Exploring the Possibility of Updating the Cosmological...

Exploring the Possibility of Updating the Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God The term cosmological comes from the Greek language, meaning ‘world’ or ‘universe.’ The argument is based on facts about the world. The topic of cosmology refers to the study of the universe. The cosmological argument begins with a general claim about the physical universe e.g. that some events have causes and that there must be a supernatural agent to somehow explain this fact. The argument seems to say that there cannot be an infinite series of causes, they have to stop somewhere. One scholar who supports this idea is St. Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas invented the ‘five ways’ by which he tried to demonstrate†¦show more content†¦Although, we also have no reason to believe that they are false. The five ways also asks how can the cosmological argument avoid contradicting itself. For example, if nothing causes itself how can there be a first cause, which does not require a cause other than itself. The cosmological argument can work on the assumption that the cause of existing things is not a thing, in which case the above contradiction would disappear. Leibniz put forward the cosmological argument. He argues that the ‘great principle’ of this argument is that â€Å"nothing takes place without a sufficient reason.†[2] Leibniz went onto formulate a version of the cosmological argument similar to, but also different from that of Aquinas. In place of Aquinas’ idea that every event has a cause, Leibniz observed that every event must have a sufficient reason for its existence, since nothing happens without a reason. But everything can also be explained with reference to something else within the world. Therefore the reason why there is something at all rather than nothing must come from outside the world. For a sufficient reason to account for such things there must be a being, which is able to create existence. Such a being must exist of itself because there is something rather than nothing. Therefore a necessary being exists, which we call god. Copleston formulated three

Essay The Logic of Mercantilism - 723 Words

Explain the Logic of Mercantilism and Why it is Generally Viewed as a Deficient Theory Gretchen Serrao Nova Southeastern University Explain the Logic of Mercantilism and Why it is Generally Viewed as a Deficient Theory Mercantilism was an economic system that developed in Europe between the 16th and 18th century during the period of the new monarchies. This economic philosophy is based on the belief that a nation’s wealth depends on accumulated treasure, usually precious metals such as gold and silver, and to increase wealth, government policies should promote exports and discourage imports. Adam Smith, an eighteenth-century Scots professor of moral philosophy who influenced the founding fathers of†¦show more content†¦According to Coleman (1980), â€Å"Smith believed that the natural efforts of every individual to better his own condition when allied to liberty would motivate the ‘invisible hand’ and thus create wealth and prosperity† (p. 775). After a period of time, many people began to revolt against the idea of mercantilism and stressed the need for free trade. The continu ed pressure resulted in the implementation of laissez faire economics in the nineteenth century. Mercantilism aided the monarch and the merchant-capitalists to plan and govern the economic life to secure monopoly gains. Pecquet (2003) suggested that, â€Å"The king captured monopoly revenues in the form of customs duties imposed on the tobacco trade, and English merchants gained exclusive access to most of the world tobacco crop† (p. 467). As a consequence, domestic market was less competitive, legal monopolies drove up prices, consumers were hurt, the purchase power declined, and the further development of economy was affected. All of these reasons support the fact that mercantilism was a deficient theory because its policies benefited only one party and harm the other, and there was no possibility of economics being used to maximize the commonwealth, or common good. References Pecquet, G. M. (2003). British mercantilism and cropShow MoreRelatedLiberalism, Mercantilism, Structuralism And Constructivism1422 Words   |  6 PagesWhen approaching political economics, there are a variety of places and perspectives one may begin from, the most common of which being identifiable as Liberalism, Mercantilism, Structuralism and Constructivism. Each of these political ideologies represent the culmination of works from many famous theorists and intellectuals, all of which help us to better understand how certain economies have the possibility of functioning in different situations. 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The economic system of mercantilism effect revolutionary behavior in the colonies by controlling all economic activities to strengthen national power. Cromwell adopted the policy of mercantilism because of the English Civil War of 1640s sharply reduced funding flow to the colonies. Oliver Cromwell’s 1651 victory over the monarchy greatly influenced the colonies. It also created new global empire. Colonies were designed to provide for mother country. Mercantilism helped by providing silver andRead MoreThe Rise Of Free Trade1243 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: Free Trade: The Rise of Free Trade: According to Adam Smith’s 1776 Wealth of Nations, which other economic historians like, McCulLoch (1825) , Blaugh (1978) and Heckscher (1994), have replicated, Mercantilism was a dominant economic theory prevalent across Europe throughout the 17th to the 18th century with limited empirical evidence (Benjamin Hav Mitra-Kahn, 2011). 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Public Speaking Self Reflection free essay sample

By reviewing the presentation and accumulating the thoughts of those involved will improve future productions. Introduction The intro to this presentation should catch the attention of any doctor who knows about time management. Gaining attention and interest early was a goal in this presentation. The topic to save time and view radiology films from home was clear, and informative. An overview was not given of what would be covered instead the speech flowed into the step by step to view the images from home. Body The body of this presentation logically flowed step by step, using Powering to liver messages clearly and so that the audience could follow along more easily. No misinterpretation was felt regarding the use of language spoken, and the body was delivered well. The steps were clear and concise. Delivery When viewing the presentation again, it was rushed from start to finish. The time factor disabled the use of more information being shared. We will write a custom essay sample on Public Speaking Self Reflection or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A well defined topic would have solved this problem. Watch out for eye contact, hand gestures, and bouncing around, these were noticed and portrayed poor body language. There were not any pauses due to time constraint. There were times that there could have been a pause to prove a point, or to allow the audience to ask a question or catch up to the speaker. Language The language used was appropriate. Due to the recording device used the audience could not hear clearly. Future presentation must have a better sound system. Audience and Topic The message was adapted for the appropriate audience. One of the biggest topics in any clinic is how to save time in a day. This is one suggestion for doing Just that.Any doctor looking to save time would view this two minute presentation to allow them a ewe extra minutes each day. Visual Aids Step by step instructions were used via Powering, on how to view Patient Images from home. The slides allowed the audience to view the steps clearly and efficiently. Many times in this presentation the visual aids allowed the speaker a chance to look away from the audience. A quick glance is fine but there is no reason to read the slide. Conclusion The end of the presentation was as rushed as the beginning and body. The reinforcement of how this would save time in the day, allowing more time with tenants, was preparation to the end of the speech. There was not a vivid ending Just more of the same Power Point presentation. A stronger conclusion would have helped close the presentation with confidence. Overall Evaluation The presentation was good throughout. There could have been a better sound system to make the presentation more appealing. The requirement was met for the assignment. To respect attention to detail, the time limit was followed closely. A general comment stated, was to wait a second or two prior to speaking to allow equipment to work so as not to cut off the beginning. There was clear purpose and overall the outcome was quite good. By reviewing the important parts of a presentation, introduction, body, conclusion, delivery, language, audience and topic, visual aids, and overall evaluation, the giver of the speech can use the information provided to improve upon them self. Overcoming the need to think of oneself as right and allowing outside perspective enables the speech presenter the ability to become a remarkable speaker, in everyones eyes.