controlled by full-time employees, while the night shift is run by students, who work under the supervision of another student, who holds the position of manager. There are approx. 30 student employees and 6 student mangers employed by CFS to supervise Devil’s Den. Student managers are previous employees chosen by other student managers, have no formal ...

The Tempest illustrates Shakespeare’s idea of power and how it is exercised. In the island where all the characters were brought together by the tempest, their individual desire for power and how they plan to achieve it shows how man constantly struggles to possess power and rule over others. This characteristic of man is explained in Friedrich Nietzsche’s view of power, which states that it is the Will to Power that drives man to desire control and achieve it. He explains that life is a plurality of forces striving after an increase in the feeling of power, ...

Introduction

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown, like all good stories, has all the ingredients that keep the reader interested. The Story starts off when an innocent young man goes on a journey across the forest. He is a married man from the village of Salem who takes pride in the community and its leaders. His illusions regarding his society are refuted when he realizes that many of the people in his town, including his wife and the religious leaders are going to attend a Black Mass. Although one is not able to tell whether the story is a nightmare ...

It is a common norm for scientists to use “proofs” to describe the reasoning for various things. Scientists make use of these proofs to explain why something happens. For instance, geologists believe that the earth possesses an electromagnetic field that acts as a protector against destructive solar winds. These geologists have never really witnessed or seen this field, yet they strongly believe it to be the most plausible explanation of why the earth is protected from destructive solar winds. This analogy is comparable to the use of ‘proofs” by Christians to make strong arguments about God’s existence. When ...

The production I watched on YouTube was a modern interpretation of the classic Swan Lake ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky written circa 1875–1876. I searched in the site for more information regarding where this particular production took place, the name of the city or theater but I could not find it. There was no mention of the name of the ballet company or the names of the principal dancers. As would be expected, this dearth of information extended to the orchestra and its conductor. No credit was given to lighting, sound or set design as well. In this ...

The relationship between art and reality is complex. Sir William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a novel that explores many complex themes about human nature and society. The novel’s allegorical style allows for many interpretations with respect to the construction of a new civilization. Its plot allows for a treatise on what would hypothetically occur if teenagers were left to their own devices, without parents or pre-ordained law enforcement to serve as precedent. Through the analysis of the symbols that the story presents, different conclusions can be reached, including opposing ones. Conservatism is presented as being ...

The image of the evil demon does not arouse the thoughts and use power over people to accept the things that are not true. Instead, the evil demon is a device which is a way by which Descartes thinks everything he used to think true to be false. It leads him to all his doubts he has acceptably raised regarding those things he regularly held to the truth. The acknowledgment that the understanding that he had gained on false grounds is at best uncertain and leads him to make up his mind to overturn all those things that he ...

In most cases, the analysis of our actions is mostly based on the outcome. The deontological and teleological theories bring out analysis on the actions and the outcome. In fact, the two theories focus on the philosophy that deals with wrong and right. Proper understanding of both theories is achieved through clear focus of what ethics is all about. A deontological theory focuses on adherence to independent moral duties and roles. The act and rule forms of deontological theories determine the judgment people make. Act-deontological theory focuses on basic judgments of obligations. In this case, individuals must decide on ...

Philosophy

Plato's greatest and most enduring work remains ‘The Republic.’ Plato called this work as paideia; where the physical, spiritual and mental development of an individual was of utmost importance in constructive, societal development. Plato was a man filled with faith in human nature. Plato’s philosophy of human nature doing evil was that a person only does evil in ignorance, for he believed everyone, just as himself wanted only what was good. The source of someone doing evil is brought about by unlimited desire. In Book 3, part 405a to 406e, Socrates yearns for an honest and disciplined society, ...

Evil is a threat to human reason as it challenges the perception that the world makes sense. For instance, the Lisbon earthquake which occurred in the eighteenth century was manifest evil. In a study of religion and culture, Suzuki views evil as a matter concerning human cruelty and Maude Barlow as an extreme incarnation. Whether expressed in secular or theological terms, evil denotes a challenge about the world's intelligibility and it confronts religion with fundamental questions.
Scholars of modern philosophy argue that a demon, which is no less powerful than God, subject humanity to different crisis or terror and ...

Management Case Study

In an organizational setting, it is important to ensure that all employees experience the same treatment at all levels. Integrity and honesty represent the ethical tone that is required for the top most leaders in the organization. However, numerous interns have reported abuse from the high level leaders who exploit their naivety and pursuit for knowledge in exchange for sexual favors and less than professional working conditions. These leaders and executives lack the value based leadership that should be evident in an organization. This paper focuses on the management team performance that enforces a value based system identified as ...

The amount of Indian opium that was reaching Canton increased simultaneously right after the abolition of British east Indians company’s monopoly in China trade in the year 1834. It is estimated that over sixteen thousands chest of Malwa and Bengali opium with a dollar value of seventeen million three hundred and eighty eight thousands six hundred and twenty two in the early nineteenth century, were brought into China illegally through importation.
Originally, opium was classified as a medicine qualities being stimulant. It was known to monitor over secretions and control harmful effects of noxious vapours. It was a ...

(Insert Institute)
The general meaning of theology finds basis in an organized and coherent study of God within a religious setting. In addition, theology can be used to define the action of seeking out facts surrounding religion. In “The Moody Handbook of Theology: Revised and Expanded,” Enns (2008) concurs with this when he states that, “The word “theology” comes from two Greek words that combined mean “the study of God.” With regard to Christianity, theology revolves around the bible and known historic events that are believed to have occurred among the Christian body.
The use of the Bible in ...

The Big Sleep, by Raymond Chandler, is a story about a private detective, Philip Marlowe, who was tasked to help figure the problems of a wealthy family, the Sternwood family. In his role as detective, Marlowe becomes entrenched in an intricate web of problems troubling the Sternwoods. Although the initial issue focuses on the disappearance of one of General Sternwood’s employees, Marlowe realizes that as he uncovers one problem after another, each one is directly related to the other. Each character has a story to tell and various angles arise that contribute to the thickening plot. In addition, ...

Adolf Hitler showered death over millions of human lives not because of his personal hatred, but because to save Germany from the depression. He was cruel towards people just to retaliate what he met and got from the society. His intension to give back to the people whom he considered as enemies of his growth and his country grew from his childhood until he started his vengeance. It is a common nature of the human beings to have vengeance over the other if they get hurt at any cost. However, there were political and religious reasons behind all his ...

Institutution:

HEARTLESS EVIL
Ted Bundy was one of the country’s most notorious serial killers. Just before his execution in 1989, he confessed to killing at least 30 young women, though it is uncertain how many other women he may have killed—possibly as many as one hundred, profilers have said.
Biographer Ann Rule, who wrote, “The Stranger Beside Me,” described him as "a sadistic sociopath who took pleasure from another human's pain and the control he had over his victims, to the point of death, and even after." (Rule p. xiv)
One of the main reasons that Bundy could ...

Introduction

During the Victorian era, there was a great evil in the society, albeit disguised in the good. The novel, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” authored by Robert Balfour Louis Stevenson, is an account of what the author had dreamt. It describes a situation in which a doctor, Jekyll, is living a dual life, good and evil. However, he is tired of this kind of life and through conducting an experiment on himself. He can set free his evil life from the good by transforming to Mr. Hyde, a renowned evil man. The aim of the ...

“Young Goodman Brown,” “The Birthmark” and “Ethan Brand” are all notably published works from the dark romanticism sub-genre era published by Nathaniel Hawthorne that have lead characters embracing the concepts of morality and isolation. Hawthorne is an American author well-known mostly for his writings in this particular classification of stories from 1839 to 1860. Hawthorne typically incorporates such topic as isolation, sin, and the devil in his writings. These topics can generate and fester sinister feelings and ideas of alienation, guilt, and gloom. Hawthorn draws influence from multiple aspects of his life, for example, incorporating the use of his ...

Dante’s Inferno is replete with symbolism. Inferno is a comprehensive, overarching allegory and Dante uses symbols throughout to explore the different themes such as violence, fraud, evil, God’s justice, immortality and more. Some of the symbols that Dante employs are simple and easy to understand such as the beast Geryon (with the head of a man and the body of a serpent, it symbolizes deceit) while others involve biblical and other classical references (the fall of Satan). Divine Comedy on the whole symbolizes the spiritual quest of man. Dante also uses symbols as an allusion to the ...

Jonathan Glover is an English philosopher and ethicist. He went to college at Tonbridge School and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. For thirty years, he was a professor of philosophy at New College, Oxford, and currently teaches ethics at London’s Kings College. Glover is also a research fellow at the Hastings Center, an independent bioethics research institution in the United States.
Born in 1941, Glover writes books and teacher. His “working life consists of thinking, reading, writing and talking about philosophy. Talking includes teaching, which involves listening as well. I write mainly books, with only a few articles” (Glover). ...

The Scotland play is a dramatization of political effects and corrosive psychological effects that sprout out in fulfilling power’s ambition. The tragedy tells the story of Macbeth, a brave Scottish soldier, which meets three witches and prophesy he will be King of Scotland. Ambition consumes him to the extent that results to his murder of King Duncan thus he grabs the throne. He ends up becoming a tyrannical ruler due to the paranoia and guilt thus committing more murders in protecting himself from suspicion and enmity. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth end up in realms of madness, death and ...

Macbeth is one of the most brilliant, fascinating, well thought works of Shakespeare. Equally, it is widely accepted as one of Shakespeare’s darkest works. The play is set in the Victorian age and pundits and critics have come to describe it as a tragedy. This is due to the fact that, despite the heroic acts of the lead character Macbeth, his expeditions are laced with tragedy. Shakespeare seeks to portray the utter destruction rendered when evil is allowed to have its way. He uses a brave, courageous, regal general in Macbeth. Macbeth ambition is further increased when a ...

In her 1926 short story “Sweat”, Zora Neale Hurston tells a sad story of the abusive relationship in a poor household, where Delia has to wash people’s clothes to earn money that her unemployed, lazy, cheating and abusive husband freely spends on his lover Bertha. The story is full of symbols that are used to enhance the reader’s understanding of Delia’s sufferings and struggle of a kind, hard-working and honest woman with evil for fifteen years before her liberation caused by the evil’s, her husband’s, death.
The first of the two connected symbols is ...

[First Last Name]

English [Number]

[Date Month Year]

In this paper, I argue that God – an all-good, all-powerful, and all-knowing entity with a perfect will that can only choose according to His nature (that is, what is good) – exists (Slide 3). Evil also exists. In addition, created nature (human nature and all things in nature), which is compatible either to God or evil or both, exists as a meaningful context of the existence of God and evil.
If God’s nature is all good, then His nature is not compatible with evil. Thus, there is no evil in Him or in ...

Introduction

Throughout the historical background of humankind, numerous scholars, researchers, and theologians have pondered the idea of evil, the presence of God, and even if God exists, whether He posses supreme and illustrative powers of unending goodness. After the first individual looked up to the sky and mulled over the origination of natural occurrences or the reasons why unpleasant things occur to good individuals, mankind has gotten affianced in a constant discussion over problem of evil and its connection to God's presence and whether He epitomizes unfathomable worthiness or tempered retaliation (Ryan). Various researchers and logicians have contended that the ...

WitchCraft

Witch is considered as an individual who have inborn ability to do mischievous acts, so that they can harm others. Witches do not always harm other intentionally, most of the time, they themselves are not aware of the fact they witch, and they may harm others unintentionally, as they do not have any idea that other individual will suffer badly because of this act. Witchcraft in the traditional societies is different than the witchcraft in the modern popular culture. The traditional beliefs regarding witchcraft are different as compared to the contemporary beliefs regarding witchcraft. There are several traditional concepts ...

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) is the great German thinker, a classical scholar, composer, poet, a creator of the original philosophical doctrine, which has emphasized non-academic nature and therefore is widespread far beyond the scientific and philosophical communities. The fundamental concept of Nietzsche includes specific criteria for assessing the validity, questioned the basic principles of the existing forms of morality, religion, culture and socio-political relations and subsequently reflected in the philosophy of life. As stated in the aphoristic style, most of the works of Nietzsche can not be unambiguously interpreted and cause a lot of controversies.
Friedrich Nietzsche was the first ...

Introduction

The question regarding the belief in God has become a pertinent issue within the societal framework. As such, the query on the belief in God has emanated from the extent and severity of evil within the societal framework. Thus, from an individual perspective, it is unreasonable not to believe in God despite the extent and severity of evil in the world due to the following three reasons I will examine in this paper.
As the first reason for the belief in God, it is imperative to acknowledge that evil is in existence due to our bad deeds. Theists argue ...

In the history of human civilization, stories always had educative role. In the literary works of fiction, authors use diverse images and symbols in order to trigger a particular reflection from the audience. On the other hand, some authors use traditional images in new contexts in order to stimulate a different reaction and challenge the audiences’ perception of traditional images. In other words, authors often argue that the same images can have different meaning and perception in different cultures and different times. The best example of this is a perception of monsters in different times. The aim of this ...

- Main argument
Technology in the simplest and most basic sense refers to the added ability in machines and computers that have the use and benefit of making the human life easier. It is my guided and respectful submission that technology as an avenue and part of the human life has the prospects of technology towards uncovering crime. Or any heinous acts that may affect the welfare of the human race (Duvall, 127).
- Why this argument is unique and significant
Thus, this paper will postulate and draw the relation on the power of technology relative to the discovering ...

Exploring he theme of Isolation in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories; “The Minister’s Black Veil”, “Young Goodman Brown” and “The Birthmark”
Nathaniel Hawthorne is the author of many short stories in which he portrays his characters with some dilemma where they must make up their minds about what is wrong from what is right. His stories end with morals that can be learned through his characters’ actions. Most of the stories he wrote are filled with themes of guilt and there are many themes of loneliness and sadness. His main characters are reclusive and lived sheltered lives. In ...

Alcohol and the Dark Side in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

who concocts and drinks a potion so he can express his dark inner urges without feeling guilt or ruining his good reputation. He tries to quit, but becomes addicted to the potion and has to take increasingly large doses to achieve the desired effect. Throughout the story alcohol is used to explore characters personalities. For example, Mr. Poole does not drink and Mr. Utterson drinks responsibly. The scenes involving drinking highlights the dual actions of alcohol, just like good and evil in man. Alcohol can be a healthy ...

The problem of evil is a central point of interest in theology. It is a philosophically a problem of interest especially in religions with an omnipotent and omniscient deity like. The problem of evil has produced paradoxes such as the Epicurean paradox. The story of Job in the Torah presents an interesting perspective of evil that is not to be seen anywhere. Job can be thought of like a pawn on a cosmic chess board. In what appears to be an annual assembly, God and the Devil are having a rather casual conversation. God enquiries of Satan’s recent ...

Satan is viewed as a monstrous creature, a dark lord crippled by evil whims and a malicious being that is unable to comprehend love. The crafty sentient being is the arch enemy of the creator and remains as such to not only Christians but also Muslims and Jews. Satan is hated by the Almighty God, God’s mortal creatures as well as his angelic beings. Those who acknowledge the existence of the devil argue that he is the ultimate deceiver and the uncanny serpent that is responsible for the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Satan possesses ...

INTERNATIONAL 4 – 8818: We know that you go inside the tunnel each night.

EQUALITY 7-2521: Will you report it to the Council?
INTERNATIONAL 4 – 8818: We have given you word that we will not.
EQUALITY 7-2521: We trust you.
INTERNATIONAL 4 – 8818: What do you do there? For three hours each day?
EQUALITY 7-2521: We study. We melt metals and mix acids. We cut open the bodies of animals.

INTERNATIONAL 4 – 8818: Where do you get all those things?

EQUALITY 7-2521: We have stolen the vials and powders from the Home of Scholars. We’ve stolen the manuscripts.

INTERNATIONAL 4 – 8818: What if they catch you? You are committing a great sin!

EQUALITY 7-2521: Sin? What is sin? Perhaps, at the end of our experiments, we may find something which will be beneficial to our Brothers, ...

Introduction

- The desires and ambition of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth drove them to commit the most hideous act.
- Innocent thoughts and ambition become corrupt when you cast aside your moral judgment.
- Loyalty and kingship replaced by the sweet taste of success.
- Thesis statement: Lady Macbeth, unlike her husband, is unscrupulous. Her strong nature overpowers her husband’s forgiving nature and causes him to think evil. She becomes the most ruthless female, committing one act after another leaves her satiated with blood.

Body

A.
- Macbeth questions the three Witches predictions (“All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king ...

It appears that McCloskey is trying to support and substantiate his case for atheism by adopting a very narrow and objective approach. The usage of terms like “proof” for different school of arguments indicates that McCloskey is keen to give a sense of finality to a very complex question by attempting to debunk the thought process behind the arguments that has been labeled as proof. Human mind has its own limitations. This universe is very complex and infinite. There are a lot of things which are beyond the comprehension of human mind. The question of existence of god is ...

Reflection on Judaism human nature

Various religions have different beliefs on human nature. This paper seeks to analyze the human nature as presented in the Judaism philosophy as recorded in Torah. Judaism hold that the origin of human beings is creation i.e. humans were created by a supernatural being-God (Harold Coward, 2008). I partially agree on this philosophical approach because the origin of humans as we may know today is subject to serious debate. There is no any specific evidence on the origin if humans that leaves no doubts and various question unanswered.
The created human beings are in the image of the creator. ...

English

The story is a critique of the hypocrisy of the Puritan society and focused on the materialist nature of the people. The incarnation of the Devil and the gloomy setting made the story a classic of the romantic era. Irvin used mythological touch and satire to denounce materialist and greedy trends of the society.
The place of the story was set a few miles away from the city of Boston in the State of Massachusetts. The setting of the main story is a forest, a dark and gloomy place. The woods were abundant in swamps, to quote from the ...

An Objection to Augustine’s Response to the Problem of Evil in On the Free Choice of the Will

A contemporary Catholic apologist sums up the problem of evil nicely: “If God is so good, why is his world so bad?” (Kreeft 54). In this paper, Augustine’s response to the problem of evil will be analyzed and found to be lacking as an adequate resolution to the problem. The paper that follows is a reflection based on the readings from From Plato to Derrida, paying special attention to Augustine’s texts on evil. Augustine tries to attack what we mean when we say “evil,” but his argument insufficiently glosses over the larger issue of human suffering, and ...

Augustine made an immense contribution to Christian tradition. In Book 7 of the Confessions, he talks of how philosophy is related to theology and faith. With regard to Platonist teachings about God and evil, Augustine acknowledges that Platonists helped him know the relationship existing between God and the finite creation as much as understanding evil. According to him there is a relation between God and man and not evil. Evil exits because it was created by God. But then the truth about all these is that when individuals do good things they serve their role in the functioning of ...

In the summer of 2001, Andrea Yates murdered all five of her young children. When she surrendered to authorities, she said that Satan had had a conversation with her, and she had decided to kill the children so that they would not go to hell. When she went on trial, she was initially convicted but ended up receiving an acquittal by virtue of insanity. There are several different factors that went into her diagnosis.
In my opinion, a combination of biological and behavioral issues combined to lead Andrea Yates to kill her children. Given the fact that each childbirth ...

Essay Chapter 1

Question 3: What is "knowledge"? Why is it useful? Is it ever possible to have knowledge? Is it ever possible to know that you have knowledge? Why, or why not?
The ability to familiarize, analyze, and understand something or someone is known as knowledge (Knowledge par. 1). Some of the things include information skills facts and skills. One learns most of these through education and a few from personal experience. Knowledge is essential in one’s day-to-day life. Having the general knowledge of the current matters gives one an edge in the society. People, especially in the workplace, ...

The hell debate

Introduction
The debate about hell and its nature has been passed on through generations since the 5th Century. Concepts and ideas have advanced a great extent through the 2,000 year Christian history. Theologians and various denominations fail to agree on matters such as qualifications of the humans ending up in hell and its nature. While some base their argument on early Christian believes, others offer first-hand experience claiming they visited hell and were able to return to earth and tell their tales. Some disagreeing parties accuse others of modifying the doctrine of hell making it less horrifying and ...

Introduction

Robert Louis Stevenson published the novel “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” in 1886. The novel features a London-based lawyer called Gabriel John Utterson who looks into strange issues that occur between his old friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and an evil man named Edward Hyde. Critics and book reviews have termed the novel as bringing out “split personality” or a condition in which one-body hosts more than one distinct personality. The body of Dr. Jekyll hosts an evil personality (Mr. Hyde) and a good personality (Dr. Jekyll). Jekyll confesses in later chapters that “man is not ...

“Othello” is one of Shakespeare’s most intense plays and reflects the Aristotelian ideas of the perfect tragedy. According to Aristotle, “A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious,” (From Poetics, p.1). In addition, the tragedy has a “magnitude [that is] complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language [and] in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear,” (From Poetics, p.1). In other words, an outstanding tragedy looks at a single issue that is very important in the play and allows the reader to feel pity and fear for the hero ...

In the quest for certainty, Descartes realizes that some of his beliefs he holds are wrong or bad. After realizing the possibility of having bad beliefs, Descartes notes that other beliefs might be bad too. Such a situation arises since the basis of most of the beliefs is based on flawed reasoning or other bad beliefs. Therefore, Descartes wants a belief system devoid of false and uncertain beliefs, whether in themselves or the basis on which they exist. Such a belief system ought to have a basic foundation with basic beliefs that can justify other beliefs while they, do ...